Chapter 10: Dreams and Wandering.
Bell was dreaming… of a location he had never been to. He was far above a street in a very large city… a street layered in brick-muds quite unlike the stone pavement in Orario. But that was not to say that the city was primitive, for indeed he could see various buildings that seemed to be adorned with items positively radiating magical energy… though there was not a single magic stone in sight.
Far off, at the edge of the city were what appeared to be three layers of large walls that Bell could perhaps say were so wide that one could drive chariots upon their surface.
But with the observation of the wall, the boy noticed that there was a lack of another thing, something far more important. "Where are the people?" and almost as if the dreamscape wished to answer that question, he was brought to a large central plaza.
Within, were tens of thousands of people, clearly the entire population of the city, but within their center was what appeared to be a large pyre. But what was most disquieting to Bell was the fact that not a single person was moving, or even speaking a word as they stared at the floor downcast.
A few men stood at the side, grasping pairs of reed pipes and three-stringed lutes as they leaned against a glazed brick wall, for even if their role was as to be those who mourned by playing music, the grief was so high that it was doubtful they could perform their duty.
He could spot all sorts of people: merchants, soldiers, priestesses, little children and even a blonde woman glow softly as she placed a hand upon a demure golden calf that too, was also downcast, more for support than anything else.
Bell could swear he had seen the blonde woman somewhere, but he could not place her features, no matter how familiar they were.
There seemed to be no end to the palpable grief in the air, for even birds, dogs, cats, rodents, wild animals, and some creatures Bell had never before seen were all amidst the crowd, all with pure sadness in their eyes, though none were yet making a sound.
But what could sadden so many people? And so Bell looked to the pyre, and beheld upon it, a person that Bell could only describe as beautiful as they were androgynous, for their simple white tunic hid all their bodily features, and their green long hair gave no hint to their gender.
Bell gasped as he saw that the left-side of the person seemed to have turned into something like mud, what could have possibly happened to them?
And so the dream answered him, for he suddenly found himself above the same green person being caressed by a blonde that he clearly recognized, it was Gilgamesh that was holding the person gently upon his lap, as a storm raged above their heads.
Indeed, one would think that the skies themselves could not bear that this person was dying, as lightning danced through the skies, illuminating the tears that were streaking down the Blonde king's face.
If the grief upon the people's faces was intense, Bell could physically not avert his eyes from the sight of his Familia member grieving, even as he wished to do so to give them the privacy they deserved.
The man spoke, in a beautiful voice, though it was scarce an octave above a whisper, for the pain from whatever disease assailed her seemed to be too much to bear, "I am a weapon… nothing more than one of your countless treasures….did you yourself not call me your axe? In the future, I am sure… you will encounter treasures more valuable than me…. don't… cry…Gil?"
He repeated the king's name another time, "Gi…l…" before the word died on his lips, much like she had herself. Gilgamesh himself let out a guttural roar, a voice filled with rage, yes, but grief, so much grief… grief that Bell had never felt… he could only liken it to when his beloved grandfather had died fighting a monster.
He cradled the body closer, hugging it fervently, as if the action could bring the person back to life, as he muttered deliriously, "Enkidu? Enkidu? Wake up… wake up… what kind of sleep steals you away now that… that… darkness cloaks you and you cannot hear me? Enkidu?... please…"
Bell wanted to comfort his Servant… even though he knew it was a dream, though a large part of him told him that respecting the king's privacy was the greatest comfort he could offer even if he was truly there.
As he floated, disembodied, in the air, he observed the raging sky, and observed seven nights and six days pass as if it were so much as a second, as the blonde king still clutched his friend's body, whose left side had turned to the clayish-mud Bell had seen earlier.
For six-days and seven nights the king had wept over him, and even when concerned citizens had sought him out by the third day, he refused to give him up to be buried. It was the twilight of the seventh day when the same golden, shimmering calf that Bell had seen earlier had come upon the pair, and had gently nudged Enkidu's corpse by itself, with crestfallen doe-eyes.
Gilgamesh did not bother telling off the calf, for even in the depths of his grief he had recognized the animal to share his feelings. As the blonde king continued to stare down, a gentle hand, though worn by work cupped his chin and tilted his face upwards.
It was the same glowing, blonde woman that Bell had seen amidst the crowd, and now Bell could see that her facial features were very similar to the king's. Gilgamesh's dead, glazed-over eyes seem to find a vestige of life as they gazed upon this person.
The woman looked sad as she spoke softly, "Son…. come… this is no place for Enkidu to find rest." and almost as if by magic, Gilgamesh's mother, the goddess Ninsun had succeeded where the citizens of Uruk had failed as Gilgamesh took her hand as he gently carried Enkidu's body and placed it on a large cart that soldiers of Uruk who had accompanied the goddess had brought with them.
All of the soldiers too were stifling tears, while the mules drawing the carts, that Bell knew from his village to be capricious, domineering animals, also maintained a downward gaze as they picked up a slow trot.
With this, Bell found himself suddenly back at the pyre, and he looked around for Gilgamesh… who was nowhere to be found.
The crowd parted then, almost as if all those present were cogs of a large machine, as they gave way to a lone figure shambling towards the pyre from the gate of Uruk. It was Gilgamesh, and Bell was aghast as he saw what the proud, warrior-king had been reduced to.
The blonde's cheeks had sunken in, while his face was gaunt, it would seem both his spirit and heart were broken as well, for his face seemed so world-weary and his eyes so much like that of a fish that Bell could only call him a dead man walking. He was dressed in dusty clothes that were still finer than clothing that Bell had seen the richest of people wear, and his body appeared as it had been scorched by sleet and sun, as he continued to shamble towards the pyre.
Bell somehow knew that Gilgamesh had visited the deities of his land, giving them various gifts so that they would welcome Enkidu into the afterlife.
The man's expression could only be likened to a lioness that had been robbed of her cubs, not once, but a hundred times, as he approached closer still, tearing at his spiky hair, leaving a trail as he did so. As those with the instruments struck up a dirge when the King had finally reached the pyre, listlessly taking the torch offered to him by a veiled priestess, he shouted, his voice hoarse from what seemed to be disuse.
"We… we were the ones who joined together to scale mountains and slay beasts… we who were a King of Uruk and a Weapon of the Gods… who vanquished the Divine Beast of the Cedar Forest… Huwawa… who killed the Bull of the Gods, Gugalanna … but it was he… he who was sent to bring me to heel and under the yoke… and who chose to bring me only joy… joy and companionship. My friend… stubborn as a mountain, nimble as the wind, swift as light… who I loved fiercely, who accompanied me through every trial – Enkidu, my friend whom I loved fiercely… the fate of all humans has vanquished him."
His voice cracked giving way to silence for a time that Bell might as well have described as beyond infinity, before the torch in his hand touched the pyre to which the King gasped, almost as if his hand had betrayed him in doing so.
The sound was piteous, but with the lighting of the pyre, it was as if a dam had broken, for the wails and cries of a hundred thousand more began, though the dirge itself somehow seemed to not be overwhelmed. No one did not grieve his death, for no one could not, for Enkidu had been a great soul.
A young priestess, that Bell somehow knew was named Siduri, brought forth a pot of sacred oils, though her gait itself was unsteady, for she too was filled with grief. With a trembling thumb she placed her hand inside the pot, before she removed it and traced Gilgamesh's forehead with the oil.
She stifled a cry as she went forward and added the sacred oils to the funeral pyre. Indeed it were almost as if the flames themselves were loath to claim Enkidu's bodies, and only with seven more priestesses pouring pots of oil did it finally began to burn the Weapon of the Gods.
But when they were finally urged to burn the body, they did so with a grand crescendo, as if incinerating Enkidu as fast as they could would spare them their own grief. It was only seconds later that the fire died down, and Bell could see that the beautiful form of Enkidu was now a lump of clay the size of nary a small deer.
Gilgamesh gently caressed the lump a final time before the priestesses carried the remains and placed it within a small casket, prepared for burial. It was a small procession that went forwards with the priestesses and king to bury the casket outside Uruk, so that Ereshkigal would accept Gilgamesh's best friend into the afterlife.
Once the deed was done, and the site consecrated appropriately it was only Gilgamesh and Ninsun that remained at the site. He looked towards his mother, his eyes still so dead, "How could I keep quiet now? Should I not wage war against Inanna? Against Ishtar?"
Ninsun was only quiet, for she could not respond to her son's words. Gilgamesh spoke, "My friend, the one I love, has turned to clay. Enkidu…. my friend…. the one I love, has turned to clay… Am I not like him, Mother? Will I not lie in rest, never to stir again, forever and ever? His death… it is too heavy to endure… I could bear the weight of the skies… but I cannot bear this…"
He did not wait for a response as he tore the finery away from his body, like it was anathema to himself, before he spoke, almost as if he was repeating a statement, "I must prowl the wilderness because I've become afraid of death? Indeed… I must…" before he shambled into the forest beyond.
Ninsun however raised her hand, her face contorted in despair as her voice choked. Bell was not used to seeing goddesses like this, but Ninsun did not stop Gilgamesh, but to Bell it seemed as if it were more that she could not, as much as she wanted to.
She looked over at Bell, almost as if she saw him, her face still filled with regret when the dream-scape collapsed and Bell woke with a sweat.
The empathetic boy choked momentarily, for the grief in his dream was enough to affect him in real life as well, and his prior experience seeing Saber's death instantly told him he had seen a great event that had affected Gilgamesh and shaped him into what he was now.
He wiped away a tear as he got off the bed, his feet touching the carpeted floor as he did so.
He realised he had witnessed the death of Gilgamesh' greatest friend, and a shudder went through his body as he recollected the dead expression that had been on the usually energetic king. He shook his head as he slowly ambled out of bed, before heading out of the residential quarters and into the bath-house.
A short shower later, Bell came to the mess-hall, eager to fill his belly as he prepared to head out for the day, it was Saber alone that he found sitting inside, biting into a toasted sandwich.
Of Lancer, Lily or anyone else there was to be no sight, and so Bell shrugged as he gave a smile to Kruger before taking a plate for himself and sitting beside the aged Emperor.
Saber seemed pensive as he chewed the sandwich, and only seemed to notice Bell when the boy had seated himself across. The older man smiled as he spoke, "Morning Bell." to which Bell stifled a yawn as he responded, "Morning Saber!"
He looked around before speaking, "Where's everyone else?" to which Saber finished scarfing down a sandwich as he spoke, "Lily's probably not awake yet, while Lancer's probably around somewhere, deciphering some tome or the other, Arash had some business with Ganesha Familia dealing… with something he found yesterday. As for Gilgamesh, well, who can say where that Demigod goes, for all I know he's with his 'Empress'" finishing his statement with laughter.
Bell smiled before his expression dropped at the mention of the Eternal King, he spoke softly, "Saber…" to which the man raised an eyebrow.
"I had a Dream again… this time of Gilgamesh…" to which Saber seemed momentarily taken aback before he spoke, "From the look on your face I shall assume it had something to do with his friend's death?"
Bell nodded, surprised that Saber seemed to know of it. Saber continued, sighing, "Remember when I said… grieving is not a sin, but one should not wallow in grief? Indeed… the First Hero found himself in the deepest grief, for Enkidu was his greatest treasure, friend and more."
Bell did not respond, as he drank from the glass of orange juice, while Saber continued, "You would have seen how he stayed unmoving next to his friend's corpse for near a week? My memory of his Epic is not particularly great… but he spent atleast the next five years wandering throughout the land in search of Immortality, all still drenched in the same grief."
Bell simply waited for Saber to continue, though he gulped at the thought of one being so depressed for so long, "Gilgamesh as he is now… you have not summoned him in his Prime as a Saber, whose Spirit Origin would be taken from when he was… somewhat carefree as he enjoyed his companionship with Enkidu, but as an Archer, when he finally found the Herb of Immortality."
Saber seemed pensive as he bit into the omelette that was on his plate, "The euphoria at finding the Herb certainly pulled him out of his grief, even returned to him a great measure of joy like that when he had been younger and at his friend's side… but there is still an Enkidu-shape hole in his soul that has only been momentarily buried if my judgement is right."
"In the Epic, he lost the Herb to a snake when he stopped to bathe at a river, and this incident finally gave him clarity, as he laughed, laughed and laughed at the ridiculousness of his situation. The Gilgamesh that returned to Uruk after this loss would be a Caster-Class Servant, He Who Saw the Deep, the Wise King who ruled wisely for a century, Surpassing All Other Kings such that the citizens could never find a complaint."
Saber finished his plate as he looked at Bell, "I do not think it is wise you talk to him of this Dream… perhaps it would re-open his grief… grief that Arash thinks he is trying to mend by finding love, or rather right now mending, having successfully found the same."
Bell smiled at this, before Saber seemed to muse something as he drank from his own cup of orange juice, before staying quiet. Bell however simply took this as a sign to drop the conversation and went ahead in finishing his own breakfast, having gone ahead and taken two more omelettes.
Lancer walked in, trailed by a very wide-awake Lily who was carrying a map and a book. It would seem Lancer had been teaching her something or the other, and if Bell had to guess, it was something to do with commanding or similar.
Lily waved at Bell which the boy returned whole-heartedly before she seated herself opposite the Raven King, a large cup of coffee at her side with toasted bread and jam. Lancer waved as well, before he too sat down, and the large raven that the Familia had begun to call Shadow flew in through an open window and perched itself on the table.
Lily giggled as she fed it a piece of her toast, to which Bell could swear the Raven responded with an approximation of a bow as it scarfed down the piece rapidly.
"Bell… about your third spell." came the kindly baritone through the air, to which the boy turned rapidly, "Yes! Saber!?"
The man seemed conflicted as he spoke, "I believe I have figured out who your relative is…" to which Bell held his breath, waiting patiently for the man to continue.
He pulled out a sheet from his pouch before he placed it in front of Bell. Bell looked down and beheld the sketch of what appeared to be a fair-skinned woman with silver hair. One of her eyes had been shaded while the other was not, perhaps indicating that they were of different colours.
She was dressed in a dark gown that spanned all the way down to her feet, and around her neck was a necklace with a gemstone dead in the center. On her hands, she wore dark, semi-transparent gloves.
Bell focussed on her face, and gasped as he realised she looked much like how he would if he wore a wig and had eyes of two different colours. He looked up at Saber, tears forming in his eyes as he whispered out, "My mother?"
Saber gently shook his head as he spoke, "No… Lancer's network took a lot of time to find it out… but she's your aunt. Her younger twin sister was your mother, and I am regretful that we still do not know your mother's name. Her name however was Alfia… and she was a member of the Hera Familia."
Bell stifled a cry as he spoke, "Alfia? But wait… you said was…?"
Saber seemed to not want to respond as he looked at Bell's soft face, before he spoke, sadness in his voice, "She is dead… I wanted to spare you the grief of finding out you have a relative but then having that hope crushed learning she is dead… but not telling you would be a greater sin, that If I perpetrated, I would not be able to look my own father in my face."
A tear rolled down the young boy's cheeks before he sniffled as he spoke, almost as if he had expected this all along, "How… how did she die?"
Saber winced at this, uncharacteristically twiddling his thumbs for half a second before he spoke, "She died seven years ago, along with a member of Zeus Familia named Zard… both of them were Level 7."
Bell near shouted, "Level 7! She was so strong!? Oh… you said she was of Hera Familia… they died fighting the Black Dragon then? No... Miss Eina told me that that was fifteen years ago… then why didn't Auntie visit me? She could have atleast visited me when I was with Grandfather… right?"
Saber winced, before he steeled himself as he prepared to deliver a lie that unknowingly was far more accurate to the truth than the old Roman knew. Indeed, in an effort to spare the hero-obsessed boy the grief of learning that his relatives had been villains of a sort, he had arrived at a correct version of their motives.
Saber spoke softly, "The two of them attacked Orario…" to which the boy looked aghast, to which Saber quickly continued, raising his hands, "But not for reasons you might think. They believed that in their failure of killing the Dragon… they had doomed Orario… and by attacking the city, who-ever defeated them would become strong enough to be called a new hero."
Bell's lip quivered for a second, before he somehow steadied himself as he spoke, "So… they were heroes in a sense? By… trying to ensure someone could defeat them and become a hero… they tried to… protect the future generation… my generation?"
Saber nodded, for this explanation might as well be true, seeing as to how Lancer and he both knew little and less of the true motivations of the adventurers colluding with Erebus in assaulting Orario.
Bell nodded, talking to himself, "I see… they tried to be heroes in their own ways… I don't know what I'm feeling… maybe I wanted to see Auntie Alfia once… and even Mister Zard…but I can't blame her for doing what she did… I'll make sure to honour her sacrifice by becoming the hero they wanted the city to produce… it's the least I can do… especially with Heroic Spirits like you helping me… yeah!" as he turned upwards to Saber, a bright smile tinged with sadness on his face.
Saber smiled back, ever-surprised by the incredible good nature of the boy, before a strange expression came on Bell's face who asked, "Hey Saber… do you know who defeated my Aunt and Mister Zard?"
Saber scratched his chin as he looked into the boy's red eyes, before speaking, "Ottar defeated Zard… as for your Aunt… I am not entirely sure… but most people Lancer interrogated agreed Astraea Familia who perished five years ago were involved in the battle."
Bell looked downwards as he spoke, "I see… I am sad that that Familia perished… if they were the heroes that were born of defeating my Aunt… I should respect them as well right? But nevermind… I'm going to become stronger than Mister Ottar, Saber!" he said… no, he announced.
Saber smiled as he spoke, "I see, then so you shall Master… we will be at your side as you undertake such an endeavour, and you shall be the hero who shall slay the evil dragon."
====================XeX====================
Gilgamesh walked down the streets of Orario, taking in the rich morning air as he did so. He planned to visit his beloved today, but before doing so, he was of the mind to visit the god Thoth that the spear-wielder had pointed him towards.
Indeed, the reason for doing so was merely to satisfy certain queries he had about certain gods, or rather a certain goddess in the city.
The Eternal King had decided to wear a black pant which had a pocket chain dangling from its side. Upon his torso he wore a simple black shirt that he had left unbuttoned while his neck was adorned with a plain but exquisite gold necklace, set with Lapis Lazuli.
As he walked inside the moderately sized building named "Thoth's Bookstore", he spied a gnome at the front of the store seated on a stool with a practiced smile on his face. Gilgamesh lifted his head towards the gnome, before speaking, "Where is your god, gnome?"
The gnome was momentarily taken aback before he spoke, "He's in a back-room… but what business do you have with him?" to which Gilgamesh chuckled derisively, "Business… is business is it not? Besides… tell him that I'm from the same Familia as the one who sold him a spellbook. I'll see to it that you're well rewarded, little man."
The gnome's eyes widened at this before he politely bowed and beckoned Gilgamesh into the same back-room. It was a well-lit area, similar to the academic workshop that Lancer had set-up in his spare time, with charts, books, scrolls, papers all neatly set on various tables as the lanky, bespectacled god, Thoth assessed all of them.
As the god raised an eyebrow at this, Gilgamesh simply spoke, "Lancer has told me that you are a splendid font of knowledge… I find it in my interest to make use of your services… of-course, a King must compensate those who perform valuable services for him no?" before he reached into his waist-pouch, twiddling a small, but flawless ruby in his hands as he tossed it to the gnome.
The gnome nodded fervently, while Thoth laughed "I see, you are just as interesting as that other child… even if I do not see you selling a spell-book. Very well, take a seat, I'll be with you in a moment."
Gilgamesh snorted, "Corvinus' collection is a Library… my own is a Treasury… and a King does not do away with items valuable enough to be placed in a treasury unless the service is extraordinary. I am sure he would agree as well." to which Thoth laughed in response, "I see, I see, that would make sense."
Gilgamesh nodded, before he turned around rapidly while the god's eyes were still on him. Indeed, as he did so, the shirt was raised upwards due to the rapid movement, and in it doing so, Bab-Ilu became momentarily visible to the god, to which Gilgamesh smirked.
With A+ Charisma now affecting the Egyptian God, there was little Gilgamesh could not get out of him. Thoth adjusted his glasses a few times as he walked over to take a seat opposite Gil. He spoke, "Well, what can I do for you?"
Gilgamesh spoke, "I will be brief, leader of the Odgoad, tell me of Inanna's familia and how she has become after descending."
Thoth's jaw dropped at the casual mention of his title, before he quickly composed himself. "Leader of the Odgoad? I have not been called that since I left Altena… as for Inanna… well she is still in Altena last I heard… her Familia goes about performing a similar duty to what Astraea Familia used to do here in Orario, that is act as provisional police."
Gilgamesh was taken aback and so he spoke lowly, "That… that contradicts what I have heard… is she not the head of the Entertainment District in some capacity?"
Thoth stopped moving at that, before he erupted in laughter, which went on for another ten seconds before he stopped to wipe a tear from his eye. "My apologies… it has been a while since someone confused Ishtar for Inanna… indeed the two are twins… and even share domains… but Inanna is more Justice, War and Politics while Ishtar is Sex, Beauty and Love."
Gilgamesh was thoroughly befuddled, for he had expected Inanna to simply be an alternate name for Ishtar like how Vesta was for Hestia… and indeed, he would refer to the goddess of Venus as Inanna purely because he identified more with Sumer than Babylon as he was now. This world was stranger than he had thought with this development.
"No" he supposed, for indeed Ishtar was her Babylonian name, and Kamangir had told him her Phoenician Successor too existed separately in the city as Astarte, with Aphrodite's existence too certainly guaranteed. For a single goddess to have all those names would not work, hence the Creator God of this world had divided them.
Gilgamesh clasped hands under his chin as he pondered this, before he made a decision, "I see… this is unexpected… but let us say the one I am seeking information is Ishtar, for she certainly fits the description of the goddess I knew."
Thoth's eye glinted as he spoke, "I see… well Ishtar Familia is certainly one of the most powerful Familias here in Orario, even though they specialize in running brothels. One could consider them as both an exploration and brothel type Familia. 90% of their members are female, and indeed most of them are Amazonesses, near a hundred and twenty of them to be accurate. Most of them are even at Level 3."
Gilgamesh beckoned for the god to continue, "Indeed, their income amounts to 40% of the District's total income… with their main home known to be the Belit Babili."
Gilgamesh guffawed, "Godly Brothel of the Mistress? I see, I see, this goddess is certainly sounding like the one I know."
Thoth raised an eyebrow at Gilgamesh easily translating the words before he grasped his chin. He rubbed it for a second before he spoke, "I see… in a sense Ishtar could be said to have the mentality of a moderately-smart yet cruel mob boss… but I wonder if that is an act, for Inanna... who's busted many mobs… would always say that even with Ishtar's lusty nature she was just as smart as herself. "
Gilgamesh mused this, for the goddess he knew was one who lived according to her own whims all while still maintaining high intelligence and pride, one who would destroy something that certainly didn't need to be destroyed and who would create something that doesn't need to be created.
Thoth continued, "Her strongest children are Tammuz Belili and Phryne Jamil, the Vice-Captain and Captain at Level 4 and 5 respectively… though both are capable of mysteriously punching above their Level. Indeed many of their Familia's Level 3s can close the gap between themselves and Level 4s, but they're certainly not false-ranking, even if they're a Rank A familia."
Gilgamesh nodded, while an inquisitive look came on Thoth's face, "You said you knew Ishtar or… a goddess with a description like her. May I enquire as to why you're seeking this information, if that does not mean overstepping my boundaries?"
Gilgamesh chuckled loud, "Hah… overstepping a boundary… you gods are certainly amusing as you are now… though I approve, I certainly approve, one must be curious. Let us say her actions resulted in the death of someone who was…. very… very… very dear to me."
Thoth nodded gravely, though he reacted quickly to grab a large diamond out of the air that the blonde had tossed off-handedly. Gilgamesh chuckled "Fuahahahahah" as he got up, "Keep the silence, Book Priest, and our relationship can stay cordial."
The god nodded, dumbfounded as he stared at the retreating back of the curious king as he muttered, "Hestia's certainly found interesting children."
As for the blonde warrior in question, he walked into a nearby empty side-alley before dematerializing. As he moved at maximum speed upon the rooftops, turning left at Babel as he did so, he mused, "I wonder… bah nevermind. She awaits me."
He passed a clothing shop, and decided to step into another alley to rematerialize. He approached the mirror outside the shop, reflexively adjusting his hair as he did so, an occurrence that was uncharacteristic for him.
For Gilgamesh, Slayer of the Divine Bull was nervous in a sense, even if the feeling was so minor as to not even be worthy of being referred to as nervousness. His heart skipped a beat as he finally approached the Twilight Manor, located as it was in the North of the city.
He hummed approvingly as he observed the manor, for it was a huge structure that had been masterfully crafted on a small area of land, almost as if it had been carved out from flames. It was certainly a brilliant house, but he was assured that the wedding manor he would commission Saber to build would far outstrip this place.
He non-chalantly walked towards the guard outside, a woman who seemed confused seeing him approach. He spoke loudly, flashing the card Lancer had received earlier, "Open the gate, sentry… I have an appointment with your goddess."
The Charisma laced in his voice subconsciously washed over the guard, who nodded rapidly as she peered at the card, before opening the door and leading a smiling Gilgamesh in. The Sumerian King had in his left hand an ermine-fur covered box, within which was the necklace he had picked with the Roman's suggestion.
The necklace was made of rose gold, and set upon with were six platinum rose buds, while dead-in the center was a bright, perfect yellow Sapphire gemstone that had been mined from a meteorite that had fallen in the Cedar Forest, and so had been drenched in the copious quantities of mana that Huwawa had given off over the years.
The guard led Gilgamesh up the stairs, and the king was unsurprised to see that the house was mostly deserted, for indeed the Loki Familia was on an expedition right now. She came outside a large office door, before speaking, "Umm… Mister?"
Gilgamesh spoke with a flourish of his shirt, "Gilgamesh… it is Gilgamesh… keep it in mind sentry, you shall be hearing more of it soon enough." to which the girl frowned as she nodded.
Out of the corner of his eye Gilgamesh spotted the same tanned adventurer that he had seen two days ago walk down the corridor. And so Gilgamesh turned sideways, before flashing a bright smile at the man. The man in question Arcs, momentarily squinted to see who it was before his knees buckled before he stammered, "Yo-You're that guy from the ice-cream store right?
Gilgamesh did not respond immediately but the guard spoke in place of the king, "Yeah… he says he has an appointment with Loki… even has the card the Captain gives out to visitors."
Arcs gulped as he spoke, "Calling it an appointment feels like it's underselling it Carmilia… well I'll take him into Finn's office…go find Loki, I think she's taking a bath or something."
Gilgamesh walked into the office now that Arcs had opened it with his set of keys, before nonchalantly taking a seat.
Arcs spoke, "If you need anything, well… I suppose you should ask now? I'm sure I can get you a bottle of wine, Your Majesty?"
Gilgamesh laughed loudly, "No… no I do not require your alcohol, aide of my beloved, I have my own, for only the best can serve to sate my tastes." and saying so, a golden orb materialized beside him, from which the Sumerian King reached in and drew forth a golden jug of wine and two cups.
Arcs smiled as he shut the door, before exhaling in relief. Carmilia, who had still not moved stared at Arcs before inquisitively asking "Is he here to join our Familia?" Arcs shook his head, his lip quivering as he spoke, "If it was that simple, then I'm a watermelon… just get Loki…"
Carmilia nodded before she darted off in the direction of the bathhouses. It was not long before she ran into an already dressed Loki, before she dodged the leap towards herself that Loki had tried when catching sight of her. She rolled her eyes as she spoke "You have a visitor in the Captain's office, Loki."
Loki had caught herself before falling, and Carmilia noted that the goddess was wearing a pair of shorts than ended a bit above her thigh along with her standard crop top.
She muttered in indignation, towelling her hair, "Hah? A visitor? This early in the morning… grr, I suppose I should meet them anyhow… Finn isn't here now is he."
Loki walked upwards, still towelling her wet hair all the way as she did so. She grumbled while doing so, wondering who it was that could be visiting her. When she finally reached the top of the stairs, she placed the towel on her neck before she opened the door, her eyes fully shut unlike normal, "Hah? Who is it? If ya have business with Finn well he isn't here ya know."
A deep yet silky voice came through the air, "Come, my beloved… I have little need to meet with your Captain… it is your lovely form that I have come to see… a day without seeing yourself is as one without water, truly it is an indescribable pain."
Loki's eyes shot wide open, and her knees threatened to buckle as she saw the blonde seated across Finn's chair, his leg folded over the other and a hand under his chin as he looked at her with a soft expression.
In his off-hand was a golden glass of wine and set upon the desk was an ermine covered box that Loki could discern was emitting magical energy. No, it was whatever inside that was emitting magical energy.
Loki whispered, "You… you were real!? Ha… I thought ya were a dream Gilgamesh…"
The man seemed put-off as he responded, "Have I offended you in some manner, Empress?" to which Loki rapidly shook her head in the negative. "No! NO! NO! I mean… I woke up in my bed when I thought I'd gone to the Ice-Cream shop… and I mean… no one's ever… ya know…"
She blushed like a tomato before continuing, "Complimented me like you have… so when I woke up in my bed… I thought ya were a dream… like who'd ever appreciate poor old me?" and finishing her statement she gazed downwards, mildly downcast.
With alarming celerity, Gilgamesh had already set down the cup of golden wine, and he softly cupped her chin, lifting her face to gaze into his own. Loki near crumbled yet again, but Gilgamesh spoke softly, though his eyes were hard "Fool." to which Loki sputtered indignantly "Hah!?"
Gilgamesh's eyes softened as he continued, "You are a fool if you believe you are not worthy of appreciation. Did I not tell you your beauty surpasses the stars themselves? You are my treasure and my queen to be… though… only the Kingdom's treasury is left to this King."
Loki blushed even deeper at this, before she deliriously spoke, "Q…q…queen? Hah… treasure…." before she composed herself with incredible force of will, "Hah, Gil…. I mean I can call ya Gil right?" to which Gilgamesh laughed loudly, "You may call me whatever you wish… though that word is like consummate music when it comes from your mouth."
Loki was incredibly smart for a goddess, not to mention with no small measure of cunning, but right now in front of this guy she was like a teenage girl beset with her crush, so it took her some effort to rein herself in.
Loki then nodded, still blushing like a cartoon character, "Right… I'll call ya Gil… ya call me Loki… but what I'm trying ta say is… I mean I think you're handsome… no that isn't enough to describe ya… yer something else entirely… I mean I'm fairly certain like near all gods are less handsome than you are, and the way ya talk is attractive… very much so! And I'm not like those prudish gods who won't look at mortals like in a romantic fashion ya know, but I mean, we can't get married so soon right!?"
The crimson-haired goddess fidgeted as she twiddled her thumbs before she blurted out "I mean… I want to get to know ya is what I'm saying, like go on a date or something ya know."
Gilgamesh simply nodded, retreating slowly into his chair as he did so, for her words indeed made sense. He spoke loud, "I am unfamiliar with the concept that a Familia member of mine told me about… but it sounds like an elaborate form of wooing… so I shall ask you, Loki… let us go on a date as they call it."
Steam threatened to erupt from Loki's ears before she stumbled over to the desk and sat down next to the King. The warrior-king was mildly amused, but he sidled over a glass of the golden wine to Loki, who gratefully took a sip from it before her face contorted as her tongue tasted the palette of the wine.
She forcefully gulped it down before she spoke, "This… wine! What… even?" to which Gilgamesh simply chuckled, "Only the best is in my treasury, no? That is why it is a treasury, Loki. But it might as well be yours… for a King's treasury should be his Queen's too no?"
Loki chuckled nervously as she slowly drank from the cup before she spoke, "All right… give me a bit… I'll change… that said, where are we going?" to which Gilgamesh shrugged as he spoke, "You have been in this city for far longer than I have… It would be a pleasure to go wherever, as long as your magnificence illuminates the path."
Loki wondered if her ability to blush would Level Up by the end of the day, for the charmer in front of her seemed to know just the right things to say. Her eye finally rested upon the box, after which she raised an eyebrow towards Gilgamesh.
Gilgamesh simply laughed as he spoke, "It is but a simple gift that I prepared for you. If you do not like it I have many more items of similar quality in my treasury, but please do open it."
Loki gulped, as she opened it, and her jaw dropped at the necklace she was seeing. The rose-gold base of the necklace seemed to perfectly compliment the tiny platinum roses that adorned its surface. The sapphire however, was the piece that truly caught her eye, it was positively exuding magic energy, and she was suspiciously sure that it could enhance her non-Arcanum related abilities.
Whoever had made this was clearly a genius, and the gorgeous man opposite her had given it to her as a gift before their first date like it was no more than a trifling bangle a young boy might give his crush.
She spoke, voicing her thoughts, "It's… it's gorgeous is what it is…. wuh… how… I mean… gah! But are you sure I should keep it?" to which Gilgamesh simply chuckled "It is nothing special Loki… I have many more like it", while Loki's head began to spin. She spoke, "Right… I mean… wait here Gil… I'll change… then we can go out."
Gilgamesh hummed happily in response, and so Loki walked out the room, feeling positively giddy herself as she waltzed past a befuddled Carmilia.
====================XeX====================
They were walking in the streets, while Bell observed the sun produced quite an interesting glare off the walls that Saber was gazing at intently. Bell wondered, "Since the sun is like… Saber's dad… does he regard this as bonding time or something? Nah… his father's the sun god… not the sun itself… and besides not even the same Sol of this world."
Bell chuckled to himself as if he had made a joke, drawing a curious grin from Saber to which the boy simply smiled in response. Right now, the pair were at the Hostess of Fertility, as in they had just arrived in front of it, to which Syr had rushed out frantically "I'm so sorry, can you wait just a little longer? Something went wrong when I was cooking this morning..."
"Um, Syr, you don't have to worry about it...You always give me a lunch, so one day isn't a big deal..." muttered Bell, abashed at her insistence.
"No, I will finish it! So please, take it with you!" she spoke, her facial muscles tightening in such a fashion that Bell nervously chuckled, before he spoke "S-sure...No.. I mean I'm not really going to the Dungeon right away… this smith I'm contracted with is making me equipment." I say with a quick nod.
But Syr seemed to not have heard it as she blushed and ran back into the bar which made Bell think that something was off, as normally Syr was very hard to read, but today she seemed to be in a great mood...to which Bell turned ghastly white as he recalled the last time Syr had put extra effort into the lunch.
"Good morning to you, Mr. Cranell." came the cool voice of Ryuu Lion, to which Bell turned around and bowed his head in response, to which the Waitress responded in kind with a professional flourish only born of experience.
"Ah, Ryuu. Good morning." spoke Bell, having lifted his head up by now.
"I am deeply sorry for the lost time. Syr is working very hard...so please accept her lunch" came the almost apologetic voice of the high elf to which Bell nervously chuckled, while Saber looked on, still amused.
"So, you have successfully found another battle party member? A smith if I recall correctly?"
"At least temporarily, yes... I mean… it's more like he's a nice person… but my Familia never goes to the Dungeon in full strength… so it's good in a way that we have another person ."
"Mr. Cranell, perhaps it is too forward for me to ask this, but is that smith worthy of your trust?"
"Eh? Well, um..." spoke Bell, struggling to find the response for the question.
"My apologies, it was not my intention to accuse you of anything. Circumstances change when adventurers from different Familias form a battle party." came the response from Ryuu, to which Bell supposed must be her way of looking after what to her eyes was only a party of one Level 2 and a bunch of Level 1s.
Ryuu's sincerity was making Bell feel all warm and fuzzy, but it was Saber who responded "He's a member of the Hephaistos Familia… with a personal contract with Bell, even if Vesta and Vulcan were not such good friends, the desire to keep his contractor as a partner would outweigh any untoward sentiments he might hold… that said I would say the lad is a good man, though I'm sure Bell appreciates your concern."
Bell thought that Saber was right, for Hephaistos Familia was filled with smiths who make many personal contracts with many different adventurers, so they have a good reputation.
He'd heard horror stories about fighting between Familias that all started with a mixed battle party, but even if they were taking on more than just Welf… well Saber was closer to an unsealed god in power so that would hardly be a problem.
Ryuu's sky-blue eyes glistened before she spoke, "I see, then my assessment of yourself was not wrong Mister Saber… you have the air of a veteran… but as a Level 1… well let us just say that most Level 1s are taken to be easy victims, especially by other Level 1s… That said, may I ask as to what the smith's name is?"
Saber momentarily froze, before he rubbed his mask as he spoke, " Welf Crozzo..." to which the normally expressionless elf froze as she repeated the name under her breath. To Bell who had never seen her like this it was certainly a sight to behold, one that made him somewhat nervous.
"D-do you know anything about him...?" asked Bell, hoping to understand why she had reacted so.
"No, nothing about him personally...However, Crozzo is a name that is impossible for elves to ignore." spoke Ryuu
Saber spoke, "I see… the bad blood between the magic weapons of his forefathers and the burning of your sacred groves?" to which Ryuu nodded, patting down her cardigan that was fluttering in the air.
Bell was still patently confused as he gazed at Saber and seeing his expression Saber spoke, "I believe that Miss Ryuu here would explain it better… "
To which Ryuu stood for a second before she jumped into her story "I believe you have heard about their magic swords, but are you familiar with where those blacksmiths resided?"
"Yeah, I think it was Rakia… Lily spoke of it."
"Yes indeed Mister Bell, of all the countries in the world, that kingdom is relatively close to Orario. And it is governed by one god who declared himself king using his Familia. The Crozzo family offered their services in exchange for nobility. Those services were, of course, producing a large supply of magic swords of extraordinary quality."
Much she'd said matched with what Lily had told Bell in the Dungeon but Ryuu was not done with the explanation.
"Perhaps due to the fact that its ruler considered himself a god of war, Rakia was an extremely aggressive nation. That is still accurate to this day, for whenever a neighbouring country or city shows weakness, Rakia moves to invade by saying something like they wish to save the citizens from the weak government."
Saber mused, "Wars of Territorial Expansion? I see… a flimsy casus belli is better than no casus belli at all." to which Ryuu tilted her head in mild confusion as she spoke "Within that country's long history of repetitive wars, the full power of Crozzo's Magic Swords was unleashed many times."
Aurelian gritted his teeth audibly as he spoke, "An entire army outfitted with powerful mystical codes?... Something tells me that they used these weapons frivolously."
"You would be completely correct. At that time, Rakia had a mobile inferno under its command. They didn't bother with strategy or planning. They just annihilated everything in their wake with overwhelming firepower."
Victory after victory, undefeated and invincible, a god of war who couldn't lose, but Bell wondered, wasn't that the case for Saber as well? He'd done what most kings couldn't do in decades in less than five years, but perhaps that was a virtue of not being entirely human.
"Rakia was too aggressive, but even so their main armament did not exactly have a counter. Seeing as it was still a time when the highest Level was still 6 or so… a thousand magic swords blazing would be enough to take care of such an adventurer as well. It is not wrong to say that their wars changed the very face of our world. Thus, prairies and cities alike were burned to ash, leaving nothing behind...And then their flames reached a forest inhabited by elves."
It was a commonly known fact that humans and demi-humans and elves didn't interact very much before the gods descended to this world. The one exception at that time would be the Opera Country Meilstora. But it was true that conservatives who believed in such a firm 'no-contact' policy still existed.
The best examples of such a people would be the elves of which there is a group that are so proud of their race that they absolutely hate interacting with other races. They'd shut themselves off from the rest of the world in an isolated forest, and even considered the gods to not be worthy of worship.
But Bell had grasped her meaning soon enough as he spoke "They were chased out of their home, those elves? The forest they lived in was destroyed by a war?"
"They were smoked out, to be more precise. Their homeland went up in flames."
Saber growled, "Did they have any particular reason for burning these forests?" to which Ryuu shook her head as she spoke "Rakia's soldiers spread devastation as if it was a game."
Saber growled, "Tchh… I have burnt cities… when I was still a ruler… so long ago. But never for no good reason… all I did was to re-unite a fracturing empire I called and loved as my home. Destroying a people's home… that is doubly sacred to them… for no good reason only serves to create malcontents and destabilize your rule… Mars is a fool if he does not see that."
Ryuu was inquisitive as she spoke, "You have taken part in many wars then?" to which Saber snorted, "That is an understatement… surely the gods had decreed that my life should be perpetual warfare once… but that is neither here or there... please continue."
"You would be right then… all those elves smoked out of those forests did all they could to gain more power, such as joining Familias… and in a stroke of fortune or misfortune depending on who you ask, the Crozzos lost their ability to forge such swords, making the elves' revenge all too easy. For those on the receiving end of magic swords, hating the Crozzo family might be a case of misplaced anger...However, there are still many elves who haven't gotten over the past and detest weapons wholesale… no matter how practical their use might be for their own selves."
"..."
"So that is why the name Crozzo is impossible for elves to ignore." finished Ryuu.
"...What about you, Ryuu?" asked Bell, his lip quivering at the tale he'd heard, hoping that the friendly waitress would not hate his other friend.
"No, I harbour no ill will" came the quick denial that even surprised Saber, for he knew that the elvish species considered their entire race to be one large family, filled with pride in themselves and one another.
Though it was true high elves, wood elves, sea elves and dark elves warred sometimes, a high elf would always defend a dark elf if the latter was beset by werewolves for no good reason other than that they were elves.
This was not to say that the Elven race did not have common sense, for if the theoretical high elf learnt that the dark elf was a criminal, they would step back and allow the person to be taken into custody, but the fact of the matter was Elves could be haughty dealing with those not of Elvenkind.
Bell's and Saber's brains stopped pondering this as they looked at a couple to the left, it was Gilgamesh… and he was holding hands with a red-haired goddess, Loki who wearing a beautiful dress as she giggled at something the blonde king had said. Bell's mouth went up and down several times, before he mustered the effort to look over at Saber, who seemed just as bamboozled.
The goddess seemed to be positively feverish as she kept chatting animatedly with the demigod, who to Bell's absolute surprise was responding with what Bell could only describe as "great chemistry" as his grandfather had once said.
Saber pinched the bridge of his nose as he spoke, "That man…." when "Be-ll! Sorry to keep you waiting!" came the high-pitched voice, cutting through the aura of befuddlement that had built up around them.
"...It's time. Mr. Cranell, please take care of yourself in the Dungeon… Mister Saber… I trust you shall look after him." spoke Ryuu, while Syr skidded to a halt as her own eyes had landed upon the happy couple walking down the street with not a care for anyone else on the road.
"Ah, yes..." chuckled Bell, while Saber inclined his head in agreement, as Syr somehow came to her senses as she offered the box to Bell.
Ryuu gave Bell a short bow of farewell before she went inside the bar, closing the door behind her as she did so.
As they walked off in the direction of Babel, leaving behind the Hostess and the couple going the opposite direction, Bell asked, "Hey Saber… you said you've burnt cities… can you tell me about that?"
Saber's mouth twitched, wondering how he'd explain what he'd did in the past, before he slowly settled on an explanation, "Bell… I was a hero for my Empire… there is no doubt about that… though I have certainly antagonized people of other cultures… perhaps the Germanic people would consider me a great villain as well… for even though I granted them clemency and gave them work… I annihilated their way of life to a certain degree. I burnt Palmyra when it spat on my peace by revolting after I'd already captured it."
Bell kept his silence waiting for Saber to continue, "That is not to say I destroyed every city that betrayed me… my offering of clemency won me a large number of cities in Asia Minor… but once… I had given the offering of peace to a city known as Tyana… they had rebelled when I had treated their area well, and I was so furious at that I had declared that when we would take the city not one dog would be spared."
Bell's jaw dropped at this, while Saber continued, raising a hand to stop Bell from responding, "But I took pity on them… when we broke the city… my army fully expected me to allow them to sack it and raze it to the ground, and by refusing them the right to plunder I was risking my life as well as my station. It is not to say that the army could have slain me, though I was suppressing my powers, but it is rather that I would forever hate myself if I killed my own men, who loved me well."
His eyes glinted a vivid gold as he continued, "I had said that not one dog would be spared… and so I told them that they should go in and kill all the dogs… and my soldiers… with great amusement did exactly that, not harming one hide or hair of any human resident. I… I consider it a blemish on my career of a sort… for I adore dogs… who does not? But an unnecessary loss of human lives would have occurred if I chose any other path."
Aurelian laughed suddenly as he spoke, "Some would ask if what I did was mercy or simply a sound strategy? I shall simply say it is good to have heart, it is good to have a head… but as an Emperor it is best if you have both… and by the grace of my divine father… I had some small measure of both… enough to restore Roma."
Bell nodded in silence, while Saber continued, "That is not to say you becoming a hero would be the same as me… my capacity as a General and a Ruler quite often overtook me being a hero… that should not be the case for you child… you have a pure soul and a golden heart… I can believe that you would be a hero beloved by all… like Arash."
"Hey, Bell, Morning!" came the loud, cheery voice across the street, interrupting their discussion. It was Welf Crozzo, magic sword blacksmith, greeting his contracted customer.
The red-haired man continued, smiling widely "Oh you too Mister Saber! Morning!" to which Saber smiled as well, while giving Bell's shoulder a re-assuring squeeze.
Welf suddenly looked around them, placing a hand over his eyes as he did so, staring below his waist ardently when Saber spoke, "Have you misplaced something, Welf?" to which Welf good-naturedly chuckled, "No… I was simply wondering where Lil' Lily is?"
Bell laughed, doubling over as he clutched his chest at Welf's exaggerated and comical search for Lily while Saber simply tutted as he spoke, "Lily's stayed back with Lancer for today… your statement about her talents had me get Lancer to teach her more of tactics and the like… he's certainly a good teacher for the same."
Welf chuckled before speaking, "I see I see… I was afraid a cat ate her! But right, anyway… I've to make Bell equipment right? Ho! let's go!"
Saber and Bell exchanged a look before they laughed as they followed the smith, walking alongside Northeast Main Street. Bell could see large and small shops on both sides of the street, selling tools, items and magic-stone products in general.
Bell was gobsmacked as he saw a dwarf carrying a massive tree trunk over his shoulder as well as a frail-looking elf carrying a large carton of tools over his head as they passed by. It was truly the Industrial District, an important organ of Orario. The district was called that because they made all the magic-stone related products such as refrigerators, lights, elevators and the like, providing great comfort to the citizens.
"You might already know, but this is the area most workers call home. A guy can't walk two steps without seeing another workshop or factory. My Familia's home is just around the corner."
Of course, this was all news to Bell. "Oh, I see," the young boy spoke, his head on a swivel as he took in all the sights. He thought, "Welf's workshop is quite a way from Main Street… but I guess it makes sense."
Echoes of metal on metal rang out from every direction...and so Bell could feel the presence of other smiths already hard at work, as well as hear them. Above all, it seemed like Hephaistos Familia prepares a workshop for each of its members in this area.
Each member is in charge of taking care of their own area...but still, it was a very generous venture. Saber could appreciate it well enough, for an army marched on its stomach… that is to say only due to its cooks… and they fought with their weapons… that is to say only with smiths, so to nurture the same was a good thing.
"What're you standin' around for? Come on in." spoke the Crozzo.
"Ah, sure." spoke Bell, in a quiet form of thanks.
The first thing the pair noted was a strong smell of iron, after which directly was the fact that there were no dividing walls in here, just one big space devoted to forging armour and weapons. Truly, it could be described as a smith's workshop.
"Sorry, bit of a pigsty in here. Can you put up with it for a bit?"
"Don't worry about me, I'm fine!" Well in actuality, the white-haired boy wanted to see him in action...Starting to get excited, he took another look around the room, while Saber walked over to the forge itself, observing it keenly.
Welf chuckled as he pulled up a chair for Bell before speaking "For starters, I'm going to need your measurements. I can handle everything else on my own after that."
"You need my measurements?" asked Bell, confused at why the smith would need the same.
"Yeah, I'll be customizing the armour for you. Would be a shame if it didn't fit just right, now wouldn't it?"
Bell now had clarity, for indeed the armour sold in shops has to accommodate a wide range of body shapes and sizes, so there are always spots that aren't snug or that stick out a little bit. Adventurers can make little adjustments themselves with small hammers, but the ideal method is to have armour and weapons made to fit perfectly.
"I'm thinking 'bout making some greave-style shin guards. Any requests, Bell?" spoke Welf, now in business mode.
"Hmm, ummm...?" responded Bell.
"If there's a piece of equipment you'd like me to make, just say the word. Like maybe you feel naked without a shield, things like that...So yeah, if there's an item you want, speak up. I'll make anything for you."
Saying so the smith, jumped from the chairs before walking over to his work bench and collecting various tools as he set them down.
Bell's preference was clear, for Saber's vigorous training sessions had put a keen focus on the same, but the boy was still shy about 'exploiting' the smith for equipment.
A glint caught Bell's eye, and so he looked over to see a large sword shining, amongst several other weapons lined up with it. Bell guessed that these were Welf's past works. As he walked over and began sorting through the pile he asked, "...Mr. Welf, would it be asking too much to try this out?"
The smith suddenly appeared next to Bell as if he'd been yanked over by a rope. His eyes traced the massive sword on the shelf. It's not here as decoration, but its silver blade and proportionate balance as a weapon are absolutely stunning nevertheless.
Bell's Seventh Sense could clearly recognize this as Welf Crozzo Work… perhaps he was truly becoming a fan of the red-haired smith?
"It's not 'too much,' no...The shop sent that one back to me 'cause it wouldn't sell." came the response, tinged in sadness.
"But I-I'd like to use it." spoke Bell loudly, before he asked the smith if he could take a few practice swings. The confusion in Welf's eyes were crystal clear, but the befuddled smith gave permission either way.
Bell huffed as he tried a few side swings next, before he grunted as he realised just how much heavier this sword was, before wondering how heavy Gilgamesh's dual swords would be.
"..."
"...? Is something wrong?" asked Bell shyly, while Saber continued to peer into the forge, seemingly intrigued over some detail.
When he finally responds, Mr. Welf's lips hardly move as he spoke, "You really...weren't after a magic sword."
"Huh?"
"How was I supposed to know you'd be more interested in a shop reject than a magic sword after coming all the way here?"
He looks happier and happier with each passing second. "Ummm," was all Bell could say, though now he saw Saber walk over at the mention of magic swords.
"That's right! Crozzo's magic swords" thought Bell, for he'd near forgotten about them due to the shock of seeing Gilgamesh casually taking Loki on a date as well as the excitement of seeing the workshop and all the weapons.
Welf then scratched his chin as he turned to Saber, before asking, "I hope you don't mind… Mister Saber… but are you interested in those swords?" to which Saber chuckled loudly, "No… I have my own sword… and I would have no other." before in an uncharacteristic flourish, he pulled his Gladius out.
Welf held his breath as he took in the sight, for while it was a simply designed yet masterfully crafted sword, what was truly astounding him was the fact that it had flames dancing about its surface, something that made no sense.
Welf groaned, "Bell! I'm glad you're my customer… it seems everyone in your Familia besides you and Lily have outrageous weapons… how are there even flames on that beauty's surface? That goes against what I've ever known about magic weapons."
Saber chuckled as he spoke, "Mmm… I suppose you should not consider it a magic weapon… it's more a… err I'm not sure how to describe it but consider it to fall outside the purview of what you consider to be magic weapons."
Welf chuckled mirthlessly, "Well I suppose if you have a god-like weapon like that, you'd have little need for a Magic Blade, Crozzo or not. That said… you were once a general right… wouldn't you want to equip your soldiers with it?" to which Saber's eyes glowed momentarily.
He rubbed his wrist before he spoke, "No, not at all… and I'd say that my soldiers would also reject your weapons… not because they're poor in quality… but because they have too much faith in my capability of single-handedly changing the outcome of a war…. I mean I may have won every battle I fought in, but I am no Alexandros of Macedon", the Servant had finished the last part under his breath.
Saber continued, "That said… I may not have much experience forging weapons, but I always had great respect for smiths… their forging of weapons and maintaining them allowed me to do my lightning fast conquests back then… but I wonder… Mystic Codes as I know them should not break."
Welf sighed as he spoke, "The truth is… well I detest magic swords because all I've heard throughout my life is magic sword this and magic sword that… and they ignore that I can make high-quality weaponry… heck even my father forced me to make one because it could return the Crozzo family to glory… the look of hunger I'd seen on his face… it scared me a bit."
He continued, "But more than that, I detest them on principle… I mean a weapon should be always there for its user… it becomes a part of them… made when we smiths bring everything we have to bear… through our blood, sweat and grit… but magic swords break before their wielder… that's why I despise them."
Saber nodded as he spoke, "Indeed… my sword is intrinsically tied to a title of mine… and it has never once broken… that said… I may not be a smith… but plenty of my smiths had the drive to create mystic codes if they could… and they kept striving to ensure they would not break."
Welf seemed surprised, but Saber continued, "Perhaps you are right… the stories I have heard of your family's swords being used to desecrate sacred groves are deplorable. This may stem from their disposable nature and their possession of a power that in its ease of use would corrupt souls… but there's nothing that's stopping you from working on a way to make them permanent and not disposable… to change their nature in its entirety no?"
And as if to demonstrate, Saber let loose a hot burst of flames into the forge, instantly lighting it up, and showing the sword to Welf, as if to say 'Here… it will not break'. Welf mused, "I see… work on it such that it won't break huh? That'd… take a lot of trial and error… maybe after I Level Up I could look into that…. yeah maybe that'd redeem us properly in the eyes of the spirits…"
Saber nodded, while Welf shook himself out of his stupor before turning to Bell, "Well! You told me you have that Minotaur drop! Bring it out!" to which Bell sputtered at the sudden change in attitude before doing as told.
====================XeX====================
Outside Orario however, within the sights of the city, stood a young lady. This was the young lady's first time visiting Orario, but she was a Level 2 Adventurer, though she had left her previous familia.
She growled as she observed the gigantic city that sprawled across the plains, "So this is Orario huh… Goddess told me to go to Ganesha… I'll do exactly that."
Chapter 10's here, hope you like my edition of Proto-Enkidu's death, though it's based off of what we saw in Babylonia it is also heavily inspired my Mr. Peter Pringle's Lament for Enkidu as well as the Original myth.
Bell learned a bit more about the duality of the position of a hero in this one, how a hero to one can be a villain to another, and of-course Proto-Gil being Proto-Gil. As for the lady, well she has something to do with what Arash ran into.
Originally this was gonna run a bit longer, but I had to cut it off. Expect 11 in a few days.
All constructive criticism is welcome, both in reviews as well as PM.
Candidates:
Rider: Iskander, Ushiwakamaru, Perseus (Successful Shinji)
Caster: Tamamo-No-Mae, Proto Merlin, Alfia, EMIYA (S).
Assassin: Regend (Saviour of France, Brojiro), Semiramis, Shouten Douji, EMIYA (K)
Berserker: Darius III, Mysterious Heroine X Alter, Vlad III
Pseudo-Divine Spirit: Ishtar, Chiron.