"Hmmm tough crowd." Dark muttered as silence pervaded the entire room, not a single laughter from his punchline. But despite the poor response he didn't take it to heart, it just meant his comedy had room to improve.
"Ok we'll put a pin in that for now and move on." Dark quickly brought back his grandiose demeanour. "Today marks your first birthday and the day that your training wheels will be removed. As you see standing behind me are your guardians the ones who have taught you and protected you from harm during this past year.
Though some of you have never had to rely on the lifeline that they provided each and every one of you have benefited from their teachings thus all of you owe them a debt of gratitude."
"They offered themselves, their time and their hard earned knowledge to you without restriction for an entire year. A year they could have spent improving themselves or spending with their families, they chose to answer my call to help prepare you for the world of Nova." Dark spoke with great charisma, his words glorifying the work of the men and women standing behind him.
"I want all of you to deeply thank your guardians for the time they invested in teaching you."
The Dungeon cores standing on the lower floor all looked up at their guardians. They remembered their teachings, the time they spent alongside one another, the feelings that developed between them be they friendship or perhaps something more.
Eventually one Dungeon core started the chain reaction, the young woman bowed her head low and deeply bellowed her thanks. All the 100 Dungeon cores then followed her lead and gave their heartfelt gratitude. Even the most reticent of guardians struggled to not be moved by their bows.
This was it, the end of their relationships. Their charges no longer needed their services, it was time for them to stand on their own two feet. More than a few broke down in tears, Maya was one of these individuals. She gazed down at Frost, her heart feeling as though it was being shredded to a million pieces.
This ceremony felt too much like a farewell, a result she dreaded with every fibre of her being.
Dark seemed to willingly ignore the emotions on display in front of and behind him, bringing this separation to its conclusion.
"Thanks have been given and the deadline has passed. My children you were given one year to improve and develop yourselves under their tutelage. Now however it is time for you to leave the nest and survive on your own merit.
Along with the withdrawal of your guardians, the training space will no longer be a free service, several DP price changes will come into effect and development of the Dungeon shop will be far harsher. You'll have to do more than simply grow a little stronger." Dark was removing multiple aids he put in place, making it that much harder for his children to develop in the later stages.
"I will allow you the opportunity to say a final farewell to your guardians, after that we'll carry on with the true purpose of this gathering." Dark then allowed the many guardians to descend the stairs to speak with their charges one last time. After which they would be forbidden from interacting with any of the Dungeons as per the contract they agreed to.
Some guardians quickly said their farewells, wished their charges luck in their future endeavours before returning up the stairs. These were the ones who took a more distant approach to teaching, treating this task as a simple job and nothing more.
Dark briefly glanced up at the form of Maya plastered on the floor before looking back down at Frost, his feelings on the matter completely hidden by his neutral expression. "She is your guardian, the protecter I assigned to you for a period of one year and not a second more. Have you squandered the gift I granted?
Are so incapable of handling your own affairs that you need to be permanently supervised?" His voice grew louder and louder as he continued, so powerful was his voice that blood even started dripping down Frost's ears.
"No father I'm not incapable and I did not squander your gift. My reasons are not born out of fear or ineptitude but of desire.
I don't want my guardian, the mighty S-rank fenrir, I want Maya the person, the woman!" Through clenched teeth and obvious pain Frost roared out, his words causing those in similar situations to tremble and Maya who was stuck to the floor to convalesce, her heart filling with warmth.
"Frost." She whispered as hot tears flowed down her cheeks.
Father and Son intensely stared at one another in silence, netiehr willing to back down from their stance. Frost was asking too much, despite his desires for Maya she was still a being that stood at the very peak of the food chain, only the Gods reigned above her and her guardian colleagues.
If any one of them remained by his children's sides they'd never reach the limit of the own potential, always subconsciously or consciously banking on their protection when they chose to risk life and limb. A short period was fine but any longer would be detrimental to their growth. Even if separation caused emotional pain to his children it was something that was beneficial in the long run.
As Dark prepared himself to become completely callous a voice interrupted him from the side.
"I also refuse to separate from my guardian father, for the same reasons as Frost!" Indra fought against the pressure released by his father, he raised his head and supported his younger brother, willing to be punished along side him if that meant he could stay with Izuna.
"Indra." With Indra speaking up the same level of weight that was assaulting Frost attacked him forcing his expression to warp in pain and his muscles to brutally tense up. One son was bad enough now two of them were arguing with his decisions.
"I too don't wish to separate!"
"As do I"
"Same here." Terra, Gobuske and dungeon core called Liana all raised their heads in defiance.
"You!"
"Father!" Frost as the first one to argue bowed his head willingly to their father not out of surrender but as an act of begging, hoping that he'd take pity on his children and allow them to stay with their guardians.