Chapter 20: Time for tears

In a dark room, a cry of pain tore through the silence. A white-robed man screamed as the veiled goddess pressed her foot to his throat, clearly intending to cause him pain. Her face may have been hidden, but everyone in the room could feel her anger.

You idiots, how can you show such blatant incompetence? she said, pressing her foot down a little harder, while no one else present dared to flinch.

My plan had worked perfectly. Thor's weakest children were isolated without that idiot suspecting anything. I have served you a golden opportunity on a silver plate.

She lifted her foot and slammed the poor man's face to the ground before taking a few steps to grab a leather whip from the nearby table.

But not only that, you haven't been able to get three poor Level 1s to talk...

She punctuated her words by punching another person in the face.

And on top of that, you let three defenseless goddesses escape, one of them just a kid, when only one of them could have been a formidable leverage.

And she hit someone else again. Yet despite her anger, her voice remained cold and strangely calm.

And then you're surprised that a single level four elf was able to wipe out most of your organisation five years ago? Or that Loki is still beating the crap out of you?

She threw her whip to the ground and let out a long sigh.

Well, what's done is done. Let's turn to our next move. What's the status of the Demi-spirit?

It... It's going to be several more days before... began one of the white-clad figures who spoke in a female voice. The young woman did not finish her sentence when she felt the hand of the goddess pass under her veil to caress her face.

The goddess' gesture was soft, delicate, almost sensual, yet it terrified her. Her body trembled slightly, she was unable to speak and she felt that her bladder could betray her at any moment. Finally, she managed to articulate a few words again.

We'll... We'll do what's necessary, it will be ready in two days.

Good.

The goddess withdrew her hand and the young woman left quickly without asking for help. She sat back down at her table and spoke again.

Go and prepare the next bait, it's time for a more direct confrontation.

Two men in white bowed and left quickly. The silence of the room was interrupted by a male snicker, that of a thin man sitting in the corner of the room.

What about me? When can I finally have some fun? he asked in his laughing voice.

When I tell you. Don't forget that what I gave you, I can take back...

You're a killjoy... But I'll wait. He concluded his sentence by getting up and leaving the place too.

Another pawn, one more that she would sacrifice without batting an eyelid. This kind of person was even easier for her to manipulate than the old alchemist. Her only regret was that she did not have the pleasure of seeing his face when he realised that he had been tricked.

Well, let's see how you react to this, Thor.


Two days had passed since the attack on Galleon's lair and the murder of Girkas, Arrauth and Viclaer. Contrary to what many had feared, Thor had remained strangely calm and quiet. No outbursts of anger, no tantrums, and half the city had not been wiped out by his arcanum.

No, once he had mourned his sons and given some instructions, he locked himself in his office and did not come out for a long time. The other familia members were shocked and devoted themselves to cleaning and repairing their house to take their minds off the situation. Mei was the one who felt the worst, as captain she felt she had failed to see what was coming. The others had tried to comfort her by telling her that no one had seen it coming, but that didn't ease her pain or her guilt.

Hestia, feeling bad to see her father at heart in this state, had wanted to stay and help them, and neither Bell nor the others had refused, in solidarity with their new friends' pain.

When Loki heard the news, it was already over. But the Trickster did not come to see the god of thunder. She hadn't been there for him and felt bad about going to see him as if nothing had happened. Anyway, she had a vague intuition of who had done it and she already knew that Thor would come to her soon.

However, Aiz had made the trip, because she felt more worried about Mei than she thought.

The two young women met discreetly. When they saw each other, no words were exchanged, the shivat girl simply approached her friend, before resting her forehead on her shoulder and letting her tears flow. The blonde, a little hesitant, simply raised her hand to caress her head affectionately. There was nothing to say, because no words could change the situation.

Aiz had experienced loss in her familia before and the feeling that went with it, but seeing how it affected Mei made her realise how deeply Thor's children shared a bond and how much this loss hurt them.


The day after, in the late afternoon, the familia was waiting outside the large gates leading to the garden of the residence. The gates opened to let three people through.

The man leading this little trio had a particular presence. He was of medium height, slim, but very athletic. His skin was naturally tanned and his black hair surrounded golden eyes, which were highlighted by black make-up. The man wore wide black trousers and a long, sleeveless, midnight-blue jacket decorated with gold threads, which covered his bare chest adorned with gold jewellery. His jacket also had a hood pulled down over his head, which was itself adorned with two large pointed ears.

The two people following him wore similar outfits, though less ornate than his. It was the leading man who broke the silence by addressing Thor.

I have finished preparing your children for their final journey according to your wishes.

Thank you for your work Anubis. he said simply, handing a small pouch of valis to one of the assistants.

Please accept my condolences for their death and wish you well in the future, hoping that you will not need the services of my familia any time soon.

And with these words he withdrew in silence.


Anubis, the embalmer god, was the head of a very special familia, whose members were often referred to as 'the Dungeon Gravediggers', having the dual status of familia of service and exploration.

The terrible underground may have offered wealth, glory and power, but it regularly demanded its share of victims. Bringing the corpses of dead adventurers to the surface was often complicated, if there was anything left to bring back. The familia of Anubis had become specialists in this sad but necessary task. They knew how to do it, how to identify potential memories, and regularly worked with the Guild on this job.

As for the members of the familia who did not go down to the Dungeon, they worked with the god to prepare the bodies and the funeral ceremonies. Making a corpse in pieces suitable for a funeral was no mean feat. Not to mention that between the different cultures and species living in the Gekai, funeral rites could be very diverse. But Anubis knew them all and always knew what to do. That was his sad privilege.

The familia naturally had a gloomy reputation and no one normally entered it, not even young adventurers. Almost all of its members were converts, very frequently adventurers who had been too close to death. It was rare for a god to refuse the transfer of one of his children to the Anubis familia.

And it was naturally that Thor had called upon him to prepare the bodies of Arrauth, Girkas and Viclaer.


When they were all able to go into the garden, the bodies of the three young men were there, laid on funeral pyres covered with white flowers. They were lying on their backs with their hands clasped to their chests. Each of them wore his adventurer's clothing and weapons.

Thor was a god of Asgardian culture, for him burial by flame was the only dignified way for warriors who died bravely in battle. As soon as night fell, his three sons would return to the dust.

The three young men had a peaceful look on their faces. Anubis had really done an exceptional job, for even the traces of torture they had suffered were hardly visible anymore.

Thor's children were all wearing mourning clothes, for tonight was the time of tears. Hestia, Bell and the others had also come. The little goddess had undone her twintails and wore a black veil on her head, while the others were simply dressed in black.

Bell had never lost anyone in his familia before, so he wasn't sure what to say, but he could sympathise with their pain, Hestia's children shared a bond as strong as Thor's. Like the others, he was silent and respectful.

Thor had spread the word around the neighbourhood that his sons had died and that the funeral would be tonight. In the months they had been here, each of them had met people from the town and developed their own friendships outside the familia. So the three departed had a few visitors.

It was children who came for Girkas the werewolf. With his playfulness, he had quite naturally befriended all the kids in the neighbourhood and many of them came to mourn this noisy, but very nice big brother.

Not too surprisingly, for Viclaer, the chienthrope, it was young women who came to mourn him. This eternal seducer had wasted no time in making a few "friends" in town.

Arrauth, the half elf, due to his colder and more introverted character, had no friends outside the familia. Yet even he received a visit, and probably one of the most unexpected. The one who came for him was a beautiful elf with long, wavy golden hair. It was Alicia, one of the members of Loki's familia. As she approached Arrauth's body, she looked sad.

I must admit to being surprised. I didn't know he had made such a friend. Thor simply said.

Some time ago, someone told me that I should be careful how I judge people, especially when I know nothing about them. Said the elf, more or less quoting Ygannea's words against her. I then took it upon myself to come back to Arrauth and apologise. Then we started to sympathise and we saw each other a couple of times.

Were you...

No. Well, I don't know. In time, who knows how our feelings would have evolved. I'll never know in the end.

Alicia tried to remain stoic, but her voice betrayed the fact that she was ready to burst into tears at any moment. If for some, love was love at first sight or a blazing inferno. For others, it was like a house that was patiently built stone by stone.

The beautiful elf then approached Arrauth and to everyone's surprise, she leaned over and placed a fleeting kiss on the half elf's cold lips.

Be at peace, my friend. she whispered. Our souls will meet again one day.

Thor felt a slight weight lift from his shoulders as he saw that even Arrauth had been able to forge a true bond after all he had endured. Alicia started to walk away, but stopped for just a moment at the colossus.

My goddess has me tell you that she sends her condolences and awaits your visit, you may come to her anytime.

Tell her that I thank her and that I will come shortly.

The blonde elf said nothing more, bowed and left to go and mourn in a more private place.


When all those who had come to greet the three had finished, Thor approached them. First, he walked over to the red-haired werewolf and put a fatherly hand on his face.

Girkas. You were full of life, sometimes overexcited, hotheaded and not always the smartest. But you were a good boy, brave and sincere. You aspired to nothing more than to become a man who could be proud of his achievements. You were a brave man and you left us as a brave man.

The rest of the familia remained in mournful silence as Thor continued to repeat the same ritual near Viclaer's remains, which were partly hidden under his thick shield.

Viclaer. Some would say that you were perhaps a little too fond of women. But no matter how seductive you were, you never acted like a cad and you knew how to be a gentleman. As your shield shows, you wanted to be the protector of your brothers and sisters. And it is as a protector that you have left us, a most noble end.

Then he approached the half elf. Even though the latter had only been part of the familia for less than a year, to everyone he was as dear to their hearts as if they had known him for years.

Arrauth. My poor boy, life has not been kind to you. I promised you a better one and I only led you to your own death. You who have suffered so much, may you finally find peace.

Night had fallen, it was time for the last farewell. Silently Hestia came forward. The goddess came to Thor and smiled tenderly before stepping forward again. She formed a cup with her hands and a flame appeared in it. Gently she blew on it and the flame flew up, divided into three and went to set fire to the three funeral pyres.

The flame of the goddess of the hearth was a flame of compassion, one that would consume everything, their pain and their regrets, along with their flesh. It was a slight transgression, a very minor use of her arcanum, but many gods played with the lines, and Ouranos would be a hypocrite to punish her for all he was letting Freya get away with.

Hestia took her foster father's hand and stood in silence beside him. For many minutes they all prayed that the three young men would find peace in the afterlife.


After a few long moments, Thor thanked Hestia for her gesture and waved her back. A cold anger shone in his eyes as he turned to his children.

Girkas, Arrauth and Viclaer have left us. We have mourned them and sent them away with dignity. Dry your tears my children, for the time for tears has ended. Now is the time for blood.

The god of thunder turned around and in front of the funeral pyre of his three sons, he raised his head to the sky and shouted at the top of his lungs.

CAN YOU HEAR ME? YOU WHO HAVE COMMITTED THIS CRIME! YOU WANT TO MAKE WAR WITH THOR, GOD OF THUNDER? SO BE IT! YOU'LL HAVE WAR! YOU HAVE MURDERED MY SONS, THIS INFAMY WILL BE PAID IN BLOOD!

The colossal deusdea then took a deep breath and let out a mighty cry to the sky. Except that this was no mere howl, it was the war cry of a god of war, the call for blood.

Some gods had special abilities that were not related to their arcanum, but inherent in their very nature. Goddesses of beauty had their charms and gods of war like Thor had that howl. More than just a scream, it was a mental shockwave that reverberated through the city and beyond.

Only the other gods and those with his blessing could feel it. And on this night, all would feel it.


Thor's battle cry was felt differently by each god. It had the greatest impact on those gods who were Asgardians like him or who were also warrior deities. For the others, it gave them a mere shudder, an uneasy feeling that quickly dissipated.


For Hestia, who was right next to him, it was a great sadness, for her emotional connection with Thor allowed her to feel the infinite sadness hidden beneath the anger. The little goddess of the home could not hold back a tear in response to her foster father's pain.


Astraea did not feel better. For her, who was a goddess of justice, Thor's war cry meant revenge, the opposite of her ideals. But she herself felt anger at this savage murder, which reminded her of the near extermination of her familia. And she did agree that the three young men deserved justice.

Unperturbed, sitting on his throne in the heart of the Guild, Ouranos opened his eyes when he felt the psychic wave of the thunder god's divine cry. Although he was symbolically far removed from Thor, his prominent position made him sensitive to such events. In a weary tone, the god said only one thing.

This city has a hard time finding peace.


In the arena of the Ganesha familia, the elephant god was watching his children train. Shakti, at his side, perceived the sudden change of attitude in her lord. Even with his elephant mask covering more than half his face, she could tell his mood by the expressions on his mouth. And then she realised that he was in his serious mode.

Shakti, get the message out to everyone to get ready, a terrible storm is coming.

Prepare for what?

As always, to protect the population from potential collateral damage.

Ganesha was not fundamentally a warrior god, but as the protector of the people, he felt everything that could threaten them directly or indirectly. So Thor's war cry did not bode well for him.


Even though he was not an Asgardian, Takemikazuchi was both a warrior god and a god of thunder, so he felt Thor's battle cry fully, for it touched his divine essence.

Thor...

He too felt the sudden call of war, but he wouldn't answer it, his priority would remain to keep his familia out of this affair, hoping that Mikoto wouldn't get caught in the crossfire.


Thor's battle cry also carried outside the city, but only one god felt it. Rakia remained relatively close to the city of the Dungeon and Ares was a pure god of war. While he was still grumbling about the last beating he had taken at the city gates, he felt the distant echo of the call of blood and managed to identify its source. He laughed in amusement and stood up.

And they'd call me a fool, when there's someone dumb enough to really enrage Thor.

Ares knew that Thor was far more rational than he was, but he himself shuddered slightly at the thought of angering the colossus, there were dragons best left sleeping.


Being an Asgardian, and related to Thor, Loki felt the full force of her adoptive father's battle cry and she shuddered, aware of what it implied. Finn, sitting at his desk, noticed his goddess' confusion.

Something wrong, Loki?

Thor's coming soon. And this time it won't be a social visit.

The pallum said nothing, but he could feel his thumb throbbing, the usual sign of imminent disaster.


But if there was one person in town who felt Thor's battle cry with great magnitude, it was Freya. She was an Asgardian goddess, and as queen of the valkyries, she was also a warrior goddess. The two, despite their differences, were symbolically very close deities in some ways.

Deep inside her, she felt her warrior side suddenly awaken. She felt the full call of blood, the will to fight and crush her enemies. She felt excited at the idea of taking up arms and quenching her warrior's thirst in a violent and fantastic battle.

Then Freya took a deep breath and gradually regained control of herself. She silenced the warrior in her and focused on what she had chosen to be in this life, a goddess of beauty and love.

And no one knew why, at the same time, Horn suddenly had a rage crisis and slapped Allen across the face.

Ottar... she called in a small voice to her captain who came to her side.

Yes my goddess?

Did you... do everything I asked you?

Yes, he answered as soberly as usual.

Well, then, prepare what is needed... And let Horn know to come and see me immediately...

At once.

And the level 7 colossus left without a word. Right now, Freya wished Bell were with her, so she could cuddle him, lose herself in his arms, flood herself with his love to silence the call for war and blood that continued to pulse somewhere in the back of her mind. But she would have to be satisfied with Horn for that.


In the gardens of Thor's house, his children, bound to him by the falna, could also feel the full force of the call for war and blood. Even the gentlest of them felt in the back of their minds a desire for justice, a desire to make those who had cowardly murdered their three companions pay. This would not turn them into raving berserkers, but it would give them the determination to see it through.

As the funeral pyre continued to burn brightly, Mei approached her god with a new resolve in her eyes and spoke.

We will find those who did this and all will pay for the death of our brothers.

Though silent, all the other children of Thor bore the same determination in their eyes.

One by one, they approached the pyre and gave a final bow to their brothers who had left too soon before retreating into the house. Mei was the last to go. As soon as Thor was alone, Astraea approached him and took his hand, the worry in her eyes clearly visible.

Thor, I beg you, do not let yourself be carried away. Justice and revenge are not the same thing. Your children deserve justice, but don't let yourself be drawn into a spiral of violence, nothing good can come of it. I have seen it... too well.

Ryuu remained silent and lowered her eyes to the ground. She was a perfect example of this, she had once forsaken justice for brutal revenge, drowning in streams of blood. And that had never really appeased her. If Syr had not found her and done everything to give her back a taste for life, she would have died long ago, her heart dried up of all emotion.

The god of thunder raised a hand and gently caressed the face of the goddess of justice, offering her a smile of great tenderness.

Your concern is touching, Astraea, but I can't back down. After all, this is my true nature, I can neither forget nor forgive what has been done to my sons. For me, it is a blood debt that their murderers owe me.

That's wrong... the goddess put her hand on Thor's and pressed her face a little more against it. Your nature is to be an honourable warrior and a god full of life, not the thick brute you are made out to be.

Hestia watched the scene silently. Seeing the way the goddess of justice did it, she began to wonder if there was more than just respect and a debt of honour between them. Without a word, Thor withdrew his hand and stepped back, he then spoke again towards the two goddesses.

Astraea, Hestia, you have helped me a lot and I thank you for that, but this time it's going to get really dirty and I don't want you to get involved anymore. I know you would like to help me, but I refuse to ask you for more. Astraea, you have to rebuild your familia, we don't want the name of The Gale to get mixed up in revenge stories again.

Thor's words rang unpleasantly true for the brown goddess. Her situation was still precarious and even if Ryuu had been freed from her criminal status, her name would never be truly cleared.

Hestia, you have given much, more than I could have asked of you. I dragged you into my affairs and unwittingly broke some of Bell's innocence. This time, it's better that your familia stays out of it.

Bell wanted to protest, to tell the colossus that he didn't blame him, that he wasn't responsible for what happened. But Hestia took his hand, and when he met the gaze of his goddess, he could not find the strength to utter a word.

I understand. But I will always be there for you in your time of need, as you have been for me for centuries. I'll leave you alone tonight, but I'll come back to see you in the morning.

The goddess paid her last respects to the departed, urging her familia to do the same, then withdrew with her children.


Ironically, it was perhaps Ryuu who best understood what state of mind the god of thunder might be in at the moment. And she also knew that nothing could dissuade him, she herself had been through this state. But that didn't mean she was going to abandon him or his familia. They were the ones who had protected her goddess, allowed her to return to the city and restore her familia. They were the ones who had made sure that her name was cleared and her true freedom restored. Despite the strange circumstances, it was Mei who had found the words to help the elf get better after Syr's revelation. All she could do was to be ready when the time came. The easiest thing would be to make arrangements with the Hestia familia.

The elf warrior simply took her goddess' hand and guided her towards the exit. As the goddess Hestia had said, it was best to leave Thor alone for tonight.

Thor stood silently before the pyre of his sons. To an immortal like him, mortal life was like a spark, but the memory of his sons would remain eternal. The dead could not, and should not, come back to life. But those who died unjustly could be avenged. His divine nature meant that he could technically do without sleep, so the colossus spent the night in absolute silence, standing in front of the funeral pyre of his three children, whose crackling was the only sound to be heard in the night.


The next morning, when the deusdea finally returned to his home, he went back to the great hall that still bore some traces of the clashes that had taken place here. His children were all there, waiting for his orders.

However, they were surprised by the sudden arrival of Hestia and Astraea, accompanied by their children. With sadness, he had forgotten that his adopted daughter had told him that she was planning to come back. The god approached the two goddesses and spoke.

It is kind of you to come, but as I told you, I do not wish to involve you in my affairs. I have already asked too much of you.

It was Hestia who approached him and replied in the same serious tone.

As you wish Thor, but if you feel you owe me, then I would simply like you to tell me everything. Just before... well... your child mentioned an island. Those who attacked us, what did they want?

Hestia wasn't too happy about asking this, but she couldn't let it go. There was something bigger behind it, she could feel it. Thor let out a long, weary sigh, then looked at his children. Mei nodded in response. After all this time, they could trust them.

Have you ever heard any rumours about talking monsters?

And all he got in response was the little goddess' suddenly wide eyes.