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 34: The Glaives in this strange new world.
FLASHBACK - SOMEWHERE
The first thing Nyx remembered when he woke up in this world was how he woke up in a room full of empty beds, which he concluded was some kind of military barrack at first.
He tried to remember what happened, only to remember how he and Lunafreya were running away from the Niflheim Empire.
'did we managed to escape ?' Nyx wondered while realizing that his body appeared somehow to be in the best shape.
(OPENING: Sawano Hiroyuki nZK: Mizuki – e of s)
After standing up and putting his Kingsglaive clothes one, Nyx noticed that no one was inside that barrack so he decided to go out, wondering if Princess Lunafreya is fine as well.
But before he did that, he saw a mirror, to which he decided to look if he has any facial wounds or something alike.
But then he had what he called the first great shock: he appeared to be MUCH younger than usual for a reason. Nyx wondered why but decided that he can think later about that since he needed first to find out where he is.
He put his hands inside his clothes' pockets, wondering if everything he carried is still there, finding his 'Libraphone' Cellphone, the small military headset from the kingsglaive, and the hair barette Crowe gave to princess lunafreya before taking it back because there was a tracker on it.
When he opened his phone, Nyx realized that there was no WLAN access. Maybe because inside this building there's no access, so he decided to go outside.
After he did that, not only there was still no WLAN, but he also saw that he was in some kind of small-town near a large mountain, which was visible behind the wooden buildings.
When he was about to go further, a female voice greeted him, who introduced herself as Goddess Dia.
Nyx felt slightly irritated that a small girl called herself a Goddess, not because he thought she was lying but since he could somehow feel that she wasn't mortal, but because he never heard of any of the known seven Astrals to have the appearance of a small child, to which she replied that he might be getting more shocked when he followed her so that he could meet certain two people.
As they both went by, Nyx noticed that something was odd in this town. At first, he believed it was just the rather humble-looking houses, until he realized, that there were no power lines visible at all, what's more, no cars but primitive horse carriages.
It didn't take long for Nyx to realize that he probably woke up in some kind of backwood community, which apparently prefers to live without advanced technology.
As Dia and Nyx reached a usual looking house, he had much greater, if not the greatest shock he ever had.
He saw Pelna and Crowe, alive, what's more, ALSO even younger, much like himself.
"Nyx, it's really you old boy, well more like a young boy" Pelna stated while he and Crowe embraced him.
Crowe then said she remembered the facial expression Nyx made when they met inside the hut, which was one of great relief, which Crowe and Pelna also replied with a happy expression at first.
But then Nyx remembered that these two, in particular, died, asking what's going on. Crowe and Pelna then made a sad expression, saying that Nyx himself also probably died.
Not only this statement shocked Nyx as well, but he then looked towards Dia nervously.
"Uhm, you said you're a goddess ? " he asked with the unpleasant feeling what the answer might be since Nyx remembered very well what happens when someone dies and where the dead people presumably go. And meeting someone who claimes to be a god or goddess doesn't help to get off this bad feeling at all.
Dia, who clearly saw and knew what Nyx thought at this moment, started laughing.
"hahaha, no don't worry, this isn't the afterlife, otherwise it would look much different than here." Dia said, relieving the three.
"We had the same feeling when we woke up here the first time." Crowe said.
When the four took a seat, each of them explained Nyx where he is.
Aside from the fact that he was now in another world, inhabited by many different races like Elves, that compare to his two comrades he still had his advanced equipment and the fact that they were now 12 years younger as Goddess Dia estimated, she said that they are right now in a mining town called Crystallum, which, besides another Goddess, is inhabited only by human miners, who try their luck looking for gold, crystals, and other valuable commodities and that Crowe and Pelna were now Dia's 'children' and that they're in charge of the town's safety at the moment.
Nyx then asked if they've seen Princess Lunafreya here, to which both shook their heads, saying that they didn't. At first, Nyx had a sad expression, only to realize that this means that the Princess might be still alive in Eos, to which Nyx felt relieved. Nick wondered if the Princess was fine and if maybe Libertus and the others like Luche and Captain Drautus are fine as well.
After Dia explained what she meant by her 'children' and the concept of 'Familia', she asked Nyx if he would become part of hers. Nyx wasn't sure at first, but Pelna and Crowe somehow convinced him to join. Nyx found out that he was at Level 4, along with his two glaive comrades.
Later, they met the ones who are in charge of Crystallum, which was the Nyx Familia.
BACK IN THE PRESENT
"wait wait wait, there's a God called Nyx? " Noctis asked towards the previous Glaives
"actually, it's a Goddess** " Nyx stated.
This statement obviously shocked Noct, proved by the gaping of his mouth.
FLASHBACK - CRYSTALLUM
After they reached and entered the Nyx Familia's main building so that they could officially register their friend Nyx, they met the Goddess Nyx, along with the Humans from her Familia. It didn't take long for the newly arrived Glaive to realize that there were mainly women present there.
Pelna then explained that in Crystallum it's a tradition that, while men work as miners, women mostly occupy the top positions of the cities economy and communal politics, saying that this was even the case when Goddess Dia descended from heaven down right into this city.
'that's really similar like in Lestallum', Noct realized while comparing both cities' culture.
Pelna continued, saying the reason for that was Goddess Nyx herself, describing her as a 'grumpy men-hater', which means that even outside of the Nyx Familia, mainly women are in charge of this town.
Crowe continued explaining that, according to Goddess Dia, she is one of the few Gods she knows who have the so-called 'god-complex-syndrome', which means she has a superiority complex for being a goddess and there are certain things which should be reserved only for gods.
In her case, it was that she holds the option that mortals have no right to have names of a god or goddess and other spiritual beings.
As if that wasn't enough, she felt provoked, thinking Nyx Ulric was mocking her when he introduced himself in front of the Goddess. The laughter of her female Familia members didn't help to calm her down eighter.
Thank heavens that Goddess Dia was there, who explained to Goddess Nyx that Nyx Ulric came here the same way as her other two children.
After Dia's hard but successful efforts to calm Goddess Nyx down and a small discussion, the two Goddesses agreed that, under the condition that Nyx Ulric changes his name, or at least uses another name in public from now on, he can be registered as a resident of Crystallum.
Crowe, who already saw all this coming, proposed another name for the male Nyx, which was ' Nick Sulric '.
PRESENT - ORARIO
"So you proposed the new name I see, and when did you all meet Ravus ?" Noctis said while looking towards Crowe this time.
"he appeared around one year later if I'm not mistaken" Crowe stated
"And what's the deal with Ravus' name? " Noctis then asked.
"well, his middle name, 'Nox', is the name of Goddess Nyx's Spirit***, so it wasn't acceptable eighter." Pelna stated.
Noct didn't seem to be surprised at first,
Nyx then explained that Goddess Nyx herself proposed Ravu's new name, which changed only a few letters, resulting in 'Ravus Nocks Fleuret'. But Ravus himself preferred for the name 'Fleuret' to be removed completely, to which Goddess Nyx agreed, which surprised not only the Glaives and Goddess Dia but also the whole Nyx Familia.
"but that 'new name' didn't sound that different." Noct said with a surprised expression.
Pelna, now smirking, explained to Noctis that Goddess Nyx presumably has developed a 'softer side' for Ravus at firs sight while remembering Goddess Nyx's expression when she looked towards Ravus.
"yeah .., what else … " Noct commented while making a dumbfounded expression, to which he, Nyx, Crowe, and Pelna laughed.
Pelna continued, „she also complained about why he didn't use his last name 'fleuret'
"did Ravus told some of you why he didn't change his name the way you did ?"
"not really, but my guess is since he came into another world, he saw this occurrence as a new beginning, but I would also prefer for him to change the last name as you did."
"maybe you will, one day, " Pelna said towards Crowe while pointing his eyes towards Nyx, to which she looked angrily and beet reed towards Pelna.
"What exactly did you do there in Crystallum? Catching up thieves who tried to steal the freshly mined resources or something ?" Noctis wondered.
"yes, this and also protecting the City from Monsters." Nyx stated.
"Monsters ? So they're also attracted to small towns ? " Noctis asked, surprised that there are also monsters out of the dungeon. He wouldn't be surprised at first since he also fought a giant sea snake in Melen himself, but since Eleazar revealed that he summoned it there, there was a slight chance that there weren't that many monsters out of Orario's dungeon, to which Nyx now proved otherwise to him.
"at first they came from the outside from the city, but when we were there, the monsters came increased from the underground mines for some reason, which is also the reason that we were positioned mostly at various Adits, where most miners would go inside for the mining."
"I wish we could tell more, but our guests are waiting for us, so … " Nyx was about to finish his sentence until the door could be heard opening.
It was Prima, Emma, and Lowe, „ big bro Nick, big sis Crowe, big bro Pelna … ", the three didn't seem to notice Noct, because she seemed rather exhausted „where's big bro Ravus ? ".
"don't know, why ?" Nyx/Nick stated, despite also having the same thought as Pelna where Ravus might be.
"a Courier of the Freya Familia just arrived, saying that the representatives of the Freya Familia will arrive soon." Emma stated.
This caused the previous Glaives to stand up, which Noct did the same.
"so they're really coming " Crowe concluded.
"and who did they sent? " Nick asked while looking towards Emma.
"The Courier said Lord Selland and Lord Ragnar"
"you mean ' King White pointy ear ' and 'King Black pointy ear'?"
"seriously Pelna? " Crowe shockingly asked, wondering why he still called them like that.
"Sorry, still cannot believe they both were the previous Elven Kings, what about the Goddess of beauty herself? " Pelna asked while looking towards the three young female comrades.
"She hasn't been mentioned, the Courier just dissapeard after she gave the invitation as a proof." Prima announced before showing the invitation letter.
"and Goddess also ordered us to find Oriana as well," Prima stated.
"in this case, we'll go in advance" Nyx/Nick announced. "Emma, Lowe, you two go find Oriana, and remind her to put a dress or other formal clothes."
Nick then looked towards Noct.
The three girls now noticed Noct being in the room, this time with a black suit, which made him even more handsome, as the three girls thought.
" " " oh good evening Noct" " " the three girls greeted Noct.
"Hey, there" Noct greeted back to them, to which they happily responded as Noct and the others could see on their faces, which made them chuckle.
" and you'll look for Ravus if I remember correctly, Ravus said he also wanted Noct to come to him, so please take Noct along with you to him." Nick ordered towards Prima.
Prima wondered at first why big bro Nick allowed a stranger to go around their Manor freely but remembered how her Goddess said that she trusts him, like the whole Hestia Familia.
"and where could he be ? we already looked for him in his room, " Prima asked
Nick then looked towards Pelna and Crowe if they might have a suggestion.
"try it around the upper balcony. Or one of the living rooms near there. " Pelna promptly said.
Everyone looked towards Pelna.
"what? That's where he always goes when he seeks a 'quiet place'."t
Noct wondered why Pelna emphasizes the last two words but didn't want to ask further since he might find out soon.
"Anyway, if he's not there, try to look around, I'm sure Lord Selland and Lord Ragnar will already be busy greeting the other present Elves and other guests" Crowe stated.
After everyone stood up, Noct joined Prima, they didn't hesitate and immediately went looking for Ravus.
Emma and Lowe joined the three Executives, following them straight to the main hall.
Pelna wondered if it was a good idea to send Prima for the search, having a bad feeling about it.
(ENDING: FM-84 - Running In The Night (feat. Ollie Wride))
** my OC Character, of course as long as she doesn't make a real apparence in the Danmachi series for real, since that's quite possible considering that there have been mentioned many greek Gods and Goddesses in Danmachi. In this story however, she has long black hair and black eyes. As for her personality: she often behaves sassy and cautious, espiecally towars strangers, since she's responsible for a mining colony.
*** when watching the 'Argonaut' Story Event of Danmachi Memoria Freeze, I realized that the spirit, which makes a contract with Argonaut, is called Jupiter, who in the Danmachi Universe is considered to be a spirit of Zeus. And already knowing that Jupiter is the roman equivalent to the greek Zeus, I immedately searched in Wikipedia, finding out that the roman's equivalent to Greek goddes Nyx is called Nox, which coincidentally is Ravus' middle name. Now you know the reason why I didn't used Ravus and Nyx original names at first when writing this story.