Chapter 62:

Lili saw how they were holding back. The gathered forces of Freya Familia, and her mind-controlled allies, were not launching a full assault on the manor. It was like they didn't want to risk total property damage. Which was strange to the pallum. She frowned but knew that she couldn't spend too much time thinking about such things. The assault was in full swing, and her Familia were scattered to the winds. This moment, in her home, was her battle, though, and she would hold the line until they got home. And if the enemy got inside, then she had a plan for that to. But for now, the fighting was being contained to the outside.

In the front of the house, Aki and Raul held the line. The two level 5s coordinated the on the ground members of Loki Familia. There weren't many left after the expedition, mostly just low-level members that were still cutting their teeth as adventurers. Against the ferocity of Freya Familia, they were just buying time. They used magic swords and coordinated attacks to stave off the brunt of the attack force. Everyone was counting the seconds go by and praying that one of Freya's top tier adventures wasn't going to appear.

In the backyard, Otohime and Urashima were stuck keeping any other goons from sneaking in. It was strange, while Freya Familia could have easily overpowered their way through an assault on all sides, they were not. Their approach was slow and measured. Lili counted herself lucky for that. Maybe they thought that Hestia was hiding some final trick up her sleeve. Maybe there was some kind of sinister purpose to it. Whichever it was, Lili couldn't afford to waste time on it.

Meanwhile, Otohime couldn't think about anything except the fight in front of her. These members of Freya Familia were unreasonably ferocious in their fighting, and Oto was doing her best to fend them off.

Blocking one fighter's dual blades on her bisento, she pivoted on her back foot. Turned away, Otohime landed a kick on the fighter's back, sending them flying. While that happened, Otohime slashed the blade portion of her staff across the chest of another fighter. In the millisecond of a pause available to her, the Dragon Princess's eyes darted around the battlefield. Her battle analyzed, she planted her feet and braced against a kick. She caught it between her spear and her arms, twisting and flipping her attacker. The young woman thanked the Goddess for her recent level up, and the strength it brought.

These attacks all happened in what felt like a single breath. Urashima, who fought at her side, watched her combat ability pick up speed. He had heard of the adjustment period of adventurer's and had even felt it himself. For Otohime, though, it almost felt like magic. Watching the way every little attack sharpened as she did it.

For a long time now, Ura thought that Oto's skill and mind outstripped the limitations of her body. The way she saw the battlefield, it was as if her body couldn't quite keep up with the simulations in her head. Now, as a first-class adventurer, everything clicked into place. It was like watching a roaring waterfall. So much power, but so much natural beauty. Even now, he could see how hungry she was for more. She wanted to do better.

"I love her so much," Urashima said to a member of Freya Familia.

The two of them had locked blades for a second, the opponent's daggers caught by his metal hands. Then Urashima was twisting, using his level four strength to snap the enemy's blades. After that, it was a simple kick to send the enemy flying into a pack of his thuggish friends. Then the ninja was leaping backwards, pushing himself off of the various odds and ends that made up the back courtyard. As he did, he threw out shuriken and kunai. His aim was true, and Freya Familia stumbled and stopped before his downpour of metal. As he landed, he brought his arms up with the blade attachments in. His whole body transformed into a storm of steel. For a minute, he fought like that. Every part of his body was a jagged edge, and they were all turning red.

In a moment of respite, he stopped to look at his carnage. Bodies were strewn on the floor, downed from a thousand cuts. Thankfully, no one had breached the inside of his home yet, but they were inching closer and closer.

"We need a volley!" he shouted.

From inside came the sound of a window shattering. Then, faster than he could keep track of, a barrage of bolts snapped from the house. They landed in explosions of magic, with balls of fire, ice, and lighting tearing the courtyard apart. Part of Ura was sad to see his garden go up in flames, but he knew it was better this than losing the whole house.

Unfortunately, that moment of distraction was all it took for Urashima to get tackled off his feet. He tried to turn and see who his attacker was, but all he saw was a swinging hammer. Then he saw nothing.

With the Smith:

In Folkvangr, it took a bit of time, but Welf had finally cracked his way inside the door of Freya Familia's vault. Elwin was standing beside him. The door opened to reveal a dim room only lit by a couple of candles. Inside, at a desk covered in scrap bits of metal, was a young man with grey hair. He looked up with owlish eyes set in a blank face. It was like starting at a flat sheet of rock.

Welf couldn't help but be amused at the difference between Elwin and his supposed best friend. The half-elf's face lit up as he rushed forward. His face danced through twenty different expressions as he pulled the tinkerer to his feet. He didn't pull his friend into a hug, instead pulling up right in front of him.

"Hey Archi! Sorry that you got captured," said Elwin with jovial cheer.

Archi shrugged. "Not a big deal. The peace and quiet was welcome and I got a lot of research done. Especially since Libby wasn't around chatting my ear off about you." He looked at Elwin. "She's been worried about you. So has your mother." His eyes narrowed imperceptibly. "So have I. You need to write more."

Elwin looked away. "Yeah, sorry about that. Some things came up…."

The young inventor tilted his head. Then he blinked. Finally, he stepped back.

"You died! What in the world?"

Elwin started swearing under his breath. "I forgot that you had that special sight of yours."

"WHAT IN THE WORLD HAPPENED!?" shouted Archi.

Now it was Elwin's turn to be surprised.

"You never shout," he said.

"You died," replied Archi.

"Wait…how do you know that?" asked Welf.

Archi looked over at Welf, and the blacksmith suddenly felt naked. For lack of a better word, it was like Welf was being seen for the first time. Not in an affectionate way, but as if Archi was one of the gods. It was like the young man was reading Welf like a book. There was something piercing in his gaze.

Elwin huffed. "One of Archi's skills…we think. It doesn't have a name, and we don't really understand it, but for lack of a better word…he sees things."

"Crozzo blood," said Archi. "That makes sense."

"Add his gift for understanding the nature of components in a way no one else can with his enigma ability, and he's one hell of an item maker," explained Elwin.

Archi snorted. "It's why that mad woman took me hostage. She wanted me to make magic items for her. And there wasn't much choice."

"Ok well, while I'm happy that you're not doing that anymore, we should probably get topside," said Welf.

"He's right," replied Filvis, floating through the ceiling. "Lady Ryuu is doing well, but the sheer amount of Freya's goons is starting to cause a problem."

Archi looked at Filvis, while Elwin started bounding up the stairs, two at a time, shouting back to his friends as he went.

"Let's go! We have a fight to win!"

They came upstairs to an empty hallyway. Glass lay on the floor from a broken bay window. The trio hopped outside to find Vice-Captain Ryuu an unstoppable blur. While Freya Familia was positively burning in their battle-crazed intensity, Ryuu was frigid and calculating. Even with the overwhelming numbers advantage that they held, Ryuu's level advantage and years of experience made her a cut above them. As the three men watched, she took down another five adventurers.

"Thank God we got Ryuu with us," said Welf. "Definitely makes our job easier." The smith unsheathed Hii Tasutmaki from his back. "That said, I don't plan on letting her fight alone."

Elwin held his staff. "I'm with you on that one." He looked over at Archi. "But I should probably get him to the manor."

There was a pause as the wind still. The whoosh of metal hung in the air.

"While your blazing courage is admirable, and your tenacity sets even my dark soul ablaze, this is the end of your heroic journey."

The next second, there was a flicker of shadow. Suddenly, a blade erupted from Elwin's chest. While not hitting any vital organs, there was certainly a lot of blood. As just as it was there, the blade disappeared, and the half-elf slouched over, falling to the ground. Archi fell with him, already getting to work on the wound. The only thing that saved Welf was his quick reaction. He swung his blade and white-hot flames exploded outwards, their heat and intensity so strong that even a level six would have to avoid it. While the smith's attack was dodged though, it still gave the members of Hestia Familia a second of reprieve.

Seeing the danger, Ryuu landed on the ground next to Welf and Elwin's unconscious body. The first thing the elf did was start casting her healing magic. Soon, a green healing aura appeared at her fingertips. She pressed into the gaping hole in his chest. As Elwin's wound sealed, Ryuu gave out orders.

"Welf, take Archi back to the manor. I will do what I can and then take Elwin with me," the said the elf. "The mission takes priority, and you need to take him home. Split up the forces of Freya Familia."

Welf raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure about that?"

"Welf, I cannot fight Dainsleif if I have to look after you as well," she replied. Her sky-blue eyes traced the sky. "And if he's here, then my guess is that the other one is to."

"An astute observation."

The trio whirled around. Welf's magical flames had already dissipated, leaving only the open field of Folkvangr. On the other side of it were the remaining members of Freya's house guards. In front of them stood two elves. One was a dark elf, and the other was a light elf. Both were terrifying.

"So, Faerie Princess, will you fight us both now? Will you try to wage your might against ours?" asked Hedin. "I will tell you now, such a fight is futile."

Ryuu stopped her healing magic. The worst of it was past now anyway, but Elwin was still unconscious. Ryuu didn't think he would be in danger, though. If it was someone like Allen, maybe, but Hedin and Hegni were known for being the less insane members of Freya Familia. Neither of them seemed like they wanted to kill the half-elf, or even anyone else. They were simply doing their duty. Ryuu drew out Storm and Shadow, their metal whistling as they left their sheaths.

"Welf, take Archi and run. Do not look back," she said. "There is a good chance that most of Freya Familia will follow you. Keep them at bay and get back to the manor. Buy time if you must, and trust no one that isn't one of ours."

Welf started to nod. "Yeah, I'll do that. But you have to come back to us. Win this fight, and then come home."

Ryuu didn't respond. Her eyes trained on the field in front of her, she heard the sound of their footsteps on the grass as they ran, though.

"Follow them."

At Hedin's command, the remaining members of Freya Familia took off after Welf and Archi. Still, though, Ryuu didn't move. She knew what was to come. Her gaze was on two figures only.

"My soul is singing," began Hegni. "It commands an honorable bout to appease the darkness!"

Hedin nodded, stepping back. "Fair enough, a one versus one duel then. But make it quick."

Ryuu took a deep breath as Hegni raised his sword. There was a silence in the air, nary a breeze to be found in that moment, at that place. The former Gale Wind braced her feet, and not a second later was Dainsleif upon her. It was only years of training and reflexes that brought her swords up. But even then, taking the full force of his attack head on sent a shiver up her arms.

When brute force didn't work, Hegni brought his blade back. Ryuu did the same. The two of them began to dance upon the lawn. The shock wave of their attacks was so precise that it cut the grass, and the only sounds to be heard were their swords glancing off each other. This movement lasted only a couple moments, but in that time dozens of clashes had occurred. The two broke apart, making space.

Already, Ryuu could feel her breath getting more labored. But in return, Hegni was not his usual composed self either. However, there was still one difference between them. On Ryuu's arm was a crimson line of blood. Hegni was untouched.

"Your skill is admirable," commented Hedin from the sidelines. "I can see why Lady Freya has such a vested interest in you." He pushed up his glasses. "However, now you must see the difference between you and us. The difference in skill and ferocity. We are Orario's strongest Familia, and our Goddess will have her due."

Ryuu took another deep breath. She allowed the air to sit in her lungs as she listened to the sounds of the city. Even now, as battle raged around her, there was still much to hear from the people living their lives. There was a delicate peace. And once upon a time, Ryuu had been sword to protect it. She closed her eyes, and she saw Alise smiling. Then, she let the air out of her body. She rolled her shoulders and readjusted her grip.

"I worked with your Goddess, and this is just another one of her tantrums," replied Ryuu. "Whether it be in the kitchen of the Hostess, or from the Tower of Babel, I'd recognize her outbursts from anywhere." She rolled her neck. "Now come, I did not come here to debate. I came here to fight. I want to see what Orario's greatest duellist has to offer."

She pushed off the grass, and so did Hegni. Hedin watched from the sidelines.

With the Lovers:

In the ruins of the Pleasure District, Haruhime led Mikoto into a dark room. It had once been the kind of place that prostitutes would take customers. Now, it was a place of momentary refuge. The renard did her best to push down all the terrible memories and feelings that this place brought back to her.

A gentle squeeze of the hand reminded her of how much had changed.

"I swear to you, Lady Haruhime, I will protect you," said Mikoto.

Haruhime smiled. "I know, but I think its time I played my part, small as it is."

Haruhime Sanjouno gathered herself, using calm thoughts to focus her mind. The renard knew that things could go wrong. That this day could mark the end of her Familia. She knew that Mikoto could get hurt, and even die if she wasn't careful. But those wore unnecessary distractions now, so she discarded them. Instead, she held her partners hand and brought her in close. She wanted to convey how much she adored this woman. At her feet, a golden magic circle flared to life. It was small, but that only belied its potential. In it's glow, Yamato Mikoto became even more beautiful. To Haruhime, she was perfect. She was the knight in shining armor she had spent life searching for.

She loved her.

"Grow. That power and that vessel."

When mages spoke magic into reality, it was a proclamation. They were imposing their will on their world. They were conductors of everything they saw around them. It was a thing of beauty, but to Haruhime it also seemed arrogant. She didn't want to bend the world. She didn't want twist and distort it. She only wanted one thing from her magic.

"Breadth of wealth and breadth of wishes. Until the bell tolls, bring forth glory and illusion. -Grow."

She only wanted one thing from her magic, to give people the strength she did not. Standing here, in the shadows of her past, with the person who she loved the most in this world, Haruhime did not shout her spell like before. This was not a proclamation. It was a whisper.

"Confine divine offerings within this body. This golden light bestowed from above. Into the hammer and into the ground, may it bestow good fortune upon you. -Grow."

Haruhime gently cupped Mikoto's face. She took a moment to study it. The sharp purple eyes, her long black hair, and the serious set of her face. She could spend a lifetime looking at just that. Then, in a hushed tone, the Enchantenko finished her incantation. She pulled Yamato Mikoto close, saying into low and into her ear.

"Uchide No Kozuchi."

Haruhime pulled back and kissed Mikoto then. And with it she passed over her magic. Into it, she poured all her feelings of love and affection, the magic passing like a breath of life. When she finished, she pulled back to find Mikoto standing there, cherry red. Haruhime took a certain amount of satisfaction in that. In the embarrassment she could still cause.

The Black Crow, glowing golden, nodded once. Then she disappeared.

With the Fighter:

Vanir was the member of Freya Familia in charge of the raid on the Black Crow and Enchantenko. Hedin had made it very clear to him that it was imperative that they removed the renard from the board. Her magic was too powerful and could do too much to turn the tide of battle. To that end, he had been given twenty members of Freya Familia just like him. They were all level four, and they were all some of the most dangerous and tenacious members. They were the equivalent of those second stringers from Loki Familia. Except they were willing to put up a decent fight.

Vanir thought it overkill to send so many, but Hedin had advised caution. With the Black Crow there, possibly working at the strength of a level five, it was better to be safe than sorry. The young man had disagreed at the time but knew better than to voice his objections to the former elf king.

Now standing outside the ruined building of the Pleasure District, he looked at his troops.

"Take it floor by floor," said Vanir. "Don't let them know where you are and keep communication to a minimum. Remember, incapacitate, but do not kill."

The others nodded back in silence.

"Now go."

They all disappeared into the building. Vanir followed. He had seen the Black Crow in action, fighting that level three during the tournament. While she had been impressive, she had also revealed all her secrets. Vanir saw all her weaknesses and knew how to exploit them. And she was a fresh level four. Vanir had been one for quite some time. So had everyone that had fought for Freya in his war party. This was a battle they could win.

In the silence of the building, Vanir watched his Familia creep around. The party moved slowly, careful not to disturb the burnt paper and broken wood. They couldn't alert the two inside that they were coming. Vanir took a moment to peer in a room, seeing nothing but the shadows of a destroyed Familia. Ishtar had challenged the Goddess once to. And now Ishtar was no more. Just as Vanir was going to step deeper inside, he heard a scream. He jumped back into the dark hallway. The rest of his team looked back to him. The only difference from before was that one of them was missing.

"There was some kind of golden light," said one member.

"It appeared and disappeared, and then he was gone," added another.

Vanir growled. "The Black Crow is using Far Eastern tricks. Its shadow tactics and fear mongering. Ignore them and continue searching for the renard. Find her and her little knight will come dashing to her rescue."

"Touch her and lose a hand."

The voice came from behind, but when Vanir turned there was nothing waiting for him. But there was another scream. He looked across the shadowed room to see one of his fighters pinned to the wall, held in place by long kunai.

"Where did she come from?" asked a Freya member in a shaky voice.

"That was not the speed of a level five!" shouted another.

"It seems that my wonderful partner has gotten stronger."

Everyone turned again, but there was still nothing to be seen.

"She's glowing fucking gold! How can we not see her?" asked Vanir.

"Because I'm better than you."

It was only instinct that made Vanir duck and avoid the leg that might have taken his head off. Instead, though, the leg crashed through one of the building's support beams. The building shuddered. After looking at that, Vanir looked back to where the kick had come from. Except, there was no one there.

"Where the fuck is she? How do we keep missing her?"

Silence was Vanir's only answer. He looked around, squinting to find parts of his team all unconscious and bleeding. This was almost half of his team now. Not to mention that the building was still shaking from losing a support beam.

"Everyone inside, get out!"

Vanir jumped out the door, with the sound of windows crashing and paper tearing following him from behind. He landed back in the ruined cobblestone street to find ten other people with him. That was ten less than he had originally.

"What the hell is going on?" asked Vanir, raising his blades. "This is definitely not a level five."

As if to accentuate the point, behind Vanir parts of the building came tumbling down. And standing there in front of it was his supposed prey. The Black Crow stood in front, katana out. She was still glowing golden, signifying that the magic was still in effect. Behind her was the Enchantenko, whose figure was much less combative.

Vanir looked to his remaining fighters, nodding. All they had to do now was wait out the renard's magic, and then they would be back in charge of the fight. They spread out, so as to not provide any means of escape to the Enchantenko, or her girlfriend. Except, the Black Crow didn't stay still. She exploded forward, crashing into her opponents. Bits of rubble were sent flying. They scattered around her, and then she was upon them.

Mikoto's blade sang as she cut down her opponents. The Black Crow's specialty was her versatility, but underneath all that, she was a swordsman. The katana was an extension of her soul, and she used it to carry her passion forward.

After what felt like only a couple heartbeats of combat, Vanir saw that he was the only one left. The rest of his team were on the ground, unconscious or clutching at their wounds. And Vanir knew that the only reason he was still awake was because of his years of training. He brought his blades up and blocked a downward slash coming from above. From the jolt of pain, he knew that his arms were broken. But as soon as one attack ended, he felt a fist at his abdomen. He felt his ribs break, and his body went flying back into another dilapidated building on the street.

"Lady Haruhime, we must keep moving before the spell wears off," said the Black Crow.

Vanir struggled to his feet. He could not disappoint his Goddess. He could not let the members of Hestia Familia escape. So, he took a deep breath and started shouting at the top of his lungs.

"Get them! Attack! Do it for your Goddess!"

And like monsters falling from Dungeon walls, swarms of adventurers shambled out from the buildings. They were Amazons one and all, from many different Familia. All their eyes shone silver. The Black Crow grimaced.

"Mikoto…they're the Berbera!"

And Enchantenko was correct. Vanir smirked at the thought. All these damned Amazon whores, pretending that they could come anywhere close to Lady Freya. Such a thought made him sick to his stomach. But look at them now, worshipping his Goddess. It was a pleasant thought, having them acknowledge their inferiority to Lady Freya.

"Then I must apologise to them in advance, but I cannot afford to hold back," said Black Crow.

Internally, Vanir was ecstatic. These crowds would stop the girls from running. Which bought time for others to show up. Already, this battle was as good as over. They just didn't know it.

With the Familia:

Back at the Hearthstone Manor, Otohime was freaking out. She had seen those Bringar arrive and steal her Ura, but the constant attacks had stopped her from doing anything. Her brain was getting pulled in about a dozen different directions. And without Urashima to watch her back, her defense of the house was failing. Already, some had gotten inside and now the Dragon Princess was hunting them down, one by one. She knew that it was just a house, and that no real targets were here, but that didn't mean that she could let them run free.

Meanwhile, in the front yard, this only added more pressure to Aki and Raul. The two-level fives were doing everything they could, but they were still only barely holding. Around them, their Familia started to fall. And that wasn't even the worst of it. The true worst part was that Freya had sent her best healer, Heith Velvet, to support her fighters. And Heith rivalled the Dea Saint in healing ability. Every enemy they knocked down would eventually just get back up again.

"How long are we supposed to keep this up?" asked Aki as she kicked a random adventurer off her blade.

"We need to keep our trust in Finn!" replied Raul.

At some point he had lost his sword but had stolen an axe from someone else. He swung with a surprising amount of expertise and skill.

"Trust in the pallum? I don't know how smart of a decision that is to be honest."

Both adventurers stopped at that voice. It was a familiar one, and it used to be a comforting one. It was a voice they heard after every great expedition. Every time they came back from a fight, it welcomed them with open arms and mugs of ale. It was the voice of Demi Ymir, Mia Grand. She was leading the forces assaulting the manor. And she wasn't alone.

"These fools stand in the way of the Goddess, nya!"

"Silly little fools, nya!"

"Oi, stop talking rubbish and get to fighting, you stupid cats."

Landing right past the front gates were three familiar waitresses in battle attire. One held a golden spear, one held a pair of wicked knives, and the last had only her deadly fists. And all their eyes glowed silver.

"Lady Freya gave us special attention! She wanted to make sure that we were in her pocket and on her side when the time came!" said Chloe.

"She even let us convert to Freya Familia," added Lunoire.

"And now we can repay our Goddess for her kindness!" finished Anya.

"I almost wish it was different," said Mia. "But these are the expectations of the Goddess. And I don't get much of a choice in the matter. Not with Syr being held hostage."

Raul almost dropped his weapon then. Maybe if it was just the three waitresses, they would have stood some kind of chance, but not with Demi Ymir here to.

"Dammit Finn! You were supposed to be here by now!"

Raul and Aki stood side by side. And they prepared for battle as well as they could. But then, a new voice joined the growing clamour.

"It's too late! I found the Goddess!"

From inside the home of Hestia Familia, a member of Freya Familia walked out. In his hands appeared the struggling form of Lady Hestia. She was trying to fight back and squirm out of his grip, but to no avail apparently. All of Freya's army whooped in joy for this. The only one who wasn't happy was Mia.

"She's a Goddess, you're not supposed to be able to put a hand on her," said the half-dwarf, frowning.

Otohime came running out the front door. Mia looked to the other member of Hestia Familia.

"What kind of game are you lot playing?"

Otohime just shrugged, as if she had no idea what Mia was talking about. Aki and Raul also looked confused at the development. And then Hestia finally stopped struggling. The Goddess frowned before trying to look to her child.

"You couldn't have kept them away for a little bit longer?" she asked.

Otohime frowned this time.

"They took Ura! My Ura! I've been preoccupied! And why did you let yourself get caught in the first place? I thought you were supposed to be good at all this hiding and sneaking nonsense!" she replied.

Hestia sighed. "Fair enough."

Then the Goddess muttered something under her breath, and she disappeared. And in her place was a scruffy looking pallum girl. The adventurer holding her let go in shock. Lili rolled away while stabbing him with an ice arrow. His face of disbelief became a frozen fixture of the battlefield.

Mama Mia's eyes narrowed. "If you're here, covering for the Goddess, then where is she truly?"

Lili sneered. "Why in the world would Lili ever tell the enemy that?"

With the Goddess:

In that same moment, in Knossos, Hestia was pacing back and forth. Her godly intuition was going off like crazy. Lyd and a newly returned Weine watched her go insane.

"I don't like being away from the fighting, you know," she said again for the hundredth time. "I should be up there…doing something!"

Lyd shook his big lizard head.

"You know that isn't the plan, Goddess Hestia," he said in his loud rumbling voice. "There are other parts to this puzzle that you need to wait for. We must all exercise some patience at the moment. And the first step is to wait for the arrival of Loki Familia."

"It'll be ok Hestia! Bell and the others will be ok!" pronounced Weine. She had given the Goddess a big hug when she'd first returned. "You said that everyone had gotten really strong, right?"

Hestia nodded as she frowned. "Yeah, I did say something like that. But it doesn't change the fact that this is till Freya that we're talking about. Who knows what kind of nasty tricks she has up her sleeve. She could be planning something really awful for Bell and the others."

Lyd thumped his tail on the ground. "You must have faith in your children Hestia. Have faith that they can prevail."

Hestia breathed. She had to keep faith.

With the Boy:

In Daedalus Street, Bell continued to run. Familia from around Orario were in the maze of streets with him, and every single one of them wanted to be the one to catch him. They all had the same silver eyes. The really dangerous ones, though, were the level five members of Ganesha Familia in here with him. Bell had had the misfortune of running into a couple of them before and had been forced to flee every time. It wasn't that they were stronger than him. Bell was a level six now; he could have easily taken them out. The problem was that any time he wasted fighting them was more time for his enemies to catch him in their snare. So, he kept running. But he didn't know how long he could keep that up.

And then there was HIM. Bell had felt his presence some time back, but thankfully he had not intervened yet. Still, though, waiting in the wings, Bell knew that Ottar could strike at any moment. And it was hard to hide from a level seven adventurer. He was one step ahead of Bell at every moment, always keeping his eyes on the younger adventurer. It sent a shiver up Bell's spine.

"But what do I do about it?" asked Bell. "Come on Mister Finn, you have to show up soon! I don't know how much longer I can run!"

With the Samurai:

Mikoto was getting tired. Her level boost was going to fade soon, and with it would go her surprising level six status. She didn't know how Haruhime had done it, but the renard had broken past her limits. And apparently, she had done it for Mikoto. The Black Crow wanted to kiss her so much in that moment, but the damned mind-controlled Berbera kept getting in the way! It didn't help that she knew many of them either. Every take down was like attacking a friend. And Mikoto hated it.

As the last of the golden lights left Mikoto's body, and Haruhime got ready to cast her spell again, there was a high-pitched whooshing noise. And Mikoto felt a pit form in her stomach. All around her, glass exploded into a million pieces.

"All you shit stains can back off now!"

With a voice like a rabid dog, Mikoto knew that this was the end of her struggle. Standing at the other end of the plaza was Allen Frommel, the fastest adventurer in Orario. His face was twisted in rage, and he looked ready to end Mikoto's life.

"Vanir, go hunt down the rabbit. Take these prostitutes with you," commanded Allen.

Vanir nodded once before calling out to the Berbera. The lot of them left the plaza then, like a pouring tide. Soon, it was just the three of them left. Allen lowered his spear, and his body coiled beneath him. His tail grew alarmingly still.

"There's nowhere we can run," Mikoto said to Haruhime. "And there's no time to cast any spells are pull off any fancy tricks. So, I want you to know, you are the greatest thing to ever happen to me."

She felt Haruhime's tail wrap around her leg. The two of them braced for impact.

With the Goddesses:

In the tower of Babel, Freya had just waved the Bringar away. She was releasing her newest pet out into the streets, curious at what it would do. It was a true test of love, and she revelled in the chance to see it in action. In fact, there was much she wanted to see, but so little time to see it. While the view of the city from her window was nice, it did not offer her an up close and personal look at what was happening in her streets. Not to mention all the broken glass distorting the image. So, she conjured some viewing mirrors into existence. One for each of her executives. She smiled at the struggle of this tiny Familia, revelling in their futility.

She was so focused on this, that she didn't hear the door open.

"You must have a lot of fun doing all of this."

Without turning, Freya waved to Loki. "It's about time you showed your face to me. But aren't you afraid that I'll charm you?"

She heard Loki walking over the glass Bell had broken.

"Even facing you head on; your charm would take a couple of seconds now. That's enough time to stick a knife in your gut or tackle you out the tower," replied Loki. "Besides, you wouldn't charm me."

"Just like how you won't tackle me out the window," replied Freya. "You're like me right now. You want to see how this will all play out. You want to see if Hestia's children have what it takes."

There was a pause as Loki turned to look at Freya. The trickster Goddess said nothing. Her mouth twitched and her nose scrunched before she responded.

"Why the fuck would I care about Itty Bitty's kids? The only ones I want to see kick some butts are mine!" Loki wagged a finger in the Goddess's face. "Last time this happened, you got to go ahead unabated! We had to sit our asses on the sidelines." Now Loki faced the mirrors, hands on her hips like a proud mother. "But now we get to answer the question on everyone's mind. Which Familia is better, Freya?"

Freya chuckled. "Oh, an interesting question indeed. Who will take the day, then? Orario's Loki Familia, the Dungeon divers and monster killers? It's greatest Familia?"

"Or will it be Freya Familia, the beautiful monsters and ferocious fighter? Orario's strongest Familia?" responded Loki.

"Now, that is a battle I'd love to see," said Freya, confident in herself.

"Just you wait," responded Loki, confident in her children.

With the Elves:

Ryuu's breathing was haggard. All false modesty aside, she knew that she was good. That in the hierarchy of Orario's duellists, she had to be in the top ten at least. But now, she faced its absolute best. Hegni's skill was on another level entirely, and this was without his personality-altering magic. While both were bleeding now, Hegni definitely stood straighter. His movements were much more assured. He was winning, and he knew it.

The Faerie Princess tried to stand up straight. She tried to face up to the opponent in front of her but could feel her head swimming. She tried to conjure images of her friends and allies, but even that was failing her. It was only a matter of time now before Hegni putt her out of her misery. Inwardly, she cursed her weakness. She knew that she was supposed to be better than this! She was supposed to be the rival of the Sword Princess! But here she was…about to keel over in the face of her first real challenge. How pathetic….

"You are taking much too long," said Hedin from the sidelines. "I'm ending this now. We have much more important things to do."

The light elf raised his magic staff. His own magic circle burst into life beneath him.

"You fought well, Ryuu Leon," he said. "This will hurt, but it will not kill you. And when you awake, you will be in the loving embrace of the Goddess."

Before his magic could launch, though, there was the sound of cracking. Suddenly, Ryuu was able to see her breath on the air. Everything got much colder. And then Hedin and Hegni jumped backwards, a prenatural feeling telling them to move. And just in time to. A massive spike of ice exploded from the ground, jagged bits pointing everywhere.

Ryuu, Hedin, and Hegni looked to its source. And out from the mist of the city streets walked Riveria Ljos Alf, with Lefiya Viridis at her side. The jade haired elf's boots made barely a sound, while her staff tapped against the cobblestones. The high elf took in the scene with a glance, her eyes settling on Elwin's prone figure.

"Lefiya," she began.

The little elf jumped. She knew that voice. It was only used when Riveria got well and truly angry. It was the voice she used when she was just barely keeping her rage in.

"Take my little brother back to the Hearthstone Manor. Find him a potion and make sure he's ok," said Riveria.

Lefiya nodded. She ran in and scooped up Elwin's body. She threw him over her shoulder, carrying him like one might a sack of potatoes. The Thousand Elf only nodded at a relieved Ryuu.

"You made it," said Ryuu.

Lefiya smiled as she took off again. Ryuu sank to her knees in exhaustion.

Riveria's voice, while not loud, commanded her attention, though. It carried over the entirety of the battlefield.

"Not soon enough it seems." She looked to her opponents. "Which of you stabbed my little brother?" She nodded when Hegni shifted. "You will be the first to go then." The high elf started walking, and still her opponents did nothing. They were paralyzed, rooted to the spot. And Riveria kept talking. "My Goddess is a silly drunk, my captain has delusions of grandeur, and my other fellow executive is always looking for fights. I am the serious one in Loki Familia. I am the one that must always hold back in the face of battle and turmoil. I must be the rational voice of reason." The high elf swept out a hand. Her cape fluttered behind her. "I am the back line mage. My mind must be clear to cast magic. I must remain calm at all times." Riveria slammed her staff on the ground. "Not in this battle, though. This is a rare chance for me. This is a battle where the only responsibility I bear is for myself. Gentlemen, you are about to see the Nine Hells unleashed to its full capacity."

Her magic circle bloomed. And it stretched out past the point that Hedin and Hegni could see it. And a moment later, they FELT it. They felt the power of Riveria's magic unleashed. And these hardened adventurers stumbled in the face of it. Dimly, they were reminded of the pillar of light that signalled a deity returning to the Heavens. And it kept rolling off Riveria in waves. It was a never ending and unceasing tidal wave of magic power.

"Has she always been this powerful?" asked Hedin. "The battle with the Demi-Spirit…just how much were you holding back?"

Hegni said nothing. He was shaking from excitement and fear. From his mouth tumbled any number of unintelligible phrases. Riveria smiled at Hedin's question.

"Let me show you."

With the Animals:

Haruhime had shut her eyes, not wanting to see the attack come. She believed in Mikoto, but she knew that asking her to defeat Allen was too great a task. This was going to be the end, and she wanted to embrace Mikoto when it happened.

She heard Allen take off, and she felt Mikoto's muscles tense. But then she heard the sound of a familiar battle cry. She smelled a familiar warrior arriving. And she felt the Earth shake from his impact. Slowly, Haruhime opened her eyes, and she cried from relief.

"Picking on adventurers that are levels beneath you? Just how weak are you, you disgusting little pussy cat."

Bete Loga clicked his teeth together. Around him, bits of rock were still flying. There was a crater in the ground from where he had landed.

"I'm gonna enjoy this fight," said the were wolf. "In fact, it's safe to say I've been waiting for a fight like this."

Allen, who had jumped back to his original position, snarled even more. His tail was lashing even faster, and all the hairs on his body stood on end.

"You piece of trash! It's about time I put you in your place! And then I'll make you watch as I skewer those weaklings that you're protecting!"

Bete Loga threw his head back and laughed, long and loud. When he was done, he used his thumb to gesture over his shoulder.

"If you think that renard and her girlfriend are weaklings, then you're a stupid little pussy cat to." He cracked his neck. "And I'm gonna make you eat your words."

The wolf's head turned to the sky, and he howled.

With the Fighters:

Raul, Aki, Otohime, Lili, and the rest of the remaining Loki Familia were all gathered in a tight circle. Around them were the many members of Freya Familia and her charmed allies.

"Any plans, commander?" asked Aki.

Lili shook her head. "There is nothing to be done but go out fighting now. Unless any of you feel like surrendering?"

Surprising almost everyone, it was Raul that spoke first.

"No way! We're Loki Familia, and that means that we don't quit till the Captain says so!" Raul planted his feet. "And even then, I'm not giving up! I'll never stop fighting!"

Aki's heart fluttered, and the rest of Loki Familia found their footing. Their resolve hardened, even as they faced impossible odds. But just as Mia and her waitresses closed in, there came a deep rumbling laugh.

"BWAHAHAHAHAHA! Well said lad!"

There was a rumbling sound, and then the entire earth was shaking. All around Aki and the others, the ground split and adventurers were practically swallowed by it. The waitresses of Freya Familia jumped out of the way. But the next thing they knew, they were being slammed into the ground.

"Hey, hey Tione! Don't these ones look familiar?"

"That's because they are, you idiot!"

Freya Familia, and her allies, backed up. There was a shift in the air. The fighters of the Goddess of Beauty regrouped behind Mia, and suddenly the battle lines had been reset. Hestia and Loki Familia held the front yard again. Aki had to support Raul, since he had buckled at the knees. Both of them couldn't stop the grins splitting their face.

"You guys made it!" said the High Novice.

"Just in time to hear your fancy speech Raul!"

"Man, I can't believe you were about to show us up before our big entrance!"

"Always setting the bar higher and higher! That's our Raul!"

The small party of Loki Familia grew then. It's ranks were swelled by the arrival of the rest of their forces. They crowded the yard, the balcony, and even stood on the roof. And leading the charge, at the very front of the party, were some of their strongest.

Tiona and Tione stood tall and proud, their battle hungry smiles sending shivers down the spines of the enemy. Urga rested idly over Tiona's shoulders, while Tione cracked her knuckles. But that was nothing to the barrel-chested man at the head of them all. Gareth hoisted one giant axe over his shoulder, and in his other hand he held his great shield.

"I have to say lad, your speech even lit a fire in my belly!" The dwarf laughed again, and Loki Familia took heart. "Now, Finn and the old hag are trusting me to take care of you all. So, I don't want anyone getting too hurt. When this is all done, drinks are on me!"

Loki Familia roared. And then they charged.

With the Captains:

Ottar cursed his incompetence, but he had lost sight of Bell Cranel. And the reason why stood right in front of him.

"You did know that this was coming, right?"

Ottar grunted in response.

"Two level seven adventurers, from rival Familia? The song writes itself in this duel."

Ottar levelled his blade at his opponent.

"You were always the silent type."

Finn Deimne charged.

With the Boy and Girl:

And finally, a boy was backed into a corner. In front of him was a mob of angry adventurers. Every last one of them were out for blood. He had run and he had fought, but now he was tired. He was so unbelievably tired of running. And in his fatigue, he had gotten lost. Maybe he should have known better, but his head was pounding from Freya's charm. Not to mention that he hadn't eaten all day. So, Bell Cranel was tired. And now he was paying for it. He was going to go down here. At least, he would have if he was alone.

He felt her wind before he saw her. He knew it was coming from the slightest stirring in the air around him. The sensation of her gentle breeze was as familiar to him as his heartbeat. He smiled, and then the wind exploded. The enemy adventurers were knocked off their feet. And Ais Wallenstein was crouching down in front of him, back to the enemy without a care in the world.

Without a care in the world, she tilted her head.

"You look tired, did you eat lunch?"

"No Ais, I didn't."

She pouted. "You have to take care of yourself Bell." She reached into a side pocket and brought out a paper package. "I was saving it for later, but you should eat this."

Bell felt his jaw drop. "Ais…did you really bring a potato puff into battle?"

Ais looked away. "It's a limited-edition flavor."

"Oh! Then I can't take it from you!"

"Bell, you need to eat!" She thrust it in his hands before standing up. "You eat, and I'll take care of them."

Ais Wallenstein turned to face the enemy. She drew Desperate from its sheath, her golden hair blowing in the wind. The War Princess had taken the battlefield.