Chapter 7 - The Lone Boy

"...and that's why she will be staying with us. Do you mind sharing a room?", I asked Bella.

"I don't mind!!", Bella giggled, "My name is Bella, and Mael is my big brother!"

"Oh so your name is Mael.", Lily said.

"I am sorry, I completely forgot to introduce myself.", I chuckled.

"It's okay, my name is Lily.", she replied with a weak smile.

"Do you know how to play games?", Bella asked her, "Mael made this game called Checkers that is a lot of fun!"

"How do you play?", Lily inquired.

For the next few hours, the two of them exchanged wins in Checkers. When it came to eat, we walked downstairs to have our meal. Sitting at one of the open tables, we placed our orders. When it was Lily's turn, she looked hesitant to order since she had no money. Unlike Zeus, Bella, and I, she wasn't Hermes guest so it wasn't assumed she'd eat free. Going to tell Lily it was alright, I stopped Hermes and said I would pay for her.

"She is my guest, so I should foot the bill.", I told the lady as I handed her a hundred valis.

Looking at me with a stunned look, Lily wasn't sure what to say. Ordering some noodles and juice, Lily weakly thanked me still shocked someone would buy her a meal.

"That's my boy!", Zeus chuckled, "Way to lay the charm on!!"

"Where did he learn that from? Certainly you never did that.", Hermes jabbed, "I remember being left with several of your tabs."

"Beh, it's all in the past.", Zeus stated pretending not to recall those times.

Telling Lily about our former village, and what brought us here...we made sure not to tell her about what I did. Listening closely to us, she seemed to want to see it for herself. Having never left Orario, she wanted to see what the world looked like even if it was only one time. After eating, the two of them went with the other women to bathe. As soon as the women left, I saw Zeus and Hermes smile before running off together.

'None of my business at this point, and I know the Hermes Familia will make an example out of them.', I thought heading up to my room, 'Besides, Bella and Lily aren't in their strike range. Knowing them they are after the curvy women.'

Tonight I intended to slip out of the inn, and make my way into the Dungeon. I wanted to go down there and train myself hard to gain better control of my power. The need to practice was imperative as I needed to be able to use the right amount of force when fighting people. My power could easily kill everyone around me in an instant which was a troubling thought. Making my plans for the evening in my room, Bella and Lily were bathing each other in the bathroom.

---Ladies Bathing Area---

"Your ears are adorable.", Pot giggled poking them.

"Please don't...", Lily pleaded uncomfortably.

"I think they are cute!", Bella stated, "I wish I had fluffy ears!"

"No you don't...lots of people hate my ears.", Lily refuted remembering the abuse she endured over them.

"No! Mael said that people with animal ears are cool!", Bella argued, "There wasn't anyone like that in our village, but the Travel Merchants sometimes had them. Mael said they looked very soft, and always wanted to pet them."

Wriggling around uncomfortably as Bella scrubbed her hair, Lily was happy to hear she had a way to repay Mael. It wasn't mush, but it was all she could do at the moment to thank him for his kindness.

"So Lily, do you want to be an Adventurer?", Bella asked.

"No...", Lily replied.

"Why not? Mael, you, and I could make an Adventurer's party!! We could have all sorts of fun together!!", Bella said with excitement, "We could become the strongest party in the world, and become Heroes!!"

"Heroes?", Lily questioned.

"Yes, I want to be a Hero like in grandpa's books!", Bella told her with sparkling eyes, "I want to be someone that can save people from danger! My dream is to be strong enough to save everyone from anything, and make a world were everyone can be happy!"

'Where everyone can be happy...', Lily thought skeptically, 'Is there a way to make something like that?'

Ignoring the fighting going on behind them, the two were blissfully unaware that the two Gods were being beaten around like piñatas after being caught. Bella was busy dreaming of her rise to becoming a Hero, and Lily wondered if Bella and Mael could really make a world where everyone could be happy.

---Mael's Bedroom---

Taking a nap to pass the time, I woke up around 2am when the entire inn was asleep. Slipping out of the place without a sound, I made myself invisible and easily avoided detection from the people watching the inn. All of them had ties to various Familia's that were just waiting for an issue Zeus caused so they could throw him out. Unfortunately for them, he had stayed in the inn since arriving earlier that day so they had nothing at this point.

Making my way towards the Dungeon, I found Aqua laying in a trash can with slap marks on her face. Evidentially she had gone through with what she said, and got a hard beating from Freya. Hearing her sniffling in the trash, I felt a bit bad for her but remembered that this was Aqua I was thinking about. She'd bounce back pretty quick so it would be fine, plus she deserved it for saying something like that about another woman.

Upon reaching Babel, I could sense Freya was glancing around the city from her room in the tower. Using Dark Matter to conceal my soul, I was sure she wouldn't see my movements. Slipping past the guards and officials blocking the entrance, I made my way onto the First Floor. Looking around my surroundings, I was taken aback by how beautiful this place was.

'The Manga, Light Novel, and Anime really don't do this place justice.', I thought admiring the area, 'It's really hard to believe that this place has no ties to the Gods. There were a lot of theories about what the Dungeon really was, but my opinion is that it's a prison. The Titan's have to be trapped down at the very bottom or something like that. It explains why the Dungeon hates deities, and would explain the layout of the floor. Whatever is at the bottom must be testing people to see if they are worthy of its blessing or maybe wants to be freed.'

At this point though, I didn't really care. It wasn't like I was here to conqueror the labyrinth tonight or anything. I just wanted to train, and this was the ideal place to do it. Transforming into my Demonic Form, I dove into the depths of labyrinth to begin my training.

---Babel, Top Floor---

"It's unusual for yah to call me out at this time of night.", Loki yawned, "I was sleepin peacefully till I got a rude awakening."

"I apologize Loki, but I wanted to speak with you privately.", Freya replied.

"Did Zeus already break his agreement?", Loki asked.

"No, he hasn't left the Traveler's Inn today.", Freya stated, "I was curious if you knew about the two children with him, specifically that young boy."

"The girl is the daughter of one of one of his supporters, and a member of Hera's Familia.", Loki told her having already looked into it, "I don't got any names, but they were low level members for sure. As for the boy, I got nothing. Word is Zeus found him on the streets when he was leaving, and took him in. My familia looked in several places for information about him, but nothing turned up. Why you interested in him?"

"Nothing in particular, I am just worried that old man might make him into a pervert.", Freya lied.

"I am not buyin that, if that was all you'd have talked to me in the daylight.", Loki replied, "What are you hiding?"

Looking at Loki carefully, Freya decided to let her friend in on the information she had.

"While it was faint, I could tell he wanted to kill me if I got close to his sister.", Freya told her.

"Well seein as he has been round Zeus, he probably doesn't have a good impression of deities.", Loki snickered.

"I am not joking.", Freya admitted with a serious look, "I felt like I was looking death in the face. There is something off about that young boy, I could feel a power aura hidden in him."

"You ain't suggestin he might be some sort of demigod, are yah? Demigods are only myths, no mortal has reach that height and it's not like we can have kids with the mortals.", Loki reminded her.

"What if someone found a way?", Freya asked her, "There are rumors that a few Spirits have birthed children with mortals, why couldn't we?"

"Well I mean...", Loki wanted to argue but couldn't.

She herself had eyes on young girl she discovered through her information network. Currently she was too young for her to pursue, but Loki was just waiting to pounce. The child was a miracle child between a Spirit and a Human, maybe it wasn't too far fetched for a deity to have offspring with mortals.

"If he is the child of a deity...", Loki said nervously, "He ain't bound by our agreement, which make him a liability."

Thinking about it closely, the story of what happened out in the village was full of holes. She admitted that Artemis Familia could have handled it, but if the Evilus used Berserker Potions that meant they should have easily been overwhelmed. Loki hadn't really thought much of it till now because she was worried about Zeus' actions. What if the boy really was hiding some sort of overwhelming power that killed the Evilus members that attacked Zeus and Hermes.

'If that kid is the son of a deity...whatever Familia he joins would have an ace in hole!', she thought with a smile, 'I need to confirm what really happened before I jump ship.'

"You aren't thinking of beating me to the punch, are you?", Freya laughed.

"The early bird catches the worm.", Loki snickered, "Either way...I ain't doing nothin tonight. I got to worry about my beauty, don't cha know."

Laughing at that, Freya saw her out.

"Ottar, I want you to have the team look into the boy. If he is a mythical Demigod, we have to recruit him before anyone else.", Freya stated.

"Yes My Lady.", Ottar said from within the shadows.

'I trust my instincts on this, he is no mere mortal.', Freya thought, 'He might be just the person to cure my boredom.'

Going to take a seat by the balcony, Freya was going to take a sip of her tea when an overwhelming presence filled the area. Dropping her tea in shock, every hair on her body felt like it stood on end. Throwing the door to her room open, Ottar burst in thinking they were under attack. Not sensing anyone in the room, he glanced over to his Goddess.

"My Goddess, what is going on?", Ottar asked using every ounce of strength to stay standing in defense of her.

"If it's not here...it must be in the Dungeon.", she remarked glancing to her feet.

Out in the hallway, Loki was on her stomach trying to stay conscious. The sudden sensation terrified her causing her to lose her strength, and fall to the floor. Looking down the hall to her guard, he was barely able to breath where he sat.

'What the hell is going on...', she thought.

---Labyrinth Floor Five, Earlier On---

For some reason, the Dungeon wasn't spawning monsters when I walked the floors in my Demonic Form. The Dungeon must believe I am an ally, and is just letting me wander the floors without any hassle...it's bullshit.

'Or it knows that I am too strong for this floor and it knows it.', I thought with a yawn.

Having already eliminated every monster that was already spawned on the floors above, this was more boring that I expected. It was honestly quite a let down...I was expecting the Dungeon to attack me as hard as possible, but instead it was ignoring me. Cursing my luck as I continued walking the floor, I faintly heard someone crying nearby. Looking around carefully trying to located the source, I stumbled across a child no more than five years old.

Seeing a torn backpack nearby him and his injured leg, it appeared he had been left to die. He held in incense bag in his hands to keep monsters away, but it looked like it was about to run out. Unable to move because of his injury, he knew what was going to happen to him when it did. Going to approach him, I stopped myself realizing that if the Dungeon thought of me as a monster, there was a high chance he would too.

Taking some space from him, I changed into my Angelic Form and then approached him. Seeing the light given off by my wings before I got close, he started to cry harder thinking I was a monster. Pointing a broken dagger at me, he said he would kill me even though he was bawling his eyes out and snot was running down face.

"There is no reason to be afraid.", I said in the same soothing voice I used with Jane when she was scared, "I am here to help you. Did your party leave you behind?"

"They...they used me...as...as bait...", he choked up, "They...they told me...I was...better off...dead..."

"I am sorry you had to go through that. How long have you been down here?", I asked.

"Three...three days...", he cried, "No one...no one would...would help...me. They...they took my...stuff, and...left me. No one...would...would help...me...because...because I don't...don't have a...a Familia."

"I see.", I said, "You must be terrified, let's get you patched up. By My Grace you are healed.", I stated touching his forehead.

Engulfed by a calming warmth, the boy stopped crying and closed his eyes. Having fallen asleep due to exhaustion, I stowed his bag in my storage, and picked him up. I couldn't believe how heartless the parties were that stole from him, and left him for dead. This poor kid was just trying to make enough to eat, and was left to die alone in this place.

'How many kids have died in here just like him...', I thought as I walked the floor.

Walking around for a little while longer, I stumbled across a camping group of Adventurers. Listening to them talk, the party leader mentioned robbing the poor boy as they ate.

"How long you think he is going to last?", he laughed, "My bet says he is dead already."

"I wager he lasts tonight only.", one of his companions said.

"I bet it's till we are done eating. We can still hear him from here, and I want a goodnights rest.", the third companion snickered, "My sleep is more important than him."

Walking into their camp, I stared the man down seething in anger. The Dungeon seemed to sense my anger as the whole place started vibrating. Putting the boy down, I put a barrier around him so he wouldn't get hurt.

"You have some nerve stealing from this boy, and leaving him to die.", I said pulling Rhitta out of my storage, "I will have you pay for your crimes in blood..."

"Fuck you!!", the man said lunging at me in fear.

Shattering his blade on me on impact, the man stood their dumbfounded.

"Cowards like you have no place in this Dungeon.", I said as my fury poured out throughout the area, "How dare you claim your sleep is more important than a child's life!! You are a mere insect in my eyes, and you disgust me!"

Dropping their food, the other two men collapsed to the floor foaming at the mouth. As for the one standing in front of me, he had already given up the ghost and fell on the fire. Gathering everything they had, I left the other two men to fend for themselves with nothing, but their fists and the clothes on their backs. I would let the Dungeon deliver their punishment without any hesitation.