Disclaimer: I don't own anything, not even the soundtracks. Danmachi belongs to Fujino Ōmori, Final Fantasy XV belongs to Square Enix.
Is it wrong to seek answers?
Chapter 22: Darkness of the Past
OUTSIDE OF THE WHEAT MANOR – SOUTHERN MAIN FRONT GATE – LATE MORNING
At this moment, all adventurers took out their weapons while the Gods hid away behind one of the few trees near them.
It didn't take long for Noct to realize what those things are,
"seriously? " Noct said feeling slightly shocked, while everyone gave him attention.
(OPENING: Promare OST – Gallant Ones by Hiroyuki Sawano ft. Mpi & Benjamin)
"you know what those are? " Filvis asked to Noct while still looking to those strange beings.
Noct was about to answer, only to be interrupted by one of those creepy faced bubbles, what's more, they all were flying towards them.
Noct, holding his Balmung sword, blocked the one's attack, as the other adventurers did the same.
"watch out, those things are called 'thunder bombs', if you stay close too long, they may cast dangerous explosions on a close radius." Noct warned loudly.
Filvis attacked with her shortsword 'Tear Pain' one of those 'thunder bombs', as Noct called them.
The three waitresses did the same. Anya used her golden spear to fight another one. While Chloe used her Knife 'Violetta' against a thunder bomb, Lunoire used her bare fist to fight against one.
Noct, while also fighting another one, saw that they could deal rather effectively with them, proving his thoughts that all the waitresses beside Ryuu were strong too.
Bell and Mikoto on the other hand, had it much harder since they were still third-class adventurers.
What's more, the two thunder bombs confronting Bell and Mikoto started glowing brightly.
" " BELL, MIKOTO, GETAWAY NOW ! " " Noct shouted loud towards them after defeating one of the thunder bombs before it vanished.
They did as Noct told them and started running away, with less success.
Two loud explosions could be heard and purple thunders sparked around the small area were visible, while the two thunder bombs were still there.
Bell and Mikoto were flying in the air, bleeding and still electrified by the explosion, shocking everyone.
"BELL, MIKOTO" Hestia shouted out worryingly before she then took out two Elixiers she got from Dian Cecht, preparing for the two to be healed, she went out behind the tree.
"HESTIA, DON'T! " Hephaestus shouted.
"BUT … " Hestia said worriedly.
"you know we cannot fight those monsters if that's what those things are in the first place"
"don't worry, leave it to me, " Hermes said, "ASFI"
The called woman heard her superior God after finishing her thunder bomb off.
She then immediately run towards the two wounded adventurers, only to put them towards the three gods along with Noct.
After Allen and Bete finished their thunder bombs off, they immediately jumped to those other two thunder bombs, hitting them several times before they vanished too, preventing for Mikoto and Bell to be hurt much more.
Noct and Asfi, as the other gods, stooped around Bell and Mikoto while Hestia gave them each one of the Elixiers, and thank heaven, they healed immediately.
After all remaining thunder bombs were defeated, they immediately run towards Bell and Mikoto and the three gods, joining Noct and Asfi.
"you two alright? " Lunoire asked worryingly.
"yes, but I still feel the electricity" Mikoto explained while moving her upper body, now sitting.
"me too" Bell agreed while doing the same.
"This will stop soon, promise" Noct assured them both since he's been also hit and electrified by many thunder bombs before, back in his world.
"if you're not able to fight, you both shouldn't have accompanied us in the first place" Allen declared while looking to Bell and Mikoto, who's faces fell.
"Look who's talking, Mr. 'I needed 7 hits to finish one bubble' " Bete said to Allen
"better 7 than 10" Allen talked back to Bete.
"what did you just say !?" Bete asked angrily.
the both started pressing their teeth while looking angrily at each other.
"could you both please place that on hold, we've been attacked and besides I'm convinced that no one here saw that coming." Hermes said.
Allen looked at first to Hermes, „but I'm not convinced about that", then he looked to Noct, "because YOU apparently knew what those things are, didn't you."
Everyone looked to Noct, since this time, Allen was right for a reason.
Noct, who knew that he couldn't escape Allen's demand, started to explain.
"thunder bombs are quite common around my home, I fought myriads of them with my previous comrades, but they usually appear only in dark places like caves or at night since they can't deal with sunlight."
"SO YOU REMEMBER OUR 'HOME', 'NOCT GAR' " an unknown, loud male voice could be heard around the area.
Everyone looked around, still holding their weapons for potential danger.
"There" Mikoto shouted while pointing over the grass on the opposite while the Gate was on the left side, from the group's point of view.
A man in black colored clothes, which Bete and Asfi reminded of a black version of Evilus clothes, and a black tagelmust could be seen coming towards them slowly.
The Tagelmust guy came closer until a small earthquake could be felt at first, only for everyone to see that part of the soil under the tagelmust guy started to raise, hovering in the air.
"you can call me 'Eleazar', like the famous mythological Guardian of the famous Ark of the Testimony" the man with the tagelmust introduced himself while putting his right hand towards himself,
"what? , wait … " Noct asked with a serious tone, already feeling that he's the culprit, „you were in Melen and the Dungeon back then! "
Bell looked towards Noct, wondering what he was talking about.
"that's right, you could say I'm the 'organizer' of this great event." Eleazar explained.
Noct then activated again his Balmung sword, „for some reason, I don't buy that name"
"oh, trust me, the name is real, as real as YOURS" Eleazar declared, which made Noct suddenly nervous, while Noct could see Eleazar put his fingers towards him.
'how did he … ' Noct wondered if that Eleazar knows his identity, 'wait, he said 'our home', does that mean … '
Eleazar, who immediately saw Noct's nervous expression, suddenly disappeared, only to reappear in front of Noct, who backed while holding his sword in front of Eleazar.
With the still hovering soil, Eleazar then stretched his head slightly towards Noct, making some strange noises, like smelling loudly towards Noct.
"What's that? The princess also 'left' our 'home'? now that's quite a surprise."Eleazar said.
'Princess? ' Hephaestus and Hermes, as well as everyone else, wondered what this guy was talking about
Noct made a shocking expression since he was sure that this guy was obviously referring to Lunafreya. Bell and Hestia still wondered if Eleazar really was talking about Lunafreya, since it was less likely that some strangers would know about Noct's origins.
"And now, you also 'left', only for you to appear here, in this more 'gods infected place', what's more, allied with a weak one, " Eleazar said while looking towards Hestia, who immediately showed her tongue towards Eleazar, "Was it perhaps because of that ring of yours? then you have my heartfelt sympathy !" Eleazar asked Noct before disappearing again.
Noct, who now got angry, tried to hit Eleazar with his Balmung sword, only for Eleazar to disappear and reappear again on a larger distance.
"Anyway, I appreciate for you all to be here, attending my 'Event', it seems the reputation of Orario's adventurers aren't just gossip talk at all..."
"stop that stupid talk and tell us, WHERE ARE THE HOSTAGES, otherwise that stupid head of yours will experience a 'memorable event' in the Air" Bete threatened angrily.
Eleazar then turned to him and Allen.
" … but Seriously? " Eleazar wondered, now feeling disappointed, "when I sent those letters, I expected for the strongest of the strongest to appear, like 'Cyclops' 'Braver' and 'King' for instance, but what do I get instead ?"
Eleazar firstly pointed with right forefinger to Bete. "Loki's Puppy? "
Then he put his right forefinger to Allen "and Freya's Kitty?
Bete and Allen, who didn't like to be insulted like that, also run towards Eleazar rather fast, holding their spear and knives.
But before any of them, both could hit, since Eleazar used that teleportation ability again.
Both looked around, only for Eleazar to appear again the hovering soil.
"you don't want to do that" Eleazar said towards Bete and Allen, "because I wouldn't make it as easy as Olivers did."
For Bete and Allen, as well for Asfi and Filvis, this was the proof that he's part of Evilus.
He looked to the whole group in front of him again, "seems those gods of yours don't care as much as everyone claims if they didn't send their strongest men … ... and women, of course.", Eleazar then briefly looked to Hephaestus, Hermes, and Hestia, who in turn looked back angrily.
"Just tell us where the hostages are, damn it" Noct shouted, also rather angry this time.
"patience, your majesty, you'll see them soon enough." Eleazar said towards
This statement not only shocked Noct but also everyone else, who looked to him again.
Hephaestus and Hermes looked to Hestia, who in turn looked away, signalizing that she knows what Eleazar is talking about.
Bell did the same as his goddess, when Mikoto, Allen, Bete, and Asfi were looking to him.
"but before I even think about that, how about I give you all a nice present for your efforts" Eleazar announced
Eleazar's hands suddenly darkened. Then, everyone could feel a strong pressure coming from his direction.
He then put his hands on the ground, which not only released a strong shockwave but also caused the floor with the missing soil to be swamped by a tar-like black liquid.
The black liquid spread fast across the missing pasture, the more it reached them the more it made everyone move away.
"what now." Lunoire wondered what is happening now.
"you gotta be kidding me, " Noct said again, this time, however, feeling more uncomfortable, remembering why he and his friends from Eos hated the night, especially when they were driving during nighttime.
From the black liquid mass, not only 40 larger 'thunder bombs' with horns appeared, but also 3 very large giant like dark grey-skinned, Orcs or Oger like beings with very large swords appeared. Except for their Torso's, they were naked.
Now, even Allen and Bete were rather shocked.
"hahahaahah, wooooooooo, there nice aren't they, how about you all show them the strength of Orario ..., and Noct … "
Eleazar then looked towards Noct again, " I wonder how likely is it for 'her' to be here too if you could manage to come here on your own, Sounds interesting ?, of course, it does" were Eleazar's final words while disappearing completely while the hovering soil decomposed into small parts before falling like raindrops back on the floor.
Noct was now making a stunned expression, "WAIT" he shouted only to see that Eleazar already disappeared.
"so what now? " As asked.
"my guess, the rabbit and the ninja should go looking for the hostages since they're obviously no match for that." Bete suggested.
"didn't expect such a creative idea coming immediately from someone with a slow brain." Allen said to Bete.
"well, didn't expect you to know the word 'creativity' at all ." Bete claimed towards Allen in return.
Hephaestus, who liked that plan, had more additions in her mind: "since we gods are vulnerable here too, we will accomplish Bell and Mikoto"
"and since I'm familiar with these surroundings, it may be easier to look for them, so I will come along too if nobody minds"
After everyone agreed, Luniore, Bell, Mikoto, and the three Gods, run away from the soon to be a battlefield, trying to look for for the Hostages.
At first, it was quiet for a moment after Eleazar disappeared, but then those large colossal beings started looking towards them.
Then out of nowhere, both of them started growling loudly, preparing to fight.
The first and second-class adventurers could feel a much stronger energy form those being than from the previous 'thunder bombs'.
"And how are they called? " Bete asked to Noct, who's mind just came back to reality after Eleazar's final statement.
"The larger 'thunder bombs' are called 'Galvanades', expect the horns and that there much more dangerous, there isn't much of a difference. "
"I meant the large ones." Bete asked.
" 'Iron Giants', they're tough as hell, that's where they're from after all." Noct declared.
Then the two iron giants and the Galvanades started moving towards the adventurers.
The first one hitting one of the Iron Giant was Allen with his silver spear.
"Tch" Allen shouted, realizing that Noct wasn't wrong about those Giants.
While the females attacked each one of the Galvanades, Noct and Bete went for the other Iron Giant.
(ENDING: Jacob Lee – I Just Know (New Immunity Remix) )