Chapter 6-

Kaleidoscope

A roar ripped through the air as Minato ran down the crowded street.

Making his way towards the source of the noise, he soon found his target in the form of a large green orc. A young couple brushed passed him as they ran away in fright. Strangely enough, the monster didn't seem too interested in chasing after the civilians. Rather, it simply stood in the middle of the street, taking glances in seemingly random directions while occasionally sniffing the air.

He wasn't exactly sure what to make of the monster's strange behavior, but he supposed that it didn't really matter either way. Digging into his pockets until his fingers curled around a familiar trigger, he pulled out his Evoker. The false pistol had seen better days, the SEES design on the gun's barrel was hardly visible anymore, a good portion of the letters having been melted off.

He'd have to get it repaired one day, for sentimental reasons if anything.

After all, even if the replica pistol was a little beat up, it still served its purpose as a catalyst just fine. Bringing the Evoker up towards the side of his head, he pulled down on the trigger, with that familiar sound of glass shattering and the adrenaline that always came along with the sudden rush of power.

Jack Frost was a strange little creature. Yukari had always said that Jack Frost was a cute little snowman, and he supposed that in way, it was. With its tiny pair of blue boots and the blue snowcap that was always snuggly fit over its head, Jack Frost could indeed be labeled as 'cute'. That didn't make the little harbinger of snow and frost any less deadly though.

Bufudyne.

Giant spikes of ice erupted from the ground, easily piercing through bits of the Orc's rough hide. A dense coat of frost soon followed, covering over the rest of the monster until the entirety of the beast was nothing more than one big frozen block of ice. After the unsettling experience of getting far too familiar with the scent of charred monster flesh, he had decided that he would stick with ice based spells for the moment.

It made things less of a mess that way.

Slipping the Evoker back into his pocket, Minato began to make his way down towards East Main. According to the information Loki had gathered, there were nine monsters that had been released from their cages roaming around the city, and three of those monsters had been seen making their way towards East Main. He trusted that the Sword Princess could handle the ones in the other areas without much of an issue.

All he had to do now was to find the two other monsters in the area.

She couldn't help but watch with a giddiness in her heart that was more suited for a young schoolgirl rather than a Goddess like herself. The sight was simply intoxicating. His pure and precious soul, it shone with a light that was simply far brighter than any soul that she ever had the pleasure of laying her eyes upon. Like a moth drawn to a flame, she couldn't bear to even blink, much less look away.

Freya loved him.

She had seen many souls throughout her time as a Goddess in the lower world. Their colors ranged from the most vibrant of reds to the coldest of greys. But never had she seen a soul with a beautiful clear hue like his, not even her dear Ottar could compare.

Freya simply watched as the white-haired boy struggled to fight against the monster that she had charmed into hunting Hestia. The boy, who was simply a rookie, a level-one novice that had only started his journey mere weeks ago struggling with all that he had to protect his Goddess. It hurt her to watch him struggle, to feel his fear as he took another beating from the beast that she had released.

But it was a pain that she would have to endure for now. Adventurers could not reach their true potential without adversity, and more than anything in the world, she wanted to see that pure soul of his shine as brightly as it possibly could before she took him for herself. So, even as painful as it was, she resigned herself to watching from the sidelines as he struggled along.

Bell Cranel's soul was one that simply shined with the most beautiful hue that she had ever seen.

It was a sight that she could simply stare at for hours on end. She continued to watch on as the white-haired boy was knocked off his feet, as his body became more and more battered. She watched as he stood up once again, with a fiery determination in his eyes, his soul burning even brighter in response.

It was simply captivating.

The boy held his dagger closely to his chest while the beast let out an ear-splitting roar and charged forward. This was simply ecstasy, that brave look in his eyes in spite of the odds being stacked against him. That burning fire in his soul which only continued to blaze even brighter against the ugly face of adversity.

Yes, today her little hero would be—

Freya felt a sudden chill.

A cold wind ushered through the neighborhood. Ice and snow plastered over the street and buildings, covering over everything like a powdery white carpet. The beast that she had gone through the trouble of charming simply stood incased in a frozen tomb of frost. And Bell Cranel simply looked on in surprise, that delightful look in his eyes from mere moments before all but gone.

And then she saw it.

That thing that Loki had decided to pick up. She watched as it walked up to her Bell and she had to clench her fists just to find the willpower to not look away in disgust. For while Bell Cranel's soul shone with a beautiful clear hue, that thing's soul was simply darkness. It was a blackness that could not be described as a color, but rather as nothingness, just a void that lacked any of the unique traits that the souls of those in the lower-world possessed.

Freya had seen many a dark soul in her life, souls that moonlighted a darkness that few could stomach. Souls that belonged to the most wicked of mortals, and yet, even those souls were far easier on the eyes than that disgusting cesspool of a thing called a soul. It was like staring into a melting pot of colors, haphazardly thrown into a container far too small without a care in the world. Colors of all kinds that mixed and matched until all of the traits that made them unique in the first place were all but washed away, leaving behind nothing but a revolting black sea of souls.

That thing was tainting Bell's pure soul with its sheer presence.

Not only did that thing have the audacity to get close to her beautiful light, but it had stomped over all of her plans in the process. Bell was supposed to be the one to defeat the beast that she had charmed, she had gone through with this entire charade for the sole reason of guiding that pure soul along so that it could eventually reach its full potential.

Freya could feel her fists clenching so hard that her nails were starting to dig into her porcelain skin, threatening to draw blood.

No.

No.

No!

NO!

NO!

She could not allow that thing to stain her pure light any longer. She didn't care if that thing flew under Loki's banner. She didn't care if removing that thing from this world would draw the wrath of Loki, or that Loki would not be happy. And while she considered Loki to be a friend, she simply couldn't stand the thought of that thing being around her light any longer.

It was a stain in this world that needed to be removed.

Even if her actions could lead to a war breaking out between her and Loki. Even if a war between their two Familias could threaten to destroy the entire city of Orario. Even if her precious Familia members could get hurt, could die in the aftermath. She would sacrifice everything and again to protect that pure soul of hers.

"Don't worry Bell-kun, you'll be mine soon." Freya all but whispered, a deep longing look in her eyes.

Freya would make sure that nothing came between her and that pure soul.

She couldn't help but shiver in ecstasy at the thought.

Yes, soon her little adventurer would be for her eyes and her eyes alone.

Bell Cranel let out a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding in.

It was over in an instant.

He wasn't sure whether the shudder that followed after was due to the cold or something else entirely. The Silverback that he had been fighting so desperately against, where it was simply a struggle to just stay alive, was now nothing more than a giant slab of ice. His blood red eyes met the creature's own, now frozen crimson colored pupils.

A single question nagged away at the back of his mind.

Could he have won by himself?

"Are you alright, Cranel-san?"

The voice of his savior this time was a familiar one. Minato Arisato wore the same blank expression that he was so used to seeing. It reminded him of the same look that Ais Wallenstein had when she had saved him from that Minotaur.

"A-ah, thank you for your assistance Arisato-san," Bell bowed his head.

"And your Goddess?" Minato asked, "Is she alright as well?"

H-huh?" Hestia blinked in surprise, before regaining her senses. "O-oh! I'm fine! Thank you very much for saving my child in his time of need."

Minato simply gave a curt nod in response before he turned around and began walking down the street.

"Arisato-san!" Bell called out after him. "Where are you going?"

"Looking for the rest of the escaped monsters." The blue-haired boy replied without turning back. "You should be careful."

Bell simply watched as his blue-haired savior made his way down the street before cutting into an alleyway. He could feel his hands tighten on the hilt of his dagger in response. That same nagging question continued to eat away at the back of his mind.

"Bell-kun?" Hestia asked, a worried look in her eyes. "Are you okay?"

He forced a smile on his face.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

Hestia had a troubled look on her face, but didn't pry any further.

"How about we get out of here then Bell-kun?" His Goddess asked, "I think I've had enough of carnivals for now."

"… Sure." Bell half-heartedly replied as he stared into the eyes of the Silverback once more.

He was grateful for the aid that Minato had given him, truly he was. But yet, why was there this feeling of frustration gnawing so fiercely at his heart? The grip on his dagger tightened once again. He had been saved, just like that day. How many more times would he have to be saved in the future? How much longer was he going to allow himself to be so weak?

Bell Cranel did not want to be saved again.

How could he face Ais Wallenstein as an equal when he always needed to be saved by somebody else? What kind of hero always needed others to save him? How much longer would he be this pathetic?

Bell looked down at the dagger that his Goddess had given him.

"… Bell-kun?"

…

That day, he made a promise to himself.

When Minato found the last of the monsters in East Main, it was already a corpse before he had even arrived. A familiar pair of jade green eyes appraised him with the same curious look in them as they usually held. Riveria Ljos Alf, one of the few level six's in Orario, stood next to the fallen beast looking no worse for wear. Evidently, even without a weapon, the monster didn't stand much of a chance against someone with the moniker of Nine Hell.

"Arisato-san." The elf greeted, her voice sounding as regal as she looked.

"Alf-san." He replied in kind, with a slight nod of his head.

He had not spoken with the woman since that fateful day he had woken up in Loki's infirmary. Of course, he had rarely spoken with anyone since then, choosing to spend most of his time within the dungeon's walls. And while he had kept his contact with the others in the Loki Familia at a minimal, he did not miss the curious glances that the elf usually sent his way when they happened to pass by each other.

Riveria tilted her head towards the dead Orc.

"Would you care to explain to me just what exactly is going on here?"

Minato simply shrugged in response, filling her in on what he knew about the situation. The culprit behind the mess still remained a mystery, and while he had a suspect in mind, given that charm magic was used, there still wasn't any definitive proof yet. Loki had told him that she would take care of the investigation herself and that all he had to worry about was taking care of the monsters that had escaped, so he had simply left the mystery for the goddess.

"I see…" Riveria frowned, "Then I take it that you and Ais have dealt with the rest of the monsters?"

It was at that point, a bright pillar of light had decided to erupt from the west side of the city. Minato wasn't exactly sure what it was, but he had a feeling that magic was involved in one way or another. The pillar of light shined in the sky for the briefest of moments before fading away in an instant.

"Wynn Fimbulvetr…" Riveria murmured as she stared in the direction that the pillar of light had erupted from. "That must have been Lefiya. I did not expect there to have been monsters powerful enough in the carnival to have required the use of a spell like that."

"Wynn Fimbulvetr…?" Minato repeated, the words sounding quite strange on his tongue.

"A spell of mine." The elf simply replied, "We should make our way over there to make sure that everything is alright."

He simply nodded in response, following behind her as they made their way towards the west side of the city. Most of the chaos seemed to have died down. People were starting to come out of their homes and the streets were starting to get lively once more. As he walked alongside Riveria, he could see that even some of the food stalls that had been abandoned were soon back in business.

"Arisato-san, might I ask you a personal question?"

Minato simply shrugged in response.

"If you want."

The elf didn't immediately reply, and instead, kept walking forward.

"Your world…" She eventually began, "Is it similar to ours?"

As they continued to walk along the street, he contemplated that question.

"In some ways." He paused, before his lips etched into a slight frown. "Although there aren't any Goddesses there that are as annoying as Loki is."

Riveria gave a small chuckle.

"Would you care to elaborate further?"

"In my world, there are only humans." He casually explained, as if speaking about the weather. "There aren't any elves or dwarves, or any other races like that."

"Oh? How curious." The elf replied with a raised eyebrow. "I can't even begin to fathom a world like that. A world without elves… Hmm."

He simply shrugged once again.

"The only elves that exist in my world are in fiction."

"Is that why you were staring so vividly at me when we first met?" Riveria asked, along with a small chuckle. "I was wondering if there was something stuck in my teeth for the longest time you know."

"To be honest, I thought that your ears were fake." Minato admitted with a sigh. "As you can imagine, I don't normally wake up to the sight of an elf in my room."

"Yes… I suppose that we both shared similar feelings of surprise that day." She replied with a faraway look in her eyes. "Ah… Well, it seems that our comrades have taken care of most of the monsters in this area."

Riveria was right about that.

A thick shell of frost rooted a group of strange monsters that he had never seen before in place. They appeared to be giant, plant-like creatures, from what he could make out from their frozen tombs. It then occurred to him that Wynn Fimbulvetr must have been an ice-based magic of some kind.

They soon found Ais, along with Loki and everybody else further up the street.

Tiona gave him a wave while her sister did so as well, albeit with a lot less enthusiasm. Ais simply nodded at him in acknowledgment while Loki gave him a knowing smirk. Another girl, Lefiya, stood next to the Sword Princess with a hand over her abdomen, nursing what appeared to be an injury.

"Hey there, Riveria-chan." Loki greeted with a grin. "Decided to come join in on the festivities after all?"

"I managed to finish most of my work ahead of schedule." Riveria explained with a slight nod. "Were you able to find anything of interest, Loki-sama?"

The red-haired Goddess held her hands behind her head.

"Hmm…" Loki hummed thoughtfully. "Well… I have a pretty good idea on who let out all the monsters from their cages."

Loki gave him a knowing look.

So, it really had been Freya who was the one responsible for this mess. The only question now was… Why? What did she hope to accomplish by causing all of this chaos? He had a feeling that the only person who could answer that question was the goddess herself.

"Riveria-chan, let Finn and Gareth know that we're having a meeting tonight." Loki ordered. "I have some things that I want to go over with everyone."

"Very well, Loki-sama." The elf replied.

"And as for Minato-kun~" Loki sauntered over with a smirk on her face. "You're going to come with me. I've got some questions for that stupid ero-goddess," She placed a hand on his shoulder, "and you'll be my escort."

Minato narrowed his eyes at the shorter goddess.

Loki was getting him involved in something troublesome once again. He had a feeling that he knew what she was attempting to do. She was trying to get him to spend less time in the dungeon. Was she afraid of him getting burnt out? That he would push himself too hard and make a costly mistake?

He supposed that he could understand where she was coming from.

Yukari had usually expressed the same type of concerns, although in a more direct way. He did have a tendency on focusing too much on his goals. At the beginning, Tartarus had always been his main concern, his main purpose, and everything else came after that. SEES however, managed to change that thought process.

He spent less time diving into Tartarus and more time simply socializing… Simply living. He developed a relationship with everyone in SEES. But then… Wasn't that why Shinjiro had died? Because he wasn't strong enough to take down Strega the first time? Because he hadn't been spending enough time getting stronger in Tartarus?

And now…

It was the same scenario replaying itself over again, only with a new cast of characters. What if he failed to clear the dungeon because he hadn't spent enough time getting stronger? What if he simply took too long, and SEES had all met their end against the Arcana Shadows?

What if—

"Hey, Minato-kun."

He felt a hand grip his shoulder. The thoughts finally stopped. A breath that he hadn't realized he had been holding in was finally released. A strange aura of calmness seemed to wash over him and all the anxious feelings in his chest simply disappeared.

He blinked.

Loki just gave him a smile.

Author's Notes- Life's been a pain. Finally started writing again, so there's that at least. If there's anything that seems off, let me know, since it's you know, been a while since I've written anything.