(edit, years later...)

So, if you're reading this, and are going to keep reading this, I happen to have a discord now! Join in, maybe chat with me and some of the readers: aKAQg4bnYu

Chapter 19

As one, the mages fired an assortment of elemental magic. It was hard to even guess what all of it was but both Bell and I were already on the move. Using magic of my own, I braced my feet on a flat bit of stone, and propelled myself at one of the mages. Bell, carrying Hestia followed directly behind me, putting a boot on my shoulder and jumping past me as I broke the caster's nose with my elbow. It wasn't the most elegant, but we had practised something like this already. In case one of us ended up injured in the dungeon.

Welf, with his terrible naming sense called it something that actually made sense. 'Break, and break for it.'

The mage went down with a gurgle as his nose was crushed. I didn't have time to deal another blow, as the archers had adjusted their aim and were firing. Since my armour was buried under the rubble, I had to dodge. Even then, I hopped backwards in the direction Bell was going, and ended up with an arrow cutting a line across the top of my shoulder.

Glancing back over my shoulder, I saw Bell was clear for the moment, so I started my own run towards the guild headquarters.

Of the original dozen, now eleven, I counted four following me. Hyakinthos was still standing there, at the highest point around the crater that was my home, pointing his sword and shouting orders. There was no chance I could get to him, and even less I could beat him since he was level three. So I simply ran.

Another party of three popped up in front of me, each with the Apollo emblem on their chest. That was all I needed, and I diverted my roof top run, hopping across the street, crushing some roof tiles as I landed, then running again.

Another group in the way, a bolt of magic and a pair of arrows. Neatly dodged, a turn away from the tower, a turn back, another group... Every time I started back on track to the tower, a fresh group would pop up, blocking my way and forcing me to avoid them, or fight. But I'd lost count of how many others were chasing me, and stopping to deal with what was ahead would probably get me caught.

But I was being herded, and I knew it. They had numbers, and knew how to use them. I caught sight of Bell's familiar firebolt, and turned again. We'd practised how to fight together, and the first thing we had done was split up. A stupid mistake right from the start.

Another group, this time only two, as I ran back towards where I'd seen the firebolt. Not bothering to turn, the smug looks on their faces went to fear as I didn't stop. I pushed myself off the roof I was on, and drove both knees into the breastplate of one of them, rolling forward and springing back up, ignoring the cry of pain, or the shout for a medic. I was done playing nice.

And apparently, so where they. This time as I ran, an arrow caught me low in the back, another in the arm. I stumbled, but kept running, I could still breath, and my arm still worked. The next group, this one with four people, had two swordsmen in front, as well as a mage and archer behind. Keeping my body low, I waited until the last second to avoid them, jumping down to street level. I felt some debris pelt off me as the mage missed with a magic bolt, and watched as an arrow hissed over my shoulder into the cobblestones. Another firebolt. Another direction change.

This time I heard Bell shout for his third one, and heard some one scream as the crashing zap of impact threw some one off their feet. Rounding the corner, I saw them cornered by two more fighters, trying to crowd them backwards. Uncaring for the sudden throbbing from the arrows I'd been hit with, I rushed forward, Bell's wide eyes the only warning for them.

I felt the skin on my knuckles split as I punched the first one in the side of the head as he turned. The second one, I grabbed, feeling something slice against my side. I grabbed him by the belt with my other hand, and gave him a Chloe Javilin right through the nearest wall. Panting, I faced Bell and Hestia.

"You're hurt..." Bell said, reaching for me.

"So are you. We have to get back up. Pull that out." I motioned to the arrow in my arm. It had gone through, and hurt, a lot. But it wasn't bleeding too badly.

Hestia looked away as Bell snapped the feathers off, and pulled the arrow the rest of the way through. I hissed, but Bell ignored me and quickly tied a bit of ripped shirt on the wound. "The other one..."

"No time. Grab her, come on." I urged, "We are being pushed further away from the guild. We need to break through. Break, and break for it."

Nodding, he picked Hestia up, and we both jumped back up to the roof tops. Only to be met by more of them. No where close to our goal, and outnumbered. Taking a deep breath, made a little difficult with the arrow in my back, I started to feed my caged magic. "Move, or I go through you." I said to the one directly in the path towards the Guild headquarters.

The half dozen fighters simply leveled their weapons at us.

Then one of them caught an arrow in the shoulder, and another in the leg. From behind. Catching a glitter of silver from a far off bell tower, I caught sight of a third arrow on its way, and ran towards the one I had warned.

Suddenly beset by what amounted to old style sniper fire, they shied away for an instant. I still ended up with a cut on my hip as I drove my knee into the guy in front of me, but this time, as Bell hopped over me, I followed directly behind him.

Behind me, I heard shouts. Pain, anger, and Hyakinthos, his voice clear as he commanded the Apollo soldiers. I only caught one word in all the noise. "Mages."

My eyes went wide as I felt the electric tingle in the air. Glancing upwards and behind, I saw what looked like a dozen different blasts of magic, arcing not at, but ahead of us. They were going to cut us off, or blow us up. "Bell!" I called out, making him skid to a halt and make a desperate leap down to street level. Hestia screamed as they descended and the building we were about to jump to took all of the blasts, crumbling much as our home did. I hadn't jumped down, but I heard the rubble fall, and Bell and Hestia yell.

Then silence. With Hyakinthos in the middle, I was surrounded by a dozen people, all in a semi circle. Swords out, arrows drawn, magic circles at the ready. Cassandra and Daphne were among them, side by side, each with a staff in hand. From behind me, I heard nothing.

"Do you surrender? Or will you continue trying to escape?" Hyakinthos was smug as he spoke, but I was having trouble focusing on his face. A red haze was curling in from the sides of my vision. "I'm sure Apollo won't mind if you are a little damaged. We have excellent healers."

It was getting harder to hear him. My wounds felt like they were on fire. I looked back and forth quickly.

"I do hope the other one is still alive as well. I'd rather not..."

A howl split the air, and some one screamed, "The cage is broken!"

The first one, face full of fear, fell as if under a great weight. They coughed blood and were ignored, as a second one, silver in hand, attacked, but was caught, arm snapping dryly, thrown and discarded. A pause as a quill sprouts from the chest, the sudden snapping of wood, a scream and cry, ending with a thud at the bottom. Fire fills the vision, burns down to the feet, staff caught by the claws, a screaming head slammed through the roof.

"Stop!"

Ice fills the body, bleeds through the wounds.

"Bound by the softest of words." Some one says.

"Kodori! Stop! That's enough."

Red turns blue turns white. Arms encircle me. "I'll agree to the stupid game." I hear some one say, "Just stop... Please."

Bound, hand and foot, as well as round the upper arms and chest, I was brought, with Hestia and Bell to Apollo Familia's home. Everything hurt. I'd been shot with three more arrows, and burnt fairly bad, and even though Cassandra healed me I still hurt. Bell looked like he had been buried under a collapsed house, twice, but aside from torn clothes and a bit of dried blood, he seemed fine. Hestia had suffered a few tears in her pyjamas and a serious case of bed head, but otherwise didn't have a mark on her.

I also noticed that aside from the two burly men carrying me Hyakinthos was directly behind me. He hadn't said a single thing on our way back. Or even after I woke up in Hestia's arms. Simply 'Heal them, then tie her up and bring them.'

No smug words, no gloating.

I also noticed, that two of the dozen I remember standing in front of, were being carried. Too hurt travel under their own power.

"You did this." I heard Daphne say, behind me. I said nothing. Not all of my pain was from still sore wounds. She didn't continue, but I heard Cassandra's voice in my mind, 'the cage is broken'.

One week. After much shouting (from Hestia) and false generosity (Apollo) Hestia Familia was given one week to prepare for the war game. It was decided, that it would be a castle siege. And since Apollo was the bigger Familia Hestia would be the ones trying to take the castle. It hardly seemed possible, but, now that it was signed, we had no choice.

Seeing that he was being completely unfair, he said he would allow us one extra, so long as it was not from the top three Familia in the city.

It wasn't until the three of us were outside of the Apollo Familia gates, that some one undid my bonds. With some of the whispers I'd heard while Hestia and Apollo were negotiating, I'd put together most of what happened, what I'd done. It was even worse than the eighteenth floor this time too. But even still, as soon as the chains clinked to the ground and were pulled back through the gates of the Apollo home, Hestia hugged me tight.

I at least managed to not break down and cry right there, but only just. Bell was watching, and joined in for the hug after a moment.

"Well. You do have a heart, Demon Fox." I heard from behind me. Hyakinthos.

Not caring that I was currently getting a supportive hug from two of my favourite people in the world, in front of the gate of my enemy's home, I turned my head to look at him. "You remember the question I asked, right?" He frowned at me, but nodded, "Remember my answer when we meet at the war game."

There was no trace of his previous arrogance, just a hint of anger. "You only have a week. So stop wasting it at our front gate."

He had a point. I could wallow in my own guilt later. I gave my Familia a nudge and we separated. "Just remember, hippopotamus, when we win, we get everything!" Hestia had turned and pointed her finger angrily at the man on the other side of the gate.

His smug face returned and he laughed, "Good, try, make it interesting." He turned and left, leaving us three standing there.

"Well... He is right. We have a week. Bell?"

"Yes, Miss Kodori?"

"We have to beat a level three. Time to train."

"Yes, Miss Kodori."

I could see from the look on Bell's face, that he knew exactly where he was going to go for training. For me, I would return to the Hostess of Fertility. Before all that however, we met with a few of our friends. Without hesitation, Takemikazuchi Familia helped us dig out some essentials from the wreckage of our home. Equipment mostly, but also some clothing and other small things. Lilly had come by as well, Welf too, and before the sun was even set, we had everything we needed for our week of training. Hestia updated our status one last time, and took me aside after arranging with Takemikazuchi for a place to stay.

"You were gone, you know..." She started, watching Bell walk off behind me. "You had lost control."

"I thought... I thought you and Bell..." I sighed, feeling the tears I'd held back surfacing again. I might have a woman's body, but I knew that wasn't why I was feeling so emotional. "I saw the building fall on you, and heard nothing but that voice..." I knelt in front of her, head bowed. "I won't join him. Ever. I won't dishonour you, but he will never own me." The bitter face of Daphne entered my vision for an instant.

"You would go that far? For me?" She asked, petting my ears, "If that's the case, you must win."

"As my Goddess commands." I replied, before she pinched the tips of my ears. "Ow."

"No. I don't command you. You or Bell or Lilly. I'm not like Apollo, I don't want to own you."

"Then, for you, I will win. With Bell and Lilly, we will do the impossible, and win. Not because we were told to, but because we want to." She let my ears go, and put her hand between them, as Takemikazuchi had. A blessing, not a 'pet on the head'.

"Good. Here." She handed me a brush, the one Haruhime had given me. "I found it."

I accepted the brush, seeing that its surface was only a little marked by the collapse of our home, and put it inside what was left of my shirt, securing it in my sash. Then, I hugged my Goddess and stood, spinning her around once, making her laugh. Then with care, I put her down, bowed, fist in palm, and left.

My arrival at the Hostess surprised no one. Rumour being almost as fast as light, I'm sure that some, if not most of the girls there had already placed bets on when I'd show up. My state of dress when I showed up however...

Before I could even open my mouth, Mia gave me the sternest look, and simply pointed to the stairs. Being like my mother, here in this world, and never wanting to disappoint her, I walked past all the customers, Chloe, Arnya, and Ryuu, and went upstairs. Ryuu followed me up, knocking once on my room door, and entering before I could say anything.

"I feel like I've failed you, too." I said, pulling off my once again ruined clothing. I noted the arrow holes and blood as I did so, wondering how close I was to fighting until I was either killed, or bled out. "You showed me where it was, you helped me keep it locked up. Can you..." I was having trouble raising my arms over my head.

Wordlessly, she closed the door, took a step and helped me undress the rest of the way. It was a little embarrassing. Not being naked, in front of a woman I respected. But for the first time since I arrived, I was having trouble with something so basic.

"You were healed." She said, running a hand over my back and shoulders, "It is just fading bruises, but your body is tired." She even wrapped a towel around me, and nudged me towards the bath room. "I don't blame you, and you haven't failed me."

"I nearly killed... I'm not sure how many... Before either I was killed or ran out of people." I replied, suddenly feeling that crushing weight on my shoulders.

"Yes. I saw. But you have friends. Good friends. And even if you might forget." She poked me in the forehead as I lowered myself into the bath, "Your heart remembers." She smiled her little smile and started to scrub my back.

I noticed she was still in her work uniform. "Ryuu... I'll be fine. If you have another spare uniform, I'll join you for the dinner rush, and explain everything."

"I'll let Mia know. But if you are too long, you won't be able to eat before then." Another smile, this one a knowing one. She knew I'd never miss a free meal here.

Evening rush over, with cleanup well underway, I laid out what had happened the previous few nights. I skipped over a little, like meeting Ishtar and Freya, though I did get Arnya back for hiring the Amazon twins to grope my rear.

"So that's what happened." I said to them, my hands gently working on the guilty cat girl's ears. "Apollo, in his infinite grace, has given Hestia Familia one week, starting tomorrow, to prepare for this." I looked to Mia, who was gripping one of her wooden mugs so hard I could hear it creaking. "I don't want to come here, always asking for help. But, I would like to train here." I looked to all of them, except Arnya, who was sitting in my lap and purring while I pet her ears.

"Just help us with the evening rush!" Mia said, waving a ladle at me, "And stop ruining my uniforms!" She gave me a smile then, her big face softening, "You know I always take care of my girls."

The first day was probably the worst. I was eager to get to work, waking up early, as usual, meeting with Ryuu, and Lunoire, in the little back field behind the Hostess, and going from there. And, that was how it started.

Then, we were interrupted by my favourite guild employee, Eina. Not an unpleasant surprise, but an official one. She informed me that it was all on paper, this war game business, and official. Not wanting to miss a chance to try and stack the very limited deck my Familia was holding, I asked her if she could send some one she trusted to run messages for me.

Lilly arrived close to lunch, saying Eina had told her where I was, and that I needed a runner. After putting her down from a very big hug, as I was glad to see she was fine, if a little disappointed she wasn't there helping, we went over a list of things she could do. While not the most awe inspiring, or difficult of tasks, she knew that to be a supporter, she didn't need to be in the dungeon, to be on the clock. Just after lunch, I sent her on her way with a list of supplies I'd need, a message for Bell, where ever he went off to, and for Welf.

After that, it was back to training. Ryuu had gone to help with the start of the dinner preparations, and Lunoire was sparring with me.

"Master." I said, getting to my feet after being tossed onto my rear, again. It was a common enough thing that my springing to my feet was reflex. "I have to be honest with you."

Dropping her fighting stance, she stopped, "Oh? And what's that? Going to tell me I'm the prettiest one of all?" She laughed, trying to lighten the mood.

"You are definitely on my list of pretty ladies who are good at fighting." I replied dryly, stretching my arms above my head until my back popped. She smiled at the comment, waving a hand at me as if to say 'no, me?'

"Master. I have, less than six and a half days to train, and prepare for what looks like a hopeless fight. The fate of my Familia, my friends, and my Goddess will be decided then. Why are you holding back?"

She dropped her playful expression, resuming her fighting stance, "Because you still have to work tonight?"

"I have potions. Please. All or nothing." Potions were the first thing that Lilly had brought, after all.

The best bare hand fighter I knew shrugged, tilted her head from side to side to loosen her shoulders up, and came at me.

Everyone who came in for dinner had a word or two for me that night. Some were well wishing, others were against Apollo and his bully tactics... Most were 'you look miserable'.

I didn't tell them I'd just told one of my friends to beat me within an inch of my life, on purpose, and planned to have her do it again before I went to sleep. Mia looked both worried, and irritated. She warned us, that if we got too rambunctious, we would have to find some place else to train. Granted, I planned to do that anyhow, as Ryuu throwing magic at me was on my list of things to do.

I think Chloe was being mean on purpose. She had lined up a half dozen buckets of ice water by the edge of the training field for my after dinner practice. I made a note, that if I survived this, I would have to give her a tail rub or something.

After my bath, or rather, Arnya throwing me into the tub to wake me up and make sure I didn't drown, I got to work on my other project. Two of them actually. Lilly had come back with some of what I had asked, and when questioned about what I wanted them for, I simply smiled, and said, "If it works, you can join me when we aren't fighting a stupid war game."

I also made sure to remind her to keep practising.

Day two was training in the rain. I gave Ryuu the same talk I had with Luniore, and like a true friend, she made sure that at the very least, I didn't die. Between buckets of ice water, trying not to get her wooden sword in the face, and avoiding small gusts of magic, I thought I did rather well. A break at lunch to eat, and talk to Welf. He was surprised when I asked for a weapon, though, once I gave him the design, he was both intrigued, and disgusted.

"A Jitte? You call this?" He asked, looking at the design, "Hm, reenforce it here... Use some of that adamant... Okay, yeah. I'll make it for you."

"I know you hate the idea, but just think, I'll never break one of your weapons." We shook on it, and then I handed him the second drawing. "This one... Just trust me. Just make it as light as you can, and you must be able to do chin ups on it."

He looked at me as if I were insane, but after puzzling at my drawing, he simply shrugged, "Your valis, sister."

Nazza's reaction, during my break just after dinner, was much the same. I thanked her for her help with trying to help us escape Apollo, guessing that it was her silver hand I'd spotted from afar. I had drawn up some ideas, and needed some special materials for Welf, when he was done building the second project.

I also asked for some special potions, wondering if some of them even existed. Thankfully, those she was cheerfully able to supply without worry, but, of course, with cost.

Another round of close combat with Lunoire, another half dozen buckets of ice water, and waking up suddenly in a bathtub. My body felt like compressed bruises, but I could see everything I'd done, done wrong, and done well, during the spar. Tomorrow I'd ask them to meet me by the ruin of Hestia Familia home.

I tried not to stay up too late building a small model of something. I'd have only one chance to make it work when I brought it up to scale.

Day three. Lilly delivered my jitte, and told me she had to have her little crossbow replaced. I asked her how many time's she'd used it, but when she held up a hand to say she forgot, the once delicate hand was covered in tiny blisters. I told her to take a message to Hestia, get a hug from her, and run a few more messages.

Both Ryuu and Luniore waited patiently for my business with Lilly to conclude, before Ryuu picked up a practise weapon from a barrel of wooden swords I'd had prepared.

Lunch was delivered by the four of Takemikazuchi Familia, and I told them afterwards that I wanted to break all those weapons by dinner.

Dinner was almost missed due to excessive bruising.

Dinner rush was worked in the kitchen, my body not wanting to move more than a couple of joints at a time.

After dinner, Ryuu had finally asked something I'd expected from the first moment I'd walked in the door. "What happened to your tail? And why aren't you using your magic?"

"Second question first." I sighed, trying to stretch out any number of small complaints my muscles were giving me. "I need to learn to fight without it. I've been using it far too much, and if I ever suddenly can't..."

"And the first?" I shivered as my tail wandered over to her, and she ran a hand down it.

"It seems to be related to my magic stat. I took 'mage' for my level as well... That feels really good..." She had taken a better hold of my tail, and seemed to be enjoying the texture. Of all my bits that hadn't been burnt, my tail was the only thing.

She asked what my stat was, curious, and assured me that she didn't need to know, if I didn't want to tell her. My tail slid out of her fingers when I did tell her. For two levels in a row, my magic stat was over 900. My last update was nearly at the supposed cap as well, just as my first level had been. "How?"

"Bell. For all his looks, for how adorable and innocent he is... He is almost impossible to keep up with. I've used my magic to push me to keep up. But I can't afford to do that anymore. If I can't do it without my magic..."

She shook her head, repeating something I had said myself once, "A good adventurer uses every tool at their disposal." She nodded, "I understand why you don't want to rely on it, but at this rate..." She motioned to just how stiffly I was moving.

"Tomorrow then."

Day four. Lilly with another early morning delivery to Hestia Familia home. Several samples of fabric, one of which was chosen. A few more messages, and a reply to another. A bit of intelligence from the Apollo Familia, saying that most of them were starting to head to the place the game would take place, an abandoned castle, a day's ride from here.

Another barrel of weapons, another free for all with Takemikazuchi Familia. Ryuu and Luniore joining in from the sidelines occasionally. Mikoto springing the news on me that she had left her Familia to join Hestia Familia, if only for a year.

A bucket of cold water and a scolding to not get distracted by sudden news. Lunch.

Lilly with two deliveries. A hug from Hestia, who has been worrying but staying put so we don't get distracted. And word from Soma Familia. She had also found Bell.

After lunch, reassuring all present that I really was serious. It was time to find my absolute limit with my current level of magic, and this would be a stress test of my first 'spell', skin of stone.

Missed dinner with a combination of mind down, and being bruised by three hours of being beaten by five different people and a barrel of wooden weapons, and one person with her bare hands.

After dinner, Lilly with two more deliveries, from Nazza and Soma himself. The second in a tall box marked 'victory drink'. Box set aside.

Sample potions from Nazza required my room to be abandoned suddenly, and emergency teams waved away at false alarm.

Severely scolded by Mia. Ladle was thankfully only waved at me.

Day five. Started morning with Takemikazuchi again. This time at full strength, magic boosted, grand melee battle. Ryuu and Lunoire taking over once the weapon barrel was empty.

Word from Welf saying my bigger project was done, and that he had something special planned for the games. And that he had also left his Familia, to join with Hestia. I filled away a rare 'I. , 1 hug.'

Lunch, everyone exhausted, an insane amount of rice consumed. Lilly told to stay not just for lunch, but to use me as target practise after. Word about the fabric being ready, and that it was to be delivered to Welf.

Before dinner break, first aid for multiple puncture wounds. Another delivery from Soma, this time from his master brewer. A note from Nazza on the bottle saying it should work.

After dinner rush, making damn sure my model works, even at double capacity.

Day six. Word sent with Lilly to Freya Familia, as well as Welf and Bell. Morning spent with two barrels of weapons this time, Takemikazuchi Familia calling me insane several times.

Lunch, went to visit Welf at a small shed he had rented on my behalf. He looked like ten kilometres of rough road, but happy that he was able to put his head down and craft things. He had done perfectly, and my design on paper was now a perfect life size replica. He helped me dress it with the fabric, and take it apart again for delivery, so long as Freya allowed it.

Lilly delivered said permission and was sent to tell Welf to arrange the delivery.

Nazza herself delivered the bill for services rendered, making my jaw drop, but with a no interest payment plan.

After dinner cleanup. It was time to visit Bell.

"Miss Kodori is crazy." Lilly said to me as we walked towards the city's outer wall. "All week, Lilly has been running her feet off. But Miss Kodori won't tell Lilly what she has been doing."

She was pouting at me, but I deserved it. "Risk." I replied, "I hardly remember everything I've done this week. Between training, and trying really hard to think of how three people could win against Apollo Familia." Reaching down, I picked up the little Pallum and put her on my shoulder, She didn't complain, but took advantage of her new height to play with my ears. I noticed her hands were rough, almost painfully so on my ears. "We have more people now, with Welf, and Mikoto, and Ryuu, our ace."

She lightly used my ears to steer me down another street, the wall looming overhead.

"I couldn't risk anything getting out. Everything, everything, hinges on just how surprising we can be." We came to the foot of a wide stone staircase at the base of a tower between two of the huge sections of wall. "Lilly has the hardest task of all. Is Lilly ready?"

"Lilly will have to leave her new crossbow behind." She replied, "But Lilly has been scouting too. She kn-eep!"

I poked her in the belly button to stop her from talking. "Couldn't resist." I said, starting up the steps. She gave me a Karate chop of justice in reply. "Just be as safe as you can. You are on my very short list of favourite people."

With the people we had, and my mad rush of material gathering and Lilly's intelligence gathering, I saw our odds of wining at around, 'hope'. Thanks to all of the help our little Familia had gotten. I had to find out if there was some sort of equivalent to Christmas or something here.

I heard the weapons clashing from about half way up the huge flight of steps. Orario's wall was high. I suspected that it wasn't just to keep the people inside safe, though a person would have to be insane, well and truly war hungry, to try and attack a city of adventurers.

But to keep things in. If the tower ever failed, the dungeon would be open to the world. And that wall was the only thing keeping them from the rest of the world.

One problem at a time. I reminded myself.

Three quarters up, I heard Bell do a perfect 'been thrown, roll and spring' the distinct sound of familiar boots hitting the stone and then dashing forward again. A moment later, a clash of steel, then a second, different type of metal. My ears knew the sound of Bell's weapons, just as I knew the feeling of punching something.

"He's trying hard." I mumbled, putting Lilly down on the next landing, the top of the stairs only ten steps away now. I didn't actually climb the rest of the way, instead stopping three steps down and peering around the corner. I had to correct myself. He wasn't trying really hard. He was trying to kill himself.

I had never seen Ais Wallenstein fight before. I'd seen her weapon, and heard her nickname of 'Sword Princess', and could make an educated guess at how she fought. She was one of the few people I'd seen who was not only very powerful, being level six, but in the thirty seconds that I spent watching Bell and her fight, I could tell she was also very skilled.

Most of the adventurers that I'd met, and fought, fell into two categories. The first, were people like Boldo, and Zanis. They had stats, but not so much skill. Falna had given them the power they wanted, without the training they needed.

The second, were the skilled, who had stats. Takemikazuchi Familia was a good example. They had been orphans, from what I'd learned, who trained hard, and were granted Falna as a reward, to help support the orphanage they had grew up in. Bell and I were another, less refined example. We trained hard, but had no formal style. Regardless, we had skill, and stats.

Then, there was Ais. I could tell, in that thirty seconds of watching her try and skewer Bell, that her form was perfect. Balance, power, accuracy. She was holding back too, just enough so that if Bell made a mistake she wouldn't kill him.

The crazy part, was the less endowed Amazon twin of Loki Familia suddenly joining in. From the thirty-first second until the sixty-eighth second, when I finally finished walking up the steps to make my presence known, he was fending them both off, dagger in each hand. She was swinging some kind of huge double bladed staff. If it weren't for the gift of super strength, it wouldn't have been possible to use it at all, but she was also very strong, and very skilled.

I'd gone with quantity, for my training partners. Bell certainly went with quality.

The two women noticed me and hopped back away from Bell. Puzzled that he wasn't being assaulted from two places at once, he looked around and spotted me, hopping up and down, tightening my gauntlets one by one. In that sixty-eight second viewing of him fighting, I could tell he had learned a huge amount in the time we'd been apart. I let my magic heat up inside of me, settle into my skin, and as soon as he readied his two daggers, I stepped forward.

And by stepped, I threw my magic down to my feet, and covered the ten meter distance between us in an eye blink.

No fool, he didn't just stand there. Taking a half step back and to the side, I flashed past him, but knowing that Bell was no fool, I was already half turning my body, a hand touching the edge of one of the stones of the wall.

This caught him by surprise. I had basically stopped myself on a dime with nothing but two fingertips. I had learned another perk of my new 'immovable' trait written in my status. It was perfect for stopping my own momentum too.

But, even as I sprung back towards him, my fist extended towards his face, he was already moving. I could hear the back of my armoured hand brush his chin, but he had faded back turned his head just enough, and that was it. I felt his elbow slam into my back, an instant before I bounced off the stone.

A forward roll bled off my extra momentum, a quick push of my palms against the ground, and I was back on my feet. This time, Bell came to me, both daggers, bare steel, swinging. His daggers were twin blurs of black and red, but my hands and forearms elbows and knees worked inside even that short range, pulling on everything Luniore had taught me.

This time, I managed to put a hand on Bell's wrist, duck under his arm, and give him a modified Chloe Javelin, grabbing his belt from behind and tossing him.

A draw. He was ten meters away again, and after making a show of dusting himself off, he put the Hestia knife away, holding the red minotaur horn blade in the other, and charged. Half way to me, he extended a hand and shouted, the crackle of electrified flame lancing towards me.

He didn't expect me to just stand there. But I did. And as the bolt hit me, full on the chest, I let my own magic carry it from the surface of my skin, to the tip of my tail, and into the stone of the wall. Multiple tries against Ryuu's magic had let me figure this one out. Ryuu was far more experienced, and could in fact tone down her offensive magic. While this method made grooming my tail a pain later, I no longer had to risk blowing off my boots every time I grounded out the excess magical energy.

That's not to say it didn't still hurt. But before Bell could get over his surprise at me simply shrugging off his attack, I had grabbed him again, using my new jump step to close the distance, grab his weapon arm, and put my palm flat to his chest.

Seeing as I really liked Bell, I stopped there, though the dust around us exploded outward by the sudden stop of two very fast moving objects. Both of us stood straight, and shared our customary fist bump.

"WOW!" The excited voice of the Amazon, Tiona, if I recalled, exclaimed, as she bounced excitedly back and forth from foot to foot. "You two are incredible! No one would think you were still level two."

I looked towards the setting sun a moment, then back to the passively standing Ais, and the excitable Amazon, and said, "Hey Bell?"

"Yes Miss Kodori?" He wiped a bit of sweat from his forehead.

"Hallway. Lilly has snacks."

"Yes Miss Kodori."

And we charged. We had taken each others measure, and now, we were going to see how we could use our new tricks together, instead of against. I knew that Ais was level six. I knew that Tiona was also level six.

But I also knew they would understand what we were doing, and not hold it against us.

Ais was first to meet us, her wide bladed rapier feeling like Luniore's punch compressed into a small point as I deflected it, first with one then the other arm guard. Bell slipped beside me, daggers drawn, and tried a swipe at the fencer's side, only to have her lift her leg and catch the inside of Bell's wrist with her knee, both blocking, sweeping him aside, and backing up all the in same motion. I pressed forward, matching her step, but her speed was like nothing I'd ever faced, and I was suddenly being pushed backwards by a series of thrusts, while she was weaving around Bell's dagger swings like water.

I had no chance to attack, and even with her longer weapon, me getting inside her reach meant nothing with her speed.

And Bell had been fighting against this for six days?

I surprised both Bell and Ais, and earned a gasp from Tiona, when I took a half step back and pulled out my Jitte. For those who don't know, it is basically a parrying weapon. A smooth rod, some times with a point, with a single 'L' shaped prong for a crosspiece.

I met Ais's next thrust with the rod of my Jitte, and let her blade slide to the crosspiece. With a sharp twist, I trapped her blade, and let my arm extend as she tried to pull the blade free.

Seeing his opportunity, Bell did that same half step fade, broke away from Ais and I, and dashed towards Lilly, who was holding up a little bag of the promised snack.

Only to be met by the Amazon. I had to trust Bell now. In the Hallway, we only needed to break through, not win. That was after, when we got to a more open space. At least, in the dungeon. I just managed to get a hand on Ais's wrist, her sword only a few centimetres from getting free. Time for trick two, I only hoped she didn't hit too hard.

I stood, immobile, as Ais used her free hand to hit me. Likely expecting me to go sailing off along the top of the wall, I instead did not move. At all. She gave a tug with her sword arm, still held by my right hand, weapon trapped by mt Jitte. And I did not move.

Even though it FELT like I had moved. Her simple palm slap to my side had felt like it broke everything. I used all of my focus and recent training to simply keep Ais occupied for a few more seconds.

If this had been a real battle, she would have probably punched right through me. Instead, as we heard Bell do his 'get thrown roll spring', and Lilly saying "Master Bell has the snacks!" Ais relaxed. And caught me as I let go of her wrist, and felt my legs turn to water as the pain from her strike caught up with me. I had been able to take an almost full force strike from Lunoire, using my skin of stone chant, and going into mind down, even with my Mage skill. But... Everyone in that situation knew what I was trying to do. I had braced properly, taken the punch on my forearms, and was already running my magic at full power.

Not so much, this time. She'd hit my floating ribs, and only her not wanting to actually hurt me saved me from having everything broken.

"Are you okay?" She asked, holding me up until my feet started to listen to me again.

"Nothing broken." I replied, "Thank you for not actually meaning to hurt me."

"You surprised me. How...?" She let me lean on her a little as we walked toward Lilly Bell and Tiona, who were sitting now, and nibbling on what ever it was Lilly had brought with her.

I hesitated a moment, wondering if I could trust her with my actual skills, but since Bell trusted her, I shrugged and told her. "Titan's grasp, Titan's stance. I can never lose my grip, or be moved, so long as I hold something, and stay still." I rubbed my side, "Even if I do stay still... I have my limits it seems." Very carefully, I put my Jitte back into my sash before sitting down with the rest of them.

"Miss Kodori is amazing! That weapon you used? Wait, you used a weapon?" Bell blinked, looking at the forty centimetre long weapon in my sash.

"Tool. I didn't attack with it. It's an eastern weapon, usually pointy, but Welf rounded this one, and made it out of some of the adamant I traded for." I carefully handed it to Bell, "It does, provided my opponent isn't too fast, let me brace another weapon and strike it with my fist from the side." I made the motions with my hands, "If I had a sword, I could do the same." I made a chopping motion with my imaginary sword, "Remember when I told you never to straighten your arm when punching?"

He nodded, understanding, as he passed the sword breaker around. "I've been up here all week. Miss Ais and Miss Tiona, and sometimes Miss Tione, have been helping me train."

I believed it. He looked like I had felt every day this past week. "We have tomorrow, and then we set out. I've been working with Lilly, and everyone we know, to win this." I smiled, "You've heard that Welf, and Mikoto have joined Hestia Familia?"

"Yes! I was happy to hear that. Surprised... But with Mr Welf and Miss Mikoto... Oh, Miss Ryuu is going to join us too, right?"

"As our one allowed 'extra' not from the three top Familia." I said, looking at Ais and Tiona, "I hate politics, but you have no idea how thankful I am you've helped Bell."

Ais simply nodded, with her marble face smiling just a little, while Tiona replied with, "Thank us plenty!" She hooked an arm around Bell's shoulders, making him blush, "Say, I've been meaning to ask. How come you aren't even a little bit nervous with her?"

Mostly flat chested or not, Tiona was still good looking. This meant, of course, Bell turned into a stuttering idiot at the sudden friendly, out of combat, proximity of the fairer sex.

We all, well, Ais kept smiling, shared a laugh at the poor boy's expense, but he managed to string a few words together, finally starting with, "Miss Kodori is like a big sister, or mother. Maybe even like a father?" Tiona let Bell go, his nervousness vanishing as he tried to concentrate on his thoughts. "She tries to teach me, even though she didn't even know how to speak when we'd met. She tries hard to keep us all safe, even if it gets her hurt."

"You saw Miss Kodori, Miss Ais, right?" Lilly asked, "When Master Bell fought the minotaur?"

Ais nodded, "Yes. Riviera said it was very bad."

I felt myself blushing. I hardly felt worthy of such praise. Sure, I'd done all these things. The past... almost two months now, were filled with crazy, idiotic, and nearly unbelievable things. But, Bell had done a lot as well. Welf and Lilly too.

"Yes. That's why? I guess?" Bell finished.

"Miss Kodori did kiss him though." Lilly said, making the Amazon perk up, and Bell blush again. I frowned at the naughty Pallum. She didn't take the joke further, and added, "Miss Kodori doesn't care about appearances. She is like Master Bell. If it needs to get done. It gets done."

We fell to silence, passing around the quickly dwindling bag of snacks.

"So..." Tiona trailed off, hooking an arm around me this time, "You kissed him?"

"Amazons... What a weird bunch." I muttered, after the three of us split up from the two Loki Familia. "Anyhow... Bell, Lilly, we have to get everyone together. Meet at the Hostess of Fertility. Bell, you can get Welf, I'll get Mikoto, and Lilly... Order dinner for us. You deserve a rest."

No arguments given, the three of us split up and went to gather everyone for the last meeting.

Notes!

So, there it is. I hope, very much, that I've left you all guessing at what kind of surprises our hero has in store for this war game. Again, most of what is going on, is by the book. But with Kodori, I plan to twist things a little, to give something new to those who've read the books.

I also hope that I portrayed the 'frantic week' without A: making it uninteresting, and B: keeping it coherent enough to follow.

Until next time.