Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

This was supposed to be a normal day.

Filvis needed to burrow deep beneath the floors of the Dungeon, beyond the reach of sunlight and wind, to carry out her patron deity's will like she always did, like she would do for many years to come.

It didn't matter what the specific task was. They all bled together — assassination, thievery, blackmail, trickery. There was no voice of reason even attempting to stitch together whatever was left of her broken, useless elven pride. What she did have were monsters. They were the only witnesses to her crimes, lurking around the corner of the Dungeon, or else living inside of her.

Today, Filvis was tasked with murder. It was a common enough order, one that should have passed from her mind without another glance. She had already killed teammates, kinsman, children, friends. Two complete strangers shouldn't have bothered her much at this point, even if they were stronger than her normal victims.

They were an odd duo. One was a scruffy werewolf, the other a beautiful young elf. The werewolf had what was possibly the shortest temper Filvis had ever seen. He had lost his patience within the hour and ran ahead of the party without a second glance, leaving his poor partner scrambling in the dust trying to keep up.

The girl was obviously a mage, unfit for fast-paced battles and quick-travel. Her long staff was unbalanced, meant more for spellcasting than bludgeoning the skulls of minotaurs and hellhounds. Even the weakest ones of the pack frightened and overpowered her, though she held more power.

In a word, she was pathetic.

In her mind, Filvis thought that contempt rose in her chest, where her heart should have been. It wasn't there anymore, of course. Years ago, it had been ripped out and replaced a monster's magic stone, but the pulses of energy that rippled from that stone reminded her of a real heartbeat. Right now, it was beating erratically in what she decided must be hate.

The younger elf didn't seem bothered by Filvis's presence. Either she wasn't aware of her teammate's reputation for getting her party members killed, or she simply didn't care. She kept trying to strike up a conversation despite being ignored at every word.

Look at that pathetic thing. Just kill her now and put her out of her misery.

No. Not here, not now. Lord Dionysius specifically ordered them to be brought to the pantry first, before they are killed and used as fuel.

In her mind, a cruel voice spoke. That was Ein. They were two halves of the same whole, but Ein's input was never welcomed. Filvis hated her, hated herself.

They should have died years ago. They should never have been born. They should grovel and throw themselves down at the mercy of whatever good deity was left. They were both unworthy, better off dead. Now they roamed decrepit places, tinged with the smell of blood and stale booze.

Wait, booze?

With a jolt, Filvis realized that she and the other elf were no longer surrounded by caverns and stone. Instead, they were stepping through the wooden threshold of an almost-collapsed tavern, built deep in the heart of the rogue town Rivira. Well, town was a generous term. It was more a collection of wooden huts, built haphazardly with the expectation of it being destroyed sooner or later by a stray monster.

Where was she? What happened?

Filvis's party must have entered the Dungeon town while she was still deep in her self-loathing. She vaguely registered that the tavern was filled with injured adventurers. One among them was talking. He was a human without legs. He crawled with his arms, his fingernails cracking under the effort. He had blamed her for letting him lose his legs. They were not fast enough, alert enough, and so had allowed the monsters to devour his legs. Now, he was crippled, doomed to live off the scraps of the begging bowl.

His eyes reflected his hatred. It drowned her vision until she could feel her mind closing in on itself. The noise clumped together in one loud, roaring trill. The pressure on her chest grew until she thought her magic stone was ripping her insides apart and dragging the air from her lungs. She couldn't breathe, couldn't think, couldn't even see-

You useless piece of trash. Get out of your head and stop wallowing in your own petty problems. What would Lord Dionysius say if he saw you being so wretched?!

No, no, no! Just, just leave!

Filvis pounded her head as she fled the tavern. She thought that she heard Ein's mocking laughter, but perhaps that belonged to the werewolf instead. 'Banshee', he had spat at her, before he abruptly left.

Filthy creature. Better off dead. Can't even die. Filthy, filthy, FILTHY-

A small, thin hand wrapped itself around Filvis's wrist.

Ack?!

Neither Ein nor Filvis could process what was happening for a moment. The young, weak, beautiful elf must have followed her out of the tavern. Her fingers had curled themselves around Filvis's wrist with unexpected strength. From that bit of contact, Filvis felt her entire body shudder.

When was the last time she had been touched? Lord Dionysius gave his affection sparingly. Filvis and Ein hungered for it, pawing at whatever kind words or fleeting caresses that he would throw their way. To anyone else, it would have been clear that he was manipulating them, stringing them along. But his love was all they knew.

Faced with this new touch, Filvis didn't know what to do. She felt paralyzed. She thought for a moment that the girl had cast a short-chant stunning spell on her, but no, that simply wasn't possible. No chants had been sung. Filvis tried to speak for herself, but only gaped like a goldfish.

What are you doing?! Shake her off!

Ein finally came to her senses and seethed in her mind, but Filvis couldn't find the willpower to shake off the girl's grip. A warmth was coursing through her entire body, and Filvis felt herself relax, as if she were under a warm ray of sunlight. Instead of a blue sky though, it was accompanied by a pair of deep blue eyes.

"You are not filthy!"

The girl was speaking. Her lips were quivering, but her eyes were strong.

"You are a strong, proud, beautiful elf! So much more so than me! You defended me when I fell behind, you didn't say a word to rebuke those men at the bar! You, are so beautiful. So, so beautiful."

Filvis was captivated, and so was Ein.

Deep down, they knew that this was a farce. She was a true monster, with a face and soul so heinous that even the blind would flinch back from.

For this moment though, she let herself believe in the girl.

Slowly, she shifted her arm so that she could loosely hold the girl's hand. The warmth and comfort came back with renewed force, and Filvis felt her breath catch in her throat.

Then, the unimaginable happened. Magic flowed to her right forearm, the one that the girl was holding only a few moments ago. Hidden to all but her own mind, she keenly felt a handprint etching itself on her skin.

It was a soulmate mark.

Filvis found her soulmate.

Oh dear gods, its her. I found her.

LIES! LIAR!

Ein had worked herself in a frenzy and Filvis was met with the mental image of her counterpart wreaking havoc in some unnamed path in the Dungeon. She felt like breaking stone too, if only to provide an outlet to the delirious joy she felt.

In ages long passed, before even the days of the Hero of the Dawn, every human and sub-human had two sets of arms, two sets of legs, and two separate heads. They were complete, and that made them strong. But the gods, fearful of being forgotten by the mortals they created, cleaved them apart with their divine power.

One soul became two, forever yearning to rejoin the other.

It used to be that each person was reincarnated as a complete being, but after the gods' cleaving, that was no longer the case. When those two souls fell prey to mortal dangers, and returned to the cycle of rebirth, they were usually lost to one another. One half might be reborn right away, but the other might not return to the living Earth for another ten thousand years. Even the ones lucky enough to be born during the same time as their other half might find themselves on other sides of the Earth.

With so many pitfalls, most people spend entire existences without reuniting with their other half. But should you be lucky enough to live during the same time, in the same place, as your other half, the gods granted you one small mercy: a mark.

When you touched your soulmate, some sort of tattoo would manifest on your body. These were astonishingly rare. Even in a massive city like Orario, home to well over 100,000 citizens of all races and origins, the amount of found pairs numbered only in the hundreds.

Despite these odds though, Filvis could now count herself among them. She let out a breathless laugh.

I found her! She found me! We're…we're…

SHUT UP! SHUT UP! You really think she'll want you?! That she'll want us?! We are monsters, murderers, filth beneath the lowest scum in Orario. Don't fool yourself.

Ein's words doused whatever joy she felt. The laughter died out. Nervously, Filvis looked up. The girl seemed a bit bashful now, what with her actions finally registering in her mind, but there was no wild surprise or glee.

See! She's not ours.

…

With her blood pounding through her head, Filvis glanced at the girl's palms. They were calloused but otherwise pristine, marred only by her frequent use of a staff.

There was no mark.

At that final confirmation of Ein's words, Filvis felt ice crawl through her veins and up her spine. For a moment she was too numb to do anything but stare at the girls unmarked palms, while the girl herself started fidgeting under the awkward silence.

Oh, the luck that we have.

Filvis wanted to cry at the absurdity of it. Here she was, born during the same time and place as her soulmate, but was so broken that the other party couldn't even recognize her. Or worst, maybe Filvis had been broken even before she was turned into a monster. Maybe she was born incomplete. Maybe she had no soulmate at all. Maybe she was doomed to always look but never find a partner.

Eventually, Filvis managed to let out a dry chuckle. This shocked the girl into an embarrassed stutter, which she tried to hide by throwing her arms in front of her flushing face. The sight struck Filvis with a sense of adoration, which Ein pointedly tried to ignore.

This…you know what, this is fine. Let me be selfish once more.

Her soulmate was not mean for her, but Filvis was willing to take what she could get. She hadn't even thought that she would ever meet her soulmate, so it was enough to have the chance to speak with her. A small smile worked its way onto Filvis's face. This was fine. Completely fine.

Look at you! Always lying to yourself! You'll settle now, but soon we'll tear her apart with greed, or else let Lord Dionysius's desire do it for us.

Just be quiet for once, will you?!

Filvis ignored Ein, and instead focused on the girl in front of her.

"You are a strange one…Lefiya."

Her name left behind a warm, fuzzy feeling in Filvis's chest. Couple that with the beaming smile Lefiya was giving her, and Filvis had to fight down the urge to engulf the other girl in a tight hug. That wouldn't be appropriate, which Ein pointed out rather vehemently. With Lefiya beaming up at her though, Filvis felt her self-control straining a bit.

"Oi!"

A rough voice barked at them from among the wooden huts.

"Are you two done yappin' yet?! Get moving! We have to catch up with Aiz!"

With that polite note, Bete the werewolf turned around and bolted towards the Dungeon town's exit, towards the entryway to the lower levels. The two elves scrambled to keep up with him, but they laughed together as they ran, complaining good-naturedly about their rough teammate.

Chapter Text

Filvis's mission ended in complete failure.

No one from Loki Familia had been killed in the end. A few had gotten badly injured — like the rude werewolf with the crushed legs — but that meant next to nothing in Orario, the great Dungeon City.

Here, it only took a quick trip to the nearest hospital or clinic to get even the worst injuries, curses, and poisons nullified by a healer. Even a good potion brewer would do in emergencies. Short of actually cutting the limb off, Filvis was sure that the werewolf would be back on his feet in a few days.

Even now, he was complaining to the poor animal person from Hermes Familia who had been ordered to carry him to the Dian Cech Familia hospital. Filvis might have been annoyed with him on any other day, but right now she couldn't care less.

"Miss Filvis!"

All her attention was focused on the bright elf walking besides her. Lefiya looked noticeably haggard, with her clothes covered in dirt and her face lined in exhaustion. Despite that though, there was a spring to her every step, and her smile was still bright and sweet. Filvis felt herself genuinely smiling back.

The two were walking side-by-side down the streets of Orario, their backs warmed by the setting afternoon sun. Filvis had the maddening urge to reach out and gently hold Lefiya's hand. It would be so easy. She just had to take a half-step closer, extend her hand just a bit farther, and she'd be able to feel the soothing weight of her soulmate's hand.

Filthy monster! Not yours! Not your soulmate!

Just a small touch...that wouldn't be asking for too much, would it? I just...

"Miss Filvis?"

"…Ah! Sorry about that Lefiya. I was…a bit lost in thought,"

Filvis felt a red blush crawling up her pale neck. She had been so focused on the thought of holding hands that she had zoned out on their conversation.

"It's fine! It has been a long few days, hasn't it…."

Lefiya grew suddenly gloomy here. Her lips trembled as if she was holding back an anguished cry, her knuckles whitening from the strength she was using to hold onto her staff. No one could blame her for feeling what she felt.

Under her command, four members from Hermes Familia had been killed. She barely knew their names (Pock, Pot, Jose, and Ellie). She couldn't even properly mourn them. What lives and dreams did they have before they had been so cruelly murdered down in the Dungeon, defending her, testing her to save them with her magic?

She couldn't bear to think of it for too long. She quickly forced her mind to think of happier thoughts.

I'm glad that Miss Filvis was there with me though! I'm glad that she made it out safe and sound.

Lefiya grew bashful here. Her long, elven years grew just a shade redder, and she averted her gaze away from Filvis and towards the ground.

She felt a certain affinity for her fellow elf. She was strong and kind and gallant, almost like her idol Ais Wallenstein. Unlike Aiz though, Filvis had a certain vulnerability and sadness to her that made her seem more human, more approachable.

I'd like to be friends with her!

With her mind made up, Lefiya turned to resolutely look Filvis in the eye. Her demeanor was a bit bashful, but she still held a good bit of determination in her eyes.

The sight was so endearing that Filvis felt her breath catch in her throat.

She's…she's so beautiful.

Unlike you.

"Um…Miss, Filvis? Would you like to meet up sometimes? I understand if you're too busy! I just…I'd like to get to know you a bit better,"

Filvis jolted back in surprise. She found herself responding before she had fully processed what she was hearing.

"Yes! Yes, of course! I mean...if it's not too much of a bother…"

"I'm glad! Would you be free next weekend? We could go to an elven café that I know for some snacks and tea! Unless you want to do something else?"

Filvis was reeling over the fact that someone was willingly spending time with her. At that moment, Lefiya could have asked her to clean out city sewers with her and Filvis still would've been eager to accept.

"That works fine for me,"

"Great! I'll see you then! Goodbye, Miss Filvis!"

With a last cheerful wave (Filvis had been secretly hoping for a hug), Lefiya rushed off for the Loki Familia home with her fellow familia members, the werewolf and the Sword Princess, if Filvis remembered correctly.

Filvis smiled softly after her and gave a small wave back.

Next weekend. I'll see her again then.

That's if you don't get stood up.

Oh shut it, Ein.

"So you're finally back,"

A frigid voice greeted Filvis the moment she stepped into the Dionysius Familia home. The four-storey building was constructed with warm, orange bricks, with wide windows lining most of its exterior walls. It was a short walk away from the Tower of Babel, nestled squarely in the residential area.

It was the essence of a respectable, mid-sized Familia home.

Filvis never liked it much.

It didn't help that Aura was the first person she saw upon entering the building. The other elf was the epitome of her race, proud and unyielding. She was quick to criticize her for the smallest mistakes — from using too much hot water, to getting a bad price on potions, to allowing Lord Dionysius to get so much as a paper cut from filing paperwork. Everything was a fight between them.

(Filvis felt like she deserved every bit of it)

Today though, Filvis was undaunted. She breezed through a stunned Aura and made her way to her room. Unlike most other Familia members, Filvis did not have a roommate. Her high level afforded her that much, and few of her Familia members were willing to room with 'Banshee' in the first place.

Aura eventually shook off her surprise and ran off gracefully after Filvis.

"What's with you today?"

Her suspicion was well-founded. Aura couldn't remember the last time her teammate looked so content and serene without Lord Dionysius in her immediate presence. At best, she was gloomy without him. At worst, she was downright miserable. The change intrigued Aura, who followed after Filvis.

"…nothing. Why?"

It was a horrible lie and they both knew it. Aura nearly snorted (gracefully, of course), and Filvis was adamantly looking straight ahead and not at her teammate.

"Let's see now, what could have actually broken through your miserable cloud of a personality?"

Aura hummed aloud, making a show of thinking deeply. When Filvis gave no response, she started guessing at random.

"Did Lord Dionysius gift you a flower?"

"…"

"Did Lord Dionysius invite you to dinner?"

"…"

"Did Lord Dionysius compliment you?"

"…"

"Wait, don't tell me, does it have nothing to do with Lord Dionysius?"

"…"

" I knew it! What a miracle! Someone other than Lord Dionysius managed to tolerate you! What luck!"

Filvis flinched at that last jab, but kept walking. Ein was at once howling at her to rip off Aura's tongue while also agreeing with her and egging her on in her mind.

Kill her! She's right! Shut her up!

Will YOU shut up?! Gods, why did I pick the room furthest from the entrance?

The door to her room was finally in sight. Filvis breathed a sigh of relief and picked up her pace. Aura kept throwing wild ideas behind what caused her good mood, ranging from finding a rare item in the Dungeon to taking a special, happiness-inducing medicine (drugs, she's talking about drugs).

"Wait! Don't tell me, have you taken a lover?"

"Pffff?!"

"Filvis?!"

Aura hadn't actually expected her last guess to be true. She was taking guesses at random to see what reactions she could incite from her usually gloomy captain. But the moment she said it, Filvis tripped over nothing and slammed face-first into the door to her room. She was fine, but her pride was not.

Filvis cursed her lack of composure. She could already imagine the look on Aura's face as she quickly pulled herself up and actually opened her door.

You absolute idiot! What's wrong with you?!

Filvis responded to Ein by slamming her door shut. Well, she tried to. Before the door could fully close, Aura jammed her foot between the doorframe and the swinging door.

"What do you want, Aura? Haven't you said enough yet?"

Her words would've had more bite, if only Filvis's face wasn't currently rivaling the colour of a very ripe tomato. She was expecting ridicule from Aura, but when she finally looked her in the eye, she saw only genuine curiosity.

"Did you actually find someone?"

"That's none of your business."

Filvis pulled more insistently on the door, but Aura chose to ignore that.

"Who is he? Is he from our Familia? Is he an elf?"

"I said it's none of your business! Now, if you'd be so kind as to leave your captain alone…"

"Wait!"

"What do you want from me?!"

Now Filvis was flushed with anger. She had returned from her trip to the middle floors in a rare, good mood, which had vanished at this point. Although she had technically failed in her mission to kill the member of Loki Familia, Lord Dionysius assured her that they had ultimately gained more than they had lost.

"Don't worry. We'll kill Loki Familia eventually. It's more important that the spirit orb ate its fill,"

He had spoken of mass murder with a gentle smile, as if those people were nothing more than naughty children that had to be reigned in. Maybe that's all they were in his eyes, or maybe not. It was hard for even Filvis to fully understand her god's thoughts. Lord Dionysius ended that conversation with a small pat on their back, accompanied with a charming smile. Both Ein and Filvis trembled with sheer joy at the praise and affection.

(This was their sole compensation, after they found out that the one who killed her old friends, who orchestrated her transformation into a monster, had been working with her god for who knows how long)

(They did not think that deeply. They couldn't)

That was not the cause behind Filvis's good mood though. The happiness she and Ein felt from serving Dionysius was fleeting, as fleeting as his presence. He was frequently gone on his own errands, keeping up his friendly persona with the townspeople or working on his ultimate plan of eradicating Orario. He had little time to spend with them. His absence usually soured Ein's mood and saddened Filvis's.

No, Filvis's good cheer was not due to her god, but to Lefiya.

My soulmate.

Even just the memory brought a small smile to Filvis's lips.

Not our soulmate.

Even just the memory brought a cruel sneer to Ein's face.

"See! You're smiling again!"

Aura was staring wide-eyed, as if she couldn't quite believe that her gloomy captain could actually make such an expression. It made her even more curious about her lover. She was certain at this point that Filvis did have a lover, or at least fancied someone.

"Just tell me something about him! Then I promise that I'll leave you alone,"

Filvis weighed out her options. Either she refuses and has to deal with Aura heckling her for the rest of the day, or she could accept and get some peace and quiet.

She chose the latter.

"…it's a her, not him"

And with that, Filvis slammed her door shut and took silent joy in the brief glimpse she got of Aura's bewildered face.

Nice job you idiot.

Her joy didn't last long.

What now?

What do you think? Lefiya isn't our lover, no matter what sick delusions you have in your mind. What will you do once she finds out from Aura that you've been going around, announcing that we're lovers?

Are you trying to drive her away, to disgust her? If you are, you're doing a terrific job!

"…that won't happen. Aura has no way of knowing about Lefiya,"

Filvis was beginning to regret saying anything at all to Aura. She dreaded the possibility of driving Lefiya away, and now that Ein had pointed it out, she felt worry gnawing away at her stomach.

"It won't happen. It won't. Aura doesn't know Lefiya,"

What if it does?

Filvis tried to ignore Ein. She knew her other half was actively trying to anger and worry her, but it was hard to ignore someone talking directly to her mind, someone who knew exactly which buttons to press to rile her up.

Just stop! For once in our lives, just stop!

Filvis collapsed on her simple bed. She didn't bother changing clothes, or washing up, or even getting under the covers. She was already so exhausted, dealing with Aura and then dealing with Ein. She curled in on herself and tried to drown out Ein's thoughts.

Imagine. Aura knows you were out on a job with Lord Dionysius. She could ask him about the job, and he could mention Loki Familia, and then she could reason out that…

She wasn't having much luck ignoring Ein. She looked around desperately for any distraction, anything at all, and her eyes fell on the two handprints inked onto her right forearm.

Her soulmate marks.

She ran her fingers over them. The magic hummed softly, grounding her amidst Ein's rants.

I wonder, are the marks working right? Are you happy right now, Lefiya?

The marks left by your soulmate allow both parties to faintly feel each other's emotion. Although, some thought it was only an old wives' tale. In more rural areas of the world, where villagers knew little of the outside world, knowledge about soulmates was almost non-existent. Some even claimed that soulmates were nothing but an elaborate conspiracy spun by a bored god of love, who wanted to watch the drama put on by mortals left forever unsatisfied with their current lover.

They were a minority though, and Filvis paid their opinions no mind. She was more concerned with the emotion she felt through her marks.

She's a bit sad. Maybe from losing the Hermes Familia members during our 'rescue mission'?

Are you alright, Lefiya? How can I ease your sadness? How can I make you happy?

Filvis felt her eyelids getting heavier and heavier. The mission took more out of her than she thought. In her last moments before falling asleep completely, she brought her marked arm up to her face and pressed a light kiss to them.

"…are you happy, Lefiya?"

Aura walked through the wooden halls of the Dionysius Familia home in such deep thought that passing members could almost see the gears grinding in her mind.

"Hello Aura!

"..."

A fellow elf tried calling out to her, but his greeting went in one ear and out the other.

"Aura? Is everything alright? You look a bit…occupied?"

"Oh! Excuse me,"

Aura finally shook herself out of her thoughts when the other elf waved his hand in front of her face. She turned to address him, just needing to talk about what had happened.

"Harold, did you know that our captain fancies women?"

"Our captain?! 'Banshee'?!"

"Yes Harold, she's our captain,"

"…I didn't know it was possible for her to feel affection for anyone other than Lord Dionysius,"

"I know, right?"

Neither elf was fazed by their captain being bisexual. When every single deity — excluding the few virgin goddesses — was incredibly gay and sexually attracted to both sexes (and in Zeus's case, anything that moved), no one batted an eye when the odd mortal was also gay.

The two elves were just amazed that someone managed to befriend their cold, gloomy captain.

"Hmmmm, I wonder what she's like,"

"Me as well,"

"…"

".."

"…Harold, are you up for some detective work?"

"Well, if you insist Aura…"

Chapter Text

Their outings around Orario became something of a routine.

Every week or so, Lefiya would invite Filvis to go visit some café, candy store, or elven clothing boutique with her. The younger elf would always stutter her words when she asked, as if she was afraid of being rejected.

Filvis couldn't fathom why. Lefiya could ask her to patrol the sewers together, and she would still be jumping in joy.

Every week, Filvis would slowly count down the days before their promised meeting. Her excitement would rise, peak and culminate at the sight of her friend waving at her in front of whatever shop they had chosen.

Filvis would drink in the sight, eyes greedily taking in every line and curve and colour. The clear blue of her eyes, the ruffles along her long skirt, the bounce of her hair as she skipped along the streets.

Oh! If only she could burn visions onto skin.

It sometimes felt like Lefiya's touches burned her skin. Filvis realized early on that, miraculously, the younger elf had absolutely no aversion to physical contact.

Where other elves would ration out their touches like food during a famine, Lefiya doled them out with wild abandon, flinging them out when least expected.

A hug to say hello, a hand on the shoulder just because, an arm around the elbow to walk down the streets, a tug on the wrists to get her attention (no need really, Lefiya always had her attention).

Filvis loved it all. Relished it all.

Disgusting. Look at what you've become.

The contact seemed to infuriate Ein. She also counted down the days to their outings, but with dread instead.

Her monstrous half would work herself into a frenzy in the Dungeon. Any violas or Thanatos Familia members unlucky enough to get too close would be beaten into a pulp of flesh and blood.

On those occasions, she would stand over the still-warm pile of what was once alive, panting with excitement and exertion. She truly looked like Banshee in those moments. Cruel eyes, blood-speckled clothes, a manic smile reaching from almost from ear to ear.

She would sometimes dream that the mess of flesh and guts before he belonged to Lefiya. The thought sent her mind into a frenzy.

Ein hated it all. Cursed it all.

If that filthy thing ever comes down to the Dungeon alone…

The manic smile deepened.

Please don't ever go into the Dungeon alone..

A panicked look flashed briefly.

It was Filvis's worst nightmare come to life: that the one dearest to her heart, other than her god Dionysius, would die by her own hands. That she would commit to pure insanity and kill her own soulmate.

It's fine. She belongs to a large Familia. They would never risk her life by sending her down beyond the upper floors by herself. They're not idiots.

"Miss Filvis!"

A voice as clear as a songbird's trill broke Filvis out of her reverie, and sent Ein into a frenzy.

"Lefiya!"

Filvis noticed something wrong right off the bat. Instead of dressing in one of her cute casual outfits, the younger elf had donned her battle-dress. Sturdy, enchanted bolts of cloth made up her pink skirt and chemise. At her side, she held her mage's staff.

"Lefiya?...Is there a reason for the outfit? Not that it looks unseemly! You look cute in just about anything...It's just that it's different from what you usually wear, and I was wondering, and...you know what, I'm going to cease talking now,"

The older elf flushed red in embarrassment, realizing that she had been rambling. But Lefiya did not seem to mind at all. She gave her companion a bright smile.

"Thank you for the compliment, Miss Filvis! Truth is, I have to cancel our outing this week,"

"Oh...I see,"

Filvis thought she did a decent job of not visibly deflating, but her voice easily gave away her disappointment.

I'll have to wait another week…

"We can still spend some time together though!"

At her reassurance, Filvis visibly perked up.

"I need to gather a few magic herbs growing in the middle floors of the Dungeon. Everyone else in my familia is busy, so I was wondering if you could accompany me instead? Of course, we'll split the herbs equally!"

Filvis nearly tripped while standing still.

Oh, the gods curse me with bad luck!

That's not all they cursed us with.

Not now, Ein! Save our self-deprecating speeches for later!

"Perhaps...you should wait until another Familia member is free? Such as Braver, Sword Princess, or Lady Riveria? These things should be done by members of the same familia, after all,"

Please just wait and stay above ground.

"Oh...I can't really wait though. The herbs have to be collected before the quest deadline passes tomorrow morning...It's fine though! Please don't worry!"

"Are you going to cancel the quest then?"

Thank the gods.

Filvis heaved out a great sigh in relief, while Ein heaved a boulder into a passing Minotaur down in the Dungeon.

"No, this quest needs to be completed. Please don't worry though! At level 3, even a mage like me can make it to and from the seventeenth floor on her own!"

The seventeenth floor regularly spawned minotaurs, which Ein just encountered. Her negative counterpart looked around her surroundings and noticed that she was, in fact, on the seventeenth floor.

Ein grinned. But it was not a gentle grin.

Gods damn it!

"On second thought Lefiya, this would be a good opportunity to foster relations between our Familias. I'll go with you. I will most definitely go with you"

"Really? Thank you so much!"

Filvis would have really preferred to have Lefiya go with someone else, since her own presence may not ward off Ein. Lord Dionysius had forbidden her counterpart from revealing herself to too many strangers, but Filvis was not a stranger, and Lefiya was only a single person.

Ein, don't you dare do anything.

Oh I wouldn't dream of it! What do you think I am? Some kind of monster?

While Filvis was engrossed with balancing a mental argument with Ein and a verbal conversation with Lefiya, who had begun talking excitedly about their new 'outing', she failed to notice two people watching them from the shadows.

Two elves — one woman and one man — were dressed in what could technically qualify as disguises, but were more outlandish costumes than anything else.

Aura wore a trench coat that was so long that it nearly trailed on the floor as she crouched behind a bush. Harold wore a quilted vest that was decorated, for some reason, in rainbow-coloured checkers, along with a matching knee-length skirt.

They were both wearing glasses, as if that somehow made up for their disastrous attempt at being discreet.

"Mommy, mommy, look! A pair of weirdos!"

"Honey, don't make eye-contact,"

An animal person mother quickly ushered her son away from whatever was going on there. She was adamant on not getting involved.

Aura heard and had the decency to look embarrassed.

"Harold, are you sure these disguises work?"

"My, your words wound me! I got these clothes from a most reputable source! He has much experience keeping out of sight of one's fellow familia members! He guaranteed their effectiveness!"

"...well okay, but why are your clothes rainbow-coloured?"

"Well if the captain sees us, I want her to know that we support her,"

"That goes against the very purpose of disguises, but the thought is nice, Harold,"

The duo of elves did not get much further in their conversation, before the keen-eyed Harold saw the other duo of elves making their way to Babel, where the Dungeon's entrance lay.

"Drat! Quickly now, Aura! They're on the move!"

As Aura hurried after him, she whispered to herself.

"What idiot did Harold get these ridiculous disguises from?"

"Hermes, what happened to the old clothes we were supposed to donate to the clothing drive?"

"No need to worry, Asfi! I already dealt with them!"

A very confused Asfi walked around the Hermes Familia home, while her patron God sat on the couch drinking orange juice from a wine glass. He would've preferred actual wine, but Asfi banned him from alcohol after The Incident.

The teal-haired adventurer shot Hermes a look.

"You saying that only worries me more, you know,"

"Ha ha! Have some faith in your god! I'm sure nothing bad will come of it,"

It was unsettling how quickly and painlessly Filvis and Lefiya made their way down the Dungeon. Of course it helped that they were both level 3's going on what was a relatively easy mission, but Filvis couldn't shake off the feeling that she was being watched.

She brushed away that thought, reasoning that her paranoia was simply rearing its ugly head again.

No, this time you're actually being watched.

If this is your attempt at distressing me, it's not working.

Whatever. Don't say I didn't warn you.

For some reason, Ein sounded rather smug, which disturbed Filvis. But she was disturbed by most things her counterpart said and did, so she brushed the warning away as a half-hearted trick.

A small hand slipped into her own.

Ack?!

"Look, Miss Filvis! I think I see the herbs there!"

In her excitement, Lefiya had grabbed Filvis's hand. She gently pulled the older elf alongside her as she strode towards the wall, where a clump of fern-like plants had begun growing. Filvis gave a little start, but offered no other resistance.

Why would she?

Even now, she could feel the magic of her soulmate mark stirring under her skin. It hummed pleasantly at the close contact she had with her soulmate, crawling and twisting down towards her hand in an effort to get even closer.

It felt like the weight of a thousand burdens had been lifted off of her chest. For this moment, just this moment, Filvis let herself forget the guilt of her past and focus solely on the moment. She was standing there, walking hand in hand with Lefiya. And that was enough.

No it's not enough, not enough, never enough.

You greedy little thing.

The magic was still incomplete. It reached Lefiya's hand and fumbled blindly for its other half, the mark that should've also existed on Lefiya's skin. But she was not meant for Filvis. She belonged to someone else.

The thought threatened to tear Filvis apart.

Filvis unconsciously began running her thumb across Lefiya's knuckles, trying to reciprocate even a fraction of the affection she felt pouring out of her.

She's so beautiful.

"Mmm...Miss Filvis, that tickles,"

Something that was not quite a laugh escaped Lefiya's throat.

"My apologies! I-I don't know what got into me,"

"It's fine! It felt rather nice, actually,"

Feeling a cherry-red blush working its way up her neck, Filvis distracted herself by unsheathing a dagger and harvesting an armful of pungent herbs. Their thick, earthy aroma soon knocked some sense back into her head.

Alright, that's better.

You disgust me.

Shut up.

Lefiya moved to work beside her, striking up a conversation about her Familia's antics. She spoke of loud, unafraid amazons and misunderstood werewolves, of hearty laughter and a perverted but ultimately caring goddess.

She spoke with fond exasperation, and Filvis felt a different sort of longing in her chest.

I...had a Familia like that once.

We killed a Familia like that, once.

In that moment of weakness and vulnerability, Ein struck. She sent images, memories of a dead Familia torn apart by a nightmare, of a foolish elf running back in a doomed rescue attempt, turning into a nightmare herself.

St..stop! Please, please not now. Not with my soulmate here.

HA! You claim her as your soulmate? Where's her matching mark then?

…

Well, go on! Tell me where it is. Tell me.

...

Will you introduce her to Lord Dionysius? Or what about me? You should introduce her to me, then we'll see how 'your' soulmate reacts.

…

That's what I thought. Keep your filthy mind out of the gutter.

"Miss Filvis, is something wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost,"

Lefiya nudged her companion with her shoulder, her eyes scanning their surroundings for any monsters that might have spawned while they worked. One hand held her staff, ready to begin chanting at any moment.

Filvis could not bring herself to even respond. She tried desperately to pull herself together, but could not hear nor think of anything else but Ein's poisoned words.

Look at you. Breaking down like a baby right in the middle of the Dungeon. Pathetic. Disgusting.

"Miss Filvis? What's wrong,"

"I'm fine...I'm fine. My apologies for that,"

Out of sheer willpower, tempered by years of living with Ein, Filvis was able to mask the wave of self-doubt and hatred and worry that poured out from her counterpart, the other half of her mind. She even managed a shaky smile.

Lefiya did not seem convinced at all. She frowned lightly at her friend's inability to share her troubles with her, but she couldn't very well force her to talk either.

For now, she settled on pressing one of her hands atop of Filvis's.

"You'll...let me know if something's bothering you? I'm a great listener, you know!"

"I'll, keep that in mind. Thank you Lefiya, truly,"

Filvis couldn't bear to look at her companion's face any longer, not without the guilt laden across every inch of her being.

As she looked for distraction, she caught a glimpse of something nauseatingly bright and rainbow-coloured diving behind a wall.

Rainbow?

"Something's there,"

With a low whisper, Filvis leaned down to whisper instructions to Lefiya.

This can only end horribly.

"Harold, are you done yet?!"

"Quiet Aura! And no, I'm not. For goodness sake, you watched for almost a half hour! I think you can allow me a bit more time,"

The duo of poorly dressed elves hid behind a wall a few dozen meters away from their captain, watching her with a pair of binoculars they had pilfered from their Familia's storeroom. Currently, she was still harvesting herbs with her companion.

"Can you make out who her date is?"

"...Mostly? She's a woman,"

"Nice observation skills, oh keen-eyed Harold. They'll sing songs of your mastery,"

"Okay, fine. I'll admit that was not the most astute of me,"

Harold peeked his head around the corner, binoculars held up against his eyes.

"Oh! I think I see pointed ears. Her date's an elf, I'm pretty sure,"

"Captain Banshee wooed an elf?! Let me see! Is she a part of our Familia?"

Elves were notoriously hard to court, even among their own race. There was a long process of gifts, and poems, and social cues that made up their courtship back when they lived in their home forests. Elves in Orario had relaxed those customs somewhat, but they were still rigorous enough to deter the weak-willed and uncertain suitors.

For a race as long-lived as elves were, it only made sense. They regularly lived for over a century-and-a-half. Any partners they had needed to be dedicated enough to stay by their side for a long, long time.

To see that their cold-hearted captain had made the effort to establish such a bond made her seem more approachable, more human.

Huh. Banshee still has elven pride in her, yet!

"Stop pushing me, Aura! You'll give us away!"

"Just get a good look then! Who is she?!"

"Let me see...she looks younger than the captain,"

"Figures that she goes for the younger ones,"

The vice-captain of Dionysius Familia couldn't help but throw in a few barbed comments at that. She was happy for her captain, but she still had her personal conflicts with her.

"I have to say, she looks quite beautiful. Long, slender years with a well-proportioned visage. The captain's got a keeper, that's for sure,"

"Wonder how she managed that,"

"Now, now, Aura...We're here to support her,"

Harold felt mostly indifferent towards his captain. She spoke so little that some members of their Familia had ever heard her voice before. Captain Filvis never accompanied them on missions, and rarely even led expeditions, preferring to leave those matters to Aura. Instead, she dedicated herself entirely to their patron god's safety.

Nonetheless, he was happy to see her reaching out to others, even if they weren't part of the same Familia. After all that his captain had gone through, it was the least she deserved.

Aura seemed slightly chided, and softened her tone somewhat.

"Any luck on her date's identity?"

"It's a bit hard to see...she's leaning away from me...Oh wait! She turned around...Hey, I recognize her!"

"You do?!"

The clamour from their shouting drew both their captain's and her date's attention. With a yelp, Harold lept back from the corner.

"What's wrong?! Did they see you?"

"No! I think. I'm not entirely sure,"

The two hushed up. When no voice or footsteps were heard for a few moments, they relaxed their guards.

"I think we're safe,"

Aura was wrong, and they were not safe.

"Dio Thyrsos!"

"Arcs Ray!"

Two beams of light came rushing towards them, followed shortly by an unmanly yelp and several explosions.

"Did we get them?!"

"I think so, yes,"

Ein, I swear to the gods if that's you and you try to hurt even a strand of hair on Lefiya's head—

Ouch. The pain. The pain is just too much. What will I ever do?

Ein's dead, mocking voice echoed in Filvis's head. But from the images she sent, Filvis could tell that Ein wasn't actually close by at all. She was on a completely separate floor, somewhere in the Great Jungle Labyrinthine, several levels below the seventeenth floor.

Then who?

Filvis felt an awful headache coming on.

"Who's there? Show yourself at once!"

From the dust and rumble, two figures came stumbling out. They were both shaken, covered in filth and coughing their lungs out, but otherwise unharmed.

Their binoculars and clothing had been destroyed though.

"Banshee, what the hell was that?! Were you trying to kill us?!"

As the dust slowly settled, Filvis recognized one person as her vice-captain Aura and the other as Harold, the level 2 archer.

"Aura? Harold? What have you two been doing?! Is that a pair of binoculars?! Oh gods, I didn't know you had degraded yourself to stalking, you perverted excuse for an elf,"

"Excuse me?!"

As the executive commanders of his Family started a war of insults, Harold brushed himself off and tried to preserve what remaining dignity he had.

"Hello there, miss!"

"Um...hello!"

He bowed slightly in greeting, which the younger elf returned in kind.

"My name is Harold, from Dionysius Familia. Thank you for taking care of our captain,"

"Oh, please don't mention it! She takes care of me far more than the other way around!"

Their conversation was accompanied by the lovely screaming of two elves with a massive grudge against the other.

"Um...sorry about this. We kind of intruded, didn't we?"

"No, no! I'm just a bit surprised. What were you two doing out here, anyways?"

"Um, nothing much. Just, taking in the sights, you know?"

The seventeenth floor had nothing but miles and miles of grey stone, with the occasional grove of dead trees. Most adventurers would agree that it was the ugliest place in the Dungeon.

"Yes, of course,"

Miss Filvis sure has an interesting Familia.

"Lefiya! I'm truly sorry about this. Please know that as their captain I'll give them a proper talking to once we get back to the house,"

"Ha! So now you take responsibility as captain?! How convenient!"

Filvis ushered Lefiya away from the newcomers, pressing a bundle of herbs to the younger girl's chest.

"Here, this should be enough,"

"But what about your share?"

"Please, take it as consolation for those two disasters over there,"

"I can hear you, you know!"

"Good!"

Just as Filvis and Lefiya had nearly gotten out of earshot, Aura and Harold managed to get a few last words in.

"Hey! Thousand Elf! Tell Banshee that this is an awful excuse for a date! You can do way better!"

"Aura! Sorry, please excuse her! Captain, good luck and we support your relationship! Please don't put us on latrine duty next week!"

Harold flashed a quick thumbs up before dragging Aura away, his rainbow skirt trailing behind him dramatically.

"Those idiots!"

Filvis hissed out between gritted teeth, feeling her ears and cheeks growing hot with embarrassment.

This is not a date...is it?

Oh my gods You've lost your mind. And here I thought I was supposed to be the insane one.

Shut up! Oh gods, Lefiya doesn't think this is a date, does she? I would've taken her somewhere much nicer if I'd only known...Maybe I could ask for another…?

You disgust me.

As Filvis panicked mildly in her head, there was an awkward air of silence around her. Neither elves felt inclined to speak after the disaster they had just left behind.

Finally, Lefiya took a brave plunge into the unknown.

"Your Familia seems pretty fun!"

"..that's an awfully generous term to use,"

"I mean it though,"

Another beat of silence passed as Lefiya seemed to work up the nerve to say something. She eventually took a deep breath, before turning to look Filvis head-on since Harold and Aura made their sudden appearance.

"Maybe I could meet them again? Preferably in a nicer setting next time?"

"You...want to see them again?"

"Well, yes. They're your fellow Familia members, aren't they? It'd be nice to get to know one another,"

"I, see. I'll try to arrange something. It may be awhile until I can work something out, though"

"That's fine! Although, maybe we could do a nice restaurant this time around. The Dungeon's not exactly a good place for conversation!"

"Yes, of course. That sounds lovely,"

Filvis's lips quirked up into a genuine smile, her eyes softening at the edges. Any occasion where they could spend time together was welcome in her book.

"It's a date, then!"

"Ack!"

"Miss Filvis?!"

Lefiya meant to tease her friend just a bit, but Filvis ended up crashing head first into one of the barren trees littered around the upper and middle floors. She soothed her hands over the red bump swelling on Filvis's forehead. It seemed to be a hard fall, since the tree was cracked clean in half and Filvis's face was getting progressively redder.

I hope she feels better soon.

Chapter Text

“This wine tastes terrible!”

Inside the grand castle that housed the Loki Familia, a wine-loving goddess slammed down a cup still half-filled with red liquor.

“Complain all you want, but I’m not buying you another bottle until that one is finished,”

The childish tantrum was swiftly put down by the resident mother figure. Riveria had dealt with Loki’s shenanigans far more often than she’d like to admit, to the point that she didn’t even look up from the thick tome she was leafing over as she responded to her goddess. 

“ But Riveria! ”

“No means no, Loki,”

The trickster goddess plopped down on a nearby couch, the wine sloshing precariously in her cup. Riveria shot her a warning look, one that promised pain if even a single drop spilled on the expensive couch Loki had insisted they buy.

Said goddess pretended not to notice the warning. Instead, Loki threw on an exaggerated, sulking face. But her mind was working overtime on a scheme that would earn her a glass of actually good wine (this was the last time she’d take alcohol recommendations from Finn).

Her Familia kept a few decent bottles in the cellar, but it was padlocked shut to keep her out, and only Riveria held the key. So that was a dead end.

If she wanted wine, Loki would need to buy some herself, without letting mother hen know.

And she knew just who to ask!

So it turned out that Gareth was busy, and couldn’t sneak out with her to get some booze. But Loki did manage to convince two other members of her Familia to accompany her.

“Loki, are you sure that Lady Riveria gave you permission to be out of the house?”

“Oh come on, Lefiya! I’m your patron goddess! Have some faith in me,”

“It’s because you’re my goddess that I’m not trusting you,”

“Hey!”

The trickster goddess responded without any real annoyance, cheerfully strolling down Orario’s shopping street. Lefiya followed closely behind her, armed with her staff to ward off any would-be attackers or scammers. But as powerful as she was, she wasn’t the true crime deterrent.

No, that person stood to the side, distracted by a stand selling fried potato snacks.

“Aiz-tan! C’mon now! I’ll getcha your potatoes on the way back,”

“...”

The blonde swordswoman looked longingly at the crisp potatoes, boiling like lumps of gold in a vat of cooking oil. She inched closer, as if that would stop her goddess from calling her over.

“Um, Miss Aiz? It’s still awfully early in the morning for fried foods. Maybe we can come back here for lunch?”

“But...the potatoes…”

“Aiz!”

Lefiya tried to gently placate the older, more experienced girl. Loki, though, elected to just whine louder and physically drag her away from the potato stand. It was not the most elegant solution, but it was the most effective.

“Where did you want to go anyways, Loki?”

“Nowhere in particular....I just wanted t’ look around, take in the sights,”

Loki flashed an innocent smile at Lefiya, before scampering further down the street, leaving her supposed bodyguards (chaperones) behind. The young elven sorceress sighed, but quickly adopted a bright smile again.

“Miss Aiz! Are there any shops you want to visit?”

It was incredibly rare for the airheaded swordswoman to be seen enjoying time off. It was even rarer for her to not be accompanied by a pair of Amazon sisters and a werewolf during those precious few occasions.

Of course, she and Aiz were technically still not alone, but Lefiya would take what she could get.

“We should get you some new casual clothing, Miss Aiz! You’ve been wearing those ones for way too long,”

The older human gave a sort of non-committal hum as her younger companion grasped her hand excitedly.

Score!

In her mind, Lefiya pumped her fists in celebration. It wasn’t often that she could get her idol almost all to herself, and she was going to make the most of it!

A smile and a rosy blush made its way to her cheeks. She could nearly feel her long, elven years flicking back and forth in excitement.

Where should we go first?! The Fairy Boutique just got a shipment of new stock…but there’s also the Elven Collection…and…

In the midst of her daydreams of Miss Aiz wearing a whirlwind of different clothing, came a very familiar voice.

“L-Lefiya…?”

She looked up and saw her dear friend Filvis staring at her with aghast eyes. The older elf spoke with a crack in her voice, her eyes zeroed in on something low to the ground, right beside where she stood.

Lefiya tracked Filvis’s vision, and landed on her own right hand. 

It was still clutched around Aiz’s.

“Um…Hello, Miss Filvis!”

She tried to be as cheerful as she could, but Lefiya could not help but flush red under her friend’s intense stare.

Why do I feel like I’ve been caught doing something shameful…?

T-This is completely fine...so what if Lefiya wants to h-hold hands with Sword Princess?

…

They’re, they’re members of the same Familia after all...it’s to be ex-expected.

…

I have no concerns or feelings regarding this. None at all. None whatsoever.

...you know we share the same mind, right? I can feel everything you feel? Or did you take all the stupidity with you when we split apart? That would definitely explain some things.

Filvis was doing an objectively terrible job at trying to fool herself. In her mind’s eye, she saw Ein looking at her with something almost akin to pity, as if she couldn’t believe such a disaster existed in the world.

Back in the real world, a shuffling movement caught Filvis’s eye. She watched in slow motion as Sword Princess leaned down, closer and closer, until her lips were just a hairbreadth away from Lefiya’s soft pink cheeks

… wait what?

Oh.

For a moment, Filvis saw her world split apart. She felt her lips quivering, like she would break out in ugly sobs right then and there. 

Somewhere, deep in the Dungeon, Ein felt a sharp sensation run through her magic stone. She clenched her jaws hard enough to break a few of her teeth, but the damage, like all others, was quickly healed by her monstrous magic.

The Sword Princess opened her mouth.

“Lefiya, do you know her?... Is she one of those ‘rabid fangirls’ Riveria keeps warning me about??”

A beat of mortified silence.

“Excuse me?!”

Her sudden anger broke her free from her despair. The shambles of Filvis’s broken elven pride rose from their grave to take offense at that jab, turning her pale skin a deep red. 

Pfff!

On the other side, Ein howled in laughter. The sheer volume and force of it sent several monsters running for cover, each one with a look of sheer panic in their eyes. This would go on to confuse a great many adventuring parties down in the Dungeon that day.

As she laughed in mockery of her counterpart, the shock in Ein’s magic stone faded away. She felt her jaw unclenching, releasing a tension in her body she didn’t know she’d been holding..

Quiet, Ein!

As Filvis stewed in her embarrassment, she was too distracted to recognize the swarm of emotions that her counterpart had just shuffled through.

Lefiya quickly pulled Aiz down and whispered loudly in her ear.

“Miss Aiz, you can’t just go accusing someone like that! This is Filvis Challia, Captain of the Dionysius Famila. She helped us out back on the twentieth floor, remember?”

“Oh,”

The swordswoman's impassive face did not change, but she did nod her head slightly in recognition. 

“Hello. It’s nice to see you again”

Filvis was still too insulted to even think about gracing Aiz’s monotone greeting with a response, and just shot her a glare. This confused the swordswoman, who tilted her head and whisper-shouted again to Lefiya.

“Lefiya, is she deaf?”

“I am most certainly not!”

“...ah. Then hello. It’s nice to see you again,”

Aiz bowed again in greeting, not out of any intent to annoy, but just missing the social cues being shoved in her face. But Filvis did not know that. She felt an angry tick growing on her head, her hand searching instinctively for her wand, Ein egging her on in their shared mindscape.

Seeing her friend on the verge of snapping, Lefiya quickly redirected the conversation.

“Miss Filvis! What great timing! Would you like to go shopping with us?”

Without waiting for a response, Lefiya stormed in between the two women and pushed them both down the street, chatting all the while to keep them distracted. One was very confused but went along with it, and the other fought to keep a smile off her face as she huffed in mock-anger.

Filvis was still upset with Sword Princess for obvious reasons, but she was slightly miffed at Lefiya too for some reason.

It’s called jealousy you dumbass!

Ein I swear to the gods!

They made it about a hundred meters when Lefiya suddenly froze, took a deep breath, then screamed before running off like she was being chased by an enraged Ottarl riding an infant dragon.

Her confused companions were about to call out after her until the younger elf answered their questions preemptively.

“We forgot about Loki!”

They eventually found Loki, completely safe and happy, trying to scam a young Prum into giving her all of his money in exchange for a photograph of Finn, one that had been signed with a forged signature.

“Loki, setting aside that highway robbery, why couldn’t you get Captain Finn to actually sign it?”

“He stopped signing things for me when he found out that I had been supplying the black market with signed Finn merchandise,”

“I...I’m not even going to ask,”

Shoving that information to a dark corner in her mind, Lefiya led their now four-person party into the shopping district proper.

Just as Orario attracted people from all over the world, so too did it attract merchandise and trade.

Buildings of all shapes and sizes jutted out into the road. Some were low lying, with roofs only reaching the top of a human’s head, meant obviously for Prums. Others had big metal doors to attract dwarves, while yet others had ornate wooden carvings to appeal to elves.

Crammed between these shops were hawkers and their booths. They were a rambunctious bunch, always yelling and showcasing their wares to anyone who stopped for so much as a second. 

The lively atmosphere bolstered Lefiya, who regained her earlier excitement.

“Is there anywhere you guys wanted to go first?”

“Hmmm...the potato snack stand?”

“A liquor store!”

Lefiya decided to pointedly ignore Aiz and Loki’s suggestions, feeling foolish for even thinking that they would give her normal responses. 

“What about you, Miss Filvis?”

“I don’t care.”

The older elf replied with a rather curt tone. She refused to make eye-contact with Lefiya, but she still stole glances at her when the younger-elf wasn’t looking.

This behaviour confused even Filvis herself. She understood and accepted the reality: that she had no claim to any of Lefiya’s affection. The girl could hug anyone, laugh with them, kiss them, even marry them, and Filvis had little right to do anything but watch from the sidelines.

In this way, it was much the same with her relationship with Lord Dionysius.

Filvis knew exactly where she stood with him. He was the one who gave the orders, who doled out rewards and punishments. She would never be able to make any demands from him; him, the only one who could look upon her full, monstrous form and still say that she looked beautiful.

She owed him too much. She would never dare to ask him for something he didn’t offer first.

That’s a given.

A rare, tender emotion appeared on Ein’s face. 

I’m glad that we can at least agree on this.

Filvis pretended not to see it.

But with Lefiya, Filvis wanted to ask for more. She knew she had no right, she knew that she didn’t deserve to even ask. However, Filvis had a hunch that — if she ever managed to choke out the request — she wouldn’t be refused.

The girl who looked past rumours, who took her hand and was not disgusted. Lefiya would not scorn her now. Not yet at least, while she was still unaware of the other half of Filvis’s mind.

She could see it now: a soft smile, maybe a touch bashful, accompanied by a rosy blush and-

Well! You’ve gotten quite the ego haven’t you! Soon you’ll be asking for all the world on a silver platter!

Ein’s retort was like a cold bucket dumped over her head. Filvis quickly shoved the notion from their mind.

It was this discrepancy, between wanting and knowing she wouldn’t be refused, but still feeling unworthy and letting someone else get the initiative, that frustrated Filvis, and made her act out.

Lefiya had no way of knowing any of this. All she could see was that her friend was upset at her for some reason.

Maybe she’s upset that Miss Aiz, one of my Familia members, insulted her?

Miss Aiz was one of her closest friends and greatest inspirations, but she also had atrocious social skills and could rub people the wrong way. Lefiya didn’t want Filvis to misunderstand her.

More than that though, the thought of Filvis being upset with her…

It bothered Lefiya in a way she hadn’t expected. She felt her stomach sinking, her fingernails digging into her palms hard enough to leave deep imprints.

Worry about that later! First, let’s focus on lifting Filvis’s mood!

Slapping both her palms to her cheeks to re-energize herself, Lefiya powered on.

“Why don’t we get a bite to eat?”

“Then..!”

“No Miss Aiz, it’s still too early for potato snacks. We should get some proper breakfast first,”

“...aw,”

Aiz lit up briefly at the mention of food, but deflated when it was clear it wasn’t the food she wanted. 

Instead of potatoes, Lefiya led them all to a quaint little bakery.

It was a clean place, filled with houseplants and handwoven fabrics that gave the building a homely feel. The scent of fresh bread wafted from the back room, where an oven was presumably built.

“Ooooh, that does smell pretty nice! Lefiya, could ya get me a loaf? Just pick whatever,”

“Sure! Miss Aiz, Miss Filvis, what would you two like?”

“Potato bread!”

“I’m not hungry.”

Even as the words left her mouth, Filvis knew they would come off as much too harsh. She winced and tried softening her response by adding “perhaps later”, but the damage was done.

Lefiya flinched and drew back, retreating to the counter where she distracted herself by placing their orders. She refused to look back and make more of a fool of herself. As she handed over a few coins to the cashier, she missed the way Filvis cursed and slapped a hand to her forehead.

Why am I like this?!

Well-

That was a rhetorical question, Ein!

The Sword Princess wandered off to the bread baskets displayed around the bakery, enticed by the spices and scent she had never smelled before. This left Filvis standing alone near the entrance with the Goddess Loki, patron deity of Orario’s second strongest Familia, and greatest threat to Lord Dionysius.

Enemy though she may be, Filvis was rather off-guard at the moment. She eyed the trickster goddess whistling cheerfully, and decided that she posed no threat at the moment. They were formal allies for now, and being overly-cautious would only draw unneeded attention.

Justifications in mind, Filvis refocused on Lefiya. Or, she tried to anyway. But the trickster goddess wasn’t about to let herself be shoved aside so easily.

“Hey!” she yelled, trotting up to the black-haired elf, “You’re Dionysius’s Captain right? Fancy meetin’ you today! How have ya been?”

“Greetings, Goddess Loki. I’ve been fine,” Filvis returned with a small bow, trying to hide her mild annoyance.

“Uh huh, ya know, lying doesn’t exactly make the best first impressions,”

“Excuse me?”

Filvis turned sharply, her awareness and caution skyrocketing.

Does she know?

How much does she know?

Kill her now, while you have the chance!

But…

From the corner of her eye, she caught Lefiya standing at the counter, waiting for their order. 

Not...not in front of Lefiya.

Dumbass! We KNEW this was coming!

The trickster goddess took one look at the fierce, yet troubled look on the older elf’s face as she stared at Lefiya, and burst out in laughter. It wasn’t a mocking laugh either. It was lighthearted, filled with humour and chortles.

“Damn,” she wheezed, “You're really head-over-heels for her, huh?”

Loki patted her shoulder in sympathy. For a moment, Filvis didn’t know what she was talking about. She was just filled with relief that the goddess hadn’t caught on to her lord’s plans.

“Dontcha worry! You’ve got a chance! There’s not a straight bone in that girl’s body. Go for it!”

The goddess shot her a thumbs up. And it was at this moment that Filvis realized: she had still messed up.

“O-Oh! Oh no! Goddess Loki, i-it’s not like that! Well, actually, somewhat, but no! You misunderstand-”

Her face was an impressive shade of red, trailing from her neck all the way up to her slender ears. This only solidified Loki’s suspicions. She winked at her mischievously.

“Suuuuuuure it isn’t,”

“IT ISN’T!”

Loki doubled over again in laughter as a mortified Filvis defended herself. They were loud enough that both Aiz and Lefiya looked over, but Loki waved them off.

“Whew. What a good laugh!” Loki began, panting and wiping a tear from her eye. She did finally seem to regain some composure though, and resumed talking to Filvis.

“I don’t know why yer so adamant on denying it,” she began, “There’s nothing wrong with two mortals loving each other. If you two wanna see each other, I sure as hell won’t stop ya. I’m sure old Dionysius wouldn’t mind either.”

“And don’t worry about the whole ‘Banshee’ thing either. I don’t really care about it. You saved my kids down on the twentieth floor, and ya seem to really care for Lefiya, so you can’t be that bad.”

The goddess flashed her a smile.

You know nothing.

She’s absolutely clueless! An idiot!

“‘Sides....two lady elves doin’ it would be pretty hot!”

The smile quickly soured into a lecherous grin. Loki started giggling and drooling like a creepy old man, exuding such perverted energy that it would have made even Zeus proud.

…

…

Without a moment’s hesitation, Filvis backhanded Loki. The diminutive goddess flew clear across the bakery, where she crash-landed into a shelf filled with freshly baked bread and passed out amidst a pile of gluten.

“ My bread! ” the shopkeeper wailed. Lefiya felt a pounding headache coming on as she pulled her coinpurse back out to reimburse them for the lost bread.

“Oh my gods, Loki! This is why we can’t take you out anywhere! You have to stop harassing women, otherwise you’ll be stabbed one of these days, or sued for sexual harassment!”

“‘M sorry…” was the downed goddess’s weak reply.

Filvis huffed in indignation. She had been a bit nervous that Lefiya and Aiz would have been furious with her, but Lefiya looked more mortified than anything. She apologized profusely to both Filvis and the crying shopkeeper.

Aiz, on the other hand, suddenly popped up beside the raven-haired elf. She held her arm out in front of her.

“...Can I help you?”

“For you,”

The swordswoman dropped a scroll and a cookie in Filvis’s hand.

Curiosity getting the better of her, Filvis unfurled and read the fine handwriting.

To whom it may concern,

If you have received this letter, then our goddess Loki has done something unforgivable to you. You have our heartfelt apologies for anything she may have done/touched/said/etc. . Please be assured that this is an ongoing issue that the entire Loki Familia is working to address, but being a deity her nature is long-lasting, and it is a work in progress.

We will pay reparations for our goddess’s actions and enroll her (again) in a sexual harassment workshop. The money will be processed within 5 business days and be ready for pick-up at the Guild. Just say you’re there because of Loki. They’ll know what you mean.

In the meantime, please accept this cookie, made by our resident star baker, Gareth Landrock, as a show of goodwill. 

Sincerely,

Captain Finn “Braver” Deimne

Filvis reached the end of the letter with several more questions than she had before reading it. Even Ein was taken back. The elven swordswoman stared at the Sword Princess, who stared back at her impassionately.

What? 

…the fuck?

“Do you...just carry this with you all the time?”

“Yes,”

“...why?”

“A new policy enacted by Finn. When escorting Loki, all Familia members must carry one with them at all times,”

“You know what, forget I asked,”

It seemed that there was more darkness in Loki’s Familia than she had anticipated. Filvis decided that it wasn’t worth delving into.

“Again, I am so sorry about what happened back there!”

“Please Lefiya, it’s fine. It wasn’t your fault,”

“Still…”

The quartet had decided to take a breather in one of the many side-alleys branching off of Daedalus Street. 

Aiz sat on an abandoned crate, munching happily on a bag of potato bread. Loki lay beside her on the ground, groaning and holding a bag of ice to her swollen cheek. 

Some ways away from them, Lefiya and Filvis stood by themselves. The younger girl had pulled her friend aside to make sure that she was alright.

The entire trip had turned out to be a disaster. First, she had upset Filvis without even meaning to, Loki made an absolutely horrid impression, and they’d even been kicked out of the bakery by the shopkeeper.

Lefiya felt like crying in frustration.

That frustration bled through the ink-stain on Filvis’s forearm. The sheer intensity of it startled her, and filled her with an urge to comfort the girl.

Ein sneered at her in her mind.

Maybe if you hadn’t acted like such a whiny brat, this wouldn’t have happened.

I...I know…

Look at us. Always alone. Always driving people away. Always making them miserable.

…

We ruin everything we touch. We should ruin everything we touch. They reject us so we reject them.

Like always, her counterpart always struck at the worst times. Their mind was filled with loathing, towards themselves, towards the gods, towards the world.

The frustration she felt through her soulmate mark suddenly collapsed into a gloom of sadness.

Lefiya?

“Sorry...this trip ended up being pretty bad, didn’t it?”

The younger elf gave her a watery smile. The sight of it sent Filvis in a panic, and she rushed to console her. She fumbled forward, half-raising her hand to brush away the tears at the corner of her eyes, but not knowing if the touch would be accepted and backing down.

“No! No, it’s my fault. I’ve been acting rudely to you this entire trip, through no fault of yours. I was directing my own frustration towards you in my cowardice, and then I had the gall to strike your patron deity. Please, forgive me?”

“No, Loki deserved to be hit! That wasn’t your fault at all! And everyone has bad days. I shouldn’t have dragged you with us in the first place, not without asking first. Please, it was my fault,”

“No…”

There was a mad scramble as each elf tried apologizing in what seemed like an endless loop, broken only when Ein yelled you’re both disasters! in Filvis’s mind, which startled her out her apologetic tirade.

Her sudden silence, in turn, startled Lefiya. They both stared at each other, red-faced and panting with exertion after their apologies.

“...pfff!”

The awkwardness made Lefiya break out into giggles. She tried to stifle it, but that just made her laugh harder. Her laughter was infectious, and soon Filvis smiled along with her.

It felt good, to make her happy. The magic of her incomplete soulmate bond thrummed in satisfaction as it conveyed Lefiya’s good mood.

“...you know, maybe next time we should talk to each other properly if we’re troubled,”

“Agreed,”

Liar. You know you won’t.

She would never understand the magnitude of what we deal with.

Filvis could tell her. She could tell her about Ein, about Enyo, about Lord Dionysius and about his plans. It might keep Lefiya alive, it might stop her from having to face Lefiya on the battlefield one day.

But she’d betray Lord Dionysius that way, and that was something she couldn’t bear to do.

Not even for her soulmate.

She’s not our soulmate.

Filvis prayed that, just for a bit longer, she’d be able to stand beside Lefiya in the warm sunlight.

“Oh that reminds me!” Lefiya said, grabbing a brown paper bag that she had set down earlier, “We haven’t had breakfast yet. Miss Filvis, I know you said you weren’t hungry earlier, but would you like Loki’s share? I...don’t think she can eat yet with her swollen cheek,”

“Sure, that sounds nice,”

Lefiya handed her companion a loaf of cheesy bread. It was still warm, and the savoury smell quickly wet Filvis’s appetite. She took a few bites and was frankly amazed by how good it tasted. It must have shown on her face, because Lefiya smiled softly at her.

“Did you like it?”

“Hmmm!” she responded through her delight.

“I’m glad! Loki likes foods that are kind of heavy, so I was worried that it would be a bit much for breakfast,”

“No, it’s delicious! I’m almost disappointed that we were banned from that bakery,”

“Me too! We’ll have to savour what we have right now,”

With that, Lefiya tore a piece of her own loaf. It was fragrant, filled with mild herbs and spices that wafted through her tastebuds with every bite. She hummed in satisfaction.

“Miss Filvis, would you like to try a bite?”

The younger elf held out her bread towards her older friend.

“Oh, um, sure,”

...do I just, rip a piece off? Or do I take a bite.

Oh my gods who cares! You and her both disgust me with your tooth-rotting games!

Lefiya answered the question when she thrust the bread to Filvis’s lips. She looked at her expectantly. Filvis felt herself flushing as she brushed aside her hair and bit the offered treat. She was so embarrassed she could barely taste it.

“How is it?”

“Great,” she croaked, “W-Would you like some of mine?”

“Sure!”

Filvis wasn’t sure if she could handle feeding Lefiya. It seemed far too intimate for her.

You’re a coward.

Shut up, Ein.

Make me.

Instead, the older elf tore a piece of bread off with her fingers and held it out, expecting her friend to grab it from her. But that didn’t happen.

Filvis watched in slow-motion as Lefiya leaned down and ate the bread from her fingers. Her soft lips just barely brush Filvis’s fingertips, but even that small touch was enough to paralyse her.

So she stood there, watching her soulmate eating and humming with a content smile, and was overwhelmed with a single thought.

By the gods, I love her.

Deep in the Dungeon, on some unknown floor, filthy and damp with monster and human blood, Ein found herself growling.

Don’t kid yourself.

I love her.

You disgust me.

I love her so…

She’ll never be ours, and we shall never be hers. Have you forgotten our debt to our lord?

…

This girl waltzes in here, flashes you a smile, and suddenly you throw all thoughts of loyalty from your head? You pathetic little thing.

...No.

What?

No, I can protect them both. I can carry out Lord Dionysius’s divine will, and protect Lefiya at the same time.

We have to kill her entire Familia.

I’ll beg for her to be spared, at least. She’s no threat by herself.

So you’ll condemn her as the sole survivor.

Anything, so long as she’s safe and alive.

You are just as cruel as me.

So be it.

She and Lefiya stood there, talking and intermittently feeding each other, for a long time. Long enough for the sun to pass its highest point, and for Loki to finally regain her energy.

The trickster god smiled knowingly at the two elves, but kept her mouth shut in fear of provoking another slap.

Damn, now I could really use some booze!

In desperation and boredom, she started rummaging through the crates. Perhaps someone had stashed a bottle back here, or else thrown out a bottle of expired-but-not-quite-rotten wine. At this point, she’d take almost anything.

She opened the lid to one of the crates, and was greeted by a truly heavenly sight: a dozen bottles of what looked to be high-quality alcohol.

“Jackpot!”

“What did you find, Loki?”

“Heaven's greatest invention: booze! And the good stuff too! Man, what luck! What idiot put this out here?”

The bottles had no label, but the aroma was unmistakable that of high-quality liquor. In fact, just sniffing the scent got Loki decently tipsy.

She even entertained the thought that it might be perfect Soma. 

Time for a good time!

Although the goddess did not recognize the alcohol, Filvis certainly did. It was the one one meant for Penia, the one she trafficked out of her Familia home, the one Demeter was blackmailed into growing grapes for, the one Lord Dionysius brewed himself.

The one that could render any mortal and immortal perfectly drunk, down to their souls.

No.

YES!

If Loki drank that wine, she’d be under Lord Dionysius’s control. She would no longer be able to function, no longer be able to update or guide her Familia members. It would cripple her entire Familia, take them out of the equation. If they played their cards right, they might even be able to drug each of her executives with the same wine, and add the fearsome Loki Familia warriors on their roster.

If Loki drank that wine, it would guarantee Lord Dionysius’s victory.

But Lefiya…

She looked over, saw her soulmate offering her another bite with a small blush and a fond smile. 

She remembered the affection she shared with her family, the fondness with which she described each one of her friends, mentors, teammates — from the doll-like human, to the cheery Amazon, to the elegant High Elf, to the boisterous Dwarf and even the prickly Werewolf.

She couldn’t do it.

DON’T YOU DARE!

With the charming background of Ein’s threats and foul-mouthed curses, Filvis lunged forward and slammed her hand around Loki’s wrist.

“The fu-?!”

The goddess was just about to grab one of the wine bottles, but the vice-grip the raven-haired elf had on her said otherwise. Aiz tilted her head in confusion.

“Miss Filvis?” Lefiya called out in confusion, “Is something wrong?”

Filvis fumbled for an excuse, taking care not to lie.

“G-Goddess Loki, my apologies for my rude actions...but this wine...I wouldn’t recommend it. As the child of a wine god, I can tell that you wouldn’t want to drink these bottles here. I recognize the scent. They aren’t...good. No, they aren’t good at all,”

The eyes of a deity stared at her, judging her words and her intentions.

Filvis had not spoken a lie, and she truly had no ill-intentions. Far from it, in fact. 

Loki saw all of this, and slowly relaxed backwards.

“Eh, guess I’ll take your word for it. And here I thought I’d finally struck gold!”

“Ha…”

As the goddess ambled away, probably to dumpster dive for another crate of wine, Filvis breathed out heavily. A wave of cold sweat broke out through her body.

Her mind swam with voices and thoughts and screams.

TRAITOR! YOU TRAITOR!

FILTHY WHORE!

Ein roared in her mind.

I haven’t betrayed Lord Dionysius. Not technically. 

I haven’t betrayed him, and I kept Lefiya safe.

Filvis desperately repeated in her mind.

You’ve spat on Lord Dionysius’s love and favour! And for what?!

The fleeting affections of a girl, who would run away screaming if she saw my true form?!

I’m a fool, but at least her blood and tears won’t stain my hands.

At least you are safe.

At least I saved one person in the world.

Oh, Lefiya, how I wish you were mine.