Chapter 36:
In the Xenos Village on the twenty-fourth floor, Wiene was having trouble holding back her excitement. Apparently, Fels had recently decided that it was too dangerous for Lyd and his faction to stay in the Dungeon. Everything involving the expedition with Hestia Familia had shown the Guild that the Sun Seekers had grown too dangerous to be ignored. So, Fels and Ouranos wanted the Xenos that were on their side to head somewhere safe.
Which was bad because it meant something terrible was about to happen. But it also told Wiene that she got to see Bell again! She'd be hidden somewhere near the surface, so he could come and visit all the time. She hummed as she waited for the rest of her friends to get their things ready. There were close to three dozen Xenos with Lyd's faction now. And the rate of birth for new Xenos was also on the rise. Things were going ok, in Wiene's opinion. All that was left to deal with were those mean, nasty Sun Seekers.
"Ok, I think we're all ready!" shouted Fia. She stood with her group.
Lett nodded from his spot, gesturing with a thumb's up.
"Amazing! Ok, friends, to the surface, we go!"
Wiene took a position in the vanguard, leading the way. She loved that people trusted her and gave her responsibility; it made her feel all grown up and mature. At Lyd's gesture, she led the march down the tunnel. They used secret passages and information from Fels to avoid adventurers. And Lyd had a key to Knossos on him. The hope was to get inside the man-made structure on the eighteenth floor and find their way to Daedalus Street. Fels would meet them there and stash them away in a safe house when nighttime came.
That was the plan anyway. And unfortunately, things seldom went the way they were supposed to. On the twenty-second floor, screams came up from behind. They started as shouts of surprise, so Wiene just thought that the Dungeon was on the attack. Even if it was their mother, the Dungeon would always try to kill them. Because of that thought process, though, Wiene wasn't expecting the orders to come out.
"Get ahead! Everyone, move to the rendezvous as fast as you can!" shouted Lyd from way behind.
Wiene chanced a look back and saw monsters waving swords. These new enemies were bearing down on her friends. Thankfully, the Sun Seekers were not in the mood for killing Xenos. They just worked methodically to knock out and restrain their more peaceful brethren. Part of Wiene wanted to stay and fight. But then she remembered Lyd's orders. Some of these Sun Seekers were truly powerful, monstrous in their strength. A couple of them could potentially rival Asterius. So, when she saw that her friends were just being taken prisoner, she chose to run. To find help. She needed to find Bell.
With the Virgin Goddess:
On the surface, Bell, Ryuu, and Hestia were walking up the stairs of the Tower of Babel. That morning, only a bit after their successful party, they had received a summons from the Guild. Apparently, Ouranos had decided it was time to deal with the Sun Seekers. Hestia Familia's report had been the final nail in the coffin. The idea that the Sun Seekers had been able to gather such a giant monster army, including a floor boss, without anyone noticing was disturbing, to say the least. They had only been waiting on some final bits of information, and now they were on the counterattack.
Bell and Ryuu stood to each side of their Goddess, who walked in a guilty shuffle. Hestia had planned on making today the day she told Bell about Liaris, but now his mind was going crazy with worry for the Xenos. Fels had not written down many details, which meant there was little information to go off of.
So, she waited to hear what the news was. It wouldn't be that bad if they were just making plans, and Hestia could tell him afterward. Besides, Ryuu and Lili would probably be the most involved with the strategy for this possible war. Honestly, Lili probably should have been the one to come to the meeting, but she insisted on staying behind. She and Welf were working on some large backup plan. Hestia knew what it was, and she thought it was a good idea, but it also required total secrecy. Especially if Freya was really in league with the 'evil' Xenos.
Hestia hated that term, though. She hated labelling people as good or evil. There was no way she could agree with the Sun Seekers methods or the methods of someone like Freya, but she couldn't bring herself to use a word like evil. And more importantly, she could understand their pain. Those poor monsters were being persecuted and hated just for existing. Honestly, it made her feel just a little bad for them. But they had attacked her Familia and had killed Elwin. Which meant any chance for peace was gone. So, they were evil, and she was good, as chosen by the labels of the Guild and Adventurers, and they were now going to war.
Hestia shook her head, dispelling those thoughts for the moment. There were more important things to focus on, like the fact that Loki knew about Liaris now. Who knew how long it would be until that chatterbox Goddess spilled the beans. Loki had said that she wouldn't say anything for now. But Hestia did not want to trust Loki for too long. So, her eyes followed Bell's retreating figure, pondering how she would break the news.
They followed him all the way up to their meeting room in the Tower of Babel. Ryuu knocked on the great set of doors in front of them, and they were soon let in by Eina. She smiled at the trio but said nothing as they were led to their seats around a great round table. Sitting in attendance, representing adventurers, were Ganesha, his executives Shakti and Ilta, Loki and her trio, and finally Hephaestus and Tsubaki. Representing the Guild were Royman, Eina, and Fels, the skeleton.
"We asked Miss Aisha and Miss Lulune if they wanted to represent Lord Hermes, but they turned us down. Lord Ouranos says that he already knows about the God and his travels and that we'll be ok," began Eina to the entire room. She then looked at Hestia Familia. "Although Miss Aisha brought a note from Lord Hermes that says to consider what Familia members of his remain to be members of Hestia Familia for the time."
Bell and Ryuu looked surprised, but Hestia nodded along.
"Makes sense; Aisha already travels and fights with us constantly anyway," replied Hestia. "And I'm sure Lulune is the only other member, so it won't be hard to fold her into our formation."
Eina nodded. The rest of Hermes Familia was indeed still outside of the city. Whatever their top-secret mission was, it was known only to Ouranos. Not even Fels understood what the Messenger God was doing, but apparently, it was essential for the survival of Orario.
"Moving on to the business at hand," said Finn, standing at the head of the table. "From what was seen by Hestia Familia during their expedition, it appears as if the Sun Seekers are actually using special magic tools to control hordes of monsters."
Tsubaki's face scrunched. "Where would they be getting things like those?"
"The leading theory is that they get them from Freya," replied Finn.
"So why aren't we breaking down her door?" asked Shakti, tapping her fingers against the table.
"With what proof?" asked Riveria in response. "Even we are unsure that Freya is their benefactor. That is just the leading theory." A glance to Ryuu. "For all we know, this could be a ploy by the remnants of Evilus."
The hands at Ryuu's side tightened. She nodded, conceding the point, before looking over at Fels.
"My question is, how would Freya get such an item? Wouldn't it require someone with the enigma developmental ability? Who else in the city could have that besides you and Andromeda?"
The question made everyone pause. Obviously, this was the first time they had really stopped to consider that particular problem. Hephaestus rubbed her chin in thought, nodding along.
"Well, I can start looking into that then," said the Goddess of the forge. "The next most obvious person is the Dea Saint. But if she's doing it, it's because of her God. However, I'll leave that particular spot of inquiry to Miach Familia. With me and my children asking around about magic items, it'll cause less suspicion." Her one good eye looked over at Royman. "And I'll start with whatever inventory you've kept of collected contraband."
The large, sweaty leader of the Guild turned red in the face. "Are you accusing me of giving items to Freya and her ilk?"
"No one is saying that, sir!" replied Eina, quick to try and placate her boss. "I think what Lady Hephaestus is talking about is the fact that Freya could have sent somebody to steal it."
"Or use her charm," added Loki. "Aside from Itty Bitty over there, no one here as any sort of immunity, right?"
The crimson Goddess swung her sharp gaze around the room. It pierced into Hestia's soul. She understood the problem, though. Freya could have spies in all their Familias, and they wouldn't know.
It was Hephaestus who responded. "Which is why I'll check the documentation. Freya can charm people, but not logs and books. If it was written down, then we can work on finding it."
"Honestly, might as well take Lulune with you, then," added Hestia. "She's one of Hermes's kids, which means she worked with Asfi. She'll know what kind of magic items and discrepancies you'll be looking for."
Royman, finally calm, nodded at the Goddesses. "Yes, I suppose you're right." He looked over at his second-in-command. "Tulle, find someone to dig up every piece of documentation we have." Royman looked up before snapping his greasy fingers together. "Get Frot to do it! Even if she was charmed by Freya, she wouldn't know how to be a spy."
This was Royman's nice way of saying that Misha was a little too simpleminded for espionage. And as much as Eina hated to admit it, he wasn't exactly wrong. She loved Misha dearly, but the pinkette was a horrible secret keeper.
"If it's Freya, we need to be looking at," began Hestia, calling the attention of the room. "Then it should be my kids who do it."
"We should?" asked Bell, incredulous.
Hestia nodded. "Something Athena explained to me. Children of a virgin Goddess have a harder time being charmed." She gave Bell the side-eye. "You guys aren't immune, except maybe Oto and Ura, but it would be harder for Freya to get you under her spell. Might just give enough to get away." Hestia shrugged. "Not to mention the fact that we do have the best people for spying."
"We do?" asked Bell, again incredulous.
Hestia started listing it off on her fingers. "Ura's literally a ninja, Mikoto was trained as a ninja, Ryuu was the Gale Wind, and Lili has disguise magic."
Bell blinked. His Familia were such kind people, with such loud personalities, that he often forgot that they were kind of deadly.
"So, if we need to investigate Freya, my children might be the best option," finished Hestia.
"The only problem is that you're all celebrities," said Hephaestus with a smile.
But Hestia grinned back. "Which is why we have the advantage!" She looked over at her first child. "If we have Bell out in the open, Freya's eyes will be drawn to him. Everyone will be so busy watching Bell that the others can slip away unnoticed. We can probably do the same with Welf." She looked at her Captain. "Maybe have the two of you run a magic sword promotion event?"
Loki's lips curled upwards mischievously. "And while she's focused on your little brats, the others can get about their business." Loki stopped. "Wait a second… how'd you come up with a plan like that?"
Hestia opened her mouth, indignant, but Ryuu beat her to it.
"It was Lili's plan, actually. She has created several counter-measures and scenarios to help us do what we can against Freya." The elf looked at Finn. "But that says nothing about what we're going to do about the Sun Seekers. Freya or not, they have hordes of monsters on their side. Not to mention the Sun Seekers themselves. Both of the ones we fought were level six potential easily."
Finn nodded. "True enough. The best thing we can do for that is begin our recon. Shakti, can your Familia take point there? You have the most members, so you can cover the most ground in the Dungeon."
"I am Ganesha!" said the God in response. "And while I am happy to lend a hand, I must warn you now, many of my Familia will be preoccupied with helping the Xenos that remain on our site and finding them a new home. We will need support from the members of Loki Familia with our search. It would be best if we took the Dungeon, as planned, but you swept through Knossos to check on the lower floors."
Everyone besides Shakti blinked in surprise at Ganesha's logical plan of action. The Captain of Ganesha Familia just smiled. She had joined him for a reason, after all. She nodded along with his plan and outlined how she could best deploy the members of her Familia. Then, she looked over at Bell.
"The Xenos that are our allies, they are coming to the surface. I will need your help with them. They trust you more than anyone else. So, tell me when you can come by to help. You and the renard girl. Apparently, they started asking for you two specifically," said Shakti.
Bell looked over to Fels. "Wiene and Lyd and the others are coming up to the surface?"
The skeleton nodded. "Yes, they should be arriving in Daedalus Street by nightfall. I have bought an empty warehouse to store them in and keep them safe. It has already been set up with beds and the like. I have also made sure to purchase the land around it and keep away prying eyes."
"And what if they run off?" asked Bell. After all, that was how the world had learned about Wiene. "I hope there's some sort of way to stop them from getting antsy?"
The other humans and non-deities looked away, caught in their surprise of not thinking of such things. But Fels held up a placating hand. "Not to worry, Bell Cranel, the Xenos will have access to proper food, water, and shelter. If you like, you can swing by the warehouse and inspect it yourself. As for something to do…underneath their hideout is a series of tunnels that will connect them back to Knossos. Through there, they will be able to help us with recon. After all, no one knows the Dungeon better they. Lyd and the others will be well taken care of. You have my word."
Bell nodded, a serious glint in his eyes. Then, he noticed that the other older and more experienced adventurers were all staring at him. Some in curiosity, like Shakti and Riveria. But some seemed happy with his decision-making and how he had found his voice, like Finn and Gareth. Eina watched on like a proud older sister.
"There are more tiny details to iron out, but this covers the main tasks for each major Familia. As always, Dian Cecht has been made aware to start preparing the right medicine and remedies." The Braver's face grew serious. "Make no mistake, people, we are going to war. It will not be simple or kind like it is with Rakia. Our battlefield is the Dungeon itself, and despite being seasoned adventurers, we will be sorely lacking in knowledge of the terrain. We will be outnumbered and most likely over-powered if the enemies we've seen so far are anything to go by. I don't want to lose anybody, but I can't do it on my own. So, do your parts, and do it to keep the ones you love safe. As soon as we have the other Xenos with us, we begin our expedition."
Bell frowned. "Who will protect the city while we're in the Dungeon?"
Eina sighed. "We are planning on asking Freya to do it, actually. Thankfully, she's still playing along with our demands and limitations." Bell opened his mouth, displeased with the answer, but Eina cut him off. "Trust me, Bell, none of us like it, but at the moment, the Sun Seekers and this King Typhon are the more pressing emergency. If we're not careful, they could destroy us all."
"We're walking into a trap, then," added Tsubaki, arms crossed.
Finn shook his head. "There's something off about all of this." He looked at his hand. "My thumb has been twitching this whole meeting. It's like we're all part of some grand opera, and some is the director pulling our strings." He gave them a rueful smile. "So, it's up to us to follow the script, but improvise where we can."
They remained there for another hour and hammered out the last of the details and current assignments. While they did so, Fels kept his occulus nearby. He should have received a message by now. Some sort of correspondence from the Xenos about their progress. Except, there had only been silence. The only message he had received was Lyd saying that they had departed from the village. Maybe, they were just running a bit behind, or perhaps they had monster troubles to deal with. Hopefully, it was nothing important.
The meeting finished, though, so the rest of the Familias split off. Hestia had parting words with her fellow Goddesses and Ganesha and then stood by the exit, waiting for her children. Riveria did have a question for Bell and Ryuu, though.
"My brother, how's he holding up?" asked the high elf.
Bell and Ryuu shared a look.
"He's doing better," said Bell. "But he gets really quiet sometimes like there's something important he's thinking about and considering."
"He has these long contemplative moments," continued Ryuu. "They are ok for now, but I fear what will happen when he goes in the Dungeon."
Riveria nodded. "Thank you, both of you. I will see if I can get him to open up." She bowed to the two of them. "Again, thank you for keeping an eye on my brother; it is much appreciated."
Bell and Ryuu both flushed and quickly denied any need for praise. To them, Elwin was as much their family as he was Riveria's. Looking out for him was second nature at this point. Honestly, now that Filvis was there too, it was like they had even more reason to take care of their half-elf mage.
With the Familia:
Out in the street, Hestia did not lead the two of them home. Instead, they were heading for the Hostess of Fertility. Hestia said that they had to talk to Dixen about his new status. That had been what she had done the night of the party, after all. The bard had gotten the official blessing of the Goddess for his role in spreading the word of Hestia's Familia's travels ahead of their eventual return.
"He's got some interesting skills and even more interesting magic. Honestly, I think the two of you need to see it. Along with deciding what we're going to do with him," explained the Goddess.
"What do you mean?" asked Bell.
"Mister Dixen is a bard first and foremost. I doubt he wants to come with us into the Dungeon of all places and risk his life for no apparent reason. But we can't just let him run around and do as he, please. We do have a reputation to uphold as a high-ranking Familia," explained Ryuu.
Hestia nodded. "Just so. I'm fine with him being a non-combatant, and I'm even ok with him not living with us if he doesn't want to, but I think there should still be some kind of connection. Otherwise, what's the point?"
Her executives nodded. Eventually, they found their way to their favourite tavern. The restaurant was just starting to get ready for lunch, so they got a table and enjoyed the quieter atmosphere. Helun walked over to get their orders, taking the opportunity to flirt with Ryuu at every turn.
"Pasta, Ryuu?" Helun frowned. "I thought you didn't like noodles after I ate your cherry?"
Bell almost spat out his water when Helun winked at him. She sauntered away, and Hestia had to snap a couple times to get Ryuu's attention. The elf was spending an impolite amount of time checking out the waitress's behind.
Hestia huffed. "Honestly, here I am, a virgin Goddess, and my Familia is filled with horn dogs." The little Goddess crossed her arms before looking over at her first child. "You won't betray me like that, right Bell? You won't bring Wallenwhatsherface home and forever tarnish my chastity?"
Bell struggled to answer. Ever since he had done that unspeakable act and dared to kiss Ais's cheek, the mere thought of her made his back burn something fierce. It didn't help that he had Little Ais, his name for the plushie, sitting in a corner in his room. He had even slept with it a couple times! Honestly, he was horrified with his own forwardness.
When he didn't answer, Hestia sighed. She turned back to Ryuu. "Well, just try and keep it out of the house, ok?" Ryuu blushed. "Listen, I'm happy that you're all finding love, but I am serious about my reputation." She drew tiny circles on the sticky bar top. "I'm not going to stand in anyone's way, but I want to try taking this whole Goddess thing more seriously, and part of that includes my identity."
Ryuu smiled and ruffled her Goddess's hair. "I promise, if I get up to anything, I'll come back here and spend the night in Helun's room."
"Oh wow, a sleepover already. My little Ryuu, how bold you are," said Helun.
Ryuu flushed instantly as the silver-haired waitress placed down a plate of noodles. This was followed by sandwiches for Hestia and Bell. Instead of continuing to tease the elf, though, she turned to the Goddess.
"I found Dixen and told him you were waiting. He should be down shortly," she said before walking away.
As if on cue, the bard hurried down the stairs, a smile on his face. He joined them at their table, nodding in turn to all three of them.
"Sorry to keep you waiting; I just wanted to make sure I was properly dressed," he said.
Bell's eyes popped open. "Were you still asleep? It's almost noon Mister Dixen."
Chloe, who was walking by with a tray of drinks, snorted.
"It doesn't help that he and Lunoire were up late again. I'm surprised she was still able to get up so early," said the cat-girl.
Helun giggled as she came with the table's drinks.
"Now now, Chloe, I don't think we should be making fun of our fellow employees." She looked Dixen up and down. "That said, Lunoire was walking a bit funny this morning."
With that, she walked away to wait on another table.
Ryuu and Bell looked at Dixen Trebule incredulously. The bard had the decency to blush. Lunoire watched on from the other side of the room but had been unable to properly listen as she took orders. All she knew was that her so-called friends deserved a bit of a smack later. And that her…was he, her boyfriend? Well, her special friend would probably need to get smacked too. Odds were he had said something stupid…again.
Lunoire walked off, cursing her bad luck to be surrounded by nothing but idiots.
"She didn't take our order…" said the man at the table Lunoire had just ignored.
Hestia sighed. "Ok, let's move on from all this." She looked at Dixen. "We need to start talking about what you will do for this Familia. No one expects a bard to become an adventurer. Not to mention, you've probably built up a substantial debt with Mama Mia."
Dixen nodded sheepishly. Honestly, the debt was secondary at this point. He didn't care much about how he was paid, and Mia seemed happy to have a live musician. Not to mention, any cost for the room had been split in half for the last while. Lunoire had chosen to stop the pretense that she wasn't already in his room every night.
"So, I'm not looking for a lot of money from you. We'd all be disappointed with that," continued Hestia.
Dixen frowned. "Then, what do you want?"
The Goddess smiled as she leaned forward. "I want you to do what you do best, make music."
Her three children tilted their heads.
"Your songs paved the way for us to come home, and they helped build our rep. I want you to keep doing it," explained Hestia. She turned to her Familia. "Right now, there are only ten of you kiddos, and I love you all from the bottom of my heart." She frowned. "But ten will not do. We need more recruits, and it's obvious that Orario's a little tainted because of my debt to Hephaestus." She pointed at Dixen. "But if you write enough fancy songs, singing our praises, I think we'll be able to draw a crowd from beyond Orario's walls."
Ryuu and Bell looked confused, but Dixen nodded along. He was rubbing his chin, already deep in thought.
"That could work," he said. "Music does travel farther than any other art after all." He surveyed the pub. "And I'm in the perfect spot." He looked back to Hestia. "But I need to be your exclusive composer. I don't want to be fighting for access with over bards."
Hestia nodded. "But of course. You are the only one with my blessing, after all. But that goes both ways. I don't want you writing any songs about Loki's children."
Dixen's eyes darted over to Bell. "That might be a bit hard, considering the relationships between your two Familia's."
Hestia frowned. "Fair enough, but we should still be the primary focus."
Dixen nodded. "Sounds like a fair deal to me."
Hestia smiled and extended her hand. "Well then, I look forward to our working together."
Dixen Trebule chuckled. "As do I, Goddess Hestia."
They spent the rest of their lunch going over what stories would make the best songs. Hestia mentioned how Ryuu had singlehandedly taken down Udeaus, and Dixen began interviewing the elf. Along with that was a rough outline for a duet about Oto and Ura, as well as a ballad to be sung in elvish about Elwin. Apparently, Dixen had studied the language some time ago.
"Wait, what is your status, Mister Dixen?" asked Bell at one point.
With a proud flourish, Dixen Trebule whipped out his first-ever status sheet.
Dixen Trebule
Hestia Familia
Level 1
STR: I 0 END: I 0 DEX: I 0 AGI: I 0 MAG: I 0
Developmental Abilities:
Skills:
Musical Inspiration: Enhances mind recovery and spellcasting efficiency when playing a musical instrument; potency scales off the user's MAG stat
Magic:
Sostenuto Melodica: Support Magic, whose effects depend on the music played by the caster, does not distinguish between friend or foe.
Bell and Ryuu studied the sheet of paper, asking about what his particular magic and skills did. Dixen explained that they were actually quite common among bards. He essentially had no attack capabilities, but a vast range of possible support spells at his disposal. Ryuu hummed thoughtfully, already forming an idea in her mind about what Dixen could do for her Familia.
The trio left soon afterward, waving goodbye to their friends. They walked home, and once inside, Hestia motioned for Bell to follow her. She brought him into her office and pulled out two sheets of paper.
"What is it, Lady Hestia?" asked Bell, looking curious and a little worried.
Hestia didn't look him in the eye. All she did was hand over a couple papers.
"These are your complete status sheets from over a year ago. Back when you were a fledgling adventurer."
Bell looked confused but took the papers anyway. Hestia watched him read them over. Slowly, the confusion gave way to disbelief, followed by growing despair. He looked up at Hestia, and she felt her heartbreak at the disappointment and sadness on his face.
"Goddess Hestia, what is this?" he asked.
Hestia looked away.
"A skill you had, Liaris Freese. It played a part in your breakneck growth," she began. "It only took me a little while to figure it out, but it was linked to your desire to catch up with Ais Wallenstein."
"Is it still there?" asked Bell.
Hestia shook her head. "Her betrayal…we think it killed the growth. You fell out of love with Ais Wallenstein, or at least, you don't want to be like her anymore."
Bell barely heard the second half of her sentence.
"What do you mean, 'we'?"
Hestia looked up.
"Everyone in our Familia knows Bell." Before he could speak again, she kept going. "But please try not to blame them or think too badly of them." She hung her head. "It was my decision to keep this a secret."
She could see the storm of questions and emotions on Bell's face. Only one word ended up finding its way out of his mouth, though.
"Why?"
Hestia smiled, but it held a sea of sadness.
"You were finally proud of yourself, Bell. You finally believed that you could do something great." She felt her tears form at the corner of her eyes. She sniffled but fought through it to try and make him understand. "I've done nothing but fail you as a Goddess. From our debt to all the times you've had to risk your life to save me, I've been nothing but trouble. But you were happy because you were growing so fast." She took a second to rub her eyes. Thankfully, Bell was still listening. "I don't know much, but I know you, Bell. If you had an excuse, any excuse, to put the reason for your growth somewhere else, you would have taken it. You would have said that Liaris was the reason that you were strong."
"Because it is," said Bell.
Hestia shook her head, still crying. "No, you're the reason you got stronger, Bell. Liaris Freese is just a trigger." She looked him in the eyes. "Be angry at me, Bell, that's fine. I lied to you, and I deserve all your hate for it." She reached out to take his hands. Bell, in his shock, let her. "But please don't discount everything that you've done. Don't forget how far you've come as an adventurer."
"Except, it wasn't me. I just got lucky with a skill." Bell shook his head as he pulled away. He started to walk backwards, away from Hestia. "I need to go. I can't…I can't be here right now. I need…I need some fresh air…."
The boy left the office. His Familia tried to smile and wave as he went by, but he ignored them. He took to the streets. He couldn't stay in his home. Some rational part in his brain told him to go back and try to talk it out. But really, he just wanted to leave. He needed…he needed to go see Alfia. He needed to talk to her. He'd rather listen to his mother, but she and papa were still in his room. And Bell couldn't go back there, not yet. So, he set off for the graveyard, not really paying attention to what was happening around him.
With the Love Goddess:
Freya watched over her Odr from her room in Babel. The stage for her grand production was set. Soon, her lover's soul would be pure, or he'd be dead. Things would be right with the world. Freya knew that this plan was risky. If he lost one of his Familia, then she ran the risk of his soul becoming even darker. But as she watched him leave, those worries abated. With her Godly vision, she saw how distraught he was. The Goddess saw how he ran from his home and his family. If she wanted to remove Hestia's pieces from the board, now was the time when their passing wouldn't affect him.
Her loyal attendant, Ottar, stood nearby. Sensing her mood, he stepped forward, ever diligent.
"Orders, Lady Freya?"
The Goddess considered it for a second. Then, she shook her head.
"No, better to let the Xenos deal with these problems. I did promise them their pound of flesh, no?"
Freya also did not want to bloody her own hands. If she and her Familia took part in this fight, there was a good chance it would leave them tired. Better to watch on the walls like the Guild would ask. Then, if the coalition of Familias won the day, they'd be exhausted. It would be that much easier for her to capture Bell and make him hers.
And deep down, Freya knew the truth. She didn't want people to die if she could help it. She was a Goddess of Love, and she cared about everyone in her own twisted way. So, if she could avoid it, she would not play a direct hand in her Odr's affairs. That would only happen if she knew she had to. Even Freya had her limits.
With the Rogue:
Down in Rivira, Bords had been called to the front gate. Apparently, there had been a massive disturbance. The people there were verging on a riot. As town leader, it was his job to investigate the issue. What he found was a large crowd standing in shock and awe. He shoved his way to the centre to see a crumpled-up figure wearing a red cloak.
She was no larger than a young girl, but Bors understood the people's apprehension when she lifted her head. Her hair was an aqua blue, as were her scales. Yes, she had scales and fangs and claws. All of these were soaked in blood, though.
With the last of her energy, the little creature looked at Bors.
"Please…help me. Get Bell…"
She passed out on the spot.
Sooooo, sorry about the break, but I am back! Just took a week to reset myself and get ready for school. But now we are back to our usual scheduled programming. I hope you all enjoy and let me know what you think! We are now into the third arc, the Civil War Arc!
Review Responses:
Guest Whitewolf: Close, sort of...you'll see eventually
JJisback: Thanks! I wanted to strike a bit of a balance on this reveal
Tranadar: Bell and Ais will get there, eventually. Thankfully they didn't actually run into anybody. I don't know if there innocence could handle it. Here's the first promise. The others will be coming along much later.
King Damage: They will continue to play a part.
Kingkdiamond: The Hermes meeting will be very important moving forward. but will only come up much later.
Guest: Almighty12: getting along for now. The previous arc was the expedition arc. Now we are in the Xenos Civil War Arc. Enjoy!
