Author's note : Hello everybody.
To begin with, I apologize to the readers of The Grace of Ishtar, who no doubt expected to see the sequel to it. Don't worry, it will come. Only, for the moment, my translator friend and I have agreed to alternate the pleasures a little. So, from now on, you will have a Thor chapter and an Ishtar chapter every other time, until the end of the latter.
This fanfic is a little bit different from what I usually do, less comedic and parodying, although the humor is present. Basically, I didn't really know where I was going with it as i wrote the chapters in French. I realized that she was talking above all about the links between the characters.
For this fic, I took a lot of freedom, by introducing a lot of new characters, which this first chapter is mainly used to present, as well as elements that do not appear in the original novel. So, no need to go and find what the Shivat or the nezu are on the official wiki. XD
As usual, I warmly thank my translation group and in particular, JenamTheBrave, without whom all this would not be possible, without acceptable quality at least.
Chapter 1: When the Storm Comes
Orario, the city of the Dungeon, the center of the world according to some. The city where many gods and mortals meet, where familias are numerous, where adventurers brave every day by the hundreds the legendary and unique Dungeon, in search of wealth, glory and power. A city in constant turmoil, where there entrances and exits abound, under the supervision of the Guild, with the help of the Ganesha familia.
That morning, at one of the city's main entrances, the queue had to move aside to get out of the way of a somewhat peculiar convoy. At this sight, Ganesha's guards weren't sure what to do before Shakti Varma, their captain, came along and ordered the group to pass, who greeted them politely.
The small convoy consisted of two large wagons that seemed to be packed and about fifteen people. The group was walking up one of the main avenues, advancing towards Babel, the heart of the city. But they weren't just passing through, they were walking down the middle of the avenue, to the sight of every mortal and god. It was on purpose, it was a parade, that of a familia who proudly entered the city, which had to be seen by all.
There were several flags on the convoy, all of them bearing the same symbol, that of a hammer with a short handle and a flattened triangular head, decorated with runes and surrounded by five lightning bolts.
At the head of the convoy was a man whose divine status was beyond doubt. A true colossus of more than two meters, as wide as he was tall, all in muscle and the skin decorated with runic tattoos. He had long black hair blowing in the wind and a trimmed and plaited beard. His open jacket with fur on the collar didn't hide much of his strong chest. Even with his arcanum sealed, he was still the embodiment of a god of war and probably had enough power to crush a man's head barehanded.
In the street, many people watched the convoy passing through and two deusdas immediately recognized the symbol, as well as the leading man.
Hey, that's... Thor. the first godsaid.
What is he doing here? I didn't even know he had a familia. his counterpart replied.
I thought he was spending his time traveling through the Gekai. If he moves home here, things will get very entertaining.
Do you think he'll be at this afternoon's Denatus?
Probably.
Beside the god of thunder, a young woman walked confidently. Her position in the convoy clearly showed her dominant hierarchical position in the familia. She was of an average height, slim and athletic. Her facial features showed an oriental origin. She had long dark hair that was styled into a high ponytail and decorated with two ornate hair sticks. Her amethyst-colored eyes looked just as captivating as they were determined. She was dressed in a sleeveless tunic that came down to the top of her thighs, dark mauve in color and embroidered with lighter mauve lightning bolts. The cut and style of the tunic were not common in the region. Her tight black pants showcased her athletic legs and it was also decorated with a lightning bolt that climbed up her right leg. She had leather ankle boots and her only armor were simple shin guards, and leather mittens, reinforced with metal bands on the upper part of the hand. A jian, a traditional longsword from her native land, hung in a scabbard from a belt at the back of her hip. Of course, she too attracted the looks and comments of several people on the street.
This girl. She has a typical Shivat outfit and weapon. an adventurersaid.
It's on the other side of the world, I thought the locals hardly ever left their island. another replied.
Behind them were three other individuals who appeared to be prominent people as well. The first was a stocky being of medium height whose long hooded cape did not entirely hide his rat-like head. This prompted a few scathing comments from the crowd.
A nezu ...
Damn stinky rat, what is he doing here?
Indeed, that person belonged to a species that few people saw in their lives, the nezus. While there were many breeds of therianthropes, such as the chienthrope, cat people, hume bunny or werewolf, all shared the fact that they looked like humans with some animal traits. But the nezu were different, they looked more like humanoid rats. Many gave them little more consideration than monsters, although they were mortals: a dead nezu did not turn into a pile of dust leaving a magic stone behind.
Unfortunately, this species suffered from deep racism, their rat appearance caused them to suffer many prejudices, such as being dirty, disease-carrying, stinking and other such sweet nonsense. As a result, they sometimes suffered pogroms and were treated only as third-class citizens. As proof, even in Orario, the center of the world, there was none of them. The gods themselves did not seem to resent their service. The few nezus that did exist preferred to live among themselves in hidden communities.
The individual in question here was indeed a nezu, his cloak and hood covered his body and did not show much except a rat's head, with dark brown fur. Some of his movements allowed a glimpse of a simple outfit, with light leather protections. It was difficult to get a more precise idea about him.
Beside him walked a dwarf, a sturdy fellow with a powerful chest. He was wearing only a sleeveless jacket on top that showeda particularly developed musculature, even for a dwarf, and lots of scars. He had a helmet decorated with runic symbols and two axes hung from either side of his body. And like most dwarves, he was bearded, his face sporting a flame-colored hair that you couldn't miss.
Well… I wouldn't try and rile up that one. some adventurer said in the street when he saw the dwarf.
Beside them, the crowd could see an elf, of medium height, magnificent, with long hair of a very light ice-blue color. She wore a typical adventurous mage outfit, light, but sturdy, with a cloak adorned with her familia symbol and in her hand, a mage staff. Her face expressed a certain softness, but above all ...
* boing ... boing ... *
It was absolutely impossible to get past her… very impressive lung capacity which bounced back with every step, with that little something hypnotic that attracted desire as much as jealousy.
Holy shit! Is that even legal on an elf? an adventurer girl asked, who seemed to have been less gifed by nature.
It's not the biggest thing about her, believe me. replied her mage companion, who had sensed the magical potential of the woman.
In any case, the trio clashed enormously with their surroundings: an elf, a dwarf, and a nezu, walking side by side. It was even more mind-blowing than Loki's elf-dwarf-palum trio in their day.
Other people were walking behind them. First, there were two persons who did not go unnoticed either. Two humans, of medium height, with jet-black hair and very dark eyes. Their facial features were extremely similar, to the point that they could have been mistaken for twins. You had to really pay attention to their looks to realize that one was a woman and the other a man. But the resemblance between the two remained troubling. They both wore the same kind of clothing, simple and functional, light protection, mostly leather and a few pieces of metal in the most sensitive areas. They wore short blades at the waist and on their backs a quiver with a short bow. They both had black hooded cloaks decorated with black feathers, but they walked bareheaded.
Those two are… weird.
A little behind was a young woman with messy black hair, whose ears and cat tail, with equally black fur, betrayed her Cat People nature. She wore a classic adventurer outfit, with mid-length protection. But above all, she had on her back a huge sword as big as herself.
Does the kitty-cat really manage to handle a big thing like that? a random hick in the crowd said to himself.
Next to her was a handsome, medium-height Amazoness with a slim, athletic body, with well-developed forms exactly where needed. Like all Amazonesses, she walked proudly with a defiant look on her face framed by long ashy hair. And like all Amazonesses, her outfit was somewhat… minimalist. So you couldn't miss the long chain wrapped around her waist, which seemed to end on one side with a weight and on the other, a sort of improbable mix between a double sickle and a grappling hook.
Oh, yes! I wouldn't mind her getting mein chains. an adventurer said, who had perhaps spent too much time in the entertainment district.
In a completely opposite style, was a hume bunny, who, like many of her species, was not very tall. She had shoulder-length hair of a pretty platinum blonde, from which protruded two adorable bunny ears, with fur of the same color. She was wearing light protection and had a spear in her hand. She looked nervous and seemed extremely embarrassed that so many people were looking at them.
Poor thing, she looks really shy. said a housewife in the crowd, whose heart was melted by the embarrassed face of the rabbit girl.
And five other people brought up the rear, two of whom led the horses pulling the wagons.
There was a young man with brown hair and the slender ears of an elf, but whose facial features betrayed crossbreeding. The half-elf wore simple gear that also showed he was a inexperienced adventurer: basic protection, a targe attached to the left arm, and a longsword to the side.
A young werewolf with red hair walked by his side. He carried no visible weapons, but his light clothes and the protections on his hands and legs spoke volumes about his talent as a grappler. He looked quite over-excited, no doubt from their arrival in this big city.
There was also a Chienthrope in the squad, young, but rather tall, brown hair with ears and tail in the same color tones. He wore full heavy armor, a mace on his side and a massive pavise on his back.
She was hard to pick up in the middle of the group, but a palum with very light white hair could also be seen. She wore a mage outfit and staff that indicated she was still a novice.
And finally, the group was completed by a human, a very pretty brunette whose hair was done in a tight bun and who wore glasses, giving her that little air of a strict teacher.
After this long parade, they finally arrived at the main square at the foot of the imposing Tower of Babel. The mighty god then advanced towards the Guild, accompanied by part of his familia, namely the four humans, the nezu, the dwarf and the elf.
Please, Master Thor, try not to make too much of a… noisy entrance. the human girl asked, somewhat wryly. She seemed to know her boss well. The deusdea entered the square with the subtlety of a Minotaur in a china shop and screamed at the top of his lungs.
Good morning everyone! The great Thor is in the place! Bring me the boss!
His shattering entry elicited in his familia perfectly synchronized reactions of sighs and facepalms. And given the racket he'd made, it didn't take long for Royman, the Guild Director, to move his fat elven butt to meet the deusdea.
I am Royman Mardeel, Director of the Guild, at the service of Lord Ouranos. What can we do for you, Lord Thor?
Are you the boss here, fat guy? said the god, approaching threateningly. Since he was a good height above him, the god forced the fat elf to twist his neck to look at him full-on. Thor had a truly impressive presence, he was an avatar of the mighty warrior, so Royman wass not looking quite comfortable, until the god… put a pile of documents under his nose.
I have some paperwork for you. the thunderlord said, lowering the tension right away. The documents concerned the registration of his familia itself and of her individual members.
S-Sure, follow me, please. The god, accompanied by his familia's bespectacled human girl, then left with the director to take care of the paperwork.
Meanwhile, the rest of the small group wandered around the place a bit, familiarizing themselves with the famous Guild and its activity. Obviously, they were eye-catching, whether it was the exotic oriental style of the human, the "hypnotic" effect of the elf, the twins' weird appearance, or even the nezu.
And obviously, an adventurer couldn't help but make an inappropriate "stinky rat" remark when he saw him. Immediately the dwarf grabbed him by the neck and lifted him off the ground with one hand as if he weighed nothing.
What did you just say, you little shit?
The shivati girl sighed and called out to the dwarf.
Thargar! That's enough! Put him down immediately!
Mei! That bastard insulted Ekkrit!
And he doesn't care! Leave him alone. Don't bring War Games on us before Lord Thor has even finished our registration!
A guild worker came over to try to calm things down, a semi-elf with shoulder-length brown hair. But she didn't have time to speak, the human had a strange amethyst glow in her eyes.
Thargar! For the last time… let him down now! The human's voice echoed like thunder and with a click of his tongue the dwarf let the human fall to his feet.
You won't be so lucky next time. He said, moving away from the unfortunate man, towards whom then walked the gentle-faced elfwoman.
Come on, my dear, you should go ... and be more careful in the future. Her face showed a chilling expression for a moment and the scoundrel scampered off without another word. If a dwarf and an elf came together to defend a nezu, it said a lot about the deep bond that united them, as well as, incidentally, about the authority of the girl called Mei.
The latter walked over to Eina and bowed respectfully before giving her a delicate smile and speaking in a soft voice.
Miss, I am sincerely sorry and apologize to you on behalf of my family. It's been a long journey and we are all very excited to discover this famous city and all that it is home to, some a little more than others. She said, letting her gaze fall on the dwarf.
Please, the other person was at fault as well, so let's leave it at that.
The young woman thanked the half-elf who returned to a group of adventurers she was taking care of.
A group she knew well, consisting of an adorable bunny-like human, a tall scarlet-haired blacksmith, a small brown palum, a samurai girl, and a beautiful gold-haired fox girl.
Phew! I really thought this was going to end up in a fight. Welf commented.
Eina, who are these people? Bell asked his advisor.
God Thor's familia, it seems. They arrived in town a while ago, their god is in the process of finalizing their official registration with the Guild.
I didn't follow it all, Haruhime began, but why did this adventurer insult the hooded man?
I believe it is because he is a nezu, Lady Haruhime. Mikoto replied
A nezu? Bell asked curiously, and it was Lili who answered him.
A rare species, master Bell. It's not surprising to me that you don't know them, they rarely come out of their communities. As you can see, they are not often very well welcomed. she said wearily.
The young human didn't quite understand why. But Bell was an example of openness and he never trusted prejudices. Even more since the Xenos affair, where he realized that it was not physical appearance that told who were good people and who were monsters.
Well, we'll probably get a good impression soon: their god is attending today's Denatus, you can ask your goddess when she returns. Eina concluded.
Hestia's familia turned when the god Thor finally stepped out of Royman's office. He walked cheerfully towards his familia and motioned for them to follow him outside where he found the rest of his members.
It's all set, children, we may officially take on the Dungeon. I'm going to go take part in the little reunion with my old friends, just to see how things are here, and formalize all this between gods. And also make sure they don't give you stupid nicknames.
That was one of the greatest pleasures of the gods, to the detriment of mortals who, for the most part, thought they had received a great honor, when most often it was a trolling contest between deities. The strict-looking humanwoman spoke up.
Lord Thor, may I go and make arrangements for our installation?
Ho! Good idea, Adriel. So take Girkas with you, it will do him good to go for a walk, he never stays still. And then Purhaan too, so she will begin to familiarize herself with the layout of the city.
Very well. She bowed and motioned for the werewolf and the hume bunny to follow her.
Vasati, take Arrauth and Viclaer and find us a nice place to have some great food.
On it! replied the cat-girl, before setting off with the half-elf and the chienthrope.
The others, keep an eye onour stuff while I have a good time with my old friends. said the god turning to the Tower, an amused smile on his face.
Higher up in the tower, inside the semi-open amphitheater where the deusdeas met for their quarterly meeting, the commotion was palpable. Except in urgent cases, the Denatus, the divine assembly, was held only once every three months. While these were always lively events, today's was even more so. Many suspected that Thor had knowingly calculated his entry into town today, so that it coincided and took them by surprise. So even though the assembly was not open yet, the conversations were lively.
Is he really coming?
How long has it been since we last saw Thor?
I wonder how his familia is?
Wasn't he on a trip?
A small example of the many questions that were currently being asked in the different groups of deities. Conversations that were interrupted when the great door was slammed open by the mighty arms of the god of thunder, who howled at the top of his lungs.
Hello there, you bunch of little girls! Guess who's coming to town!
A shattering entry for a god who had the reputation of being just as much. But quickly Thor's smile grew much more cheerful and he showed an expression of genuine joy.
My brothers and sisters! I am really happy to see you all again after all this time!
Many gods returned his salutation, because in reality no one hated Thor, he was bigmouthed, gruff, good-natured, sometimes a little hot-blooded, but everyone knew him to be honorable and very pleasant with his friends. The first to approach him was a god just as exuberant as himself, a muscular, dark-skinned man wearing a strange elephant mask.
Thor! The god called out to him.
Ganesha! You pachydermal son of a bitch! The two gods shook hands, in reverse grip, as if they were arm-wrestling. So, it seems you've become a big cheese around here, public safety, yada yada!
Of course, because after all… "I am Ganesha!" yelled the two gods in unison, before bursting into a frank laugh, showing a certain complicity and great respect between them.
I'm really glad to see you again Thor, are you going to settle in?
It's the the idea, yes.
The two exchanged a pat on the shoulder and the colossus continued on his way, the next to come to him was Takemikazuchi, to whom he held out his hand for a warriors handshake.
Take! Old pal! It's good to see you here!
Both were gods of war and lightning, so symbolically they were close, which led to great respect between them. Even though they couldn't demonstrate their martial skills in the Gekai, both remained warriors and respected each other as such. The tall fellow then noticed the man in the simple tunic beside him.
Miach! You still need to build up your muscles I see! He shouted at him, giving him a frank, friendly slap on the shoulder. The healing god said nothing and replied with a tight smile, convinced that his colossal counterpart had just dislocated his shoulder.
Well, we can say that you always know how to make things noisy big guy. A voice said behind them, which revealed to belong to Hermes, the wandering god.
Hermes! Old scoundrel, it's nice to see you! As he spoke, he approached the blond god and put his arm around his neck to hug him, like old friends. And when they were close enough not to be heard, Thor whispered so that only Hermes could hear him. Still doing Ouranos's dirty work?
The wandering god answered him with a knowing smile. Thor readily passed for a loud-mouthed brute, but some knew he was way smarter than that. Acting as if nothing had happened, he let go and walked over to two goddesses a little further away, grabbing the attention of a certain one-eyed flamboyant hair goddess.
Hepha! My favorite redhead smith! So? It seems that business is going brilliantly? said the big burlygod, taking her hand for a surprisingly delicate hand kiss, which the goddess accepted graciously with a smile. Out of modesty, and in order not to alienate such a craftswoman, many said nothing to her, but Hephaestus was all the same ostracized by her own kind for having the misfortune of being tainted with a physical deformity, where as the gods were supposed have perfect bodies. But Thor was one of the few who had never judged her that way, always appreciated her as a blacksmith and as a person.
They're going better than ever Thor. I hope your familia will become a regular customer of mine.
And it will be with great pleasure!
He then turned to the second goddess, a voluptuous beauty with developed forms and honey-colored hair, to whom he offered the same treatment.
Demeter! My beauty, you are still… very good at growing melons.
The goddess gave a small amused laugh and offered him a smile as tender as it was sincere.
Ha! Thor, I missed your goofy humor.
The god left the two goddesses and began to look for someone in the assembly.
Well! Where are my two little favorites hiding?
And during this time, Hestia and Loki, although both present, tried to make themselves as small as possible. But that was not enough to allow them to pass under the radar of the colossus who walked towards them.
Loki! Hestia! My cute little girls!
He grabbed one under each arm and lifted them as if they weighed nothing.
If you only knew how Uncle is happy to find you! As he spoke, he hugged them, with a clearly fatherly tone and demeanor, under the amused looks of the other gods who watched them struggle with the big god.
Raaaah! Let us go Thor! Loki said with as much embarrassment as annoyance in his voice.
Ho! Do you want to sit on uncle's knees like when you were little?
" Shut up !" Cried the two goddesses, each as red with embarrassment as the other. Finally, he released them and put his hands on their heads, to pet them like children.
Ha children! Let a few millennia go by and you no longer recognize them. Still arguing, I bet? You know that everyone has guessed for a long time that you actually love each other.
" Hell no! I hate that shorty/flatty!" They said again in unison, pointing to each other, causing the god of thunder to laugh out loud.
Heard you've been successful lately Loki, hope that doesn't go to your head too much.
Surprisingly, the red-haired goddess just blushed and turned her head, pouting like a child.
Ho Hestia! I heard you finally got seriously into business too. Besides, I ran into Apollo some time ago after your little setbacks. I even smashed his face for you! he said with another amused laugh.
Really? Said the little goddess, who strangely wasn't going to cry over the plight of that narcissistic jerk. You're the best! She then jumped to his neck, like a child giving him a big hug.
The scene might seem surreal to some, but others knew very well that there was a deep and ancient connection between Thor, Hestia and Loki. And also that the god of thunder considered the two little goddesses as his daughters. The bond they maintained would invariably change certain power struggles.
Outside, in the great plaza at the foot of Babel, the members of Thor's familia who had no assigned work waited quietly, each in their own way. The white-haired palum then approached Mei, the human girl who seemed to be in charge.
Where does the Denatus take place?
If I have been well informed ... over there. She said, pointing to a point on the large tower in front of them.
Do you think it's going well?
Well, I haven't seen anyone go through the window yet, so for now, we're going to have to assume it's okay.
From the time she had been traveling with her god, she knew very well that anything was to be expected with him, especially quite a few disasters and other situations where breaking some teeth was required. But that was how they had been able to rack up so much Excelia, even without the Dungeon. Now it only remained to be seen how the city gods would welcome theirs.
