I do not own Familia Myth or any of the characters.
Getting Help
Ethan remained silent as Hestia bickered with Welf about needing to rescue Lili, who had apparently been taken back to the Soma Familia. She wasn't even paying attention to updating his statuses. Not that it mattered. At most, any that weren't maxed would probably only go up five points at most. But still, better safe than sorry. Finally the light faded and Hestia argued for another for moments before stepping around Ethan. Ethan stood, pulling his shirt down and sat in a chair off to the side. Bell was training with Ais, and besides Ethan and Welf, the only other people present to help them get ready for the War Game was Mikoto, Chigusa, Ouka, Naaza, and Ryuu.
Hestia and Welf eventually stopped arguing as Hestia began to explain what they knew and their plan. Her words washed over him meaninglessly. His brain managed to pick up the bare minimum information. They'd attack the Soma Familia's brewery at night. Ouka asked something, and Hestia began to talk. He caught Bell's name, and he got the feeling she was complimenting him. But he remained silent. He didn't have anything worthwhile to say anyway. Finally, Hestia stood, announcing she was off to negotiate terms with Apollo.
"Hestia," Ethan said. "We can't beat everyone at once. I'm going to give you a list of names I have a score to settle with. Using my skill, I'll be able to. And we'll be able to win if you can convince him to only send that list."
"How many?" Hestia asked.
"Seventy Five," Ethan said.
"That many!?" Welf gaped.
"The Apollo Familia has over two hundred," Ethan said. "Fighting Seventy Five of them would be a massive difference."
"That's still an awful lot for just two people," Hestia said. "Especially since I'm sure Hyakinthos will be in that list, and you're only a level one."
"Hestia," Ryuu said. "You, of all people, should know that Ethan's Guardian Heart skill more than makes up for a difference in levels."
"That's true," Hestia said. "Alright. Give me the list."
He wrote it out and held it out to her. She scanned it, then sighed, shaking her head.
"Aside from Luan, these are his strongest," Hestia said.
"Which is why he'll agree," Ethan said. "Besides, all of them are only Level two besides Hyakinthos. That'll make it simple for me and Bell together."
Hestia sighed and nodded, then left.
"Will Apollo agree?" Welf asked.
"No," Ethan said. "He knows Bell is stronger than that, and he probably knows I'm stronger than my level, too. He'll fight to have everyone in his Familia."
"Then what was the point of the list?" Mikoto asked.
"Firstly, to warn Apollo about which he'd need to have a healer on standby for," Ethan said. "Once the games start, all restraints are going to disappear. Secondly, to give Apollo a perfect opportunity to show all of the other gods just how petty he is. I'm going to take any chance I can get to drag his name through the mud."
"Like you did at the banquet," Mikoto said.
"Exactly," Ethan nodded. "Only this time there will be a lot more blood involved."
Everyone fell silent for a long while before Hestia finally returned, grimacing.
"We didn't get the list, though I suspect you knew that," Hestia said. "It worked out pretty well, though, since it gave me the chance to call him a coward and accuse him of knowing my two Familia members are stronger than seventy five of his strongest. But we ended up drawing lots for the type of battle. We got a siege. We're attacking, but since two people can't even remotely hope to have any chance of success against that many in a siege, I brought up helpers. After some protest from the other deities in favor of helpers, Apollo agreed to only one, and from a Familia outside Orario."
"Typical," Ethan grumbled. "Petty fuck. Whatever. Let's go save Lili, then figure out the rest after."
The others all nodded and they all headed outside, finding it was already dark, the gods' meeting having taken hours. They headed to the Soma Familia brewery and Welf cut the front gate open. Within seconds, Soma Familia members streamed into the yard, moving to fight them, only for the others to flow past Ethan, except for Hestia, who remained behind him. Ethan closed his eyes, focusing his thoughts. He needed to save Lili. He needed to keep the Soma Familia from harming his friends. It wasn't easy, but after a moment, he felt his skill activate and opened his eyes, darting forward and tearing into the Soma Familia along with the others, dropping anyone in range rapidly.
As he fought, he heard Lili yelling for them to leave, and he heard Hestia refuse, but he ignored it. He began to work his way toward the door, only for more of the Soma Familia to flood out of it, forcing him back. One managed to scratch his cheek, but he ignored it, returning to dropping them all rapidly. Finally, a jar of wine shattered on the ground, making everyone stop and stare at a balcony where Soma stood.
"End the battle," he ordered.
Behind Soma, a man with a furious expression moved to attack Lili, only for Naaza to shoot an arrow into the wall in front of him, making him stagger backward, then Welf to sprint up the rope attached to the arrow and slam his sword into the man's own, smashing the flat of that man's blade into his own face, knocking him out. Hestia walked into the Soma Familia estate, and Ethan turned, walking back out of the gate, the others all following. After a while, Lili joined them, thanking them all. Then, the all split and headed their separate ways according to their Familias, Lili following Ethan and Hestia, now an official part of the Hestia Familia, and Ryuu waking alongside Ethan.
"If you can keep your thoughts centered on protecting something you care about enough, you'll be able to overpower anyone you meet," Ryuu said. "Even Hyakinthos."
"I know," Ethan said. "I'm not worried about that."
Ryuu nodded. "I've got to take care of something."
Ethan nodded and she branched off. The other three walked to the small inn room they were staying for the night, then headed to the Church's remains from there. Soon, Mikoto and Welf both arrived, asking Hestia to accept them into her Familia. Hestia agreed and granted Welf's blessing on the spot before leading Mikoto away for privacy. As she was, Welf and Lili both climbed up to sit on the rubble, Ethan leaning on a chunk. However, he pushed off of it as Ryuu arrived in the same outfit she wore into the Dungeon. He walked over to meet her and she smiled.
"Are you heading into the Dungeon?" he asked.
"No," Ryuu said. "I'm your helper. I'm from a Familia outside of Orario."
Ethan's eyes widened before he smiled. "You'd really risk openly competing in a War Game, and risk opposing the Apollo Familia to help us?"
"Yes," Ryuu said. "I got permission from Mama Mia, since it was to help you, so I'll have your back, and you can protect me."
Ethan nodded. "Thank you. I'm sure Bell will be grateful too."
"I'm sure he will," Ryuu said. "But I'm not here for him. I'd be willing to help him as well, but I didn't consider his needs when I made my decision. I'm here for you."
Ethan's eyes widened a little before he smiled and nodded. "Thank you."
She nodded as well, then frowned, reaching up to the scratch on his cheek, Ethan wincing. "You didn't heal it?"
"It's not worth the trouble," Ethan said. "Besides, I'll probably be healing myself several times during the games, so I didn't feel like wasting the energy to heal it."
Ryuu nodded. "Alright."
They walked over to wait against a chunk of debris off to the side. After another few minutes, Hestia returned and Ryuu briefly explained that she was there because she was the only helper who fit Apollo's restrictions. Then, they settled in to wait. Finally, Bell arrived, everyone walking out into the street to greet him.
"I'm back, Goddess," Bell smiled.
"Welcome back, Bell," Hestia smiled.
"Let's go," Bell smiled. "It's time for our War Game!"
They all agreed and went to the meet-up point where everyone who was going to the War Games, either to watch or take part, was loaded up into carriages. Hestia waved them off, telling them she'd be waiting for their triumphant return, since she had to watch with the gods while they dealt with the Apollo Familia.
Ethan looked around, Bell was on the last carriage, Welf and Lili were on the one ahead of Bell's, and Mikoto was in the same one as Ethan and Ryuu, seated across from Ethan while Ryuu was seated beside him.
"Hey, you're that guy who was banished, right?" the man sitting beside Ethan asked.
"Yeah," Ethan said flatly.
"Oh, sorry!" The man said. "I didn't mean any offense! I was on the Eighteenth Floor during that fight with the Black Goliath. I saw you fighting, even though you hadn't healed yet! I'm rooting for you in the games! Show Apollo how much stronger you've grown since he kicked you out!"
"Thanks," Ethan said, staring at the floor. "Right now, though, the only person I'm going to be giving a full display of my power is Hyakinthos."
The man nodded and the cart fell silent as it trundled along through Orario.
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