Under normal circumstances, Bell Cranel was someone who got easily embarrassed by numerous strangers staring at him with various degrees of envy and anger. After all, he wasn't actually popular back in his village. Now that he was a minor celebrity all things considered, becoming one in such a short time frame, it still felt off to actually be in the center of all attention, level five or not.
Then again, in this situation, he was certain it wasn't him that was the center of attention. In this situation, he was not easily embarrassed by the people looking at him, for all his embarrassment was being created by the two girls flanking him, appearing to have no shame whatsoever. They were positively blooming like flowers as they leaned their heads against his shoulders, having a tight grip on his arms. A part of him was proud of how in sync they were as they led the way. Another part of him felt like a rabbit stuck between two wolves who just happened to be idle instead of unbelievably, ferally hungry.
Eventually during their calm stride through the streets, ignoring the looks of jealousy and other emotions he couldn't pinpoint, Aiz opened her eyes, her blissful expression changing to a small frown. Letting go of his arm, he could only raise an eyebrow as she began to float right in front of him, upside down as a pout formed on her face.
"Why did you leave early?" Bell felt a shiver in his spine at the soft whisper she released while crossing her arms. "I wanted to talk after the contest…What did Loki say?"
He couldn't help but blush as he remembered the rather…colorful words the goddess had for him. Bell always thought that Hestia was exaggerating about the trickster being a pervert beyond belief, but maybe she had a point. Judging from his reaction, Aiz seemed to perfectly know what her own deity said, as she let out a long suffering sigh. Shaking her head, she tilted her head, almost playfully, as her mouth formed a smile once more while she leaned in.
"Did it suit me?"
The image of Aiz wearing clothes that were unlike her usual style. Granting her a more adult charm, a mysterious aura that would be in his memories for years to come. Thus, he did not hold back his bright expression as he nodded with enthusiasm.
"Yeah, it was unbelievably cute!"
Aiz' lips quivered, her face flushing with red color as she brushed her hair back, her eyes focused on his. But before they could get lost in each other's gaze, something tightened its grip on his arm. Bell choked before glancing to his side, seeing Ryuu giving him an unimpressed raised eyebrow.
"Cuter than when I wear it?"
He cleared his throat, trying to buy himself time, as he knew that there was no right answer to be had, given the flat looks he was receiving. But even if any choice he made would lead to hell, he would still try his best anyway! No matter how much his body shook as he struggled to come up with a good reply, forcing a smile upon his visage.
"Err…" He scratched his right cheek. "Aiz had the…novelty factor…?"
His instincts screamed at him, as well as his inner Solaris and Grandpa. Aiz stopped being upside town and landed on her fleet, at the same time as Ryuu let go of his arm. Both of them crossed their arms as they stood right in front of him.
"So you are saying I am starting to bore you," the elf asked in a dry tone, while Aiz lowered her gaze with a sorrowful expression.
"Is my usual outfit that bad…?"
Frantically, Bell waved his hands in denial in front of him, panic running through his veins and electrifying him to his core.
"No! Not at all!"
Alas, the girls began to ignore him as they turned towards each other. Ryuu rubbed her chin almost thoughtfully as she regarded her fellow girlfriend. Her eyes were slightly glazed over, merely using Aiz' form as reference as she used her memories instead. Then she nodded slightly, before gently rubbing her chest, humming to herself.
"Maybe I should wear your outfit next time."
Bell immediately snapped his head away, as it was growing hot like fire. For his treacherous mind wondered for just a moment who was bigger and if Aiz' chestplate would fit properly or not. Unaware of this, Aiz tilted her head thoughtfully.
"Hm, it'd be fun." She blinked before straightening up her back. "I could ask the other girls in my Familia to lend me some things."
"An interesting idea. Kaguya should have spare kimonos…just need to beat them out of her…"
Feeling the air leave his lungs at the mere thought of their "fashion show" in the near future, Bell tried to laugh it off, only to feel a wheeze escape his throat. Nevertheless, they heard the noise and turned towards him, seeing him raise his hands nervously.
"Mercy?"
The two of them smirked.
""No.""
Welp, he was done for. His imagination was running wild with all sorts of cute and then lewd outfits that he was glad that they at least changed the topic.
Sure, it was Ryuu trying to get more compliments out of him with her concert performance alongside the rest of Astraea Familia, but Aiz was a good sport in that sense, as she was interested in how the preparation to that point went. Bell was intrigued too, as he was not aware where and when the girls actually practiced their music. Turned out there were a couple buildings in the southern side that specialized in "musical" rooms. Soundproof somehow to make practice more private and what not.
Bell couldn't help but laugh as Ryuu explained how their first time practice went. It was a hobby the girls picked up only two years ago. At their prodding, her flushed face was a sight to behold as she explained how they actually managed to snap the strings on their instruments, unaware how fragile things could be in the hands of high level adventurers. Still, it spoke of their discipline, Ryuu's especially, that they didn't let that stop them and become as skilled as they were today.
Unfortunately then the conversation went to how his "date" went with Lady Hestia. Thankfully Bell was able to convince them that it was purely a familial get together. It helped that they were quite interested in the sights he was able to see while they were busy themselves. It only made them increase their pace to see today's stalls and events themselves, especially after hearing that individuals like Brunhilde were around, cultures from outside of Orario making their name known.
However, just as they were approaching what appeared to be one of the bigger events, Aiz stopped in her stride. He and Ryuu turned towards her, confused why she suddenly paused. The Wind Princess licked her lips, contemplating if she should truly utter what was on her mind…only to nod in determination, turning towards Bell.
"I have a question."
"Hm?" Bell tilted his head. Aiz in return took a deep breath…and dropped the explosion on his body without mercy.
"Do you want Lefiya too?"
His entire body locked in, as if a spell immobilized him. To his shame, the immediate memory that surfaced was the soft sensation of the elf's thighs around his neck and cheeks. Then his face burned hot as he stumbled backwards in shock, at the sheer bluntness of Aiz' question.
"What?!"
Ryuu on the other hand only widened her eyes for a moment before snapping her fingers at Aiz, nodding in approval.
"That slipped my mind. Good job, Aiz."
Aiz flashed a thumbs up with a neutral expression, not looking away from Bell. The latter covered his mouth with his arm, unable to look back at any of them.
"I'm…"
A part of him knew he should've rejected the idea. Already, he was beyond greedy, having wonderful women like Ryuu and Aiz by his side. However, his heart had a bottomless gluttony apparently. He couldn't help but remember how his relationship grew with Lefiya, how different it was from the loving, soft and supporting nature he had with the other girls. With Lefiya…she was a competitor. She was infuriating at times. From the start, she antagonized him. But eventually, beneath it all…he liked to think they too began to care for each other. And he could not deny it, that he enjoyed their barbs, their squabbles with each other.
His mind could resist as much as it wanted, but the heart? No, the heart was definitive.
He…liked Lefiya Viridis. Not just as a rival or a friend or an enemy…but as a woman. The question was…were these feelings mutual? Her blushing faces, her embarrassment, they didn't have to mean anything romantic on her side, right?
Pushing these thoughts aside, Bell opened his mouth to reply, but more time must have passed than he realized as Ryuu let out a tired sigh while Aiz merely kept staring at Bell with an unreadable expression.
"That hesitation tells us everything."
He lowered his head in shame.
"I'm the worst…"
Two hands ruffled his hair. He looked up, only to see Aiz and Ryuu smiling gently at him.
"None of that. You just have a bigger heart than most men."
"Lefiya is nice." Aiz added, nodding at him. "And I like seeing you two being close, but…" She frowned just a bit. "The thought of sharing someone with her is weird."
"W-Well, I'm still not sure it's going to come to this," Bell muttered under his breath. Confessions were always nervewrecking, even if he managed to do it twice at this point…though did the second time really count? They were in a life or death situation, and quite frankly, he didn't want to put Lefiya through the same just to avoid having the fear of rejection plaguing his mind. His current girlfriends seemed satisfied with his answer, maybe seeing how serious he was taking it.
"I just hope you aren't going to capture every girl you actually know to this relationship of ours," Ryuu jabbed playfully. Bell choked, stammering out a denial. Aiz meanwhile nodded in agreement.
"Hm. It'd make me feel…what is it called…cheap?"
Aiz blinked at the wide eyed stares she was receiving from him and the elf at his side. Then Ryuu rubbed her temples before pointing at her with a flat look.
"Okay, I've been wondering for years, but is Loki really teaching you this sort of st-"
Before she could finish her sentence, they sensed it before they felt it. Any easy going feeling or relaxed mood dissipated as they narrowed their eyes, their bodies tensing.
Then they heard the first loud crash, as if something heavy and hard smashed into the ground from the heavens above. Bell exhaled slowly, reaching for Homebringer, drawing his blades. He glanced at Ryuu, who brought her wooden sword with her, while Aiz merely flexed her fingers and began to condense the air itself into a blade. Rolling his shoulders, he glanced towards the direction the crash sounded.
"Please tell me that was a rock."
Naturally, a thunderous roar exploded in the vicinity and Bell could only nod slowly with his lips pressed together.
"Okay."
Thus, the three top ranking adventurers disappeared in a blur, before landing on the rooftops. With a wider view of the situation, Bell couldn't help but look around with a half open mouth, barely comprehending what he was seeing.
"Are those…tornadoes…?"
As if pillars themselves were spun towards the heavens, these black winds rampaged through the city. At first Bell thought some sort of natural disaster was befalling onto Orario…but the way the twisters moved were unnatural. They changed directions too many times, aiming specifically for moving and living targets. This was not a result of nature…but of malice. The air reeked with killing intent. Growling under his breath, he tightened his grip on his blade and already leapt down. He wasn't sure if he could cut down a storm, but he was going to try!
Fortunately, he didn't have to.
"Leave this to me!"
A snap of her wrist. Her hand forming a claw and extending forward, as if she was grabbing onto existence itself and forcing it to halt. And halt they did.
The tornadoes that was.
As expected, yet still shocking to witness, the creatures within were revealed to the world, positively stumbling and rolling across the grounds in surprise as their protective winds suddenly ceased under the authority that ruled over all of the currents in the air.
Even while Bell was descending, Inferno-Bolt wrapping around his body, his blades already cutting into the first beast, he was analyzing the enemy.
Four thick legs. Curved grey horns extending alongside the jaws and around the forehead. Crimson glowing eyes. A dark black color like the night itself.
Bell couldn't help but blink even as he cut into one of the monsters dozens of times, before moving to the next before it could even collapse.
"Why do they look so familiar…?"
"Bell, later!"
"Right!"
"Aaaaaah!"
Bell snapped his head to the side. He saw an adventurer, level two at best, clutching his…steaming arm? His eyes widened in realization.
"This is…?!"
/
"Poison…!" Kaguya growled before stomping on the head of the monster that managed to hit her. She hissed before cracking her neck in irritation. Spinning her katana for a moment she glanced around, spotting more of those tornadoes coming at her. Before she could increase her kill count however, Alise was already on the move, smashing into the winds from the side with her rapier, piercing and ejecting the monsters within from their safety bubbles. Spinning around, Alise gave her friend an appraising look.
"Oi, Kaguya, you good?!"
The Senbonzakura waved her prosthetic dismissively before reaching into her pocket.
"Just brushed me, I'll be fine!"
Popping open the bottle, she released the contents down her open mouth. Lyra, after rolling away from another tornado before throwing a bomb at it turned towards her best friend, sending her an expression of disapproval.
"Kaguya, those pills aren't meant for that kind of poison!"
"They will be enough for me." A weak smile formed on Kaguya's face. "Still looking out for me, huh, Nana…?"
She was certain. If it wasn't for the skill she inherited from her sister, these antidotes wouldn't be enough to get rid of whatever just invaded her body, able to infiltrate her blood despite her Abnormal Resistance. Speaking a mental prayer to the deceased, Kaguya threw the bottle over her shoulder, littering the already ruined street with it.
It wouldn't have killed or crippled her, but it would have made her body ever so sluggish, which was a death sentence on the battlefield. Flexing her fingers and no longer sensing the numbness within, she turned around and pushed her back against the backs of her girls.
"So it's definitely poison?" Lyra asked, grimacing at more tornadoes approaching their position. Kaguya inhaled before sheathing her swords and unsheathing them with one exhale. The storms were cut in half and the beasts within collapsed, dead on the spot.
"Just make sure that shit doesn't get in the body, it stings like crazy!"
"Which means it's borderline lethal for anyone below us?!"
"Don't get hit then!" Kaguya spat to the side as she looked at the horizon, seeing the amount of spinning pillars in the city. "Fuck, how many are there?"
"This brings bad memories…" Alise muttered, taking in the screams and roars in the air. Memories of the past overlapped with the present before she forcibly banished them from her mind with the shake of her head. Lyra on the other hand let out a dry scoff, spinning her ring blades.
"We talking Dark Days, or literally a couple weeks ago?"
The captain blinked before letting out a giggle.
"Well, if you put it like that, Orario sure is taking a pounding this year, huh?" She cleared her throat as other adventurers approached. Her easy going attitude took place for authority as she shouted into the air. "Anyone below level four or unable to use strong magic, focus on evacuating the citizens! You won't be able to do anything against those winds on your own!" She snapped her fingers. "And make sure you got antidotes with you or Abnormal Resistance! These things are venomous!"
Without waiting if they listened to her, Alise and her girls rushed into the fray again. Side by side, each swing of their path opened up another step for them to make. Shoulder to shoulder, jumping over each other, they blurred like one entity as they slashed and smashed and crushed their opposition. Still, high levels or not, Alise was starting to feel the strain in her body. She was not alone in this, as Lyra was wiggling her legs, trying to shake off the pain within.
"Where the hell is Aiz when you need her?! I can't keep punching tornadoes forever like my name is Gareth!"
In that moment, a sudden wind gust pushed through the streets and alleys of Orario. Then a dissonant chorus of monstrous roars caused everyone to look up, only to see a pure white vortex gathering several of the beasts…before a sudden cut soared through the air and beheaded them all. Alise snapped her fingers at that direction.
"I think she's preoccupied elsewhere!"
"Welp, old fashioned way it is!" Lyra reached into her pockets again, throwing out another bomb. "Eat this!"
As Alise jumped over a ruined building and quickly grabbed two kids out of the way of a tornado, with Kaguya clashing against it with her blades, the captain couldn't help but feel this nagging sensation in the back of her head.
She knew what these monsters were. They weren't some new beings that spawned on the surface of the mortal world somehow. But where did she know them from? It was then that it clicked in her mind. After all, only recently, she was reading a book about this particular beast, to refresh her memory for this very festival.
Her eyes were wide with shock even as she threw the children to another adventurer.
"I got it! I know what these things are!" Her giddy smile faltered as logic set in. She shook her head in disbelief. "But…that's impossible!"
"Care to share?!" Kaguya screamed before reversing her grip on her katana and slashing upwards, cleaving another monster in half.
"They look exactly like Behemoth!" Alise screamed, causing a moment of silence between the adventurers. The beasts did not give them that much time however, as they renewed their assault once more.
"Isn't Behemoth supposed to be way bigger?!" Lyra shouted back, confused at the conclusion Alise reached. The latter shrugged helplessly before swaying backwards and stabbing to her right without hesitation, groaning as she had to exert great force to pierce through the winds and into the monster crystal itself.
"Maybe surviving off spring?!"
"Since when did the Big Ones have kids?!" Kaguya shook her head. "Screw it, mysteries for later, we gotta split! North!"
"West!"
"Southeast, gogogo!" Alise finished, before the girls split up. Running across the rooftops and sending out lances of flames when she could, she accessed the current situation of Orario.
Honestly, the capital of the world was doing better than one would expect. Alise could tell with ease at which location a level six or seven was at, for those spots had the lowest concentrations of the Mini-Behemoths. However, it was not merely because people like Ottar or Bete could take on hundreds of these tornadoes on their own.
It was because the monsters were starting to wise up and divert their attention to weaker targets. Weaker adventurers. Weaker civilians. And as elite as Alise was, as the others were, they could only be in so many place at once.
The Scarlet Harnel lost count how many times she had to dive forward, leaping through the air, just to get to innocents in time before they were sucked up, torn apart and eaten by the tornadoes. Her lungs screamed for an end, for a break, but the justice in her heart denied her body such luxuries.
Yet the spirit could only push her so much.
A forked assault. Alise followed her instincts and went for the right first, for the tornado was about to hit that squad of beastmen first. But as she spun around, her eyes widened as she saw the family of four already almost face to face with the second tornado.
She knew it in her gut. She would not be able to make it. Yet she jumped forward anyway, even as her soul screamed out at the horror she was about to witness. She reared her blade back nevertheless, even if it would not save anyone. If nothing else, she thought with a tortured mind, she could ave-!
Before the worst came to pass, before Alise failed once more as an ally of justice, the tornado disappeared. She almost stumbled to the ground head first before she blinked at the…lack of a monster.
"The heck was that?!" The beastman adventurer shouted behind her. Alise however did not respond. She covered her mouth, having been able to see what blurred into the tornado in that split second. She turned her head to the side, seeing where the monster crashed through.
Seeing what was left behind as the Mini-Behemoth was starting to disappear.
"An arrow…?"
/
The Dark Days. The days after the fall of Zeus and Hera Familia. The time when Evilus reached their lowest, bringing forth innovations to inflict the most evil and destruction upon the city. So many lives lost to the malice of mortals and gods alike. The city ruined, just as it was being ruined right now. Yet even in the shadows of that history, even at the sorrow and rage that came from remembering those dreadful days…
Any individual that lived during that time remembered one shining light that made those days just a bit more bearable. That gave the people comfort, that allowed them to actually moved out of their houses.
That light that promised an End to all Conflict, aiming to end all Evil in the world the moment they popped their head out in the open under his watchful and omniscient eye.
In the city of Orario…it rained. No mere water however. No mere frozen flakes however. Nay, they were more deadly, more precise, and only hit the tornadoes. Only the monsters.
In their skulls. In their eyes. In the gaps between the currents, slipping through with ease. One by one, dozens turned into hundreds as the torrent of heaven's wrath refused to cease. At some point, the people of Orario realized what must have happened.
Who finally arrived on this battlefield.
"That amount…quantity and quality…!" Riveria muttered under her breath, her eyes wide, forgetting to chant for a moment. Gareth let out a boisterous laugh, spreading out his arms as if he was enjoying a gentle drizzle.
"Heh, I'll always remember this sort of rampage no matter how many years have passed!"
Ottar hummed, a rare smile forming on his face even as he tore one of the monsters apart with his bare hands. His flesh ignored the poison aiming to end his life, as his mind ignored the threat the beasts were meant to represent…as his thoughts were solely reserved for his one rival within Orario. The one man who was the closest to challenge his title as King within the city.
"So you have awakened from your slumber…As expected from a man of your caliber."
On a certain tower in the middle of Orario. Sasaki Kojiro had an iron grip on the outside walls, near a certain open window. He chuckled lightly as he witnessed the sights from above, his right hand holding onto his blade in case he needed it. He shook his head before glancing over his shoulder.
"Honestly, forcing me to carry you up here, making me miss all the fun…you are fortunate we are friends."
A tired laugh echoed from within the tower. Barely audible due to the amount of arrows being drawn and shot without hesitation.
"I'll make it up for you! Even if I have to carry you down later!" The male voice let out a wistful sigh. "Looks like I've missed out on many things! Everyone sure has grown up a lot!"
"They indeed did! Now then, please focus on the outside, for plenty of foes are coming up here!" Kojiro looked down with an almost giddy expression as the tornadoes actually started to grind themselves upwards, climbing the Tower of Babel itself. Swinging his sword arm a few times, the swordsman readied himself. "Make sure to let some of them pass!"
"No promises!"
During this reversal of fortune, of this tilting of the scales…Ryuu Lion was unmoving. Nay, her entire body shook, but she long let go of her weapon. A fatal mistake to be sure, but she could not help herself. Covering her mouth, her tears flowed freely as she sobbed into her palms.
"That…that voice…!"
Protecting her with all his might, Bell's flames intensified as he took on the few monsters that actually made it through the arrows and the winds of Aiz. He glanced back. Usually someone like Ryuu being unmoving like this was a problem. Something to chide her over. But he couldn't help but smile at her, feeling nothing but sharing the relief his girlfriend was feeling.
"I know…of course I would know…! You stupid stupid fool…!" She snapped her head upwards, eyes making contact with the ones she yearned to look into for all these long weeks. A piercing wail escaped her throat, a paradox of happiness and rage combining into one, even as her face distorted into an ugly and crying smile.
"What took you so long, Arash?!"