Ch. 5
"And...you're sure about what your group saw, Finn?"
"I am, my Lady. The woman seemed to just...fall apart, from within."
Loki's eyebrows scrunched tightly between her slanted eyes at this, and the slender red-head forced herself to swallow a rising lump back into the pit of her stomach.
"What about the symbol you and Riveria found? It was a...you described it as a scorpion surrounded by a triangle. Are you a hundred percent sure that's what the two of you saw?"
"It was. Right before she and I were forced outside by the other's shouting, as well as sounds of combat, Riveria made sure to commit the image to memory…"
Reaching out a hand, the pair exchanged a single sheet of parchment, and Loki's intense stare only hardened as she looked over the immaculately re-drawn glyph her Familia had stumbled upon.
A heavy hand reached beneath the red-head's small chest, and squeezed her heart as all air left the goddess' lungs.
'So, they really have returned.'
Finn saw it instantly.
"You recognize it, don't you. Does it have anything to do with what the Ares Familia was doing in Orario?"
Loki pinched the bridge of her nose, letting loose a heavy sigh as she motioned towards the couch.
"It does, yeah, but for everyone's sake I really hope this is just a copycat gang."
Finn watched his patron pour herself a glass of wine, saw the way she tried to drown out incoming memories with heavy gulps, and then pour herself a second drink.
"But who are they, and what do they want?"
"They are the Society of Light, and what they want is the destruction of anyone and everything that doesn't follow their crazy cult."
Slamming her goblet down on the table Loki stood, and strode over to the window.
"They were defeated a lifetime ago, when we gods still lived on Olympus. Their...religion, is centered on returning the Titans to power; to the destruction of the world."
"Radicals, then?"
Loki chuckled, but there wasn't any humor to it.
"I wish. No, the Society is cold, calculating in its approach. Nothing they do is random or without reason, and every action is taken to serve their greater goal."
Finn raised his eyebrows, "That's not what my squad saw. Maybe these really are just copycats?"
"Or maybe there was something there that they didn't want you guys to find. Either way, we need to be careful."
The red-head tightened her arms around herself as she recalled the last time her friends and family were forced to do battle with the Society of Light; with the Titans.
Besides Zeus, only Apollo and Ishtar now walked the halls of the God's home.
As powerful as their king was, Loki knew that he couldn't defeat the likes of Antares alone.
The primordial fiend had been their predecessors last attempt at victory, the combined might of all the Titans with the power to absorb the energy around it; including that of the gods.
Just the thought of being forced to watch as Zeus was torn from the sky turned Loki's stomach and twisted the trickster's heart.
But the realization that came next made her want to puke.
The world might actually need Gilgamesh's help.
'And I just chased the damn kid away,' Loki groaned.
Finn's laughter echoed through the otherwise quiet room as he moved to stand beside his goddess.
"You're thinking about a certain Ares errand boy, aren't you."
Loki blushed even as she scoffed, rolling her narrow eyes.
"So what if I was? Besides, I'm sure with some tougher training Ais can handle the Society no sweat, we don't really need him."
Finn let the quiet weigh on the red-head for a moment before speaking again, his voice low and filled with an emotion Loki couldn't pin.
"I understand your deep affection for our Sword Princess milady, but there's no denying what we saw the other day. Gilgamesh is in a league of his own."
The blonde did his best to keep eye contact with Loki, but his patron wasn't having it so he just continued on.
"I've seen what the warriors under Ares banner were like years ago, and he's beyond even them; a true Spartan. You say Ais needs harder opponents, well, there is no better option than him unless it's your plan to ask Freya for help-"
"Yeah right," Loki scoffed, "I've got no problem with the witch, but there's no way I'm gonna put myself in her debt either."
She tried not to look at Finn's playful smirk; she hated when he was right!
"Then you know there's only one thing to do," he chuckled as the blonde began to make his exit, "at least you'll be making Tiona happy."
The door clicked shut, and only when she was surely alone did Loki snap her fingers to drop her illusion.
"You're wasting your daily limit again you know; we could just tell everyone."
A cheeky, yet soft smile spread over the goddess' face as she moved eagerly back towards the couch.
"I could, but where's the fun in that? Besides, you and I both know you're not ready to put up with Bete and his stupid mouth anymore than I am."
Rolling her eyes as she too settled into the plush cushions, Riveria set her staff aside and collected Loki into her arms.
"Maybe, but at least then you could drop the charade about Ais."
Purring as her elven lover's fingers raked gently through her hair, Loki giggled and poked at the immortal beauty's boob.
"Oh~ Is Mama a little jealous? You don't like me giving my attention to another woman?"
Despite trying to keep her composure Riveria's cheeks stained a soft pink as she grabbed at the trickster's hand.
"Don't be ridiculous; jealousy is pointless. Besides, shouldn't we be talking about how you're going to get Gigamesh to return?"
A moan of discontent was Loki's answer, and she draped herself across Riveria's lap in a dramatic fashion before giving the elf a pouting glare.
"Do we have to talk about him? It's bad enough I've gotta send someone to go find the twerp, can't we just worry about it tomorrow? I haven't seen you in a week!"
"I'm not the one putting a stop to our evening, Loki."
The red-head jerked as if she'd been scolded; it was never good when Riveria used her real name.
"Fine; go find Raul. I'll send him to-what, why are you looking at me like that!?"
A mask of displeasure had settled over the beautiful elf's finely sculpted features.
"Because you're just saying anything to get my pants off. Why are you sending Raul; he and Gilgamesh have never even spoken. If you're truly serious about trying to get the boy's help, you already know who you need to send."
Loki threw her head back and groaned, "Fine. Go get Tiona and tell her that I've got a special mission only she can do."
Riveria's face shifted, and a pleased grin tugged at her mouth now as she returned to petting Loki's crimson locks.
"That's Mama's little trickster," she leaned down and lightly pressed a kiss to the goddess' forehead.
Then, a playful look took over the elf's face as she stared into Loki's eyes. Their noses brushed, and the sweet scent of wine drifted between them on their breath.
"...but I'm sure the search can wait. After all, I haven't seen you all week~"
As their lips pressed together and she felt her lover's tongue slither into her mouth, Loki's last full thought was: 'Olympus above, I love this woman.'
Desires to be with the one you love seemed to fill the Loki Familia's headquarters, as in her own room Tiona Hiryute could be found laid out across her bed with thoughts of Gilgamesh flooding the Amazon cutie's brain.
In one hand was his cloak, which she held up under her nose, while the other was busy lightly caressing over every inch of Tiona's softly muscled body.
Tracing through the indent of her abs, the Amazon scraped her fingernails up her side to find one of the small breasts usually hidden away by her top.
Hardly a handful, but the nipples were oh so sensitive, and Tiona's toned ass lifted off the bed as she rolled one of the hardened nubs between her fingertips.
Careful not to lose Gil's scent, the sexy tomboy let her other hand join the party, and soon enough she had both nipples pinched between her fingers as the chocolate-skinned beauty thrust her hips to the air.
"Mmhp! Fuck! Gil-kun it's s-so good! More; I need more!"
Rolling to her side, Tiona buried her face into the fragrant cloak and took another hit of Gilgamesh's scent and let loose a throaty moan that could be heard out in the hall.
In her mind, it was the powerful Ares Familia member whose hands moved down from her breasts to massage every inch of Tiona's body.
A light sheen of sweat glistened under the moonlight, but this only added to the fantasy as the Amazon imagined her lover coating her body in oil.
"Ah! Hmhp!"
Then, the first hand reached her butt and gave one of the tight, heart-shaped cushions a squeeze. Massaging up and down Tiona's fine ass, her other set of fingers found their way to the soft lips of her womanhood.
"Oh god, Gil, I-I-Gaha!"
Rubbing eagerly at the wet slit it didn't take long for the Amazon's fingers to get sticky with her own honey, and that's when she switched.
Those lubed digits found their way to Tiona's backdoor, and she carefully slid a single finger into her ass while the others fondled the closest cheek.
"Gil you a-animal! Fuck! Yes! Fuck my ass, spank me, give me everything you've got I can take it!"
The imaginary Gilgamesh now had a copy, and his thumb was pressed gently against Tiona's clit as his dick slid into the Amazon beauty's tight pussy.
Her middle-finger and thumb worked wonders to keep up the charade, and with both eyes squeezed shut in ecstasy surrounded by the young man's scent Tiona's imagination ran wild.
The only thing missing was her lover's lips wrapped around her nipples, and the feel of Gil's tongue rolling over each puckered nub like a suckling baby.
Luckily that's when 'Gil' found her special spot. He pressed the length of his cock against the roof of Tiona's vice-like pussy and scraped by it with every thrust.
"Oh fuck, Oh God! G-Gil! I can't-I'm g-gonna-Nyah!"
Finally, Tiona couldn't take any more pleasure, and her orgasm erupted like a geyser all over the girl's thighs.
Coming down from the intense high, the breathless cutie rolled off Gilgamesh's cloak and stumbled her way to her feet. Ripping the bedspread away without disturbing the red cloth, she bundled it up before moving to leave the room.
'I'll chuck these into the laundry room for tomorrow, and then go take a quick shower. I wouldn't wanna ruin Gil-kun's scent with my stinky sweat after all~'
Humming her way down the hall, ignorant of her nakedness, Tiona silently prayed to anyone who'd listen that she'd be able to see the cute adventurer again soon.
Love was the emotion driving Welf Crozzo that night as well, as he snuck out of the Hestia Familia mansion and walked through the shadows towards the home of Hephaestus.
His talk with Gilgamesh had been...difficult.
The kid wanted him to give up everything he had here in Orario to go work with the god responsible for his family's fall from grace.
It was ridiculous!
And yet...Welf couldn't help but wonder if maybe this was his version of Hercules Labors. Perhaps, this was the adventure, the achievement, he needed to prove himself to the woman he loved?
Just thinking about the beautiful blacksmith sent the young man's heart into overdrive, but luckily Welf managed to shake the blush from his face as he finally came upon the goddess' study.
"Who is it," her voice called after Welf knocked, "don't you know what time it is?"
"All I know is that the sun's up somewhere."
Hephaestus' uncovered eye shot towards the newly open door and she dropped her pen at the sight of Welf standing there with a nervous grin on his face.
"W-What are you doing here?"
"I actually came by because...because I wanted to see you. It's been a while, what with everything that went on between Ishtar and Freya, ya know?"
She could clearly see the returning blush on Welf's face, and adding it to his jittery speech only intensified Hephaestus' mental image of the blacksmith's boyish nature.
'Ares was never flustered,' were her mind's traitorous thoughts.
The goddess had been putting in even later hours than usual just to keep the God of War far removed from her thoughts, yet in a single moment he was pushing his way to the forefront of Hephaestus' memories.
Even as Welf shuffled closer to her desk, there was a phantom of the blonde warrior striding along beside him, forcing the goddess to take in just how different the two were.
She could see that her former Familia member was talking to her, but the only words the female blacksmith could hear were the god's honeyed words as he leaned against the desk and draped her in his shadow.
The goddess was so wrapped up in her haze, that it wasn't until a pair of lips pressed against hers that she jerked back with a gasp.
"W-What in the-Welf!? What were you doing!?"
A look like someone had kicked his puppy dropped over the young adventurer's face, and he raised his hand in an effort to touch her cheek.
"I-I told you; I love you. I was just asking if you were okay with me…"
Welf's words trailed like smoke, then disappeared among the echoes of silence that filled Hephaestus study.
"You...you weren't listening to a word I said, were you."
It wasn't a question.
The look on his face crumbled further, but now there was a hint of anger lining the corners of Welf's mouth as the blacksmith asked what had been on her mind.
"Since it had to have been pretty important for you to just totally ignore me."
Hephaestus' eyebrows furrowed, and she rested a hand on her hip. This she could handle.
"Even if it wasn't, I've told you and everyone else before not to bother me after all our shops are closed and Babel's shut down."
"But since when has that ever mattered; it's me! Come on, Hephaestus, something is obviously bothering you. I've even heard things around town about how tired you always seem to be lately, talk to me, let me help-"
"So you can feel like you've earned another kiss?"
Welf's hands went to his hair, scraping through the flame-red locks as the young man tried to take a deep breath.
"Okay, I admit that was a bit of a rushed move, but if you would have been listening you'd understand-"
But the goddess put her hand up, silencing the former member of Hephaestus' Familia. The blacksmithing beauty pinched the bridge of her nose then, and took a deep breath of her own.
"I...think I understand enough, Welf. And, even though I like you, you're more of a kid brother to me. I want you to succeed, be the world's greatest blacksmith even, but...I don't love you."
In the silence Welf was sure the whole of the universe could hear his heart as it shattered.
He tried to breath, to swallow past the lump lodged in his throat, but nothing seemed to be working. Opening and closing his mouth like a fish, the red-head's knees buckled and he was forced to use Hephaestus' desk to keep from falling.
"Look, I know this hurts, but trust me you'll be fine. You'll find someone else-"
Welf choked out a scoff, unable to believe he was hearing this.
"Hey now, don't get pissy with me just because you got lost in a fantasy!"
She didn't mean to sound that harsh, but the Goddess was not about to let her former Familia try and make her feel guilty about not reciprocating his feelings.
Finally, the young adventurer managed to force his tongue to move as well as his legs. Pushing off the beautiful blacksmith's desk, he stumbled back before shakily making his way towards the door.
"You're right," his voice was cold and bitter, "I'm just a dumb human; what do I know. But hey, at least in Rakia I'll have plenty of new pretty faces to help me forget about you and that eye."
He felt like shit for saying it, but Welf just wanted her to feel at least a little of his agony. But this didn't stop another piece of the young man's heart from breaking at the pained gasp that his former goddess made.
That hurt quickly turned to rage though, and in her sleep deprived mental state Hephaestus picked up the paperweight on the corner of her desk and chucked it at the closing door.
"FUCK YOU!"
The words echoed through the silence, and were soon overtaken by the sound of tearful sobs as the Crafting Goddess dumped herself back into her chair.
Wild arms swung across the desk in a fit of a tantrum, knocking papers to the floor and swiping at little knick knacks given as gifts, but it wasn't until Hephaestus hit her knee against the drawer that she finally stopped.
"Son of a bitch!"
Even with big, crocodile tears falling down her cheeks the red-headed beauty kneeled forward and gently massaged the injured joint.
From this angle however, Hephaestus came face-to-face with the one compartment she swore to never open again.
Unfortunately, this only multiplied the ache in her heart, and dropped the Goddess to the floor where she'd spend the night crying herself to sleep.
Why? Why did everyone who promised to care hurt her the worst?
Another deity who couldn't seem to sleep was the God of War.
Ares stared out at his kingdom from the balcony of his bedroom, the warm climate lending to a pleasant night air.
Perfect weather for the gardens.
As the sun moved across the sky, his worries were of battle and the Society, but when stars lit the world and the moon hung high Ares' mind traveled to matters of the heart.
People assumed his arms were always folded in an act of aggression, but none of them knew the truth.
The deity was trying to mimic the warmth of her arms, to replicate the peace that settled even his restless blood.
How long had it been since he'd run his fingers through those blood-red waves? Caressed that velvety skin or kissed her silky lips?
"Fifteen years…"
He'd lost his heart only so many summers ago, yet it felt longer than all his past eternities.
Because without his Goddess of the Forge, without the one who held his very soul in her hands, what sort of existence could there truly be?
Ares sighed as he stared up at the moon, and cursed his mother for birthing him with foolish human emotions.
But this only lasted until the next moment he thought about Hephaestus, and that curse turned to resolve as Ares tensed his shoulders before shouting to the stars.
"Enough of this! I am the spirit of battle; slayer of monsters! I'll not be defeated by this!"
Then, with a flourish of his waist sash, the God of War strode back into his bedroom to get some much needed sleep.
After all, it was a long trip to Orario, and he needed to be well rested for it.