Hello all, and thank you for tuning in to another chapter!
I'm so glad to see the overall positive reception towards the last chapter, albeit I seemed to have confused quite a few people lol. I wish I could further elaborate on why certain things occurred, but I wanted to have this story centered around uncovering mysteries and secrets, just like what we do in Bloodborne as well. All I ask is for a bit of patience as answers and more clues slowly trickle in. I'll try to keep you all entertained in the meantime!
I was also worried about the whole 'Meteria is gorgeous' thing since I worry that I might have overdone it, or made certain people act out-of-character. Thankfully, no one has mentioned any complaints about it so far, so that's good. If there's one thing I really hate, it's when characters act completely out-of-character for no reason whatsoever, and I try to avoid that as much as possible. But I will admit that the idea of Lefiya falling in love with Bell's mom was something I came up with randomly while writing that last chapter.
I know people like to give Lefiya shit, especially in regards to the anime, but she's actually one of my favorite characters, and her interactions with Bell will always be funny to me. I hope that in the main series the two work together again like they did in SO 5. And in regards to Meteria, I made Lefiya fall in love with her solely for comedic reasons at first, but just like how Lady Maria will be interacting with Bell a lot more as the story progresses, Meteria will also be interacting with the Loki Familia more often, like with Lefiya, and ESPECIALLY with Aiz. Can't wait to start writing when these characters meet up! Rest assured, while the scenes will be there, Lefiya will not be relegated to solely being a Meteria simp.
And once again I do apologize for the rather slow pace of the story. As I explained earlier, more and more of the cosmic horror of Bloodborne will be creeping its way into the story, and thought it might be a bit slow at first, it's to help build up the intrigue and the dread as things progress and the characters of Danmachi start to see this cosmic horror elements for themselves.
I appreciate all the positive feedback from you guys, and without further ado, let's dive right in!
(Elsewhere in Daedalus Street)
"Aaaaaachoo!"
"Geez, Bete, that's the 5th time you've sneezed these past few minutes. Did ya catch a cold or somethin'?" Gareth asked lightheartedly.
"Buzz off, old man!" Bete yelled back. "Some asshole's probably bad-mouthing me somewhere. Just look at Finn, he's been shivering a lot!"
"Ahahaha… must be Tione and the other again." Finn joked, though even he paled at the implication of Tione thinking about him like that once more. He really should try to gently let her down.
If only he was brave enough to do that (and he was well aware of the irony involved).
"Sheesh, ya've been all fussy these past few days. What's got yer fur all riled up this time?" Gareth asked, scratching his beard.
"Isn't it obvious?" Bete spat, his face morphing into a fearsome frown. "We all got our asses kicked down on the 59th!"
Immediately, the mood of the rest of their group plummeted, and even Finn flinched as the memory of their failed expedition echoed in his mind once more.
The rest of their Familia hadn't taken their defeat well, and many of the lower level members aside from Raul and Aki were now too afraid to either return to the Dungeon or assist with the investigations into Evilus. Finn could hardly blame them. After all, the revelation that all the executives had been defeated by a single unknown Adventurer and spared from death would have frightened anyone. If it was Freya Familia, then their defeat would have been humiliating but accepted. But a complete stranger? Someone who claims to not be a part of Evilus, yet was able to reach the 59th floor before the rest of Loki Familia? A floor that not even Zeus and Hera Familia reached? It was an unfortunate wake-up call for the entire Familia, and not even Loki could find a way to cheer everyone up.
Tione, Tiona, and Bete were incredibly dissatisfied with their Level Ups, as the idea that they were able to Level Up due to their loss didn't sit well with them. Something that should have been a cause for celebration instead turned into a reminder of their powerlessness.
Finn and his two friends knew that feeling all too well. They too had experienced embarrassing defeat after embarrassing defeat at the hands of Zeus and Hera long ago, a sentiment only shared by Ottar from Freya Familia, and the woman they fought down on the 59th floor could have easily been mistaken for someone amongst their ranks.
And that woman remained an enigma even today. Finn had practically scoured the available archives for any information about that woman, and nothing turned up. She was never recorded to be a part of any Familia, and there were no records of her ever entering Orario. And no one in the Guild had seen someone matching her description enter the Dungeon through the normal entrance. He would have assumed that she made it down there due to the secret entrance, but her words made it abundantly clear that she had no allegiance to Evilus.
For all his intellect, this mystery was one he had no clue how to decipher. He had debated and brainstormed for days on end with no success. This mysterious woman was a complete Irregular, one that even the Gods couldn't explain.
And her threat dangled over their heads. As shameful as it was to admit, especially for him, the only reason they were still alive was because the woman let them go. Thankfully, no one had leaked what happened to them to the rest of the city, but it was a massive setback in his goal to be a pillar of hope to all Prums.
The Braver cannot lose. He cannot falter and die now, not when he was nowhere near his goal. Simply being famous wasn't enough. He had to go above and beyond.
"Oi, Finn. You have any clue how we're gonna handle that lady if she shows up again?" Bete asked.
Finn turned around, noting that his group was only made up of himself, Gareth, Bete, and Raul. The other members were scattered all across Daedalus Street looking for the secret entrance. Seeing it was safe for conversation, he decided to be honest.
"I don't know." Finn admitted. "She's strong. Too strong. I doubt even Ottar or the Knight of Knights could take her on by themselves. It almost reminds me of the old days, back when Zeus and Hera Familia were still active."
"Huh? Those old have-beens were strong enough to give you guys trouble?"
"They were the undisputed champions of Orario," Gareth answered to Bete. "The pinnacle of what humans with Falna could accomplish. Remember back in the Dark Days?"
"Yeah, those two Level 7's were making a mess of things, weren't they?"
"Ay, they were once part of Zeus and Hera Familia back in the day, and they were as strong as could possibly be. The only reason we won at all 'gainst them was 'cause they were already dyin' and their Status dropped like crazy. Almost makes me feel like they let us win."
"Well that doesn't help us in the slightest." Bete grumbled. It pissed him off to no end, but he knew that that lady was far beyond them. Even his Magic wouldn't have been enough. "So? What're we gonna do about her?"
"For now, we'll have to keep our investigation of Daedalus Street secret." Finn said. "Regardless, Evilus is still our top priority, and unless we find the secret entrance, they'll have easy and unrestricted access to smuggle those Violas on the surface. And as for that woman? She seems to not be allied with Evilus either, so hopefully I can convince her to aim her wrath at our enemies instead."
"You don't really think she'll just listen to you after she kicked our asses, do ya?" Bete snarled.
Finn frowned. "No, I don't. Which is why I'm flirting with a more… unpleasant option. We can't defeat her by ourselves, and if she continues to interfere with our goals, then we'll have to find allies to help us. I might have to seek assistance from the Knight of Knights… and even Freya Familia."
Bete, understandably, didn't take that idea well. "HUH!? You seriously want to ask for help from those asshats!?"
Gareth sighed. "I don't like it either, as it'll leave us in their debt if they agree, but we've got no choice. Besides, Ottar'll probably be more willing to help us out, and even Freya'll have to see reason. Someone who can beat all of us would still be a threat to her as well, and Freya, for all her faults, doesn't want Orario to fall either. If we get her to agree, then the rest of her Familia'll follow."
"That's still a last resort, and one I hope we won't have to rely on." Finn added. "For now, we keep to our task."
Their group had been scouring the sewers underneath Daedalus Street while the girls were patrolling the streets above. While Bete was constantly sniffing out any signs of Violas (much to his chagrin), Finn and Gareth were looking for any possible signs of a door or entrance, while Raul lit up their path with a Magic lantern.
But they've been patrolling for the past couple of hours with no luck, with Bete starting to tire of constantly smelling sewage, and Raul becoming more and more anxious as time passed. Finn could only hazard a guess as to what the other groups were thinking.
He sighed, when another hour passed with no results. With morale so low at the moment, the best he could do was have the Familia retreat and search another day.
"Beg your pardon, sirs, but may you perhaps spare this old fool some money or food?"
A haggard voice reached his ears, and Finn looked up to see a beggar sitting near the exit of the sewers. Covered in frayed clothing that looked like it would come apart at the slightest touch, the beggar wore a bloody bandage that covered both his eyes, and he held out his hands as they approached the exit.
"Piss off, we don't have any food on us." Bete said callously, not even bothering to entertain his request.
"Bete, don't take your frustrations out on other people." Finn chided. He reached inside his vest and pulled out a sizable bag of Valis. "Here. I'm afraid I don't have any food on me, but I hope this will suffice. Unless you have any snacks on you, Raul?"
"Sorry, Captain, 'fraid I don't have anything save for that medicine for upset stomachs." Raul answered, covering his nose from the stench of sewage.
Finn exited the sewers and deposited the bag in the beggar's palms. "Do you need help leaving Daedalus Street to find a market or restaurant?"
"Oh, no need to be concerned, Finn Deimne." The beggar said with an eerie smile. "Even blind, I know my way around these parts."
"Ah, you recognize me?" Finn was quite surprised by the recognition. He didn't think he'd be that famous as to have people recognize him by his voice alone. He didn't often venture in Daedalus Street either.
"Oh, not just you. I can recognize the others as well. Bete Loga, Gareth Landrock, and Raul Nord. I wonder, why would Loki Familia be wandering around the underbelly of Daedalus Street at this ungodly hour?"
Finn narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "You're quite sharp, for a mere beggar."
"No need to be so suspicious, Braver. But don't underestimate the poor and misbegotten. Oftentimes they're the first to know when something afoul is afoot. And secrets often find their way down to the least expected of places. In a place like this, it's important to always keep an eye out."
"Yo, Finn." Bete said in a quiet but serious voice. "This guy… he reeks of blood. And those Violas."
Finn frowned. Bete's senses would never lie to him, and yet his thumb and intuition didn't warn him of any danger from this man. He might not be a spy for Evilus, but as someone who lived in these parts, he might know of any secret entrances or suspicious movements. "Do you know of anything out-of-the-ordinary happening around here? Such as people moving around from the sewers?"
The beggar let out a laugh. "My, my! To think that Finn Deimne, the legendary Braver, one whose intuition scares even the gods, would come ask a measly beggar like me for help! Well, I am starving, so if you have any more food or money, I would very much appreciate it."
"Oi, asshole!" Bete snarled, but Finn held up a hand to silence him. He turned to the others, and Gareth shook his head while Raul paled.
"Sorry Raul, I promise to pay you back." Finn smiled sadly, and Raul gave him all the money he had, tears streaming down his face.
"Much obliged." The beggar said, pocketing the coin. "Now, as for your request, you'll find what you're looking for in the Old Sewerway, underneath the old crossbridge. There's a secret entrance there, where strange men were carrying those vile serpents."
Now everyone gave the disheveled beggar a suspicious glare. "That… was incredibly specific. And how were you even able to figure that out when you're blind?" Finn said.
"You could say I have… eyes on the inside." The beggar tapped the side of his head and laughed, as if it were some inside joke.
"Let's just pummel this guy until he starts talking." Bete said. "This sounds like a trap he's leading us to."
"Be that as it may, it's the only lead we have." Finn argued. "Besides, my thumb is saying that he isn't lying. But all the same, we'll have to be cautious."
"Oh, no need to be so alarmed. I am telling the truth when I say that I mean you all no harm." The beggar responded. "After all, what good will it do if Loki Familia were to die tonight, unearthing secrets buried underneath the city?"
Secrets. Finn mentally scoffed as that same word popped up again. That mysterious woman also spoke of similar things. Of how secrets should remain buried. Just what on earth was so important down in the 59th floor and below that warranted such a hostile response?
"You seem to know a lot more about what's going on. Care to tell us anything else?"
"Oh? So it isn't just a hidden entrance you seek? Ah, to be young and curious again. But before I answer, are you certain that you are prepared to face the consequences? Secrets are kept secret for a reason. Especially when the secrets are particularly… unseemly. And some are kept very well-guarded. Judging from your wounds, I'm sure you all are well aware of that."
Before he could even give a retort, the sound of a massive explosion drew everyone's attention. Quickly jumping up to one of the rooftops, Finn was shocked to see Riveria's Rea Laevateinn Magic several blocks away. But why would she use such magic in the middle of Daedalus Street?
No, Riveria wouldn't use her magic this callously. Then the only other culprit would be…
"Everyone, we've got trouble! We're heading to Lefiya's group NOW!" He roared, and the others followed. Ignoring the beggar for now, they raced across the rooftops, hoping that they could make it in time. Finn's thumb started to throb painfully, and he knew instantly what would cause Lefiya to use one of Riveria's strongest Magic spells.
Meanwhile, the beggar from before quietly laughed and shook his head as the men departed.
"Oh, Braver, you certainly have your hands tied. Sadly, the only way for you to start uncovering those mysteries… is to kill Maria. But will you and your Familia have the strength to take her down?"
He knew very well how strong Maria was. Being a distant relative of that immortal queen and Gerhman's most favored apprentice, few could ever hope to match her thanks to her martial prowess and power over blood. And the few who could were already swallowed up by the Nightmare.
Simon sighed as he stood up from his spot. Looks like his search for someone who could end the Nightmare would have to be put on hold for tonight. Best he leave now before the toll of the bell haunts him once more.
CLASH!
BANG!
The abandoned street was lit up by the sparks that blossomed into being as blood-forged steel clashed with cosmic metal. Gunshots rang out throughout the fight, leaving scattered holes across the walls. The sound of metal colliding with metal permeated the surroundings, and Aiz lay on the floor, completely awestruck by the sight before her.
Despite using every ounce of her Magic and strength, she had been completely annihilated by Maria once again, and just like her haunting vision back on the 37th floor, she watched on in horror as Maria approached Lefiya and nearly executed her. She was powerless, even as a Level 6, and for the first time in nearly 7 years, she felt that she was facing a monster that no one could ever hope to match.
And yet, this strange woman with snow-white hair that eerily reminded her of Bell, came out of nowhere, brought Lefiya back from the brink of death, and was actually fighting Maria to a standstill. Their speed and strength were nearly identical, and both dissolved into ashen mist, darting and circling around each other like rival predators before dashing forward in another collision.
"Hah!"
"!"
Meteria had ducked under Maria's combined blade and dashed forward, slicing her Burial Blade in an upward arc. A move that Maria couldn't fully dodge in time, and as a result a small cut was made to the side of her cheek. Maria dashed back and looked at Meteria in awe, her hand drifting to her left cheek and catching some of the blood that dripped down.
Looking at the tiny droplets of blood on her glove, Maria chuckled. "I didn't think you would make it this far, Meteria. Back then, you couldn't even leave your bed on your own."
Meteria's eyes widened. "You… know me?"
Maria sighed. "Perhaps it is best that you've forgotten. Please, I ask you again. Leave this place. I do not wish to fight you, but I will continue if I must."
"And like I said earlier, I can't let you get away with hurting my friends. And I want answers. How do you know me?"
Maria frowned. "Then you leave me no choice." She separated her Rakuyo into two blades once more, and turned her blades inward. To Aiz, it almost looked like she was about to stab herself…
"As if we'd let you get away!"
"Hey, forget about us?"
Maria dashed back as Tione and Tiona, having fully recovered thanks to Meteria's blood, slammed their weapons and fists down on the spot where she initially stood. Maria bit back a curse and made to shoot at them, but Meteria dashed in and aimed another slice at her with her scythe, forcing her to retreat.
Maria then dodged again, as Aki and the others jumped into the fight, raining arrows or Magic at her, while Meteria, Tione, and Tiona rained attack after attack on her, forcing her to slowly retreat. Several times, Maria attempted to attack the other girls, only for Meteria to jump in and block her before counterattacking.
Maria bit back a curse as she found herself backpedaling for the first time. Normally, she would have been more than capable of handling Loki Familia on her own, yet the addition of Meteria made her task far more difficult, as the Hunter was able to nearly match her in power, Skill, and speed. Furthermore, she jumped in at every opportunity to stop her from attacking the others, before attempting to attack her herself, making it exceptionally difficult for her to take out the weaker members.
She couldn't even find the opportunity to channel her Cainhurst abilities and draw upon the power of her own blood.
"Wynn Fimbulvetr!"
"!"
Dodging backwards once again, Maria narrowly avoided a massive glacier of ice that burst forth into existence as a group of female elves entered the scene, led by a High Elf with emerald hair.
"Miss Riveria!"
"Aiz!"
Ignoring Maria for the time being, Riveria dashed towards Aiz, immediately using her magic to heal her wounds. Sensing the opportunity, Maria aimed her Evelyn at the pair, but…
"Don't think we're letting ya get away with that!"
"Sorry, but no one touches our favorite High Elf and Princess."
Maria turned into mist and avoided Gareth's massive axe as he slammed it to the ground, and quickly deflected Finn's spear as he threw it where she rematerialized. She thrusted her swords towards him, but was stopped as Meteria blocked her attack once more, and she was forced to dodge again as Bete slammed the ground where she once stood, his teeth bared in anger.
"You're not getting the better of us this time!" He snarled.
After regaining her position, Maria looked around at the now heavily populated area. Nearly all of Loki Familia's executives were present, and Meteria raised her Burial Blade in the air, ready to dash forward and deliver another slice. The rest of the females had their weapons raised or were ready to unleash their magic at a moment's notice.
"My, how the tables have turned." Finn remarked, his eyes never leaving Maria's position. "It seems like you're on the backpetal now, thanks to our mysterious savior here. Care to make things a little more simple for us and surrender here and now?"
"Don't be arrogant, boy!" Maria snarled. "It's only thanks to the Good Hunter that you all still stand here. Had she not arrived, you and your friends would have been nothing more than a bloody smear staining the walls!"
"Good Hunter?" Finn asked, turning his eyes to the back of the woman standing at the forefront of their combined assault group. He saw that she wore a pitch-black leather attire vaguely similar to Maria's, her hair as pale as the moon. She too used a contraption similar to Maria, and wielded a lengthy scythe with deadly precision.
To their surprise, however, Maria then sheathed her weapon and let out a heavy sigh. "But alas, it seems you all are lucky. My time is up."
Finn raised his spear at the ready. What did she mean by that?
He then felt a small warmth on the back of his neck, and he realized with a jolt that it was the rays of the Sun. Daybreak was fast approaching, and the street they were fighting in was slowly turning orange from the color of the Sun's rays.
Ignoring the confused gazes of Loki Familia, Maria tilted her hat down and nodded to Meteria. "Farewell Meteria, nay, Good Hunter. May you find your worth in the Waking World."
To everyone's shock, as the Sun rose in the sky and its rays shone over Maria, her body began to lose color and cohesion. "Back to the Nightmare, then." Maria muttered, before her body faded away entirely, leaving not a single trace of her existence behind.
"Well, that just happened." Finn let out a small chuckle as the night's events finally concluded.
With their ambusher now seemingly vanishing into thin air, there was nothing else he could do aside from assessing the damage they all suffered. Miraculously, Aiz was the only one who had any visible injuries, now slowly healing thanks to Riveria's magic. Everyone else, including Lefiya and Aiz's group, were perfectly fine and in good shape.
"Yeesh, what on earth have we gotten ourselves into?" Gareth sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. "I'm gonna need a good, strong drink after this."
"Spare me a glass too, while you're at it." Finn said with a small smile. "Thankfully, no one else aside from Aiz has been harmed."
"A-actually," Lefiya commented, her face turning to their mysterious assistant, who silently stood to the side to let the rest of Loki Familia get situated. "It was thanks to Miss Meteria here that we're all still alive. She was the one who healed everyone else, and who fought off that woman while I helped everyone recover."
Riviera, having finished healing Aiz, raised herself off the ground and made her way towards their savior. "Was it you who saved everyone? Then you have my deepest gratitude, Miss… ALFIA!?"
Finn and Gareth immediately raised their weapons and turned to Riveria, who jumped back in shock, before flinching themselves as they got a good look at their mysterious savior's face for the first time.
Though her hair and eye color were different, Finn could hardly blame Riveria for the assumption. Meteria's face, body, and the way she held herself were nearly identical to that of the dreaded Level 7 of Hera Familia. Had their hair and eyes matched, the two could have easily been mistaken as identical twins.
But the woman in front of them lacked Alfia's cold demeanor or poorly concealed arrogance. And where Alfia constantly kept her eyes closed, the woman had her's wide open in surprise. Eyes that lacked Alfia's heterochromia.
"A-Alfia? I'm sorry, I think you might be mistaking me for someone else? My name is Meteria."
Even the voice didn't quite match, with hers much lighter and more innocent in tone compared to Alfia's brashness. Shaking his head, Finn loudly coughed, bringing his friends out of their reverie.
"Apologies. As you could probably tell, we've had quite the eventful night. I'm Finn Deimne, Captain of Loki Familia. I would like to personally thank you for helping us tonight, and if Lefiya was telling the truth, for also healing our wounded. Had you not arrived, these girls would have most definitely died."
"Oh, no! No thanks are necessary!" Meteria said, shaking her head. "I was just doing what anyone else would have done!"
Yep. There was no way this was Alfia. Alfia would have never been able to look as innocent and cute as Meteria did now.
Fighting to stop a laugh from bellowing out at the thought of Alfia acting like an innocent village girl, Finn coughed and gave a polite bow. "Nevertheless, you helped save lives tonight, and I cannot thank you enough for your bravery. May I ask how you got involved in all this? Do you know that woman somehow?"
Meteria quickly shot a fleeting glance towards Lefiya, who turned bright red and held her gaze down in embarrassment, before answering him. "Um, I actually ran into Miss Lefiya here as she was helping me exit Daedalus Street. I got lost you see, and Miss Lefiya was kind enough to show me the way out. However, she must have felt that woman stalking her, and she ran off to look for you guys? I wasn't sure what was happening, but when I saw her cast her Magic I thought something bad was happening, so I followed the flames from her spell and saw as that woman attacked her and her friends. I managed to heal them and keep her at bay until you all arrived. As for that woman? I'm afraid I've never seen her before."
"Interesting. How were you able to match her? While I hate to admit it, that woman you fought was far stronger than us. And yet I don't recall ever seeing you before. Are you from Orario?"
Meteria sighed. "Sorry, but I can't really answer that. I don't have any memories about my past or how I know how to fight and heal. I was actually hoping that you all might know something?"
Strange. Very strange. Of all the things Finn suspected Meteria to be, amnesia-stricken was not among them. He knew how people tended to downplay their strengths or lie about their Status, and yet neither his thumb nor his mind indicated to him that Meteria was lying. Her innocent face held no lies, not a single falsehood. She never even blinked.
He'll just have to investigate later. "In any case, Loki Familia is in your debt, and we will be sure to compensate you in any way under my power, as long as it is within reason. What Familia are you from?"
"Oh, I'm from Hestia Familia!"
'HUH!?'
"""""""""EEEEEEEEEHHHHHHHHHHH!?""""""""""
"NO WAY! You're from Mr. Argonaut's Familia!?"
"HUH!? You're with the damn Rabbit brat!?"
"Sigh. I can already feel another headache coming."
"That's just your old age, Riveria."
"Quiet, you ragged dwarf!"
"EEEEEEHHHHHH!? NO WAY! PLEASE TELL ME THIS IS A LIE! THERE'S NO WAY THAT SOMEONE AS KIND AND BEAUTIFUL AS MISS METERIA WOULD BE IN THAT PERVERTED RABBIT'S FAMILIA! PLEASE SAY IT'S A LIE, MISS METERIA! BETTER YET, PLEASE LEAVE BEFORE YOU LOSE THAT CHANCE!"
"Lefiya's acting weird again, guys."
"Well, she's at that age after all."
While Meteria nearly fell over at the sheer volume of noise sent her way, Aiz remained eerily quiet, her gaze never leaving Meteria's sight this entire time.
Finn slammed his spear to the ground, immediately putting an end to the cacophony of shouts and noises. Clearing his throat, he gave Meteria an apologetic laugh. "Apologies, we were just quite surprised that Hestia Familia had a new member as strong as you. I guess the rumors about your Familia's debt was just baseless slander, right?"
Meteria scratched the back of her head and gave a very unconvincing laugh in response.
"Ehehe… well, like I said earlier, you don't have to repay us anything. I was only just doing the right thing by helping you out. But, I suppose you could help me with something?"
"Oh?"
"I'm actually lost. I was trying to get out of Daedalus Street when everything crazy started happening. Can one of you help lead me back to Hestia Familia's home?"
"Sure. We're all done here for today anyways. Lefiya, since she said that you were supposed to guide her back, why not finish and help her exit Daedalus Street?"
Lefiya eagerly nodded, but before she could move Aiz suddenly stepped forward in her place.
"? Miss Aiz!?"
"I volunteer."
Finn raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Really? What made you want to volunteer?"
"She saved me. And I also wanted to see Bell. To congratulate him on his Level Up."
Finn detected that there was much more Aiz wanted from Meteria, and having known the girl for the past 9 years, both Riveria and Gareth could sense her underlying ambitions. Aiz could never keep a secret from them for long, and her behavior right now was extremely similar to before they set out on their expedition. Her training sessions with Bell Cranell were quickly discovered by them, and yet none of the trio had bothered to bring it up, seeing how happy Aiz was after each session (and both Finn and Gareth had to physically restrain Riveria from interfering whenever Aiz purposefully knocked out Bell for a lap pillow. Gareth laughed non-stop those days thinking about Aiz's exceptionally poor social skills).
The three of them shared a look before subtly agreeing on something, and Finn then nodded at Aiz. "Alright, just be careful on the way back. We don't know if that woman will return or not."
Aiz nodded, and she wordlessly guided Meteria away from the alleyway, but not before Meteria waved back at Lefiya.
"Bye, Lefiya! Please take care of yourself!"
"Bye…" Lefiya let out a pitiful moan. Her one chance to spend more time with Meteria had passed her, taken by Miss Aiz of all people!
"Oh? What's wrong Lefiya? Ah, are you jealous?" Tiona added, making her jump.
"J-jealous!? A-absolutely not! Why would I ever be jealous of Miss Aiz!?
"Well, you always stick to Aiz whenever we head out." Tione said. "This is the first time I've seen you so bummed out since we were on the 18th floor."
"And actually, I was talking about that Meteria lady, not Aiz." Tiona said, making Lefiya's face turn white. "Hm? Ah! I get it now! Lefiya's got a crush on-!"
"Miss Tiona, please stop talking!" Lefiya yelled. "T-this is a big misunderstanding!"
Sadly neither of the Amazon twins got the memo. "Ah, so that's your type, then? Didn't think you were into older women. First Aiz and now this Meteria person." Tione said lightheartedly, making Lefiya blush up a storm. "Well, as long as your not aiming for the Captain, than I'll help you win her over!"
"Miss Tione, please stop! T-t-this is a huge misunderstanding!"
"I'm afraid you're making it very hard for us to believe you, Lefiya." Filvis added, having been the one to lead Riveria's group towards the fight. "You're beet-red. And you have that same weird glint in your eyes whenever you talk about the Sword Princess. I wasn't aware that you were into older women."
"Miss Filvis, is this revenge for telling everyone about Lord Dionysus!?"
"Alright, alright. I know everyone is in a better mood right now, but let's pack up and head back home." Finn said, clapping his hands to grab everyone's attention. "We could all use a break after tonight's events, and Loki's probably worried sick. It's time to head back and get some rest."
"Are you sure, Captain? What about our mission?" Tione asked.
"We received an anonymous tip that should point us to the location of the secret entrance. We'll rest up and head there later."
"Um, are you sure we should believe something like that? Doesn't it sound a little sketchy?" Tiona asked.
"It does." Finn admitted. "But it's not like we have much choice. At the very least, Evilus should probably be acting much more subdued now that that mysterious woman's on their radar. If they know about our battle then they'd soon know that she's after them too. It'd be too dangerous for them to act out now with such a powerful Adventurer breathing down their necks."
The rest of the Familia wore grim looks on their faces, but without any credible rebuttals they were forced to concede to Finn's point. Within minutes everyone had been tended to, and they all set out to exit Daedalus Street.
Until Bete breathed in through his nose.
"Holy shit, you reek! What the hell were you up to, running around in the Pleasure Quarter!?" Bete gagged, pinching his nose.
Lefiya's body froze rock-solid, her face paling rapidly. Others overheard Bete and started to notice the musky smell emanating from her clothes, before gagging or covering their mouths.
"Jeez, didn't think Thousand Elf was into that…"
"Was she that desperate for a girlfriend that she secretly went into the Pleasure Quarter?"
"Guess she couldn't take it anymore since Miss Wallenstein didn't seem to notice her feelings."
"But still… didn't Raul cause a lot of ruckus when he gave all his money to that one prostitute? Don't tell me Lefiya is about to do the same!?"
"Lefiya! Please don't fall to your desires! Become your old virtuous soul once more!"
Finn and Gareth both sighed, while Riveria grew stark white at the implications. Lefiya had turned multiple colors over the course of the next few minutes, going from stark white, to sickly purple, and now tomato red, shaking from head to toe.
"Um, Lefiya?" Her companion Elfi asked hesitantly. She and the others would then be blown literally off their feet as the Thousand Elf finally exploded.
"YOU… DAMN RABBIT!"
"Eep!"
"? What's wrong?"
"That's weird. My whole body shuddered for a moment. Almost as if there was a catastrophe waiting to be unleashed. But anyways, thank you for guiding me out of Daedalus Street, Miss Wallenstein!"
"Please, just call me Aiz. Everyone else does."
"Oh no, I couldn't! An amazing fighter such as yourself should be treated with the respect you deserve!"
The irony of that statement clearly didn't register in Meteria's mind, Aiz thought, as she recalled the stark contrast between her easy defeat at the hands of Maria compared to the relatively even matchup between Meteria and Maria.
The events of that evening still continued to play back in her mind over and over again as they left Daedalus Street for Hearthfire Manor. She thought that she had gone above and beyond, finally overcoming her limits when she defeated Udaeus single-handedly a few weeks ago and became a Level 6. Only for Maria to cruelly shatter those hopes in a matter of seconds.
Just how did she get so strong? What did she do to achieve those heights? That mysterious woman had transcended even the strength of Ottar, who was the strongest Adventurer in Orario, maybe even the entire world. She shrugged off every attack her way, tore apart her defenses like paper, and brushed aside even her strongest Wind Magic. She just couldn't see how Maria was able to gain such power without the Dungeon.
And yet, there was one other person who was able to match her. And sadly, said person was as much of an enigma as Maria herself.
"Um… is it okay if I ask you something?"
"Sure, what is it?"
"How did you get so strong?" Aiz asked bluntly.
Meteria stopped walking and closed her eyes, concentrating for several seconds before sighing and opening her eyes once more, giving Aiz an apologetic look..
"I'm very sorry, but I really don't know. I said this before, but I really have no memories of my past life. I just woke up one day outside a destroyed church and then joined Hestia Familia that very same day. I have no idea about my past. Who I was, what I lived for. Not even if I was a good mother or not."
Aiz twitched in surprise. "You're… a mother?"
Meteria nodded, opening up the bottom of her shirt and raising it up slightly, showing the crudely stitched together scar below her navel. Aiz winced in sympathy, instantly recognizing what would have caused that scar to appear in the first place.
"Pathetic, isn't it? I have a child out there somewhere, and I have no clue who they are, if they're a boy or girl, how old they may be, or even if they're still alive. What kind of mother forgets their own flesh and blood?" Meteria said somberly, gently grazing her finger over the closed wound.
"So, you lost your family too?" Aiz asked despondently.
"You too?"
"Mm. I… lost my parents a long time ago."
"I'm so sorry to hear that." Meteria placed a comforting hand on Aiz's shoulder. "Did they die from a Beast?"
"Beast? You mean monster?"
"Sorry, that word slipped from my mouth. But I'm guessing that might be the case for you?"
"Mm. A really dangerous monster. One that I have to beat at all costs. But… no matter how strong I get, I'm still no match for it. Or that woman you fought. No one else could beat her, except you."
Aiz stopped walking and leveled her gaze to the ground. Meteria looked back at her in worry as their previous conversation went silent.
"Miss Wallenstein? Is something wrong?"
"Can you teach me?"
"I'm sorry?"
"Teach me how to fight. How to be as strong as you. I need to get stronger. Strong enough to beat that person. Strong enough to kill that… thing. If that woman comes back, we might not survive."
"Please," Aiz begged, bending her body in a perfect bow. "You're the only one who was able to fight her head on. The only one who kept us safe. Kept us alive. I… I would have died if not for you. Lefiya would have died if you didn't save her. If there's any way for you to help me get stronger, I want, no, I need to know how. I won't let my friends get hurt by them. Not again."
The two stood facing each other in silence, one in shock and the other nearly prostrating herself to the former. Aiz closed her eyes and silently prayed that Meteria would accept her offer. If she refused, or if she was unable to train because they were in different Familias, then she'd have no idea what to do next.
Her thoughts strayed to Bell, and she wondered if she could convince him to have Meteria train her, but she shot those ideas down. She already took advantage of him once before, and though it did benefit him in the end with her training him, she felt awful having to go to such lengths to find out the secret to his growth, and now here she was attempting to do the same once more.
"Well, if my Goddess says it's okay, then I wouldn't mind teaching you what I know…"
Aiz's head shot up in surprise. Was she actually agreeing!?
"You, you're okay with training me!?"
Meteria gave her an embarrassed smile. "I mean, if you feel that I could help then I don't see why I shouldn't train you. If that woman came back, then I'd feel horrible if I couldn't do anything to help. I'll have to ask by Goddess if it's okay, as well as Bell since he's my Captain, but if they say it's fine then I'd be more than happy to help."
"Thank you so much." Aiz said, bowing low once again.
"But… I don't exactly know how I can teach you. Like I said, I don't have any memories of my past. How I fight, it's all instinctual. I don't even know how I got so strong in the first place, since Goddess Hestia said that I don't have a Falna from another god. I'll still try my best, but just keep that in mind."
"It's fine." Aiz said with a smile. Even if it were true, then at least she could learn how to fight against Maria should they ever cross blades again. Meteria and Maria fought in a very similar manner, constantly darting in and slashing against each other. If she can learn to fight against that style then she could buy her friends time. And if she fought someone as strong as Meteria, then she can increase her Status as well.
The two quietly made their way through the now busy streets of Orario, the Sun now clearly visible in the sky as more and more people woke up and went outside to do their business. Eventually, the two finally made it outside Hearthfire Manor.
"Well, I'm finally back. I hope that Mr. Bell was able to make it back home safe. Thank you again for guiding me back home, Miss Wallenstein." Meteria said, bowing and giving Aiz a gracious smile that made her cheeks turn red. It was eerie just how similar Meteria was to Bell, with their smiles appearing almost exactly the same. It was enough to make even the Doll Princess flustered, remembering how Bell's smile would always leave her heart fluttering.
"T-thank you. Um, if Goddess Hestia says yes, then you can find me at Twilight Manor. Just say that I asked for you, and I'll come." Shaking her head, Aiz then gave her a smile of her own. "Thank you again for saving us."
With a final wave, the two finally set off in opposite directions, with Meteria heading toward the front door of Hearthfire Manor while Aiz lightly jogged back to her home, eyes brimming with determination.
She won't become weak ever again. And she'll make sure that no one, not Revis, nor that mysterious woman, would ever get the better of her again.
"So, let's hear it."
Bell let out a quiet 'eep!' after hearing the sheer venom laced in Hestia's voice, the Goddess herself looking down at him with a stare that pierced his very soul. She was accompanied by a fuming Lily, who also stared daggers at him kneeling on the floor, while Welf and Mikoto stood to the side, eyes darkened with fatigue and unable to divert the jealous wrath of their Goddess.
"So, spent the night in the Pleasure Quarter, did you? Well, have anything to say for yourself?" Hestia said, looking at him like he was the filth of the earth.
"Lady Hestia, if I may-"
"Be quiet, Mikoto."
The poor ninja flinched and remained quiet once more. Welf just sighed and rubbed his head in resignation.
"So, Bell, did you do what I think you did? Did you go about sleeping with the prostitutes there? Had a night of fun?"
"N-no! Absolutely not, Goddess! I would never do that! This is a huge misunderstanding!"
"Oh really? Then why on earth do you have this?" Lily said, pulling out a familiar vial with dark fluid that made him audibly gulp.
"So you know what this is then? Not to mention that it's nearly empty. Got anything to say for yourself, Master Bell?"
"Eep! T-there's a reason for that, but it's not what you think! I didn't do anything untoward! You have to believe me, Goddess! Lily!"
Before either could respond, a sudden knock on the door grabbed everyone's attention. Bell made to get up, but the glare he received from both Hestia and Lily made him sink to the floor in fear. Mikoto then made her way to the door and opened it.
"Hello? Ah, Lady Meteria is here!"
""""HUH!?""""
This time, everyone turned their heads toward the door, and they all collectively flinched.
Meteria had dark circles under her eyes, and parts of her clothing had small cuts all over it. What made them incredibly worried however, were the dark splotches all over her coat, which they all instantly recognized as blood.
"Meteria!?"
"Miss Meteria!?"
"What the hell happened to you!?"
Meteria's eyes looked up, and after scanning the room they finally landed on Bell, still kneeling on the floor.
"Mr. Bell!? You're okay!"
"Miss Meteria, what happened to-GACK!"
Meteria had dashed straight towards him, knocking away both Hestia and Lily who flew in the air and landed on the couches, before pulling him up from the floor and into a literal bone-breaking hug.
"AAHHH! M-miss Meteria!?"
"You're okay! You're okay…"
Bell tried to gently push Meteria off him, but the sudden outburst of sniffles caused everyone to stop moving. Meteria had buried her face into his neck and started audibly crying, making everyone watch the two in worry.
"M-miss Meteria?"
"I was so worried about you. I looked all night, thinking the worst had happened. I saw… I saw so many Amazons running around. They all said such horrible things, saying how they would find you and rape you! I couldn't bear the thought of something like that happening to you. Please tell me you're okay! Please tell me they didn't touch you!" Meteria pulled herself away and hastily looked all over his body, cradling his face and looking for any scratches or marks on his skin and clothes with tears flowing down her eyes.
"No! They weren't able to do anything to me! I was able to get away! I promise!"
"Goddess Hestia! Please say he's telling the truth! Mortals can't lie in front of gods, right? Please let me know if he's telling the truth!"
"A-ah, yeah, B-Bell's telling the truth." Hestia answered, her previous anger forgotten after watching Meteria's outburst.
"Oh, thank the gods!" Meteria muttered before pulling Bell into another fierce hug, one that caused an audible crack to be heard across the room.
"GACK!"
"Miss Meteria! You broke one of his ribs! Let go of him!"
Sadly, the moon-haired woman flat-out refused to let him go, still trapping the poor boy in an embrace that no one was strong enough to remove him from, even when everyone tried to pull them apart at the same time.
…
…
…
…
"HUH!? You were attacked by some unknown Adventurer!?"
After a rather hilarious game of tug-of-war in which the rest of Hestia Familia tried and failed to separate the two, Meteria finally let go of Bell and quickly set his broken rib back in place with a potion. The Familia then gathered around the dining table to discuss what happened to Bell and Meteria last night since they got separated.
Thankfully, Hestia's and Lily's anger with Bell was quickly forgotten after Meteria's sobbing episode, and the focus was now on her and her activities the night before.
"Yeah. I was wandering around Daedalus Street looking for Bell after I left the Pleasure Quarter since the two were next to each other, and there I ran into Loki Familia." Meteria answered, resting her arms on the table with a frown. "One of the Loki Familia members sensed something was wrong while she was guiding me out, and she ran for it. I tried tracking her down, only to save her life at the last minute by a strange woman. That woman had defeated the other Familia members, but I was able to step in in time to fend her off long enough to heal the wounded."
"Someone was able to beat all of Loki Familia!? Wait, was Miss Aiz also-!?" Bell yelled, rising from his chair.
"Oh, Miss Wallenstein? Yes, she was badly wounded by the time I arrived."
Bell sat down with a heavy thump, his heart and mind failing to comprehend Meteria's words. Aiz Wallenstein, the legendary Sword Princess and the one who defeated Udaeus all by herself, lost!?
"How did you heal them? Don't tell me you…" Lily said worryingly.
"Ehehe… I, um, used my blood?"
"So your Skill actually does work that way…" Lily muttered, before shaking her head. "What happened afterwards?"
"Afterwards, the rest of Loki Familia arrived and the woman vanished. Miss Wallenstein then escorted me back home, and here we are." Meteria concluded, looking across the table as the events of the night digested in their minds.
Lily was rather awestruck by her ability to fend off an Adventurer strong enough to defeat the Sword Princess, Welf and Mikoto wore anxious looks on their faces, and Bell was understandably still distraught by the thought of Aiz getting wounded so badly.
Hestia, however, frowned at her at the end of the table. "Meteria," she said, crossing her arms. "Did you really attack several of Ishtar's Amazons last night?"
The rest of the Familia turned their heads toward her, eyes open in shock. Meteria could only look down at her knees in shame before regretfully nodding. "I did. I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't have, but those Amazons… they were going to keep looking for Bell until they satisfied their lusts. When they spoke about raping Bell I-I lost control. Badly. I couldn't just stand there and let them hurt him!"
Bell's face lost all its color at the recollection of his chase. But his thoughts quickly turned to the newest member of the Familia, who fought all those Amazons off for his sake, and he felt a rush of affection for the moon-haired Adventurer. He moved his hand over to Meteria's and gave them a gentle squeeze, drawing her surprised gaze.
"Miss Meteria, um, t-thank you for sticking up for me like that. For trying to protect me, and… spending all night looking for me too. I'm so thankful you did that for me, even though you just became a part of my Familia. T-thank you so much!" He cried out, bowing his head low.
"Bell…"
The two shared an awkward, but tender and warm smile between them that lasted for several seconds.
"Oi! Miss Meteria! Stop staring all lovey-dovey at MY Bell!" Hestia roared, suddenly karate-chopping their joined hands.
"G-goddess!?"
"Goddess Hestia!?"
"No one gets to stare all lovey-dovey at Bell except me!"
"Since when did you have those privileges!?" Lily roared, pushing up from her chair before suddenly shaking her head. "A-anyways, that's not important right now! Don't you guys know the ramifications!? Regardless of Miss Meteria's intent, she attacked Ishtar Familia!"
That sent the entire mood of the table into a downward spiral.
"Right, I was wondering why everyone suddenly started leaving the Pleasure Quarter last night." Welf remarked, curling his hand under his chin in deep thought. "We would have stayed longer to look for you two but suddenly a lot of Amazons from Ishtar Familia started pushing people out. We didn't know what had happened until I overheard someone saying that several bodies were found. Wait a minute…"
"You killed them!?" Hestia shrieked.
"N-no! I may have hurt them a little, but I didn't kill anyone!"
"Lady Meteria, how would you define 'little'?" Mikoto said with a flat stare.
"Uh…" Meteria couldn't help but turn bright red, and though the entire Familia also blushed in return, the weight of her actions couldn't be ignored.
"This is serious." Lily warned, slamming her hands onto the table. "If word got out that a member of Hestia Familia attacked and wounded several of Ishtar's members, then who knows what will happen! Not only would the Guild fine or jail us, but Goddess Ishtar herself will want retribution on us! She commands a Familia with multiple Level 2s, 3s, and even a Level 5!"
"Well, the Level 5 wasn't that hard to deal with…"
"It doesn't matter! You may have been able to deal with them, but what about the rest of us!?"
"!"
"Sigh… please tell Lily that no one recognized you!"
"No… I kept my hat and bandana up."
"Well, there's that. But you'll have to keep yourself out of sight for a while." Lily warned, pointing an accusatory finger at her. "I understand that you did it to protect Master Bell, but you still attacked a Familia who has way more power and influence than we could imagine. No one makes an enemy of the Pleasure Quarter and gets away with it."
The dining room fell into silence once more, before Hestia clapped her hands, grabbing everyone's attention.
"I hate to say it, but Miss Supporter is right. We got lucky when we managed to beat back Apollo Familia, but we can't take any chances here. It's best if Meteria stays home for a while until things calm down. Bell, why don't you guys head out and do some community service for the others in the city? Thnk of it as your 'punishment' for worrying us all last night. I need to update her Status in the meantime."
"We should probably get Lady Meteria some new clothes as well." Mikoto added, having noticed her still wearing the same bloody garments as yesterday.
As the 4 other members set out from their manor into the streets of Orario, Hestia summoned Meteria and had her follow her towards her own room to update her Falna.
"You really had quite the eventful evening, haven't you Miss Meteria?" Hestia said tiredly as she sat atop of Meteria's bare back.
"I'm really sorry, Goddess Hestia. But when I heard them say such horrible things about what they'd do to Bell, I just couldn't control myself. I had to teach them a lesson." Meteria said from underneath.
"Well, I guess I probably would have beaten the snot out of anyone who tries to threaten my Bell that way, but Miss Supporter is still right. It isn't a good idea to draw too much attention to ourselves right now. Everyone is now looking at Bell with greedy eyes ever since he first became Level 2. If other people learn we have a strong member in our Familia with these powerful Skills, who knows what would happen."
Hestia pulled out a thin needle and made a small poke into her finger, letting a drop of her blood fall onto Meteria's back. Within seconds, a bright blue light illuminated the bedroom, revealing the insignia of the immortal flame on Meteria's back. White hieroglyphs blossomed into being, but unlike with Hestia's other members, they remained completely archaic and incomprehensible. Though the 'numbers' moved, it was impossible for her to even know if they moved by a large amount or barely at all.
Hestia hesitantly scanned the various parts of the Falna to look for any clues as to why she's been unable to decipher anything so far. All across Meteria's back were the same ancient runic symbols in addition to the traditional hieroglyphics used by the Deusdea.
But at the very bottom, next to the Skill section, lay another new set of unfamiliar words.
'Don't tell me… another Skill!?'
She lightly traced her fingers over the new words, and instantly pulled them back as a familiar sharp pain pierced her skull.
Clasping her head in agony, Hestia bit her lip to stop the sounds of her painful moans from alarming Meteria. Eventually, the spasms subsided, and she was finally able to draw even breaths.
"Goddess? Is something the matter again? You've been silent for a while."
"I-it's nothing." Hestia said, quickly placing a sheet of paper over her back and tracing the words and markings. "Just been having a headache since I stayed up all night for you two."
"Please, get some rest, Goddess Hestia!" Meteria said, already putting on her shirt and coat again. "Maybe some sleep will do you some good."
"Maybe I should get some more sleep." Hestia groaned, collapsing on the bed. "Sorry, but I'll tell you your Status later."
Meteria nodded and made her way out the door, leaving Hestia to her thoughts as she stared at the new Skill that manifested on her Falna.
"Just what kind of Skill is this? Meteria, who is influencing you from the shadows? Just who are you?" Hestia muttered, before her eyelids began to droop and she fell into a dreamless slumber, the Status Sheet slipped from her grasp and drifted to the floor.
"I'm very sorry to have gotten you in so much trouble, Sir Bell!"
"I-it's fine, Mikoto. What happened was just an accident."
While Meteria was staying behind at home to get her Status updated, Bell was sent out by Hestia to perform community service as 'punishment' for his venture into the Pleasure Quarter. Thankfully, Mikoto and the others volunteered to join him since most of them agreed that him being punished alone felt unfair. As they ventured out into Orario to assist people, Bell spoke with Mikoto about why she decided to enter the Pleasure Quarter last night.
"You were searching for a Renart in the Pleasure Quarter!? Does that mean… Haruhime!?" Bell exclaimed.
"! You saw her!?"
"Yeah, the only reason I was able to escape the Pleasure Quarter at all was because she found me and guided me out. I had a feeling that she might have been from the Far East like you."
"T-then! Maybe we can find a way to rescue her from-!"
"I don't think that is a good idea, Miss Mikoto." Lily said flatly. The 4 of them quickly moved to an adjacent alley to speak freely. "Remember what I said earlier. Ishtar Familia is not a faction we can afford to make an enemy of right now, especially after what Miss Meteria did to them."
"B-but I can't just leave my friend there!" Mikoto exclaimed, shaking her head. "Haruhime's my friend, and I won't abandon her to the life of a sex worker! She would never willingly choose a life like that!"
"Lily knows that already! But we can't just go to Goddess Ishtar and say 'Hey, we would like to take one of your prostitutes with us'." Lily argued, choosing to ignore Mikoto's wince when she used the word 'prostitute'. "Renarts are extremely rare, and even Goddess Ishtar wouldn't willingly let go of a girl who can bring in a lot of customers thanks to her race."
"B-but!"
Thankfully Welf, ever the older brother of the group, stepped in. "Calm down, L'il Lilly. Try not to be the Devil's Advocate all the time."
"Someone has to! And it's not like Lily doesn't sympathize! But we're already in hot water, and we can't afford to attract the attention of a Goddess as strong as Ishtar!" Lily said, stomping her foot.
"That said, we're still talking about Mikoto's friend here. Be a bit more gentle next time, alright?" Welf said, making Lily lower her head in remorse. "And besides, it's not like we can't do anything about it. We'll probably just have to look for other ways to get her out, or find some more info. L'il Lily and I can ask around and maybe find something. And maybe Mikoto can sneak her way back in and find her friend. Hopefully in daylight this time."
"I agree." Bell said, nodding in return. "I want to rescue Haruhime just as much as you, Mikoto. We'll try and find a way out for her, I promise."
"You guys, thank you so much!" Mikoto said cheerfully, bending into a low bow.
The 4 shared a chuckle and left the alley, moving further down the streets toward the Benevolent Mistress, where they could get a meal and hopefully help the waitresses out. But as they walked down the street, they were surprised by a huge crowd standing in front of a massive hospital, with three familiar women in the outskirts gazing at the crowd as well.
"Huh? Is that Miss Nazha? And Cassandra and Daphne too?" Bell said, recognizing the 3 girls.
"? Oh, is that you Bell?" Nazha turned around, her face returning to her normally sleepy form. "It's been a while since you visited us. Lord Miach and I thought you'd left us to go buy potions from Dian Cecht."
"Eh!? Nonono! We just had a couple busy days, that's all!" Bell stuttered. "By the way, why is Cassandra and Daphne with you?"
"Ah, Little Rookie? Nice to see you again." Daphne said, smiling and waving at him. "We actually joined Miach Familia a couple of days ago. Sorry, but there was no way we could have joined with a 200 million valis debt."
"Ahaha… well, glad to see you two are doing well for yourselves. How are you doing, Miss Cassandra? How was the pillow I found for you?" Bell asked, but then frowned slightly as he glanced towards the quirky young woman.
Cassandra had remained rooted to the spot, her hands grabbing her head with a painful frown on her face. She didn't acknowledge his presence or the others the entire conversation, and she quietly muttered to herself nonstop.
"Miss Cassandra?"
"Just ignore her." Daphne responded. "She's been like this the past couple of days, constantly talking about nightmares and weird monsters. Nothing's been working so we thought that maybe we should take her to Airmid, but as you can see, Dian Cecht Familia seems to have been raking in the money these past few days."
"Really? What happened?" Welf asked, standing on his toes to look further into the crowd.
"Apparently that greedy old geezer found himself a new Familia member, and since then they've been raking in the valis." Nazha said, gritting her teeth. "Now everyone is going to Dian Cecht Familia for everything, saying that their newest Familia member can cure anything, from every kind of sickness imaginable to even the worst injuries from the Dungeon. Hmph! They even say that she can even regenerate lost limbs." Nazha grasped her left arm, which Bell and Lily remembered held her mechanical replacement.
"And that's how we ended up standing here." Daphne added, sighing at her Captain's hatred for her rival. "Business over at Lord Miach's place had dried up nearly overnight. And now Dian Cecht is about to show off his new Familia member. Rumor says that she's an even better healer than even Airmid. People are even starting to call her 'Blood Saint'."
Bell frowned at the nickname. "Blood Saint?"
Daphne shrugged her shoulders. "I know, weird title. But apparently her blood can cure practically anything. And so everyone's been wanting to see her for a while now. And Dian Cecht has never been more rich than he is now."
"It sounds like a complete fraud." Nazha hissed, her eyes returning to watch the entrance of Dian Cecht's Hospital. "Curing anything with blood? That's absurd. This is probably just another stunt that the old fart made up to get more business. Tch! As if we need him to show off more than he already has!"
Bell, Lily, Mikoto, and Welf all subtly shared a look between themselves. The idea of an Adventurer using blood to heal people would have sounded far-fetched to them as well, if they didn't already know of one person who genuinely could do the same. Meteria's Skill [Eucharist] could also do the exact same thing, though granted Bell and the others never saw it first-hand.
Was it possible that this 'Blood Saint' had the same kind of Skill?
Bell suddenly felt his hand being clasped by another. Turning around, he saw that Cassandra held his hand in a tight grip, her body beginning to shake even more as she stared at the entrance to the Hospital.
"Miss Cassandra?"
"This is bad. This is really bad. If they keep doing this, then everyone will be…"
"Cassandra?" Bell reached out and gently grasped her shoulder. "Is everything okay?"
Suddenly, the crowd began to loudly clap and cheer, drawing everyone's attention.
"Looks like Dian Cecht's finally going to reveal his new prize." Nazha cursed.
Cassandra then pulled Bell's arm into a tight grip, hugging his arm to her soft chest. Bell started blushing up a storm, but Cassandra's haunted voice quickly pulled him from his embarrassment.
"It's too late now. When the red moon descends, they will all learn their lesson the hard way…"
"Miss Cassandra!? What are you talking about?" Bell tried to pull his arm free, but Cassandra then buried her face into his shoulder, making him turn red once more.
"Their hearts, weak. Their minds, young. No one can withstand the Eldritch truth. Soon, this city will be engulfed in blood…"
"Miss Cassandra! What are you saying? What's going on!?" Bell asked again, quickly growing more alarmed by the girl's increased paranoia.
"Please, you have to stop it! Stop the red moon from descending!" Cassandra whispered into his ear. "If the white moon should fall to your knife, then nothing will protect us from the Moon Demon!"
"Moon Demon? What are you-"
"Shh! Dian Cecht is coming out!" Nazha hissed, and everyone save for Bell and Cassandra turned their heads to the Hospital, where said god emerged, accompanied by two young women.
One of them was instantly recognizable as Airmid. Christened as Dea Saint by the gods, her healing capabilities were renowned all across Orario and even the rest of the world. It was said that she could single-handedly support an entire Familia fighting against even a Monster Rex. It was even said that she could cure even the most horrific of curses and injuries. She trailed behind her god's left side, her face and eyes tilted downward in second-hand embarrassment.
The woman to Dian Cecht's right was a new figure however. Garbed in pure white robes with her eyes covered by silk wraps, she had her hands clasped in prayer the entire time, ignoring the calls from the Adventurers cheering around the trio.
Bell didn't know why, but the moment he saw her, his body instantly shivered in warning. Cassandra, too, also quivered in fear and hugged his arm even tighter.
"Welcome, everyone!" Dian Cecht called out to the vast crowd of Adventurers, many of whom wolf-whistled at Airmid or gazed with wonder and curiosity at the robed woman to Dian Cecht's side.
"I know what you're all thinking! Who is this lovely lady who has been making waves these past couple of days? Well, allow me to show you my most beloved and brand new Familia member! Feast your eyes on the greatest healer in Orario, Amelia!"
The white-robed woman stood forward and made a low bow, drawing a slew of applause from the audience.
"I'm sure you all heard the rumors, haven't you? That she could cure any illness, even regrow limbs? Well, some have claimed that those were all fake rumors, but allow me to prove you wrong! With a little blood, my dearly beloved Amelia can do the impossible!" He then snapped his fingers, and a couple of nurses came outside, pushing a bed forward with an Adventurer lying on it.
"This poor young man lost both his arms and legs in an expedition to the Dungeon, and had to be carried by his party away! Normally, he would have had to quit being an Adventurer or be forced to live in a pauper house for the rest of his days, but not anymore! Let me show you the miracle my dear Amelia can perform! Amelia, if you would so please?"
The robed woman nodded and walked towards the bed-bound Adventurer, who looked at her with fear and lingering hope in his eyes, flopping the stumps of his arms and legs in a pathetic manner.
Pulling out a familiar syringe and transfusion bag, Amelia punctured her left arm with the needle, and the whole crowd looked on as she slowly filled up the bag with an ample amount of blood. Once the bag had filled up, she then used another needle and inserted it into the man's shoulder.
What followed could only be called a miracle.
As the river of blood flowed into him, the crowd watched in utter shock and awe as flesh bubbled around the stumps of his arms and legs, before muscle and skin burst forth. Coiling and bubbling rapidly, the elongated pieces of tissue quickly transformed into a recognizable arm and leg, with fingers and toes growing like little flower buds.
In a matter of seconds, the blood bag was emptied, and the amputee was now suddenly able to move his brand new arms and legs. The moment he stepped off the hospital bed and walked around, the entire crowd erupted into nebulous laughs and cheers.
Bell and the others looked on in wonder at the insane miracle that occurred. Nazha had to physically pick up her jaw from the floor while Lily and Welf openly gaped.
Not even Airmid could regenerate long-lost limbs, let alone in a matter of seconds. What they had witnessed was truly a momentous miracle.
"Holy shit…" Welf swore.
"T-that is insane! Lily's never seen anything like it before!" Lily exclaimed, her eyes never once leaving the cured Adventurer.
Nazha quietly swore, but even she acknowledged that Dian Cecht truly found an incredible healer.
Bell swallowed heavily, recalling the [Eucharist] Skill Meteria had. Could she also be capable of performing the same feats as this Amelia person?
"Wow, that is… insane." Daphne muttered, before sighing dejectedly. "Sadly, I guess this means that Lord Miach will be forced to rely on us for income. No one would want to go to us for healing anymore, unless they're really desperate."
"And that damn geezer will milk every single Valis out of everyone's pockets." Nazha snarled. But then her face fell and she gazed at the ground dejectedly. "And Daphne is right. Lord Miach would be ruined. We're barely scraping by as is."
Bell greatly sympathized with the trio. Lord Miach has always been kind and generous to him and his Familia, but even he could tell that almost no one save for Hestia Familia would ever willingly go to him for potions. Not when there was an even better healer so readily available.
Should he let Lord Miach and Nazha know about Meteria's Skill? If she could do the same thing as Amelia, then maybe she could be able to single-handedly lift Miach Familia out of poverty. Plus, Lord Miach is well-liked compared to Dian Cecht, and if given the chance, could return to his former glory.
But on the other hand, Meteria was part of his Familia, not Miach's. And it would be rude of him to ask her to constantly be donating blood when she should be supporting them. It would be terrible of him to ask such a huge favor from her when she just barely joined the Familia.
And the thought of her constantly draining herself of blood sickened him immensely. She already went through so much, having to deal with her amnesia and lost child. And the fact that she fought off many Amazons to protect him made his heart throb in both immense gratitude and melancholy. He was touched, greatly so, by her protecting his honor and chastity, but he could never forgive himself for getting her in so much trouble in the first place because he got lost.
But he also wanted to help his friends. Maybe he should ask both Goddess and Meteria about the matter when he gets the chance.
To his side, Cassandra gulped in fear before burying her head into his arm once again.
"It's too late now. They'll all fall to their Bestial idiocy..."
Meteria
Level ? ? ?
STR: ? ? ?
END: ? ? ?
DEX: ? ? ?
AGI: ? ? ?
MAG: ? ? ?
Magic: ? ? ?
Skills:
[Coldblood] (Dying Wills of Blood): Allows user to increase their Status by imbibing blood from enemy combatants. Blood imbibed from stronger opponents will result in a larger Status increase.
[Blood Rapture] (Queen's Desire): Imbibing blood allows the user to regenerate and heal from damage. More blood required for increased healing effect.
[Eucharist] (Communion): Allows user to share their blood to heal others. Will also cleanse all negative Statuses, curses, and poisons.
[Wrath of Mother Kos] (Hunter's Nightmare): Imbibing and spilling large amounts of blood over a period of time will cause user to enter a bloodthirsty state. User will become more frenzied and attack all living beings in sight the more blood-drunk the user is.
And that's a wrap! Thank you for reading another chapter!
Apologies for the wait for this chapter, but hopefully this one will be enough to satiate you guys for the time being! I'm going to be taking a small break from this story to focus on my other Danmachi stories that have been neglected for a while. Don't worry, the wait won't be too long, and I will never abandon this story! I love FromSoftware games and lore too much to let this go to waste!
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