Aurelius and Tiona stood in cautious silence as the duo looked upon Revis with great malice, or at least for the Amazon, who glared at the woman with clear hostility. Their eyes followed her every subtle twitch, every breath she took, as if expecting her to launch into an attack at any given moment. Tension gripped the air, thick and heavy, while the three warriors stood locked in their standoff.
Revis, on the other hand, was far from passive. Her sharp yellow eyes scanned the two adventurers before her, analyzing, studying and searching for the slightest hint of weakness. Her expression was calm, almost unreadable, but behind that calm lay a calculating mind. One that waited patiently for the right opportunity to strike.
Understanding the grim situation that they were currently tangled in, Aurelius suddenly raised his voice, shouting toward the feathered figure behind them. "Hey, bird lady!" he called out with a sharp tone. "You gotta get out of here! Things won't be pretty when we start throwing hands."
The bird lady, startled by his words, blinked in surprise. Her voice cracked with uncertainty as she replied, "B-but... what about you two? I can't just leave you both alone with her!"
Aurelius, already growing irritated by her hesitation, shouted louder with a more forceful tone. "Get out of here! You'll be dead weight if you stay and try to help!" he barked, voice echoing through the stone around them like thunder.
The bird lady flinched at the harshness in his voice, her wings twitching with indecision. Her heart screamed to stay, but the cold logic in Aurelius' words gnawed at her thoughts. She stood still for a moment, eyes flickering between the two and Revis, who remained unbothered by the exchange, then finally made her choice. With a sharp cry and a heavy beat of her wings, she took to the air and flew off into the dark depths, vanishing toward a direction known only to her.
Tiona, watching the moment unfold, gave a side glance at the tall warrior beside her and finally spoke. "That was a little harsh. Calling her dead weight like that, don't you think?" she said, her tone casual yet edged with concern.
"If she got cornered like that, it means she doesn't have the capabilities to keep up with us," Aurelius replied without missing a beat. His tone was serious, focused entirely on the reality of their situation. "It's better she escapes now rather than trying to fight and end up getting caught in the crossfire. We can't afford liabilities in a fight like this."
Tiona blinked at his words, the logic undeniable, and gave a faint nod of approval. "Valid point," she muttered, gripping her weapon tighter as her eyes returned to Revis. "Still harsh... but valid."
Tiona then began to unsheath her Urga Double Blade from her back, the massive weapon gleaming under the faint light. With a determined look in her eyes, she held it in a solid stance. Her breathing steadied, her focus sharpened, she was now fully ready to fight the red-haired girl standing before them.
Revis made the first move, wasting no time. With a vicious glare in her yellow, beat like eyes, she lunged straight toward Aurelius, believing him to be easy prey. In her mind, he was the biggest threat if left unchecked, and the first she needed to eliminate. But just as she closed the distance, her charge was abruptly halted, her blade met resistance.
CLANG!
Sparks flew as Revis' blade clashed against Tiona's Urga. A sudden shockwave burst outward from the impact, shaking the surrounding air and causing a small crater to form beneath their feet. Dirt and small rocks were flung into the air as the two warriors stared each other down.
Revis clicked her tongue, clearly annoyed, and growled, "Tch, you're quite annoying, amazon."
There was a faint edge of frustration in her voice, her eyes narrowing at the obstacle that had gotten in her way.
Tiona smirked, her expression full of mockery. She leaned her head slightly to the side as if to examine Revis more closely, and with a smug tone, replied, "I thought you'd be stronger, red-head. I guess Ais really did hold back against you... probably toying with you the whole time."
The taunt landed hard. A vein twitched on Revis' temple, her grip on her sword tightening as rage began to rise to the surface. Her expression twisted into one of fury.
"Don't get too cocky, bitch!" Revis snapped, her voice seething with anger.
With a surge of strength, she shoved her blade forward, pouring raw force into her strike. Tiona was pushed back from the blow, skidding across the ground before landing on her feet near Aurelius. A gust of wind trailed behind her as she steadied herself.
Aurelius glanced toward her, a faint, amused smile curling on his lips. He tilted his head and asked in a teasing tone, "You want me to take over, my lady?"
Tiona glanced back at him, her eyes gleaming with excitement. "No, let me have her for a moment!" she declared, brushing the dirt off her arm as she stood up straight. She then returned to her stance, her grip on the Urga firm and unshaken. "I've got unfinished business with her... from the not-so-distant past."
Aurelius shrugged his broad shoulders, stepping back with a casual air. "Sure, have it your way," he said, his voice still carrying that teasing edge, though his eyes remained alert and ready.
Without hesitation, Tiona burst forward again, her body a blur of motion. She leapt back into the fray, her blade raised and her intent clear. The Amazonian warrior was ready to settle things with the red-haired menace right here and now, once and for all.
Revis lifted her sword, intending to use it as a shield to block the Amazon's downward strike while she was still midair. The decision proved effective, as the blade successfully halted the forceful swing. However, Revis found herself struggling slightly against the sheer strength her opponent displayed, surprisingly, the Amazon had more raw power than even the Sword Princess herself.
"Not bad, Amazon," Revis muttered, a hint of genuine surprise in her tone. She was a bit impressed by the power packed behind that one blow. "You pack quite a punch." She added as she forcefully pushed the Amazon off her sword, creating some distance between them.
Tiona landed lightly on her feet, quickly regaining her footing without wasting a moment. Without hesitation, she charged forward once more, engaging Revis in another flurry of fast-paced strikes. Their weapons clashed again and again, steel grinding against steel, each collision resounding with thunderous echoes. Sparks flew as they exchanged blow after blow, and every impact carved gouges and left cracks in the stone and wood around them. The damage to their surroundings was a testament to the sheer power and ferocity of their duel. These weren't average adventurers, they were first-class, and their clash made that abundantly clear.
Yet, in the midst of their heated exchange, a sense of confusion flickered across Tiona's mind. Something didn't add up. 'Did she get stronger?' Tiona thought, trying to process what she was feeling during their fight. 'Bete said she wasn't stronger than a Level 6…' she continued to think, dodging another fast swing from the red-haired woman. 'How?! It hasn't even been that long since they saw her last!'
Despite the questions clouding her thoughts, her body kept moving, fighting on instinct, responding to each of Revis's blows. They continued exchanging heavy strikes with intense ferocity, their swords dancing in a deadly rhythm. Neither side was backing down, and both were determined to outlast the other. The momentum kept shifting, and the Amazon began to realize that this wasn't the same Revis she had heard about, not the one Ais and Bete had described. Something had changed. Something was different.
Once again, their weapons collided, this time with a loud, metallic clang that reverberated all throughout the 20th floor of the dungeon. The sheer volume of it startled some of the nearby monsters into retreat. The force of the clash pushed both combatants back, and they used the space to reassess, both breathing heavily as they prepared for the next round.
Tiona crouched slightly, ready to rush in once again, but before she could act, Revis suddenly spoke, her voice sharp and laced with mockery. "You thought I wouldn't be much of a challenge for you, didn't you?" she taunted, her expression smug. In the blink of an eye, she blitzed forward, her speed so fast it almost appeared as if she had vanished. Even with her trained eyes, Tiona struggled to keep track of her movement.
Revis suddenly reappeared in front of her, her sword raised high. She drew back, preparing for a horizontal slash aimed directly at the side of the Amazon. "Well," she said coldly, "Aria wouldn't stand a chance against me now."
With that, she swung her sword with overwhelming force, aiming to finish the battle in a single blow.
Tiona barely managed to bring her weapon up in time to intercept the attack. The blades collided with a violent shockwave. Even with her block, the sheer power behind the swing sent her flying like a missile across the tunnel. Her body crashed hard into one of the wooden walls, the impact carving a deep crater into the surface. Dust and splinters exploded outward as she was slammed into the wall, embedded in the center of the crater.
"Puagh!" Blood escaped her lips as the pain surged through her body. The blow had been tremendous. Her vision blurred as she struggled to remain conscious. Her limbs refused to move as quickly, the sting of the blow still rippling through her core.
Revis, calm and cold, approached the battered Amazon with deliberate steps. Her boots crunched softly against the cracked ground as she closed the distance. Once she stood before her, she looked down with a small, cruel smirk. "One down," she whispered, raising her sword high over her shoulder. The blade shimmered in the dim light of the tunnel. "One mor—"
Before she could finish her sentence, a sudden and powerful force slammed into her from the side.
She stumbled backward, eyes wide, caught off guard by the unexpected counter.
She then turned her gaze toward the source of the ambush, her eyes narrowing as she recognized the figure standing there. It was none other than Aurelius, the titanic human whose presence alone overshadowed the battlefield between the two.
"Tch." Revis clicked her tongue, clearly irritated by the sudden interruption. Her crimson eyes narrowed further. "Don't intrude in our battle, bra—" Her words came to an abrupt halt.
Suddenly, she felt it.
An invisible pressure crushed down on her body, rendering her completely still. Her limbs refused to respond, no matter how much she willed them to move. It was as if an unseen weight had wrapped itself around her, locking her in place.
"W-What?!" Revis hissed in disbelief, eyes wide as she looked toward her arms, struggling to raise them. But then, she saw it. A strange golden-like aura was swirling around her limbs, tightening around her like shackles forged of light.
"G-Golden aura?!" she exclaimed, a mixture of confusion and growing fury bubbling in her voice. She had never seen such a force before, let alone felt it act on her so powerfully.
Her gaze snapped back to the titan, eyes flaring with disbelief as she realized something.
That same golden aura, was on his hand.
Aurelius raised his left hand toward her, palm open and steady as the golden energy pulsed from his fingertips. His expression was calm, too calm, as if the chaos unfolding before him, the strength that the red-head showed that utterly defeated the amazon, barely concerned the titan.
"[RULER'S AUTHORITY]," Aurelius intoned, his deep voice echoing across the area they were in with undeniable command. His words were like law—final, unyielding.
He stared at the red-haired woman locked in place, his gaze sharp and unwavering.
"Be a good girl... and stay there."
Then, without another glance at her, Aurelius turned his attention toward the battered and bruised Tiona, concern flickering across his otherwise stoic face.
Aurelius then proceeded to ask the Amazon, who was now embedded into the wooden walls of the 20th floor, "Can ya still fight, lady Amazon?" he asked, his tone laced with teasing amusement.
Tiona, however, didn't take that lightly.
"I can," she replied, her voice tinged with frustration at her humiliating position. Her pride as a warrior was wounded, and the look on her face made it obvious. "Let me fight her… until I beat her."
Aurelius stared at the Amazon for a brief moment before sighing. He then walked up to her and carefully helped her off the wall where she had been planted like a doll in some morbid display. As he gently placed her back on her feet, he muttered, "Alright. Need a potion? Cuz I actually broug—"
"No!" she snapped, cutting off the titan mid-sentence. Her furious eyes burned into his with intensity, her wrath almost oozing from her very being. Though metaphorically, of course.
"Alright, alright! Sheesh," Aurelius muttered with a slight shrug, raising both hands in surrender as he released the magic he had been using. "No need to get so worked up about it."
Despite his sarcastic remark, Tiona wasn't fazed. She didn't even blink. Her eyes were no longer on him. No, her gaze had already shifted back to the red-head who had planted her in the wall earlier. Her stare was sharp, her pupils dilated, her breathing steady. She looked at Revis like a predator who had just found her prey again. A prey she had failed to take down, and now had no intention of letting go.
Revis, who had just been freed from the titan's hold, couldn't help but glance at Aurelius with narrow, cautious eyes. Her mind raced.
'Isn't he just a Level 3?! How can his punch be that strong?! And that magic of his… I couldn't even move an inch!' Her thoughts spiraled in disbelief as she tried to make sense of what had just happened. Never had she been so completely bound, so helpless in a moment like that.
'I can't afford to be careless around him no—'
Her train of thought was suddenly cut short.
Without warning, the Amazon came at her again. No hesitation. No shout. Just raw speed and strength.
Bam!
Revis was pushed back, farther than before.
'?!' Her eyes widened in disbelief as her feet dragged against the wooden floor, trying to find purchase. The sheer force behind Tiona's attack had doubled, no, tripled! Her strikes were faster, heavier, filled with unrelenting resolve.
'What the hell?! Now she's suddenly stronger?! What the hell is going on here?!' Revis screamed internally as she tried to make sense of the Amazon's sudden surge of power.
She quickly raised her gaze, only to see a blur above her.
The Amazon.
Tiona was already in front of her, mid-air, her blade raised high above her head. Her face was partially shadowed, but her eyes, those red glowing eyes, pierced through the darkness like twin flames. It was a sight of pure fury and will.
Revis froze.
Just for a moment.
But that moment was enough.
She couldn't react.
Her body locked up in hesitation, stunned by the sudden overwhelming pressure from her opponent. It was as if all her instincts screamed at her that this blow. This single strike, might very well be the end of her.
And then—
A green vine suddenly lashed out from the side, intercepting the Amazon's blade just in time.
Clang!
The sound of steel clashing against something unnaturally durable echoed in the corridor. The vine trembled from the impact, its iron-like texture barely holding up as the blade dug into it, nearly slicing it clean through. A few strands snapped, the rest quivered under the weight of the strike.
It had blocked the attack.
Barely.
But it had.
Revis exhaled, realizing she had been holding her breath the entire time.
"Revis." A voice echoed, clear yet distorted, no, it was two voices. A man and a woman spoke at the same time, their words overlapping in eerie harmony. "Don't you think that you're being humiliated by a Level 2 of all things?" the voice sneered as a silhouette slowly emerged from the shadows.
The figure stepped into the faint light, revealing itself to be cloaked in a flowing black robe that masked every inch of their body. A crimson gauntlet wrapped tightly around one hand, with a matching piece on their foot. Around their waist was a belt-like harness, detailed with intricate patterns that shimmered in lavender and black, the colors shifting subtly as the figure moved. Covering their face was a mask, decorated with the same swirling patterns and hues, giving the entity an ominous presence.
Revis, upon hearing the voice and recognizing its source, scoffed dismissively. "Tch. How about you face him then? All you do is bark orders from the shadows," she snapped, glaring at the masked individual.
The entity, unfazed by her provocation, turned its head toward Aurelius. It raised its hand slowly, deliberately. In response, a vine erupted from the wooden surface beneath their feet. It twisted and curled like a serpent, aiming for a direct, piercing strike towards the titan.
"See? Is it really that har—" the masked figure began to mock, only to be abruptly cut off by a loud, screeching metallic noise that rang through the air like nails on steel.
Both it and Revis turned their gaze to the source of the sound, where the vine had landed. Their eyes widened.
The vine had been stopped, no, repelled by the titan's own body. Sparks flew from the contact point, sizzling like fireworks as the tip of the vine screeched uselessly against Aurelius's skin, unable to pierce through the hardened metal like skin that protected him.
Aurelius grinned, a sharp and mocking smile curling on his lips. Amusement twinkled in his eyes as he met the masked entity's gaze. "Did you honestly think you'd take me down in one hit?" he said coldly. Without hesitation, he grabbed the vine with both hands and, with a grunt of raw power, ripped it clean from its root. It dangled in his grip like a lifeless limb.
"Who decided that?" Aurelius muttered darkly, his voice dripping with menace as his eyes glowed with an intense golden hue.
Revis and the masked figure, Ein, both stared at Aurelius and the Amazon standing beside him. Shadows concealed their faces, but from beneath the darkness, two pairs of eyes glowed ominously, one crimson red, the other burning gold.
The pressure in the air shifted. An oppressive, heavy weight clung to the atmosphere like a storm looming overhead.
Revis's heart skipped a beat. A cold shiver crawled up her spine, and for the first time in a long while, fear gripped her gut.
"Ein, we should get out of here," she said urgently, her voice tense and tight. "Both of them… they're not something we want to fight right now."
Ein turned toward her comrade, narrowing her eyes beneath the mask. But even she could sense the growing power swelling from the two. It was unnatural, far beyond the scope of what should've been possible from a mere Level 2 and a level 5.
"Yeah… better not stay here any longer," Ein muttered, reluctantly agreeing.
They both turned to retreat, dashing toward the dark, narrow alleyway that cut through the wooden tunnels of the 20th floor. However, just as their feet began to move—
"[RULER'S AUTHORITY]," Aurelius declared.
In an instant, a radiant golden aura erupted from his body and enveloped the space around them. The divine pressure seized both Revis and Ein mid-motion, freezing them in place like statues.
'?!' Both of them were paralyzed by the sudden force, unable to even twitch.
But Ein's mind didn't go blank. She gritted her teeth and began chanting quickly, her fingers twitching just enough to trace a spell.
"{Sweep, holy staff of crushing evil}," she whispered. A radiant light formed at the palm of her hand, its golden hue pulsing with divine magic.
"[DIO THYRSOS!]"
From her hand, a beam of golden, lightning-like energy burst forth and blasted toward Aurelius like a divine spear of retribution.
'?!' Aurelius saw it, barely, but he didn't have time to dodge. The magic collided into him with a roaring impact, a flash of light engulfing his figure as dust and debris were kicked up into the air.
Aurelius staggered slightly, the blow throwing off his focus. His hold on the magical restraint weakened, and the golden aura vanished.
Both Revis and Ein gasped as they were released. Their muscles loosened, their bodies free once more. Ein clenched her fists, prepared to follow up the spell with another strike.
But before she could move, Revis shot her arm out and grabbed Ein's shoulder.
"What are you doing?!" Ein barked in frustration. "This is our chance to strike back!"
Revis shook her head, her eyes wild. "LET'S JUST GO! Even if he's just a low-level… his strength alone is enough to take both of us down!"
Ein stared at her, her expression hidden behind the mask but her disbelief apparent. But as she looked into Revis's desperate eyes, something in her wavered. Revis had fought him, felt his strength firsthand. She wouldn't say this lightly.
"Tch… fine. Let's just go," Ein muttered, her voice tinged with bitterness as they turned and bolted into the shadows, vanishing into the dark alleyways.
Back in the clearing, Aurelius stood silently as dust lingered in the air around him. With a single sweep of his arm, he created a powerful shockwave, clearing the cloud instantly.
He gazed into the darkness where his foes had once stood. Nothing remained. They were gone.
He turned around, his golden eyes softening as he saw his companion.
Tiona was leaning against the wall, wincing from the battle, her breath uneven.
"Are you okay, Tiona?" Aurelius asked gently, his voice now calm.
Tiona looked up at him and managed a tired smile. "Yeah, I'm good," she replied, letting out a long sigh. "How about we get out of this floor and head back to the others?"
Aurelius nodded in agreement, but as he took a step forward, something strange happened.
The torn vine he had discarded earlier began to ooze a dark purple smoke from its cut. The thick mist spread rapidly, surrounding them in a cloud of purple like vapor.
Both of them gasped.
"What i-is this…?" Tiona stuttered, her legs giving out beneath her. She collapsed, unconscious, the smoke overwhelming her body instantly.
Aurelius coughed, swaying. 'Shit… this is like sleeping gas!' he thought, barely able to hold himself upright. But the dizziness, the weight on his limbs, it was too much.
His knees buckled.
The last thing he saw before his vision faded were three figures approaching from the distance, human-like in shape. One was covered in red, scale-like armor. Another had a grey, dull texture to their body. And the last… a woman with wings, soaring gracefully through the tunnels like a bird of prey.
And then, darkness.
________________________
The bird lady from before was now heading back towards the location where she had been attacked and cornered earlier. This time, she wasn't alone, two of her companions accompanied her on this return trip.
The red-scaled humanoid monster, clearly a lizardman, walked beside her. His reptilian eyes scanned the surroundings with caution before he suddenly spoke.
"Are you sure they're not hostile?" he asked, his tone laced with doubt and suspicion as he questioned the bird lady's claims.
The bird lady turned her gaze forward, her expression unwavering.
"Yes," she said with determination in her voice. "I'm most certain that they aren't hostile towards us."
"Tch, they better be," the other companion muttered, a grey-skinned, gargoyle-like monster whose stone-like wings twitched slightly as he walked. "Or else, our people here could be in danger," he added, his tone sharp and filled with concern.
Despite the worries of her companions, the bird lady pressed forward, confident in her belief. The three continued on their way, retracing the steps that led her to safety. The area soon came into view, the same place where she had nearly fallen, only to be saved by those two individuals.
Upon arriving, they noticed something strange lingering in the air. Wisps of purplish smoke still drifted around the area, slowly fading into the atmosphere. It was a clear sign that something had recently happened here, something unnatural.
The trio stepped cautiously into the scene. They scanned the surroundings, their eyes alert. Then, just a few steps further in, they spotted two figures lying motionless on the ground.
It was Aurelius and Tiona.
The red-scaled lizardman narrowed his eyes, his tail flicking behind him as he took in the sight of the two unconscious individuals.
"Are they the ones?" he asked, gesturing toward the bird lady, hoping for confirmation.
"Yes," the bird lady replied softly, her gaze falling gently on the two prone forms. A warmth filled her voice as she continued, "They're my saviors."
The gargoyle-like monster and the lizardman exchanged looks, then turned their attention back to Aurelius and Tiona. Their expressions shifted from suspicion to a mixture of curiosity and wonder, silently trying to piece together what kind of people these two must be. The scene remained quiet for a moment, as if even the wind held its breath in reverence of the ones who had made such an impression on the bird lady.