A single spark could ignite a fire...a single spark on dry wood even easier. But what happened to Freya after Bell rejected her was like a blazing torch thrown at highly explosive barrels for her children.
The one that had carried Freya out of the Hestia Mansion without harming Bell was Ottar, he had covered his naked goddess with her clothes and brought her back to her home. Ottar wasn´t furious about what Bell had done...or haven´t done with Freya, he was disappointed in him and himself. That Bell wasn´t worthy of his lovely goddess and had rejected her...even when he was charmed by Freya.
There had to be something wrong with Bell, it just couldn´t be that his goddess was wrong with her feelings...even when Ottar had noticed how different Freya started to act when she was Freya or Syr.
So Ottar wasn´t the one that would seek revenge, killing or harming Bell wouldn´t change the situation and Freya should decide what to do, maybe there was still a chance. Ottar didn´t told the other members of the Familia what had happened to Freya, the only one that knew it anyway was Helun. But he couldn´t hide it forever and after two days it came out...and it happened the way it had to...they went enrage.
Allen and Hogni left Folkvangr with their weapons before Ottar could stop them, the Gulliver brothers did the same, only Hedin remained and started to calculate what to do now, handing out orders to the other Familia members that had a lower level, the action of the others might lead to an attack on Folkvangr. Ottar had no chance to talk to Helun, but he knew that she probably suffered the most.
Helun acted as Syr for the time remaining, she had to play that cheerfull, lovely girl while her heart was broken over Freya´s broken heart. But Helun didn´t only loved her friends at the pub very much, she loved Freya even more and when she decided what to do, Helun wanted that her friends didn´t missed Syr or were worried about her. Other forces in Orario had started to act before the situation escalated, only minutes after Bell had left the house with Welf, a flat chested goddess had visited Hestia.
"Shrimp...we need to talk, now."
"Loki? What´s wrong?"
Loki had already decided what to do...what they needed to do, but she had to tell Hestia. Hestia would have no choice but to act like Loki would, but Loki couldn´t feel bad about that since she was worried too. After Hestia listened to what Loki told her, she nodded with a serious face, the whole explanation made sense.
"Alright...I´ll follow your plan, Loki."
"Thank you...Hestia."
Both still had their rivalry, but they had to save their beloved children...and Loki would be the one to take all the blame for the following action on her shoulders, to repent for her sin of making Ais so sad...for the horrible thing she had allowed.
Freya...you will pay.
.
.
"Orario has changed alot."
Astrea looked around while they walked through the north gate, following the street to a certain pub that she wanted to see with her own eyes. Some people blinked surprised when they saw the goddess...some recognized her.
Lefiya also let her eyes wander around, it was the longest time she was away from Orario since she had joined the Loki Familia...and she was afraid.
"Ehe...don´t worry Lefiya...I will help you two to apologize to Mama Mia."
Astrea gently patted Lefiya´s head, the young elf was surpised that she wasn´t against that...and felt even honored when Astrea had told her if she wasn´t one of Loki´s, she would invited her.
"I hope everything still is peacefull...and that Mama Mia forgives us..."
Ryu´s expression was a mixture of happiness and worry, she couldn´t describe with words how happy she was to have her goddess back...and how frightened she was how Mama Mia would react...since they were away for over a week longer than intended.
"Ehehe...don´t be frightened my little angel."
Astrea pulled Ryu close and rubbed her cheek on Ryu´s for a moment, like Alise had done with Ryu in the past. Astrea was really lonely and had missed Ryu much more than she could tell...only her letters had saved Astrea from getting insane.
"L-Lady A-Astrea!"
"Mou Ryu...I told you to call me "Mother"..."
"Mmmh!" Ryu´s ears got red from embarrassement.
After Astrea had told her that in the village, after Ryu had accidentely called her that one time, she was still not sure how to react.
"Hm?" Lefiya´s ears twitched.
"Is that...a tumult? And...smoke?"
A bit ahead of them were loud noises and indeed smoke...and it came right from...
"The Pub!"
Ryu immediately went over into running. "Lefiya! Protect Mo-...Lady Astrea!"
"E-Eh?!"
But Astrea didn´t waited long and ran after Ryu, so Lefiya had no other option than to follow her, readying her weapons just in case, noticing that Astrea too unsheathed her sword. This goddess knew how to fight and she would not lose her last daughter again.
.
.
The people on the street screamed and fled to the sides when the two figures of the Freya Familia jumped down and Allen started to roar right away. His expression was murderous, he was beyond furious that Bell and Ais were the reason that Freya had shut herself in her room...and cried.
"You are dead!" He raised his spear and would attack at any moment.
Hogni next to him looked as furious as Allen, but raised his sword wordless.
"What do you want?!" Bell put his hands on the back of his hip, where he carried his Knives crosswise.
It was a good thing that he carried his weapons just out of habit...even when his opponent was an upper level six adventurer. Tione and Tiona reacted instantly and got into fighting stance, they wouldn´t talk when someone attacked them, Ais fell a bit back since she didn´t carried her sword with her...and Welf would have no chance in a fight.
"You made her cry! I will kill you for that!"
"What?! I have no idea what you are talking about!"
Bell shouted, seeing Ais and getting reunited with her, immediately getting threatened after that, all felt weird.
Hogni pointed his sword at Ais, he didn´t shouted but talked calmly...what sounded even more threatening. "I will kill you, Sword Princess, for making her cry."
Ais´ eyes narrowed, not only did they threat her but also Bell...she was still confused about what happened and that a part of her memory was missing...or rather feeling blurry...but she would react to any attack.
"Fighting between adventurers is forbidden!" Bell tried to save the situation even when he drew his Knives, he would protect Ais with his life.
"ENOUGH TALK!"
Allen jumped forward and thrust his spear at Bell, he was incredibly fast, so Bell only manage do block it in the last second. The cat man whirled around and slashed after Bell again, but had to stop his attack when a dark skinned foot broke the street where he just had stood.
"Leave Argonaut in peace!" Tiona growled angrily while she helped Bell.
"I will leave him in pieces!"
Ais jumped to the side, since she had no sword with her, she had to fight in close combat against Hogni, together with Tione. The amazoness screamed in immense anger, just a moment ago she was all too happy...and perplexed...over the situation with Ais and Bell. And now those presumptuous bastards from the Freya Familia attacked them.
"This is a declaration of war!" Tione kicked at Hogni.
"Sword princess!" Welf threw his large sword to Ais.
The sword was way bigger than her usual weapon but Welf wouldn´t stand a chance in a fight so it was the best option. She catched the sword skillfully and adjusted her stand after a moment.
"Thank you!"
Hogni simply slashed at Tione...and to her surprise a cut appeared on Tione´s shoulder even when she had evaded the tip of the sword. Ais jumped forward and hacked with the enormous sword, she was skilled enough to even use such a big weapon properly.
Fighting between adventurers might be forbidden, but she would defend herself and her friends when they got attacked. They fought back and forth while Hogni unleashed a rapid series of thrusts and slashes with his sword. Tione and Ais got their fair share of light cuts on skin and clothes, Hogni´s blade seemed to be longer than it actually was, or at other places. Ais also had the problem of not wearing any armor and just like Bell, her mind was feeling weird.
Bell couldn´t believe the whole situation, but he didn´t hesitated to block Allen´s furious attacks with his Knives. It was a good thing that he had trained a while together with Tiona, so both could fight together well. Even with level five, Bell would have a hard time to fight Allen alone...if he even had a chance.
Allen thrusted his spear forward to pierce Tiona, but Bell slashed from the side against the tip. The cat man reacted to Bell´s intervention, let go with one hand and punched Bell in the face, faster than he could react.
Bell´s head jerked backwards, Allen put all of his strength into his attacks, he wanted to see Bell dead.
The citizens fled screaming from terror while the fight continued. Ais slashed at Hogni and got blocked, but now Hogni´s blade was bound and Tione hammered her fist into the side of the dark elf.
"Leave the lovebirds alone you freak!"
"That´s right! Argo-Ais is such a sweet couple!"
The amazon sisters bombarded the two attackers with fists and insults, despite the fierce fight, it let Bell and Ais blush what they yelled out so loudly. Bell´s thoughts were still in turmoil after Ais´ sudden change in behaviour, he didn´t knew what had happened to her and why she acted the way she had...but he would ask her after the fight.
Allen rammed the tip of his spear into the ground, whirled himself around and kicked Tiona out of the way. He exploded into a sudden movement and jumped towards Bell, the tip of his spear raced towards his chest...and Bell wore no armor.
"Bell!" Ais screamed in panic.
.
.
A bit earlier.
.
Helun sighed in her mind and had to fight her tears, Freya was suffering...she could feel that all too well. For the time being, Helun was Syr and continued the normal work in the pub...it wasn´t easy to act cheerfull when she felt like that and it tore her heart apart...it really hurt.
She didn´t knew what to do, Helun had tried to talk to Freya but except from hearing her beloved goddess cry from behind the door, she received no answer.
"I think it´s better for now if you go."
Ottar had stood in front of Freya´s door and waited, he wasn´t sure what to do. Like the others of the Familia, Ottar thought that Helun could be blamed to a big part for the situation. If she had never done this role changing with Freya, the goddess wouldn´t had to suffer like this.
Lady Freya...please get better...
Helun sobbed lightly.
"Syr?"
"Yes?"
Lunor looked at her worried. "Is everything okay?"
"Hm? Oh yes, I just got something in my eye, don´t worry."
Helun smiled friendly and wiped her eye to cover that she was fighting her tears. Mia glanced at her from the counter, she always knew when Helun played the role of Syr, as if she was sensing it. Over the last month, Helun was nearly all the time Syr, Mia didn´t minded it as long as she acted normally. Sometimes Helun was in thoughts while she worked, her whole situation wasn´t easy. She loved her goddess and Freya was basically her life, but Helun also loved to work at the pub and have a bit of piece. If Freya had never appeared in her life, she would have liked to work her anyway...often she thought how it would be to work here as Helun and not as Syr...maybe even together with her goddess. And Helun´s heart hurt because of Bell, she loved and haited him at the same time...if Freya would feel better when she would kill Bell for her, Helun would probably do that.
And if Freya were in a relationship with Bell as Syr, together with Ryu how she imagined it...Helun would probably share Bell´s bed and let him impregnate her...if Freya would ask her to do that.
But Helun was not only Syr, Freya or Freya´s attendant...Helun was also Helun. The feelings in her heart were complicated...she couldn´t say what she wanted...yearned for...she just didn´t knew it. Helun wanted to continue spending time with her friends...making her goddess happy...and if she was honest...
she didn´t wanted to give her virginity to Bell...but yet she loved him and wanted to kiss him...
On the other hand, Bell had rejected Freya so it was clear that his heart belonged to someone else, and for that, Helun wanted to kill him. But...a side of Helun thought that they just couldn´t kill anyone who was disliked by her goddess...even if those would be automatically the biggest sinners on the surface and deserved a fate far more horrible than death for letting her goddess feel unpleased. Helun was not a puppet...her heart...she just didn´t knew what to do...
If only Bell had reacted to Freya and would have ***** her as long as she wanted to...
"Oy Syr! Stop daydreaming and keep working!" Mia shouted from the counter while she moved to the kitchen.
"Y-Yes!"
"Pff...sleepyhead." Chloe smirked and stuck her tongue out to Helun.
It was a normal behaviour that the waitresses teased each other...especially those five who were such close friends.
How it would be...if we were...six frie-
Helun couldn´t finish her thought when the door to the pub opened and someone familiar walked in...or rather a bunch of familiar someones. For Pallum´s in full armor walked through the door, each of them carrying a different weapon.
Alfrigg, Dvalinn, Berling and Grer, known as Gulliver or the Gulliver brothers, high executives of the Freya Familia. The customers fell silent when those four walked in, lining up at the door. It was a rule of the pub that wielding armor and weapons was forbidden here, one might carry a sheathed weapon if it wasn´t too big, but drawing the weapon was absolutely forbidden...and no one dared to ignore the pubs rules.
Why are they here?
"Hey! Weapons aren´t allowed here!" Lunor shouted and walked over to them.
The leader of the four brothers, Alfrigg, raised his weapon and pointed it at Helun.
"Kill her and everyone that tries to stop us."
"Huh?!" Helun backed a bit away.
The four brothers immediately jumped into action, Lunor yelped perplexed when the one with the giant hammer attacked her. It wasn´t rare that some drunk adventurers made a ruckus at the pub...but not even in the dark times it had happened that adventurers attacked the pub and the staff directly.
Lunor blocked the incoming hammer with her strong fists, grunting when she was pushed back. The only thing that went to Lunor´s favor was that she was a brute strength specialist and that humans had more natural strength than pallum´s. The three other pallum´s ran towards Syr, but not only for the staff was she precious...Syr was loved by many people. An adventurer jumped to his feet to help protecting her, but was hit to the side with a shield slam of one of the pallums...the breaking of bones was easily heard. Immediately the whole pub exploded into action, customers ran screaming towards the door, the few adventurers that remained weren´t sure if they should attack or not. Defending the staff was one thing...dying for them another.
"Nya!" Chloe was attacked by one of the pallum´s as she stepped in their line to defend Syr.
From under her uniform came her hidden daggers into light, it was a habbit of her to always carry her weapons...just in case.
"Kya!" Syr backed away, sheer panic filled her face.
What Helun did wasn´t an act, she wasn´t very strong as an adventurer and had no chance against one of the Gulliver´s, who were all at level five.
This is the Benevolent Mistress, no matter how strong the adventurer, how many laws they´ve broken...or how evil their intentions, they all run with their tail between their legs from this truly terrifying place. No matter their past, the young women here work tirelessly, serve hearty meals and drinks...to share a smile with their customers..
And they will kick out anyone who dares to attack them, so far not one was stupid enough to attack with such a force..
The normally known as the strongest waitress, Ryu, wasn´t there at the moment and Mia was somewhere outside. Lunor and Chloe were skilled fighters and good enough to fight one on one for a while even against armed level five adventurers. But two level five adventurers were left and charged towards Syr, who screamed in fear.
From all the girls in the pub...there was one that should never be angered...absolutely never...
She was such a kindhearted, airheaded girl...the lovely dumb cat of the pub. The four adventurer girls had trained a few times with each other...and even if Ryu was the strongest among them...it was only because that certain cat never fought seriously.
"Ehehe...Ryu...just a tip...you shouldn´t anger Anya...you know?" It was a tip that the true Syr had given Ryu in the past...
"Syr? What do you mean?"
"Oh you will see...I just hope you never have to see that Anya gets angry...I mean really furious..."
Allen Fromel´s anger and wrath were well known...but even he got carefull when Anya freaked out.
"Meow!"
With a metallic cling, the Axe and spear that was thrusted at the terrified Syr were stopped, by a long golden spear. Anya held her spear diagonally to block the two weapons at once.
"Are nyou stupid?! Let Syr alone, Meow!"
"You!"
"Alfi!"
Lunor and Chloe had no time to wonder why the pallum´s knew Anya or why she was able to block two level five adventurers.
"Step aside Alfi! We will kill her!"
"We will kill you too if you don´t step aside!"
Anya´s eyes became small. "You...want to kill...Syr?"
The first sign that Anya got furious...was her dropping her speech pattern. They wrestled their weapons against each other, Anya held her ground since Syr hadn´t much room to run.
"Run...Syr! Get...her!"
"A-Anya?!"
Helun was frightened about her friend...she really liked Anya...just like Freya did.
"RUN!"
Letting her friends here to fight against these strong adventurers...Helun hated herself...but she had to get "her".
"Rrrrrrr..."
Anya didn´t meowed anymore...she growled. After noticing that her friends...her family...was in danger...Anya got really angry.
"You will not hurt Syr! YOU WILL NOT HURT MY FAMILY!"
The other waitresses never heard Anya shouting like that...her voice got deeper...almost animalistic. There was a special trait that every beast person had...most of them couldn´t use it or just by certain conditions. Wolf people like Bete needed the full moon to do it, for Anya...it was her pure anger.
The pallum with the axe yanked his weapon back and tried to circle around Anya, hammering down his weapon on her left side. They didn´t joked when they said they would kill them all...but his eyes widened in shock under his helmet, when Anya´s left hand left her spear and catched the shaft of the axe with her bare hand...well not really her bare hand.
Her eyes had become ferocious and she bared her teeth...her canines grew into fangs... With a deep growl, Anya´s ears seemed to become longer...her tail wiped from one side to the other, her nails grew longer and her hands looked more like claws. Marks like whiskers of a cat appeared on her cheeks.
"No way!"
"Beastification?!"
Anya had unleashed the one thing she never wanted to use again...only when her family was in danger. Only four other people knew that she was capable of that, Freya, Allen, Ottar and Mia. It was Mia in the past who had to knock out Anya after she went berserk due to that "skill".
Even Allen feared his little sister when she was like that. The body difference of cat people and pallums was Anya´s advantage...and the beastification only made her stronger.
"You will not hurt her, not my family!"
Anya´s hand closed around the shaft of the axe and the wood started to creak...right now she had the strength to break the weapon in two if she had enough time.
"You had your chance, Alfi! Now die!"
Alfrigg yanked his spear back and whirled around, thrusting his weapon in rapid succession. A spear was the worst or dumbest weapon one could use against Anya...her brother was a true master of his weapon and he was far stronger than one of the Gullivers.
But Anya had two opponents and they didn´t needed their weapons so badly, so the other simply let go of his axe and tried to charge past Anya.
"Not on my watc-Tsk!"
Alfrigg used the small moment where Anya looked at his brother and the tip of his spear left a cut on Anya´s upper arm, ripping her uniform. She didn´t even winced, but tried to stop the pallum that wanted to charge at Syr.
While the beastification made her stronger, it was hard for Anya to concentrate...and losing focus in a battle could mean death.
Syr...
.
.
"Unya!"
Chloe screamed in pain when the pallum she fought against left a cut on her thigh, her uniform was already in tatters, slashed and cut all over. She didn´t had time to be ashamed since one could see lots of her skin, the cut bled strongly and she staggered back. The pallum raised his sword and followed her...he would have no problem to kill her.
"Chloe!"
Anya was worried about her dear friends...and about the pub, a small fire was about to become bigger in one of the corners.
"Ch-Argh!"
Lunor couldn´t block the hammer with her fists for long, with a loud crack, broke her right wrist. Her face contorted with pain, she pressed the injured hand to her chest. With one hand it would be impossible to fight...and the pallum would soon use his hammer to smash her head.
The Gulliver brothers were just too loyal to Freya, and even if she didn´t ordered it, they would kill all that brought their goddess pain.
Anya got more and more into danger, even with beastification, the Gulliver brothers were masters at team work. Alternately the two brothers attacked or even at the same time from two sides, she could not draw any use from the ax in her hand, since she was not used to fighting such weapons with two at the same time.
The pub was a battlefield, Lunor and Chloe were heavily wounded. The later one tried to get away from the pallum, but he was convinced that he would pierce her body with his sword.
Am I dying...like that...Nya?...
The sword came down right when the other brother wanted to smash Lunor´s body with his hammer. With a loud clang the sword was stopped by two smaller swords and the one with the hammer had to jump to the side when a small golden beam shot past the place where he just had stood.
Chloe looked up in pain, Ryu stood with a sinister face over her and protected her from the pallum.
"Ryu...nya..."
"Don´t you dare hurt my friend!"
Nya...she said...friend...ehehe...
Normally they were too shy to call each other openly as that.
It should have been a wonderful day, maybe only diminished a bit by Mama Mia´s scolding to them for taking so much time off. But when she returned Ryu had to notice that someone attacked the pub...and her dear friends. She stood there with the Futaba´s and protected the lying Chloe.
From outside, Lefiya jumped in, a sword in her right hand and a small rod in her left, both glowing with magic. She didn´t felt sorry for damaging the floor, she had to protect Lunor.
"Le...fiya?"
Lunor´s face was contorted with pain, her broken arm hurt. The chances were now a bit better, but they were still level four adventurers against four heavily armed and unwounded level five adventurers.
"STOP THIS AT ONCE!"
Ryu couldn´t help but look to the entrance where a majestic form stood. Astrea held her own sword in her left hand, the right hand stretched out and looked furious. The scene rememberred her all too well of the dark times...she had enough of people suffering.
But Ryu´s eyes widened in fear when the pallum with the hammer turned to the goddess. The Gulliver´s were not berserkers, but a god meant nothing to them...only Freya.
Before the situation could escalate further, the whole building started to shake. Heavy stomps let the ground shake and every staff member knew what that sound meant. It happened too fast to see it, in one moment the door to the kitchen was pushed open by force...in the next an enormous shadow crashed into the two pallums that were about to probably kill Anya...it was only thanks to her beastification that she had fended off them for so long...but it was draining her.
The two Gulliver´s didn´t saw what hit them, in one moment they stood there, in the next both had lost the ground under their feet. Two enormous hands were closed around their helmets and they heard creaking sounds when Mia in her rage started to...crush them.
"A-Aaaaah!"
"Aaaaaah! It´s creaking!"
The two others stopped their attacks to look horrified at their brothers.
"Brothers!"
"We help you!"
Ryu´s enemy froze when he turned around and suddenly felt the cutting edge of a sword at the front and back of his neck.
Ryu whispered into his ear. "If you hurt my friends any more, I will kill you..."
The one with the hammer wanted to charge at Mia but...
"DIO THYRSOS!"
A blast of golden lightning hammered into him and smashed him out of the front door. It was the second time that Lefiya had used Filvis´ magic...the first time was when she saved Lunor.
Mia lowered the two pallums and growled angrily. "Did she sent you?"
She didn´t needed to glance over her shoulder to know that the trembling Syr...or Helun...stood behind her.
"That girl deserves death! For making her cry!"
"Ri-YAAAARGH!"
Mia increased the pressure, it was no joke what she did...with her strength she could easily crack open the heads of the pallums.
"Listen to me...and listen good. If you ever try to lay a hand on one of my girls...or even show your faces around here...I will kill you...understood? If you try to chase after them outside of the pub...I will kill you.
If the Familia tries to do everything to one of them...I will kill you...and not even Ottar will stop me...understood?"
Never before had she sounded so terrifying.
"Understood."
"Irgh.."
"Good..."
Mia smashed both of their heads into the floor, letting their brothers scream in terror. Blood dripped out from under the helmets, at least their noses were broken...then she stepped to the door and tossed them outside. When the one with the hammer wanted to run to his brothers, Mia dealt a straight blow with her full strength when he ran past her. He reacted too late and with a loud shatter, his left arm and a few ribs broke...payback for Lunor.
The last one remained, still feeling Ryu´s swords at his neck...only a short move of her and he would bleed to death.
"If you ever come near Syr again...I will murder you...all of you...understood?"
Astrea walked over and was as furious as her daughter. "Your actions are disgusting!"
She ripped the helmet off the pallums head and stared into his eyes. His eyes wandered to her sword for a moment, before he screamed in pain when she thrusted the tip into his tigh...payback for Chloe.
"Ryu...let him go."
Ryu straightened up and took her swords away...the worry about her friends was stronger than the thirst for revenge. Mia returned, grabbed the groaning pallum, punched him into the stomach which let him yelp and threw him out of the door. The Gulliver brothers haven´t reached their goal...and were in a state where they would need to go the Familia´s healer.
.
.
"*Hic* *Hic* *Hic*"
Helun couldn´t help but sob when she saw her wounded friends and the damaged pub.
"No...please no...my friends..."
Astrea knelt down and took care of Chloe´s cut, she sadly had enough experience with that.
Mia was still furious when she stepped to Helun and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Someone will pay for that...for attacking you...attacking all of you."
She wasn´t angry with Helun...she knew who she was and Helun was not to blame.
"Mama...Mia..."
Helun started to cry, not because of her...but her heart hurt when she saw her wounded friends. Anya lied unconscious on the ground, the toll for beastification was enormous. Ryu knelt next to Lunor and had started to sing, using her unique healing magic on her.
Lefiya watched Ryu for a moment before she walked to Chloe...and started to sing the same song, she was still a magical genious and able to use the magic of other elves.
.
.
"STOP THAT RIGHT NOW!"
Allen´s spear thrust was stopped when a long spear hit the ground between him and Bell. Adventurers appeared all around them and on the rooftops. The spear belonged to Finn Deimne, the captain of the Loki Familia. He was joined by Gareth, Riveria, Bete and many others from the Familia, along with the biggest part of the Hermes Familia and the few members of the Hestia Familia.
Allen growled but he and Hogni had no other option than to stop the attacks for now...even they couldn´t defeat so many opponents.
"Children of Freya, you have done outrages things!"
The voice that spoke belonged to Hermes, she appeared between his children, guarded by Asfi and Aisha.
"Step out of this god Hermes!"
The cat man hissed.
"You should watch your tone...child." Hermes showed his most threatening expression. "What you did just now was a declaration of war...are you aware of that?"
"We have no interest in war...only taking their lives." Hogni shrugged his shoulders.
"Then it means war..." Loki appeared between her children, followed by Hestia.
The small goddess yelled. "Do you really want to turn Orario into a bloodbath?! Are you insane?! Did Freya sent you?!"
"This is non of your concern!"
"Bell is my child! Of course it is my concern!"
The Loki Familia and Hermes Familia were already ready and had followed Bell and Ais through the city, hidden. Hermes had made arrangements for the cooperation of the Familia´s.
The situation was extremely delicate, they couldn't risk a war breaking out. Orario would receive massive damage and the Familia´s left would have lost members...leaving Orario nearly unguarded. Hermes cursed the children of Freya for being the way they were...he shared information with Finn that Folkvangr was preparing for war...
Finn stepped next to Bell and whispered something into his ear, Bell´s eyes widened...but he nodded in the end.
The pallum grabbed his spear and pointed it at the enraged Allen. "Allen Fromel, Hogni Ragnar, you have attacked members of the Loki and the Hestia Familia. Do you intend to declare war?"
"You all have no-"
"Then by my right as the Familia´s captain and together with Bell Cranel the captain of the Hestia Familia, we declare war on the Freya Familia!"
Thanks to Hermes they had more than enough witnesses for the "show"...many people needed to see this...so it would spread over Orario.
"You intend to fight us all?"
Allen lowered his stance...if needed he would fight them all.
"Due to the laws of Orario we will not fight in the streets openly, but declare a wargame against you!"
"A wargame? Don´t make me laugh!"
"ENOUGH WITH THIS ALLEN!"
A huge shadow crashed down on the street and left a small crater. Ottar rose to his full height, towering over the others. The Loki Familia got into fighting stance just in case...fighting against the Warlord...was not something they wanted to do...but would if needed.
"Ottar?! Stay out of th-"
Ottar´s arm moved faster than Allen could react, hammering him onto the ground.
The huge boar man crouched down and looked at the groaning Allen, he pointed at his own temples with his index fingers. "Do you think lady Freya wants this here?!
Think Allen, Think!"
After that he rose again and looked at Finn.
"A wargame? Are you sure?"
They had long discussed how to deal with the situation...and this attack gave them the final idea.
"Yes...a duell."
"And who shall fight?" Ottar looked strange...he was torn...he would fight if needed but he was sure this wasn´t what Freya wanted.
"Not you obviously or this would just be a farce."
Ottar´s eyes wandered over Hogni and Allen. "They want to fight badly, so two vs two."
Finn looked at Ais and Bell, who nodded.
"So shall it be."
Allen groaned while he got up. "San...*cough*."
"Hm?"
"You challenged us to a duel...according to the law we can declare how far we go."
Finn nodded.
Allen shared a short glance with Hogni before he looked at Ais and Bell with a murderous expression.
"Sanguis Extremis!"
Most of the adventurers around them gasped. Duels where fought until the first blood, second blood or third blood. Some were fought until one gave up...but Sanguis Extremis...meant...
"Until death!"
.
.
.
Authors Note: Things are starting to get serious here. Before someone asks why Gulliver attacked Helun, they think it is her fault that Freya is like she is, together with Bell and Ais. That happened in the LN a few times already that they suspected her. And yes what Ottar said to Allen was a reference. Next chapter should drop thursday.
Anya deserved a small spotlight...she is one of my favorites. :D