Hello. A random writer here with an equally random idea.
This fanfiction is a crossover between Elder Scrolls V and Danmachi, with the story itself is taking place in the latter. I didn't own either nor do I make profit from this fanfiction.
Warning: There will be some OoC going on with characters from Norse mythology, namely Freya and Loki, so this fic might not be for everyone's taste.
Once upon a time, there was a gilded temple built on top of gathered clouds, and inside was a very happy Goddess.
'Very' seemed like a discount to her Spirit servants. Maybe 'super' would do. Happiness unimaginable, without any bound nor limit. Yes, that sounded better. Why might one ask? Because–
"Goddess," the head of the servants, Angelia, entered her lady's quarter, a fine quality letter in hand, "We've received a message from Gekai Committees. They said it's Goddess' turn to descent."
"HOORAY!"
Yup. Positively ecstatic.
How could she not? After waiting forever in the metaphorical queue of Tenkai, she could finally have a go. This was undoubtedly the best day ever! For the Goddess at least. Her beloved servants would miss her dearly in her absence.
Angelia nodded in congratulations, happy that her Goddess was happy. In any case, there was information she had to relay.
The Spirit opened her Goddess' letter — having been permitted to do so a long time ago to simplify her lady's task — and read the content inside, "According to this letter, Goddess' Arcanum will be automatically sealed when—"
"Yeah yeah. I get it, Angelia," she stretched before hopping off her throne, too ecstatic to listen as she ran towards her open terrace, "Catch you later!"
Angelia spluttered, "G–Goddess, wait! This is very important! It also mentioned about—"
Her mistress was already gone.
On that day, a Goddess descended from her temple, her body a shooting star as she pierced the morning sky of Gekai. She set her sight on the humongous settlement afar: the Center of the World, the Dungeon City Orario.
Gekai. A lot could be seen from high above, and yet so little at the same time. It didn't rival the beauty of Tenkai, yet its imperfection made it all the more appealing.
She could feel fire growing in her chest, of burning curiosity and excitement. The Goddess couldn't wait to build her own Familia, to learn all there was about Gekai, to meet with her dear friend Hephaestus, Take, Miach, and–
WHOOSH~!
– And she missed, passing the large settlement in a blink of an eye. On and on towards the horizon unknown.
"Hold on a second!" The Goddess squawked, "Too fast! Too fast!"
A mental brake was hastily stomped, and the sudden turn made her lose control over her descent. Up and down, left and right; everything blurred beyond recognition as she spiraled to the river below.
"GYAAAAAAAAAA—!"
Something wasn't right! Why was her flight so hard to control?! She had flown hundreds of thousands of times by now! This should have been a piece of cake!
The realization struck her like a lightning bolt.
Gods' control over their flight was highly influenced by Arcanum. When Gods passed through the Veil to reach the world below, their Arcanum was automatically sealed. However, that didn't mean the Gods couldn't descend safely to Gekai, as the Veil purposefully left a sliver of diminishing power meant for a single flight.
Flying without Arcanum wasn't as simple as lifting a finger, but it wasn't hard by any means. Just needed extra caution, along with awareness that the flight wouldn't be as easy breezy due Arcanum's absence.
But the screaming Goddess had totally forgotten about that particular tidbit in her eagerness, having gone full speed with no way to stop.
"—AAAAAAH!"
SPLASH!
–!?
Horrified screaming was choked by a sudden flood entering her mouth. The loss of air made her panic and she frantically swam towards the surface, only for the light to go further away from her reach.
…
She didn't know how to swim.
Other than some messing around in the bath pool of her temple, the Goddess had never bothered to learn swimming. Why swim if she could fly? But here she was flightless, horribly giddy after a disastrous descent, and harshly plunged into a cold river.
No…
Despair was all she felt when her vision darkened. And yet, despite the odds against her, the Goddess continued her struggle to reach the light.
For in that light was her dream, her wish to live with mortals and build a Famila, to share moments of joy and sorrow, and to watch them grow to be the best they ever be.
Her Arcanum stirred inside her, ready to break its bind and return her to the safety of her temple.
Please…
The Goddess reached out towards the white sky above the surface, her consciousness fading.
Was this really how it would end? After so many years of yearning and waiting, just to have it all taken away right before it started?
She couldn't accept it. She refused to accept it.
Save me…
Anyone…
Magic encapsulated her, and the Goddess was taken to the light.
But instead of a hard floor made of polished marble, her knees landed on dry soil. She instinctively lurched forward, puking everything that had gone into the wrong tunnels.
She survived. Still in Gekai instead of Tenkai.
No words could describe the relief in her heaving chest.
"Are you alright?"
"Y–yeah," she said amidst her coughing, "That's… so close! Thank you!"
She raised her head and was greeted with worried eyes of shiny gold. The man standing before her was tall, with pale honey skin and pointy ears. There's no mistaking it. He must be a White Elf.
"You are welcome," the Elf offered his hand which the Goddess accepted, lifting her from the ground, "Most wouldn't survive from such a fall, even less without the slightest harm."
He looked away much to her confusion. She was about to ask what was wrong before a passing wind shivered her to the bones.
She was completely soaked, and her thin-layered dress hugged her in a way that left few to imagination.
The Goddess fell back to her knees, her arms crossed over her supple breasts as she screamed.
How did it come to this?
The newly descended Goddess sat on a short rock while the Elf sat on the opposite end of the newly built campfire. She was currently cocooned in a modest blanket, red-faced as she looked anywhere but him.
Her clothes were currently hung on a nearby tree branch; their soggy forms glittering beneath the morning sun as if announcing her clumsiness to the world.
She wasn't nude below the blanket, though, having been offered a dry shirt to wear, and while it's way too big for her size, it still served its purpose in preserving her modesty.
"I see," the Elf, after a quick explanation in which he remained placid, finally broke the following pause, "Would it be acceptable to address you as Goddess Hestia?"
The sound of tearing echoed from the back of Hestia's head. Ah, that… that was the last of her dignity shredded into pieces. Being addressed as a Goddess after making a big fool of herself was just terrible. There was no doubt or disapproval in his tone, yet the lack of judgment stung her in a way insults could not.
"Yeah…" she weakly answered, not knowing what else to say.
"My name is Aegon Aicanor Aldmeri," announced the Elf, and gosh isn't that a long name. "You may call me Eggie."
Hestia blinked, "Eggie?"
"Aegon, Eggie," the Elf chuckled, "That's how my friends addressed me."
She didn't miss the hint of longing, but dissuaded herself from prying despite her curiosity. There were things not meant to be shared to a person one had just met, and Hestia didn't wish to intrude.
"Do you have a destination in mind, Goddess Hestia?"
The Goddess winced, reminded once more of her tragic landing, "I was planning to visit Orario."
"Orario…?" he uttered slowly as if savoring the word, "You mean the Dungeon City? That is a long way from here."
Hestia gulped, "W–where are we exactly?"
"We are in the wilderness north east of Koine, while Orario is located at the west. It would take more than a month to reach the city."
W–wilderness? MORE THAN A MONTH?!
"Uwuu…"
Hestia crumbled beneath the blanket, sobbing as moody clouds gathered above her. The Elf remained quiet at the side, giving her the much needed time to get herself together.
Seconds turned to minutes and… it's getting a bit too long.
"Would you like to come with me?"
Glassy sapphire met gold.
"H–huh?"
"While I can't promise to be swift, Orario is a destination I've been wanting to visit," he confessed, "Besides, traveling alone is hardly exciting. What do you say, Goddess Hestia?"
The Goddess gulped, averting her eyes while scratching her cheek, "Uhm, w–well… I guess? I mean, if you don't mind…"
And so began the Goddess' journey: through an awkward encounter with a traveling Elf.