Upon the day of Orario, a panic ensued at the east side of the Labyrinth city as monsters escaped the custody of the Ganesha Familia and are wrecking a havoc.
"MONSTER~!" a human woman screamed out in fear and panic as this cause the peaceful area to be filled with terror as many citizens began to flee from the area.
Alise being the first to act, is currently locked in a battle against the Silverback as she swings her sword rapidly against the ape monster that just defended with its arms before swinging a claw at the Astraea Familia captain who dodged it.
"just how did these monsters get out of their cages!?" Alise exclaimed as she raised her sword and block another claw strike from the Silverback. She grunted before she looks to the side and sees adventurers coming in to help. "prioritize the citizen's safety! Make sure that these monsters don't hurt anyone!"
"r-right!" the adventurers followed her command as they began to help in evacuating the panicked citizens or fend off any monsters that tried to attack anyone nearby.
"okay!" Alise nodded before she focused on her fight against the Silverback that has been trying to push down its claws against her sword. "now I can focus on this big ape!"
Alise pushes away the Silverback's claw before she proceeded to do several quick sword swings that resulted in delivering bloody slash marks to appear on the ape monster's body.
"aarrgghhh~!" the Silverback growls in pain as it moves back and then growls angrily at Alise who swings her sword to the side and then dashes in to swing it forward.
While Alise and other adventurers are facing the monsters, Bell took Hestia and Astraea to safety but they are doing so while taking Lyra who they are currently tending behind a food stall. The goddess of justice holding her familia member close.
"Lyra-san! Lyra-san!" Bell called out to the Pallum girl who remains unconscious after getting the sudden attack from the Silverback. The young man looking worried as Lyra had blood coming out of the side of her lips. "Lyra-san! Wake up!"
"that surprise attack and the fall must've broken some of her bones and did a heavy damage on her…" Hestia spoke out, worried. The goddess of hearth looked at the goddess of justice. "we need to get her to Dian Cecth's place, Astraea!"
"Agreed." Astraea nodded as they proceeded to get to safety with Lyra who Bell carried on his back. "let's hurry there while Alise handles the monster and.."
"aagghhh!" Alise's scream is heard as everyone turns and gasps as they see the Scarlet Harnel pinned to the ground by the Silverback. The ape monster having blood pouring out of its wounds that made its fur turn brownish red but it still remains strong as it had the Astraea Familia captain pinned in its grasp, the creature proceeded in trying to crush her with its bare hands. "agghh!"
"Alise!" Astraea cried out to see her Familia captain at the mercy of the monster.
"how can that monster overpower her!? She's a level 4, isn't she!?" Hestia cried out, thinking that Alise could take on the monster by herself because of her current level. While the goddess of hearth was looking shocked, Lyra was quickly passed to her arms and Bell instantly rushes into the scene. "wha?! Bell-kun!?"
The young adventurer of the Hestia Familia runs straight for the Silverback, Bell quickly waves out his right hand forward.
"Firebolt!" Bell chanted as he fired a ball of fire straight at the Silverback that gets hit with the attack and gets smoked. "let go of Alise-san!"
The Silverback growls as it comes out the smoke before glaring angrily at Bell who is coming at it. The ape monster's attention is to the young man only now and it proceeded to throw away Alise like trash, the Scarlet Harnel crashing right into an abandoned food stall.
"Alise!" Astraea cried out before she quickly went straight to her Familia's captain.
"w-wait a sec! Astraea!" Hestia cried out as she struggle a bit to carry Lyra while trying to follow after her. "Astraea!"
Bell faces the Silverback that growls at it before roaring out very loudly as the ape monster rushes straight for him.
Seeing the creatures charge, Bell quickly draws out his knives from his back and did a slide in between the monster's legs before he proceeded to give a few slashes to its back.
"raaggghh!" the Silverback roared in pain before it roars angrily at Bell while swiping its claws at him.
Bell parried them off by one by one before he crossed his knives in blocking a powerful swing attack that nearly made his knees buckle.
"h-heavy!" Bell grunted as he gave it his all to push back against the monster.
As Bell fights against the Silverback, Astraea and Hestia tended to Alise who is unconscious.
"to think that monster could take down Alise too…." Astraea spoke as she sees how wounded Alise is. "just how could a single Silverback take her down?"
"questions later, Astraea! We got to go!" Hestia cried out as she looks back and becomes worried for Bell who is facing the Silverback on his own. "we got to go and get help for Bell-kun! I know he's strong because he was trained but facing that monster on his own isn't something we should let be!" she looks back at Astraea. "we need to call the Kaisers for help!"
"it's no use, Hestia." Astraea replied as she looks at Hestia. "Right now, Sotares and the other Kaisers are currently held up in a meeting for Athens diplomatic meeting in the Underworld Castle." She then looks at the fight between Bell and the Silverback with a worried look. "The other Kaisers are currently engaging the escaping monsters and it'll take time for them to get here."
"then what should we do!?" Hestia cried out. "we can't let Bell-kun fight that thing on his own! We don't know if he can win against it or not!"
Astraea looks very worried as she began to think of a plan.
"if this is the case…" Astraea spoke before she reaches into her pocket and takes out a bracelet with a single blue gem that glows and projected a holographic map of Orario that shows several blinking blue dots.
"what is that?" Hestia asks.
"a magic tool that Makaria made in case of emergencies." Astrea explained as the map pinpointed their current location before zooming on locations where the blinking blue dots are at. "It tells us where any members of the Kaiser Familia are near and judging by our current location.." she looks at one blue dot that is the closest and it showed the image of Baku who is currently in the coliseum. "alright!" she looks at Bell who is fending and parrying off the Silverback's claws. "Bell!"
Hearing his name being called, Bell parries off his foe's attacks before defending himself against it. The young man looking straight to Astraea.
"Bell! Go into the coliseum now!" Astraea shouted out before pointing to the entrance of the coliseum where the monsters had escaped from. "You can't fight against that monster on your own! Get help! Baku is inside and he can take out that monster! Hurry!"
"got it!" Bell nodded before he pushes away the Silverback's claws and then delivers a quick round house kick to its head that made it stagger back. The young man then shouted. "come on! Come and get me! Come on!"
More angrier than before, the Silverback growls before roaring at Bell who quickly made a run into the coliseum with the ape monster following.
Meanwhile in the coliseum. The patron god of the Ganesha Familia named Ganesha is currently overseeing the monsterphilia event at his personal stand.
"everything is progressing smoothly! This Ganesha is happy!" Ganesha smiles as he watched how his familia members are working hard in entertaining the citizens while fighting off the monsters. "and I am Ganesha!"
"Ganesha-sama! Ganesha-sama!" a Ganesha Familia guard cried out to the god who turns to see the guard coming to him. "We have a major problem! Emergency!"
"what is it?" Ganesha asks. "and I am Ganesha!"
"I know that, sir! Why are you introducing yourself now?!" the guard responded. "anyway! We have a major problem! The monsters for the event! They're all loose and wrecking about outside the coliseum!"
"what?! How is that possible?! Did one of you forget to lock them up in their cages!?" Ganesha exclaimed in shock. "This Ganesha taught you better, didn't i?!"
"We did lock them up! We made sure to lock them in their cages properly, but they somehow got loose!" the guard responded. "also! The guards, and even the guild employees who were stationed in the holding room are somehow unconscious! Someone outside must've been the culprit of this incident! We need to find them and!"
"finding the culprit can wait! How many!? How many monsters got loose!?" Ganesha exclaimed. "how many!?"
"a-about 15!" the ganesha guard responded. "those are the monsters that were going to be used for the final event!"
"Inconceivable!" Ganesha exclaimed. "those monsters are strongest batch we had for the event! For them to be loose!"
"b-but we have word that adventurers outside of the coliseum are dealing with them!" the guard replied. "should we just keep things quiet and let them handle things?"
Ganesha listens to the guard's question as he thought about it for a moment in silence before nodding.
"All right, pursue the monsters at large!" Ganesha ordered the guard. "prioritize safety for the people and make sure to not let any monsters escape your sights!" he then goes near the edge of his stand and then points at a part of the crowd's stand, specifically at the place where there is Baku who is spending time with Airmid during the event. "and get help from Baku Saint Kaiser! If the monsters that got loose are our strongest batch, we need his help the most! This Ganesha; god of Masses will not allow any harm come to the people of Orario! That I Ganesha vow on it!"
"u-understood!" the guard responded with a salute before running off to do his command.
As the guard left, Ganesha is left alone in deep thought.
"the main generation of the Kaiser Familia are currently held up in a meeting to discuss the upcoming diplomatic meeting with Athens at the Underworld Castle.." Ganesha spoke out as he cups his chin. "the perpetrator let loose the monsters at the specific moment when the Kaisers are inactive in their numbers. this culprit must be after something. A diversion…or perhaps he/she wanted to see chaos in the city." He then hears the crowd cheering loudly when the tamer made the monster bow. The god of masses looks at the people and then at the field. "I need to check things out and find how this could've happened. This Ganesha will get to the bottom of this!"
As Ganesha was thinking, another Ganesha guard came running to him.
"Ganesha-sama! An emergency!" the guard shouted.
"What is it now!?" Ganesha exclaimed. "did the monsters escape into the deeper parts of the city!?"
"n-no, sir!" the guard replied. "the monsters that escaped are being held back by the adventurers outside of the coliseum! We have word that two members of the Astraea familia engaged one of the monsters but were defeated!"
"what?! The Astraea familia members!?" Ganesha sounded shocked. "then!? What happened to that one monster that defeated them!?"
"another adventurer is facing it and is currently luring it back into the coliseum's holding room!" the guard replied.
"that adventurer might be planning to cage the monster…" Ganesha thought out loud before nodding. "get our Familia members to aid that adventurer! Also! Lead Baku Saint Kaiser to help out too! That adventurer may have gotten hurt during the fiasco!"
"understood!" the guard saluted before running off to do his command.
Ganesha looks back at the field and sees the tamer leaving while the monster is caged once again.
"good luck, unknown adventurer." Ganesha spoke out in a whisper. Not knowing that Bell is currently running in the coliseum's inner hallways while escaping the claws of the Silverback.
At a silent hallway of the coliseum, Bell is found running in and did a quick jump over some crates that gets destroyed by the Silverback that chases after him.
"This thing is fast!" Bell commented as he sees how agile the ape monster is. The young man went and slides down under a table that gets crushed when the Silverback jumps on top of it and then growls loudly. "and very agile!"
Bell keeps on running in the hallway as he looks and saw a sign that points where the Monster holding cells are at.
"alright!" Bell followed the direction of where the cells are at and the Silverback keeps on chasing after him.
In due time, Bell arrives to the holding cell as he comes in first before the Silverback followed.
Bell now faces against the monster again, the young man standing in front of an empty large cage that once hosted the Silverback inside.
"alright, let's get you back inside." Bell said as he got into a stance with both of his knives at the ready.
As if understanding his intention, the Silverback got wary as it slowly moves to the side while growling at the young man. The ape monster ready to attack while being cautious of Bell.
Bell got ready as he kept his eyes glued for the monster's next movement.
In a minute of silence that passes, the two kept their eyes at one another before the Silverback roars out and rushes straight for Bell who did a quick barrel roll underneath it.
'And then!' Bell got behind the Silverback and then rams its back which leads to it getting pushed right into its cage. The young man closing the gate and then locked it.
"Raaggghhh!" the Silverback roars angrily as it proceeded to lunge straight for Bell even if it hits the cell bars.
Bell backed away as he sighs while placing away his knives to his back holster.
"good thing I am fast…" Bell spoke out as he felt his adrenaline going down after running from the Silverback. He wipes off some sweat on his forehead. "I need to get back to Kami-sama and Aunt Astry…."
Bell was about to turn towards the exit but he came face to face with an unknown cloaked figure.
"wha?" Bell looks surprise at the unknown figure's sudden appearance as this led to another unknown cloaked stranger to appear behind him and delivered a karate chop to his neck that knocks him out. "agh!"
Bell fell unconscious to the floor as he had unknowingly fallen right into a set up trap by the unknown cloaked figures that are 6 in numbers.
"the fool went right into our trap." "now let us get him to our goddess as she wished." "to think that she wishes to have such an ignorant fool like this…" "do not question our goddess' wishes and desire. It is in our duties to get what she desires." "pick him up and get ready to escape through the back entrance." "I'll kill the monster." The cloaked figures discussed amongst them before one proceeded to pick Bell up and the other proceeded to kill the caged Silverback with a mere throwing knife that pierced through its heart and killed it.
The cloaked figures proceeded to the exit as they were about to leave the room with Bell in their possession, however they stopped when they heard the sound of metallic footsteps coming from a dark hallway.
"a possible witness." The leader of the mysterious cloaked individuals look at the direction of the noise before doing a hand sign that made two of his subordinates ready their knives. "take them out quickly."
"understood." The two cloaked figures followed their leader's command as they run straight for the dark hallway to silence any witness but the moment they entered the shadows; blood instantly sprayed out for no reason.
"That is quick." A random cloaked figure commented.
"let's move." The leader commented before the group hears the footsteps once again. "what?"
Everyone looks at the shadowed hallway and they soon see the heads of their comrades rolling out with blood coming out of their severed neck area.
"w-what!?" one subordinate became baffled beyond words in seeing the heads of their comrades just rolling. "h-how?!"
"look!" another comrade of the latter pointed to the shadows where two glowing red dots that burns like fire appears. "what is that!?"
All looked at the glowing red dots as they slowly got closer to their position. The metallic footsteps echoed in the hallway as a figure slowly made an appearance out of the shadows.
"t-this guy is!" the leader of the cloaked figures sounded baffled as he readied his sword with his subordinates following in action. "why is he here?!"
All look upon the figure who stops in the shadows before suddenly dashing in while drawing out a dark demonic sword out of nowhere.
"aggghh!" screams are heard in the hallway as blood soon came spraying out and splashing upon the walls, ceiling, and floor.
Some hours later, evening time and upon the Saint Sanctuary's medical room.
Bell is found asleep in one of the many patient bedrooms, the young man seemingly to be in his dreams before he grunted and slowly wakes up to see the white marbled ceiling.
"Where?" Bell spoke out as he slowly sits up and sees that he is the room by himself. "where am i?"
Bell looks very confused as he didn't know where he was at all.
"just where?" Bell spoke out before he hears and turns to see the door of the room being opened by Hestia who came in with Baku and Airmid.
"he's still not waking up and…" Hestia spoke out before she pauses and made a surprise noise when she sees Bell awake and sitting on the bed. "B-Bell-kun?"
"Kami-sama?" Bell spoke before he gawks a bit when Hestia came lunging at him.
"BELL-KUN~!" Hestia cried out as she jumps straight for Bell who became surprised but the goddess was caught by Baku who held her like a caught cat.
"alright, that's far enough." Baku said as he settled Hestia down. "I know that you're happy that he's awake, but he's still a patient recovering."
"Baku…where am i?" Bell asks his cousin as everyone came to his bedside.
"the Saint Sanctuary." Baku replied while Airmid takes a jug of water from the table nearby and poured a glass for Bell to drink. "you were found unconscious at the Ganesha Familia's coliseum, we took you from there to here to treat ya."
"just what happened?" Bell asks after taking a drink of water from his glass. He then held a hand to his forehead. "the last thing I remember was leading the Silverback into the cage and then…"
"well, we found you unconscious and you didn't get any wound from that monster." Baku said while crossing his arms before shrugging his shoulders. "my guess is that you got tired and fell unconscious because the adrenaline rush dying down. You were running from a monster after all."
"is that so?" Bell spoke as he took another sip before he became surprised and looks worried. "wait! What about Alise-san and Lyra-san?! What about them?! They were injured by the Silverback and!"
"relax, they're alright." Baku said as he held a hand to Bell's right shoulder. "they got some broken bones here and there, but they're alive."
"they're currently recuperating in the room next door." Airmid said before smiling. "be at ease, Bell."
Bell sighs in relief as he was glad that the two were okay.
"I'm glad." Bell sighs once again before they heard some knocking from the door as everyone turns to see Astraea coming in. "Aunt Astraea?"
"I hope I'm not interrupting anything." Astraea spoke out as she entered the room.
"not at all." Baku said with a smile. "we're just easing things up for Bell after he woke up."
"I see." Astraea nodded before she went near Bell. "how are you doing, Bell?"
"I'm fine." Bell nodded with a smile. "are Alise-san and Lyra-san awake?"
"they're still sleeping." Astraea replied after shaking her head. "they just received some medicine for their wounds, so they might not wake up today."
"I see." Bell replied before smiling again. "I'm just glad to hear that they're alright."
"I am too." Astraea said as she caresses Bell's head. "I'm also glad that you're alright too."
After some talk about Bell's condition along with that of the Astraea Familia members, there came a topic that needed to be discussed.
"just how did the monsters escape in the first place?" Bell asks.
"no clue." Baku said as he scratches the back of his head. "in the first place, I only got notified of the incident after I did my part in the volunteering match." He then scratches his chin. "I tried to check things out, but got called back to the Saint Sanctuary to patch up the adventures who got wounded during the whole chaos."
"for now, we're waiting for news from Hayate and the others who are currently investigating things." Astraea stated in. "from the monsters' escaping to finding the culprit who is responsible for releasing them too."
"just who would want to do this?" Hestia asks while looking a bit angry. "because of their action, I couldn't spend a good time with Bell-kun at all!"
"whoever is the culprit, we'll find them and once we do…" Baku spoke out before he slammed a fist to an open palm. "they're in a world of beating."
"I feel sorry for them." Bell sweatdropped while having a sympathetic smile.
As this conversation proceeded, several knocks came from the door as everyone turns to see a nurse of the Dian Cecth Familia coming in and then bowing her head with her hands folded on her waist.
"excuse me for interrupting." The nurse spoke in a formal tone. "Baku-sama and Airmid-san, we need your assistance as a group of injured adventurers have come seeking assistance. Many are critically injured and need medical attention."
"right." Baku nodded. "get them to the operation room. Separate them by mark of red for the critical ones, and green ones that aren't. also, get our newly trained medical healers to look after them. I want to see if they are up for the job or not."
"yes, at once." The nurse nodded before leaving.
"looks like duty calls." Baku said as he looks back at Bell. "You got no implications whatsoever, but for now rest for a night here and you can go back to your Home tomorrow morning." He then looks at Hestia. "I'll get someone to put in an extra bed for you to sleep here with, Hestia-sama."
"thank you, Baku-kun." Hestia nodded before everyone bid goodbye to Baku and Airmid who left the room to attend to their duties.
"I should get going too." Astraea said as she stood up straight. "Sotares will be coming to pick me up and she needs my assistance in reviewing the incident." She then looks at Bell and Hestia. "I'll represent both of you, so get some rest for today, alright?"
"alright." "thanks, Astraea." Bell and Hestia replied before Astraea left the room.
"sure was a hectic day, huh?" Hestia said as she takes a seat and sat down. The goddess sighs a bit tiredly. "just when I thought that today was going to be a good date during the Monsterphilia, but chaos just came."
"I guess we should get a rain check before doing so again." Bell said as he slowly settled back on the bed. "I wonder if they will still host the Monsterphillia for tomorrow's event."
"I think we need to wait and see the Kaiser's verdict after the investigation." Hestia said before she sighs and looks a bit annoyed while imagining Ganesha in a thought bubble. "but considering Ganesha's personality, he'll definitely ask for the event to continue."
"I guess so." Bell chuckles, the young man already met the god and find him to be quite the eccentric one.
Meanwhile at the Ganesha Familia's coliseum, a full on investigation is occurring in the building as the familia members and guild people are scouring every parts of the place in searching for clues of any kind.
Eina is also present amongst the guild people as she is taking records of everything in the area; from the hallway to the holding cell. The half elf guild staffs making sure that nothing was amiss.
"What was found?" a voice asks Eina who turns and meets with Hayate, Shakti, and Kenji. "did we get clues about the culprit?"
"n-no! we're still searching!" Eina replied as she checks her notes. "we've only found signs of how the situation occurred when Bell Cranel lured the Silverback into the cage…" she then looks to the holding room where many guild staff and Ganesha Familia members are currently residing in to check for more clues. "but…"
"the Silverback is somehow missing." Shakti stated as she sees the cage was closed and locked from the outside, but there is no monster inside. "we've scoured the entire coliseum and find no traces of it anywhere."
"it definitely can't be outside." Kenji said as he had his arms crossed. "if the ape actually got outside, we would've been alarmed of it the second it came into contact with any citizens."
"that begs another question that needs to be answered." Hayate said as everyone comes into the cell and Melinoe's second son comes to check the locked cage to see anything that might be a clue. "was the Silverback killed or taken?"
"taken?" Eina asks confused.
"the culprit released the monsters for some unknown purpose." Shakti explained. "not knowing the goal of the culprit, we can only assume that there is a reason he/she released the monsters."
"Taking it and using it for some diabolical stuff is one of those reasons." Kenji said while cupping his chin.
"then….should we send out a notice of caution regarding this incident?" Eina asks Hayate who carefully inspects the cage and then scratches his chin.
"for starters…." Hayate spoke out as he inspects the cage very carefully.
"begin with an inspection of the entire coliseum, leave no part untouched." A voice spoke as everyone turns to the doorway and became a bit surprised when Helios came walking in; the Hell Kaiser donning his king's outfit and seeming to have a very serious expression on his face. "afterwards, give out an announcement about the current situation that was an accident and a mishap."
"K-King Helios!" Eina became surprised to see the King as she along with many others became flustered, nervous, and anxious when they are in the presence of the Hell Kaiser. The guild staff girl then bows her head. "apologies for not welcoming you, and…!"
"let's keep the honorifics and formality for another time." Helios said while waving a hand up and then down. "but first…" He then looks and points to a random Ganesha guard. "you, I want you to go and deliver a message to Ploutos who is currently at the Hephaestus Familia's Home. Tell him that I called for him to come here as fast as he can. I need his help with the layout of the coliseum."
"y-yes! At once!" the guard responded with a salute before quickly running out of the room.
"you, get help from adventurers to watch over the guards and guild staff who were unconscious and were on duty for the event before the monster outbreak." Helios continued his orders as he looks at a random guild staff member. "I want to get all the info of what had happened to them and how the monsters really escaped."
"yes!" the guild staff followed in running out of the room.
"I want everyone who hears my voice to keep on searching every nook and cranny of the coliseum." Helios called out as he waves a hand while turning around. "I don't care if it's a pebble or a strand of hair or anything! If it looks out of place or not, collect it, note it, and bring it to the guild for me and the other Kaisers to inspect! Understand!?"
"y-yes!" all responded in unison as they returned to their duties to search for clues.
"I leave this place to you to supervise. I want all the clues by tomorrow afternoon." Helios spoke as he looks at Eina. "and also, tell Ganesha to continue the Monsterphilia. As much as this event had become a disaster, it's still a tradition that we got to uphold."
"yes! I will deliver the message in an instant!" Eina replied before she hurriedly runs out of the room.
Helios watches Eina run out of the room before he turns to look at Hayate and the others.
"you three. A word?" Helios said while motioning them to follow him out of the room.
Hayate and the others looks at the King before to each other.
Now leaving the holding cell and are currently walking in the hallway, Helios leads Hayate and the others as the King is bringing them away from the scene.
"I trust that you three found all the clues before them?" Helios spoke as he glances back at the group.
"we did." Kenji said while folding his arms behind his head. "it doesn't take a genius to see that the culprit is a god who charmed the Ganesha guards and guild staff then released the monsters."
"But we don't know which god is the culprit." Hayate added in. "there's no trace of that god whatsoever."
"we only know that the god released the monsters for a reason that we have yet to find out." Shakti stated. "I figured by the time the inspection is done, we'll find a lead."
Helios hummed a bit before he looks forward.
"someone already got the lead and they got my permission to deal with the culprit in their own way." Helios said.
"what?" Kenji looks confused and curious. "if you got the culprit, why still need to do the inspection?"
"I'm guessing it's to keep up appearances and deal it the proper way?" Hayate asks.
"smarter than Kenji as always." Helios said with a chuckle while Kenji looks a bit annoyed in response. "but yeah, it's true. Got to keep up the inspection to give the people a sense of reassurance."
"then, what shall be done now?" Shakti asks. "since the culprit is already known, should we make an announcement of it tomorrow?"
"I'll deal with that part myself." Helios said while turning his head to the side. "for now, keep this investigation up for a day and a half then the announcement can come after it."
"and what about the punishment for the culprit?" Kenji asks. "gonna announce them?"
"well, the ones who found the culprit want things to stay a bit quiet for some time." Helios said before he looks to the front. "they said that they'll deal with the culprit but they want to do it off the books."
"off the books?" Kenji said with an eyebrow raised before his expression changes into pity. "oh right, those guys always do things off the books."
"those guys?" Shakti asks confused.
"forgot which Familia our Uncle here is from?" Hayate asks Shakti who looks at him confused for a moment before she made a noise realizing who they are referring to.
"just get things ready while I talk things out with Hades-san." Helios said as he then yawns a bit. "after that, I'm hitting the hay with Hephie."
"yeah, we will." Kenji said before Helios disappeared in a sparkle of light. He then looks at the others. "guess we should also get ready for a rain of blood if it comes."
"don't jinx it, Kenji." Hayate retorted to his cousin who just shrugged his shoulders.
At the Loki Familia's Home named the Twilight Manor; the Home is located up north of Orario as it is a large mansion like home well fitted for a top ranked Familia.
Currently walking in the Manor's second floor hallway, the goddess Loki is found just walking while holding a bottle of booze in her hand.
"in just a minute, the whole shit show got stopped." Loki muttered out before she took a quick chug of her booze and sighs loudly. "and judging of the news, that rabbit boy didn't get taken at all." She then came to a nearby window and looks out to the night sky view. "guess things ain't going well for anyone who wants to dare go against the Kaisers."
Loki took another quick chug of her booze before she hears rushing footsteps from the side; the goddess turns to see a human male adventurer of her Familia named Raul Nord who came to her a bit rushed while looking anxious, flustered, and nervous.
"L-Loki! There you are!" Raul cried out. "I've been looking all over for you!"
"What is it, Raul?" Loki asks before chugging her booze dry and then burps. "got a problem or something?"
"no! we got a guest! A very important and scary guest!" Raul cried out as he looks scared. "that person came to our Home demanding to talk to you immediately!"
"just who is it?" Loki asks confused. "who is so important and so scary that they want to talk to me?"
"who indeed?" a emotionless voice spoke out of nowhere as this made Loki's slanted eyes pop open and the goddess turned to see herself face to face with Hades who appeared out of nowhere. "who indeed is such an important yet frightening guest to your Home, Trickster?"
"H-Hades!?" Loki gasps in surprise while taking a few steps back. "just when did you!?"
"does it really matter when did I arrive?" Hades asks as she stares down at Loki with her red eyes slowly glowing menacingly. "after all, you do know the reason why I am here, correct?"
Loki looks a bit tensed and nervous while Raul is shaking scared as Hades' eyes were glowing so menacingly like they were drilling through your own soul.
Hades continues to stare down at Loki before she slowly closed her eyes and takes a few steps to stand near the window. The goddess opening her eyes to look upon the night sky that slowly darkens.
"an incident occurred upon Ganesha's coliseum. The monsters tamed for the event gone loose and caused chaos." Hades spoke out as she stares and watches the night sky go darker because of large black thunderstorm clouds slowly blocking the flickering stars and the moon's radiance. "I had grown accustomed to hear the loud and annoying noises of the Lower World, but I was irritated when the chaos came and soured my mood." Her eyes is shown glowing in the window glass' reflection as they look at the reflection of Loki. "I despise things that sour my mood."
Loki gulped nervously as Hades turns to face her again.
"the chaos subsided when the Kaiser came into action and one of my children have dealt with the culprits that soured my mood." Hades said as she stares down at Loki. "now, I'm here to deal with one loose end."
Loki and Raul becomes more scared as darkness slowly creeps into their Home with the shadows growing like they were alive.
"Your Familia works as a scapegoat and an icon for the people after my foolish brother and sister's banishment from the city." Hades spoke as she leans down a bit to stare down upon Loki. "make sure to remember where the line is and stay behind it. I don't care if you do things for your personal interest. The moment you irritate my mood, you're nothing more than a puppet upon the empty theatre." The goddess of death's eyes menacingly glares back at the trickster goddess' eyes. "so do as you are told or I will personally cut the strings and let you all fall."
The darkness engulfs the room before the rumble of thunder is heard and a flash of lightning occurred; this flash of light causes the shadows to disappear for a moment and reveal dozens of fully black armored individuals appearing in the hallway; each one having their weapons of choice at the ready. When the flash of lightning subsided; they all disappeared in a second.
Loki had a bead of sweat sliding down the side of her face, the goddess is literally being threatened by the goddess of death who has her Familia members at the ready to attack.
"i-I got it…" Loki spoke out in a stutter. "I'll cut myself off from her business and everything."
Hades stares back at Loki with her glowing red eyes before she closes them and leans back. The darkness subsided as everything slowly turns normal.
"good." Hades spoke before she turns and begins walking away. "I'll be expecting silence and obedience afterwards." She soon stops and turned her head to the side to show a glowing red eye. "and also, do try to clean up the mess at your garden. Blood is never a good supplement for plants after all."
"what?" Loki looks confused at first before Hades points to the side as the goddess of mischief looks and gasps in surprise when she sees that the garden at the side of her Home has the writing "OBEY OR DIE" upon the walls as it is written in nothing but blood. "t-that's…"
Loki looks back at Hades and became surprised to see that she had disappeared. The goddess of mischief slowly clenching her right hand's fingers into a fist as she looks a bit frustrated.
"Raul." Loki spoke out as she turns to face the human adventurer who looks like he got a few years of his life cut off. "Raul!"
"h-huh? Wha?" Raul looks at Loki. "w-what is it, Loki?"
"this is my order to everyone in our Home." Loki said as she placed a hand to her forehead. "tell them all to avoid any unwanted direct meeting with anyone from Freyja's place and that we will no longer want any cooperation with them."
"eh? But isn't that a bit.." Raul spoke out.
"just do it!" Loki exclaimed. "if you got time to be retorting, get going and spread the news!"
"y-yes!" Raul replied as he quickly runs off.
Loki is now left by herself; the goddess of mischief going to the wall and leans her back on it before she slides down and sighs loudly.
"This is why I should have never ever signed a deal with that slut." Loki said as she facepalmed again. "all the trouble will be getting to me first!"
Loki grumbles in tiredness, not knowing that she is being watched from the shadows by a pair of glowing red eyes that disappears when they blink.
Meanwhile, at the Cranel's Home at the forest. The night has come and the place becomes very quiet and peaceful. The only sound that could be heard is the nightly breeze and the crickets singing upon the field.
At the wooden cabin house and within the living room area, the fireplace is lit as the flames' warmth spreads into the home and puffs out smoke from the chimney. Yuki is found sitting at the couch with Yukina as the renard mother plays with her child.
"if you're happy and you know it, clap your hands~! If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands~!" Yuki chants a song while having Yukina lying on her lap, the mother playfully claps her daughter's little hands together while chanting the song. "if you're happy and you know it, why don't you show it? If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands~!"
Yukina squeals in glee to the little game before laughing out loud when Yuki leans down her face to her belly and blew some raspberries.
While Yuki is with her child in the living room, Meteria is found in the kitchen as she is currently cooking dinner while humming.
Meteria wore a pink apron on and she is currently holding a wooden ladle that she is using to stir a pot filled with cream stew.
"hmmm~! Hmmm~!" Meteria hums before she takes a small plate and uses it to pour some of the stew on it. She gently blew on it a few times and then took a sip to taste it. The white haired woman tasting her cooking and then smiles with nod. "alright~!"
Meteria proceeded to take out some wooden bowls and began to pour the stew into each one.
"Yuki~! Dinner is ready~!" Meteria called out to her renard niece who replied with a hollered "Yes~!" in return.
Meteria continues to fill the bowls one by one but she accidently spilled a few hot drops to her hand holding the bowl which made her wince with a loud "hot~!"
The bowl is then dropped from her grasp, Meteria gasping as she saw the bowl falling straight for the floor but was caught by a hand that grabbed and then lifted up.
"eh?" Meteria looks at the caught bowl and the hand before she turns and smiles happily when she finds that her husband had returned and is the one who caught the object before it fell. "Zagreus~! Welcome home~!"
"I'm back." Zagreus replied with a nod before he placed the bowl down to the table nearby. "be careful when pouring hot liquid, you could've scalded yourself."
"yes, I know~." Meteria said a bit nonchalantly before she leans close and hugs her husband then leans up to give him a quick peck on the lips. "so? How was Bell in Orario?"
"fine." Zagreus replied as he patted and caressed Meteria's back. "albeit he is still adjusting to his new life in the city, he's doing fine."
"I see." Meteria smiles as she leans closer to her husband's embrace. "I'm so glad to hear that."
"if you wish to visit him, just tell me." Zagreus spoke out. "but do us both a favour and strictly tell his Familia's goddess to keep their relation as god and child only."
"why? What's wrong?" Meteria asks, sounding curious and confused.
"nothing is wrong." Zagreus said before he squinted his eyes a bit. "I just wish to set boundaries between the gods and our son."
Meteria looks at Zagreus for a moment before she sighs with a smile and then went back to hugging him.
"our son's future is for him to decide." Meteria spoke out. "if his heart is set for his goddess, I believe we should support him as the best that we can."
"is that really the wisest of decisions?" Zagreus asks. "do you really wish to end the lineage of the Kaisers by himself?"
"I don't, but I think that there is always a path for him." Meteria replied after shaking her head and then looking up to him. "we just have to be supportive once his heart sets itself upon someone, only then can we think of preserving the Kaiser lineage."
Zagreus looks at Meteria for a moment before he closed his eyes and sighs while his right hand wraps around his wife's back.
"this must be discussed with the other Kaisers afterwards, do you understand?" Zagreus asks and Meteria nodded with a smile. "very well."
"myanya~!" a gleeful child's voice is heard as Zagreus and Meteria separated from each other and then turns to see Yuki holding Yukina's arms as the renard mother helps her child walk to her grand uncle and aunt. "Myanya~!"
"awwww~! Is Yukina-chan hungry already~!?" Meteria squeals out as she went and then kneels while opening her arms out for the little renard who is now left to walk by herself. The little fox girl went straight for the white haired woman who scooped her up into her arms. "okay~! Let's eat grandma Meteria's special cream stew that is yummy for Yukina-chan's little tummy~!"
Yukina giggles in glee as Meteria cuddles her up with lots of love and care.
"Uncle Zagreus, you have returned." Yuki greeted Zagreus. "has there been an incident in Orario during my leave of absence?"
"no, nothing much has occurred." Zagreus replied as he held up a bowl of the cream stew in his right hand's grasp. "the Monsterphilia event had progress smoothly over the days and the only thing considered to be an incident would be the citizens being rowdy as annually predicted." He then proceeded to drink up the stew down as he just drank it with no spoon nor blowing on it because it was still hot.
"then, there's peace upon Orario?" Yuki asks Zagreus who finishes his wife's cooked stew and left the bowl to the sink. "nothing of such chaos has occurred?"
"no." Zagreus shakes his head before he glances at Meteria who is still cuddling with Yukina on the sidelines. The half elf closes his eyes and then opens them to look at Yuki. "for now, I only have a message from your mother who requested that you spend as much time as you want here. Right now, your main task of the next few months would be to accompany Meteria and take care of your child. Just that."
"I see." Yuki said before she bowed her head and nodded. "very well. Thank you, Uncle."
Zagreus nodded as he then proceeded to walk out of the kitchen.
"eh? Zagreus? Where are you going?" Meteria called out to her husband. "it's dinner time, you know?"
"I've already eaten outside and I already eaten your stew, I'm full." Zagreus said as he stops by the doorway entrance of the kitchen. The half elf glancing back to his wife. "right now, I wish to tend to the field and collect the ripe harvest."
Zagreus leaves the room as he left Meteria with Yuki and Yukina.
"but we already picked them this morning." Meteria said before she humms and then smiles when Yukina babbles and cuddles to herself to the woman's chest. "I guess grandma Meteria got to spend more time with Yukina-chan, right~?"
Yukina giggles in glee as Meteria proceeded to peck her forehead and smiles then plays with her for a while.
Outside of the wooden cabin, Zagreus walks out of his home and upon the grassy field.
Zagreus walks before he stops by the barn, the half elf just standing there in silence before his hair flowed a bit because of the cold night's breeze.
The half elf stayed there for a moment before he glanced his eyes to the side as his shadow appeared and slowly grows from the moonlight's radiance. His shadow grew to ten feet long before it had dozens of red eyes appearing within the black shadows.
"what do you all have to report?" Zagreus asks before he hears whispering echoes coming from out of nowhere before his shadow splits apart and became many other demonic shaped shadows that surround the man. "I see…" the half elf reaches a hand to his back and then takes out the jet black domino mask with the draconic design. "let's put an end to the terror before it could even be born."
Zagreus wears the mask on before his body gets enveloped by the demonic shadows that made him disappear within seconds.
That's a wrap!
Bye bye
