I do not own Familia Myth or any of the characters.
War Zone
Ethan opened the doors to the church, only to stop, seeing the Apollo Familia lining the roofs before him. Behind him, Bell, who'd been about to head for the Dungeon, was likewise frozen in place. Without a word, a male elf in front wearing a green shirt, brown pants, and a red scarf raised a hand and Ethan stepped back, pulling the doors closed. Then, he spun, grabbing Bell and Hestia under his arms as his eyes turned red and he leapt across the room to the far window, kicking it to shatter it before they passed through, Ethan careful to make sure the falling glass hit his back rather than either of the other two. A second after they were through, the entire church erupted into an explosion.
"Are you both alright?" Ethan asked, reaching back and pulling the three jagged pieces of glass out of his back before healing himself.
"Yes," Bell said. "Goddess?"
"I'm fine," Hestia said, glaring at the burning church. "That Apollo decided to just start smashing up our place!"
"Is this..." Bell trailed off.
"An attack by the Apollo Familia, just as I predicted," Ethan said.
"Curse him!" Hestia spat. "How could he do this to me and Bell's love nest!?"
"I'll hold this group off," Ethan said. ":Bell, protect our goddess."
"Right!" Bell nodded, just as several Apollo Familia members landed on the roof of the buildings around the church. "Don't kill them!"
"Right!" Hestia agreed. "No killing!"
"I'll do my best," Ethan said, just as two of the members leapt at him, one with a pair of war axes and the other with a pair of swords, only for Ethan to slash both across the gut, dropping them into the street behind him.
A moment later, the smoke from the church finally billowed enough to cover Bell and Hestia's retreat and they both took off. After a moment, a male cat-person raised a magic dagger, which glowed green, and a strong gust of wind cleared the smoke, revealing only Ethan remaining.
"They ran while the smoke covered them, huh?" a second male cat-person beside him asked.
"Looks like they left one to cover their retreat," the first said. "I think we can take him easily enough."
"Right," the second nodded. "It's only one guy, after all. Take him down! The others will find the white-haired boy and the goddess!"
Ethan narrowed his red eyes as the Apollo Familia leapt at him. After a moment, he took off, leaping to the wall to his left, then into the air, punching, kicking, and slashing his way through the Familia members rapidly, not killing any but incapacitating them all. Finally, he flipped, landing on the remains of the church's front wall, glaring at the spell casters and the elf in charge of them.
"Ethan," the elf said.
"Lissos," Ethan nodded. "I would strongly advise to you go the fuck away, but since you helped Hyakinthos beat me before I was banished, I welcome you to attack."
Lissos raised his arm again and the spell casters behind him all quickly prepared their spells. Then, he swung his arm forward and Ethan smirked, leaping forward over the rain of fireballs. Lissos drew a scimitar and leapt forward to meet him, only for him to deflect the sword and flip, slamming a downward roundhouse kick into his shoulder, sending him exploding into the street. As he landed on the roof Lissos had just vacated, the spell casters all fired again. However, Ethan once again easily avoided it and made short work of them, as none of them were good at close-range fighting. Once he was finished, he looked around before turning and sprinting along the rooftops of the crowded city toward where he could hear fighting. He passed several unconscious Apollo Familia members one the way where it looked like there was an explosion. After another moment, he dropped into a street only to stop as he saw Daphne and Cassandra. Both stopped, watching him and he sighed, turning to them.
"I don't want to fight you two," Ethan said. "But I won't allow you to continue attacking Bell and Hestia. Please, just walk away. You both know what it's like. You don't have to help."
"Daphne, we should listen to him," Cassandra said. "Please."
"He's only a level one," Daphne said.
"Look at his eyes," Cassandra said. "It's the same red eyes as the shield from my dream, the one the rabbit used to destroy the sun."
"So you had another vision?" Ethan asked. "Good. Then you should know to stay away from us. Please, walk away."
"Daphne, please," Cassandra said.
"No," Daphne said. "I can beat some level one."
She reached for a throwing knife and Ethan shot forward, reaching her in time to catch her wrist, drilling his other fist into her gut to knock her out, then set her down gently.
"Look after her, Cassandra," Ethan said, Cassandra nodding. "Thank you."
He turned, running off again. This time, he finally caught up with them, just as Hyakinthos split Bell diagonally up the torso from Bell's right hip to his left shoulder. Bell flew backward, other, more shallow gashes and cuts covering his arms, legs, and his right cheek. Ethan shot forward instantly, slashing at Hyakinthos and forcing him to block Ethan's saber using his own red-bladed sword, his blade curving forward and back as it extended, making for a very nasty gash when it landed. Hyakinthos grinned and shoved Ethan's sword away, moving to slash, only for Ethan to spin around it, slashing and carving a scratch into Hyakinthos's cheek. Hyakinthos leapt away, glaring at Ethan.
"Well, it seems you actually have improved," Hyakinthos said. "With a sword, you're actually a threat."
"You hurt my Familia," Ethan growled. "I'll kill you. You won't touch them again."
"Oh you think this is bad?" Hyakinthos asked, grinning widely. "Just wait. Once I get my hands on Anya again..." he grinned wickedly. "By the time I'm done, she'll be begging me for more."
Ethan roared in rage, lunging and slashing rapidly, but his rage was overpowering even his desire to protect Anya. His eyes faded to brown again and Hyakinthos batted his sword aside and split him across the side, nearly splitting him to his spine. Ethan staggered past him before collapsing.
Hyakinthos grinned. "I'm sure Lord Apollo would forgive me if you died."
He turned away from him as Ethan struggled to focus enough to heal himself. Hyakinthos turned to Bell, only to leap backward as several arrows stabbed into the ground. He looked over at a tower, Ethan's eyes rising to it as well, but his vision was too blurry to make out who it was. They fired several more arrows at Hyakinthos, making him retreat behind the corner of a building as Hestia helped Bell limp away.
"Can you move Ethan?" Hestia asked.
"In...a second," Ethan choked out, barely able to breath. "Just...go!"
Hestia nodded, hurrying away with Bell as Ethan felt his control over his magic starting to slip. What a way to go. As his vision began to blur further, someone in a green dress knelt beside him, almost instantly casting a healing spell on him. His wound shrank to little more than a deep scratch and he blinked several times to sharpen his vision before looking up at Ryuu.
"Perfect timing," Ethan smiled. "As always."
Ryuu nodded, pulling him up before they began to run after Bell and Hestia. Within a couple of minutes, they reached a back alley where Mikoto, Ouka, and Chigusa were finishing a fight with Lissos and two others. Just as they stepped into the alleyway, they knocked the three Apollo Familia members out.
"Thanks for the help," Ethan said.
"We can't ignore our friends," Mikoto said. "Are you alright? You're hurt."
"I'm fine now," Ethan said. "Which way did they go?"
"That way," Ouka said, pointing."
Ethan nodded and turned, running the way they had said. He found Welf alone fighting against a large bear-man in a green shirt, but as Ethan drilled a fist into his face and dropped him, he saw the crest of the Soma Familia on the man's shoulder. He shook his head. He didn't have time to worry about it.
"Which way?" Ethan asked.
"North!" Welf said.
Ethan nodded and turned, running North. He glanced at Ryuu and Welf as they ran. "We need to split up! I'll take the river, you two spread into the city. They're probably hiding right now."
Both nodded and turned left at the next intersection while Ethan headed for the river.
"Can you hear me, Bell Cranel!?" Hyakinthos shouted from a roof off to one side. "No matter where you hide, we'll keep chasing! It doesn't matter if you survive this one time! We'll keep chasing you! Here on the surface, and in the Dungeon too! You'll never have a moment's rest!"
Hyakinthos remained where he was for another moment before dropping of the roof out of sight. Ethan began to run again once he was gone, quickly following the river. After a couple minutes, he saw a bridge up ahead, but there were Apollo Familia around it on one side, looking around. He streaked forward, rapidly taking them down before walking down under the bridge and stopping as he found them.
"I'll be happy anywhere, as long as I'm with you," Hestia said. "I'll keep running with you for your whole life, until they give up. It can be just you and me. I don't need anyone else."
"With you, goddess?" Bell breathed, neither having noticed Ethan yet.
"Bell, do you like me?" Hestia asked, holding one of Bell's hands with both of hers, Bell blushing instantly. "It's important! If you say you do, I'm willing to make the choice. I'll be able to do anything if I can believe your words. I'll be able to fight anything."
Bell's eyes widened as his blush darkened. Ethan ducked back behind the wall, feeling his chest compressing painfully.
"I like you, Bell," Hestia said. "I like you very, very much. I want to be with you forever. I don't want anybody else to have you."
"Goddess..." Bell said softly.
"Bell, what do you think about me?" Hestia asked.
Ethan moved to leave, only for his foot to slip in the mud loudly.
"They found us!" Bell said instantly.
"It's just me," Ethan said. "But they'll be here soon. We need to go."
"You jerk!" Hestia shouted, glaring at his back. "You interrupted at the most important part!"
"I'm sorry," Ethan said. "Come on."
He began to walk, risking a glance back, seeing Bell pick her up bridal style and run after him. However, after a moment, Hestia told him to turn southwest. Bell did as instructed, but Ethan stopped, staring at the ground. Southwest was toward Apollo's mansion. She was going to accept the War Game. He sighed, walking down to the canal and sat on the edge, hanging his feet in the water. That was it, then. They were going to have to defeat the entire Apollo Familia.
"Are you okay?" Ryuu asked, walking over to stand next to him.
"Hestia went to accept the War Game," Ethan said.
"I know," Ryuu said. "Welf and I met them on the way. Welf went with them. But I didn't ask about her. I asked if you're okay. What happened?"
"Just beginning to fully grasp my situation," Ethan said.
"What do you mean?" Ryuu frowned.
Ethan shook his head, sighing and pushing himself up. "I should go get ready. We're going to be drowning in Apollo Familia during the games."
Ryuu nodded, and Ethan walked back to the church. She was willing to leave with Bell. More specifically, she'd have abandoned him. He laughed humorlessly as his heart throbbed with every beat, and a cold feeling spread through him. He meant nothing to her. He was a sacrificial pawn. Nothing else. There was only room for Bell in her heart. That was why there were only two of them. One that she loved, and one to throw in the way of any strike aimed for her beloved. That's all it ever was. And yet, even as he understood, he couldn't be angry with her. He still loved her. He sighed. He was pathetic. Even after everything, he still loved her, and he was still willing to die for her. So if she needed him to die in order to protect Bell, he would. He'd do anything for her. He sighed, sitting down heavily and waiting for the others to get back.
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