Disclaimer: DanMachi and its original characters are created and owned by Fujino Omori.

Chapter 3: "I, no longer"

"Oh, so you actually remember my name. I had thought you gods didn't care for us- only our other selves." V shrugged as she met Ouranos' gaze. "So, what is it you wanted to speak to me about? Surely, you brought me here for a reason?"

The Old God remained quiet as he watched the spirit. A few silent moments passed between them. The crackling of the torches reverberated throughout the wide, empty chamber.

At last, he took a deep breath. "Vindicta, have you been doing well?" His voice boomed and echoed within the chamber, making it hard to determine the intent behind the words. "It's been quite a while since we've last seen each other."

She snorted and rolled her eyes, "is that really your question? Is it something you've gotten from the mortals? I suppose it's a part of their tradition, isn't it? Are you going to ask about my friends and family next, and wish them well too?" The reverberating groan sounded throughout the room yet again. "Cut it with the formalities, would you? If you're just here to waste my time, don't bother. Tell me what you want so I can leave. Time is a precious commodity, you know? But I suppose a deity like yourself wouldn't understand that."

Ouranos' gaze narrowed and he sat up straight, leaning against the back-rest of his throne. He breathed a resounding sigh that rumbled throughout the chamber. "How are you still alive? You should've been destroyed aeons ago when we first came to the Lower World. During that war, we made sure to find every last one of you and disperse your power far enough that you would never return."

She pursed her lips. "Ah, true; I thought that as well- but, really, you shouldn't underestimate the volatility of sentience. I'm surprised you haven't realised after all this time- after all, you've walked alongside the mortals for a millennia by now. You simply can'tdestroy us like how you'd want, much the same way as the Elementals- because they arethe Elements themselves, and it's impossible for the Elements- or rather, the things they hold dominion over- to not exist."

Ouranos did not respond, and instead, sat quietly. Eventually, she elaborated: "I remembered something a while back, about a century after when we were supposedly purged- when my consciousness was finally returning- a lesson that my elder brother taught me when I was born." A gentle, uncharacteristic smile came to her face as she reminisced of those times; she felt the corners of her eyes heat up at the thought. She stopped, and her Hypostasis swirled within the room, silencing the crackling torches around her.

When she spoke next, her voice, too, reverberated throughout the chamber, as if a choir of many voices recited the same verse. "We are the Echo- the overseers of the duality of sentience born as manifestations of its will- and it is our duty to ensure that such duality is upheld. If one has humility, they must have pride; if one has charity, they must have greed; if one has diligence, they must have sloth; if one has compassion, they must have envy; if one has chastity, they must have lust; if one has discipline, they must have gluttony; and if one has patience, they must have wrath."

She hummed and the torches flickered back to life. Her voice returned to what it once was as the echoes faded, "just as one can offer mercy, one can also seek vengeance. You may have dispersed our power, but we'll always find a way to return- some, faster than others- but eventually, we will. We'll always find a way because we must if the balance of reality is to be upheld- such duality which keeps all sentient entities… well, sentient. In other words, sentience is derived from two sides of the same coin- virtue and sin, diametrically opposed sides- but that evaluation is incorrect, since virtue and sin are far more complex notions, similar to the distinction between good and bad, right and wrong, or white and black. Nothing in this world is as one-dimensional as mortals make it out to be. We Echo understand that best. After all, such things are what we are."

Ouranos nodded in understanding, and, wanting to spare himself the task of debating philosophy with one of the Echo, he shifted the conversation. "Why now? Why not 16 years ago when Zeus and Hera were active? What is it you plan on doing?"

She nodded. "I actually had been meaning to come when Zeus and Hera familia still remained at the top, but something caught me by surprise- after all, the deities exist beyond its periphery and influence- as well as the volatility of all living beings. By the time that I was preparing to act, the future had developed in such a way that was not so favourable for me. As such, this time, I've made sure to allocate enough time to tie up the loose ends which will inevitably arise."

But the Old God briefly disregarded her words and pressed further. "That isn't the only reason, is it? There's something else… something else…" A deep rumbling echoed throughout the chamber again- this time, more violent than the previous. Ouranos nearly reeled back in surprise, but hid it behind his stoic visage. His sky-blue eyes became wide- though the hood which hid them made it impossible to see it happen. He narrowed his eyes once more: his voice quieter- yet still reverberated. "The Big Seven… they've begun restoring their power, haven't they?"

V concealed her smile and almost let out a snicker, "not bad- a little slow, but still fine, I suppose. You are indeed right… though, it appears that one of them is late. She'll come eventually; I'm sure she's simply waiting for the right one to catch her attention- I suppose that's just like her, after all: she's always been quite picky." She allowed the smile to linger as she stared up. "The Big Seven are returning; but, unlike myself as a lesser spirit, taking on a physical form is not yet within their capabilities. Only recently have they finally gathered enough power to take on living hosts-"

"-like parasites."

"Ah, now that's simply uncalled for, Ouranos. You shouldn't say that about your own nieces and nephews."

A few moments passed as the Old God contemplated this new information. "So? What will you do from here? Will you be revealing the secrets of the Treaty to the mortals?"

She folded her arms in front of her chest and shook her head. "No, I don't think I will. Instead, I'll just sit back, and enjoy the show. Revealing such secrets is not my decision to make. Whether the curiosity of the mortals wins out- and the astute among them are able to uncover the mystery- or if the gods decide to reveal their own treacheries: my role in this is non-existent." She pursed her lips. "Besides, I have other matters to attend to: when I had met Hermes about a month back, he'd told me about a new adventurer who he was personally watching over. 'For an old friend', he said. 'He'll be a Hero', he said. 'I can already see the promise in him. He has potential,' he said. And, indeed, that adventurer has become quite popular as of late-"

"Bell Cranel…"

She nodded and hummed. "Yep, him. The Record Holder who reached level 2 in just six weeks. He fought against Apollo and Ishtar familia, and reached level 3 in the span of a month. He is a saviour and the guiding light that will lead the Xenos to a happier future of coexistence. It's no wonder Hermes has gotten quite interested in the boy- even I, too, can't wait for what he does next." She laughed, "after all, he was raised by Zeus to be the Last Hero, was he not? Personally taken care of by one of the most influential deities to step foot in the Lower World- personally raised to become the one to reach a level strong enough to defeat the Black Dragon, and to save the people that Zeus and Hera familia could not. The Last Hero- or rather, the 32nd. The Last Hero who will rival Albert Waldstein and complete the Hero Bridge memorial. There's a lot of expectations riding on his shoulders, and I want a front row seat- to see the story unfold- until the end, to its completion. He will be the catalyst for change within the Lower World, and these eyes," her violet irises flashed with manic fervor, "here, will see it all- whether good or bad."

Ouranos remained silent as he contemplated her words. He grazed his chin with his knuckles, shifting them subconsciously.

He had a serious problem on his hands.

This problem of his had persisted ever since a few months after Zeus and Hera had been defeated and banished from Orario. During that time, a group of sentient monsters, the Xenos, as they are known today, appeared. At first, he was fascinated by their existence- an homage to the bygone monsters of the Ancient Times- most of whom were already destroyed or sealed in accordance with the Treaty. As time went on, he became more curious about them. And so he sought guidance from the one he had always stood alongside, even in the Upper World; but when he called out to her, she failed to answer.

Thus, with no one but himself to consult, he had allowed the thought to work its way into the deepest recesses of his mind. Like a puzzle, he approached the issue using different methods. But as he worked on it, he realised that he didn't even know what he would find once he reached the end.

Eventually, his curiosity won out, so he made contact with the Xenos just months after their birth. He learned what he wanted about them and he spoke to them. He listened to their dreams, ambitions, aspirations, and ultimately, their longing.

These monsters- the rivals of humanity ever since the birth of their species many millennia ago- sought to see the sky, the sun, and the stars for themselves. They sought to coexist with mortals- to bury the past, and use it as a foundation to create something greater- something better.

Even still, even after he reached the end, he was left with more questions- questions he did not know the answer to. All he did know was that he felt one thing-

He was scared.

Scared that the work of the gods for nearly a millennia would be disrupted and destroyed- crumbling to ruin. If the monsters and mortals learn to coexist, and the rivalry between them is disbanded in favour of comradery, what happens to the gods? Will they be needed anymore? Will the mortals ask them to leave? What happens then?

The gods were, by and large, people too- and yet, not, at the same time. To be dismissed- to be nothing more than someone, who lived somewhere, some time ago. The mortals may be okay with it, but to the gods, this was a frightening thought. They, too clouded in their own hubris- a sinful glut of ego- could not, or, rather, would not, accept being that someone. It was ironic: they themselves were immortal, yet their legacy would be anything but.

At first, he wanted nothing more than to destroy the Xenos. And yet, he could not.

He was scared of allowing the Xenos to live, because of what it would mean for him and his fellow gods; and yet he was also scared about destroying the Xenos, because of what it would mean to ruin something so fragile- something so special and unique.

After all, what was the difference between the Xenos and the mortals? Why did the gods favour one and not the other? Why did the gods condemn someone just because they happened to be born as one and not the other?

He found irony in these questions, though. After all, the gods have already condemned mortals to a Fate of ruin. Their silence about the Treaty was a testament to this.

In order to remain eternal, and to never be forgotten, they would much rather allow the world to be destroyed than to allow it to be saved. Once the Lower World was destroyed, they'd retreat to the Upper World with the mortals and their lives will recommence in a happier place. A place of no suffering, a place of no grief, a place of no regrets. Wasn't this the most idyllic place? A true, perfect place for mortals and gods to reside?

Honestly, he didn't know anymore. He felt dizzy just thinking about it.

And amongst this sea of thoughts, first came an epiphany, and second a question.

16 years ago, Zeus and Hera familia went on to finish the last of the Three Grand Quests only to fall at the claws of the Black Dragon.

15 years ago, the Xenos came into existence as the direct descendents of the monsters from the Ancient Times, and threatened to derail the Deities' Era with their ambition.

14 years ago, Bell Cranel, the Last Hero, and the destined slayer of the Black Dragon, was born.

Not only that, but-

Eight years ago, the successor of the Sword Champion and the great wind spirit Aria, Ais Waldstein, arrived in Orario.

Seven years ago, Evilus, with aid from Gluttony and Silence, hoped to see a Hero rise from the ashes and debris of the city- though, at the time, none came.

And then-

Less than a year ago, Bell Cranel arrived in Orario, and became possibly the most famous adventurer in history, and also the adventurer with the most potential: surpassing the Empress, who was the first to become level 9; surpassing Silence, who was considered to be the reincarnation of talent; surpassing Sword Princess, who had been the previous Record Holder; and he is fated to finish what Sword Champion started, surpassing even him. His arrival brought about rapid change in Orario: Apollo and Ishtar were decimated; Hermes and Freya had personally gotten interested in him; Loki familia, Ganesha familia, and the rest of Orario held him in high regard; and he had become the guiding light for a newer future- a New Age of mortals and monsters.

And now, a spirit from the bygone era of the Ancient Times- one that should have been destroyed and not to be seen for a million years- stood before him, and told him- warned him- of the inevitable events to come.

Were they coincidental? Perhaps, perhaps not. But in a world where gods, spirits, monsters, magic, Fate, and Destiny intertwined, then-

"You seem to have a lot on your mind right now, so I'll leave you be." V made a crude curtsey as she turned heel and began walking towards the adamantite door. Behind the throne, Fels stirred into motion, ready to stop the girl in whatever way they could. A dismissive wave from Ouranos stopped them in their tracks, indicating that the meeting had been adjourned regardless.

Nonetheless, he had one final question to ask. His voice echoed around the chamber, though, this time, it shook, ever-so-slightly. "You seem to be sure of yourself, Vindicta," V stopped in her tracks, "but out of all of us, you are the most restricted. The Oath you swore upon the Principia Divinus is not so easily broken."

V laughed, "oh, that's quite alright: I never had such intentions anyways. I am well aware of my position- I am merely a small, insignificant branch who sustains the natural order mandated by the Principia Divinus. I won't try to deceive myself to believe otherwise, and I would recommend you don't either." She shrugged and sighed, "but isn't that what's so fun about everything? Both you and I, as well as Loki and Freya, will all work in our own ways to nudge the events of Fate towards our desires. But, in the end, we're all merely small cogs with little influence over the machinations of our world. Destiny will be decided by the mortals and monsters- the same mortals and monsters who will defy the authority of the gods and spirits to reach their own ambitions." She stopped to think for a moment. She waved her hands apologetically, dismissing her previous thought, "I suppose, in the end, it's nothing more than a hunch."

And with that, she made her way to the exit; even still, she turned back to give the Old God one last set of parting words: "but, you know, for all the years of experience I have in guiding mortals towards their Destiny in accordance with my Oath, I can tell you this for certain: coincidence and Fate go hand-in-hand, don't you know?" With one final grin, her mesmerising violet eyes flashed once, and she departed.

And with that, Ouranos was left alone in his chambers, with his trusted servant, Fels, by his side, to contemplate the future of the Lower World.

"The Stars to reach, and the Abyss to conquer.

I, no longer, am the clouds which veil the Stars.

I, no longer, am the one who lurks in the Abyss.

I, no longer, am the King who holds Fate and Destiny in his hands."

Tione made a mad dash forward, fury exuding from every pore of her body.

From behind Cleaire, Vardan slipped the bow off of his shoulder, reached back to his quiver, stepped forward, and pulled the bowstring back, all in one swift motion, and prepared to shoot- and shoot he did, releasing an arrow which found its way into the Amazoness' upper thigh, momentarily causing her to stumble, but did not completely deter her advance. Seeing this, the Werewolf put himself between the charging Amazon and the Pallum, his hands raised defensively as he pivoted forward.

Tione's fist came as she landed harshly on the pavement, sending cracks webbing outwards. Even still, moving just as fast as she did, the Werewolf caught the attack, twisting his wrist and forcing her into an uncomfortable position, easily guiding her forward and off of stable footing. He lashed out with his right-hand knuckles, driving them into her sternum to momentarily incapacitate her; then, stepping forward, he spun, allowing his legs to sweep under her's, and threw her off to the side. She was sent tumbling backwards before anyone could respond, leaving a trail of dust in her wake before grinding to a halt. Remus capitalised on everyone's surprise and charged forward himself.

With incredible agility, he landed before Loki familia, drawing his arms back and building up their tension. He sent another punch towards the Loki familia- this time, towards their own Werewolf. Bete raised both hands and defended the blow, displaying his own agility. Remus threw two jabs, stepping forward and increasing the tempo each time before finishing with a cross to which Bete dodged, strafing sideways. Not wanting to lose his initiative, Remus stepped forward into his opponent's personal space, and sent an elbow to Bete's jaw- and then a punch to the gut. The flurry of attacks was too much for even Bete to handle, and he eventually lost ground, being forced to step back. He quickly improvised a counterattack, sending a few blows of his own: a jab, a cross, a right hook, and an elbow, but Remus pivoted backwards, twisted to the side, barely allowing the attacks to miss by a hairbreadth before turning back and slamming his palm into Bete's nose, forcing him into a momentary daze. Then, using the small window, he jerked forward: connecting his knee to his opponent's gut and then landed a back kick square in Bete's chest, sending him tumbling backwards in another direction, just a small, yet substantial, distance away.

Landing on the balls of his feet in a low crouch- on all fours- Remus pounced after the Werewolf as Tiona quickly followed after him, spinning her blade in the air and leaping off the concrete with incredible finesse. She swung at him to stop his movement, but he retrieved the blades from his hip and dodged, rolling to the side before bringing both weapons up- slashing and thrusting with a set shortswords. The lightning fast movements forced Tiona to step back, her bulky blade getting in the way in such close quarters. She was soon joined by her sister, finally having recovered. What advantage Remus had wielding shorter blades against Tiona's bulky greatsword dissipated as he met Tione's knives head-on.

A moment after, Diane also jumped forward, thrusting with the speartip towards the Dwarf's neck. He reflexively shifted out of the way, dodging and blocking the rapid succession of jabs with his gauntlets. Even still, as the speed increased, he was finally forced to step back and he raised his battle axe, catching the pike-tip of the spear and sending it away to the side. Despite this, the Chienthrope did not stop her flurry of attacks.

She swung downwards with the glaive edge, using her whole body for the attack, but Gareth raised his axe, catching the shaft of the polearm and knocked it aside once more, and then going for a blow of his own. Still, he could not land a hit as Diane quickly disengaged out of range, vaulting away, and then reengaging. She tried for a horizontal strike, which was blocked, and so she stepped forward, disengaging her polearm for a brief moment and switching to the other side, giving her access to the pike edge. Gareth suffered a series of quick thrusts by the Chienthrope, who used them to outpace the Dwarf until he was inevitably pushed back even more.

"I'll leave the rest to you here, Finn." And with that, Gareth bounded away, deflecting the Chienthrope as she continued attacking.

Before the Pallum had the chance to respond, however, a loud clang reverberated throughout the courtyard. As they swept their gaze to the side, they saw Ais had already drawn her rapier, Desperate, and had it locked with the Far Easterner. Sparks flew as a mass of translucent, pale green mist curled around her body. Ais took a step back as she placed distance between herself and her opponent. She reared back as she prepared to strike.

"Awaken, Tempest." The mist was whipped into a frenzy as she lunged forward and thrusted, driving Desperateforward, aiming for a non-vital, and instead, intending to disarm her opponent.

Akagi caught the blade, guiding it off to the left before flicking her wrist, deflecting the thrust and sending it away, though Ais remained on the balls of her feet and maintained her balance. Still, Akagi pressed forward as she wiped her blade horizontal and then followed with two quick thrust of her own, and a diagonal strike. Ais was forced onto defense, stepping to the side and then forward, pushing her opponent's blade away and sweeping across for a horizontal strike.

Even despite the forward step, however, the attack missed as Akagi leaned backwards, parried, and ducked diagonally downwards, slicing with her blade and coming into contact with a block as Ais shifted her rapier on instinct. However, the Far Easterner quickly maneuvered her blade: she pressed the flat side against Ais's rapier, and wiped upwards, forcing Ais to step backwards lest her face be carved off. This surprise attack invariantly allowed Akagi to escape momentarily, and Ais took a hurried step back, trying to widen her field of vision, but soon realised her mistake and spun around to deflect a blow, using her magic to assist in her pivot.

A horizontal slash came, sweeping in a wide circular arc. Ais wrapped herself in the wind conjured by her magic, Ariel, as she swept her rapier diagonally, stopping the Far Easterner's blade and locking it into place. She stepped forward, sliding her blade up and slashing, but Akagi twisted herself in midair, retracting her blade and landing with a roll, placing herself back onto both feet with one knee on the ground and the blade in a defensive stance in front of her. Ais' golden irises met Akagi's crimson eyes. In their minds, an imaginary battle took place in the span of a millisecond. The two of them, with their gazes alone, gauged the other's prowess and skill. Their blades locked and clashed as sparks flew-

But the Far Easterner was already back on the offensive, and she lunged forward. A quick two-part diagonal strike was stopped by Ais as she parried both attacks, using the flat of her blade to send them away. Then, she struck forward with her own weapon, landing a series of well-placed cuts- an overhand strike followed by a quick jab into a pivot and a back-handed slash, forcing Akagi into a momentary state of defense. And yet Ais found herself struggling to land a proper hit on her opponent. For each attack Ais launched, she would find no resistance, but neither would she find her target; her opponent defended- or, rather, evaded- with inhuman precision.

Akagi stepped sideways as Ais' blade glided off of the flat of her katana; then, using the parry to force her counterattack, she stepped forward, applying pressure and forcing her opponent to step backwards. She struck diagonally, and Ais defended, deflecting the blade, allowing yet another shower of sparks to scatter. Ais flourished, sliding her rapier backwards and disengaging and bringing it forward, adopting a long-guard stance. However, this ended up being a costly mistake as the Akagi stepped forward, and with a double grip, slammed her false-edge against Ais' flat-edge, not allowing her to brace for the attack. Ais' stance was demolished in an instant and Akagi advanced with tempo, catching Ais' wrist just as she was attempting to pull back. The Far Easterner jerked backwards, pulling Ais along, and wiped her blade upwards in an arc perpendicular to the ground.

Ais had no choice but to go with the flow, not wanting to lose her weapon nor her life. She loosened her knees and willed her wind to push her downwards, and rolled, keeping her right arm in a safe orientation while ducking under the strike; she heard the blade slip past her ear, missing by a hairbreadth. Ais felt the grip on her wrist loosen as the Far Easterner released her hold, already preparing to go on the offensive. In response, Ais called upon her wind once more: "Awaken, Tempest." And rolled onto her knees, flourishing her blade across her body and into a defensive position.

Akagi stepped forward with a double-handed grip on the hilt of her blade, hoisted just above her shoulder and ready to attack- but she never got the time to execute her strike.

She twisted herself, going through the flow of energy stored inside her body and flipped into the air, avoiding the spear which carved a silvery arc where she had stood just mere moments ago. She used the polearm shaft as a foothold and vaulted away while slashing a wide arc, knocking aside a thrust before landing onto the pavement with a roll and with her blade raised defensively.

But Finn was not going to let this opportunity slip, and he gave chase. "Riveria-!"

BANG!

He never got the chance to finish his order as he raised his spear upwards with both hands defensively out of pure instinct, dropping his stance low and shifting his gaze over to the three other remaining individuals who were spectating the fight. The Renart had not moved an inch since the beginning, the chimes of his hat swayed in the wind, allowing a quiet, ambient twinkle to pass over the courtyard; the Elf did not have his bow drawn, but his silver eyes darting between the Loki familia as if deciding who he would need to shoot next; and the Pallum had her right hand raised, with a silvery-black contraption in her hands, letting off a fair bit of grey smoke.

Finn lowered his guard once he realised there was no threat, and gripped the shaft of his spear defensively. Behind him, Riveria had already raised her staff- as did Lefiya. Beside him, Ais wiped the sweat from her brow and stood up, holding her weapon with a steady arm; she had a serious glint in her eyes not often seen. Just as Finn was about to give another command to his subordinates-

"You can go fuck off with your 'bravery' bullshit, Braver." Cleaire began. "You think you're brave just because you got some superpowers from some God and explored the Dungeon which had already been explored by others for millennia?" He grimaced and tried to speak, but was cut off. "What about the children from the Far East who constantly struggle under the endless war and disease? What about the children from the Kingdom of Hellene 40 years ago suffering during the time when terrorism ran rampant, or when it was destroyed 21 years ago, and they were forced to work their asses off to begin life in another land? What about the orphans from the Far South who make the perilous three year journey across the Abandoned World just so they can have the chance to live a good life and not have to worry about being killed in pointless warfare; forced into labour by slavers; captured by opposing factions and used as test subjects for new weapons; or drugged, abused, and raped by filthy degenerates who do it for entertainment!?" Her face contorted into fury. Cleaire's vocal cords nearly cracked: her breathing became shallow and her voice went up an octave. "Tell me, Braver: are they not brave!? Are they unworthy of the title you bear- the title you bear whilst being ignorant of their struggles!?"

Silence. Utter silence.

Finn, Riveria, Lefiya, and Ais all stood in stunned silence as they considered Cleaire's words. Amidst the silence, only her ragged breathing could be heard, as well as the lingering ringing in their ears. Off to the side, the clashing had ended as well, having become nothing more than a faint whisper; they, too, heard the loud explosion and the subsequent shouting. When Finn dropped his gaze onto the Pallum standing just a few paces away, he saw her cheeks flush crimson and the glistening in her eyes.

"I-"

Her voice returned, but this time, instead of the intensity from before, it was sad- almost melancholic. Even still, there was disdain present. "Those people- those kids are brave. You, on the other hand, are not brave, Braver. And until the day you recognise and vow to help those children- until the day you see for yourself the way those children struggle and persevere- and until the day you experience the same hardships and find a way to move forward like them, you'll never be brave." She made a great exhale. "Right now, to me, you're just a con man pretending to be brave-"

"You don't know what I've been through!" In his confusion, rage consumed him, and Finn yelled back, his knuckles turning white on his spear. "All of them! Every last one of them! They were cowards and idiots! They'd rather yield and bow down to those who're stronger instead of trying to do anything- instead of trying to make use of their own strengths-!" His cheeks, like Cleaire's, flushed red with anger. His brows furrowed and his eyes gained a deadly azure glint. "I, alone, worked tirelessly to inspire my people- but they didn't do anything! Not even when I showed them a way to get stronger-!" He stopped for a while as he exhaled, and stood back straight; and then, to his Vice Captain's horror, he let out an almost psychotic laugh. "And then, when we needed them the most, the other races we served abandoned us- and when my parents needed them the most, the other Pallums in my village left too. They died because of the incompetent Pallums in my village who've never taken the time to read a book, to polish their wisdom, or to weaponise their wits-!" Now, his vocal cords were cracking as well. His voice, already breaking, was coating in a thick sheen of venom. "Don't act like you know anything about what I've been through or who I am!" Spittle flew from his mouth and his face contorted into fury.

In that moment, he unknowingly activated his magic. He brandished his spear, dragging it along the ground and causing a deafening screech to echo throughout the courtyard. Then, he charged forward, tearing through the walkway in a blind rage.

Riveria watched in a momentary daze before snapping herself back to reality; she clicked her tongue in annoyance, "Hell Finegas-!?" Then, raising her voice: "Ais! Stop Finn, he's too dangerous! Stop him, now-!" She snapped as she, too, broke out into a sprint. But Finn was still far faster than her, especially with the boost he received from his magic.

The golden haired swordswoman turned her equally golden gaze over to the High Elf before shifting it back onto the Pallum. She nodded once, but didn't finish it as she became a blur, the pale green mist twisting around her body once more. "Awaken, Tempest." Her fist tightened on the hilt of her rapier.

As she brought her blade back to strike and she brought her blade down, gouging out a shallow cut onto his thigh. In response, he stopped and thrashed around, swinging his spear around blindly in an attempt to keep her away. And he was largely successful: forcing the swordswoman to redirect her magic and carry her out of danger. Ais leapt backwards disengaging as she watched her Captain stumble, before collapsing to the ground entirely. She saw him crouch low, reaching down, and with a howl, rip an arrow which had lodged itself within his right kneecap. When Ais tilted her gaze up, she saw the opposing Elf drawing back another arrow, with two more in his hand, fitting it snugly before letting it loose- then, quickly drawing and shooting the other two.

Two of them sunk deep just under Finn's collarbone, around where the shoulders were- no doubt to subdue and limit his range of motion. They forced him ever so slightly back, and Finn barely managed to stay on both his feet. The last arrow came for the Pallum's neck, but that one was deflected as Finn drew a wide arc with his spear, batting the arrow away. The Elf already began drawing back another set of arrows. Finn made an incoherent growl as another BANG echoed throughout the garden; and this time, he did stagger, tumbling backwards onto his side. His blood splattered wildly onto the pavement, but he paid it no mind. He growled again, and simply got back onto his feet, the wounds doing nothing to deter his advance. His spear scraped against the pavement, creating the same deafening screeching, and he charged.

Ais chased after him again, her magic swirling around her and easily allowing to catch up. She swung Desperate downwards, aiming for her Captain's thigh, this time, hopefully being able to deal a blow to subdue him properly.

However, as the rapier edge came down, she found her blade blocked, stopping as it clashed with a pair of knives. She felt the knives push against her, and she was forced back even with her wind backing her up. She stumbled backwards, and got back into stance.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing!?" Her golden gaze went up to meet Tione's brown irises. "Why the fuck are you trying to-"

She never got to finish as Finn was hit into the concrete, his face planting itself into the stone tiles. Above him, the Werewolf stood on both his arms, not allowing him to get up. Beside Remus, Diane had her spear pointed against the Pallum's neck, pressing the cold steel against his nape.

Tione turned around and brandished her knives, looking like she wanted to charge forward. Gareth, in that moment, however, placed himself between her and the two canines, stopping her with an outstretched hand.

Silence engulfed the courtyard once more. Every fighter readied their weapons for another round of combat.

"Wha- what happened, Lady Riveria-" the orange haired Elf, with a far weaker status than anyone present, was the only one who could not keep up with the fast paced action. She stuttered out her question.

"Silence." The Elven student quickly shut her mouth at her master's harsh command. "Tione, Ais, back off. Tiona, Bete, go pick up Finn. Make sure to restrain him-"

But with the boost in strength given to him by his status, the Pallum easily overpowered the Werewolf. Finn spun onto his back and swiped his arm to the side, knocking aside the polearm, not caring for the blade which sliced into his forearm. He howled once more and hopped onto his feet, gripping his spear and carved a wide arc around him, forcing his assailants away.

Diane quickly recovered from the outburst, slicing a wide arc into the air and sending the attack off to the side. Remus took the opportunity and stepped in, slicing his left blade, a shortsword, at Finn's face, then, following up with his right, slashing with the harpe.

In response, Tiona quickly charged forward, swinging her Urgato block the blow, stopping the Werewolf from advancing. Bete also dashed forward, aiming for a roundhouse kick, but Remus veered out of the way, leaning back and allowing the attack to slip past by a hairbreadth. He struck with his blade, hoping to incapacitate the other Werewolf, but it only placed a dent in Bete's armour.

Bete landed with incredible agility and spun on his heels, using the torque to guide himself into a tornado kick, and then a spinning back kick, aimed at the Chienthrope. Diane, however, easily slipped past the blow, disregarding the Werewolf and bringing her polearm inwards, striking sideways to deflect a thrust from Finn, angling the pike edge, and executing a downwards stab, grazing, and minorly injuring the Pallum's left thigh, partially splitting it open and momentarily halting his rampage.

"Gareth-!" Riveria lunged forward as the Dwarf did the same. He quickly wrapped his arms around the Pallum's waist, stopping him from retaliating. The High Elf, on the other hand, hoisted her staff above her shoulder and brought it down with a resounding thud, whacking her Captain over the head. Blood and sweat splattered downwards, and Finn's arms slumped by his side and fell unconscious, limp in Gareth's arms.

A few paces away, both Bete and Tiona had low stances, the former on all fours, ready to charge forward, and the latter holding her broadsword in both hands. Standing against them, Remus had both shortsword and harpe held defensively, and Diane held the shaft of her polearm, angling it out in front of her and preparing to make a series of quick thrusts.

"Stop, now." Riveria's command came swift and harsh, leaving no room for disagreement between her subordinates.

Bete growled and Tiona clenched her teeth, but they both knew better than to disobey the orders of their Vice Captain. Treading backwards slowly, both of them disengaged from the fight, keeping an attentive eye on their opponents. Even as the fight came to a close, everyone was tense, as if preparing for it to begin once more. Behind the two canines, the Far Easterner had her katana ready; behind her, the Pallum held the contraption outstretched in her hand, and the Elf was prepared to pull back his bow at any given moment. Now, even the Renart had placed his attention on the tense battlefield. The hyper-active and hyper-aware fighters in the courtyard could feel magic bending around them.

"It's best if we stop here," Riveria had a deceptively calm expression on her face, but the tone of her voice showed her true feelings. She tilted her gaze up to see the moon hanging in the night sky, clear of clouds. "It's getting late, isn't it? We won't hold you here any longer." She stepped off to the side as she gestured with her staff, pointing towards the gate.

A few silent moments passed, and then, with a sneer from Cleaire, she holstered her weapon, returning them to their place by her hips. Following her example, the Elf slipped the arrow back into his quiver, and slung the bow over his shoulders. In front of them, Akagi sheathed her katana, Musou-no-Kaen; Remus bundled his shortsword, Romulus, and his harpe, his namesake, Remus, with cloth; and Diane hoisted her polearm, Orthrus, up over her shoulder. Seeing them put away their weapons, Loki familia did as well: Ais placed her blade back into its scabbard, Tiona and Gareth rested their weapons on the pavement, and Bete and Tione relaxed their stance. Even still, both sides were aware of the other. Even as both sides disengaged from the fight, any sudden movement from either group would cause the tension to break once more.

Without delay, the group began moving forward, eyeing Loki familia cautiously as they went, passing them. Along the way, Vardan turned his stormy grey eyes to Finn, looking at the two arrows lodged into his shoulders and the one which had been snapped off of his kneecap. "You can keep those, it'll be too much of a hassle to remove them now," he said, and subsequently turned to walk away.

However, before he could get far, Riveria raised her voice. "What's your name?" She asked, turning her jade green gaze to him. He stopped in his tracks.

"Vardan." His response came swift, and he continued along his way, only to be stopped once more.

"No; what is your name?"

This time, the Elf turned back. Jade green and sparking silver met. He shrugged, "don't have one- or, rather, I don't need nor want one. I've thrown it away to serve my own ambitions." And then, with that, he left, jogging to catch up with his group, leaving Loki familia to share glances amongst themselves.

"Tione, Gareth; bring Finn to his room. Keep him there until his magic wears off." The Dwarf gave the Vice Captain a curt nod, and the Amazoness moved to carry the Captain over her shoulder. "Tiona, Bete, Ais, check for any damages to the courtyard and get them cleaned up. Report to me for anything that needs to be fixed or replaced- Lefiya, you can help, too." The Amazoness immediately began whining, the Werewolf grumbled, the young woman said nothing, and the Elf made a nervous nod. Riveria then turned her attention to the front door of the Twilight Manor: "as for you rest of you-" the door immediately shut as the culprits scurried inside, not wanting to face the wrath of the High Elf.

With a sigh, she tilted her gaze up as she stared at the second floor window where Finn's office was- and also where Loki currently was. Her jade eyes held their focus for merely a second.

Answers need to be had.

The night went, and morning came- and then another day passed, and perhaps even another. The date was unclear to him, but it was already noon when Finn awoke from his slumber. As he sat up, he wrapped his hands around his shoulders as a throbbing pain passed through them. He slipped his shirt back, catching a glimpse of the red inflammation and the scar beginning to develop. Experimentally, he rolled his shoulders back, trying to test his range of motion and to gauge the level of the lingering pain. Once he determined it was something he could shrug off, he lifted his blankets and turned to the side, getting off of the bed and planting his feet onto the ground- only to collapse onto his hands and knees as yet another wave of pain flared up both legs. He rubbed at his right kneecap, feeling the sharp pain, and grimaced; then, he eased the throbbing in his left thigh.

He clearly remembered, for the most part, the events of yesterday: the six guests who had come to visit, their confrontation, his and the other Pallum's shouting match- all the way up to when he had accidentally cast Hell Finegas in a fit of rage- or perhaps it was in a fit of denial? He didn't want to have to think about the answer, but it was blatantly obvious to him. After all, he was aware of his own personal contradictions- ever since Bell Cranel had shown them to him. Ever since the surface invasion of Daedalus Street- and especially more so since the Second Battle of Knossos.

Still, there was no time to waste, and there were answers to be had.

And so he groaned as he stood up, reaching for his spear and used it as a crutch, limping around his personal quarters, putting on more casual attire. He then shuffled to the door, opened it, and stepped out into the hallway. As he poked his head out the door, he saw no one, and heard no one. In all honesty, it was probably a good thing that the halls were empty, since he knew it meant he would have his privacy. Most likely, the other familia members were having lunch in the dining room.

Without wasting time, he continued down the hallway until he reached the end, and stood before a set of doors- better crafted than all the others. He knocked three times. He didn't know whether or not Loki was in her room, or if she was downstairs with the others. But his gut told him she was- and a moment later, his instincts were verified as a muffled voice came from behind them.

"Who is it?"

"It's me, Finn," he replied, leaning against the door.

There was no response back for a long while. "Are you sure you should be up already? Riveria told me you took some nasty arrows yesterday in some bad places- maybe you should rest up for longer. Teasanare also recommended the same thing. The Denatus isn't for a while, we'll have time to finish the preparations by the time you've recovered, so don't sweat it."

"No, it's fine. I'm coming in." And with that, he opened the set of double doors, entering into a semi-dark room. Off to the side, the curtains were undrawn, and covered the window, letting in a minimal amount of light. The Goddess herself sat atop her own bed, cross legged in her regular outfit. She had her vermillion eyes set upon the door, watching the Pallum as he walked in. She had an uncharacteristic frown on her face as she watched him approach.

"Yes? Is there something you need, Finn?"

He watched her for a moment before cupping his chin. "Yes, I suppose there is something I need." He shrugged, "you see, the situation with Rakia and The Empire has had me worried for some time. Given the threat The Empire poses, the circumstances are far too delicate. We'll need to effectively come up with a counter-measure in the worst-case scenario."

"I don't mind if we postpone that conversation. It'll be better if we call a meeting with the Top Executives to settle the issue. Besides, you may not be working at full capacity right now; you're still recovering from that minor scuffle the other day."

Finn sighed as he took a seat by a wooden stool set by the desk facing Loki and leaning forward on his spear. His sky-blue gaze met her vermillion irises. With a soft look in his eyes, he raised his hand, pointing his thumb up, and gave it a twirl. "Why, it must be difficult, hmm, Loki? You seem quite distressed; is something bothering you? It'd be easier to breathe if you get it off your chest, you know?"

"You shouldn't do that, Finn. One of these days, you'll find that that fake smile you put on will come back to hurt you." The once warm glint in his irises was replaced with a cold edge. She scoffed instantly once she saw the change. Her vermillion eyes burned as she stared back. "In any case, there is nothing bothering me except the threat of a Rakian-Empire invasion. Perhaps that magic has dulled your senses. I would advise you to take a break, Finn."

He raised an eyebrow and frowned. He hummed, "is that so?"

Her eyes twinkled and her lips twisted into a gentle grin, but her voice turned as frigid as the Northern slopes of Dragon Valley. "Of course. Why, it's my job as the patron deity to spot the troubles agonising my dear children, right, Finn? After all, what kind of Goddess would I be if I could not do even this much?" She shrugged and shifted in the bed, placing her foot onto the wooden flooring.

Seeing her approach, Finn simply clicked his tongue and put up a nagging finger- like a mother chastising her child. "Ah, ah, ah…" his icy-blue gaze went up and met her irises. "Surely, you don't plan on going against your word now, do you, Loki? That promise we made, I remember it as clear as day." Continuing that facade, he spoke to Loki using that soft voice: "you wouldn't have forgotten, would you?"

She frowned, but otherwise said nothing. She came to a stop just a few paces away, standing while he sat.

"When I joined your familia 28 years ago, we made a deal: I vowed to help you create a strong familia- one capable of standing amongst Orario's elites- a vow I have upheld and committed to; I worked hard and here we are- the apex of Orario- and even higher are we climbing." He spread his arms wide. "You, on the other hand, swore you would do everything in your power to help me reach my own ambitions- to be one of the strongest adventurers in Orario-"

"And you have, haven't you-?" She cocked her eyebrow.

"-and also to allow me to become the Pallum's Light. The deal was that as long as you continued aiding me in my goals, I would continue working hard for your familia to grow stronger-"

"-exactly. You asked me to give you your alias, did you not?" Loki's face contorted into disdain as she looked down on the Pallum from above, meeting Finn's cold and cruel visage. "I fought hard to give you the name Braver-"

"In the past, yes; but not now. Now, you've stopped me from chasing after my desires." He paused, "I'm a Pallum, so I'm weak; the only thing I can cling onto is my own mind and wit. Knowledge is my weapon, but now even that is being robbed from me."

"None of the information they had would have been of any use to you."

He raised an eyebrow. "And who exactly are we talking about?"

She remained silent, realising her blunder.

Finn laughed dryly. "Seems like we found our answer, huh? Have your skills decayed, Loki? I didn't think you'd let something like that slip."

Loki's vermillion eyes burned with fury- the poker-face of the Trickster shattered. She growled out the next few words: "I'm doing this for your own good. This is bigger than you, Finn. What!?" She took the step forward, grabbing Finn by the collar and slamming him against the wall. "You want to know just so you can use it to take the next step towards your goal!?" She gritted her teeth, "this isn't a joke, Braver! Not everything is about you; when the fuck will you understand that!?"

"I'm fully prepared for the consequences, Loki." He frowned, "what happened with the Xenos all those months back has shown me something- or, rather, the Hero Bell Cranel has shown me something: sometimes, maybe it's alright to be a little foolish." Continuing coolly: "perhaps it's you who doesn't understand."

However, this time, the Goddess did not respond. He was met only with the deafening silence and he averted his gaze.

"Loki," he said, grasping her wrists, freeing herself from her weak grip, "I once believed that Bell Cranel was a fool for wanting to help those talking monsters- the Xenos." He nearly scoffed, "but, all along, I was the fool. All my life, I've only ever done things that were expected of me: I was selfish." He glared up, his blue eyes spiralled in a frenzy. "Those who do as they are told are sheep; those who do what they believe is good are Heroes." He paused, "this isn't just about me anymore. This is for the future I long for- the future I will fight for even if I must do it with my strength alone- even if I must go against those I call my family and friends- even if I have to go against the gods."

His sky-blue gaze tilted upwards, and he watched the thin form of his Goddess: unbothered by his proclamation. She had her head hung low- her crimson bangs covered her eyes. But he could tell her hands shook as she curled them into fists.

"I, no longer-" he stopped himself, clenching his teeth, and staring down, unable to look up. The words nearly died in his throat.

For all his life, Finn Deimne had lived, relied, and strengthened his mind- he sharpened his wits and he steeled his logic. But it was not the mind which guided one towards their ambitions- it was the yearning from the heart he had locked away ever since his desire to become the Pallum's Light had awakened. That yearning of the heart he abandoned when he chose to live a life constrained by the rules created by the people he served- when he chose to compromise himself so as to never be the fool.

And yet in doing that, he became that very fool he wished not to be.

"-wish to be a mere cog spinning to the monotone rhythm of society."

He burned, like a star.

But just as quickly as that bright light came, it fizzled away. Dropping into the abyss: in the cold and vast depths of the black ocean, the flames were extinguished. The ripples cast by his fall were merely consumed by the crashing waves, as if already forgotten.

He was met only with a painful silence. Blood dripped from his lips where he had bitten down, but still, the stinging in his heart hurt more.

Quietly, he cursed himself, and with one last look up to his Goddess, he bit down on his lips even more. Then, without another word- without another sound- he turned to leave, limping against his spear as it made dull thuds against the wooden flooring. In a matter of seconds, he reached the door, and twisted the handle.

Serenely, the door creaked open. Slowly, he stepped out. Steadily, the door groaned, clicking shut.

His spear fell against the carpeted floor the moment the click registered. He followed, first onto his knees, then onto his back.

Unbeknownst to him, on the opposite side of the door, the Goddess did the same.

She collapsed onto her bed, curling herself into a ball and held her hands clutched to her chest. Her shoulders trembled and her lips quivered.

"Calm down. Calm down."

"Relax."

"This was your choice."

"I made this choice, right? Right?"

"Yes. Yes. I did it. I did."

"I decided this."

"This is what I needed to do."

"I just did what I needed to do."

"That's right."

"That's right… good…"

"Good- good… hehe."

"Good girl. Good girl, Loki."

"You're such a good girl, Loki."

"You're such a good girl."

"You did it. Good job."

"You did it. Goob job."

"You did it. Good job- hehe-"

The Trickster from Heaven, so adept with her words, could deceive even herself.

"..."

"I'm safe."

"Here… I'm safe."

"Everything will be okay."

"Everything will be okay."

"Right…?"

The gods, even with the power they have, are nothing more than caged animals. Bound not only by the rules they set for themselves, they are chained by their own ego: they are tricked by the illusion of freedom they possess.

Trapped in a cage larger than the mortals, they are given the ability to spread their wings- to spread their wings for nothing and remain trapped. Yet their inability to take flight was inconsequential-

Because they were happy nonetheless. That cage that restricted them also shielded them from the real world. Inside that cage, they didn't have to care about anything except themselves. They could simply live. They could watch and smell and hear and feel and taste life from the safety of their cages.

Yes, it was a beautiful lie.

But the most beautiful lies are the ones that hurt the most.

The gods knew this, and yet they couldn't help but gravitate towards that lie, even if it meant staying like obedient animals within their own solitary cages.

It was a decision she made and committed to. Because-

"Once upon a time, the Heroes of the Ancient Times fought and toiled to bring an end to the monsters rising from the depths of the Dungeon. And their story concluded in the final chapter, when the greatest Hero, Albert Waldstein, faced off against the King of Dragons. With his sword, he gouged out the King's eye, and sent the monster away, driving him Northward towards his own kingdom.

And yet, the story is not without tragedy. Even in his victory, the Hero had lost something precious to him. In the end, he succumbed to his Fate and passed on.

And thus concludes the first volume of history- of the great story which came to be known as Dungeon Oratoria.

But where Dungeon Oratoria had ended, the second volume, what came to be known as the Familia Myth by the deities, arose.

The everburning torch of the Heroes' ambition passed between the hands of the greatest to the hands of the gods.

And so, for a millennia, the gods nurtured that flame- keeping the still-burning embers alive. We gave our blessings to the mortals brave enough to explore the depths of the Abyss- the mortals whose ambitions reached higher than the Stars.

Even still, the gods knew that the Familia Myth was not the conclusion- that our sequel would not be the finale.

We didn't like this. Us gods, so proud of our own existence, despaired. We weren't important enough to be the first. And we weren't important enough to be the last. The nameless second volume, that was all we would ever be.

So, through our own greed and selfishness, we cast aside those dreams- the dreams dreamt by those who came before you. We never wanted this second volume to end- we wanted to stay.

But the flames offered to us by the Ancient Heroes were never meant for us.

All along, they were meant for you.

But, even still, I don't want our time together to end.

With you, forever more- to the next life, and then the next, and then the next…

Because I, no longer, wish to live bound by this cage of lies.

Because I, no longer, wish to be blinded from the other world- the world even more beautiful than the lies I weave.

Our dearest children, warp those cages binding your desire and set yourselves free.

With those flames- the passion ingrained into the ambition within your souls-

Go forth, and

set the world ablaze!"

-it was already too late.

Sitting idly- complacently- inside that cursed cage: she had long since forgotten how to spread her wings.

She had long since forgotten how to be free.

The sound of sword clashing against sword rang clearly from the top of Orario's walls.

The relentless flurry of blades did not stop, and the boy was knocked onto his back. He fell and tumbled against the ground, rolling to a stop and getting back onto his hands and knees. He shifted his ruby-red eyes upwards as he breathed out to focus himself. He took in the form of the young woman in front of him, sparkling and bathed in the warm sunlight.

Getting back onto his feet, he knocked away the dust caking his clothes. Letting himself drop to a crouch, he raised his weapons: a black knife, the Hestia Knife, in his left hand, and a longer white blade, Hakugen, in his right.

He frowned as he met her gaze, which seemed just a tad bit more intense than usual.

Standing just a few paces away, Ais bent her knees and stood in her usual stance- with her rapier in her right hand and her left by her side.

Whatever thought he had was immediately dispelled as Ais went on the offensive, lunging forward.

She thrusted with her blade, and Bell brought his knife to parry the attack, sidestepping and did a thrust of his own, driving his dagger forward. Ais quickly, and easily, counters: she flicks her wrist, sending Bell's dagger to the side and then sweeps it around to deflect the knife and sending Bell's left arm away, opening up his stance. Following a standard parry and riposte procedure, she thrusted again, and this time, caught him in his breastplate.

Or so she thought. But the boy had already grown somewhat accustomed to her repertoire, even despite its diversity. He stepped backwards while simultaneously wiping his arm downwards, hooking her wrist between his own and the false edge of his Hestia Knife, allowing him to guide her attack off to the side.

Stepping forward with tempo, he attacked, using his own parrying maneuver to pivot inwards and attack with Hakugen. A brief slash was followed by two quick jabs; each time, he stepped forward, not wanting to allow his opponent to regain the initiative. Pulling away, Ais evaded the attacks, allowing them to glide harmlessly past her.

Finally able to free her sword, she makes use of the range advantage offered to her by Desperate, and she rears back for an overhand strike, hoping to stop Bell's advance. But the boy is able to see through her movements as he dives downwards, raising his right arm and using the vambrace to stop Ais' strike.

He lunged, and swiped at her face. Still unable to disengage her sword arm, she brought her left arm up to defend, and deflected the strike with her own vambrace. She grabbed his wrist, not allowing him to set up another attack.

Now, with both of their arms locked, Ais made the first step forward, and kicked, sweeping her legs across the knocking Bell to the ground.

Even as he landed on his back, however, he kept his defense up. He pulled on both of Ais' arms, forcing her to fall with him. Then, he kicked his feet, first into her shin, and then against her hips. As she toppled over, he turned, and threw her away, off to the side, before rolling to the other side and getting back onto his knees, holding both weapons up. Some distance away, Ais rolled onto her side and got into a low crouch, flourishing her blade and raising it for battle.

This time, it was him who was the aggressor, and he charged forward. He swung Hakugen diagonally, carving a sparkling white arc in the air. Ais, with inhuman precision, brought her blade upwards to deflect the cut, easily defending herself. However, he attacked again before Ais could perform a counter slash, and he swiped horizontally, back and forth in a two-part attack, leaving a trail of black and purple in its path. Ais jerked her head back to avoid the attacks, allowing the blade to slip by.

Once more, Bell made use of the speed he was famous for, and attacked again, making two quick thrusts with Hakugen and then stepping in with a diagonal slash with Hestia Knife, cutting upwards. Ais lifted her rapier and swiped horizontally whilst strafing rightward, parrying the attack and stepping forward. With one fluid motion, her arm dipped down, pulled back, and released: she flicked her wrist and delivered a fast blow, one which slipped past her opponent's defensive stance and scored a hit against his cheek.

As Bell retreated and brushed the attack away, Ais stepped forward with two thrusts, which Bell narrowly avoided by ducking to the right and sweeping Hakugen downwards. A shower of sparks flew outward as Ais ground her blade against Bell's dagger. She advanced with tempo and lunged, tracing a circle with her blade.

Then, with one final step, she swung downwards from overhead. Bell had just enough time to lean backwards before taking any substantial injury. However, this only invariantly caused him to trip over himself, and he stumbled backwards, and eventually fell, landing on his behind.

Even still, in the next instant, he was already back onto his feet, and his guard already raised. As he got into a low crouch, he met the girl's eyes just a few paces away.

Ruby red clashed with shimmering gold. The boy saw his own reflection within her eyes.

Their souls resonated with the same yearning.

And so, with a final exhale, the clashing of swords began anew.

The wind howled. The flames bellowed. And their hearts sung out in unison:

"Yesterday is long gone.

Tomorrow is far away, still.

All that I need is the me I am today.

I, no longer, am the same person I once was."

Hey, author here. The scenes with Finn and Loki, and Ouranos and Vindicta were hard to write. I hope they were at least halfway decent and worked well to develop their characters. Moving forward, I'll also be working on this for the other characters of Loki familia; I wrote them as if they remained as they are after the Xenos Arc, and I completely overlooked the fact that they fought Evilus.

Reviews are always helpful.