Chapter 66:

Mikoto wanted to lie and say she could follow the battle before her. She wanted to say that she could see the exchange of masterful blows and the graceful way these first-class adventurers clashed in the street. But she didn't. The truth was that she saw nothing. She could only see the explosions that Bete and Allen left in their wake. Every glancing blow reverberated with a boom. Every parry and block left sparks like lightning. And still, Mikoto couldn't tell what was happening. She couldn't even tell if Bete was winning. The only thing she could see was the occasional flash of steel.

Next to her, Haruhime was cowering on the floor. The poor renard had curled up in a ball, hands over her ears. As much as Mikoto wanted to comfort her, she knew standing guard was more important. While the rest of Freya Familia had been removed, Mikoto didn't trust that an advance party might still be trying to catch up to the vice-captain. And in front of her, the fastest adventurers in the city continued to dance.

Mikoto's hand trembled from its place on the hilt of her blade. Her feet felt like lead stuck to the floor. This was too much. It was all too much for her. When the Black Crow came to this city, she never dreamed of her life becoming something ripped from legends and stories. Mikoto wanted the ability to provide for the other orphans like her back at the shrine. It's funny that she would think of them now. Moments from what could possibly be her death, she only worried about a couple things. What would happen to her Familia? How the shrine would fair. And the safety of her beloved.

"We have to do something," said Mikoto, voice quivering. "I won't just stand around and wait for him to kill us."

She crouched down to help Haruhime to her feet.

"I will not lie down and die."

Yamato Mikoto had no idea what she would do next, but her eyes began to move. The voices of all her teachers came to her. The waitresses, Lady Aisha, Ryuu, and even the Godly ones. Horus, Nike, and Lord Takemikazuchi were all screaming in her head. There had been so many lessons! Indeed, she could think of one to help her now.

"We need to remember to breathe."

The voice was tiny next to her. It held no strength, but it had spoken all the same. Sanjouno Haruhime gripped Mikoto's arm, almost drawing blood with her nails.

"We need to stop and take this one step at a time. We need to breathe. If you're not giving up, then I'm not either. And if we're not giving up, our Familia is still fighting," said the renard. "Master Bell is still fighting. And I won't abandon him."

Mikoto smiled. Her hand stopped shaking as she relaxed the grip on her blade. Just like Haruhime had said, she breathed. The ravenette closed her eyes, took deep breaths through her nostrils, and then out her mouth. When she opened them, she didn't know what she would do. But she felt just a little bit more determined.

"We keep going. As long as we fight him here, Allen can't hunt down Sir Bell."

That's when the idea hit her. Mikoto knew that she only had seconds to start. So, she turned to look Haruhime in the eyes.

"Do you trust me?"

The renard smiled.

The Smith:

Welf and the others continued their march back to the Hearthfire Manor in another part of the city. Around them, the allies of Freya Familia waged war. They were a screeching mob that fought viciously, and it felt like no one could withstand them for long. What allies they had were still fighting, but it was an uphill battle. However, no one had counted on the chaos of Hecate Familia.

Welf was in awe of their destructive capabilities. A familia of battle mages would have been dangerous on its own. But these people were more than that. In Orario, mages often fell into a couple common categories, and all used their spells for distance. There were the dangerous attack mages. They wielded magic like a blunt instrument. The size of the attack and its element might differ from mage to mage, but it was all the same in the end. They were all some form of explosive back-line attacker. Even the adventurers with a single spell, like Bell, used it often to make space and recuperate. Then, there were the healers and enchanters. People like Cassandra and Haruhime, whose magic was much more supportive. Key people on the battlefield, but still often found in the mid to rearguard. Then, there were the sneaky mages. Those few who wielded magic more like a knife, like Lili and the catgirl Chloe. Their spells were focused on misdirection and subterfuge. It was not something that used to take an enemy head-on.

Obviously, there were exceptions and standouts to this. The fabled Fairy Force of Loki Familia sprang to mind. Utilizing Lady Riveria's unique skills, they were able to be a vanguard of their own design. And then there were the monsters. People like the elf kings of Freya Familia or the Gale Wind. Magical demons that had a unique mix of pure calm and overwhelming ferocity. But still, they were magical swordsmen. Magic was a separate tool that was weaved into their fighting. The people of Hecate Familia… were Battle Mages. Magic was a weapon to be used, like a sword or spear to them. It was an extension of their will.

And it meant that their enemies were confused as fuck.

The best example was Libby, the flaming Amazon. Her dance was wild and chaotic, and her flaming fists only added to the madness. Every step appeared to be part of some great rhythm, which apparently it was.

"Her magic lets her feel small movements and adjustments. Her sense of touch is working overtime right now," explained Archimedes at one point. "Every motion of the Earth, the faintest breeze, and even the heartbeats of all these fighting adventurers. She's feeling it all right now."

Welf grimaced, slashing at another adventurer. "That sounds like a horrible case of sensory overload. How in the world does she put up with it?"

Archi rolled his eyes. "By showing off. She closes her eyes to block out the sights. Right now, she's fighting blind."

And Libby the Amazon was only one of many. All around him, Welf saw magic being used in unorthodox ways. A man apparently only had one spell, a beam of light. But he had skills that allowed him complete mastery. He could fire it in bursts, shoot off multiple beams like a five-point star, or even have them rain down on his enemies. It was the most versatile single spell that he had ever seen.

The Vice-Captain was the only one who had yet to do anything of note. Welf took note of his ostentatious wardrobe and large smile but didn't know what to make of the rest of him. He held a cane that occasionally smashed into any adventurers that got too close, but it never seemed like a magical attack. It was just a standard smashing club.

That was when they stopped at one of Orario's most prominent intersections. The square was sparsely populated with warring factions, but there was still a fair amount of space.

"Which direction is the mansion?" asked Vente, the vice-captain.

Welf looked around before pointing down the path in front of him.

"That's going to be the best path. But I don't think we'll be able to go through. The second that we do, we're gonna get dogpiled from the rear," explained the Smith.

Vente nodded, stroking his salt-and-pepper beard.

"You know what," said the older gentleman. "I think this is where I shall make my stand. This is the perfect space to begin my symphony."

There was a resounding crack as he slammed the bottom of his cane into the cobblestones. Little bits of rubble flew outwards. Vente proceeded to pull on a pair of dark leather gloves. Welf thought he saw something dangerous gleam behind the man's eyes, but then the others pulled him along.

"You got it, Captain…so ummmm…have fun!"

Even Welf could see that Libby's smile was strained. There was some kind of caution in her face and a genuine fear. Welf raised an eyebrow, but Libby just shook her head.

"I'll explain as we go, but don't worry too much about him," said Libby. "He's strong."

"He's also fucking crazy!" shouted another member of Hecate Familia.

The Shade:

Vente's eyes darted around the square. His calculating gaze counted adventurers, tracked the area's geography, and noted any practical environmental hazards. He smirked as he saw the members of Freya's alliance finally take notice of him. By his approximation, Vente was a good man. He was a loving husband and a supportive Vice-Captain. The man worked hard during the day and took care of others later. Now, things were not a scale. One could not use their virtues to balance their sins. There was no putting right what he had done in the past, and there would be no counterbalancing what he was about to do. But right now, Vente wanted nothing more than to indulge himself. He didn't want to be a good man.

"In this small piece of the city, in this minuscule pocket of the world, I will be a God," he said.

After that proclamation, a magic circle bloomed. It stretched out, encompassing the entire square. It glowed like a shadow. It was not quite pure darkness, with edges of light creeping out. It made all adventurers stop. They looked to the man at its center.

"Domain of shadow, hide me from my enemies. Grant me omniscience and presence, you who was created at the first meeting of sun and moon. Not a god, but a heretical creation, bless me with your meaninglessness. Ethereal and unchanging, non-existent and fleeting, make me a thing of divinity in your domain. Make me a blessed shade. Termini Signum."

Spell complete; the circle faded. But a faint border remained.

"This is your one warning," said Vente, plucking his cane from the ground. "Anyone who wishes to retreat from this square will not be injured. No harm, no foul, as they say." He smiled. It was ghoulish. "But if you choose to pursue my allies, I will strike you down."

"Shut it, you freak! How dare you speak like that, you arrogant toad!"

Some Freya flunkie leapt into the air. He was obviously a level two from his speed and explosive power. But something strange happened. Just as his attack was about to land, Vente disappeared. And then he reappeared, right over the man's head.

"How pathetically predictable."

There was a cracking sound, and the flunkie had his head knocked into the stones. Vente's smiled passed into the realm of the demonic.

"Oh yes, this will be quite fun indeed." He laughed then, a strangled sound from a nightmare. "Yes! Bow to me and plea for your lives!"

One hand on the head of the cane, the other grabbing the base, he twisted and pulled. Out came an edge that gleamed. The sword was two feet long. It was razor-thin and caught the sun in a strange way.

"My Moonscar blade will drink your blood today."

That was when he disappeared again. In only a matter of seconds, he had attacked five adventurers. They went down within moments of each other, each of them shrieking in agony. Next, Vente appeared in the middle of a cordon of enemies. They had formed a circle, ostensibly to watch each other's backs. The man simply appeared in the middle.

"Ah yes, a common response to my particular brand of offence." One foe turned. "Would you hold this, please?"

The pointy end of Moonscar went through a man's shoulder. Then, using the blade's sheath, Vente targeted the limbs of everyone around him.

"What poor posture you lot have. Has no one ever taught you proper manners?"

Vente targeted their spines and shoulder blades next. There was a squelching popping sound as he broke bones and broke through muscles. All of this happened before Freya's allies understood it. The attack occurred with the precision of a surgeon. And as the men crumpled, Vente took a moment to pull his blade out from the man's shoulder.

"You see, I was raised properly in the Empire. I was a good little lordling, which meant I had the best tutors imaginable. I learned of the body, its muscles and bone structures, and how best to use them." He gripped his blade between his knuckles. "This was only a sliver of my noble education."

Vente stepped forward, and just as his foot was about to hit the cobblestone, he vanished in a puff of smoke. Then, he reappeared ten feet ahead. The next knot of Freya's allies had come together, hoping for strength in numbers.

"I find your behaviour uncouth, good sirs. While I do not know the Goddess you fight for, I hear she is quite elegant. If this is how you choose to represent her, then I believe you are nothing but dirty little failures." His grey eyes caught the sun then, and it was like they were molten silver. "Shall I explain to you what happens to failures in the Empire?"

He vanished again, and the smoke set them all on edge. This was the domain of the Noble Shade, Vice-Captain of Hecate Familia. And he was a merciless God.

The Mages:

"You see, Vente's a really great guy," explained Libby. "But he's also one of the last of Hecate's old guard of Familia, back from her Altena days."

"What do you mean her Altena days?" asked Welf. "Is this why she was kicked out?"

Libby shrugged. "Sort of? Honestly, it's pretty unclear. But you must remember, our Familia was a lot bigger back then. Aside from Athena Familia, we dominated the city. And to run that large Familia, Hecate gave power to seven executives. They became her Seven Sins. When she was made to leave the city after some big thing no one is allowed to talk about, her sins were the only ones that went with her."

"And your Vice-Captain is one of them?" guessed Daphne. "Who are the other six?"

"Well, there's only three left, actually," said Libby. "The other four died, and Lady Hecate doesn't like to talk about it."

The party stopped in front of a defensive checkpoint. After crashing their way through, Libby kept up her story.

"There's the Vice-Captain, Vente. He's the sin of Pride because he believes that his magic makes him a God," said Libby. "Then there's Elwin's Mama, the Dryad. She's the Sin of Lust…for obvious reasons."

"Let me guess, your Captain's the last one?" asked Ouka.

Libby nodded. "Morgana Le Fay, Captain of Hecate Familia and Queen of Barbarians. The Sin of Sloth, but she won't say why." The Amazon tapped her head. "She's crazy!"

Welf secretly hoped that it was the good kind of crazy.

The Wolf:

Bete could feel himself losing. Whatever edge he might have in skill, technique, or battle sense, Allen was faster than him. The difference in strength and endurance were negligible, but the cat would win in this fight, where the two of them were moving at their top speeds. And that creeping sense of dread didn't happen at first blood. No, it came earlier than that. There was a moment where the two of them had clashed. Bete had raised his armoured leg while Allen swept his spear in a long arc. And while the wolf tried to track the movement, he saw Allen do the same. And then the spear twisted. The movement might have happened in slow motion for the two first-class adventurers, but Allen reacted first. His spear was the lead action in their fight. It had left Bete on the back foot the entire battle.

Even if he was losing, though, the wolf did not balk. He did not withdraw or recompose himself. He did not give in to feelings of inadequacy. Instead, he grit his teeth and got back to it. Besides, he could feel that damn Renard's eyes on him. She was staring at his back, her face probably set in some kind of grim determination.

This was the fourth time that they had met like this. She should have been afraid of some kind of great fight in front of them. Just like with those times before, the damn Enchantenko should have been terrified. She should be on the ground, unable to move. But instead, here she was, on her feet and getting ready to sing.

Unfortunately, since Bete had noticed it, Allen had to. The cat pivoted away, already moving on from his duel with the wolf-man. And before the others could blink, he was almost in front of the renard.

Except the swordswoman, the one they called the Black Crow, had seen it coming. She had known it was happening and was already on the attack. Her blade was out, anticipating where Allen would have been. Now, the cat-man, of course, saw it happening. It didn't matter how well-planned she was; Allen was the world's fastest adventurer. So, just as the sword was coming at him, he bent backwards, slipping under the blade. He had his spear ready, about to thrust into the fox. But that moment of distraction, where Allen had looked elsewhere, was when Bete had struck. And Allen was the one who took the hit.

The man had taken a moment to glare at the Black Crow, his attitude and arrogance not letting him pass her by. And that had been when Bete struck. His armoured leg cracked into Allen's knee, sending him flying.

"None of us can beat him alone," said Mikoto. "But if the two of us support you long enough, we might be able to do something about it."

Bete grunted. "The damn renard needs to get her magic off if I'm gonna have a shot at this. Level up, level down, I don't fucking care, but she needs to cast a spell."

Mikoto nodded. "She needs time. But she can do this."

Haruhime had already bowed her head again, hands clasped in prayer. Her golden magic circle flared around her. Allen lowered himself, preparing for another attack.

"We can't let him get his magic off," said Bete. "If he does, we all lose. Thankfully, he's not a mage."

"Look to the sky, and our salvation will come," said Mikoto.

Bete glanced up, and he gave a wolf-like grin. "I love this time of year. Good catch, Black Crow. Now, let's keep fighting."

Mikoto grinned. Haruhime sang. Allen charged.

The Orphan:

Lili watched the battle happen. It looked like it was never going to end. On the one hand, she had the Dea Saint. Her healing magic kept them going and in top shape. She also had Gareth, Tsubaki, and Shakti. Three first-tier adventurers, each of them more potent than the last. Add that to the army of Loki Familia and almost everything else; it was an unmovable object. However, opposing them was an unstoppable force. They had Vana Mardoll, a healer who was just as good as Amid. They also had Mama Mia and waitresses from the Hostess, who were all first-tier adventurers now, thanks to Freya's blessing. And, of course, there were the forces of Freya Familia themselves, who weren't slouches. Which led to this all-out war around the Hearthfire Mansion. It happened in the front yard, the backyard, and even the house's halls.

At some point, some messenger came by the battlefield to tell them that outsiders had arrived. Hecate Familia, led to Orario by Hermes Familia, was battling through the city. But Lili wasn't counting on their arrival just yet. The path in front of them was already clogged with bodies.

And none of that did anything to help her mental state. Even as Lili commanded and ordered, the Hearthfire Mansion began to crumble. Welf's smithy was a pile of rubble; half the courtyard was flooded after the destruction of the bathhouse. Everywhere Lili looked, her home was falling apart. The first place she had felt safe in a long time was being brought to ruin. And she was alone to see it happen.

Her jumbled thoughts were brought to order when Aki came bursting through a busted window.

"How is the rearguard holding up?" asked Lili.

Aki grinned in pride. "Raul is holding the line! But, of course, he is. The man's pretty reliable, don't you think?"

Lili rolled her eyes. "Fawn over your man later. We need to find a way to break this stalemate. If it takes too long, Freya's executives will get here first."

Aki frowned. "Well, with Mardoll backing them up, they're healing as fast as we can damage them. And the same goes for us."

Even as the catgirl spoke, a cut on her cheek started to heal.

"And I'm pretty sure Amid falls before Heith does," she finished.

Lili grunted. "So, we need a miracle."

The Witch:

Way behind Freya's battlelines, the miracle approached from down the street. Just as she guessed, the healers were there with a small detachment of guards. As her dark leather boots stepped down the road, the Captain of Hecate Familia loosened the blades on her back. Morgana had already tied back her ebony locks of hair. Her purple eyes were sharp in the afternoon sun. And then she began to speak.

"I call upon thee, knights of the table, give me your blades. Give me the strength of your journey. Answer to my will. Be guided by my thoughts and strength. I call upon thee, a storm of steel, blades of the forgotten. Your will be mine. Stoirm Lann."

From her back, the eight swords began to shift. They rose from their sheathes and came into the air, glinting in the light. And if there were any smiths around, they would tell you these blades were made from Mithril, best suited for channelling magic. They hovered, moving idly as they tracked Morgana's movement. All it would take was a thought, a single whispering idea, and her blades would go on the attack.

Morgana raised a hand. "Come to me, blade of my brother. Give me the strength to protect and destroy. I summon thee, blade of the King: Excalibur."

Morgana's ethereal greatsword shimmered to life. Like bubbles rushing to the surface, her blade appeared in her hands, stretching out. Even as a pale imitation of a long-forgotten sword, its splendour was a sight to behold.

It was then that the healer's guard noticed her. They had been bored, forced to protect the Freya's healers in case of emergency. After all, this was Vana Mardoll; she could defend herself just fine. So, when this enemy approached, they almost cried in joy. They all shifted, and, in their eyes, the Captain of Hecate Familia saw fervent belief and obsession. And she hated it. Morgana's blood boiled, and the water in her very soul felt like it would pop.

"Fucking animals, obsessed like a bunch of heathens. You and your work disgust me. To follow blindly, like a bunch of deranged sycophants." She spat on the ground. "That is what I think of your devotion."

The guards roared in defiance, and then they charged at her. Except Morgana's blades cut them down. They moved around with a life of their own and cut adventurers down left and right. One person tried to block but was stabbed through instead. Another began trading blows with the steel blade but was pushed back from its intensity. This went on and on. Morgana walked through the battle lines without a single adventurer getting close. Around her, the swords reacted to her every thought. Later, when this was all over, she would have a splitting headache. For now, though, she was in control. Soon enough, the guards had fallen and went after the healers themselves. They put up even less of a fight. Finally, when they started to go down, Heith got involved.

The level four battle healer looked to Morgana Le Fay, and the Captain couldn't help but smile. The anger this one felt towards Morgana was rolling off her in waves. Morgana loved it. The absurdity of it all almost made her laugh. These puny mortals thought that the world's deities were worth fighting over. That these deities were worth the respect they intrinsically demanded.

"So, I hear you are quite the formidable fighter," said Morgana. "Couple that with your strong healing abilities, making you quite the valuable target." She raised Excalibur, levelling it at her opponent. Even pale and ghostly, the king's blade cut quite the intimidating look. Heith continued to gaze at the Ebony-haired woman, pure loathing in her eyes. "Shall we dance?"

Morgana flickered then, already on the move. Around her, the eight swords followed her will. They circled Heith, forming a cyclone. The attacks would have cut her to ribbons if she were an ordinary adventurer. Instead, they barely slowed her down. Heith's healing wasn't just active on her Familia; she had also cast it on herself. As Morgana watched, every cut left by her enchanted blades was healed just as quickly. So, while the woman avoided dangerous blows, she could afford a thousand cuts.

In return, Morgana brought all her strength and skill to bear. After all, she was first amongst her peers and was the so-called Queen of Barbarians. Her magic necessitated skill at arms. But she also knew that she was weak. As a mage, she was lesser than the demigods of this city. Nine Hells, the Two Kings, and even now, people spoke of the Thousand Elf. They all outclassed her by several degrees. They could smite her where she stood. Even this woman, Vana Mardoll, had more acclaim than she. Morgana Le Fay would win, though. She would overcome this, the first obstacle in her journey to the top. She would not be deterred. Morgana was here, and she was hungry for more.

So, Morgana and Heith began trading blows. They went back and forth, leaving cuts, slashes, and bruises. Morgana with her many blades, and Heith with her staff. Then, as if by some unspoken rule, they broke apart. Both were bleeding, but Heith couldn't help the smirk on her face. She had said nothing, but already she was healing. And her opponent was not.

"The battle is mine," said Heith. "But you put up a good fight."

Morgana smiled back, and then she winked.

"Nimue."

The word was a whisper, but it struck Heith like a tidal wave. There was a change in the air, something different about it all. Morgana gained a blue glow, and her wounds began to heal. But it wasn't just that. It was a shift in the woman's stance. It was a hitch in Heith's breath. It was the promise of the unknown.

"By the Gods…." Said Heith, catching her breath. "You're one of them…like the Sword Princess or those Crozzos." Heith set her feet, preparing for an impossible battle. "You have spirit blood."

"I am blessed by the Lady of the Lake," replied Morgana. "So, the battle continues."

The eight swords circled Morgana. With their magical glow and her own mysterious qualities, she looked like a ray of moonlight descending to the mortal plane. She held the ghostly Excalibur in both hands, raising it forward.

"I carry this sword for my brother, who was killed by slavers. I am Captain of Hecate Familia, the Curse of Altena, and Queen of Barbarians. For my crimes, I am the Sin of Sloth. Tell me, Vana Mardoll, would you like to surrender?"

Heith felt her teeth clench. "By my Goddess, I will never give up."

Morgana laughed. It did not sound human.

"I already love this city!"

The Crow:

Mikoto saw the werewolf look up. When he had a moment, Bete kept his eyes on the sky. Those times did not come often, but when they did, he took his time to check. And thankfully, his time crept closer and closer. Meanwhile, though, Allen was handing them their asses. The renard hadn't spoken her spell yet, and it didn't look like she would ever be able to. Allen was too fast to stop and could pivot and shift focus the moment her chant began. Mikoto could do nothing; her moves were too slow. And even with Bete's apparent advantages, she could see that he might not last long enough for their plan. They needed a distraction, a real one. So, Yamato Mikoto did the only thing that came to her. She ran to the other side of the square.

It was no secret that in Hestia Familia, she was known for her tendency to put herself in danger. Facing the Berbera, Amphisbaena, and on and on, Mikoto was no stranger to letting herself get hurt. She didn't do it on purpose. She didn't want her Familia to worry about her. But she just couldn't think of behaving differently. She would be there when someone was in danger or needed help. The young woman would stride forward, no matter the risk to herself. It's probably what drew her to Bell in the first place. She saw the same lack of self-preservation. The same drive to protect everyone he held dear. The thought made her smile, even as she prepared to risk her life. Being more like Bell wouldn't be a bad thing. He was a hero, after all.

Mikoto drew a breath, and then she set her feet.

"I respectfully speak to you, my War God that can break through anything."

Allen noticed the change immediately. He changed course, charging for the Black Crow.

"Grow. The power and that vessel. Breadth of wealth and breadth of wishes."

The cat-man stopped as Haruhime's chant started. The voices of the Fox and Crow began to meld together. A dissonant harmony that filled the ruins of the Pleasure Quarter. Bete grinned, even as he bled from his wounds.

"Lead me from the precious Heaven. Give my petty body divine power of your grand body," sang Mikoto.

"Until the bell tolls, bring forth glory and illusion. -Grow. Confine divine offerings within this body," answered Haruhime.

Allen looked between them both. He knew the conundrum now. However fast he was, with Bete running interference, one of them would get their spell off. The wolf howled. The cat's claws curled in frustration.

"So, whose is it going to be?" he asked.

"Rescue them light of purification, sword of crushing evil. Sweep sword of suppression, sacred sword of conquest."

"This golden light bestowed from above. Into the hammer and into the grou-"

Haruhime's words were choked as Allen stabbed her through the abdomen. Mikoto could see her cough up blood. And it took every last bit of willpower to not jump to her aid. The cat had made his choice, and many would say it was obvious. There would be no level-up for Bete. No magical reprieve for the wolf.

Allen kicked the renard away, her body flying backwards. There was an audible crack from her ribcage. Mikoto fought back tears. And she continued to sing.

"It arrives here now by my order. Descend from Heaven, rule the Earth."

The square was bathed in purple as Mikoto prepared to finish. Allen was rushing towards her, but she believed Bete would stop him.

"Shinbu Tousei."

Allen spun around Bete and plunged his spear straight through the center of Mikoto's chest. She felt it pierce a lung, and she saw the cat grin. And the crow smiled back. Even as the blood frothed in her mouth, she pushed out the last word, leaving Allen in horrific awe.

"Futsunomitama."

All at once, the area was bathed in purple. The crushing weight of gravity slammed into Allen. Mikoto almost laughed. She had done it; she had trapped him. The damn adventurer wouldn't be able to move so fast with this much force pushing down on him.

Except, he was moving. Mikoto almost gasped when she saw it. The way he pushed through her magic, which had once held back the Amphisbaena. Allen moved through it, barely slowed at all. Either through his status or sheer devotion to the Goddess, the cat kept moving. Bete snarled, already moving towards him, but he was slower. Both were affected by the spell, and then Allen would escape. And there was nothing anyone could do about it.

Allen grinned, almost crawling to the edge of the circle.

Bete snarled, already giving chase, looking to the sky.

Mikoto almost felt herself collapse from grief.

And then the fox sang.

"May it bestow good fortune upon you. – Grow."

From a pile of rubble, with a hand gripping her open wound, Haruhime knelt with an outstretched hand. Her once beautiful and glossy hair was matted. Each breath was laboured as she fought through the pain. But slowly, she rose again. Once more, Sanjouno Haruhime stood up.

"Uchide No Kozuchi!"

The effect was immediate as soon as the golden glow left her palm and hit Mikoto. Whatever had happened before had happened again. The bond between the two of them had broken past the bounds of the spell. Mikoto ranked up twice, and her magic followed suit.

Allen and Bete both fell to the floor. The strength of the crow's spell had them both on their hands and knees. The cat looked up, and he started spitting venom through the pain.

"Now what!" he screamed. "As soon as that little pissant passes out, I'll kill you all!"

Bete gave a toothy smile. "Winter may be over, but the days are still shorter than they used to be. The moon's already out, hiding amongst the clouds. Can't you see her?"

Allen looked up, and it was already too late. He could do nothing as Bete Loga shifted forms. The wolf howled, growing even more beastly than he already was. And even with Mikoto's magic crushing him, he stood up. And he fell upon the helpless kitty.

The Twins:

Elsewhere, Bell, Iris, and Ais continued on their journey. The three of them were almost back home when a familiar roar caught Bell's attention. He stopped abruptly, with the other girls stopping soon after.

"Ummm, excuse me, we're on a mission here," said Iris. "Get home first; inspect spooky alleyways later!"

Ais just tilted her head. For some reason, she recognized that roar.

"Lyd? Is that you?" asked Bell.

"Not just me!" replied the lizard man, stepping from the shadows.

Hestia ran out from behind.

"Holy shit!" shouted Iris. "A talking monster!"

Ais just waved.

"Lady Hestia!"

Bell ran forward, catching his Goddess.

"Are you alright?" asked the boy and his Goddess at the same time.

"I'm fine! The Xenos have been keeping me safe," replied Hestia. She looked over Bell's shoulder. "Who's the lookalike girl?"

Bell looked back, unable to think of where to even start.

"Bell has a long-lost twin sister raised by Poseidon Familia. They're on the way to come and help out," said Ais in her usual monotone voice.

Hestia smiled. "Little Bro Poseidon is coming? Yay!" She threw her arms in the air, about to dance, when she stopped. "Wait…long-lost twin sister?"

Iris nodded. "My name is Iris Cranel. It is a pleasure to meet you!"

She held out a hand that Hestia took cautiously. The Goddess looked at her child.

"And how are you processing this?"

Bell looked away. "By not processing it? But I'm also happy?"

Hestia nodded. "Well then, that'll have to do for now. We should all get going, though." She turned to the Xenos. "Thanks for the help, guys! We'll find you when the fighting is over!"

Lyd scratched at his chin. "Hold on, don't you want the extra help?"

"There's too much chaos in the streets. I don't want to risk one of you getting hurt," replied the Goddess. She looked at Iris. "Besides, there are soon gonna be a lot of people like her that don't know who you are." Hestia shrugged. "Just about not tempting fate."

Bell walked forward and bowed.

"Thank you. You protected my Goddess."

Lyd clasped him on the shoulder while Weine gave a quick hug.

"At this point, we're family Bellichi. And we'll always be family!"

Weine smiled. "Yay, we're family!"

Bell smiled back as he ruffled her hair.

The Xenos bid their goodbyes, scurrying back into the shadows. They would find their way back to Knossos quickly enough.

Bell looked to his Goddess.

"Goddess Hestia, do you want to go home?"

She smiled. "Hell yeah!"

The Fox:

Back in the ruins of the Pleasure Quarter, Mikoto felt the adrenaline leave her body. Allen Frommel was a bloody mess on the ground. He was alive but definitely out of the fight for now. However, so were the rest of them.

Bete Loga had shifted back to his more human form and immediately crumpled to his knees. He crawled around, though, and gave potions to Haruhime and Mikoto before falling onto his back. He laughed as he did so, ecstatic in his victory.

The crow crawled over to the fox. When she saw Haruhime taking shallow breaths, Mikoto ensured she drank more potion. Both of their open wounds were already starting to close. With their enhanced constitutions, they would be ok. They just needed a rest.

"We did it, Lady Haruhime. We won. Now, go ahead and take a nap," said Mikoto.

Haruhime smiled. "A nap sounds nice. Will you be here when I wake up?"

Mikoto nodded, just barely able to take the Renard's hand.

The two passed out then.