Author's note:
Thanks for reading.
A few larger plot points in this chapter. Also a bit of drama but if you've made it this far then you must be used to it...
Anyway, at the end I have a few notes on the timeline as a reminder, name choices that will defintly enrage some, so read that, and then a few thoughts on volume 17 and how canon differs concerning Syr.
Lastly, the next chapter will be delayed as I want to work on a special project to celebrate the SAO release date (Nov 6, 2022).
Chapter 53: The Past come to life
Bell:
Bell struggled to restrain himself from running. His knee flexed, contacted the ground and no pain came. It was Ball's first time in two weeks that he got to walk around with his cast off. Once he had returned to the surface, Nazha had made him a medicinal cast that had left Bell bed ridden.
Finally free, an infectious smile refused to fade. He could finally move. He had defeated that enhanced minotaur, but this was the cost. Fourteen days of progress, fourteen days of being unable to save those that needed help.
That did dampen the mood, but only slightly. Flourishing the Hestia Knife, Bell approached Babel by himself. Lili and Haruhime had expected to be invited to this, but Bell had snuck out without them. He did not want to follow a schedule or be forced into a single line of action.
Today, he merely wanted to be himself. Today, he would—"Huh?"
Something cold touched him. Glancing up, Bell's excitement changed quickly to awe. Snow. The sky had been overcast all morning; the air cold. But it was actually snowing. Orario saw maybe five snowfalls all year.
Winter had come.
For a brief moment, Bell thought about changing plans. About grabbing the girls and wandering the streets drinking one Orario's winter delicacy. It was hot milk with the leavings of a bitter bean and sugar all mixed together. It frothed with foam and tasted divine with a unique sensation that Bell could not describe. They called it Hot Nectar.
Then, Bell remembered the elixir and the cast.
"Urgh!" Rushing off, Bell began to run. He wanted to get into the dungeon and make some money quickly. Ten thousand valis shouldn't take too long. Even that amount would easily pay for a night out on a snowy town.
As Bell ran, the atmosphere in the street transformed. There was still discontent and misfortune in the wake of Ishtar, but things were settling down. Now, the faces of even the poorest of citizens was bright. They stared at the sky and some laughed.
The season of the Holly had arrived. Year's end was upon them.
Bell was not the only person running. As his feet pounded, knee smoothly bending and extending, Bell noticed that he was gaining on someone. They did not appear to be an adventurer, dress billowing around their ankles. Bell looked around for who was pursuing the woman and found no one.
Frowning, Bell added a bit of speed to his jog and pulled up beside the lady. Opening his mouth to ask, Bell's question paused as she turned and stared at him. This was no woman but a goddess.
And a goddess Bell knew. Lady Astraea. The Deity of Fallen Justice. A pillar of righteousness in Orario that had been toppled when the Day hit. In some ways, the loss of her familia had been as devastating as Hera or Zeus.
"A-Astraea!?" Bell could not contain the gasp. He had heard she had shown up during the war game against Apollo and Ishtar but thought she had left again. No one was talking about her that Bell knew.
"Oh, I do not believe—" She panted.
The goddess was regal even as she ran. Her brown hair streaming out behind her as her earnest sapphire eyes met Bell's. She wore a gown of almost pure white, banded with gold and tied with strings of brown. As she ran, Bell could not help but notice the jiggling. It was not Hestia levels, but enough for Bell to look away, his cheeks going scarlet.
"We have met…" The goddess finished her sentence. She had the constitution of a normal person after all. "But, I know you, Hestia's child."
"O-Oh really? Umm, why are you running?"
Astraea leaned back her head and laughed. Peals like music rang through the air. It was so wonderful that the nearby citizens that heard it began to whistle and clap in appreciation, songs and dances being struck up as the snow transformed the day into an impromptu holiday.
"Because this is a glorious day! I know Freya felt it last night, but it really is happening!"
Bell did not understand a single word. "Umm, are you that happy about the snow?" Bell did not understand how Freya knew what the weather would be. As far as he was aware beauty and predicting weather were in different domains.
"Not the snow! They are back! At last… It has been so long…"
Bell still did not understand but feel silent. There were tears silently leaking from Astraea's eyes as she ran. Small drops like crystal that caught the dim light and reflected it a thousand different ways. To Bell, each one was more precious than the snowflakes that tried to compete.
At Babel, Bell was forced to slow down as a massive crowd of people were gathering. Adventurers and townspeople stopped and stood around. Some whispered, others just watched.
"Would you mind clearing a path for us?" Astraea asked. "I am afraid this is her doing."
"Her?" Bell did not understand but began shoving and apologizing. When 'excuse me's and 'pardon me's failed, Bell moved to using his adventurer strength to gently displace people, forging himself a path and apologizing after. People did not care.
When Bell finally passed into the central chamber of Babel where the grand staircase stretched down to the dungeon and up to the heavens, he noticed why people had frozen. The goddess Freya had descended from her perch in the heavens to mingle with the commoners.
The mere sight of a goddess of beauty dried Bell's mouth and kneaded his stomach into a tight of ball. She wore a flowing gossamer gown of silver. Bell had never seen the fabric's like before. It was scandalous despite covering her from neck to ankle. The dress was so tight that it left nothing to the imagination.
Her breasts are the perfect size. I wonder how they would feel… I could rest my face on them easily…
"Ouch!" Bell jumped slightly from a sudden pain from his bottom. Looking to the side, Bell found an exasperated Astraea staring at him.
"Go kill things in the dungeon. I am the one who shall be playing Freya today."
Only with Astraea's words did Bell notice that Freya was not simply sitting in the Babel auditorium on one of the chairs with her attendant behind her. There was a board game in front of her. Bell's old familia had played it occasionally but Bell had not learnt.
On the board, the first move had been played already, Freya's declaration that anyone willing to accept the challenge could sit across from her and try their hand.
Astraea, without pausing, sunk into the other plush seat near the wall and responded. Bell wanted to watch. He wanted to stare at the goddess of Beauty more. There was something special about her. Something that drew you in.
Astraea's words played in Bell's head one more time. With a parting glance at the two, Bell entered the dungeon. He thought he imagined a gaze clinging to him as he descended. Down and down the spiral staircase his path went.
Then, at the bottom, the man-made structure ended and the dungeon began. The first floor.
Smiling, Bell began his hunt and began the test of his new abilities.
Kirito:
"Good… Very good."
Kirito stood in the middle of four women with his sword out, deflecting attacks. First, Strea charged him with her massive, doublehanded beast of a blade.
If they were both normal humans with no falna, the attack would undoubtedly kill or cripple Kirito. The simple weight of steel would be impossible for him to block, and it was too late to dodge.
Without batting an eye, Kirito swung. His blade, black as midnight, clanged off the side of Strea's sword pushing it and her to the side. As she stumbled past, Leafa attacked. With her magic active she leapt into the air and then crashed down faster than gravity's pull with a
powerful flap of her wings.
Kirito grabbed the katana using the blunt edge as a support. His arm flexed as her weight crashed into the hilt, body starting to fall awkwardly until she flapped again, trying to get away. With his sister trapped like a bird on a string, Kirito flung her at Philia while turning to meet Rain's charge with his sword.
Deflecting first one swing then a second, Kirito stepped forward and thrust out his palm. Hitting her breastplate, Rain was sent tumbling backwards, her red hair a curtain as it spilled about her head.
Without looking, Kirito swung his sword backwards where it collided loudly with another metal weapon.
"HOW!?" Philia cried out; her voice annoyed. "This doesn't make sense."
Kirito chuckled at that, without warning, he rotated and slammed the side of his blade against her shoulder sending her sprawling. Strea and Leafa were back on their feet but neither girl looked eager to attack again.
Lowering his blade, Kirito raised an eyebrow. "Are we done? We need to get back for Bell's get better feast."
"…" The girls stared at each other, expressions shifting as they considered. Finally, with disappointed sighs, they rammed weapons back into sheaths.
Once the sharp metal was deposited, Take Mikazuchi walked over with a water skin. "That was excellent swordsmanship Kirito. You have been here for less than a year and already begin to show the poise and grace of a first-tier adventurer. Truly, your talent is remarkable."
"Ahaha…" Chuckling awkwardly, Kirito scratched his head. Somehow, the attacks of four level-three adventurers were easier to handle than unvarnished praise from a God of Combat.
"He is just lucky I didn't poke holes in him with my magic," Rain teased, sharply prodding Kirito as she walked by to grab the water skin. "No more than what he deserves. Look at what he did to my hair."
With just that, the practice yard was abuzz with complaints about Kirito. How unfair he was, how he got dirt on their amour, or dented things. They even complained about the way Kirito looked at them while dueling!
Sighing, Kirito raised his head to the sky and exhaled loudly. Just another day in his life. Another, glorious day. Underneath all that teasing love was etched. Like strings that connected their hearts together, they pulsed gold with a magnificent radiance that set Kirito ablaze.
And then a chill. Eyes snapping open, Kirito gaped at the snowflakes. "It's… snowing?" Around Kirito, movement and activity ground to a halt.
Strea especially had a wide smile, playfully batting at the snowflakes. She would briefly catch them before they melted in her hands. Giggling when that happened, she repeated the process. One would think it was her first-time seeing snow.
"Ah, I have to go get Yui and show her this!" Yelling that, Strea ran off.
'That should be enough to kill off any rumours surrounding the ruthless Bloody Berserker." Philia commented drily, washing her face in a pail of chilly water.
Leafa, wiping her mouth after drinking from the skin that Take had brought laughed her agreement. "They have no idea that her friendly persona is the one that is far more terrifying anyway."
As everyone laughed, Kirito yawned and streeeetched. He wanted a nap. Unfortunately, it was finally time to spend their accumulated money from Ishtar familia. Having made the decision to expand what had been the church, they would finally purchase the surrounding lands and buildings and then approach Goibnu familia to create a blueprint for a home that can fit everyone.
"Onii-chan!" A familiar upset voice prodded him. Opening one eye, Kirito stared lazily at his sister, Leafa. She posed with her hands on her hips, leaning forward slightly and face tilted up. It was quite a dangerous pose for a woman wearing the clothes that she was. Borrowing from the Take Mikazuchi familia, Leafa was wearing a plain dark-blue kimono. A year ago, this would have been fine, now…
Kirito ripped his eyes away from the void of a valley that threatened to suck him in. "W-What is it?"
"Huh? What's with that suspicious response? You need to drink water, why do you keep…" As Leafa traced where Kirito's gaze had been, she blushed harshly and folded her arms across her chest, stopping the kimono from falling forward.
"I'm fine on water," Kirito assured her. "Let's head back. I need to find Lili and Hestia and make sure everything is in place for our appointment at the guild today."
"Onii-chan, you…"
"Are you harassing your sister?" Rain asked, poking Kirito in the side.
Reflexively, his hand came down on her head and ruffled it before cupping her cheek slightly. The gestures of affection came so naturally now that Kirito did not even think about his actions until after.
"No, she is harassing me," Kirito replied easily, his voice taking a joking tone.
"Ah, and here I thought you got her to flash you as her punishment for not scoring a hit today."
"R-Rain!?" Leafa whined, going even redder. "Don't take his side. I was trying to get him to drink, and he ogled me!"
"Whose fault is it that your lumps of fat keep expanding!" Rain whined. "It's not fair!"
"Yes, I can see what you are complaining about…" Philia agreed as she walked over, staring far too intently at Leafa who staggered back another step.
"You two…" Leafa, no longer having any method of attacking left to her glared at the girls that had been her companions during sparring.
"Let's calm down." Kirito rubbed Leafa's head with his right hand and took the water from her. "Thank you for bringing this to me."
"Tsk." Philia frowned. "I should have the second…"
"Second?" Kirito asked when he finished drinking. Philia was standing with her right leg out, arms crossed under her breasts. With her armour off, Kirito was able to appreciate her size more. She really had nothing to jealous about.
Ah, I should not be thinking about this!
"You should have patted my head second…" Philia accused him, clearly pouting.
"Ah, umm…" Kirito barely stopped himself form asking why. That answer was likely obvious to Philia and would only upset her. For a brief moment, Kirito was happy with the progress that he had made, then Leafa strode in front of him.
"There is no order. Kirito rewards those that deserve it."
Sparks flew and blue eyes met black. Kirito was forgotten as Philia and Leafa glared at each other. "You're getting a rather high opinion of yourself lately. Everyone else knows their place by now, why are you fighting it?"
"Because," Leafa began, her voice terse.
Kirito did not let her finish. Placing a hand on her shoulder, Kirito reached out to Philia as he had done to Rain and Leafa. She closed her eyes expectantly.
Instead of rubbing her head, Kirito flicked her forehead. "There is no order. You all agreed."
I really hope I'm right about their argument…
A strange atmosphere fell over the four of them. Despite the festive snow that fell around them and the cheers from the nearby street and Take Mikazuchi familia, no one laughed, no one smiled.
This has been building for a long time… Kirito realized, glancing between the two.
Kirito knew that a large part of it was because of his inactivity. He enjoyed his moments with the girls, laughed with them, loved them. Each of them was amazing in their own ways, but he had left himself out of their interactions with each other.
This artificial hierarchy was the result. Was it the only way to do things? Kirito could not figure it out. Am I… failing them? Going into this, Kirito had steeled himself for the possibility that they would get bored over time and find a partner that they could have to themselves. That had not happened, instead only a protectiveness and jealousy had emerged. Tempered at first, but growing stronger as life clamed down and there were no threats hampering them.
Philia shot Kirito a frustrated look. "You don't… whatever." Stopping what she had been about to say, Philia stomped off.
Rain rubbed her temple and shot Kirito an exasperated look. "I'll calm her down. You two have a wonderful talk."
Kirito barely felt it as Rain jumped up and gave him a chaste kiss before dashing off with a shouted 'Dosvedanya'.
"My first kiss in the snow…" Kirito commented wryly. "So? What do you have to say for yourself?"
"Me?" Leafa defended herself petulantly. "Philia needs to get over herself. She isn't that good. In a fair fight I could beat her! Yet she rides on Rain's coattails!"
"What are you talking about?" Kirito said, somewhat coldly. "I need to thank Take for letting us practice here. You are better than this."
Flicking Leafa as well, Kirito left the shocked girl behind and entered the home. Despite the large yard for training, the home was run down. The familia sent most of their money to the Far East. They only retained enough to pay for their weapons and mortgage. Take even worked a potato stall to help out with expenses.
Entering the home, Kirito greeted the collection of mainly men. There were Sachi's five friends drinking what looked like hot cider with the three level one's in Take's familia. Kirito was embarrassed that he still did not know their names. Sitting together on a couch were Ouka and Chigusa. The two kept stealing glances at each other but neither moved.
Kirito thought about teasing them. The him before coming to this world would have wanted to but not been brave enough. The him now had the confidence, but no longer had the desire. There had been enough suffering, Kirito just hoped that they would have time for happiness after getting past their awkwardness.
Turning to Take who stood, staring at the falling snow, Kirito handed back the empty waterskin. "Thank you. We appreciate it greatly. As always, I will have the money delivered to you shortly."
"And as always," the god of combat replied, smiling slightly, "there is no need. It is pleasure enough for me to watch you fight in the backyard. I hope one day my own children can reach those levels."
"You need not fear, Mikoto and Sachi are progressing rapidly. Their skills are incredible already."
Take answered with an understanding smile. The expression of one that understands you are giving lip service to be polite without acknowledging the gap between what you said and reality.
Don't underestimate them, Take. Kirito warned the god mentally. He had not been kidding. Out loud, Kirito said something different. "Why don't you walk with me back to the church, Take? I'm sure Mikoto will be there and willing to go for a snowy walk."
"Huh? Does Mikoto need something?" Take asked confused.
How is he so stupid? Kirito wondered if that was a trait of men in this world. Bell, Ouka, Take, Miach… The list seemed endless. He knew that he had started off slow himself. Thankfully Rain was not one to beat around the bush. With some help from Liz and Philia, he finally had his head screwed-on right. At least Kirito thought he did. But then again, he thought his had been before as well…
As Kirito considered the possibility that he was still an idiot, Take began waving a hand in front of Kirito's face. "Umm, hello? I did not see someone hit your head…"
"Ah, sorry." Kirito dispelled the worry. Maybe I'll ask Leafa on the walk home… "But seriously Take, Mikoto is feeling guilty about leaving you guys behind. If you could do something for her…"
Take frowned as Kirito's words hung in the air. The god seemed to be seriously considering what Kirito said. "Yes, I see… Hestia went into debt to help her familia, perhaps I should do the same."
No, he is definitely an idiot. Kirito decided. "M-Maybe not the best idea. Besides, Hestia's debts are cleared. Why not just buy her a hot drink from a stand?"
"Well, the far east gets quite a bit more snow than Orario. These days are far from—"
Kirito's glare stalled the God's words.
"I will get changed and be right over."
"See you soon." Bidding the god farewell, Kirito waved at the rest of the home's occupants. Some returned the gesture and Kirito stepped back into the yard where Leafa paced restlessly, a complicated expression on her face.
As she had not seemed to notice him yet, Kirito smiled mischievously and scooped up a bit of the chilled water left in the pail for washing faces. Stalking forward toward Leafa, Kirito was not quite sure how to describe it, but he could hide his presence.
Leafa, as a level three adventurer, even when distracted, would have been able to close her eyes and point at any normal person in the yard, no matter how stealthy.
Kirito, however, was able to close in within two meters, and then one. Lunging forward, Kirito grabbed the back of her kimono and dumped his water down the back.
"HYAAA!"
The ear-splitting scream was followed by an equally loud crack as Leafa's palm slammed into Kirito's cheek.
"Gah!" Crying out in pain, Kirito's feet left the ground as he flew three meters backwards before crashing and rolling across the sparring ground. Ending up face down, Kirito groaned and touched his cheek. "Well that was rude…"
"Onii-chan…"
"Ahaha…" Chuckling in terror, Kirito glanced up at his sister that stood over him, hands balled into fists. At her scream, Take familia had rushed out of their house and stared in confusion at the two of them.
"I thought you finished sparring…" Take asked. "And I am surprised that you fare so poorly."
"He performed a dirty sneak attack." Leafa declared.
"It was just a bit of fun," Kirito grumbled, rubbing his cheek. "That slap would have broken a level two dwarf's neck."
"Hmm, and you can still whine! What does that say!?"
"Ahaha, then we will leave it to you." Take guided the rest of his familia away. Kirito did catch one sympathetic look from Ouka and a blistering glare from the usually shy Chigusa.
"So, are we even?" Kirito asked as he rose.
"Of course not! You are in biiig debt mister!"
Big debt? Kirito struggled to hold down his impulses. He had learned through these months that Leafa would not want to be informed on exactly how cute she looked while pouting. Biting his lip to restrain the words, Kirito bowed deeply.
"Hmm, let's see… Oh, how about you spend all day walking the city with me, and then buy me supper!"
Kirito winced. "You know already I can't…"
"Well, if you are going to deny that request," Leafa's voice was airy enough that Kirito got the feeling she said it knowing that she would be rejected. "Then you will have to walk me back to the Church as lovers."
? "Sure?" Standing up, Kirito shot a curious look at his cousin. "I mean… we already are, aren't we?"
For a long moment, staring into those wide black eyes and gaping mouth, Kirito wondered if he had said something wrong. As sweat started to trickle down his back, Leafa's cheeks began to redden. Nearly a minute after his words, she finally ducked her head and nodded.
As there was no reason to hang around in the beaten down sparring yard, Kirito extended an arm to Leafa. Oddly, unlike when he had done it for Hestia at the banquet of the gods, Kirito did not feel like he was faking this time. Is this… being an adult?
Kirito was surprised by the thought and barely noticed Leafa taking his arm as he guided her from the home's back entrance. In the technologically advanced world Kirito had been born in, one legally became an adult at the age of eighteen. This world, he had learnt was completely different.
Whether due to archaic beliefs, increased death rates or simple cultural differences, people often pursued their own career around twelve. It was common for women to be married off by fourteen and mothers by sixteen.
As someone who had just turned fifteen a few months ago, that timeline corroborated why everyone treated them as young adults. Only Silica really got the child treatment and that was rapidly fading as she grew into an adventurer's presence.
"You are distracted, Onii-chan," Leafa accused him.
"Oh, I was just thinking that if we had grown up in this world we'd probably be married by now." Of course, Kirito corrected mentally, that rule applies less often to adventurers and people that leave their hometown to find work other places.
"EHH!?" Leafa yelped, her shriek almost matching her scream at the cold water.
The revelers on the street stopped and stared in confusion. The adventurers among them drawing weapons and entering a battle stance.
"Could you not?" Kirito grumbled quietly.
"Then don't just…" Leafa did not pull away, but she did look away. "Was that… a proposal? It's so sudden and…"
"Proposal?" Kirito cocked his head. He could not understand what had disturbed her so badly. As they left the area at least people stopped staring at them. "I didn't propose anything really… It was just a thought. I mean, if we just joined familias like we did then not necessarily of course."
"…Excuse me?"
Kirito missed the note of deadly quiet in her voice. "Well, you know. Dad probably would have married you off to a business associate or something. Haha, who knows what would have happened to me."
"Grr… Every time I think you have an intelligent bone in your body…"
"L-Leafa?" Kirito asked. His worry came too late. Leafa, with a perfect angle at his side, gave him a vicious kidney shot.
"Urgh!" Kirito's endurance absorbed most of it, but it did not block the pain. "L-Leafa?"
"Why… Why would say something like that?"
The soft voice finally clued him in. Jerking his gaze to her, Kirito's eyes widened in surprise. "Are you… crying?"
Indeed, she continued to wipe her eyes with her right arm. "No! I just… I just… You are an idiot sometimes."
"Yeah, I know." Forcing down the pain, Kirito wrapped her fully in his arms. "Don't worry, I have no intentions of letting anyone marry you off. You're mine."
She gasped and snuggled in deeper into his arms. "Thank you. For being such an idiot, you always manage to make things better."
Kirito knew it was a risk but thought he would gamble on it. With Leafa this close to him, his mistake may cause irreparable damage to private parts of his body. "Then how can I fix the issues between you and Philia? But it isn't just the two of you, is it? There are… factions that are growing among you."
Leafa's arms tightened around him. "Sorry. I know you just want us to be happy but… It is hard. When your eyes sparkle with love looking at someone else… It's… I don't know how to describe it."
"…Let us walk and you can think." Kirito suggested gently. It was more than a minute later when Leafa finally nodded against his chest and released slightly.
As they started to move again, Leafa fully clung to his arm. Her left wound around his upper right arm that fell across her body between her breasts where her right hand held his.
Kirito stared at her lovingly as they began to move again. She truly was a magnificent girl. Kirito could not focus on the revelry, nor any of the cute girls, nor the fancy weapons.
"It is like… the day. No… sorry."
Kirito did not press her. He was content to simply watch her and bask in her presence. Being with Leafa was unlike any of the other girls. In Kirito's mind, he had subconsciously divided Leafa the swordsman from Suguha his cousin. They were the same person, but Leafa did not carry the same baggage into the relationship. Kirito had failed Suguha, been pathetic in front of Suguha, had abandoned Suguha. He had been Kazuto, loser who could not make connections without doubting them. He had grown since then. He had been able to meet Leafa as a more mature person.
"Alight, just don't laugh." Leafa broke into Kirito's thoughts.
Kirito nodded, waiting anxiously.
"Us girls are like planets, orbiting a black hole."
"I hope I am not the black hole…" Kirito mumbled.
"Of course not!" Leafa jabbed him again. "You are the bright comet, trailing in the sky, giving us illumination. We look to and admire you… but you move on."
"The comet comes back though," Kirito whispered, feeling s sharp pain in his gut far more painful than any physical blow Leafa had given him.
"I know, and we wait eagerly for that time… But we also know that the comet spends more time near some planets than others. We orbit in darkness, praying for the return, wondering why we don't get the same treatment as the other planets."
"I… see." Kirito did find a small sliver of irony in Leafa's analogy. He had seen Asuna in quite the same way. Her incredible speed and flashing rapier had left him dazzled. Kirito had sworn to protect her at that moment until the day she had left his party.
"I am sure you see the problem," Leafa said drily. "The problem is not inherit to you, it is our problem. If our positions were fixed it would be easier to accept but…"
It is about positions again… Kirito mumbled to himself angrily. "I guess the real solution would be to turn the black hole into a sun."
Leafa giggled. "Oh, so our comet is going to crash into the black hole and turn it into a glowing sun, is it? That's a nice fantasy."
"I'm already living in a fantasy," Kirito whispered to her. "What is one more miracle?"
Leafa pulled Kirito to a stop. Her eyes were shimmering pools of obsidian, catching and throwing the light. "That comet would need help though… The planets would need to come together."
"That… would help." Kirito agreed. He felt like he was losing the point of the metaphor at this point. What it boiled down to was that Kirito needed to do more for them.
"Is… something wrong?" Leafa lifted one of his hands. It was shaking like a leaf.
"I am failing… aren't I?" Kirito whispered. "Rain and Philia get along well, I could have dealt with just them, and Strea is always happy and tells me when she needs things… but I can't help everyone, can I?"
"No!" Leafa whispered harshly. "Weren't you listening? This is on us! We need to talk it over. You stay out of it."
"Okay… I'll talk to Philia as well before I head out. Is that alright?"
"Yes, thank you… Onii-chan…" Muttering the final words with a seductive slur, Kirito leaned down to meet her rising lips. Ignoring the celebrating city, they spent a long moment in each others arms.
Breaking it off, Kirito felt like they were on the same wavelength again. Their pose returned to the more formal one where Leafa just rested a hand on Kirito's arm.
As they paced the streets of Orario, heading in a winding circle back to their home, they chatted about a dozen topics. The dungeon, sword fighting technique, their friends. Conversation flowed naturally in a deeper way than with anyone else. They shared a familial connection from being raised together. That was an underlying issue that they would need to address at some point.
Kirito, caught up in his conversation froze mid-word as a breeze blew out a stream of aqua hair into his vision. Turning, he saw her. Asuna.
"Onii-chan…?"
Kirito did not respond. She was approaching. Any second now… Kirito paled. She was not alone. She travelled with Loki, Astrid, and Lefiya. The trickster goddess had bright eyes. Given as the goddess was a known womanizer, that was not all that surprising.
"Oh, I see." Leafa's voice was flat. "Sometimes I think she was the one you were destined to be truly with."
Kirito felt a bit of guilt at that. Asuna was the first person to actually give Kirito some hope that they would reach Kayaba's clear conditions. It was easy for him to envision such a scenario that Leafa suggested but… The him that he was now rejected it.
"No, that is not my path now." Kirito replied to help settle her. As he spoke, Asuna saw him. She whispered something to her group and rushed over. "Hey, As—"
Before Kirito could finish greeting her, she grabbed his hand and began tugging lightly. "Come to Babel with us!"
"W-What!? Asuna!?" Kirito staggered forward. "Hold on, I have an appointment today, things to do at home, I can't—"
"Those can wait," Asuna interrupted sharply, stopping Kirito from finishing for a second time. "Loki told us that the world is changing today."
"I'll go tell everyone and meet you there." Leafa said.
"L-Leafa?" Kirito gave her a confused look. For a girl that complained about her jealousy, this was a surprising move.
"Take care of him Asuna, he likes to get himself into trouble." With a wink, she darted away back towards the Church.
"L-Leafa?" Kirito was left behind feeling slightly lost.
"Come!"
Having no choice, Kirito was pulled into the Loki familia party.
Bell:
Sidestepping a deadly blow from a massive club, Bell poured another firebolt into the swarm of monsters while backpedaling. He was near the end of the twelfth floor and had been for most of an hour.
Not really hunting, not really accomplishing anything. That had changed unexpectedly when a bedraggled party had run past Bell, limped past more like.
From them and the next party, Bell got a pretty good idea of what had happened. Two independent parties on the floor bit off more than they could chew, getting partially surrounded. Deciding to run, they linked up with each other and had been unable to turn. That spiraled into an even larger disaster as more and more monsters joined the train.
So, Bell stood alone against at least fifty monsters. Nearly a dozen Bad bats were circling his had as groups of imps tried to pincer him. Orcs and Silverbacks led the charge.
Alone, at level two, Bell would die. It was a good thing he was no longer level two.
Clenching his fist around the Hestia knife, Bell thought he could feel it respond, pulsing back a warm heat. With his updated status, Bell charged before the charred corpse of the Orc could hit the ground.
He had held off from this initially. Playing it safe and retreating slowly, using Firbolt to pick off individuals. Now, his mind and body had synced up again. After every large change in status, there was always a disconnect.
Having fixed that, he attacked. Orcs were stationary pillars. The silverbacks decrepit and slow. Slashing, tearing, and burning, Bell began to decimate the monstrous army.
He was one with the fight, able to sense everything. His vision expanded to three hundred and sixty degrees. Attacks from behind were dodged as easily as those in front of him.
Duck under the club, cut off the Silverback's hand, step back and firebolt the bad bat. Again and again. Each movement left another cut on the multi-faced monstrosity that he fought. It was not Bell against fifty. It was one on one.
A quarter of an hour later, Bell staggered to a halt. Raising his knife, he glanced around and then let it fall. With a huff, he sat amid a carpet of corpses. He could smell the rancid blood and offal that he had spilt.
There was a grim beauty to it, Bell thought. In the olden days, single monsters had been able to do this to mankind. Now, the roles had been reversed. They were in the monsters' home, their birthplace, slaughtering them for money and power.
Smiling at the thought, Bell let his eyes close as he took a break. Even at level three he could not fight endlessly. Exhaustion weighed on his body.
Crick!
The sound of a claw scraping against rock. Bell's instincts took over. He threw himself forward, or tried to. Muscles locking, he tumbled to the ground face-up. Eyes widening, Bell watched as an injured imp with half of its face burned away lifted its clawed hand in preparation for slicing his exposed throat.
Thud!
With a loud sound like wood smacking flesh, the goblin… vanished? Bell blinked, not understanding. "W-What?"
He was still confused when a voice spoke to him. "Have you taken injury? I can provide aid if you are wanting."
Bell did not even need to look to know the speaker was a female elf. The musical quality that brimmed with a refinement and elegance that a human would be hard-pressed to match.
"N-No, I am fine… Sorry, I let my guard down." Standing up, Bell turned around and gaped.
There were four ghosts there, lined up a row.
"Impossible…" Staggering backwards, Bell's mind was frozen, but his instincts told him to flee. The things he was seeing were not possible. These people had died. In his subconscious, their names and levels flashed in his mind.
Alice "Scarlet Harnel" Lovell, Captain, Level 6
Lyu "Gale Wind" Lion, Vice-captain, Level 6
Gojouno "Yamato Rindou" Kaguya, Vice-captain, Level 6
Lyra "Thrail" Level five.
Two humans, an elf, and a prum. The core of Astraea familia before its destruction on the final day. Continuing to back up, Bell tripped on a corpse and fell to the ground.
"He knows us," Lyra snorted rudely. "Look at him. I'm looking at ghosts! His face screams it."
"Yupp! It definitely does!" Their leader agreed with a large nod, and a bright smile. "Look at this destruction though. You did this solo boy?"
"Uhh…" Bell still did not belief what his eyes were telling him. Just as he was starting to calm down and begin thinking again, his brain ground to a startling stop. Bell had focused on their distinctive faces and hair. Now, he looked at their bodies and their clothes, or rather, the lack of them.
They looked like the stories people told of ancient amazons that kidnapped men and forced them to breed until they died. The four girls were wearing a mix of raw monster hide and adventurer cloaks. All of their weapons were nature weapons. Alice wielded a Merman sword, Lyu had a Minotaur club, Kaguya had something that looked like a really long tooth while Lyra wielded two daggers that were definitely teeth the length of Bell's forearm.
"D-Don't look at me that way!" Lyu blushed deeply and hid behind Alice's shoulder, glaring at him. Her 'armour' consisted of a strip of dirty cloth wrapped around her breasts and a scaly hide of a monster Bell did not know wrapped around her waist. The quickly constructed skirt fell to mid-thich and had slipped on one side clearly revealing that the elf had no underwear on.
In fact, the only one that could be said to be reasonably dressed was Lyra, the Prum. She wore a human-sized shirt that fell to her knees.
Under Lyu's glare, Bell's shoulders curled in. "Eep!" The glare of a first-tier adventurer was truly a terrifying thing.
Kaguya laughed out loud. "Oh, give him a good look Ms. Conceited. You'll need to get used to it, when we get to the surface there will be a massive crowd waiting. I mean, did you see Rivera? All those level fours staggering into the city."
Level fours… Suddenly, a question rushed into Bell's mind. "Where is the rest of your familia? I thought…" Bell had the instincts to stop the question. As one, their eyes hollowed. Memories were swirling in vast pools of sorrow.
"Everyone…" Lyu murmured; her voice tight with pain.
"H-Hey, focus on the upsides, we won, right? I mean… getting born in a wall was super weird, but we're alive?"
The leader's speech seemed empty to Bell. She was clearly still grieving as well. But… As Bell's mind churned, he finally realized something. Those events were not two years ago to them, were they?
"It… You still think that you were just fighting the black dragon, don't you?"
At Bell's quiet words, the four women stared at him. They had to be in their early twenties, but this was the effect of status on aging, none of them looked much older than sixteen.
"How long?" Lyra grated, the first to figure it out. Her small Prum face was scrunched up, her pink hair sweaty and matted.
"Almost… Almost two years. Twenty-three months." Bell hated being the one to deliver the news. Lyu's knees buckled sending her to the bloody grass. Kaguya just stared into the distance, her lips moving soundlessly.
Alice forced a laugh. "So, we won right? I mean, the last of the three quests was cleared! Right? We won!"
It was not a question. Bell was glad that he could nod. "Yes, the black dragon's body disappeared… Like all of yours.
Again, it was Lyra that caught Bell's omission.
"Oi! The dragon, was it actually struck down before the end!?"
Bell closed his eyes. He could not answer. The heroes had come back. Some of them. It should have been a joyous, wondrous occasion, but it prompted something much, much more ominous on the horizon.
"…We will reconvene with Astraea and hear from her." Alice said, her voice shaking only a little. We are still in the dungeon ladies. Let's get this boy up and go home."
Automatically, Lyu stood up and stumbled over to Bell her arm extended for him to take. Her eyes were not looking at him though. The blue sapphires were grief-filled and brimming with unshed tears. Her blond hair that stretched down to her middle-back swayed in a transfixing manner.
Without thinking about it, Bell reached for her hand.
"No!"
"Idiot elf…"
Their hands met, and Bell was pulled to his feet. The three girls stared open-mouthed at him and Lyu as Bell retrieved his hand. "I-Is something wrong?"
Lyu herself finally managed to shake from her reverie. Eyes clearing, she stared at Bell, astonishment growing. Then, she glanced at Alice and then back to Bell.
"Umm, is there something…"
He could not finish. Her face went crimson, and with one final look at Alice, she ran away. Bell could only gape at the second most surprising event of the day, and that, by only a slim margin.
Asuna:
"So many people…" She spoke at a normal level, but the others of her group likely did not hear her. Only Astrid and Kirito shot her glances. Thankfully, when people saw Loki, and maybe more Kirito, they pulled away and created a channel for them to funnel in Babel.
Sitting there was the source of the disruptions. On luxuriant seats were the goddesses Freya and Astraea, seated across from each other playing a board game.
Asuna had heard of it. They called in Dominion. It was an odd mix of the Shogi that she knew and the western variant Chess. It was played on a nine-by-nine board like shogi, but the players could choose their own piece set-up and many of them moved more similar to Shogi pieces than the chess ones. More like chess, there was no drop rule.
Asuna had not had time to learn it, but some of her Familia members were avid fans. Standing behind Freya's chair was a man that she vaguely knew. Heathcliff was from Asuna's world as well and had reached level three.
The man did not acknowledge their arrival or even seem to notice their approach as he stared at the board slack jawed.
Asuna could not focus on the man, however. Like a beacon of light, Freya drew all gazes to herself. Asuna shivered staring at the goddess of beauty. Ishtar had not fully enslaved Asuna's mind, but she had done enough that Asuna's heart still throbbed occasionally with pained realization that she would not meet the goddess again.
Freya was, without trying, ten times worse. The difference was like a mild sunburn versus a third-degree burn. Asuna forced her eyes away, but Loki was headed straight for the table.
"Are you two okay?" Lefiya asked.
Two? Asuna glanced over at Kirito. His eyes had a hollow appearance to them as he stared off at nothing, lips moving soundlessly. It made her feel a stab of guilt. No matter how bad she felt to meet another goddess of beauty, it must be worse for Kirito.
"Loki, later than I expected." That musical voice was the most beautiful thing Asuna had ever heard before.
"Shud up, Freya," Loki grumbled in her distinctive slur as she strolled up to the board. "Ha! Looks like Astraea here has you on the ropes."
"You overestimate my position, Loki," Astraea answered with a warm smile, greeting the trickster goddess with a friendly smile. "A few more crucial moves and it may peter out into a draw."
"Agreed," Freya said as she moved a piece. "I may have played an over ambiguous opening. I had not realized how skilled Astraea was, but I will not lose."
Asuna could not tell at all. She had seen some shogi and knew vaguely about chess but… this was just a mess of pieces. The outcome did not look clear at all.
"W-What was the opening?" Astrid gasped. She was one of those that played the game often.
Asuna could not follow the conversation between her and Astraea. Eventually, Astrid's expression slowly took on that of Heathcliff's. "B-But when you took on C5… I don't… How can you play like this?"
"Hey, boy, if you plan on standing around us, grab me a chair."
"Ahh, sure." Kirito walked off to grab a chair for Loki.
Asuna shot Loki an exasperated look, but the goddess just shrugged. "I guess his women have trained him well."
Lefiya and Astrid shared a giggle at that. Although the catgirl still had a distant look and quickly turned back to the board.
As Kirito returned with one of the high-back chairs, Astraea responded. Asuna knew just enough of the game to think that the move could not be right. Some of her high-value pieces were exposed to danger and were not protected. Looking around in confusion though, everyone else just nodded sagely as if the move was extremely wise.
"Do you… have any idea what is happening?" Kirito whispered to her.
"Uhh… No, not really." Asuna confided in him. She was glad that she was not alone.
Freya paused momentarily, picked up a piece and played her move. She did not capture anything. Asuna had no idea why. She would need a ten-minute explanation to even start understanding the positional complications.
Sensing something, Asuna glanced up from the board and found that Freya was not looking at it either. Her gaze was fixed right past Asuna and rested comfortably on Kirito.
"Oh, you scared of the boy?" Loki teased the goddess of beauty. "He might stick a sword in you next."
Freya chuckled politely, an inscrutable smile on her face. "Depending on the blade in question… I would not mind."
"Ghh!" Asuna choked. W-What the hell!?
"Horny as ever, ya witch." Loki muttered as well. Somehow, everyone's gazes turned to Kirito. Asuna's boyfriend stood there; eyes wide as he met Freya's gaze.
"Uhh, I am sorry goddess, but I have no intentions on changing familias."
"Who mentioned changing familias?" Freya chuckled. "You have the pretty elf beside you who is in Loki's. Maybe you can have a sleepover in my home as well."
"I am afraid I must decline goddess Freya." Kirito replied stiffly, a blush ruining it somewhat
"Pity," Freya did not seem to mind the rejection. She turned back to the board as Astraea played her move and then turned to smile at Kirito.
"Be careful with this silver-haired girl," Astraea winked. "She gets moody like a child and will throw a fit when she doesn't get the treat that she asked for."
Asuna gasped at the insult as did the other mortals in the group. Heathcliff began clenching his fists, sending a glare at the goddess of Justice.
Loki of course laughed. "Oh, but isn't that an understatement! Even when she gets her toy, she gets bored of it in ten minutes."
Oddly enough, there seemed to be no malice in the three goddess' bearings. Even Freya, despite being insulted twice, laughed along with her musical voice. "You two simply do not understand. Love is ever-changing. I accept the love of all and merely search for one who I can love."
Oddly enough, Kirito adopted a stunned look. His mouth muttering the goddess' words again. Asuna grabbed his hand worriedly. Does he see himself in her?
"Kirito?"
"W-What?" Asuna's stomach tightened into a knot. His black eyes, usually so clear and resolute were now clouded with indecision. "What is wrong?"
"Oh, I just…" His eyes flicked back to Freya. "Not here."
So, Asuna pulled him away. Striding with determination, she went to a nearby wall where no one could overhear them and practically tossed Kirito against the wall. "Talk."
"Fine, fine…" Again, his eyes flicked back to Freya. Asuna realized that she was not having issues with the Goddess' presence anymore. Perhaps her anger was acting as a buffer.
"Well?" Asuna pushed.
"She is a goddess of love, right?"
"Right." Asuna confirmed.
"So… Why is she so bad at loving?" Kirito wondered. Maybe I am just broken, but having all of you in my life fills me with such warmth. Shouldn't she, more so than anyone, be happy?"
Asuna gaped. "T-That is what…" Feeling stupid, Asuna sighed and leaned her head onto Kirito's shoulder in a surprising show of public affection.
That's right. It did not matter even if Kirito had taken Freya up on her offer. He would still love her regardless.
"No," she counteracted Kirito's claim. "You are not broken. In many ways you are purer than anyone."
"Pure?" He complained. "You make me sound like an innocent child."
Asuna giggled, looking up into his face. His eyes were clearer now, that love that she knew so well shining through. "You are like a child in many ways."
Kirito, as expected pouted. "Well, I am getting hungry. If you don't buy me something I may start crying…"
"Not funny." Asuna pouted. "You should buy all of us ladies snacks!"
"I," Kirito emphasized. "Was dragged here on my way home from sparring. I don't have money."
"Sparring. You looked like you had finished poking Leafa with your sword." Asuna echoed Freya's previous innuendo. As she said it though, she blushed, wishing she had her words back.
"Not you too!" Kirito whined, also looking away. Into that awkward silence, whispered words reached her ears. "I haven't."
"What was that?"
"I haven't… done that with anyone." Kirito repeated, looking at nothing in the distance.
Asuna, however, could not stop staring at the profile of his face. It should not mean anything to her, but boy oh boy, she was flying inside.
With a vapid smile on her lips, Asuna leaned against the wall and basked in her imagination. She was not just a random mistress that the others put up with. Asuna could be first. She could be the primary wife…
Her prim schoolgirl self from the old life was yelling at her internally about the embarrassing thoughts while the warrior she had become who had held people as they died and listened to screams of death fought with each other.
"What the…"
Asuna jolted up as Kirito walked back to the table whos occupants had risen. All three deities stood to face the staircase and the bustling room grew silent. Footsteps. There was a group of four or five people ascending out of the dungeon.
"You never did tell me what is happening," Kirito whispered to her.
"The world is about to change." Asuna replied primly. It was what Loki had told her; it was all she knew.
Appearing from the spiral was a line of four women wearing rough, improvised garb, and carrying nature weapons. Behind them was the white-haired member from Kirito's familia. But Asuna was drawn to the four women. These women… their presence… They were stronger than her. Stronger than Kirito, stronger than Lefiya.
The world has changed. Asuna could not agree more. The first-class adventurers were back.
Kirito:
What the hell are you doing here? Kirito send the thought to Bell with a glare. The white-haired boy just shrugged and gave him a guilty smile. Rolling his eyes, Kirito focused instead on the meeting.
Astraea had recently agreed to a draw with Freya and advanced towards the girls with a big smile while Freya and Loki hung back, identical smiles on their faces.
"My girls… Welcome back."
The first floor of Babel erupted with sound. Yelling, gasps of surprise, shouts, every noise imaginable, Kirito thought. He picked out some of the words every now and then.
"It's Scarlet Harnel!"
"The Astraea captains are alive!"
"Ah, Lyra is still so cool!"
Left alone in confusion, Kirito tried to piece things together. He did not know any of these girls. The only certainty in his mind was that if he attacked them, he would lose. They exuded a power that he had never sensed before.
This is the top class that vanished. Sliding around the side of the reunited group, Kirito headed for Bell. The white-haired boy's eyes opened wide, looking like he would dart for a moment before his shoulders slumped and he sighed.
"Who are these people?" Kirito whispered, just loud enough to be heard in the din.
He listened to Bell's rushed story about their identities. Three level sixes and a level five. Impressive.
Astraea took a white cloak from her shoulders and draped in around the shoulders of the elf who was hiding behind the others. "Ah, my poor Lyu, you must have had a harder time of this than the others."
"Don't coddle her," the black-haired human, Kaguya, Bell had called her, "she won't die from men seeing her in a state of undress."
"Kaguya, this is a joyous moment," Astraea smiled, cupping the girl's cheek. "Let us go home and celebrate."
"Joyous? Celebrate?" The girl barked a dry laugh. She swept a hand around the room. The dramatic meeting silencing those who had been going through outbursts. "We lost two years of our lives! Not only that, more than half of our familia is dead, and for what!? It is going to be born again, isn't it!? All three of them will be!"
"Kaguya please," The red-haired Alice, tugged at her arm.
Shaking it off, Kaguya continued. "The heroes died! They won't come back, will they? Everyone who succumbed to fire and claw will stay dead! This is not a victory; this is a premonition of our deaths."
Kirito felt cold. He did not want to admit it, but he agreed. From what he had heard, Kirito would rather they had never been born again if it meant the monster gods also stayed dead. They had made the sacrifice… and now found it declined.
"Well, that was dramatic," Loki drawled. "Girls, did you meet any of mine down there? Also… as always, I'd be happy to take any of ya!"
"Loki.," Astraea smiled with the terrifying grin that only women could manage, "if you keep leering at my familia members in their vulnerable state, you won't be around to meet your familia members."
"Scary scary…" Loki shuffled away from Astraea but kept her squinting red eyes on the Astraea members. "So, did you see them?"
"Yes." Alice answered with a bright smile. "Kenki ran up the waterfall herself to talk to us. They were gathering in the basin and Rivera. Your familia as well Freya appeared to have prioritized information over the surface from the little I saw of them."
"Is that right?" Freya laughed lightly. "I must say I half expected Allen to burst out of Babel an hour ago still completely naked."
Again, Kirito was struck with that feeling of being an outsider as the goddesses and their followers laughed, but Kirito could do little more than hope that naked adventurers would not come rushing from the dungeon.
Listening to the conversation and events as they progressed, Kirito was able to learn a lot. Basically, the adventurers had been born form the dungeon walls like monsters. Similar to monsters, it seemed like their status determined how deep they were born. The level sixes had spawned on floor 30 whereas the level five prum was born into the bottom of the New World.
As more gods entered the situation grew increasingly more formal and a denatus was scheduled. Some time during the events, Hestia familia showed up. Kirito waved at them from his ill-acquired VIP position.
One thing that Kirito still could not determine was how Bell fit into all of this. No one asked either and Kirito was not important enough here to ask the question.
Eventually, the sound of footfalls ascending Babel cut them off. Not just the sounds of a singular party of which multiple had come, but a horde. A swarm of voices that previewed the arrival of the ones they had been waiting for.
Kirito could not help but assume a defensive stance. The Astraea girls had a friendly air about them. As followers of the goddess of justice, each one possessed a sense of righteousness that allowed Kirito to relax. The next people were far more uncertain.
Kirito's wariness was betrayed by a mop of short golden hair leading the way. It was a prum with piercing blue eyes. Is that it?
But meeting his eyes, Kirito retreated a step. This prum had incredible power and intelligence. He did not lead the group out of chance. And then, the rest appeared. Each one following the other adding to the incredible collection of power that was already present.
There was one human girl with impossibly golden hair and matching eyes that Bell gurgled upon seeing. It was a colour Kirito would have said was impossible outside of an anime. Even Haruhime's did not reach the same luster. She barely looked alive. Her face did not shift expression, her eyes did not move. A porcelain doll had more emotions.
"Ais… Wallenstein."
That must be her name. "What… is she?" Kirito asked Bell.
"What? She is one of the greatest adventurers to ever live. You heard Alice refer to her as Kenki, or the Sword Princess. She controls the wind and can practically five with the fastest level-ups recorded."
Kirito raised an eyebrow. That did not seem all that impressive. Leafa could literally fly. Still, she was one among many that Kirito would have to learn about and keep an eye on.
From the way that Loki jumped up and down and giggled like a little girl, it was easy to see that this was her familia.
"Ais! Tiona! Riveria! Everyone!" Another female voice shouted out. With a strangled cry, Lefiya rushed forward. Tears leaking from her eyes, she darted down the top set of the staircase and threw herself at the golden swordswoman and a nearby amazon.
"Ah, so you did escape," A regal elf spoke with a melodious voice. She was tall and gorgeous in a majestic manner. While conventionally attractive, her face suddenly populated the image slot for the definition of queen in Kirito's head. This was by no means a normal elf.
Kirito tried to listen to the reunion. It was deeply touching as the elf Kirito and thought was so tough completely broke down as she clung to the people she had once thought dead forever.
However, a scream of, "Nee-chan!" Pierced the air and a figure darted down the stairs as another raced up to meet her.
Astrid, the vice-captain of Loki familia was swung about in the air like a little child by one of Loki familia's adventurers. The girls did not seem fair apart in strength. It was actually hard to tell which one was older.
"This day…" Bell whispered, "Is wonderful."
Kirito muttered affirmative words in reply, but still could not help but think that the tars in the boy's eyes were not only happy.
"Loki familia," Freya said, her voice carrying easily throughout Babel despite the oppressive din. "Could you clear the stairs? You are causing a pile-up and delaying the reunions."
"Of course, Goddess Freya." The prum man answered levelly without flinching in the slightest. "Up, everyone!"
Indeed, it was not just Loki familia, but a horde of outsiders and stragglers. Haggard confused faces with no companionship staggered to the surface and looked around in confusion. Hoping desperately that someone would be there to greet them. These were quickly identified by guild employees and dragged off to a private area to talk.
One meeting in particular caught Kirito's eye. The captain of Ganesha familia, Shakmi, greeted her two sisters, Shakti and Ardi. She had only returned to Orario after their death's he knew. Their distinctive blue-hair made them stick out in a crowd.
However, it was not long after the column of people had gotten free of the stairwell when a large clatter reached them from the depths. It shook as what seemed to be a heavy weight pounded up the circular staircase. The goddess Freya stepped forward; hands spread benevolently to the sides.
The first figure made Kirito's breath catch. Of all people he had seen today, this person was hands down the most powerful. Standing nearly two meters in height, the boaz had a body and face that looked chiseled from rock.
He bounded up the stairs and knelt before Freya. "My apologies in the delay, goddess. I have returned."
"Ottar," She replied warmly, touching the side of his face warmly. "What took so long."
The boulder of a man grunted, seeming extremely upset for having failed her expectations. "I was born again on the thirty-seventh floor. It took awhile."
The thirty-seventh floor… Zero supplies… Naked… Alone… It should have been a death sentence. He did not even look particularly tired.
From then on, the adventurers arrived in ones and twos led by a catman that Kirito gathered was the previously mentioned Allen with a sour expression on his face. Then a pair of elf knights, one black, one white that prickled Kirito's memory.
Each adventurer was incredibly beautiful and totally devote to Freya. It was an awesome display of force as she stood at the top and smiled magnanimously down upon her followers. There was an order and command that was not present in any of the other familias that had returned.
I accept the love of all and merely search for one who I can love. Those had been Freya's earlier words. Kirito thought he finally understood them. Each of these people kneeling did not love a woman, they loved a goddess. It was a fine, but inseparable difference.
Only one Freya member was not kneeling. A large dwarf woman at the back had her hands on her hips and glared up at the goddess. She must be a powerful adventurer but looked like an oddity in this group.
Freya only spoke two words. "Welcome back." With that, she turned around and began to walk away, her familia rising and following.
Slumping against the wall, Kirito closed his eyes and moaned. He and his familia had gone from one of the big dogs to a very small fish in a much, much, larger pond.
Post notes:
1. Timeline
So, a few things are obviously different: Astraea member levels and Loki familia levels. So Astraea members are higher-leveled becasue their was no evilus to trap them in the dungeon and lead to their extermination though juggernaut related events. THat allowed them to rise into one of Orario's primary forces. That also means this Lyu/Ryu had not experienced the same trauma and is thus more like she is in records which is a bit naive (more on her name in a bit). Loki members on the other hand are going to be lower leveled, mainly the second wave, Ais, Tiona, Tione, Bete, who are still level five as they 'died' before they reached the events of volume 1.
2. Lyu/Ryu
So, I suppose I should use Ryu. I prefer Ryu, but the problem is that her first name is clear supposed to match her last name which is definity Lion making it hard to romanize. Therefore, I have been using Lyu, but if everyone hates it I will switch to Ryu.
3. Volume 17
Spoilers will start later and be clearly marked where they start.
First, I knew writing the begining that Syr would be different from the canon one. This has been made abundantly clear quite a long time ago but I thought I would confirm this. I will not be shoehorning this Syr into that of the canon one.
Mild spoilers
This will obviously change Freya and her dynamic somewhat. I am curious to see what ahppens to Freya in volume 18.
Actual spoilers
This wargame is going to have the biggest plot armour of all time, isn't it?
Am I the only one who was hoping for a 'talk no jutsu' conclusion to this? Like Bell plus the benevolent mistress staff working together to bring back Freya's humanity and make her realize how much those human connections meant to her?
Side note, I was/am hoping that Freya's Odr turns into Ryu in like a platonic/best friends way. I think that would be cute. Although a Bell vs Hedin match could be awesome.
PS. I am always team Ottar.
