No one's POV

Tiona: A spirit?! That eerie looking thing?!

Tiona exclaimed in response to Aiz and Asuna muttered words. The group of adventures couldn't help but tremble as they took in the sight of the hauntingly, venomously beautiful woman. It was almost as if she'd forgotten who she really was, wrapped up in her gown of many colors and residing atop the colossal chassis of a monster. The whole party found themselves at a loss against the sheer dignity of the corrupted spirit and the overwhelming sense of aversion it engendered.

Finn: Those new species of monsters were mere tentacles. They exist only to refine the female monster into that form!

Finn narrowed his eyes at the some ten meter aberrant standing before them. Across from Finn's, she continue to laugh. Again and again she called out to that certain swordswoman.

Titan Alm: Aria, Aria! I wanted to see you. I wanted to see you!

Her voice is like child calling out to her Mother as she said something that make Aiz whole world crumble.

Titan Alm: Aria, where is your sister! Where is your Big Sister Mio!

Aiz: !!!!!!!!!

Finn, Riveria, Gareth and Asuna who also heard that, eyes widened as wide as they could as they figure out some huge info.

Finn, Riveria, Gareth, and Asuna (mind): They know! They know about Aiz's older brother too!!

Titan Alm: Aria and Mio, we should become one too.

Tiona's and the other's head turned instantly at the words. Lines of tension appeared across their faces as though they already had an idea of where this was heading.

Titan Alm: Aria, Aria! I wanted to see you. I wanted to see you! You should become one too!!

The spirit smiled. Instantly, the remaining caterpillars and violas turned towards them with ferocious jerks, setting their sights on the adventurers, on Aiz, as though manifesting her dark will. At the same time, there was a thunderous boom from the direction of the exit as the opening closed up with green flesh.

Titan Alm: Fufu... Let me eat you.

Finn: Everyone get ready for battle!

It was enough to stir them despite the confusion, and the party was unwavering despite their lost escape route. Tiona and the others readied their weapons. She let out a sharp peal of laughters, and the battle began.

Titan Alm: Ruuuuuuuuaaaaaaaaarrrrrrggggghhhhh!!!

Gareth: Finn, I'm going to move up to the vanguard!

Bete: This isn't any different from what we usually do! I'll kill them!

Gareth and Bete also rushed in as they started killing multiple caterpillars and those violas in a flesh.

Finn: Lefiya, hurry and start chanting! Raul's group will support Aiz and the others with magic swords!

lefiya: Got it!

Raul: Understood!

Staff at the ready, Lefiya began her first chant. Simultaneously, the group of supporters brandishes their long magic swords and unleashed a volley of isntant magic attack. Using the salvo as cover fire, Aiz dashed forwards, pushing back the swarm of caterpillars.

Tsubaki: I don't feel like standing around either.

There was a movement from the direction of the reborn spirit as her army of monsters was slaughtered around her. Myriad tentacles rose from her titan alm lower half, whipping forwards with a wild celerity. Tiona and Tione responded to the tentacles onslaught with a swift counterattack of their own.

Tiona: Its attacks are heavy!

Tione: How many magic stones has it eaten?!

Their faces of the twin sister twisted in identical grimace at the speed and power of the incoming attack. The shock was enough to rival Udaeus's pile-driver attack, and both sisters' hand tingled around the grip of their weapons. Even as they went to work pruning the raging appendages, the massive feelers remained unscathed. The true deluge of tendrils was focusing its attack on Aiz some hundred meters away. Combining their attacks with their companions's, the two sisters fought back unforgivingly against the relentless tendrils.

Finn: Riveria, Asuna, don't chant just yet.

Asuna: What?!

Riveria: Finn?

The pallum haven't even turned around as he stopped Asuna from moving to the vanguard. His back was to them, and his right thumb ached. There was a hint of distress permeating his voice.

Finn: My thumb won't stop tingling. There's definitely something else...

Finn's usual mask of leadership was beginning to crack. His instinct weren't to be taken lightly. He was the one person there most attuned to the battle. And that creature- that goddess like beauty- just smiled coyly in affirmation.

Titan Alm: Come Fire.

In an instant, the spell was cast.

Gareth: A chant?!

A kind of stupefied terror shot through the group like a bolt of lighting as a magic circle formed around the sprits's massive chassis. In a flash, the brilliant red light of her spell rose up from the ominous pattern on the ground, enveloping her entire body.

Bete: A monster is chanting?!

It was impossible. It was unthinkable that a being that survived on instinct and brutal destruction possessed the ability to cast any sort of magic. The reason and intelligence required of magic was a domain limited to people and people alone. It was not a real of monsters could tread. It might have been a spirits, but this thing still had the body of a monster! The magic of crimson widened. Then it burst, an outpouring of magic power surging forth from its light. Finn's eyes widened in surprise, but her formulated an order all the same.

Finn: Riveria, Asuna, put up a barrier!

Instantly, Riveria and Asuna began casting a spell, the desperation evident on their face.

Finn: Bombardment squad, stop it's chant!

Finn's command continued one after another. Raul and the other supporters let out a roar with their magic swords as Lefiya voiced a spell.

Raul, Narvi, Alicia, Cruz: Fire!

Lefiya: Fusillade Fallarica!

The supporters unleashed a simultaneous barrage from their magic swords as Lefiya released her fire arrows by the hundreds, all of them careening towards the spirit. The entire floor was bathed in light. In response, the creature gathered its ten gargantuan petals frontwards to protect her lower half. Smile never faltering, she continued her chant, and in front of her erupted a thunderous explosion, its shockwaves leaving behind flash after brilliant flash. Lefiya and the other s peered through the din of stray blast tearing the ground and hurling fragments of hard earth , only to find out the flower petals and subsequently the spirit herself, unharmed and untroubled.

Titan Alm: Burn burn burn whirlpool of fire.

Tsubaki: Haha... It didn't have any effect?!

They'd failed. Not even Lefiya's tremendous firepower could penetrate that thing's exterior, and that thought alone was enough to convince them theur every attack was useless. Lefiya, Raul and the other supporters could only look on in terror as Tsubaki stared dagger at the creature's impenetrable armor of flower petal.

Titan Alm: Wall of Crimson. Howl of hellfire. Borrow the power of a gust of wind and close the world. Burning sky. Burning earth. Burning sea. Burning spring. Burning mountain. Burning life.

Riveria and Asuna: ?!?!

Asuna(mind): A super long chant...

That thought alone make Riveria and Asuna tremble, but regardless they continued to sing.

Riveria: Dance around spirit of the atmosphere. Lord of light. Contract with the guardian of the forest. And envelop us with the song of the earth.

Asuna: Darkness beyond twilight, clear as the sea flows, Buried in the stream of time is where your power grows. I pledge myself to conquer all the foes who stand. Before the mighty gift bestowed in my unworthy hand.

The three spell were chanted  at the same time. The ominous song me the sweetly ringing translucence of Riveria and Asuna's protection spell, both elves eyes widened, trembling in horrified wonderment at the length of the spirit chant. It was a protracted spell song. Unbelievably long yet so fast, it overcame even Reveria and Asuna's rapid fire words. A colossal mass of magic power surpassing human knowledge, unattainable by humans, cocked and loaded with the utmost of swiftness.

Tione: We can't even get close...!!

Aiz, Tiona and the others were still attempting to attack the creature directly, struggling to ward off the throng of tentacles as the magic shook the entire floor. The great, sweeping assaults mowed down everything in their path, monsters included, not allowing the adventurers to advance even one step forwards. They already had their hand full keeping the tentacles and monsters away from Riveria and Asuna.

Titan Alm: Change everything to scorched earth and give the signal of rage and despair. The cost of the life of my loving hero. Your envoy beseeches you, Salamander. Incarnate of fire. Queen of flame.

Tiona and Tione slashed again at the oncoming tentacles. Gareth, Bete, and Tsubaki faced off against the swarm. Raul, Lefiya, and the other supporters unleashed arrows and magic in fruitless onslaught. And Aiz, the rain of whipping tentacles still approached her, relentlessly in its pursuit. The spells and endless throng of tendrils made for an impenetrable wall of armor protecting the spirit. Everything came at them at once, an opponent that could attack, defend, and chant all at the same time, and as Finn took in the battle before him, he could feel his teeth grind with increasing ferocity.

Finn: Everyone fall back to Riveria's and Asuna's barrier!

Finn gave the order, knowing all too well where things were heading. Still backed by Lefiya's and the other supporters's cover fire, those on the front line made their way back to Finn. Riveria and Asuna completed their chant the moment they arrived, almost as if she had planned it.

Riveria: Surround us, become a great barrier of forest light and protect us- My name is Alf!

Asuna: Let the spirit of the World Tree protect us by the barrier you and I possess- My name is Wishe!

With the wave of their hands, Riveria and Asuna completed their chant, the ultimate protection spell Riveria had and Asuna's second strongest protection spell.

Riveria: Via Shilheim!!

Asuna: Shooting Star Shield!!

A jade-colored magic circle formed beneath Riveria's feet, the light gleaming before transforming into a dome like green structure. And a green cage of shields that also appeared beneath Asuna's feet. It surrounded all 14 of the adventures, Riveria and Asuna included. Asuna thought about using her strongest barrier, but that barrier is a super long chant barrier as she wouldn't have enough time to recite the chant due to the speed of chant the spirit just sang. And at the same time. The exact moment that the two high elf's magic barrier erected itself around them... The spirits finished her own chant.

Titan Alm: FireStorm!!

The world turn red. It was a massive inferno, akin to a fire elemental. A raging, broiling wave of wind. A tsunami of flames. A river of inecendiary crimson that closed in on Riveria and Asuna inside their barrier. It swallowed everything. The monsters. The magic dome with the adventurers inside. The entire floor itself.

Riveria: !!!

Asuna: ?!?!

The impact was sensational. A thundering boom as hellfire met the two barrier, joined by Riveria and Asuna's anguished cry as they struggled to support their staff and rapier with both hands. Screams of agony surrounded them as everything outside the barrier fried instantly, and Riveria's jade eyes dilated to their limit. It was at that moment that Riveria's 'Via Shilheim' crack and shattered leaving Asuna's 'Shooting Star Shield'.

Riveria: Asuna! Is all up to you now!!

Asuna: I know that!!

The party found themselves petrified as they watched that Riveria's barrier shattered leaving them to rely on Asuna's barrier. And then. A splinter formed in the barrier of the strongest magic user in all of Orario.

Asuna: My barrier is....?!

In front of them, above them, to their left, to their right, spiderweb like cracks ran the length of the wall of light. Raul's and Lefiya's faces lost all color as the spirits spell is about to break two of the most strongest magic user in all of Orario. The explosive wave of hellfire closed in on them from all sides.

Riveria: Gareth, protect Aiz and the others!!

Riveria screamed, the scorching heat all but consuming both her and Asuna. Gareth responded in an instant and snatched two large shields from the supporters before leaping behind Riveria and Asuna. There was a high pitch shrieked. Asuna's 'Shooting Star Shield' shattered.

Aiz: RIVERIA!!! ASUNA!!!

Riveria went first. And then Asuna. As they were swallowed up by the massive stream of raging crimson fire, Aiz's scream disappeared into the roiling swell. Then it hit Gareth with a colossal impact as it slammed into the two giant shields.

Gareth: UOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!

Gareth groaned as Riveria and Asuna disappeared into the swirling inferno. Behind him, Tiona threw Aiz to the ground. Finn and the others were already hugging the earth in Gareth's shadow. But it wasn't enough. The two shields melted at a laughably rapid speed. Gareth's helmet and armor liquefied around him.

Bete: OLD MAN!!!

Bete cried out as the shields disappeared entirely. Gareth had no choice but to fling his arm out, using his body itself to block the relentless conflaguration.

Gareth: GUOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

The dwarf's titanic roar met the incoming inferno. The explosion was immeasurable. Everything went red. The blast sent Aiz and the others flying back with an incredible force. Their skin and armor sizzled and charred as the crimson cyclone tossed the first tiers adventurers about, yet somehow they still managed to hold on their weapons. They couldn't even scream. The charred hiss of flaming destruction enveloped the world around them. Again and again they tumbled along the ground, Lefiya, raul, and the other supporters escaping the brunt of it thanks to Finn's protection. The flame purged everything.

Bete: Gah...

Tiona: Ah...

Tione: Ua... Ah...

The storm finally cleared to reveal Aiz and the others scattered about like corpses atop the scorched earth. Nothing remained but charred ash as far as the eye could see. No monsters. No Magic Stones. Not even the jungle behind them was left. Everything had turned to cinders and dust. The floor of the dungeon around them had become a different world with nothing but the spirit at its center unchanged.

Narvi: T-The Forest... Its magic has completely changed the floor's terrain...

They'd escaped teh full force of the wave, but even the aftershocks had left them in disrepair. Their armor and bodies were marred with cuts and burns. Moaning in pains, they shakily peeled themselves off the ground, no one saying a word. Riveria lay face down. Asuna laying next to her with her body to the side. Gareth had tumbled a short distance away, with all their armor and magic item all burn to nothingness. The elven magic user, the elven magical swordswoman, and the dwarf soldier lay motionless. Silent.

Lefiya, Raul, Narvi, Alicia, Cruz, Tiona, Tione, Bete, everyone could do nothing but look on, a kind of crippling despair twisting and contorting their features. They were gone. All the Familia's leaders save Finn. Three of the Loki Familia's strongest had passed. They reached an unprecedented state of emergency.

Aiz: Riveria... Gareth... Asuna...

Aiz's voice was hoarse as the three names passed her lips. They'd lost their Familia's three pillar of support. Morale had hit a new low. The sight in front of them was enough to break the heart of the young adventurers. Even Finn holding himself up by his charred arms, found his green eyes tightening.

Titan Alm: Roar earth!

Everyone: ?!!!

It wasn't over. The spirit began her next chant spell, a coy smile playing on her face. It was too fast. Already, the black magic circle was forming beneath her, a deep obsidian color different from the one before. She hadn't paused even a moment to allow the post magic rigor to abate before her next chant was well on its way, and the unbelievable spectacle rooted Aiz and the others to their spot.

Titan Alm: Rise, rise, rise. Husk of the earth. Sheen of iron. Hammer of the cosmos. May genesis's pact upheave rock and stone. The sky shall burn. The earth shall split. The bridge shall rise. Heaven and earth shall become one. May the axes of the ether rain down and bring about calamity's ruin.

Another long protracted chant. But they knew that destruction was imminent.

Titan Alm: Your envoy beseeches you, Gnome. Incarnate of the land. Queen of the earth

Finn: Protect Raul and the others!!

Finn shouted, dashing forwards to grab one of the supporters in arm. There was no hesitation. No pause. She sang the melody bestowed unto her with an incredible facility, bringing it to completion. It was partly shock that triggered the first tier's instinct. The moment they hit the ground running, the spirit let out her final note as a dark cloud of blackest light enshrouded her body.

Titan Alm: Meteor Swarm!!

The circle flashed, and light shot straight up to coat the ceiling in shadow. The magic converged, and thousand upon thousands of meteorites formed in the mass of darkness. And in that moment, the storm began.

Raul: AHHHHHH!!!

Bete grabbed a hold of Raul as the two were knocked off their feet. Aiz grabbed Lefiya, holding her tight as they disappeared into the inky blackness. Tiona and Tione flung themselves towards the remaining two supporters, and Tsubaki used her body as a shield to protect them. The entire Dungeon shook around them as the glimmering black meteors pummeled. The entire Dungeon shook around them as the glimmering black meteors pummeled the earth over a tremendous radius.

Aiz felt her gauntlet go flying, but she paid them no heed, never releasing her grip on the magic user in her arms. As they rode the shock waves, she saw Riveria's, Gareth's, and Asuna's bodies being pelted mercilessly by the swarm of black comets. She screamed, but no sound came out. Everything was under the control of those savage chains of light.

Raul: Ah...

Bete: Damn it...

Bete dug his fingers into the already scorched earth, Raul moaning listlessly in his arm. A giant crater had formed. The adventurers lay sprawled out a short distance from the massive hole, smoke and inky black particles marbling the air above their bodies. The spirits smiled sweetly at them from atop her massive chassis as first one, then two, then the rest of them began to stir, somehow managing to push themselves shakily to their feet. Their quick instinct and expeditious defensive maneuver had allowed them to weave their way through the massive storm of meteorites and narrowly escape their lives.

Tsubaki: Am I still alive...?

Tione: I feel... like I'm dying...

Tiona: I'm fine... so go heal Riveria, Gareth and Asuna instead...

Tiona and Tione who were protecting Narvi and Alicia pushed them away asking them to heal Riveria, Gareth and Asuna in their stead and they only comply.

Lefiya: M-Miss Aiz...!

Aiz: Huff... Huff...

Aiz could only reply to Lefiya's plea only with a stilted gasps. The instinctive cast of her Aerial had lasted mere seconds against the direct blast of meteors, and the mix of golden hair atop the two girls' heads was smattered and disheveled.

The golden pools of the spirits eyes narrowed as she took in the scene before her. Spreading her supply arms, the two great flower buds along her lower half began to bloom.

Tiona: It's absorbing magic power?!

Lefiya: It's coming again with its magic!

Raul: Monsters caterpillars started appearing again...?!

Tsubaki: Is this the end?

The others knew it too. Bete, Tiona, Tione, all of them still kneeling on the ground. The last thing they'd wanted to do was abandon hope, but the current situation appeared beyond dire. Lefiya felt her eyes well up with tears as she bit down her lip. Raul's and the other supporters's eyes refused to leave the ground.

Spirit: Hmm... I guess I better step in after all...

Another being not so far from the rest of them continued to watch from afar while also defending herself from the hellish inferno and swarms of meteorites just a minute ago. The being who just mentioned herself as a spirit, still looked healthy unlike the adventurers who were on the ground, weaved a heavy sigh.

Spirit: I guess none of them had the qualification of a hero...

The figure then noticed something between the mix of despair among the adventurers. There was nothing they could do. Three of their strongest member were crushed, and everyone was covered with injuries. No one had anything to say, and no one could stand. Everyone present knew, they would lose. Everyone except for one person.

Finn: We'll defeat that monster.

Spirit: Oh... What do have here?

Finn made his declaration, green eyes flashing as they stared down the sweetly smiling spirit in front of him. Tiona and the others let out audible gulps. He shot a glance back at the stunned adventurers.

Finn: I ask for your courage. Tell me, what is it you see before you?

A repulsive amalgamation of spirits and monsters. A being that surpassed human knowledge with the ability to command an army of monsters.

Finn: Do you see fear? Despair? Ruin? I see nothing but an enemy we must bring to its knees. We can surely prevail.

A tremble passed through the shoulders of the entire party. He continued. His tiny frame was all that stood between them and the horror that awaited them.

Finn: We've never needed an escape route. And we don't need one now. I'll clear a path myself with this very spear! I vow in the name of Fianna herself that we shall prove victorious! So follow me!

Finn exclaimed, eyes filled with determination as he looked back at his companions. Their whole bodies were shaking now. Tiona's, Tione's, Bete's all of their chest and eyes, their arms and legs quaked violently. As they gazed at the figure standing before them, Raul curled his hand into fist, and Lefiya felt her heart well up with courage. If the ability to incite armies, to uplift, to promote, to demand inspiration no matter the time, no matter the place was a requirement of a hero hood, then truly, the "Braver" Finn Diemne was more hero than anyone else.

Finn: Or is copying Bell Cranel and Sora Yatagami too much for you to handle?

More than anything else, Finn was a prodigy when it came to lighting the fires and sparks in people's bellies. In an instant, Bete and the others were transported to the scene of that decisive battle. The crazed bull and the lone boy, along with the King and the Flash carving away at each other's life force. The boys first true adventures and the Hero that surpasses even the King Ottar himself. The lingering memories of that brutal match set their very soul alight. There was nothing more passionate. Nothing more pure. Nothing more nobler. It was a page of the great epic. Aiz's eyes widened as the sight of the two boys back played across her mind once more. The back of Bell overlaid on her fathers. And the back of Sora overlaid on her older brother.

Finn: Did they cower in the face of a strong enemy? What about you, Bete?

Bete: Huh?! You don't even need to ask!

Bete howeld in fury as he rose to his feet.

Finn: They gave their all when they fought. Have you done the same, Tione?

Tione: Not yet... I haven't yet, captain!

Tione responded as she wept her bangs out of her eyes before joining him.

Finn: They went on an adventure. They risk their life, Tiona.

Tiona: Right! We can't be losing either!

Tiona jumped up, a giant smile plastered across her face.

Finn: Bell Cranel... Aiz he surpassed his limits. And Sora Yatagami, the very person you want to catch up...

Aiz: Yeah...

Aiz rose too, a glint in her eye as she adjusted her grip on her silver sword. They snatched their weapons from off the ground. Twin blades, halberd, great sword, they all shone with a renewed brilliance as though filled once more with their owner's fighting spirit. Raul and the other supporters could only gaze in wonder as, one by one, the first tiers swelled up with an invigorated dynamism. Gone was the grief and hopelessness. There was only brilliant burning spirits.

Lefiya: Mister Sora and Bell Cranel...!

Lefiya's heart ignited with a fiery passion as that name graced her ears. In her mind, she could see Bell running out ahead of her, and the thought of it stoked the coals already ablaze within her chest. That's when she saw a phantom hand reaching for her as she looked up and saw Sora standing in front of her smiling at her.

Sora: You don't want to lose to him now, don't you?

Those words were not said, but she clearly heard it. Just like Aiz and the others, Sora was an inspiration for her. His fighting and how her forges ahead draws others to him, and Lefiya is one of those person. Following in line with Aiz and the others, she tighten one of her hand around her staff and use her other hand to quickly grabbed his phantom hand and rose to her feat as well. Raul and the other supporters looked on in mute amazement and then pulled themselves together and leaped off the ground, jaws set. A kind of immeasurable energy that went beyond limits had seized the party.

Finn: Raul, your group will stay behind and support us! The rest of us will attack that monster!

Raul: Got it!

Finn: Come with us, Lefiya!

Lefiya: Yes sir!

Finn stood with his back to them as they rushed about. Once he'd received his second Durandal spear, he approached the bodies of the two elf and dwarf still lying on the ground.

Finn: Riveria, Gareth, Asuna, is this the end for you?

He averted his eyes, having no desire to see his three friends splayed out like lifeless corpses. No, the only direction he looked now is forwards, at the enemy in front of them.

Finn: Then keep on sleeping, I'm going ahead.

There was a twitch in the dwarfs hand. The left hand of a certain dwarf trembled at the sound of his annoying pallum friend.

Gareth: Damn it... That conceited pallum!

Gareth pushed himself to his feet,, a genuinely chagrined smile on his face. He turned to the two elf next to him, their own hand stirring as they raised her gaze.

Gareth: Hey! Loathsome Elves! Is now the time to be sleeping?!

Riveria: Shut it you barbaric dwarf!

Asuna: Don't you dare call us loathsome!!

Riveria drew her staff to her and Asuna drew her rapier as the other three Familia leaders stood up as well.

Gareth: Give me an axe!!

Gareth received his Durandal axe from Raul and Riveria then summoned her magic circle as she was about to start chanting for her strongest annihilation spell.

Riveria: I'm going to begin my strongest attack you guys protect me!

Alicia: Yes!

Asuna then drew her rapier as well and she started using her water enchantment spell 'Aqua Current' as water started surrounding her.

Asuna: I'm moving to the vanguard as well. Cover me!

Narvi: Yes ma'am!

Tsubaki: I've seen something amazing. I'll help out too!

Tsubaki eyes narrowed as she took in the sight of the reinvigorated Loki Familia. Right arm still dangling at her side, she readied her taichi in her left hand and dove head first into the throng. Their final battle began as everyone was united as one.

Finn: Starting now, our attack will pierce the enemy! Give it everything that you've got!