Chapter 43: Let the Games Begin!
Hestia:
"I really hope you have a plan…" Hephaestus repeated for the umpteenth time on their short walk together to Babel.
"I told you already," Hestia whined, "I'm not a strategist. I did all I could to help them, but winning the wargame is their trial."
"…I know," Hephaestus sighed, rubbing her forehead. "Sorry, I'm probably stressing you out."
"Only a lot," Hestia quipped back. Truthfully, however, the banter was helping her nerves settle. Hestia was happy with how she had prepared and what she had done.
"Urgh." Hephaestus winced. "My whole familia is invested in this wargame…"
"Because of Lisbeth?" Hestia asked. Reaching the entrance to Babel, Hestia waved briefly to the massive crowds flocking around the entrance.
"Yeah! Go get em Loli Bib-boobs!"
"You're the best!"
"Ahaha…" Laughing awkwardly, Hestia ducked her head and continued quickly into the tower.
"Partly," Hephaestus agreed to Hestia's question. "She made quite a few friends, one especially hot-headed blacksmith that ranted for a long time."
"Oh? Umm, did anything come from it?" Hestia asked.
"Absolutely," Hephaestus smirked knowingly. "He volunteered to aid Ganesha familia with security at the arena. I heard that he wasn't the outsider to do so…"
"What does that mean?" Hestia queried intensely. Her friend's voice had a suspicious tone…
"Oh, I just never realized you had friends in Loki familia."
"Oh, it is that girl again…" Hestia narrowed her eyes. "That supporter from the old days…"
"Old days? What are you talking about?"
"Huh? Oh, you know, a couple of months ago when Kirito was level one."
"Ah yes, a couple of months, the old days." Hephaestus rolled her eyes. "At least if you're joking you aren't paralyzed by fear."
"Ahaha…" Hestia pulled lightly on one of her twin tails. The small bells on the hair tie jingling lightly in time. "Depending on how the day goes that may still happen."
Sighing, Hephaestus rubbed her head. "The human world truly is a wonderful place."
"What do you mean?" Hestia asked as they reached the babel elevator.
"Half a year ago you were lounging in my home reading books all day." Hephaestus answered, shooting Hestia a glare at the injustice done.
Wincing, Hestia felt guilty about how much trouble she had caused her friend. In her defence, however, Hestia truly hadn't understood. A century could pass in Tenkai without noticing. So, Hestia had thought she was being ambitious by only wanting a year or two to lounge around with Hephaestus.
"Anyway," the goddess of the forge continued, "it truly is remarkable how much you've changed."
"…We're deities, we don't change, remember?" Hestia responded softly.
"Hmm… So we thought," Hephaestus murmured, "so we thought."
The conversation taking a more serious tone, the two friends remained quiet until the elevator dinged to announce their floor.
"Ahh! The protagonist is here!"
"Nice! Hestia has finally arrived!"
"Urgh," wincing from the barrage, Hestia covered her eyes with an arm. The bright smiles of the assembled deities blinding her briefly. Blinking past them, Hestia examined the hollowed-out chamber. It was designed solely for this purpose. The chamber encompassed the entirety of an upper floor of Babel.
The only adornments were a bar for grabbing drinks, a washroom, and plush seating. Every single wall was left completely empty. They hadn't even bothered in installing normal windows. Simply small panes along the top to allow natural light in.
This was the one and only gods' 'entertainment room'. Children weren't actually banned but none would have the gall to come here.
"Hestia!" A friendly voice greeted her.
"Take!" She replied relieved.
"Come, I have chairs prepared for us."
"Wonderful!" Walking slightly behind the god of combat, Hestia struggled to compose her words. This was her first time seeing him in quite a while.
"Go on," Hephaestus prodded her from behind.
"T-Take…" Hestia started.
Holding up a hand, the god turned around and smiled. "I'm sure you have something touching prepared Hestia but do not misunderstand, this was my children's decision. They came to it by themselves. Thank them, I am merely a bystander; a cheerleader at best."
"You let them go though…" Hestia spoke softly, struggling to restrain her emotions. "You both did, Miach as well. I… I don't think I could do that."
Hestia's friends broke into synchronized laughter.
"D-Don't laugh at me!" Hestia whined. Noticing curious gazes from the other deities flooding the room only darkened Hestia's cheeks further.
"To hear that from you of all people!" Take gave another hearty laugh. "Goodbyes always hurt but… you would do it Hestia."
"With out a dou—" Hephaestus' words were cut off by yelling. The three of them turned, and Hestia instantly caught the distinctive dark blue hair of her friend Miach as well as the orange of Hermes.
The two gods were trying to placate the pair getting egged on by spectators. Ishtar and Apollo were glaring daggers at each other, the people who had yelled.
"You idiotic meathead! I was going to leave you alive, but apparently too much sun has fried your brains!" Ishtar ranted.
"Me?" Apollo replied affronted. "You're the one whose harlots want to ruin my lovely dream of being waited on by two cute boys fighting for my affection!"
"P-Please calm down!" Miach and Hermes begged. Hermes dealt with his old friend Apollo while Miach stepped in to console Ishtar.
"What happened there?" Hephaestus asked.
"Hehe, surprised?" Hestia teased. Nice going Lili! Hestia praised the prum supporter internally.
Hephaestus looked genuinely shocked. "These gods probably barely knew the other existed until this wargame. For them to be this angry at each other… Maybe you do have a chance…"
"Hestia!" Ishtar shouted randomly. Breaking away from Miach's restraining presence, the goddess of beauty strode over, her wide hips swaying seductively.
Gulping, Hestia looked upwards at the much taller women. Hestia was shorter by at least twenty celch. "I-Ishtar?"
Before answering, Ishtar took a dismissive glance up and down Hestia's body before sneering. "What a horrible goddess you are. If it wasn't for that chest of yours you'd look like a twelve-year old."
"W-What kind of a greeting is that!?" Hestia whined at the personal attack.
"Indeed," Hephaestus stepped up to defend. As head of the most famous blacksmithing familia, Hephaestus was one of the few deities in Orario with more influence than Ishtar. "I would have thoughts remarks like that to be below a goddess of beauty."
Ishtar turned her eyes to Hephaestus and sneered. "As expected of a goddess that needs to put a bag on her head to get a man to bed her."
"Oooooh!" The surrounding deities exploded in excitement. This was exactly the entertainment they had gathered to witness.
Hephaestus had no response. Turning away, her hand went to the bandage on her face. Seeing the sorrow in her friend's eyes, Hestia whirred on Ishtar.
"Hephaestus is ten times the god you are," Hestia hissed. "When this wargame is over you'll have a long time to think about that in heaven!"
"I don't know what tricks you think you have up your sleeve," Ishtar growled menacingly. Leaning down over Hestia, the copper-skinned goddess was a force of nature. "But it makes no difference. I have ensured my victory."
"D-Don't forget about me!" A male voice whined, breaking the tension between the goddesses. Acting in concert, Hestia and Ishtar glared at Apollo. "Stay out of this!"
"Gah!" Wilting under the double divine attack, Apollo sulked away, throwing them one more nasty glare.
Turning back to Hestia, Ishtar gave her one final disapproving glare. With a shake of her long violet hair, Ishtar trod away, her bare feet making no noise on the soft carpet.
"Urgh," Hestia growled, clenching her fist. "I can't believe she said that! I almost punched her!"
"Why?" Hephaestus asked hollowly, "she spoke the truth. Only you have looked upon my face without laughing."
"So?" Hestia growled, still incensed by the encounter. "Any sane person would still choose you over that viper. Anyone who says otherwise has their head screwed on backwards."
That finally got a chuckle from Hephaestus. "I'm sure being a goddess of beauty comes with its own issues. Let's forget about that for now however, the game will be starting soon."
"Yes," Miach agreed, bowing his head slightly in greeting to Hephaestus. "I'm excited to see Rain and Philia in action."
"You are more confident than I," Take responded, sounding slightly sick. "My poor Mikoto and Sachi fighting against other adventurers…"
"I hate to say it," Miach smiled wryly, "but she isn't a little girl anymore."
"She will always be my precious little daughter," Take whispered confidentially to the group of friends.
Hestia sent a silent prayer to the girl whose love would go forever unrequited. Unable to dwell on that, Hestia stared at Hermes as the jovial god approached.
"My my," he greeted them all. "You certainly managed to rile them both up, Hestia!"
"Not my fault," Hestia crossed her arms and pouted.
"Oh, but it is, it is!" He smiled with sparkling eyes. "Right, Argo!?"
From behind him, Hermes pulled out a girl Hestia hadn't noticed. The small, mossy girl was huddled in upon herself. "Why am I here?" She lamented.
"You brought a child?" Take asked in surprise. "That's… uncommon."
"See!?" Argo whined, "I'm not supposed to be here!"
"Nonsense!" Hermes waved down her protest. "No one is going to complain."
Cracking his knuckles, Hermes pulled out a timepiece and checked it. "Five minutes to the hour, I'd say its about time to kick this thing off, yeah?"
"…Yes," Hestia agreed. It was her first time since coming to the lower world that she would be allowed to use her arcanum.
"Ouranos?" Hermes called loudly into seemingly empty air. "Do we have permission?"
"…Granted." A sonorous voice responded after a moment's delay.
As the word floated through the chamber, the atmosphere changed again. Tension built as the gods prepared to settle in for what was surely to be the talk of the city for the next month at least.
Finally reaching the chairs that Take had prepared for them, Hestia reclined heavily into the center one. It was a good spot off to the side. They wouldn't be in the middle of the chattering gods and could therefore hold a conversation and focus on the game. On the other hand, it was close enough to the center that it didn't look like Hestia was preparing to flee should things get dicey. The only problem was…
"Shrimp!" A goddess accosted her. "You've really got yourself into the thick of things now, haven't ya?"
"Urgh, Loki." Hestia winced. "Why did you set us up near her, Take?" Hestia whined.
"Aren't the two of you friends?" Take frowned in confusion while Hephaestus greeted Loki cordially.
"No!" Hestia stormed. "The woman is filled to the brim with jealousy of me and therefore spends all of her efforts attempting to deride me!"
"Hey!" Loki snapped, glancing past an exasperated Hephaestus. "I just call it how it is! You're a naïve little girl that has no idea what it takes to operate a top-tier familia! All the talented children you picked up are wasted on you!"
"Urgh," Hestia winced. The blow struck close to home. She had often felt exactly that – a lot lately. Hestia knew that her habits were holding them back. She lacked knowledge, drive, and most importantly, purpose.
"Loki!" Hephaestus berated her friend. "Please keep it civil."
"Yeah, yeah, sorry Phae-phae. Just pisses me off when people get diamonds dropped into their lap and they risk them on foolish shit like this wargame."
"So, you aren't excited to see it?" Hepahestus asked with a knowing half-smile.
"Ya kiddin me!?" Loki exploded, her slight accent growing stronger in her excitement. "I love this crazy stuff!"
"Urgh, another entertainment junkie," Hestia muttered to herself. Take overhearing with his keen ears gave her a supportive smile.
"But!" Loki yelled dramatically. Staring down Hestia hard, Loki said the last the final words with a promising menace. "One of my favorites could get her heart broken today. I really hope you prepared some way for that not to happen."
If any god has changed it is definitely this one…
The true adoration for her children could be heard in every syllable. Mixed in was the sorrow of already losing too many children, most of them before their time.
Feeling a burgeoning reluctant respect for the trickster goddess, Hestia nodded her head. "They won't lose this."
"That's good…" Loki sighed and leaned back in her chair. "Just in case nothing too strange happens I sent along all the firepower you could ever want."
"Huh?" Receiving no elaboration, Hestia waved a hand and opened herself a private screen. Most deities put these divine mirrors on the walls so they could watch the same scene. Not opting for that strategy, Hestia curled her legs underneath herself and grabbed it with her left hand. Using her right hand, she trailed it along the surface to change what she was looking at.
Apparently, there were worlds out there where children had developed ways to do similar things without arcanum.
"Tsk," Hestia muttered with pain as her pointer finger contacted the screen she had willed into reality.
Looking at it, Hestia wished for moment that she could cheat and fix her injured fingers. "That damn supporter worked me like a slave…"
"Something the matter?" Hephaestus asked.
"…Nothing." Settling in for the long haul, Hestia was one of the few deities to remain silent as the gong went off to signal the start of the three-way wargame.
Asuna:
"S-Sorry…" Apologizing for the millionth time that day, the aqua-haired elf ducked her head.
"Will you please stop that?" Her companion snapped back. "I already told you that Loki ordered me to sign up alongside you!"
"Urgh, sorry!" Asuna apologized for apologizing.
Sensing the growing frustration of her travelling partner, Asuna tensed up. A moment later however, they sighed, and the anger dissipated.
"Whatever. It is probably best that we keep an eye on Ishtar familia. The location they requested to host the games at is weird."
"Why is that?" Asuna asked immediately concerned.
"Well…" Lefiya frowned, running a hand along her staff. "For one, it is too close to the city."
"Too close?" Asuna blinked in surprise. "How is it too close?"
"The area around Orario is densely populated." Lefiya explained in a non-patronizing way. The elf's eyes were wrinkled with worry and the wargame had yet to start. "Due to how many adventurers live in Orario it is possible for nearby citizens to call on the city for aid dealing with any monsters that show up."
"Makes sense. So what, are we holding this thing on a farm?"
"Not quite," Lefiya smiled. "While a large portion of the nearby land is Demeter familia farms, there are some small patches of wilderness. Ishtar is using one of those but…"
Trialing off, Lefiya gestured back towards Orario which was still in sight. "There are larger arenas that could have been designed further away. The entire diameter the familias can utilize is only two kirlos."
"Hmm… Well…" Asuna spent a moment coming up with a logical explanation. "Ishtar's familia members do uhh… other work. The longer they are gone, the more they miss."
"True…" Lefiya sounded unconvinced. "You could also argue that the smaller arena favors the less tactical amazons who are stronger than either of the other two familias."
"So… why does that concern you?" Asuna asked confused. Together the two of them had come up with a strong defense of Ishtar's choice of location.
"I just…" Lefiya took one final look back at Orario. "I just don't like this. This wargame is concerning. Orario is on the verge of breaking."
"You mean evilus?" Asuna whispered, a bad taste coating her mouth.
The yellow haired elf whipped her flaxen colored ponytail back and forth. "I don't know what I mean. Just stay alert."
"Like there was any chance of me calming down today…" Asuna admitted. Taking one final glance at Orario as well, Asuna continued her trek.
Following a magical item given to them by Ganesha familia, Asuna and Lefiya arrived at their destination. It was a hill marking the eastern most boundary of the arena. If any adventurers from the competing familias tried to get past them, it was their job to stop them. As the arena was constantly being watched by gods and spectators, it was unlikely that a familia would be able to cheat, but the guild was making double sure that nothing would happen.
"What is that?" Lefiya asked, pointing slightly north.
"Hmm?" Following her finger, Asuna narrowed her eyes at the shape in the distance. It was large and moving slowly westward through the arena. "There are guild members there…"
"Yeah, but what do they need a container of that size for?" Lefiya asked baffled. "They use those to transport large-category monsters."
"…S-surely not…" Asuna laughed drily.
"There are registered tamers in Ishtar familia…" Lefiya suggested.
"Still…" Asuna's skin crawled for some reason as she stared at it. Even after it was out of sight it left an impression on her.
"Is that…?" Lefiya trailed off, focusing on the moving container.
"What?" Asuna queried, worried.
"…Nothing." Lefiya replied after a moment. "I just thought I saw someone I know with it is all."
Gritting her teeth, Asuna hated that all she could do was wait around and pray that Kirito would be safe. "Please… win."
Lefiya said nothing beside her. The elf just providing a comforting presence.
Philia:
"Do we know how much time remains?" Philia asked into the tense whispering. The dozen members of Hestia familia were sitting around their base for the wargame. Receiving an area near the western edge of the designated battlefield, the Hestia familia members had situated themselves in a small cave.
The flag hanging at the back of the cave was supposed to hold their familia emblem. As Hestia had gotten distracted while designing it with all of the craziness occurring, it merely said 'HESTIA FAMILIA' in large, bold letters.
"No," Kirito answered, standing by the entrance. He was wearing an outfit consisting of almost entirely new gear. Philia wasn't sure how, but Liz had talked him into more pieces of armour.
Elbows, knees, back, and chest all had true metal. Completing the outfit was a brand-new black coat. Apparently it was stitched together using minotaur hide and heated scales from a hard armored. Philia wasn't sure if black was its natural colour or if Liz had painted it after.
Either way, he struck an imposing figure staring out into the distance, hand resting upon the hilt of his old sword. Kirito had declined a new one, saying that he had a back-up should he need.
That secondary sword hung from a sheath on Kirito's back. The blade there was an impressive size, bordering on requiring two-hands. Philia had the sneaking suspicion she had seen it before but couldn't place it. For some reason Liz kept looking at it with a mixture of hate and awe.
"So, just to confirm," Rain asked yet again, "we have no back-up plan if the other familias don't act as we suspect, correct?"
"Uhh, yeah, basically." Kirito answered awkwardly. "I mean… with half the numbers we can't really afford to play it safe. It's all-or-nothing."
"I don't know if I agree," Rain sighed. "But it is too late for that."
"Stop bringing up doubt now," Philia told her best friend. "It will work."
"I know…" Rain frowned. "But is it only me that has been getting a weird feeling about all this?"
Philia didn't know what she was talking about. Catching a quick glance between Kirito and Bell however, she had a feeling the boys did.
"Onii-chan!" Leafa huffed, stopping her examination of her beautiful katana. "I saw that! Don't—"
Boom!
A loud auditory crack emanated through the air. It was the guild's signal that the wargame had officially started. Gulping, Philia glanced around, wondering if she would be able to see any of these mirrors that Hestia had told them about.
"I guess we've started then." Kirito sighed. "Rain, you're with me. Everyone else… good luck."
Giving them all one last smile and wink, Kirito dashed out the door faster than anyone could follow except the red-headed dual wielder.
"Not fair!" Strea whined. "I wanted to fight with Kirito this time!"
"You're complaining at no one!" Lili ranted. "At least you don't have my job!"
"Ha… Yeah true… Uhh, I mean, good luck Little Lili! I believe in you!"
"Ahh, it makes it so much worse when you say it like that!" Lili complained.
"Lili…" Bell spoke softly, walking over to the prum girl. Going onto one knee, Bell grabbed her left hand in both of his.
Philia bit her lip to prevent herself from laughing. The position resembled a proposal far too closely. Catching the eye of Strea, Yui, Liz, and others, Philia and them all struggled to hold in their laughter.
Lili's attuned senses made her aware of everyone's reactions and blushed. "B-Bell, what is this!?"
"I'm sorry. I… I can't take your place in this plan."
"I'm begging you Master Bell, please stand up!" Lili cried.
"Not yet," Bell continued completely seriously, staring straight at her. "You've taken on so many hardships to help with the fallout of my decisions… I… thank you."
"B-Bell…" Lili stuttered, her brain beginning to overheat.
"Hey, Bell?" Strea added in unhelpfully. "If you want to thank her you should take her out on a date after we win!"
"Of course!" The boy smacked himself hard on the forehead. His sincere red eyes stared happily up at Lili. "Let's go get dinner or something later! It will be just like when we lived together!"
"Pfft!" Philia couldn't restrain all her laughter this time.
"I-I… I need to get to work!" Yelling Lili ran out of the cave at top speed. The danger of death far more welcome than Bell's confusing half proposal.
"…Was it something I said?" Bell asked dumbly to the cave of women.
"As a matter of fact it was," Yui informed him happily. "You did not take into consideration the timing nor the group when you made your move. If you want more success you should— Mff!"
"Hehe, no time for that, Yui!" Strea chirped, a restraining hand over the small girls' mouth. "We need to go or we will be late!"
"Too true…" Philia muttered, stroking her knife for comfort. Glancing back, she found everyone's eyes on her. "Err… l-let's go?"
When did I become the leader!? Philia complained. Rain had become Kirito's number two—as she should have in Philia's opinion. Philia assumed as Rain's best friend she had somehow slotted in as number three.
Wishing someone else would take over, Philia was glad that the strategy had been ironed out beforehand. Any adjustments would have to come at each member's intuition and decision making.
Before they had gone even a hundred metres from the entrance of the cave, Mikoto split off. Moments later, Silica and Sachi did the same turning almost due South. Finally, Bell, Strea, and Yui formed a group heading North. That left her with just Leafa and Liz.
Nodding at Kirito's younger sister, Philia did not envy the fight they had before themselves. While Lisbeth was a level two as well, the blacksmith had less combat experience than either of them at this point.
Running through the forested hills north of Orario, Philia was struck by a feeling of vulnerability. She was running as a group of three towards anywhere between 25 and 50 enemies. All of which were at least her level.
"Ugh, I wish I had levelled up…" Philia grumbled.
"You aren't the only one," Leafa sighed. "I can't believe it's already so hard to level up."
"You got that bloody right. I almost die, same as Rain and she's the only one that gets to level up!? Where's the logic!" Philia vented.
"At least you aren't Lili," Leafa pointed out. "That poor girl's status grows like a rock."
"My familia—old familia—I mean, used to talk about this." Liz chimed in. "They say that some people are born to be adventurers, others aren't. No amount of trying will change that."
"…I hate that sentiment." Leafa answered. Philia didn't need to look back to know the determined expression on her face. "As if I was born to do to kendo. I fought every single day to become great. To carry on the legacy my grandfather wanted to leave behind. To allow Kazuto… Never mind. We shouldn't be talking."
"Haha…" Laughing awkwardly, Philia quickly shut her mouth. The only sounds now were that of pounding feet. Any wildlife larger than a bird had cleared off during the survey of the arena. They didn't bother trying to hide their presence to anyone watching. They weren't supposed to be stealthy, that was the challenge others like Silica and Mikoto had to face.
The woods were relatively easy to navigate. The trees grew far apart, and the undergrowth was small. That made chances of an ambush lower, but also decreased the effectiveness of stealth.
Pondering this as she ran, Philia really hoped that she was heading in the correct direction. Each familia had gotten a chance to survey the entire area yesterday and see everyone else's bases. The locations of the flags wouldn't have changed since then. Philia's memory wasn't the best, but both the other girls accepted the path which increased her confidence.
Jumping over a metre-high thistle, Philia stopped abruptly as her senses tingled. Leafa and Liz came to a quick stop almost on top of her.
"You hear that?" Philia asked breathlessly.
Neither girl answered immediately but leaned forward.
Clang!
The muted sound rang again but louder this time.
"It worked…" Leafa muttered eyes wide. Slowly her face broke into a smile that Philia and Liz matched.
"The two familias are fighting each other!" Liz confirmed happily.
The unmistakable sounds of combat were echoing from the direction of Apollo familia's base. Without a doubt this could only be one thing, Ishtar and Apollo familia fighting.
Now, it would remain to be seen if Lili and Kirito were correct about how many were fighting.
As they crossed the last few metres to where the combat was occurring, Philia's mind went into combat mode.
Entirely focused on the present, stray thoughts vanished, and she became aware of the land around her. Each step propelled her faster along, her instincts dodging her around any obstacles without a thought.
Emerging from the thicket, Philia had an excellent view of the battle occurring below. It looked like Ishtar familia had gotten the drop on Apollo familia. Half a dozen amazons were pinning down nearly twice that number of Apollo familia members.
However, that meant…
"Three? Is that really all? It seems my estimation was correct." From the woods to their right emerged six figures. While Philia had been staring at the fight ahead, they'd been ambushed.
"Daphne…" Philia growled, drawing her knife. It was a brand-new weapon that Lisbeth had just forged for her. The costs for the materials were well beyond anything Philia would have spent in Miach familia.
More as a last resort than anything, Hestia familia had emptied its coffers to get the highest-grade equipment they could for this wargame.
"Philia…" The red-haired warrior responded. Her gear had changed since their scuffle in the dungeon on the eighteenth floor. She wore a new breastplate emblazoned with the image of the sun on the lapel. Embroidered with red filigree, it matched her gauntlets, boots, and greaves.
Flashing through Philia's mind was the memories of the last and only other time they had encountered each other. Holding the entrance to the eighteenth floor, Philia had held off the Apollo familia members allowing Leafa to pursue Bell unhindered to the upper floors. That encounter had cost Philia dearly. Left laying in a pool of blood, it was only the woman in front of her that had let her survive.
"I don't remember telling you my name." Philia growled.
The red head raised an eyebrow as her party spread out to fight. "You think your familia is the only one preparing for this wargame?"
"Oh…"
"There wasn't a ton of time with the last-minute conversations, but I know the name, level, and fighting style of every adventurer in this farce."
"I guess that makes sense…" Philia muttered, entering a fighting stance. Leafa had taken up position on her left flank and Liz her right. What they needed was time for Leafa to get her magic off.
"Your strategy makes sense," the commander of this party surmised, "but I saw through you. Surrender."
"Oh really?" Philia retorted, buying time with each exchange of words. "Then what exactly are we trying to do?"
"You've scattered your familia into small parties. Each one is attempting a different infiltration route of the two bases. Somehow, combined with how you managed to incite our familias against each other, you mean to steal the game from under our noses without fighting."
Damn! She's smart! Impressed, Philia couldn't even think about lying. "Wow…"
"A bold strategy," Daphne sighed. Twirling her baton, she settled into a battle poise. "If only Lissos or Hyachinus had listened to me. We could have avoided playing into it."
"Umm…." DIdn't you tell me too much!? Impressed by her candor, Philia smiled boldly. "Sounds like we both have places to be."
"Indeed," Daphne responded.
Walking forward to meet her challenge, Philia was keenly aware of the other five Apollo members behind Daphne. One of which was the healer from before; Cassandra, if Philia remembered correctly. The other four were vaguely familiar. One of which was wielding a staff, a mage then. Two more looked like heavy fighters and one rogue.
"D-Daphne wait!" That healer called out, shattering the building tension. "We need to run while we still can!"
"Enough!" Daphne screamed, showing her back to Philia. Philia was so surprised that she didn't use the opening. The other members of Apollo familia were shaking their heads like this was becoming too common an occurrence.
"P-Please believe me! Just this once! T-There's a bull. It's going to knock over Babel! It will be the end of Orario!"
"I said enough." Daphne stalked back to the healer and grabbed her by the collar. "We will fight for Apollo as he has given us a home to live in. Now focus!"
"…Are you done the pep talk?" Liz drawled.
"Yeah, that was umm… weird." Leafa agreed.
"Grr, you three stay out of it!" Daphne waved her baton angrily toward them. "Sorry, but I'll be going all-out from the start."
"Oh, that's a very cliché thing to say," Philia taunted, the time ticking by continuing to work in her favour. "…I must ask once more though; do you really want to do this? We could crush Ishtar familia together."
"…You think us evil for following our god's wishes?" Daphne asked softly. It was what Philia had yelled at her last time.
"I do." Philia asserted. "You close your eyes and blindly follow what Apollo tells you! Why?"
"Why…?" Daphne muttered, looking to the sky. Her familia shuffled around her, seemingly confused at the lack of order to attack. "It must seem that way for a stranger that only sees the bad in our god. For many people, including our captain, Apollo is someone deserving of praise."
"…Just because someone has done good in the past, it does not forgive their current mistakes."
Daphne narrowed her eyes, but no angry retort manifested itself. Instead, when she opened her mouth again, it was a chant.
"Follow blindly the sun in the sky!"
"Ahh, shit, she wasn't kidding!" Philia complained. Apologizing silently, Philia refused to turn this into an anime fight and let her opponent buff themselves up.
Dashing forward, Philia closed the ten-meter gap in a second.
Cling!
With a loud bang, Philia's knife clattered off the shield of one of the heavy fighters. All the while, Daphne's chant continued unhindered.
"Blossom, armour of laurel , so that all will flee from thee!"
"Help?" Philia pleaded, but it was pointless. Leafa was interrupted by the other armoured fighter while the rogue took pot-shots at Liz. The blacksmith was already struggling to keep up with her faster opponent.
"Raumure!" Just like that the magic was finished. Blowing though the air was the scent of laurel. Surrounding Daphne's body was now a faint golden layer, concentrated strongly on her feet and hands.
Philia disengaged the man that had blocked her and stared down her opponent worried. It was clearly some form of enhancement magic. What exactly it did was impossible to determine from the short chant.
Clang, clang! Like a bell getting rung, the defender that had gone to stop Leafa was getting systematically driven back. Her expertise with the blade and higher agility giving her the edge in the fight.
"Go," Daphne ordered the one that had stopped Philia. Without a word the man turned it into a two-on-one against Leafa.
Confident Leafa could hold, Philia didn't dare take her eyes off her foe. Gulping, Philia was aware of exactly how different the combat records that the two of have are. Each adventurer native to this world built up years of experience to reach the place they were at. Philia's time could only grant her an equal status, she would have to find the skill somewhere else.
"Here I come," Daphne warned softly. The already miniscule gap between them vanished instantly. The baton-like weapon whistling through the air in front of Philia's nose as she reeled back.
Before Philia could mount a counterattack, Daphne had already retreated out of arms reach.
Fighting the rising panic, Philia tried to analyze what had happened. Unfortunately, these were the things she always relied on Rain and Kirito to do. Philia was usually too busy rummaging through bodies for rare items to loot.
"Hiyah!" Daphne roared, lunging.
Bring her knife up in answer, a line of sparks exploded from the intersection as the weapons grated against each other. The point of the baton struck Philia's left arm doing negligible damage though the armour.
"Fast…" Philia muttered, trying to throw in a strike of her own. If it wasn't for her recent bouts with Kirito, Philia would have been badly injured from these two passes. The boy's level three agility was still higher than Daphne's.
"Just concede," Daphne growled. Darting forward, the woman swung heavily toward Philia's head. Catching it on her knife, the two entered a contest of strength. "What chance do you have if you can't defeat me!?"
"Grr… Who said… I can't beat you…?" Gritting her teeth, Philia forced her knife up somewhat. "That magic… doesn't make you stronger!"
Furrowing her brow, Daphne ran out of replies. Philia saw in her opponent's expression that it was time to fight.
Forcing hard with her baton, Daphne jumped back and disengaged the strength contest. Changing her stance, Philia took the chance to survey the rest of the battlefield. On her right, Lisbeth continued to get harried. While she hadn't taken any critical wounds so far, the fight there was decisively single-sided. On the left, Leafa continued to impress. Even outnumbered two-to-one, she was able to fend off her less skilled opponents.
If it was just the four enemies, then the fight would be winnable, even if it wasn't easy. However…
"Come, gather flames of destruction…"
"Heavenly light once rejected…"
The fifth and sixth members of Daphne's party were already beginning to summon their magics. One fire spell to burn them and one healing magic to restore any lost stamina.
It was the deadly synergy of a complete party. The capabilities that allowed a group to surpass their individual limitations.
Philia had no more time to think on the state of her party as Daphne rushed forward with her level three agility. Dodging backwards, Philia felt the tip of Daphne's weapon draw blood from her forehead.
Swinging her knife forward in a counterattack, Philia hit only air as Daphne slid backwards. Just as the knife passed harmlessly by, Philia's red-headed opponent darted back in.
Too slow to dodge the ferocious strike, Philia raised her left arm. With a hard clang, metal hit metal pushing both of them back. Philia shook the limb out to get blood flowing again. A massive dent had appeared on her vambrace from the collision.
Narrowing her eyes, Philia engaged the next round. Putting all of her experience to the test, Philia harried Daphne's defenses with a series of well-placed thrusts. Interweaving feints, it was a deadly combo capable of confusing even the most seasoned fighter.
Again, Daphne's brow furrowed as all her concentration went into evading and parrying Philia's assault. Despite her increased status, Philia knew that Daphne was fighting as a level two. A level three would have seen through the moves and stopped her easily.
Growing confident, Philia stepped up and slashed at Daphne's face. Unable to quite draw back in time, a small line of blood sparkled in the late morning sun as it flew through the air.
"Grr…" Swiping angrily with her baton, Daphne drove Philia back before retreating herself and touching her bloodied cheek.
Staring her straight in the eye, Philia raised her free hand to her forehead. Her gloved fingers came away bloodied, more than Philia thought would come out. In terms of damage, Philia had come off worse.
"Fall back!" Daphne cried out. Without complaint all thee of the other fighters retreated. Bearing different injuries, they were huddled together as the decisive factor of the fight sounded out.
"Soul light!" With a timid cry, the healing magic began restoring the Apollo familia members.
Philia tsked as her hard-won blow sealed up without leaving a trace while her own injuries continued to plague her.
Running out of time, Philia glanced past her opponent to where the actual problem was going to emerge from. "Leafa, back!"
"Already here!" The girl snipped back.
"Haha…" Laughing weakly, Philia cursed internally. This is why I shouldn't be leading!
Darting behind Liz with Leafa, Philia winced as she took in the blacksmith's condition. Liz would only last another couple of minutes against her opponent. She was bleeding from a dozen places including one bad cut right above her kneepad, weakening the joint.
"Fire flare!"
Hunkering down behind Liz, Philia closed her eyes and prayed. Please work, please work…
"Destroy it, Aegis!" Shouting out, Liz thrust her shield toward the approaching magical fire.
Gong!
Like the sound of a deep gong, Liz's shield activated. It wasn't a magic item apparently, but a magic sword… or well, shield. The fire attack was dispelled into sparks, floating through the air.
"W-What!?" Daphne shouted, perturbed by the sudden reversal of events.
The truth was made apparent as the wooden planks on Liz's shield began to fall off. Philia didn't know where the girl came up with these ideas, but by fusing normal wood on top of the magical metal, the blacksmith could use it both as a weapon for fighting, and a proper magical item.
"Leafa!" Philia reminded the girl. Thankfully, the warning was unnecessary, and the remarkable warrior was already entering the second line of her magic.
"…Your name is freedom, granter of wishes."
"Oh…" Daphne's face paled as comprehension finally dawned. As smart as Daphne is, her confidence had been her downfall. Hestia familia's whole plan revolved around their party clumping up into a single knot of people.
"Underneath the endless sky, I search.
"Unbidden to any land, I now seek your power."
"Get her!" Daphne screamed. All three of her melee attackers rushed forward. The rogue led the way, body low to the ground. Philia couldn't determine their sex or species with the long black cloak that covered them. Either way, it didn't matter.
"Ring!" Liz commanded her shield.
Gong!
Sounding a second time, all three of the attackers her blasted backwards off their feet. Falling to the ground in a heap, they were helpless to prevent Leafa from finishing her magic.
"Now at the end of the world, answer this wanderer's prayer.
"Grant but one glimpse of the King of Faeries."
"Cassandra!" The raw terror in Daphne's voice made Philia's heart ache. It contained within it the horrible realization that the one you love most in the world may die.
"Wind Blade!"
Philia struggled to watched as the hardened pieces of translucent air shot forward. Forming almost boomerang like shapes, they whistled sharply, cutting the very air they were formed from.
Each one that impacted an enemy adventurer either rang off of metal with a sharp clang, or all the more frequently, hit flesh with a dull thump.
"Gah!" Yelling, Leafa, with an inhuman effort forced the rest of the magic up into the air. Anymore and they risked killing someone. Do so and they may as well forfeit the wargame.
"Hrnng," Came the weak moans from the Apollo familia members. The two that looked the worst were the mage and rogue. Neither of which were wearing armour that could soak Leafa's magic.
The heavy fighters as well, while escaping serious injury, could no longer fight. Their shields were mangled, and more importantly, their armour had caved in around them. While it did its job at protecting them, they could scarcely move.
Like a phantom, Daphne's figure slowly raised itself off the ground. The back of her leather jerkin had been destroyed, leaving large areas of exposed skin, much of it bleeding.
Even as it dripped off however, Philia knew that the injuries were all shallow. It spoke to an otherworldly defense—probably granted by her magic.
"Leafa, go." Philia commanded. "Liz and I can hold here."
"…Are you sure?" The girl whispered. "She can't take the three of us."
"I'm sure. Silica will need you." Philia persuaded Leafa. Of all their members, she was one of the most versatile. Her two magics gave Leafa an unparalleled ability to arrive places quickly and turn the flow of battle.
"…Got it." Hesitating only a moment more, Leafa was off. Hopefully hiding her flight wouldn't prove to be too much an issue.
"How is your friend?" Philia asked.
"Shut up." Daphne glared, her voice hollow.
"I'm being serious," Philia explained. "You aren't bad people."
Daphne's eyes widened slightly shock. Shaking her head and sighing, Daphne glanced back to where the healer had fallen, a sad smile on her face. "I knocked her out when her head hit a rock. She'll be fine."
"I'm glad," Philia responded completely sincere.
"…I had forgotten that." Daphne spoke quietly after a moment's hesitation. Taking a look around at her fallen party members, a self-deprecating smile touched her lips. "Only killing is off the table, you know? You could mutilate each one of us and as long as we survive, that's fine by the rules."
"W-What the hell!?" Lisbeth spluttered, looking aghast.
Philia's stomach as well roiled at the thought of doing something so barbaric.
"Yeah, I had forgotten you aren't like that. You put your life on the line to save your friends. You aren't – none of you are – normal adventurers."
"I'll take that as a compliment." Flourishing her knife, Philia entered a battle stance, knife at the ready. The enhancement surrounding Daphne's body flickered and then went out.
"Guess this will be a fight on even footing," Daphne chuckled.
"…Was that intentional?" Philia decided to ask as the tension between them mounted.
"Who knows?" Without any further warning, Daphne darted forward.
Compared to the magic-enhanced attack, this one was far slower. Philia was able to meet it properly without being overwhelmed.
Cling, clang! Weapons meeting time and again, the two adventurers found themselves in lockstep. Philia was confident that she had the superior agility, but Daphne's heavier weapon and simply better technique prevented Philia from getting an upper hand.
"Do you need help?" Liz asked from the back.
"Stay out of it!" Philia yelled back. "I need… to teach her… a lesson!"
"I think you've already done that." Daphne replied, her breathing still level. "I read the situation wrong and got my party wiped out. I failed them as both a commander and a familia member."
Philia didn't know how the woman could continue to speak through the massive exertion the two of them were putting out. Blades flying, the speed-based adventurers continued darting back and forth across the battlefield.
Feinting right, Philia threw her body to the left to just get around Dpahne's attack. Her opponent's sharp red eyes refused to miss even a single detail. As Philia's true attack began, Daphne easily stepped jumped away and charged again.
In a word, they were matched. Both of them had advantages in different aspects leading to a completely balanced fight. Whoever made the first mistake would lose.
Panting heavily, Philia circled slowly during the brief break in combat. Liz had gone unto one knee and was trying to patch herself up as she waited for the fight to reach its decisive conclusion.
"Hrnghh…" A weak voice sounded out. Philia's eyes darted past her opponent to where the final Apollo familia member lay in the grass, softly stirring. The healer with the droopy eyes, Cassandra.
As Philia's eyes flicked back to Daphne's understanding passed though them. If the healer recovered, their victory here would be negated. One more use of the healing magic and all six would be back on their feet.
"Philia…" Liz warned unnecessarily.
"Its fine," Philia assured her. "I have this."
"…Alright."
Thanking Liz silently for putting her faith in her, Philia took one last deep breath. Putting everything on the line, Philia dashed forward as Daphne.
The two had become intimately familia with each other's fighting style. Darting in low, Philia replicating her rush from earlier. Knife poised to thrust, Daphne responded by lowering her own body, her weapon prepared to slash out Philia's legs before she could get in range.
"Hiyah!"
"Hah!"
Cancelling the thrust, Philia pushed hard off her legs.
Crack!
A fraction of a second too slow, Daphne's baton hit hard against the side of Philia's boot as she ascended through the air.
Easily clearing two metres, Philia descended upon where the healer was just stirring. Her plan now apparent for everyone to see.
"Ahh!" Letting out a breathless gasp, a line of red-hot pain ran up Philia's right leg as her foot which Daphne had hit refused to support her weight.
Maintaining her focus through it, Philia was close enough that as she fell her blade descended towards the Healer's prone body.
"Cassandra!" Came that scream yet again. With a superhuman effort, Daphne somehow managed to push off backwards and fly horizontal though the air. Twisting at the same time, Daphne's body landed on top of the healer's body before Philia's knife could finish its stab
Checkmate.
Stopping her strike, Philia instead pressed the blade against her opponent's throat. "Please just behave."
"You weren't going to kill her…" Daphne muttered, her voice shell-shocked. "Of course you weren't…"
"I'm not a murderer." Philia shot back, a little premature she realized as she had a knife to Daphne's throat. "Now rouse your friend. I have people for her to heal."
"…Cassandra," Daphne shook the girl.
"Hmm, Hey Daph, is it morning already?"
"Grr… Get up!" Daphne's caring mood appeared to do a one eighty. Shaking the healer roughly by the collar, her long black hair flopped everywhere.
"Ahh! I'm up, I'm up! What is… D-Daph!"
"Start your magic." Philia instructed. "Heal only myself and my companion."
"B-But everyone else…"
As large tears welled in the healer's eyes, Philia's stomach lurched. She felt no satisfaction from this, only the horrible sense that she was abusing those weaker than herself.
"Grr…" Not knowing what to do, Philia waffled between decisions. There was no telling whether they would emerge victorious again from a second encounter. Letting the enemies return to battle condition seemed a mistake.
"I will come with you unarmed as your prisoner if you allow Cassandra to heal them as well." Daphne interceded.
Philia turned her head to glance at Liz. The poor blacksmith was fighting through pain as she nodded back. As healing items had been banned from the wargame for obvious reasons, magic like this becomes increasingly more useful.
"Deal."
Taking a deep breath, Cassandra rose and started her chant once more.
Silica:
"Ah, hah…" Silica's muffled pants rose steadily from where she lay between two bushes.
The one on her left had thorns that threatened to grab at her clothing. The bush on her right had small, bright red berries. They were maybe the width of her thumb and perfectly spherical giving them an otherworldly appearance. Oddly, it was the berry bush currently causing more issues.
For the fifth time since entering her hiding place, Silica was forced to move a hand to restrain Pina. The silly dragon stared intently at the berries and refused to budge in her insistence on eating them.
"Kwaa!" Pina squawked indignantly.
"Keep it down!" Silica hissed. Placing a hand over the wily dragon's mouth was of course an impossibility. Trying to do so would only cause the bushes to shake and create an even louder ruckus. "I swear I'll get you some once this is done."
Silica made the promise without expecting Pina to be able to understand it. However, the feathery dragon swiftly ceased struggling and gave Silica a baleful stare.
In Pina's eyes Silica saw her own worry reflected. The truth that she had no idea if she'd be able to keep that promise.
With Pina finally calming, Silica turned her sensitive eyes to the distance. Ears perking up as well, she could easily sense the sounds of adventurers in the distance. They should be the final defenders of Apollo familia's flag.
Silica was intimately familiar with where she was. She had been forced to trace the path from Hestia familia's base to here, and then to the Apollo flag a dozen times.
While she had complained on the day of that her feet were aching from the nonstop running back and forth, she was grateful now. Even being barely able to think due to nerves, Silica's body had guided her to where she was supposed to be.
The terrain before Silica played out inside her mind. Once she crested the top of the small hill just in front of her, Silica would descend down through a copse of trees to Apollo familia's base. It was situated on the lowest part of the arena.
Rather than being a disadvantage however, Apollo familia had found perhaps the best location of the three familia's. Down there was a rocky structure almost a dozen metres high with the flag planted on top of it.
A sentinel placed there would have vision of any approaching adventurer while being hard to see through the canopy for anyone approaching.
"Hrgg… Sachi's late…" Silica muttered to no one.
"Kwuu…" Pina comforted her softly, muzzling her soft head against her hand.
"Hehe…" Giggling at the contact, Silica stroked Pina's head. The warmth and familiarity of the contact driving back the potentially crippling nerves.
"There's one!"
"A sneak attack, go, bring them down!"
Nice! Silica cheered Sachi and her distraction antics. Their plan was nothing more elaborate than a simple bait-and-switch. Sachi would approach first, gathering the guards' attention before fleeing. That would allow Silica a chance to steal the flag and get away.
A second later, Silica's mind re-evaluated the yelled words and moaned. Go, bring them down. That wasn't the line of someone leading a charge.
"Okay, I can do this!"
"Kyuu!" Pina agreed supportively.
Silica stood up confidently and strode forward. She made it only the one step before a force pulled her backwards and Silica ended up on her rear again. "Ow!"
"Kyu Kyu!" Pina laughed as Silica rubbed her backside.
Glaring at the thorny bush, Silica decided that it was the worst of the two after all.
Time ticking away, Silica peeled herself off the ground and began a silent sprint toward the Apollo flag. Each step had been charted out. Dodging stray sticks and loose sticks, Silica plunged forward. In the blink of an eye, she had entered the final hundred metres to the flag.
Where is he, where is he, where is he!?
Thoughts repeating endlessly, Silica's eyes darted everywhere. Not seeing the man who had yelled out the instructions, Silica arrived at the base of the rock outcropping.
Preparing herself to begin the climb, Silica whirled around at a warning chirp from Pina.
"Pity…" A man spoke, falling from a nearby tree. "I could have dealt with you in one blow had your beast not warned you."
I missed him, how!? Silica was speechless. Her senses were second to maybe Kirito and that was it.
"I'm an elf," the man smirked. "You think you'd honestly be able to detect me a forest, catgirl!?"
"Hehehe…" Came the chuckling from two more male throats. As figures rounded the rock, Silica found herself pincered from both sides.
"You look troubled," the elf sighed. "Was this seriously Hestia familia's plan? Send in one distraction and one to retrieve the flag? I suppose it shouldn't come as too much of a surprise based on how short you are on members."
"I-I can take all three of you!" Silica yelled, trying to convince herself. The worst part was that these odds were about the best they could hope for as outnumbered as they were.
"Hmmf, knock her out and tie her up." The elf said disinterested. "There is nothing in the rules about keeping hostages."
"H-Hostage!?" Silica, like Philia before her was coming to the realization about how little no-killing actually prevented.
Apollo familia was done talking. With the elf standing back, the two men wearing matching uniforms rushed her with shortswords.
Parrying one attack cleanly, Silica was slightly too slow as the other sword caught her upper left arm. The impact only tearing through a piece of her leather armour.
Stepping around the one that she had parried, Silica tried to keep them in a line. It was a trick adventurers learned quickly to deal with monster swarms
"Yaa!" Shouting, the adventurer thrusted their blade toward her. Knocking it aside, Silica countered with her own thrust.
Blade drifting too high, Silica's knife clattered off his chestplate leaving only a thin scratch.
"Now!" The adventurer yelled.
"Huh?" Left confused, Silica watched as he rolled to the side. Barely before he had left, the sharp twang of a bowstring rang in Silica's ears.
Her left hand snapped up to cover her body. Hidden from sight, the second adventurer had switched his blade to a short bow. Silica had been so distracted she hadn't noticed. This was a tactic only adventurers would use, and she had laughably little experience fighting other people.
"Ah!" Gasping, Silica felt the arrow impact her hand and go wide of her body. A steady line of blood dripped form her pinky side. Staring at it half in shock, Silica could tell that the arrow had completely penetrated her leather glove and hit her metacarpal pinky bone.
Trying to close her hand caused a fresh wave of pain to flow through it. Gritting her teeth against it, Silica felt tears begin to swell in her eyes.
"Hah, crying from such a small injury!" The elf laughed. "Just give up now, you can't win!"
"Hrrgh!" Silica groaned, the man's insults further injuring her fragile ego. Each word and mocking gesture reinforced the insecurities plaguing her.
"Kyuu!" Pina cried in support.
"…You're right." Silica fixed her stance and brushed away the tears. "Kirito is counting on me!"
In sync with her new determination, Pina breathed a line of bubbles on Silica's injured hand. Before the adventurers' disbelieving eyes, Silica's wound closed up.
"…Wait," the elf called out to his familia members. "I, Lissos, lieutenant of Apollo familia, shall be the one to defeat to you girl."
"…" Silica said nothing in response as the elf drew forth a longsword. The blade was more intricately made than the other ones. The hilt appeared to flow into the blade, giving the impression that it had grown directly from a tree.
"Here I come!" Needlessly declaring his presence, the elf leapt forward, blade swinging for Silica's head.
Senses tensed, Silica was surprised by the first swing. It was off to one side, making it easy to dodge. Stepping to her left, Silica turned, looking for an opening.
"Got you!" The man yelled.
Silica's eyes widened in horror. As she dodged, Pina had been left behind. He wasn't aiming at her. He was aiming to separate her.
"Pina!" Silica screamed into the void.
"Kyuuu!" The dragon's cry was filled with a terror reflected in its sapphire eyes. Lissos' second strike was an undodgable sthrust straight to Pina's core.
Crack!
"No…" Silica muttered helplessly as the sound of imminent death for any monster rang out. She managed another two steps before collapsing to her knees. Pina's body was barely a meter away but Silica could get no closer to her struggling friend.
Above them stood Lissos, staring down with the authority of a god.
"No, don't leave me Pina… I… I need you…" Voice giving out, Silica couldn't stop the tears this time as they leaked out without end.
"Kyu…" Pina croaked softly. Despite already being dead, Pina found the strength to drag herself to her feet and pad over to Silica. Laying her head in Silica's lap, Pina's mouth curled up into one final smile.
"NO!" Silica howled, wrapping the dragon in her arms.
It made no difference compared to the unchangeable fact that her magic stone core had been broken. After a moment, the ramifications began to take effect as the beautiful azure feathers began to flake into ash.
"I-I never even got… to feed you those berries…"
Weeping as the process occurred, Silica tried to desperately to cling unto the ash that was being scattered by the light breeze. Each mote sparkled under the faint rays of the forest sun, dispersing never to return to the form that Silica had loved.
"…Why?" She croaked out once the process was complete. "She couldn't hurt you."
"What are you babbling about?" Lissos snapped. "I targeted the healer. It's a basic strategy."
"But why did you kill her!" Silica demanded to know, raising her searching, tear-streaked eyes up to the elf.
"Why? Do I need a reason to kill a monster? Get your head screwed on straight girl. Even now, monsters are still humanities enemy."
"But, but… Pina…" Silica croaked. Even now, her hands were desperately clinging at where the dragon was supposed to be.
"But, but," Lissos mocked her. "The world has no place for monster lovers. Especially one twisted enough to think a creature you dominated to fulfill your will is a true companion."
Raising his head to the other two familia members, he gestured toward Silica. "She's broken, bind her and transport her to the forward camp where she can be put to use."
"Yes Sir!"
Broken… Am I broken? Silica's thoughts seized upon Lissos' words as his subordinates began to move. The elf meanwhile scaled back up the rock face with only a few deft movements.
Not seeing them, Silica's mind called up the images of the broken adventurers she had seen. It wasn't uncommon. One would crop up every week or so. Someone whose party was wiped out leaving only them alive or an adventurer that could no longer handle the horrors of the dungeon.
Is that… me now?
Silica didn't know. She didn't know anything. All she wanted to do was go back in time. Block the slash instead of dodging. If she hadn't screwed up, Pina would still be…
As a fresh wave of tears threatened to pour from Silica, the Apollo members finally closed the gap. As Silica felt his hand reach out for her shoulder, she felt her mind snap.
Red flowed through her mind, strong and swift. The colour that should have tinged the rocks. The fate that she had consigned Pina to.
Snap!
With an invisible movement, Silica caught the hand that reached for her shoulder. Strength flowed through her fingers, tightening around the metal vambrace.
"Whoa, what the hell is this!?" The man yelled.
"Just pull your arm out," the second one laughed.
"I can't, she's starting to crush my armour!"
As Silica's grip tightened and tightened, a strange squelching noise was starting to emerge. The malleable metal began to distort and crumple.
"Help!" The man yelled, pulling with all his strength. Silica's superior strength held him place as his armour threatened to trap his arm in a treacherous vice.
"Get off him, bitch!" The words were accompanied by a slash at her restraining arm.
Rolling to the side, Silica finally realized her grip. As she rose to her feet, her eyes were fire. Staring down her foes, her emotions poured out of her. "AHHH!"
Diving forward, Silica's knife plunged towards the chest of the man that had swung at her. His defense was too slow, the tip of her knife ripping open the metal there and knocking him down.
Silica had no time to follow-up as the second one got his sword out and swung. Backing up, Silica growled.
Play time was over.
"Bless my blade, keeper of sword skills!
"Fade Edge!"
"Magic!?" The soldier yelled in shock. "Hah, I'll get you before you can cast—"
"Slow…" Silica intoned as she slipped past his side. Her blue dagger ripping a massive hole through the side of his armour. A spurt of blood emitting from the cut flesh beneath. A handsbreadth higher and it would have severed the muscles required to lift his left arm.
"Gah!" Screaming in pain he swung his sword haphazardly as his ally got back on his feet. Despite the hole in his armour, he had no lasting injury.
Silica didn't flinch as metal bit into her cheek. It wasn't even worth dodging. With little thought to her own condition, Silica only cared about disposing of these two and finding the one responsible.
"Bless my blade, keeper of sword skills!
"Fade Edge!"
Screaming out her only spell a second time, Silica's blade was imbued with the power to cleave armour.
The ephemeral azure light shone with a mirror to Pina's feathers. That same colour which had be exorcized from the world mere minutes ago had returned with a vengeance. Powered by her absent companion, Silica transformed her grief into rage.
"Hiyah!" Roaring, Silica tore forward with the sound and force of a jet engine. Her blade split the air itself as she tore towards the hapless adventurers.
Left in her wake after she passed were pieces of armour, blood, and screams. Silica panted as she slowly stood up from her posture. She felt no satisfaction, not yet. There was still…
!? Instincts screaming, Silica tucked into a roll and rose knife prepared in a backhand grip.
"What the hell do you think you're doing, girl!?" Lissos growled. His sword was buried in the dirt where she had been moments before. As the beautiful elf rose, he gestured at his prone, moaning companions. "What the hell did you do to them?"
Narrowing her eyes, Silica growled back, matching tones. "Revenge."
"For a tamed monster? You're insane!" Leaving the conversation there, Lissos swung with his blade.
Silica was forced back. Trying to dart in again, Silica was repelled by another slash. Again and again, she was kept at arms-length by the longer weapon.
"Grr…" Growing frustrated, Silica took larger risks. Feinting more, retreating less.
"Fool!" Lissos declared as he pivoted on one foot and brought his blade down from the upper-right.
Mid-feint, Silica was stuck with all her weight bearing down upon her right foot. Throwing her knife in the path of the larger sword, Silica felt her blade get knocked from her hand as daggers of pain stabbed into her arm and chest.
"Urgh…" Blinking, Silica saw only brown. Spitting, the dirt—as Silica soon realized—came out of her mouth.
"You'll stay there if you know what is good for you."
"You… Killed her!" Silica continued to spit dirt on the ground. Placing a shaky hand on the ground, she forced herself up. "She wasn't hurting anyone, and you killed her!"
"So?" The elf drawled again, sounding exasperated. "That monster was aiding you, an enemy, so I disposed of it! This isn't complicated!"
"No… it isn't," Silica agreed, standing up again. "You killed my friend… and now you'll pay for it."
The elf took a half-step back at the fury in Silica's expression. "Friend, you fool!? Are you insane!? You dominate it to do your bidding!"
Testing her hand, Silica decided it would be good enough. Her armour wouldn't hold up against another hit however. It had been split down the middle, absorbing most of the hit.
Anger cooling into a steely knife, Silica drew her second weapon from her scabbard, a shortsword.
"Not Pina." With those words as the only signal, Silica dashed forward again. She didn't bother dodging or feinting this time. Focusing hard on the approaching blade, Silica brought up her dagger to meet it.
Cling!
Emitting a series of sparks, the two blades contacted roughly. The powerful swing of the longsword slid along the length of the almost perpendicular shortsword, pushing it to the side.
Using her opponent's strength against him, Silica followed through with her slash. Aiming for that beautiful face that pissed her off, Silica was only mildly surprised when the elf leaned back with exquisite reflexes.
Still, her attack had drawn blood.
"Bitch!" The elf raged. "You think I can win Lord Apollo's favour with marred looks!?"
"Yaaa!" Not answering, Silica continued to rage forward across the rocky terrain. Each step posed danger as they fought at the base of the outcropping.
Within his strike range, Silica now had the advantage. Her high agility gave her the ability to pursue the elf as he retreated.
"I… am a lieutenant… Of Apollo familia!" Lissos screamed between gasps. The elf's strength was flagging rapidly as he was forced to produce costly swings of his blade.
"You're a murderer," Silica hissed. Speeding up, all of her concentration was focused upon one task—ramming her blade into this elf's chest. Maybe then he would understand what he had done.
"How!?" He continued to rage as another swing found only air. Another step back found his boot hitting a rock, costing him another tenth of a second as he found his balance.
Silica stayed silent as her blade struck home, leaving a superficial wound along his abdomen.
"You've barely been an adventurer! This isn't possible!"
"Die." Was Silica's only answer. As Lissos unleashed his final desperation strike of an over the head attack, Silica hit it cleanly from the side.
Snap!
One half of the elf's blade lodged itself in a nearby tree. The basal half was held by its stunned wielder.
Having already declared her intentions, Silica said nothing else as she swept his leg.
"Urgh!" Falling heavily, the elf lay almost upon the very spot where Pina had died. His mind refused to accept the change in the fight as he stared at his broken blade.
"YAAA!" Unleashing the last of her emotions, Silica's blade fell, accompanied by Silica's final tears. Lissos' eyes widened in fear as he finally accepted his imminent death.
Thump.
Softly, Silica's blade halted. A soft, comforting pressure on her wrist prevented her from bringing it any lower.
"L-Leafa?"
"Philia was right, you did need me." She responded. "I'm so sorry Silica."
"I… I…" Dropping her blade, Silica turned and buried her head in Leafa's chest. Bawling, she couldn't form any coherent words as Leafa stroked her back without speaking.
Hestia:
"Oh, Silica." Hestia muttered as she watched her screen. Around Hestia, her friends were cheering Hestia's unexpected success. Like the adventurers, they didn't really understand how much that monster meant to Silica.
"D-Daphne? Lissos? How is this possible!?" Apollo raged.
The god's anger was the only thing that brought Hestia a small modicum of joy. If she was being honest however, this was the easy part of the wargame. It was Ishtar familia that posed the main threat.
"Oh, do pipe down," Ishtar drawled. "You never had a chance."
"W-What did you say?" Apollo yelled at Ishtar. "My familia will still win this! Hyacinthus has never failed me before!"
"You mean Pheobus Apollo? That pretty boy?" Ishtar broke out into peels of laughter. "A single level three has no chance of winning this for you."
Hestia smirked, she agreed with Ishtar. Apollo was as good as done now with two of his main members out of the fight.
"It is starting…" Hestia heard Hermes say.
Glancing up from her close-up of Silica being held, Hestia stared at where the deities' focus had gone to. The view was circling the central hill of the arena. A place where the one whom stood on top of it could see a vast area of the arena.
Currently, a single figure was standing on the peak, staring at the horizon. Dressed all in black, they held a sword resting on their shoulder.
Kirito.
Even as Hestia watched, two figures approached the lone boy from different directions, breaking off from their entourages.
"Good luck…" Whispering the words, Hestia could only pray for her first familia member as the game entered its final stage.