DanMachi Emerald Version
Chapter 5
Expedition 2: Departure
A/N:
Narration
"Talk"
Monologue
"▂▂▃▃▄▄▅▅": Monster noise
*sfx*
Orario, Northern entrance, Morning
Around seven in the morning, the bell of the guild rang and all familias were given a compulsatory mission from the guild and are told to gather outside the north entrance of Orario.
By eight in the morning, after completing our preparations, I and the rest of my party members including Welf, Lili, and Ms. Karen headed to the meeting place and saw many adventurers are already there waiting for the guild's next announcement.
As I look around, I saw several familiar faces. Mr. Ouka and the rest of Takemikazuchi Familia, The God Miach standing beside Ms. Nahza and what looks like Ms. Amid of Dian Cech Familia, the waitresses of the Hostess of Fertility, Ms. Ryuu, Ms. Chloe, Ms. Anya, and Ms. Lunor. Seeing me look at them, Ms. Ryuu nods to me while the rest wave a hand. and it didn't take long after that when the Braver, Mr. Finn came upon us, on top of the wall of Orario where he brief us on the compulsatory mission given by the guild.
The briefing of the mission is broken into two segments; the problem Orario needs to deal with and our course of action.
According to the intel they gathered, all the black tornados we fought yesterday came in an area past the village of Dedine, north of Orario.
To make things worst, two black tornadoes, ten times the size of the one we fought were also found at the east and west of Dedine.
This is why almost all familias were ordered to join with the only exception being the Ganesha, Ishtar, Apollo, Dian Cecht Demeter, Soma, Ikelos, Hermes, and Dionysus Familia who left half of their members to maintain Orario's defense, restoration, supply and logistics.
The Ganesha, Ishtar, and Apollo Familia handle Oratio's security and restoration. Demeter, Dian Cecht, and Souma are with the supply, and Hermes, Ikelos, and Dionysus handle the logistics of the supply that will be sent to us.
"Please refer to the map handed to you. Our main goal is to establish our supply route and build a camp in Dedine," Looking at the map given to us by the guild employee on our way to the northern exit, I saw our destination alongside two distinct x near Dedine. This is probably the location of the two large tornadoes "But to do that, we need to deal with all the black tornadoes we see in sight. We cannot let anyone past us and this also includes the two identified large tornadoes."
"ONE IS ALREADY HARD AND THEY WANT US TO DEAL WITH TEN TIMES LARGER?"
"You make it sounds like an easy task!"
Several smaller familias began to clamor. After all, the small ones were already difficult to defeat, what's more to a beast ten times larger.
"Ahem," Fin faked a cough to get out attention. "I understand the concern which is why we'll move to our next course of action.
I will lead an alliance of adventurers to challenge the eastern monster while Ottar's alliance will handle the monster in the west.
The rest are free to follow any of our groups. But in case your party got separated from the main force, after fighting them, please refer to the map where you can regroup to catch up on the nearest alliance in your location with Dedine as our finish line.
And while we deal with the monsters, the remaining Freya Familia will make a steady phase towards Dedine while they clear a path for our supply route. For the larger familia, while we do not forbid any deities to come with their children, we prepared carriage for them. Especially the smaller familias. They will join the remaining Freya famila as they secure our supply route.
The Ganesha and Ishtar familia will secure our supply drop-off point, the Demeter and Soma familia will handle the transportation of supplies and the Loki, Freya, and Dionysus famila will act as a convoy. The injured will be healed by the Dian Cecht Familia in Dedine while repairs will be handled by the Hephaestus and Goibniu Familia.
This will be a long and difficult fight. Which is why we need the gods to come along to have our status updated."
Mr. Finn pauses to let the information sink in. And while he did not deliberately say it, it means that the fight that we will take will be an uphill battle considering we will need all the status updates that we can before we embark past Dedine.
...
"I know most of you do not want to be here" seeing how some are starting to have doubts about this expedition, Mr. Finn talks one last time. "The fear and anxiety of what lies ahead are nervewracking... But we need to take a stand! The world needs us now more than ever!" He clench his right hand into a fist and raised it to his heart. "As heroes of old, both renowned and unknown, they all took a stand in face of danger for a brighter future. Let's not shame our forefathers. It is now our time to partake in this great adventure and mark the beginning of a new tale for the future to come." The intensity of his tone rises rapidly compared to when he is briefing us. At the same time, I am feeling this burning sensation building up in me. "Show the world what adventurers of Orario are made of!" He open his closed fist and raised it hard to the sky. "As the heroes for the new generation as we embark on our new Grand Day!"
"Woooooooooooooooooooooooooo!"
Seeing our morale high, Mr. Finn jumps off the wall and headed straight to his platoon.
"Yo!" Welf tap me from behind.
Looking at him, I saw his free hand raised and a troubled expression. Ms. Tsubaki standing close might be the reason for this. "Sorry, Bell but they need me in my familia." Welf bows his head before turning to Ms. Tsubaki.
In response, I shook my head and smile at him to ease Welf's worry. "I understand,"
"Don't worry Welf, we can do this without you," on my other side, standing behind Ms. Lily, Ms. Karen stepped forward and said with a provocative yet teasing smile and one of her hands is already waving for him to go.
"Hah! You better be or I'll charge you twice on your maintenance fee."
"By the way Bell," Ms. Karen Asked. " Have you decided which Alliance will you join?"
"Hmmm... not yet," I replied honestly. As I scratch my cheek I took a quick glance at where Ms. Riveria is before looking in the opposite direction where the King is standing. I want to be with Ms. Riveria but I am curious to see how the king fights outside of the arena.
"Why don't we join Master Ottar's Alliance then?"
"Let's go with Master Finn!"
Ms. Karen and Lily both said.
"Lili, keep out if it won't you?"
"I'd say the same to you, you're a temporary add-on more than anything so you better follow our lead."
"And who are you to make the decision? This is Bell's party."
"Because I know Master Bell would like to go there?"
"Nine Hell isn't even in that group."
"!" Bell and Lili's eyes opened wide in shock.
"Don't look surprised," Karen cross her hands and smile at Bell. "the way you act back then is quite obvious or at least you seem to favor elves in general in that regard."
"I knew it," Welf whispers as he nods in agreement. Knowing he is a lost cause already, I decided to ignore his teasing grin and focus on the two.
Seeing this might this might escalate more. "Uhm... I think it's better to decide this reasonably," I decide to leave it to fate in which Lili suggests by settĺing this using a toss coin. Loki Familia if heads and Freya familia if tails. While it was Lili that made the toss, Ms. Karen have me provide the coin to make sure the coin is not rigged. Much to Lili's charging.
The result of the game ended in favor of the Loki familia.
"Good luck with the Loki Familia"
With one last wave of his hand, Welf left us as we began to depart from Oratio in high spirits. Our destination is, Dedine.
Inside a carriage, as the adventurers of different familias depart to Dedine, the deities started to board the carriage prepared for them by the guild. In one carriage, the God Apollo and Soma waited for the last two deities to enter before they left.
"Mind if I join in?" I brown skinned goddess of beauty that wears a similar outfit to the Amazoness entered the carriage.
"Oh my! I never expect you would join us," Apollo replied to the goddess that entered the carriage. "I expect you to travel with your children, Lady Ishtar."
"I don't want to be indebted to Freya but business calls."
"Business?"
"Why yes," Ishtar replied with a smile. Extending her hand to the god Apollo. "How about it, you can freely make a move on Little Rookie and I will make sure she won't get in your way."
"!" Apollo's eyes widen in shock before his lips curled into a smile. "I'm listening,"
"What about you, Soma," the goddess of beauty turned her towards the other god. "If you cooperate, I'll lend you a hand in getting rare materials in the dungeon for that wine of yours."
"..." the god soma look at her for a bit before turning his head to the window. "It's my wine. Not yours..." he said firmly before shutting his mouth for the rest of the trip.
"Oh my, am I late to the party?" sensing the heavy atmosphere of the carriage, the last god enters.
"You're not late, Ikelos, not in a long shot," the goddess of beauty said as her smile widens.
At the same time, in a separate carriage, a different storm is brewing.
"Something wrong, Hestia?" the Goddess of Beauty, Freya asked.
Inside a six-person carriage that is larger and more comfortable than the rest, The Goddess Hestia, Hephaestus, Loki, and Freya alongside the Vice Captain of the Loki Familia, the High Elf Rivetia, and one of Freya's executives, the blond-haired elf Hedin gathered together.
Freya sat at the front center of the carriage alongside her child Hedin who silently serve her wine.
Hestia and Hephaestus were seated on her right side while Loki and Riveria sat to her left.
"What's the big deal of doing this?" Hestia gnash her teeth as she glared at the two individuals sitting in front of her. The Goddess Loki and the High Elf Riveria.
"Hah! Ya take the exact words right out of my mouth," Loki spat as she turned her head towards the Goddess of beauty on her right. "Oi, Bimbo, what's the big deal of bringing this nuisance here? It's as if yer asking for misfortune to come."
Freya raised an eyebrow towards the accusation of the other goddess before smiling back at her. "What's wrong with goddesses with something in common gathering together?"
"Hah? In common?" Hestia crosses her feet and rests her arms on the couch's rails as she takes a look at the goddesses before stopping her eyes on Loki's chest and snickering. "Heeeeeeh~ You sure your eyesight is not going bad, Freya?"
"! Why you-" Loki raised her right sleeve as she is about to charge at the Loli Goddess.
"Loki, behave," just as the goddess is about to pounce at the chibi goddess, Riveria reigns her in by pulling her collar back before she turns her head towards the goddess of beauty who is enjoying a nice drink while watching Loki blow her top. "Please continue, Lady Freya."
With a smile on her face and an amuse look from the goddess as if saying she'll regret intervening, the goddess utters a name they all know. "Bell Cranel,"
The instant the goddess said this, the high elf frowned and this time it was the goddess Hestia that starts fuming. "What do you want from MY Bell?"
"I know my Welf and one of your children is partied with Bell," Hephaestos puts a hand on Hestia's shoulder to calm her as she seems to get the connection the Goddess alluded to. The only variable here would be Loki and her familia."But Loki?"
Loki grunted. "What do ya want? Ya know that midget is not a member of my familia right?"
"True, but the fake elf in Nine Hell's care is a member of Bell's party," Freya answered which the one-eye goddess turned to her seatmate.
"Is this true? and fake elf?"
"Bell's supporter can shapeshift to any race," Hestia answered before slouching lazily on the chair. "So You want to share stories of how your child fared at MY Bell's party?"
"I am curious but..." the goddess replied whimsically before looking at Loki and the high elf. "Nine Hell, outside of getting his affection, what are you and Loki hiding?"
Hestia and Loki froze on the spot, as the high elf glared at her.
"Mama... and that rabbit?" Loki's head slowly turned to the chibi goddess and look her straight in the eye. Fear, confusion, and anger can be seen reflected in her eyes. "Is this why yer askin' about her last time?"
"Haaaaah?! Are you out of your mind?" Hestia replied. Right now she is face to face butting heads with the goddess of mischief. "You seriously think I'd allow MY Bell to hook up with that cradle robber elf or that Wallenwasit?"
"Hah! Look who's talking?!" Loki spat back. "And yer saying MY Ais is not good enough for yer child? Dream on! Yer child isn't even worth a second glance to hook up with any of my prized jewels."
"Loki, Hestia, the carriage is about to move," Hephaestus warns. She pats her seatmate that is fuming with anger to slowly calm her.
Loki on the other hand took a deep breath before resting her back on the rail of the couch. "Just so ya know, I already put a lid on any attempt of shipping in my familia," Loki said darkly as she take a side glance at her vice-captain that failed to inform her of a very important detail.
While the High Elf did not reply, she bow her head and let her long hair cover her face.
"I hope this is not the only reason you gathered us here," Hephaestos added with a troubled expression. "This is not something we should talk about when we are all going on this expedition."
"True, which is why I want to hear it from Loki herself."
"Ya, makin' it sounds like that I'm the bad guy here."
"Says the one who plans to use him to get on Hera's side?"
All goddesses look at Loki. Even the high elf looks at her in shock.
"Now that's a name I haven't heard in a long time," Hephaestus leans her head forward.
"Just what are you talking about?" Hestia asked. As her first child, she knew of Bell's background. And none of it mentions any connection with the Goddess Hera who by the time Hestia went down from heaven has been long banished in Orario.
"Haaaaah... okay, ya got me," the goddess of mischief raises both her hands in surrender. "We deemed their presence an unnecessary one so we decided to not spread this info."
"What do you mean?" Hephaestus asked.
"While tracking where those beasts came from, Perseus detected Hera and her remaining familia defending a village northeast from here."
"Since you're going east as well, that means you plan to have Little Rookie as leverage to her?" Freya raised an eyebrow knowing the direction her familia will take. It is one thing when Hermes decided to play with him in the dungeon but another deity deciding to use him for their benefit does not fit well with the goddess of beauty. She is the only one that has the right to do that to Bell. Period. "So how exactly is he connected to Hera?" she turns her attention to Hestia who shakes her head furiously.
"I'm certain you are aware of what actually happened in the 18th right?"
"Yes," Freya answered while the remaining two goddesses remained quiet. "Hestia was kidnap and the dungeon reacted to her divine presence during her rescue."
"Yep, that one," Loki leans forward, with both her arms resting on her thigh. "Since ya, all know how it ended, I'll skip to the important details. Shrimp, ya know nothing bout that rabbit's parents right?"
"I remember Bell mentioned they died when he was young and he was raised by his grandfather since then," Hestia answered. "After his grandfather's death, Bell came to Orario to be an adventurer."
"Well this is just a speculation on my part but I strongly believe one of his parents was a member of Hera's."
"And what is your basis on that?" Hephaestus asked curiously.
Loki raised her right hand curled into a fist and one by one raise a finger at the evidence she gathered. "Silver hair, short incantation spell, and the sound of the grand bell." she takes a quick glance to her seatmate to see her reaction before raising her fourth finger. "Then there's Hermes' interest in him. Ya know how close he is to those two."
"Exactly how are those points connected to my Bell?" while the two goddesses got what Loki meant as evident by their sudden grim expressions, the goddess Hestia remained clueless over all the information presented to her.
"Hestia, there was once a level seven adventurer that has the three criteria Loki mentioned."
"Level seven?! But wasn't the king the only level seven in Orario?"
"He wasn't a level seven back then," Freya shakes her head. "When Zeus and Hera were in their prime, if you mentioned the three criteria Loki mentioned, they can instantly tell you who that person is."
"The monster of talent Silence," Hephaestus added. "The same one that attacked Orario a few years ago."
"Wait, you're telling me Bell's mom is a fugitive?"
"Nah, I though so as well but after I examine him when he paid our familia a visit, I am confident to say that he is the child of Silence's sister. Outside of his eyes, he shares more qualities with her than Silence.
She also has a weak constitution so I won't be surprised if she kicks the bucket after some time we kicked 'em out of Orario."
"But you know we have no assurance if your assumption is correct," Hephaestus sighed. "What if she's still part of the Hera familia?"
"I doubt it. but if that is the case, it is easier for them to think he's Silence child if that ever happened. She left their familia before and is dead now," Loki replied haphazardly. "Either case it's a win-win for us if that hag decided to give us aid if it means helping one of their own."
"That's a fraud!" Hestia protest.
"It's not if I'm not wrong ya know," Loki replied cassualy. "I made sure Finn's route or even ours dont cross that village. Using the rabbit is just a contingency is in the event the alliance met 'em by chance."
And while it is true that all of those points she gave was base on a hunch, what the Goddess Loki leaves out was that she is more than certain now that he is connected to the two's familia afrer seeing Hermes' reaction in their meeting.
"But how exactly are you going to pull it out?"
"Oh that? I instructed the fake elf," Loki replied confidently. "If they ever met a familia bearing Hera's flag, bring the rabbit there and it will smoothout the negotiation."
"Ms. Supporter wont do it,"
"True but if ya mention it to her that it will help yer shrimp grow then she will be more than incline to do so."
"And how certain are you that he will go east?" Hephaestus ask. After all it still boils dow to Bell going east and meeting Hera. "For all we know, he joined the west alliance.
"I trained her to some parlor tricks. That should be enough to sway the favor to her side."
Northeastern plain
As we steadily march towards dedine, our group began encountering not just the black tornadoes from before but wild monsters as well. Monsters that has gone into a frenzy brought by the tornado.
Right now, we are dealing with a black beast that has its black tornado protection removed.
"I-I can do this!" I said nervously.
"You have no time to be nervous," Asfi lay a hand on my shoulder while her other hand fixes her eyeglass. "We can do this. After all The black goliath is more troublesome than this."
"Thanks, Ms. Asfi!"
"Let's go!"
One after another, we continue our pace towards north. Teaming up with multiple adventurers to make sure not a single monster passes us.
From Mr. Mord's party to Mr. Bors and some of the adventurers who fought the black goliath.
After dealing with our sixth opponent, three more black tornadoes attacked us.
While Ms. Karen is helping a different party led by an adventurer named Ms. Emma and Lili is picking up some loot on the way, I am now fighting alongside the waitresses of the Hostess of Fertility.
"Their barrier is such a pain, nya!" Anya complain as she rest her spears on the ground while the rest of the waitresses fought the three tornadoes alongside Ms. Shakti that got separated from her group and Ms. Asfi.
"It's difficult to beat them as long as their shield is still intact," I mumble in a hoarse voice as I began to charge my next move.
"Ms. Ryuu!" After charging for a minute and a half and the sound of the chime changing to a bell can now be heard, I called for Ms. Ryuu who began chanting her spell.
"In the sky of a now distant forest.
Infinite stars scattered in the endless night sky.
Respond to my foolish voice,
give me now divine protection of starfire.
Give the mercy of light to the one that abandoned you.
Come, wandering wind, the wandering traveler.
Cross the sky and run through the wilderness,
run faster than anything else.
Imbue the light of stardust and destroy the enemy
Luminous Wind!"
"What do you think you're doing!" Asfi shouts after seeing Ms. Ryuu fire her magic toward me.
"Everyone clear out!" I shout. In an instant, the familiar faces of adventurers that I fought side by side on the eighteen floor quickly scatter while Ms. Ryuu and Ms. Asfi dragged the rest of the waitresses away.
*swoosh*
I jump and twist my body before blocking the magic Ms. Ryuu fired for a bit before activating my skill and redirecting them to the skies in a circular fashion.
Similar to the accident yesterday, I was able to redirect Ms. Ryuu's magic and amplify its power that rips all the black tornadoes in sight. Not just the ones we are fighting.
Elsewhere,
"What was that?" Right after defeating a monster, Raul saw a green wave of magic that soars to the skies. Ripping all the black tornadoes it passes by.
*swosh*
Swinging her sword to remove the blood and excrement from the monster they fought, the Sword Princess look at the sky with a faint smile.
"Haaaah... haaaah... haaaaah... their protection is gone!"
"Yeaaaaaaaaaaaah!"
"Let's beat 'em up!"
the adventurers surrounding me roared and they began charging against the three beasts who seems to have been stunned for a bit.
"I see you manage to get the timing right," Ms. Ryuu landed next to me as she took a breather and wipes the sweat on her forehead.
"T-thanks for trusting me,"
"What was that, white-hair nya?" Ms. Anya approach us and asked curiously. "You take Ryuu's and mush it together that went smack, nya!
"Anya! You're making it look like we did something weird there," Ms. Ryuu exclaim before putting her hood back to hide her embarrassment.
"Nyahahahaha..."
"Ahahaha..." Ms. Anya laughs as I chuckle nervously. Scratching my cheek, I look at the attack created by combining Ms. Ryuu's magic with my skill. "Argo Tempestas..." I mumbled under my breath that only Ms. Ryuu could hear it. "I think that's a good name."
On a nearby village near the east alliance route,
"What was that?" An adventurer with reddish brown hair looks at the sky that just ripped the black tornado shielding the black beast they are fighting.
"Rethusa, focus!" Arthemis reprimand as she draws her arrow and fires once more at the wounded black beast. "Lante, keep your distance."
"On it!" the female half-elf lante replied as she skip back three steps.
Far from the battlefield where the Artemis Familia fought, near the tent of the Hera Familia,
The Goddess Hera looks at the wind that passes her. While she is glad it eases the burden of fighting the black beast, the faint sound of the bell that came after the wind causes her to frown.
"I want to believe it's him," the Goddess whispers. "But if he is near, does that mean that old skirt chaser bastard is near as well?"
Aaaaaaand cut!
With that, the chapter came to a colse. Originally planned a valentine ss but the story I had in mind involve specific character that has yet made an appearance in the story.
For the group that Bell fought together,the initial plan is to have Bell fight in a group made of Lefiya, Tiona, Tione, Bete, Gareth and Ryuu, the reincarnation of Argo's party in the 2nd Aniv but decide to put that on hold for the time being because of he has yet to properly encounter Bete. That happened during their celebration of Welf's level up and seems to be a good start for their interaction.
For the review, likes, and follow. Thanks!