Chapter 41 - Old Friends and Difficult Decision
The team was on the way to Melen to warn the God Njord about the imminent threat from the enemy. Riveria volunteered to go along because of her good relationship with Njord. While Ais and Bell used Ariel, Wiene in her battle armor carried Lyd and Riveria. Gros would be meeting them in Melen.
Meanwhile, Hestia monitored the movements of the enemy while trying to figure out who the magical being was. After the call, she also started checking in the history books for missing gods and elder gods. Perhaps the biggest question though was how to rescue the other gods even if they manage to defeat the enemy? Would the defeated enemy assist in retrieving the gods, or would they be scorched earth?
Back at the mountain hideout, Welf continued to work on armor and magic weapons with assistance from Tsubaki. They were trying to get every bit of advantage against the enemy. Mikoto did not go on the Melen trip to reduce the amount of weight Wiene needed to carry. So she stayed with the large group in case her magic skills were useful. Bete, Gareth and Ottar took initiative to build another log cabin as there was not enough room in Bell's house. They were quite efficient and managed to cut the needed number of trees in one afternoon. By tomorrow, there should be enough space to house everyone inside. They were also fortunate that hunting was good, so there was plenty of food.
Finn though kept mostly to himself thinking about what he did wrong and what could be done. The decision on Ares would need to be made after the Melen trip. Would they trust Aries would not try to take advantage? ...
Since they did not want the residents to be aware of the Xenos, Wiene, Lyd and Gros stayed a good distance from the village. Ais, Bell and Riveria then walked into town. After arriving at Melen, it was not difficult to find Njord.
Riveria saw Njord a few months ago, but he was surprised to see her again. Riveria took Njord to a quiet location to tell him about what has been happening. Njord was shocked that he was one of the few gods remaining on the surface world. Riveria said they do not know what Njord will do when the enemy come to him, but it will probably be soon. He was totally shocked that an enemy fighter is at least level 10.
Before they left, Njord promised Riveria that he will not mention the existence of the team under any circumstances. He understood that it is vital that they maintain their tactical surprise advantage. They left him with a communication stone, and reminded him to be careful and be ready to evade the bubble that would send him into the timeless dimension. Having warned Njord, they headed back to the mountain hideout. They were also able to bring back fish for dinner...
After they left, Njord contemplated his options. With a level 10 fighter and an entity with god-like powers, he would have no chance if he not use his divine powers. If he used his powers, he would need to go back to heaven even though he got to love life on the surface world. If he did not use his powers, he goes into a timeless trap. Having decided on his response, he thought about his colleagues who were not given the same opportunity.
When they returned to the hideout, it was almost dinner time. Everyone saw the fish and were pleased with the choice of roasted boar or grilled fish. Bete and Ottar showed Bell where they will be putting up the 2nd cabin. All they can do now is relax and wait to see what the enemy does.
After dinner, they chatted over the campfire to discuss what to do. Melen would be the ideal location for the final battle, but Rakia is closer to Telskyura so the enemy will likely go there first. The final decision was that Ares was just too undependable and they cannot afford an invasion. They were the last chance because there is no one else to fight the enemy. Unfortunately, they will not be able to warn Ares. Bete and Finn were incredibly frustrated with the decision. Tione was able to cheer up Finn a bit, but Bete kept saying "We are the useless ones now..." Riveria was worried about Loki and the other gods, but Gareth said that they probably don't feel anything in the timeless dimension.
That night, Bell and Ais were able to enjoy a lap pillow. It has been a couple days due to Bell's mind zero and the trip to the moon...