I apologize in advance, as we do get to the War Game but I have to be a tease here. No spoilers for this, but the next two chapters—chapters 24 and 25—will be War Game chapters, the former more so over the latter. No, it will not finish in 24.
I know you've been waiting. Trust me, I have been too. I still have to balance the twins. I have a plan, and that will hopefully come to fruition in 25. Tentative plans...
With that, enjoy!
...
After finally recovering from the shock, Riveria made Irene accompany her outside the Manor. "Where are we going?" Irene questioned. It was her version of 'are we there yet?' as her mother had not told her that they were going anywhere. She just said that they were leaving and to be ready in ten minutes. Much to her displeasure, she followed along down North West Main Street before she suddenly veered down a side street.
"Now, listen to me. Do not speak unless spoken to. I come here to maintain the staff Sofia gifted me, but I think she might take to you well. After all, you are her descendent," Riveria said.
"That's helpful. But why do I have to be silent?" Irene questioned, slightly exasperated.
Riveria turned to her, "Lenoa has a way of knowing things, based on magic energy. No doubt she's already 'probed' the area, feeling our approach. I'm just warning you of what could happen."
"Not the first creepy person I've encountered. This is just the third in Orario," Irene shrugged but kept her composure. "Oh, and Isaac says 'Hello, hope things are going well. We'll see you in two days when I come to get my sister.' A lengthy message today, he must be optimistic or impressed with Bell's rate of growth.
"They are still with him, right?" Riveria asked. This was about Ais and Tiona, as they haven't been seen in a few days.
Irene didn't respond for a moment, before nodding, explaining that they were there, watching the two boys duking it out with their fists, as a warm-up. Riveria took this opportunity to knock on the door to this old hut. It seemed far out of place on the street, but it was actually well hidden. "Come in," a crackly voice said, making Irene shiver in trepidation.
Riveria, however, opened the door without a second thought, waltzing in like she owned the place. The young quarter-elf followed in after her. "Ahh, Riveria! How wonderful to see you again?" The person laughed, and honest to Gods, it was a genuine witch's laugh.
"For once, I am not here for myself, but someone close to me," Riveria said easily. "Come here, Irene."
"Oh? Not your apprentice, I mean who can it possibly-" Lenoa stopped once Irene came into view. The two of them froze, Irene was more concerned with the scrutinizing look than her actual appearance. "Is she…"
Riveria's tone held a smug note to it, "She is, but aren't you caught up with all that is going on?"
Lenoa, the literal witch, with her pointy hat, warts, and hunched posture looked directly into Irene's eyes and saw Sofia in them, "My dear, she looks so much like her." Riveria withheld her surprise at the soft tone. Just how far was your reach, teacher? "Her eyes match hers perfectly, and you said she has a brother?"
"I'm right here, and I can answer for myself. Yes, my brother and I are in Orario. Riveria's the Godmother, but…" she trailed off, not wanting to bring back the embarrassment.
Lenoa took this opportunity swiftly, "You called her your mother, didn't you?" The witch's smile was teasing, and her eyes glinted with an unidentifiable emotion. "And you say you aren't a mother, Riveria. Are you lying to me now?"
The High Elf sighed, "No, but the reason I'm here is that I wish to upgrade my… daughter's staff…" the hesitation was shared by Irene when she called her 'mother'. "So, I could only go to you."
"Well, you're in luck. I've had something prepared for almost a decade. I even used the staff you currently use as a base, I could say," Lenoa said, leaving behind the counter of her humble abode and then, in classic fashion, pulled a single book on a shelf and the wall creaked. The bookshelf slid to the side and a door opened. "Follow me, descendant of Sofia." Irene swore if she added 'if you dare' she was seriously considering walking out the door.
It's bad enough she looks like a cliché, but that would be a walking cliché, Irene thought as she took hesitant steps down the hall. Once she crossed the threshold, she felt power, unlike anything she's ever felt before.
Lenoa had led Irene and by extension Riveria, into a room that held magic artifacts. "Most of these relics are from a friend of mine, who asked me to keep them safe. It is not like he'll ever need them," she said, rubbing her hands together, excited by some unknown factor.
"This amount of magic power. It feels like it's assaulting me from all sides like they are all reaching out for me…" Irene mumbled, which brought two pairs of surprised eyes to her.
"You can feel the magic residing in the room?" Lenoa asked, her witchy eyes boring into Irene.
The girl nodded, "It's like there is a spirit within the magic, calling out, but each one feels too powerful, even for me… is it like a selection process, or is it a competition?" At this point, she was spouting out theories.
The eldest woman in the room turned curiously to these 'relics' before chuckling once to herself, "It seems the two of them have conspired with one another. It looks like they all want to be owned by you, young one."
"Are you saying Sofia had a hand in these?" Riveria turned with an acute glare.
Lenoa didn't bother denying it, "Only in some of them, as some date back eight hundred years ago. She obviously wasn't alive then."
That information made the two elves drop their jaws. ""Eight hundred?!""
Now that some information was cleared up, Irene started to focus on the strongest magical items in the secret room. She had to know which ones held her Grandmother's handiwork. Unknowingly, Irene let out some magic energy that resonated within the room, like it heard her desire. Five items within the room reached back, making her shiver.
Her eyes opened and they locked onto a collection of staffs, three of them to be precise. Two of them were swords, but that wasn't important right now. Each one of them was a different length. One was a short staff, one was a Bo staff, and one even looked like a pair of nunchucks. How that worked was beyond her comprehension. A ninja mage? I mean, if Mikoto somehow became a beast with magic, I'd get those for her.
Not a bad idea, sis, I'll think about it, Isaac responded out of the blue.
Irene froze, How much of that did you hear?
A contemplative hum was her response, Well, it started when you listed off the three staffs. So, not much. However, that gave me an idea. Not to mention, I still have to get you a present, but it might be late considering our current circumstances.
What are you doing right now? Irene's eyes had a questioning aura to them, something the two magic users noticed.
Fighting off Ais and Tiona, and learning how much we have to go, Isaac responded, somehow cheerful despite him probably getting hit over and over. On the bright side, I'm not getting knocked out like Bell.
Protect the rabbit, jeez, is it that hard? She teased.
Would you like to fight two first-tier adventurers at once? Isaac shot back, mollifying his sister. He took her silence as a no.
"Are you done in dreamland, Irene?" Riveria's voice asked, waving a hand in front of her face. Lenoa was watching with curious eyes.
"Sorry, I keep forgetting to shut the connection with Isaac, my brain leaks my thoughts. We've spoken like that for a long time, so it's not a habitual thing," Irene said.
"This Isaac… he's the brother you mentioned?" Lenoa asked, while internally wondering how she was able to communicate with him. The young girl nodded. "I may have something for him as well, but that's another time. Anyway, did you find the one you liked? I noticed the magic energy flowing in the room like it was dancing a fresh tune. In fact, they seemed eager for you… makes me wonder what she did to them… Ignore the ramblings of this old witch, did you find one to your liking?"
Irene suspiciously turned to Lenoa, "What's the catch?"
"There is no catch, after all, I'm cashing in a favor from her, whether she knows it or not. These staffs you're looking at have some of the finest gems, minerals, and materials embedded within. Consider this your 'upgrade', hmm?" Lenoa said this, which lead Irene to question something in her mind. It was a very valid question. Thankfully, she remembered to block out Isaac.
Irene reached her hand out, and it was like back at the graveyard, except for one difference. When she reached out for the three staffs, she felt the magic pull her in. Her heart said one thing, but her hand was saying another.
"They're competing for her?" Riveria's voice held poorly-veiled curiosity, as did Lenoa's.
"She's definitely something," the witch replied.
Shaking her head a few times, Irene reached out with determination and plucked the middle staff, the quarterstaff from its place. The magic surrounding it felt immense joy directed at Irene, making her smile happily. "I like this one…"
"From the looks of it, it seems to like you too," Lenoa commented. Did she enchant them to recognize her bloodline? The old witch certainly had a lot to think about. "Is there anything else you require today?" Assuming the matter at hand was taken care of, she moved on like any other businesswoman.
"Don't I have to pay for this?" She felt the magic energy in the staff swirl in what felt like anger.
Lenoa cackled like one expected, "No. There'd be no use to charge you. After all, you're one of five people who are allowed in here. Three of those people are us. As for the other two, well, I have to have some secrets too, you know?"
Get me out of here, Irene thought privately. For once, the staff agreed. That brought another question to the table, but Irene did feel like unpacking that loaded question.
The War Game was just days away. People were already placing bets and wagers on how it would go down. Some say that the Apollo Familia would win as the top dog, undefeated, while others bet on the underdogs, as they like that angle because it will prove their points. Just because one has more forces, does not mean that they are guaranteed victory.
As for a certain elf, he was enjoying his time finally back in the city. Having been confined to a wall for almost a solid week, he trained not only himself but also a certain white-haired rabbit. As a result of that training, he could easily hold his own against experienced level three or newly leveled four opponents. With help from both Ais and Tiona, he knows how to read people.
Though, the elf still feels bad for what he had to do recently. Even though Bell had forgiven him, and even told him to continue, it wasn't as forceful. If he was being honest, it was almost apathetic when he tried again.
Walking through the street certainly got eyes on him, but it was confusing, "Hey Bell?"
"Yeah, Isaac?" Bell asked back, curious why he's speaking up about it now.
"Am I that different from a week ago?" The genuine note in his tone made Bell regard him seriously.
"Well, I think you might have gotten tan from the exposure to the Sun. I mean, it is kinda noticeable."
"I got tan?!" Isaac exclaimed like he was discovering something new for the first time, and for once, Bell found that hilarious. "Why are you laughing so hard?"
"B-Because, it took you t-this long to notice! Everyone has been staring at you like some sort of demi-god. I mean really," Bell stopped laughing and held up a finger, "You're of High Elf descent, named after a Titan, have probably upset the balance in Orario, literally have defied all expectations set on you, and if I was Miss Mikoto, I would worry about fainting upon seeing you." By the end, his whole left hand had no more fingers to extend. The smile on Bell's face showed that he meant it too.
Isaac looked at his form up and down, seeing nothing different, much to the amusement of others around him. However, the thought that Mikoto would faint made Isaac blush, both at the flattery and the implication. "Wait… have you been checking me out? Oh, say it ain't so!"
Bell flushed brilliantly to the point where he almost matched his eyes. "That's not what I meant! It's an observation. Still, I don't understand how you're denying being tan."
"Yeah, and Ais Wallenstein has a brother," Isaac scoffed. Thankfully, Ais herself was not around to hear that statement. Tiona and her went home, but they had taken separate routes. In reality, Isaac wanted Bell's opinion on something. "So, how was the training, do you hate me?"
Bell looked offended that Isaac would even suggest that, "How can I hate you when you've taught me so much?! I know fighting with only my hands isn't practical against Monsters, but it is helpful if I have to fight another person. The taunt training helped, I told you I forgave you. It was necessary."
"If you say so." This is helping you more than you think, Bell, Isaac thought dejectedly. Because one day, you won't have weapons, armor, or potions. All you'll have are your fists and a dream. On the bright side, he didn't project his thoughts to Irene. That whole fiasco is a can of worms that Isaac has to open at some point.
Speaking of his dearest sister, she told him that she got a new staff, she said that the staff was the one that picked her—much to his displeasure and excitement, hypocritical emotions—and mix in a little determination. That means he'll have to train her harder. A grimace came to Isaac's face, Forgive me later.
"…sac? Isaac!" Bell's voice jarred him from his thoughts. Looking up, they arrived outside of Twilight Manor. They must've walked the rest of the distance without him noticing.
"What's up?"
"I don't know, brother, it looks to me that you're just ignoring your sister, and when did you get tan?"
Turning ahead of him, he saw his sister for the first time in a week. With a relieved smile, he brought her into a big hug. "Well, it feels nice to speak to you face to face. So, how's Mum?"
Irene pulled back from the hug, "So she's 'Mum' now? You're skipping Mother and Mom, you went there?"
"Is it that important?" He replied just as easily.
Another voice joined the fray, one that made Isaac smile softly, "It's also important to at least come and see me, my dearest child."
Dia stood at the door, hands behind her back and eyeing him expectantly. With a nod from the guards, the gate was opened and Isaac wrapped Dia in a big hug, spinning her once. "How could I forget? Unfortunately, my visit shall be brief. Irene, since you've been picked, we have to train hard."
"Oh I know, and I can't wait to show you the magic I've learned in that time," his younger sister beamed.
"By the way, have you seen Lady Hestia? I thought she'd be here, arguing with Lady Loki or something."
Dia smirked, "She has a plan that required her presence, and Bell," addressing the white-haired rabbit, "she didn't inform you because it was a surprise, but when the time comes, you'll see what I mean."
Loki had peered through the doorway, "Oh good, the other child arrived. I'll go get Riveria, and she's-" she paused, opening her eyes, "How did you get tan in only a week?!"
"I can't tell the difference!" Isaac said. To be fair, he wasn't concerned about his skin tone, so it really wasn't a problem.
"Yeah, Isaac?" Irene started, before holding her hand up and grabbing his wrist, "Look with your special eyes."
The difference was noticeable to anyone and everyone. "Yeah yeah, I see it now. So where's Riveria?"
"Right here," the High Elf's voice came from behind Loki. "Isaac, you got tan… how?"
Isaac had a cheeky response for that, "Magic. Anyway, how ya doing, Mum?"
Riveria froze again… before breaking out in a motherly smile. The guards peering behind them watched with wide eyes. She approached Isaac before wrapping him in a hug, "It's relieving that you trust me enough to call me that. Your parents would probably be throwing praises."
"They probably knew this was coming, let's be honest. It's a shame too, I can't call you Fairy Godmother anymore, even if I only called you that once," Isaac said, relishing the human contact that wasn't violent. To him, this was a reprieve. He was going to have to really step it up for her.
"Honestly, I think that it's the best part, I don't have to worry about that anymore," she replied as they broke the hug.
Isaac grinned, "As much as I want to stick around… Irene, you ready?" He turned to his sister, who held her new staff close to her. She was spending the downtime learning its intricate nature and nuances. Turns out, the staff loves using its magic. "New staff… hmm, that means I have to step up my game…"
"Don't worry, Isaac," Riveria intervened, "She wants to see you as well. She thinks she has something that might benefit you."
Isaac nodded, not knowing who 'she' is, but nodded along. A question for Irene later, "I will keep that in mind… On another note, has anyone seen Mikoto or Welf or Lili?"
"They're busy," Dia said, placating her child. "Now, go train, but don't leave lasting injuries. I will have potions on standby, but don't go overboard."
""We won't,"" they said in unison, before grinning. It wasn't a lie either. Both Dia and Loki confirmed it.
"Aren't you worried?" Loki whispered into Dia's ear.
"Not at all, I'm more worried for the environment that they choose to spar in. They don't get to let loose, and when they do, there is damage done," Dia shook her head with mirth lacing her tone.
"Apollo really screwed up, hasn't he?" The Trickster questioned.
"Indeed he has," the petite Goddess replied as she watched the twins head off again. Only a few more days until this was all over.
The twins immediately booked it to the wall, "So, which training regime do you want to go through first, sis? I'm letting you dictate what you need."
"Try the third option. I need to see how I have to handle this staff. It feels… alive when I wield it like the magic is trying to communicate with me.
Isaac clicked his tongue, "Hmm, no wonder why I've felt something. Was it a reaching feeling?"
Irene's eyes widened, "Yes! Exactly! Wait, that means…"
"The staff likes me too," Isaac replied. "We'll deal with that later." The two arrived at the wall and Irene finally got to see the damage the quartet caused.
"Could you have been any rougher?" the younger twin raised an eyebrow. There were scuff marks, slash marks, and oddly enough, bell-shaped indents… no, Bell-shaped indents. "Did you have to be so rough?"
"The kid's a masochist, I swear! He'd get up with a damn smile and say, 'let's go again!' and I'd put him on the ground again," Isaac defended himself. "If it makes you feel any better," he pointed over to a section in the middle, "there's a me-shaped indent from Tiona."
"By the way, you do realize how this conversation can be taken out of context?" Irene asked.
"The last ten minutes could be taken out of context, dear sister. Now, come at me." He cracked his knuckles and beckoned her closer.
"You'll regret that," Irene said, cracking her own knuckles. "You want to know how many spells I memorized?" She threw a punch and a roundhouse kick at him.
"As long as you don't use them on me here," swatting away both attacks, he threw a fake, which she fell for, and then landed a kick on her side. Irene whipped her staff at him, and it just grazed his face, making the grin on his face slightly more feral.
Gritting her teeth, "Twenty-six spells, some very long, some short, some instant. Come on, I know you can hit harder than that!"
"You'll regret saying that, Irene," Isaac said, slowly morphing into Harpe. Irene followed suit as Aspis.
The wall learned a new meaning of pain.
Of course, the day that everyone was dreading—dependent on one's point of view—has arrived. Orario was jumping off the walls. The War Game between the Apollo Familia versus the Dia and Hestia Familias has graced its due date. Well, the prepare dates, but everyone was excited anyway.
Currently, Irene was in a wagon with Bell and Welf. Irene wasn't privy to the plan, but they assured her that it would be fine. "Hey, aren't you the Little Rookie?"
A second voice, "Dude, Aspis is here too, that means Apollo picked her."
"If a Titan is going to be there, then all of Orario is going to get a show," the two bantered while Bell was getting a necklace from Syr. The girl was trying her best to catch up to the wagon, even at its meandering pace.
"What is it?" they heard Bell ask.
"It's a good luck charm!" Syr shouted. "Think of me, won't you?"
"Come on loverboy, get in the wagon. We got a two days ride ahead of us," Irene gently chided him. Welf just snorted, "You know, I'm surprised that you managed to get everything done in a night. You didn't sleep, did you?"
"Oh I did, but thanks to the unique armor you two have, and since I only had to do one set this time, the process was faster. Your blades didn't need much sharpening, your staff is brand new. What did you guys do up there?" The smith was genuinely curious at what they did up there.
Irene held up her hand, which was bandaged around her knuckles, "We fought, and I learned some new moves. Isaac really didn't hold back. I mean, we didn't enter the arena for nothing, you know. It was for survival."
Her response was so flippant that it shut up everyone in the wagon, even the eavesdropping driver. "Welp, Apollo's fucked," was their comment before chuckling to themselves.
"So, Bell, where do you want me when the time comes? We have a few days to strategize after all," Irene turned to the boy.
The boy nodded, "Don't worry, I have a plan, but I can only tell you the basics." When he did, Irene felt her heart jump in excitement. She was loving this plan.
"Well, how many?" Bell asked. She knew what was he was asking for.
Irene grinned ferociously, "Enough. Do you want defense, offense, stealth, or pure destructive power?"
"You learned that many?!" Welf exclaimed.
"Lord Apollo is going to learn what it means to step on a Titan's foot. It's a shame that the Familia members have to be the ones to learn this lesson," Irene shrugged, pulling her staff to her. After explaining it to Isaac, he understood that the staff must have been Grandma's creation. I'll make you proud, Grandma.
Oh, am I chopped liver? That hurts, Isaac teased her from a ways away. He was at Twilight Manor with Lady Dia and the rest of the Loki Familia. She and Hestia had to head to Babel before the start, or just after the start, of the War Game. At the moment, she was staying just for a bit.
You know what I meant, meanie. Did you find Mikoto?
Yeah, his tone shifted, it turns out, she transferred to Lady Hestia because she still felt guilty about the Pass Parade. I told her that she shouldn't feel guilty and I'm doing my best to not rush out there myself. In fact, Mum is looking at me, so before I receive a lecture, I'll calm down. Good luck, and kick-ass, but not too much ass. Bell's got the big guy.
Irene sent a small glare at Bell and Welf, who were confused, but she paid no mind as she responded, I understand. Now, I'm going to chew them out for not informing you, unless it was Mikoto who didn't want you to know. She didn't hear a response from him.
"When were you two going to tell me that Mikoto converted?" Irene crossed her arms over her staff. "Welf, I figured you would, but what about Lili?" Silence again. "Her too? My my, aren't you the popular one?"
"That was meant to be a surprise and a secret. That was why she needed to train. She had planned on this in the beginning," Bell said, blushing slightly at the implication.
He's picking it up. Good, he'll need to. Irene dropped her glare and sighed, "Well, they'll have an excuse to be upset. So, yeah, Isaac's a little peeved."
Welf snorted, "Maybe they'll finally go on that date."
"Ugh, thank you! Somebody else noticed!" Irene shouted. "Seriously, my brother may be an accidental flirting machine, but he needs to get a move on. I want to be an aunt before I get wrinkles!"
Bell huffed, "Well, with everything that's been going on, I'm not surprised… wait, didn't you say that your birthday is coming up?"
"Yeah, the day after the game, we'll be on our way back, and we knew that so our gift exchange will have to wait. So depending on the outcome, we can celebrate then. For now, we have a game to win." Truthfully, she still needs to commission Welf's services for her idea.
No one said anything after that.
Sitting at the top of the abandoned castle on the throne—of lies—was Hyakinthos. "Be prepared for anything. Who knows what scheme that they can come up with. We must bring glory to our Familia!"
The Captain of the Apollo Familia didn't plan on lifting a finger, not unless he had to. His own arrogance would be his undoing. The Familia had arrived the previous day to get a layout of the castle that would serve as the battleground.
Supplies came late in the night because they were also important. Daphne and Cassandra were off to the side. They had to be present for the briefing.
Suddenly, Cassandra turned to the side, looking fearfully out the window, clutching her own magic staff to her chest. "The Trojan is here. Oh no. Don't let them in!" She whispered to herself.
Daphne turned to her companion, shaking her head, looking out the same window to see the wagons carrying in the last of the supplies. She saw Luan scramble under the gate before it closed. She rolled her eyes, "Listen, Cass. We need you to focus. What's bothering you this time?" Though she never believes her, the pale red-headed girl listens to what she has to say. She's not privy to her friend's abilities, and as such, she was unaware of her true prophecy-telling skill—not actually a skill, but an innate ability.
"I saw a little critter slip in, a Trojan, at the gates, which would lead to our downfall. It would happen when we least expect it. They would let in the rabbit and a wolf, and they would wreak havoc. Something bad's going to happen, Daphne, I swear," Cassandra said. It made sense to her since she was the one saying it.
An unintended problem was how shaky her voice was. It made Cassandra sound insane. To most of her Familia, she was, which was why they never believed her, even if the events described came to pass. She believed she was cursed because of this ability.
"You two quit blabbering and get into your positions. Daphne, you're on the bridge. Cassandra, you'll remain here for the time being." With that, they cemented themselves into place and waited throughout the night for an attack that would take them by complete surprise.
The next morning, around nine in the morning, there was a bell that the Ganesha Familia had set up to announce the beginning of the War Game. That was almost an hour ago. The Game was underway, and so far, it was boring.
The scouts at the top of the wall were getting bored. To their knowledge, there were only three of them at least, knowing about the outside help. One of the scouts looked outside to see a figure on a rock, perched a little below their eye level.
"Hey, who is that?" The scout asked.
The second one replied, "Don't know, but ready? Aim!"
The figure on the rock fell forward with grace before twirling their cloak and landing on the ground, rushing straight ahead. "Fire!" The voice could be heard for almost a kilomeder if one fine-tuned their hearing.
A massive barrage of arrows descended upon the combatant, but under their mask and hood, they grinned. Two blades glinted by their feet. The cloak was discarded as they swung their blade. Normally, that would do nothing, but this was a special kind of blade.
A wave of wind erupted from the blade, throwing all the arrows off course and tumbling to everywhere except where the figure was standing.
Now that the cloak was off, the figure was revealed to be female, wearing brown boots up to her knees, a pair of what looked like undergarments, but was actually a part of a one-piece shirt. Their shoulders and head were exposed but their mouth remained covered. Blue eyes peered at the castle before a swing of another sword brought an inferno to the castle wall. To think I'd use blades that had caused my kin so much harm. Pretty hypocritical. Ryuu Lion was the one in front of the castle. Her alias was one that had been blacklisted, and since her Goddess was outside of Orario, she was the candidate that Lord Hermes had chosen. She fit all the requirements Lord Apollo set forth. Gale Wind, or just Gale, has joined the fight.
Her goal was to take as many opponents out as possible. With her falna at level four, she could easily overpower everyone here. This wasn't about her, this was about Mr. Cranel.
While that happened, someone else was far away from the castle, murmuring under her breath. "By the wishes of the Gods, grant me the power to test my enemies in the fires of purity!"
The magic energy rested in the staff, whose crystal turned a deep red, representing the element being conjured. "Ready when you are," another cloaked figure said. The magic circle under them made their cloak flutter in the wind, and it wasn't from the wind attack earlier.
"Let them have it, I'm pretty sure that they'll think you're someone else," a red-headed man said.
"That's the plan, Welfy," the figure said, grinning. Thrusting their staff forward, the magic energy piled up and with a single shout, the War Game was just getting started.
*Blazing Meteor!*
A large fireball flew through the air like it was launched from a catapult. It soared through the air with pristine accuracy. The target was the wall, specifically, the crack that their friend left behind with her wave attack.
The fireball struck true and decimated the wall, making a few people who were stationed there tumble down back into the courtyard. It only hit the wall, so no one should have any burns. Bruises from falling, however, was another story entirely.
"Nice one, Irene!"
Flicking the hood down, she grinned, "That was for you, Grandma, hope you're proud." She was looking to the sky, thinking she was watching from up on high. Hopefully, that was going to give people in Orario a reason not to mess with them. However, Irene was sure that Lady Freya was shivering in anticipation. The fact that once she was revealed, she felt a gaze that was entirely lustful.
Withholding the urge to shiver, she looked to Bell, "You ready to go?"
The boy smiled, and if she was a normal girl, that smile would make her heart thud in her chest. "Yes, hopefully, Lili is enacting the next phase of the plan."
"I still can't believe you have managed to pull the wool over everyone's eyes. Alright, do you want me to cast an armor spell, or do you want me to wait until you take a hit?" Even though her words were calm, she didn't want to wait. She was indeed concerned for his safety, and she would go to great lengths to make sure he's the last one standing.
In order for either side to win the War Game, the captain must be defeated. In this case, Bell is the Captain for both Ladies Dia and Hestia. Irene gladly denied herself the position of Captain. If Isaac was here, he'd have done the same thing.
"You don't have to be the worrywart, Irene. Bell is perfectly capable. After all, he trained with your brother and he trained with two level sixes. He'll be fine," Welf assured her.
Irene relented. "Come on then, we should probably go help Ryuu."
The three of them advanced towards the castle. It seemed like the three of them were taking 'Castle Siege' seriously. It was truly ironic.
What the defenders failed to notice during the chaos was the samurai slipping between the cracks. She would go unnoticed for at least three minutes and that was more than enough to cause a little chaos.
...
Again, I apologize for being a tease, but I didn't want to make this be over in like a chapter... you understand, right?
Also, my muse is doing a hard turn to Scarlet Nexus, so on AO3, I may have something there. My speculation fic is there weeks before the game released (made on 06/02/21 or 02/06/21 if you're across the pond or anywhere that's not the US) and I have played through the game twice, almost thrice. So, I'm confident I can make something. However, this remains my priority.
Tales of Royalty is my second go-to. Rest assured, I haven't forgotten about that.