Author's notes: Hello everyone. With this chapter, I'm finally catching up with the English translation on the French fic. For the rest, I'll see what I feel like doing. I'll maybe continue on Thor's story, or on the reliquary of madness, I don't know yet, I have many other projects in mind.

As a reminder, I'm translating this fic with the online tool DeepL, so the translation is never perfect. Also, you might notice some mistakes in the names of some characters or species, it's simply due to the fact that in the French version, they are not the same as in the English version of Danmachi and sometimes, I get confused between the two.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy reading me and I hope to get inspired again soon to continue.

Chapter 22: Chaos Theory

After all the setbacks she had experienced, the trials and tribulations she had faced after her birth and, above all, the ones she had dragged others into, Bell first, Wiene had sworn to herself that she would no longer be weak. She no longer wanted to be the little girl who was victimized and needed the protection of others. So the young xenos had asked Lyd to train her, to show her how to become strong. The lizardman set about this task. Physical training, initiation to light weapons adapted to her build, diet of magic stones. Enough for the young vouivre to be able to defeat the weakest monsters. As a result, she had just been abducted... again.

Everything had happened very quickly, Lyd had sensed something during their last migration, without really being sure. Unfortunately, he had not been able to detect the real danger in time and had been taken by surprise. Humans in white robes, led by a strange, sickly individual, but hiding an abnormal strength. Since they had cooperated with the Loki familia, they had heard of these strange people called Creatures, mortals who had put a magic stone in their bodies to obtain abnormal abilities. It was the only thing that explained this man's powers.

Now the young xenos was a prisoner and in a strange situation. She was sitting on a simple wooden stool, her legs and hands cuffed with very strong chains, probably made of adamantium. She also had a gag in her mouth, but not to prevent her from talking, probably more to prevent her from biting, her teeth were still much more dangerous than a normal little girl's.

No one had hurt her, she had simply been restrained and brought face to face with a woman whose head was hidden by a white veil. But even Wyne felt she was dealing with someone powerful. And now this strange veiled woman was... brushing her hair while humming a little tune.

The woman's gestures were gentle, she wasn't pulling her hair and even seemed to take some pleasure in taking care of the little xenos. The vouivre was completely disturbed by such an attitude.

Are you afraid, little vouivre? said the woman in a soft, almost maternal voice. Don't worry, neither you nor your curious friends interest me. I captured you to make someone move, once I finish what I have to do, you can leave.

The goddess' words sounded too good to be true, and even Wiene wasn't that naive. Though at the moment she was beginning to doubt, there was something fundamentally different about this woman, something more elusive.

If the goddess had captured Wiene, it was specifically because of her connection to Bell Cranel. She had made several assumptions about why the boy was attached to xenos in general and this little vouivre in particular. She had even thought that the boy had some special inclinations. But as she coddled Wiene to pass the time, the goddess realised that she actually had everything of the adorable little sister.

In reality, she didn't want to get anything from Bell Cranel, or even really from Hestia. The aim was simply to distract him. With notes, fake appointments and leads meticulously scattered by her servants, she simply intended to make the young man run in all directions. To what end? Simply to keep Hestia's familia apart from Thor's. The veiled goddess had carefully studied the forces at work. Bell would do anything for this little vouivre and it was likely that The Gale, close to him, would follow him in this endeavour.

In Hestia and Astraea, only those two represented a real danger. The boy was level 4, but was progressing at an abnormal speed and seemed capable of transcending himself in the worst situations. As for Gale Wind, she was now level 6 and able to act without hiding. The others, although surprising in their abilities, were still negligible once these two were removed from the equation.

And then, she had to prevent Thor from getting his hands on a key to Knossos. With Loki, it was double or nothing, but the disastrous conclusion of her meeting with Thor was in her favour. The xenos had another key, but they were probably too busy helping the rabbit find her new guest, preventing them from helping Thor. Two birds with one stone.

Thor had no way of getting into Knossos and chasing after her, even though he already knew that what he was looking for was here. She was going to let him sweat it out for a while, set a perfect trap, and when it was ready, she would lure Thor's familia out and just watch them slowly die. Everything was going perfectly.

At least she thought so, because there was always someone to act unexpectedly...

It was common knowledge that Thor liked alcohol in general, with a preference for beer and mead. Tea wasn't really his thing. And yet, it was tea that he was drinking, at the table of a tea house whose class contrasted with his usual style. Yet it wasn't the fact that he didn't have access to one of his favourite drinks that was putting his nerves on edge in this case.

Honestly, I'm not sure what I'm doing here. began the god of thunder in an irritated tone. You must know that you're one of the last people I want to see right now, Freya.

Indeed, in front of him, in this private room, stood the goddess of beauty, adorned with her sensual and delicate presence, enjoying her tea.

I know. But if you accepted my invitation, it's because you know that I would never have asked you for this interview without a very good reason.

I thought I had told you that I considered our affairs to be settled after the holmgang.

And I recognised the outcome of the duel. Our affairs on this subject are no longer relevant. No, I just told you about your recent troubles, the ones that forced you to shout your war cry, the one that came to tickle my valkyrie queen instincts.

If you've just come to tell me that you had nothing to do with all this... began the colossus, increasingly annoyed by this conversation.

Of course not, I have nothing to justify myself. The ones who attacked your familia and killed your children, you already know who they are, the Evilus. But do you know that their hideout...

...is an artificial labyrinth built under the city around the Dungeon, Knossos. Yes, I have my sources and I'm not that far off the mark.

Ho! said the goddess with a little amused look. In that case, you already know that you won't be able to enter this place without a special key. Very rare keys. Loki has one, but after your little talk, she won't help you...

Get to the fucking point, Freya, the god cut her off, not wanting to play this game.

The goddess answered nothing and placed on the table a strange orb resembling an eye with a D engraved on it.

A key to Knossos? asked the god of thunder.

Exactly. And we both know you need it.

I thought they were very rare, where did you find this one?

The goddess laughed amusedly before answering him.

Come on Thor, don't underestimate me, I have my ways. She said with a little air of mystery, attesting that she would not say more about the origin of her key. But the most important thing is that I am ready to entrust this key to you.

And all this in a purely generous spirit? Thor answered cynically.

Of course not. Even I wouldn't try to make you swallow such a crude lie.

So let's get down to business. What do you want me to do in exchange for this key?

Thor was not at all pleased. The solution came from the last person he wanted to help. And Freya was capable of asking him anything. She had the perfect opportunity to take revenge for the humiliations she had suffered.

Quite the opposite Thor, I wish you would refrain from doing anything. To put it simply, I have... plans, which are about to be set in motion and which will finally enable me to obtain what I have desired for so long. Plans that have nothing to do with you or your familia. When I make my move, I want your word of honour that you won't interfere.

Freya's words contained a shadowy quality, and Thor tried to read between the lines to understand.

It may not concern me directly, but if you ask me not to interfere, it will concern people close to me. Who does it concern? Loki? Hestia? Astraea? Do you think I'll let you hurt them?

And I don't want to hurt anyone, Thor. I just want to get what's most precious to me. I've already planned everything so that it will be done quickly and with a minimum of confrontation. No one will die, I promise you that. There may be a bit of damage, but nothing that can't be fixed.

Fucking obsessive freak. He replied with a voice that betrayed his irritation.

Think carefully Thor, it's not much I'm asking of you. In exchange, I'll give you the means to catch those responsible for the death of your children. Didn't you swear an oath to avenge them, to make their killers pay the price of blood?

Freya was herself of Asgardian culture, so she knew very well how to talk to him and what levers to use with him, especially in such circumstances.

And to avenge my sons, I should make a pact with a demon? Well, I'm sure you could pose as a succubus without any trouble.

How rude... I have more class than a common succubus.

Despite the provocations, Freya did her best to remain stoic. Enduring a few insults from Thor was a small price to pay for his non-intervention when she finally claimed Bell.

Anyway, never mind. You can taunt me all you want Thor, the fact is I'm the only one who can really help you right now. So choose wisely.

In this story, having the upper hand on Thor also gave the goddess a little guilty pleasure, it was fair game after all. The god of thunder remained silent for a long moment, watching the key to Knossos. Closing his eyes, he only saw the smiling faces of Arrauth, Girkas and Viclaer. Something he would never see again...

For his part, Bell hadn't had time to worry about what was going on with Thor. Since the murder of the three children of the god of thunder, Astraea and Ryuu were now living at Hestia's house and the two familias were too busy looking for Wyne. Yet it was impossible to find her. The kidnappers had set a meeting for them, they had gone there prepared for a trap, but no one came.

Faced with this strange behaviour, they had gone down to the Dungeon to find Lyd and the other xenos, in the hope that they would have a lead to explore. The lizardman was recovering from his wounds in one of the Dungeon's hiding places, as were the other xenos present at the time.

Sorry, Belluchi, this guy took us totally by surprise.

Don't worry Lyd, the main thing is that you're okay. They only took Wynn?

Yeah, I think that was their plan all along. Their methods were different from the hunters who were after us back in Dix's days. And the man leading them, he was... different.

Different in what way? Lili asked as she racked her brains trying to figure out what was going on.

He wasn't just strong, I think he wasn't quite human anymore. We ran into some when we were helping Loki's familia, people who became part monster. I sensed something similar in him.

Bell and his allies stood thoughtful at these statements, they didn't understand anything at all. What were these mysterious kidnappers after? Their actions seemed to make no sense at all.

Well, what are we going to do? asked Welf, who was getting tired of this situation.

We have no choice but to find Wiene. Bell answered, worried about his little sister, whom he cared for dearly.

But we don't even know where to look. Mikoto replied, somewhat desperate about the situation.

So let's find some clues, there are bound to be some somewhere. Lili said, not willing to give up so easily. I know people, not necessarily reputable, but who may know things and Master Ekkrit showed me how to solicit part of his own network. Mistress Mikoto and Mistress Haruhime, it would be better if you returned to the manor, it is not good to leave three goddesses alone and defenseless. Besides, the kidnappers may still try to contact us. Master Welf should accompany Master Bell.

Where would you like us to go, Lili? asked the young man, who fully trusted the pallum with this kind of organisation.

If the person who attacked Master Lyd and the others is really a Creature, Loki's familia must know something. Since you're friends with Lady Aiz, maybe she'll talk to you. Or you can take your chances with Lady Tiona, since she seems to like you so much. The pallum said accusingly.

Tiona's little foray into the manor a few weeks earlier, as well as her plans to marry Bell, had more or less incurred the wrath of the majority of the female members of the familia.

Please, Lili, can we not bring this up again?

Bell himself didn't know how to deal with this and he hadn't seen Tiona since that strange incident that Riviera had come to resolve by blaming it on alcohol and a party thrown by Thor.

Give her your miserable face and I'm sure she'll tell you absolutely everything, and maybe even more if you're lucky...

The pallum received an atemi on the head from Mikoto to make her understand to refocus on the situation. It was then Ryuu who broke the awkward silence.

As for me, I'll look for my own. I have... my own network of informants. And since the return of the Astraea familia, some of them are willing to talk to me again.

Belluchi, let us help too. Lyd said.

Lyd, I'm not sure... began Bell, who didn't know how to explain it to him.

It would be better if you rested, Lili followed him. I know you're worried about Wyne, but if you attract too much attention, it will complicate things.

This annoyed Lyd and the other xenos, but they had to face the facts and agree with Lili.

It had been weeks since Ryuu had set foot in that place again, even though she was very attached to it. The Hostess of Fertility would always have a special place in her heart, even if she had found her goddess. But with all that had happened, she hadn't had time to return.

For three days Wiene's kidnappers had been running them ragged. No serious leads, fake appointments, cheap ambushes, they'd been chasing a draft all along. Nothing made sense and that made her angry. So, in an attempt to calm down, the elf had come here, to this familiar place. She was greeted by big smiles and an attempted hug from Anya, which she dodged as usual, bringing tears of despair to the cat-girl.

She could not, however, dodge Mia's big paw, which rested on her head in an affectionate manner. And when Syr jumped on her neck, she did not dodge. Even though she knew her true identity, she could not contain her joy at seeing her again. Everything was almost normal here. To celebrate her return, she was welcomed as a privileged guest and was treated to a copious and delicious meal.

More than the taste, it was the warmth of the place that she had missed. However, her concerns were well seen by Syr who, once the elf's meal was over, took her to a room. Officially, to make up for lost time.

You know Ryuu, since we've known each other for so long, I'm able to recognize all your expressions, even the most discreet ones. You, you have the face of someone who's not doing well.

It's... let's say it's complicated.

Now that she knew that Syr was Freya, she was a little hesitant to talk about internal problems with Astraea and Hestia's familias. She suspected that she must have known about the existence of xenos, but she didn't know her opinion on the subject. After a long sigh, Ryuu resolved to explain the situation in brief, omitting to mention Wyne's true nature. Syr listened attentively, smiling. Deep down, Freya was glad that she still trusted her enough to entrust her with her problems as she had in the past.

I see... Maybe... maybe you're not running in the right direction.

What do you mean?

You're running after the wind. But you can't catch the wind. If I were you, I think I'd follow the loudest thing.

Ryuu remained doubtful at her friend's words and understood that Freya was indirectly giving her a clue. But she also knew that she would not tell her more, for Syr had always liked to maintain a certain amount of mystery, even if the reason for her attitude was becoming much more logical for the time being.

However, seeing Syr again while knowing the truth brought up an uneasiness in Ryuu. Something that had been nagging at her for a while. At first she hadn't made the connection, too shocked by Freya's revelations, but some of her words came back to her mind.

Syr... there's... something else...

Hmm? I'm listening.

The other night, on the roof of the old church, when you... explained everything. You talked about your soul mate, and lately it's been nagging at me. Syr, did you mean...

But the elf couldn't finish her sentence, because Syr had approached her and put a finger on her lips to silence her. For a moment, she saw something in Syr's eyes, something more powerful, as if Freya had taken over her role for a brief moment.

Ryuu... It's still too early for us to have this conversation. Later, I promise, but not now.

The elf would have liked to protest, to push, but she also knew that it would have been useless. Syr could be incredibly stubborn when she put her mind to it. And if the subject was as important to Freya as she understood it to be, then she knew she would gain nothing by insisting. The goddess would leave her hanging with her questions.

Finally, Ryuu greeted everyone and left. Rather than speculating on what Freya wanted, she preferred to focus her thoughts on the matter at hand. As she walked, she tried to understand the clue Syr had given her.

Follow what was loudest... But what was loudest? Who or what? And finally, she began to understand that the answer lay in the 'who'. Who was the loudest that she knew of? The god Thor. But why him? Besides, he was far too busy chasing after the murderers of his children.

And then the elf suddenly stopped walking, her eyes wide open as if she had had a revelation. It was now so obvious. The two cases were linked. The elf cursed herself for not having understood earlier. All the strange behaviour of Wiene's kidnappers suddenly made sense, it was all a diversion. Very strange, but a diversion nonetheless. Divide and conquer, split Thor from his most powerful allies. She was now level 6 and Bell was a level 4 making great strides, they could influence the outcome of a fight.

It all seemed to bear the mark of the Evilus, but she couldn't be sure, for they were using methods she didn't know about. Now she had to quickly return to the manor and convince the others to change their strategy to follow Thor's actions.

From her underground lair, the veiled goddess continued her little life, waiting for the right moment to strike, playing with her new guest. A poor little vouivre who no longer understood much of what was happening to her. The mysterious goddess seemed to play with her, amusing herself by doing her hair in many ways or even making her try on cute dresses. But she never let her guard down and the xenos had no real opportunity to escape.

If the goddess had a strange and disturbing presence, the one she feared most was the skinny man who had captured her a few days earlier. His appearance hid a terrible strength and he seemed to be growing impatient. The goddess had promised him blood and he was bored. And the more he was bored, the more he looked at the vouivre with a carnivorous look.

We don't need the kid anymore. Let me play with her.

You'll stick to what I tell you. The goddess answered curtly.

Raaaaaaaa! I'm fed up, these freaks of show were cruelly lacking in willpower, it was not even a real challenge! You promised me I could have fun, so keep your damn promise!

Who do you think you are to demand anything from me? I tolerate your delusions as long as they are useful to me. But remember what happens to those who, in addition to no longer being useful to me, become annoying.

And this was not just idle talk, it was enough to see how she had had the old alchemist killed without any remorse. Their conversation was interrupted by the distant sound of a roar from the depths. Whoever it belonged to must have been a large and powerful creature. Wiene immediately shuddered. As for the goddess, she was smiling behind her veil.

Ha! It looks like everything is finally falling into place.

The goddess snapped her fingers and several people came towards her.

How is Thor doing?

Strangely quiet at the moment, he must still be looking for a way to reach us. His pet rat has been seen hanging around the gates of Knossos, but without a key...

He won't be able to do anything. she concluded. Any news from Loki?

None yet, I don't feel like she's going anywhere and she's given no sign of getting closer to Thor.

Hestia? the goddess asked next.

They're still circling and chasing the drafts. But who knows how long it will take them to figure it out.

When they do, it will be too late. She said with an amused chuckle. Wiene was usually very kind, but for once she was burning with the desire to punch this goddess and make her swallow her little giggles.

Madam, there's also this strange conversation Freya had with Thor.

Negligible. She probably tried to manipulate him to her advantage. And knowing him, he must have refused outright, he hates her far too much and is far too proud to give her the pleasure of accepting a deal with her. Begin preparations for the trap, it will soon be time to raise the curtain on the show that is about to be played.

The goddess was confident, she was sure of her plan. But it might be that confidence that would be her undoing, for even she underestimated Freya's ability to put her little spin on things.

Anyone who knew Aiz Wallenstein would say that she is usually not very talkative. However, it was not difficult to see that at the moment she was feeling very blue. Since Thor's disastrous visit, the mood was not very cheerful anyway. The girls had suggested that she go to the Dungeon to let off steam or go shopping to take her mind off things, but nothing helped. Her mind kept returning to Mei's face, where anger mixed with tears.

She had found a new friend, someone she felt comfortable with, someone she felt she could confide in. And now she found herself crossing swords with her. Why had it come to this? Was Mei going to hate her now? Aiz was a simple person, if she had a question, she needed an answer.

Loki had forbidden them to approach Thor or his familia. But after all, it wouldn't be the first time she disobeyed her...

On Thor's side, he showed more fatigue and weariness than anger. Yet, no one could be mistaken, he still wanted to make the murderers of his sons pay. But the price to be paid seemed heavier and heavier. A weight he held in the palm of his hand, an orb with a D engraved on it.

So I'll end up giving that bitch what she wants.

I'm no happier about it than you are, Father. But Arrauth, Girkas and Viclaer deserve revenge. I don't know what Freya's up to, but I'm sure if we look hard enough, we'll find a way to get in her way. Mei said, placing a hand on his fathers's.

May you be right, my daughter.

The god of thunder looked up and saw his entire familia ready to set out on their journey. He had promised the murderers blood money, and now it was time to make them pay.

Let's go my children, tonight we make the Evilus pay the price of blood.

No answer, just a dozen hard and determined looks, announcing a storm that would be of rare violence...