Author's notes: First of all, thank you for the reviews I've been receiving, on the different versions of the fic. It's always interesting to get feedback on one's work and I hope it continues to please those who follow me.
And today, I'll even be happy to answer some of them.
Touhoufanatic : Thank you for your support from the beginning
NiebieskiLis : No, It's a Thor story ! *Heavy metal starts*
Haziq Saffari : Pleased to make you happy
Melral CT-3718 : Well, me too. Maybe i have divine sight XD
Chapter 24: The Storm Breaks
The first thing Mikoto did when she came to her senses was to spit out the water in her mouth in a way that was very unladylike.
I usually love baths, but this was a little too much for me... Haruhime!
The young woman stood up abruptly when her gaze fell on her fox friend. She awkwardly rushed towards her and took her in her arms.
Mikoto... she said feebly. She looked healthy, but the shock must have been too much for her.
I'm here. Get up, we're still in danger.
Hestia had already proven that she wasn't the kind of goddess to stay home and wait for her children, as evidenced by her little descent to the eighteenth floor or her active participation in the xenos' rescue. But this was the first time that she had been directly attacked and that she understood in her flesh what it really meant to put herself on the same level as mortals. Which made it even more frustrating that if they wanted to, either she or Thor could pulverize this monster without difficulty.
Thor! the little goddess realized that her colossal adoptive father had protected her.
Don't worry, even like this, I'm tough. He said as he got up, before looking around to see the damage. There was still a few inches of water on the ground and a corrupted spirit ready to fight.
Puhraan the hume-bunny had managed to mitigate the damage by sticking her spear into an opening in the ground, but holding her grip on the shaft so tightly had left her hands bleeding.
Cayope and Vasati had flown into a wall. When the amazoness came to her senses, she saw that she was half sprawled out on the cat people, who were sitting against the wall and whose left arm left no doubt about her condition, it was obviously broken.
Not too badly damaged, exhibitionist?
The amazoness smiled with relief as she heard her sister-in-arms use humour even in such circumstances.
You had to play hero again, you little kitty. Can you stand up?
She nodded in response and the amazoness held out her hand. Vasati then retrieved her large sword from the ground, even with one arm down, she intended to continue the fight. But Cayope did not intend to leave her in this condition.
Brica! Where are you? Vasati needs healing!
But she had no answer and for good reason, the pallum healer was unconscious, just like Adriel. Not specialized in combat and level 1, it was already a chance for them to be still alive.
On her side, Ryuu had just recovered from the shock of the attack. Now that she was level 6, she could take this kind of blow much more easily. She glanced at Ygannea who gave her a simple nod to let her know she was fine. The elf warrior quickly moved towards the amazoness and the cat girl, quickly summoning her magic to use her Noah Heal on Vasati's arm.
Now that's what I call getting showered. Welf said as he struggled to his feet. His back was hurting like hell, but considering the violent hug he had just given the wall, it wasn't very surprising.
Hey Lilisuke, are you still alive?
The prum's voice answered him without delay, with the same provocative tone.
Hmpf! Don't worry about me Master Welf. Lili has seen worse before.
That wasn't entirely true, but their familia had already been through its share of hardships, and before that, there was all the mistreatment she'd suffered during her time with the Soma familia. All this had made this little supporter very resilient.
The human twins, Andil and Linda, had also been violently swept away and as they were in the air, they had had no grip to hold on to. Both were on the ground, barely conscious, their bodies aching, trying to find the strength to get up.
As for Ekkrit, he had more or less managed to read the current to minimise the impact, but he had been tossed about. The nezu could barely stand, breathing heavily, trying to catch his breath, which was complicated by the many muscular pains that assailed him. In his condition, he should be resting, not fighting, his body was telling him.
Bell! Beeeeeell! Where are you? shouted a small goddess, very panicked at not seeing her captain.
Shit! Has anyone seen Thargar? asked Thor at his side, noticing that the dwarf had also disappeared.
It was Mei's voice that answered them.
We don't have time to look for them. Everyone on guard! This is far from over!
Her words were supported by the vision of the demi-spirit who was still there and seemed ready to attack again. In their state, the fight was getting all their focus. The creature had just dealt them a terrible blow, turning the fight in its favour. Some were shaken at best, others were stunned, wounded or even unconscious. The monster was probably the Evilus' trump card and it had to be stopped here and now.
Further underground, the two missing men knew nothing of what was going on in the hall from which they had been ejected. Bell and Thargar walked side by side, on guard and with weapons in hand.
I hope everyone is all right upstairs. Bell said in a worried voice.
So do I, boy. Seriously, what was that thing? He totally wiped us out! We really don't get paid enough for this shit. The dwarf answered with an annoyed look. To which the boy replied with an embarrassed laugh.
But both turned their heads at the same time when they heard a noise further ahead. It was then that a group of men in white appeared at the corner of a corridor. But more importantly, they were forcing a small girl, not really human, into the path, which Bell recognised immediately.
Wiene!
Bell! she shouted back as she realised that the young man was there. Bell had come to save her, she had never doubted it. She tried to struggle harder, but her captors would not give her an opening.
Hurry up, take the girl away! shouted one of the men, urging the others to hurry up.
Let her go! Bell was about to rush at them to free the one he loved like a little sister. But Thargar raised his arm to stop him.
Wait, kid... we're not alone.
Huh? The dwarf is smarter than I thought.
The person who had just spoken stepped out of the shadows. A man with an ungainly physique, but with an evil look and a sadistic smile.
I knew that staying in the girl's shadow was the best way to find interesting prey. Thor's dwarf and Hestia's brat. I hear your goddess loves you, my little rabbit, I'd love to see the look on her face when I throw your remains in front of her.
Bell gritted his teeth and got into a fighting stance. He wanted to save Wiene, but his instincts told him this guy was dangerous.
You're dreaming big for a Evilus piece of shit. You don't expect to get out of here alive, do ya?
Ha! a loud-mouthed dwarf, how original! the man replied sarcastically before getting into fighting position.
Bell noticed that he was not carrying a weapon. A brawler? But something seemed wrong. More agile, Bell opened the hostilities, charged at the man and made a few sharp attacks that his opponent dodged. But this gave Thargar an opening. The dwarf slid to the side and struck with an axe that slashed the man's side. Or so he thought. It felt strange, as if he had struck a block of jelly. And there was no blood despite the cut. However, he didn't let himself be distracted for long. He grabbed Bell by the collar and leapt back as their opponent was about to strike the young man. The way their opponent's arm had buckled, he couldn't have anticipated it.
How did he do that? Bell asked, surprised.
A Creature. The dwarf replied simply.
A what?
Thor got the information from Loki, people who turned into monster hybrids by sticking a magic stone in their bodies.
Combining Thargar's information with his memories of what he'd been told, Bell quickly realized that this man was the one who'd attacked Lyd's group and kidnapped Wiene.
Huh? I see we're well informed. Indeed, I have transcended my condition of vulgar mortal to obtain this invulnerable body and endowed with some amusing abilities.
As he spoke, the man raised his arm from which a viscous substance was oozing and threw it against the nearest wall. From the way it was corroding the stone, it must have been very acidic.
You're not invulnerable asshole, just more annoying to kill. You've got a magic stone embedded in your body, just destroy it and you're dead in an instant, like monsters.
And you think you can find it that easily?
Bell, who hadn't said anything so far, just followed his instincts and raised his hand.
Firebolt!
Bell surprised his opponent with his quick magic. His aim was not really to do damage, he had another idea in mind. The man's body may have been invulnerable, but his clothes were not, and they burned, forcing the man to rip off the burned tissue and find himself shirtless, revealing the magic stone embedded in his sternum.
Found it. Bell simply said with a determined look.
Well, well... clever boy. All right... bring it on!
And the fight resumed.
In the big underground tank, the situation was not good at all. With the arrival of Aiz, they were now three level 6s, which should have allowed them to deal with such a monster, but unfortunately, they were first forced to help and protect those who were no longer able to do so. As for those still standing, most of them injured, they were reduced to dodging as best they could. The few blows that were returned to the half-spirit were far from sufficient to threaten him.
In addition to this, it was not a simple monster, even a very clever one, but an intelligent creature, cunning and capable of analysing its environment. Moreover, since spirits are naturally sensitive to magic, the beast would detect any attempt to use it and attack immediately. Ygannea had no room for maneuver and neither Ryuu nor Mei could risk concentrating their magic when they were also the front line. In the worst case, they could be interrupted in the middle of their incantation and trigger an Ignis Fatuus, which would be catastrophic. The situation might have been different if Thargar and Bell had been there to buy them time, but they had to deal without them for the moment.
At the back, Welf regained some strength and was able to grab one of the magic weapons he had in Lili's bag.
Go, frost claw! he shouted as he unleashed the power of the weapon, which froze the water around the demi-spirit in an attempt to restrain it. Unfortunately, the serpentine body of the monster was powerful and he had no trouble breaking through the icy shell. Welf tried again, but in vain.
The blacksmith became the monster's new target and it charged towards him. He was only able to avoid the blow with the help of a combined attack from Mei and Aiz, which turned the creature away from its target. But unfortunately, the demi-spirit seemed to want to finish it off, as it resumed its chanting position.
Rise, ocean!
Swallow this forsaken land!
Oh fuck, he's doing it again! Give everything, it must not finish! shouted Mei to everyone before going on the full assault. They had seen what he could do once, they wouldn't survive a second wave.
Break, tide!
Crush, waves!
But the creature knew very well what it had to do, it protected itself by keeping its humanoid part high and using its large fins. The situation was taking a desperate turn.
Let none be spared!
NO! the scream came from Ygannea. The elf magician pulled two crystals from one of her bags. Unlike her ordinary small crystals, these were long and sharp. Without hesitation, she stabbed them into both her arms at the same time. Immediately, numerous runes glowed on her body while her eyes shone with a pale blue light.
Ocean rage!
Spirit magic was unleashed and the water began to rage, but simultaneously Ygannea did the same, holding out her arms.
The Gates of Niflheim!
The elf magician's powerful cold spell was triggered. A sphere of icy energy exploded and the world turned white. When the light faded, all that remained was a white scene. The tsunami that the demi-spirit's magic had unleashed was prematurely neutralized, the wave frozen in ice, as was the entire room. The monster screamed in pain, its flesh suffering the horrible bite of the cold.
But the first thing Mei did, and most of Thor's familia, was to look in Yga's direction. How had the elf wizard done this? The Gates of Niflheim was her ultimate weapon, one of the most powerful cold spells in existence. It required not only a long incantation, but also the use of her Runic Chanting. She had just cast it without incantation and without runes. Naturally, everyone feared that there was a price to pay for doing this. And from the look of her condition, that must have been the case. Blood flowed from her nose and eyes and they saw her fall backwards.
Fortunately, Ryuu caught her before she hit the ground. The elf warrior noticed that, although she had fainted, she was still alive. She removed the crystals from her arms and began to cast Noah Heal.
Relieved, Mei turned her attention to the weakened but still alive spirit. Ygannea had just given them an opportunity, she had to take advantage of it and finish it.
The situation was no better for Bell and Thargar, their opponent was dangerous and made things difficult for them. His body became gelatinous and slimy with each impact, which made it impossible to do any damage to him, no matter where he was hit. In fact, it even made him laugh, he felt invincible and it was exhilarating. So it was worth it to agree to the Evilus' experiments.
In fact, he did have a weakness. As Thargar had pointed out, destroying the magic stone embedded in his body was enough to kill him, but he was careful not to let them get to it. Moreover, he could change the size and consistency of his limbs, which made his strikes totally unpredictable, sometimes pushing the young human and the dwarf on the defensive.
And to add to the good news, his body was made of an acidic substance and the weapons of the two fighters were starting to get seriously damaged. Only Hestia's dagger seemed to be resisting, but it was a masterpiece created by Hephaestus herself, it would not be damaged like that. However, the last weapon Welf had made for him was beginning to wear out, as were Thargar's axes.
But there was another reason that troubled Bell and prevented him from fully concentrating on the fight, and that was that with every passing moment, his captors were taking Wiene further and further away from him.
Okay, kid, let's change tactics, said the dwarf. He began to concentrate and grit his teeth, letting his skill manifest itself. Thargar then began to double in size to become an avatar of fury.
The dwarf began to throw one of his axes at their opponent and charged forward, Bell at his heels, ready to support him. The dwarf struck with a punch that hit the ground and kicked up a cloud of dust. Bell prepared to take advantage of an opening to strike, but surprisingly, his dwarf ally grabbed him by the collar and threw him further away.
You've got other things to do, kid, so go away!
It was then that Bell realised that Thargar had taken advantage of the confusion to throw him in the direction of the tunnel where Wiene's captors had gone.
Don't worry, I can handle it. Just go!
Bell nodded and ran to Wiene's rescue, leaving Thargar alone with the man, who had an irritated expression on his face.
Hey dwarf! Who gave you permission to fuck with my fun? I'm going to slaughter you!
Try it, you little shit. he replied, grabbing the two large labrys he had on his back.
The demi-spirit, still frozen in the ice, was screaming in pain. Since Ryuu was the only one capable of applying healing, she was busy getting as many people back on their feet as possible. In doing so, only Mei and Aiz were left to stand up to her.
This time we have to finish it, Mei said simply.
Yes, the other swordsman confirmed.
Have you ever fought anything like this?
Yes... the blonde answered with a touch of sadness in her voice.
Is it tough?
Very...
Aiz was only confirming what she had already seen. This damn monstrosity was tough and resilient.
In that case, we'll have to strike hard. How would you like to try the trick we talked about? the shivati asked with an almost carnivorous smile.
Are you sure? It's still just an idea.
Well, it's time to get down to practical work. Do you trust me?
Yes, Aiz answered with a smile. She and Mei had only known each other for a short time, she trusted her completely. Which surprised her every time she thought about it. How had this girl managed to sneak into her heart so easily? But there was no time to think about that, it was time to fight.
Mei put her right sword in front of her and closed her eyes to concentrate. She focused her mind on the skill symbolizing her deep connection to her father, Avatar of Mjöllnir.
Mjöllnir, I want to defeat my father's enemy, but this time I can't do it alone. So, if you really consider me worthy of your help, please lend me strength!
Somewhere in the heavens, resting on an altar, the ancient weapon waited for its master to return for it someday. But the living hammer was not alone, its link with its master could never be broken, no matter how far away or even in another world. Through this link, he had touched the souls of all those to whom Thor offered his blessing. And one of those souls resonated beautifully, enough for him to recognize it as worthy of doing in the lower world what he did in the heavens.
He felt her call, her desire to strike down Thor's enemies. She needed power. Then power he would give her!
A halo of lightning surrounded Mjöllnir, then a bolt of lightning tore through the clouds of the Tenkai. A bolt of lightning that travelled between the planes and tore through the clouds of the Gekai. The lightning struck the ground, causing all the bystanders in the vicinity to be frightened. But it didn't stop and continued its race through the ground, nothing could stop it. He arrived in the underground tank and reached Mei.
The young woman was surrounded by lightning as her eyes glowed purple. She was now bursting with power ready to be unleashed.
I am ready.
Aiz nodded in response and activated her magic as well.
Awaken, Tempest! The blonde was surrounded by a powerful magical wind. No holding back, no hesitation, she called upon the full power of her maternal legacy. The time for compromise was over, she had to strike hard.
Mei held out her sword towards the spirit and in a determined voice she said:
I am the lightning!
Aiz did the same and held out his sword towards their enemy before completing.
I am the wind!
"We are the storm!"(*) they shouted in unison.
Then, with a leap, they charged at the Demi-spirit. Their swords were side by side, pointed in the same direction. The lightning that covered Mei and the wind around Aiz joined and mixed, growing even more powerful, becoming a condensed storm with the two warriors at its core.
"TYPHOON BLADES!"
Their swords, charged with all this power, struck simultaneously at the same point. As resistant as their opponent was, since he could not dodge, he could not resist this. Caught up in their momentum, they passed through him and tore the creature apart, its body beginning to disintegrate. Aiz and Mei met the Demi-Spirit's gaze, and before he disappeared, he had time to utter a few words.
Thank... you...
The poor spirit must never have volunteered for any of this, and its destruction was its deliverance. Once his body had completely disintegrated, there was only silence in the place...
Wiene! shouted Bell as he ran. He had finally caught up with the little vouivre and her captors, whom she had wasted a lot of time fighting. Leave her alone!
A Evilus warrior tried to intervene, but Bell rushed him and with one leap, he took advantage of his momentum to crush his knee in his face, shattering his nose before leaving him on the ground.
What the hell, is he here already? Kill him! said one of the men holding Wiene. At his command, the rest of the escort blocked the young man and the fight began.
Although alone, Bell was now an advanced level 4, so he had the means to defend himself, but against a dozen opponents, even he had difficulty. Most of his attackers seemed to be level 2. Individually, he was stronger than them, but there were a few dozen of them and the combat area was relatively small. Soon the situation was blocked. Bell was defending himself well, but he couldn't get rid of them.
But this could not go on forever and another fighter from the Evilus approached him, a man who was taller and more massive than the others. By the looks of his strength, he was easily level 3. During the fight, Bell tried to punch him in the face, but the man grabbed his wrist firmly and blocked him in place. He then tried to strike the young man with his blade, but Bell parried it with his other dagger, resulting in a lock. The man held his right wrist firmly while Bell blocked his attacker's blade with the blade in his left hand. Bell may have been level 4, but he was a quick fighter, relying more on his agility than his brute strength. His opponent, although probably level 3, seemed to be more of a strength fighter. In a pure strength situation, the difference in level put them on an equal footing, which led to the situation where both men were stuck in place.
But with both his hands occupied and no room for movement, he would soon be at the mercy of the other opponents. The situation was bad, really bad.
And while Hestia's captain was struggling on his own, another man was also in a very bad situation. Thargar had been overtaken by the Creature. The slime man was still unharmed, while the dwarf had many wounds.
But that wasn't the worst of it, right now he was hanging in the air. His opponent had turned one of his arms into a kind of slimy tentacle and Thargar's left arm was engulfed in it. The pain was excruciating, as the dwarf felt his arm melt, skin and muscle slowly dissolving. Thargar could feel it in his flesh, his arm was definitely ruined. Only the use of his skill, Rsende Hjerte, allowed him to hold on and bear the abominable pain. The man also kept him at a safe distance, out of reach of the only axe the dwarf had left.
Fucking dwarf, you've resisted well, but I've had enough fun with you, it's time to end it.
Thargar's only response was a big, toothy grin. Yes, it was time to end it. It didn't matter what he left in this mess, it was time to give it all away. The dwarf let out a mighty war cry, then raised his great axe and in a great circular movement, he sliced his arm. This crazy gesture allowed him to free himself from his opponent's grip and once his feet were on the ground, he let his fury finish the job.
What the fuck! This crazy dwarf cut his...
But he didn't have time to finish. Even he had not expected the dwarf to commit such a crazy act. This caused a slight hesitation, but the delay was too much and he could not dodge the great blow of Thargar's axe, which shattered the magic stone embedded in the body of his opponent.
With a cry of pain, the latter died, while his body melted on the spot, as if he could no longer maintain his own cohesion. And so this anonymous foe perished like so many others, in the greatest secrecy of an underground war of which few knew the existence.
As for Thargar, once his opponent was dead, he could not maintain his skill any longer and he returned to his normal size. But the pain began to assault him more and more. His severed arm was bleeding heavily and he had to find a solution quickly before the bleeding killed him.
Bell! shouted a panicked little vouivre. The boy was indeed in a very bad position, still pinned down by the big muscleman and other opponents ready to attack him. For Wiene, it was out of the question to continue being a burden to be saved. The little vouivre struggled more and more and finally managed to get an opening to bite the man who was holding her. She bit his arm until it bled, and now she had good strength in her jaw.
Her captor wasn't expecting this and let out a loud cry of pain, trying to unhook her in vain, before finally punching her to force her to let go, knocking her to the ground.
Damn dirty carnival freak! I've had enough, we don't need you anymore anyway! said the man, raising his sword, ready to deal whit the little girl.
Wiene! shouted Bell, seeing how the situation was getting out of hand. What could he do? And as each moment now seemed like an eternity, Ekkrit's words came back to him.
Bell, killing is never a trivial act, but even with the best will in the world, sometimes it has to be done. Courage comes in many forms, but there will come a day when the courage you need is not to risk your life, your reputation or your bond with others, it's the courage to do what is needed, because if you don't, those you love may pay the price for you.
Could he put Wiene's life on the line just to feel morally blameless? No. Wiene was his little sister, part of the family he had built for himself. She was precious. And it didn't matter if they called him crazy for saving a monster, he knew what mattered. Bell found resolution within himself. He made a subtle movement of the wrist his opponent was holding and a bolt of steel shot out, planting itself in the man's throat. Surprised, he let go and fell backwards, now doomed by a mortal wound.
That little bastard has a hidden blade! shouted another Evilus.
Indeed, a few days earlier, Ekkrit had given him a gift, telling him that it was always good to have a ace in your sleeve, literally. The nezu had provided the mechanism, a masterpiece according to Welf, and the blacksmith had made the blade and gauntlet to hold it. A fine piece of work too, for it was impossible to tell just by looking at the presence of this blade that could shoot out over Bell's hand.
But the boy didn't stop there, he shifted his position and threw his dagger in his left hand in a precise gesture and it came to stab into the hand of the man who was threatening Wiene, making him drop his sword and scream in pain.
Determined, Bell stepped forward, shifted his grip on his weapon, parried another opponent's blade, and thrust Hestia's dagger down his throat. Today, for the first time in his life, Bell was killing and it was his decision. But caught up in the tension of the fight and the adrenaline, he had no time to think about the moral implications of his choice.
He had to move on, save Wiene. Another opponent, a dodge, a feint and the black dagger passed between two ribs to strike at the heart. And the boy continued on his way. Another strike and the blood spurted again. Bell didn't know how many he killed, not all of them, for some of them took fright and ran away.
When it was quiet again, only Bell could be heard. The boy was breathing heavily, trapped in a high state of tension. At the time, he wasn't even sure where he was or what he was doing.
Bell!
Finally, he was brought back to reality as he felt Wiene embrace him and snuggle up to him.
Wiene...
Bell! I knew it! I knew you would come for me.
The tension finally eased and Bell let out a long sigh, realizing he had stopped breathing for a full minute. He returned his embrace to the vouivre, holding her close.
Yes, Wiene, I'm here...
Bell held her in his arms for a moment. But the gesture was not only emotional, it was also necessary, the presence of Wiene against him helped him to calm down, to evacuate the tension and calm his mind. For in his field of vision, he could not miss the corpses of those he had just killed and he already knew that it would haunt him for a while.
Bell? Are you alright? the kind vouivre asked in a worried voice.
Yes... everything's fine. He only had to look into her eyes to know that he had made the right choice and that he would do it again to save her.
In the large underground tank, silence had fallen. Mei and Aiz were on the floor, slumped over each other in an obviously uncomfortable position.
Ouch... began the shivati. So, our super storm combo is working, but we'll have to work on the landing.
Yes, Aiz answered. Can you take your hand away, please? she finished, her cheeks a little red.
Oops! said Mei, standing up and holding out her hand to her friend. Sorry, I didn't do that on purpose.
The blonde swordswoman answered with a pouting face that made her look absolutely adorable. But it was time to get back to business.
Is everyone alive? shouted Mei to the group. Several answered or signalled to her that they were fine. Even Brica and Adriel had regained consciousness. Only one person didn't respond and that was Ygannea. Mei rushed to her and found her with Ryuu by her side, trying to heal her.
How is she ?
I don't know. the other elf answered. I healed her, but her condition is unstable.
What the hell did you do, Yga? asked Mei, worried. She had never heard of this skill, so she had no idea what her friend was at risk and it worried her terribly. We have to get her up and take her to the Dian Cecht clinic quickly.
Yes, Ryuu answered. But we also need to find Bell and Thargar.
We're here! said a voice from further away. The boy appeared behind a column. He was helping the dwarf walk while Wyne held on to him. Bell had found him on the way back and helped him to walk. They had then managed to find their way back to the large room.
Several people came towards them. The members of the Hestia familia all saw with relief that the little vouivre was there and she jumped into everyone's arms. The picture was touching, proving that she had become a little sister to everyone in the familia.
But everyone had noticed the dwarf's condition, especially the fact that he had lost a piece of himself.
Damn it Thargar! What happened? Mei asked the dwarf.
I'm sorry. Bell began. It's my fault...
He didn't have time to continue brooding as Thargar slapped him on the back of the head.
Stop it, kid. I'm the one who told you to get out, it's my choice and I assume it.
Bell didn't answer, but you could tell that he was worried about it.
So what exactly did you find out? Mei was curious to know what kind of opponent had cost the dwarf an arm.
A Creature... Bell began.
A big bastard who hit almost as hard as he claimed. The dwarf continued. But now it's just a big puddle in a hallway.
Mei sighed at Thargar's response before beginning to examine his wound.
You crazy dwarf, don't tell me you cauterized yourself with a torch?
And bleed to death in this stinking underground? I wouldn't give them that pleasure!
Another sigh of spite, another person to be sent quickly to Dian Cecht's clinic.
After giving Wiene a big hug herself, Hestia started to look around and realised that something was wrong.
Where is Thor?
Elsewhere, in another section of Knossos, the veiled goddess walked with a hurried step. She was angry, now forced to flee. Her plan had failed completely. How had Thor been able to get ahead of her so easily? Where did he get his key to the labyrinth? Why was Hestia there with her children and the elf from Astraea? Why was the sword princess there too? Hestia should still be chasing wind and Thor's fight with Loki should have prevented him from having both a key and backup. So who? How?
The answer was simple: Freya. It was she, the little grain of sand that had jammed the whole machine. Because of her past history with Thor, the goddess had underestimated the possibilities of her involvement. And since she was unaware of the great secret that the goddess of beauty was hiding, she couldn't have known that she could have given Ryuu a clue.
All right Thor, you win, but it's only a matter of time.
At the end of a corridor, the goddess activated a mechanism to unlock a secret door. Deadalus and his successors had always had foresight and she took advantage of it. However, when the passage opened, what greeted her was a fist to the face, knocking her backwards as Thor emerged from the secret passage.
The veil that hid her head fell away. It revealed long brown hair and what should have been a beautiful woman. One half of her face was indeed beautiful, but the other half was damaged, marked by what looked like severe burn scars.
Hello Hel. Why am I not surprised to find you here? said Thor in a strangely weary voice.
You? How did you get here? the goddess asked, both shocked and annoyed.
Easy, we didn't meet any real leaders in our fights and I suspected that the grey eminence behind this scheme would try to run away. Fortunately, I have someone in my familia who is expert at anticipating this kind of thing and finding secret passages.
Even physically diminished, there were still plenty of things Ekkrit was an expert on, and he proved it once again. The nezu appeared in the shadow of his god, a silent figure, a mere spectator from now on.
Tell me Hel, the last time we met, I was nice enough to give you another chance, is this how you thank me?
Thank you? You've got to be kidding me Thor! I remind you that you slaughtered my entire familia!
And I gave you a chance to stop it before it came to that. But you didn't listen to me. You never listen to anyone anyway. I obviously underestimated your hatred.
And that surprises you, you fat meat? she spat at him. I hate you and everyone else! I hate the way you've always looked at me. The disgust in your eyes, the contempt, the pity tinged with condescension. All because my body isn't perfect like yours!
Is that the problem? Just your appearance? Hephaestus doesn't have a perfect body either, but she didn't let hatred eat away at her and she even managed to gain the respect of others.
Hel's only response was a mocking, contemptuous laugh.
Phae? Don't make me laugh! She only has one colourless eye, that's nothing! And the so-called respect she's earned is just because her familia has become so necessary that no one wants to alienate her.
Hel wasn't entirely wrong about that. The Hephaestus familia wasn't the only familia selling weapons and armour, but it was the most important and the one that could provide the best quality work. No one would be foolish enough to try to antagonise them, or risk being denied access to their shops or having to pay prohibitive prices.
Maybe for some, but Hestia, Loki, me, we love her for what she is. And we are not the only ones.
Shut up, you hypocrite!
The goddess pulled out a dagger hidden in her robe and jumped on Thor. But even so, she was still a woman of average build jumping on a two-meter tall colossus with a warrior's experience almost as long as the creation. Ekkrit didn't need to move, Thor disarmed Hel with ease and went behind her to block her by wrapping his arm around her neck.
So there was nothing to be done. So be it. It's a waste, Hel, you could do so much better if you could get on with your life.
Shut up, shut up, SHUT UP! she screamed with all her hate.
Do everyone a favour, you first, when you get up there, go to the Source.
The goddess barely had time to understand the meaning of Thor's words before he snapped her neck. Of course, like all gods, Hel couldn't die. Her arcanum activated to repair the damage to her body and the pillar of light appeared. Even though they were underground, it still passed through the ceiling. Even on the surface, everyone could see it and they all knew what it meant, a god was returning to the heavens.
When the light went out, Hel was no longer there, only Thor, his silent shadow and the veil that the goddess had lost earlier. Thor picked it up and looked at it silently for a little while.
What a waste... he said as he dropped the piece of cloth and silently walked away, Ekkrit following him.
(*) : That is approaching ? and soon no one will understand this joke anymore…
Author's notes: And so ends a very action-oriented chapter. In order to make it less monotonous to read, I tried another form of editing, hoping to make it more exciting, but I hope I didn't make it too confusing, so please tell me what you thought of this method.