Syr just about made it to work. Even if she was a couple of minutes late, I'm sure Mama Mia wouldn't mind. Of course she would, she's known Mia for too long now to know that even a second late is a second wasted.
"There you are, what time do you call this!"
Yep, just as she expected. Syr knew she didn't need to answer, it would only result in her getting scolded for not using all her energy to make up for the lost time.
Usually, Freya would be upset and enjoy being late, as being yelled at was another pleasure of the mortal world she wasn't used to experiencing. It was why she chose to do this in the first place. Sometimes she even did it on purpose just for the experience, and also because she knew that whichever of her children was watching her would be upset at Mia for yelling at her, not that any of them could do anything about it, not even Ottar dared face his old captain when she was in work mode.
However, this time she had an actual excuse. Not being caught up in a book or having to finish off an exquisite bottle of wine, but an actual excuse. She had been soul-watching. It wasn't an excuse she would tell Mia. Firstly, she didn't care about excuses but also because Freya knew Mia disagreed with it, calling it an invasion of privacy. Freya didn't see it that way but alas she wouldn't cause any more hassle.
The soul this time she had been looking out for though wasn't due to an infatuation but due to keeping this very life, keeping her secret as Syr. A couple of days ago, she had somehow been spotted in Daedalus Street without either her or Ottar noticing, which was surprising considering Ottar is level 6.
But even worse is that there was a high likelihood they saw her transform from Syr into her natural form. This was something she needed to take care of. She was enjoying playing as Syr and if someone had seen her and told other deities then her game would be over before it even began. She thinks Ottar mentioned something about other dangers but she wasn't worried about that stuff, she had her lovely children to take of that.
No, her play time was on the line. She had Ottar take her back to the Tower of Babel before sending Allen to look around the area while she scanned from above. Nothing.
But she had found something interesting. A soul. A soul the likes she had never seen before. It was like a lake of Onyx. If looking at a soul coloured black, most would assume it to be that of a monster or someone evil but that would be wrong, this soul proved that. It shone like it was reflecting the sunlight itself. And unlike most souls, which swayed and moved with weird shapes, this one was clean and smooth and spherical, almost like an orb. It held a firmness that reminded her of the Zeus and Hera Familia's strongest members, with Ottar being the only one left in Orario possessing something similar. It wasn't dazzling but she knew it was rare, extremely rare.
The most interesting part of it was how it changed. She had spied upon it while it was sleeping and while it dreamt, the soul changed. This was why she referred to it as a lake, even if it was in the shape of an orb. The surface began to ripple, almost as if what was being hit or like a stone was being chucked into it. It wasn't as hard and sturdy as she originally thought, showing it had vulnerability. But that changed when the soul, a young boy, woke up and after recovering from what must have been a nightmare, the soul hardened.
"What a remarkable resolve," Freya couldn't help but whisper as she realised what had happened. There was always a blessing after something went wrong, the world just loved her in that way. Just because it isn't perfect doesn't mean it isn't special. There was only one soul that was perfect and that was her Odr. While Freya could tell it wasn't the soul of her fated one, it was easily a cut above the rest, already surpassing that of most of her children. Maybe it was an infatuation after all.
So she continued to observe the boy for the next few days. He had not left the building he had slept in for the first day she watched. He looked anxious, though his soul, unlike most, did not reflect his emotions very clearly, only slight ripples.
Why a young boy with such a unique soul was staying in a place like that all alone was confusing but she had found Ottar at the age of 3, abandoned in a street, so it wasn't something she was unfamiliar with.
But she soon found out why. He was not in a good position with his family. Freya watched the interaction between the boy and his mother and how he ran away, his soul fluctuating as the boy cried.
She watched the boy go to a place in the smithing district and meet up with two men, one a dwarf and another a human. The dwarf eased his soul and it gained most of its toughness again. But when she realised where the two men were taking the boy, she checked the clock and had another realisation.
'They are going to Mia's.'
'Oh no, I'm going to be late!'
As Syr had Allen carry her to West Street, she realised she had gotten another miracle. She didn't think she would get to meet the unique soul so soon and as Syr no less. And Mia ordered her to take his table's order to him, oh it was perfect. So why was he acting like that?
When she first checked his soul, it was mostly calm but with a bit of that anxiousness from the day before. Then when she went over and they locked eyes, his soul trembled. His face turned white and his bright green eyes widened. Freya had been on the mortal world long enough to recognise fear. And Freya had also existed long enough to put two and two together.
'Found you.'
'What do I do?' I think as I stare, frozen in terror at the person in front of me. I need to calm down quickly, or else she will catch on.
'Why is she smiling like that!'
That smile, it was the same one Penia had when she had found out about me and my Mother. I know what it means. I'm done for.
My body doesn't want to move. I'm begging it to scramble away, to jump out of the building and flee, but what good would that do? She most likely has Ottar watching her again, I don't stand a chance.
'Not yet anyway.'
I linger on that thought for a while. I might not be stronger than him now but I've vowed to beat the Freya Familia and he would be the main objective in doing that. It's alright that I can't beat him yet but...
'I can't be scared. I can't run away, not again. Not like I did with Maria.'
I tighten my fists as I take a deep breath and try to relax, getting scared would get me nowhere. Though it was hard to calm down with the way the woman was looking at me, her eyes widened with a sinister, gleeful smile. It felt like she was looking into my very soul as her smile widened even more.
Even with my newfound determination, I struggle to find words. So I simply point at the drinks and nod.
"Oi Syr! You are already 10 minutes late and now you are wasting even more time. Put the drinks down, leave the lad alone and get back to work!"
I see the small jump in the girl's body. The large woman called her Syr, that must be the name she uses in this form. Syr shakes herself free from her entranced state and quickly puts the two mugs and my juice on the table. I go to reach for my juice, my mouth dry because of the interaction but just before I grasp the glass, Syr clasps my wrist and pulls me in quickly.
"You will meet me at the same place as before later."
The way she said, it left no room for rejection. I gulped hard as our eyes locked once more before she quickly let go.
"Coming Mama!" She shouted cheerily, her cold voice nowhere to be seen.
Just as she leaves, Brant makes his way back to the table, none the wiser. I gulp down some of my drink just as he sits down.
"Blegh!"
"Oh, don't like the juice?" Brant asks as he takes a sip from his wooden mug, a satisfied grin on his lips as he lets out a relaxed breath.
"-too sweet," I manage, my voice numb as I put down my glass. Whatever was in the drink, I didn't like it. I had never liked sweet things, always preferring biscuits over chocolate, probably because I rarely ate chocolate or other sweet things as they were more expensive than biscuits and bread.
Thankfully the face I pull after tasting the drink was enough of a disguise to not bring any suspicion from Brant as he continues to down his ale.
After a bit, Reg joins us and we begin a celebration, though I can't concentrate. While it might have been the girl Syr who said them, those words were from the Goddess Freya. And that meant I couldn't disobey. She had seen me now and unlike before, there was no escape. She would probably order someone to follow me before the meet-up. She may have done that already and that's how she found me, alerted by someone that I was here. It was too unlucky to be a coincidence.
I did my best to play along with the two men, making up the excuse that I was still getting used to my level 2 hearing whenever they asked what was wrong. Soon enough though, they had gone through three mugs of ale and were a bit more relaxed. They weren't drunk, I knew it took more than this for Brant and guessing from what he's said, Reg is a better drinker than the man.
They had found me a new drink that suited me better. The first one was a sweet orange juice while this one was something called Apple Juice, which I really liked. I had gone through two quickly, which resulted in me needing the toilet soon after but this was all enough of a distraction to let my mind wander and not completely focus on the scenario I would have to face that was drawing closer by the second. Though the watchful eye of the waitress was an ever-present reminder.
" 'ere lad, these are for you," Reg said as he handed me the leather stringed bag he had brought with him from the shop. I had wandered and asked what was in it a few times but Reg just told me it wasn't important at the time. Apparently, now was the important time.
"Oi, ya are spoilin' him," Brant said as he eyed the bag while taking a sip of his fourth mug of ale.
"He's givin' me an excuse to finally use my skills as a smith, I ain't just gonna make him one thing once in a blue moon. Best use my hands while I 'ave 'em."
'Smith skills?' I ponder as whatever must be in the bag is something he's made for me. I wonder if it's a chest plate to go with my armour or a new knife. I don't think it's a sword as the bag isn't big enough for one of them, unless it's a short sword. But I thought we agreed that I was using my fists for the time being.
I reach into the bag to retrieve the item. Wait, items? There was more than one thing in here and from how they felt, they were both the same thing. A matching set. I felt the cold touch of steel as I brought one of them out.
It was just a hollow block of two pieces of metal welded together that was similar to a hand. A metal glove, but not really. There was no underside of the glove, leaving the palm area exposed and there was a bar that ran in the middle of the open palm area.
"Heh, gauntlets," I hear Brant mutter as he shakes his head with a small smile on his face.
"Gaunt...lets?" I ask, unsure what that word means.
"Actually no, not gauntlets, these are two plates of steel forged with a technique called galvanizing. Now, I know I gave ya them padded gloves only a week ago but ya have 'it level 2 since then."
The dwarf was talking in a hushed voice, not wanting any people listening in.
"Monsters ya are gonna be facing are gonna need more than just a bit of padded leather, not to mention I designed them so they can connect to your forearm armour. Ya see that small bar there?"
I nod.
"Well, better for ya to just try it," He said with a chuckle.
So I pull the other pair out of the bag and put them on my hands, my fingers neatly fitting in the space, with the bar nestled horizontally across the middle of my fingers. It wasn't a comfortable fit if I was to fight. My main fist was still exposed as the steel was hovering above my hand, leaving my knuckles exposed. But then I clamped on the bar and then it all made sense.
"Hah, not bad old man," Brant snorted out as the piece of steel on top slid down and perfectly surrounded my fists, leaving the other one to protect my wrist and where it presumably connect to my forearm armour piece.
"Ya see? So when ya are holdin' that bar, it turns them into weapons that will pack a proper punch. But when ya let go, they slide back into normal protection, almost an extension of ya armour. That allows ya to still use ya leather gloves when they are more practical and when ya need to dig out them magic stones, instead of havin' to keep takin' them off and puttin' them back on again."
I was stunned, grasping and letting go of the bar, watching the metal slide over my wrist to cover my knuckle, then seeing it go back into place, leaving my fingers to move freely.
"They're amazing," I mumble out, earning a hearty chuckle from the dwarf.
"Glad to 'ear it. Always nice to see ya work be praised!" Reg remarked as he gulped down his ale, not letting Brant pull away.
"Thank you, Reg," I say as I try and pour as much gratitude as I can into my voice and eyes. This stops Reg from drinking as he puts down the mug and reaches across the table and ruffles my hair.
"Ya welcome youngin', make sure ya use 'em properly," He says softly.
"I will," As I continue to play with them.
Syr watched on, a bit away from the table and couldn't help but smile. The way the boy's soul had fought back against her was a delight to behold as she couldn't stop herself from grinning but the way it reacted to this was pleasant as the onyx orb seemed to glow slightly.
Syr had diligently gone at her duties, still inexperienced in the role of a waitress. It had only been a month since she started and there were still loads of things she got wrong, though she wasn't as bad as Anya.
Freya couldn't help but smile at how cute her little kitten was when she got orders mixed up or when she tried to sneak away for a nap. She had made the right choice in giving Anya over to Mia's care. Some time away from her brother was doing her good.
Just as the sun began to set, the party of 3 got off the table and began making their way to the exit. The dwarf came to say thanks and goodbye to Mia while he went to grab his Valis bag, while the man went to the toilet again. This left the boy alone.
She had tried to catch his name, even saying she'd pay Anya if she heard it but neither of them learnt it as the two men just kept referring to him as youngin', lad or brat in the human's words.
But now he stood alone again, near the exit as he waited for the two men to finish their business. In that short time, Syr gave one look to the boy and he understood what it meant. She could almost see the black hairs stand on his head as his soul slightly quivered but then it fortified again. Freya didn't think she would ever get bored of that sight as he made quick eye contact and hastily nodded once before going outside.
The two men met up and soon joined the green-eyed boy as they made their way out. This only showed how his soul was so much more unique as compared to the two and the other customers around, his stood out like a diamond in rocks.
She was definitely contemplating taking him into her Familia. That became even more appealing when she finished her shift a few hours later and Allen, who was on watch, informed her of what he had overheard. His level 5 cat hearing was something special but the information he uncovered was even more awe-inspiring.
'Level 2 and he looks younger than when I found Allen. He truly is something special," She thought as she licked her lips in anticipation of their meeting soon. She didn't even bother going back to get changed, wanting to get to the boy as soon as possible.
I didn't know what time the meeting was meant to take place but I had come here as soon as possible. After saying goodbye to Reg and thanking him once more for my new weapons, Brant and I walked to the edge of Daedalus Street where we shared a quick goodbye before I was on my own again.
I contemplated taking the... gauntlets? I still don't really know what to call them right now so I'll go with what Brant said. Anyway, I decided against the idea, not wanting to lose or have them break if I had to fight. Not that I'd stand a chance but I was prepared to risk my life for my dream. I had sacrificed so much already; my life is just another thing compared to everything else.
Going back to the place I stay at also gives me the chance to grab my money pouch. I don't think the Goddess Freya is as easily persuaded as Penia when it comes to Valis but it's a better chance than trying to fight.
Afterwards, I make a mad dash over to the location, doing my best to avoid the street where my old home and family reside. When I arrive, no one is there. I don't know if someone is watching me but I don't think the Goddess of Beauty is going to hide in the shadows. So I simply sit and wait.
I realised after an hour of waiting we hadn't decided on a proper time and I didn't know how long she was going to work. Even though I never entered any of them, I'd seen loads of bars and pubs open to the early hours of the morning when I was later than normal to start heading to the dungeon. She could be working until then.
After the second hour had passed and the sun was beginning to set behind the buildings, I contemplated leaving but quickly dismissed it. If there was someone sent to watch me then I couldn't leave. Even in the short time I've had in the city outside Daedalus, I've still heard of the... extremes some of the Freya Familia are known for. I don't want to become one of them extremes. So I just stayed sat on my box and waited. I wish I'd brought my metal gloves to play with.
Hour 3 passed and I was still contemplating what to call my new weapons, a thought that had occupied me for the last hour.
'Metal Gloves. Gletals? No, that sounds stupid, I want them to sound cool.'
'How about super unbreakable fist beaters... no, Brant would say they sound stupid. He doesn't know what he's on about but I don't want him to laugh at me.'
I picture the weapons again and remember what Reg said.
'Technique called galvanizing.'
'Galvanizing? That sounds pretty cool. How about Galva-knuckles?'
That's it, I found it. The name's not too long makes sense and most importantly sounds really really cool.
'The Hero Perseus taking down the monster with his Galva-knuckles!' I think, picturing myself beating a strong monster with everyone watching.
"Good evening.'
I twirl in surprise, almost tripping over my feet, catching myself just before I fall face first onto the ground.
"I'm sorry, did I interrupt something?" The waitress in a green dress giggled as she brought a hand to cover her mouth. I can feel my cheeks heating up as blood rushes to my face in embarrassment.
However, that quickly gets halted when I look at the person standing next to the waitress. A cat man with jet-black hair, holding a silver spear and wearing a scowl on his face. He wasn't much taller than the waitress, if anything he might be a bit smaller. He wore jet-black clothes and armour and I'm sure if he moved into the alleyway, I wouldn't be able to tell him apart from the shadows. But that wasn't what I was thinking. I was thinking about how I hadn't noticed either the waitress or the cat man appear, almost as if they appeared out of nowhere.
Not to mention the main thing.
"Is it alright if I talk like this?" Syr asks as she gestures to herself.
That's right. I'm now talking with the most powerful deity in Orario and arguably the whole world. The Goddess Freya.
I nod, trying not to show my fear. I said I wouldn't be scared and I wasn't going to break my promise this quickly.
"Good, it's a pain to change when dressed in clothes that won't fit me when I transform back. As much as I love looking like this, there are a few minor hiccups."
I try to stay calm, wondering how she is talking like this is no big deal. Maybe it isn't for her, maybe this happens a lot of times. So then why has it never been revealed? What happened to the others that found out?
I gulp, clenching my fists. She noticed and gave me her full attention.
"Don't worry, I'm not planning on hurting you or anything like that. You can calm down."
"I-I-I am...c-c-calm," I say in the most unconvincing way possible. The cat-man let out a grunt as he snorted in annoyance. Syr giggled the same innocent-sounding giggle as before. But it wasn't innocent. Behind that face was the Goddess that mercilessly and ruthlessly destroyed my family.
'What would they think if they saw me tremble in front of the person who kicked them out?'
At that thought, I stood up a bit straighter and did my best not to stare at the ground. This made the woman smile, the same smile she had before in the pub. I even got a small reaction out of the cat-man beside her as he slightly raised his eyebrow.
"...what are you going to do to me?"
I'm still struggling to stay confident but I've never been confident so I just try and act as if I'm talking to Brant, except no quips back or naughty words.
The Goddess didn't say anything for a bit. I half-expected her to say something like 'Whatever do you mean'. But it never came. After a few seconds of silence, she responded.
"In all honesty, I'm not sure."
"-eh?"
I slant my head in surprise. What did she mean by she wasn't sure? Wasn't this like a major thing? This was the third time in a week I've been confused by three different Goddesses.
"Truthfully, the more I look at you, the more tempted I am to take you into my Familia, that would be what I want to do."
My eyes widen in shock.
'What did she just say? Join her Familia.'
"My darling Allen here," She started, motioning to the cat person standing next to her. "He overheard your little conversation with your friends in the pub."
I held my breath at that. She did have people watching me and listening in.
"Level 2. Could I ask how old you are?"
Even if she was in her waitress form, the eyes were no different from a Goddess who would devour me in seconds.
"F-five," I find myself answering, almost as if my mouth moved on its own.
"Five. That's amazing. I mean I found Allen when he was six, meaning you have a year and a level on him."
This made Allen scowl.
"So young... how old were you when you got your falna?"
"F-five..." Again my mouth moved, obeying the Goddess' questions without a moment to think. It was terrifying.
"The same age. Does that mean you levelled up in less than a year?"
I nodded.
"How long?"
"9 months."
That seemed to earn Allen's full attention now as he stared at me.
"Don't lie brat. A pathetic weakling like you doing that is impossible." He said, spitting every word with venom. I willed every fibre of my being not to run away or flinch in fear. Then a small glow appeared.
"Allen dear..." Freya's voice was sultry and scary, making the cat-man halt in his barrage of insults, as the Goddess of beauty stood where the Syr was previously in all her glory.
"He isn't lying, not one bit," She said with a smile. This made Allen stagger a bit and after a moment of thinking, he took a step back, bowed and apologised for his interruption.
"You really are amazing, just full of surprises."
Freya walked forward and crouched down in front of me. I held my breath even tighter, trying to stop myself from shaking. She was beautiful and I did everything I could not to bow my head to her and just accept her right there.
"So, how about it," She began as she traced a finger across my cheek. It was cold and made me shiver.
"Would you like to join my Familia?"
"No."
Freya froze for a second, thinking if she had heard it correctly.
'Did he just say no?'
Maybe he hadn't noticed her change back into her normal form and had rejected Syr. No, she knew he saw her. She had transformed to stop Allen from hurting the boy. She knew most of her children did not like the idea of Syr, Allen being the leading person on that front, so even though she had wanted to stay as Syr, she had to turn back into Freya to keep Allen under control. The benefit to this was that it made it a certainty the young boy would accept her offer, or so she believed.
"I'm sorry, you may have misheard me. I asked if you'd like to join me."
"No," Perseus immediately replied, holding his ground.
"Why you little piece of shit!" Allen hissed as he readied his spear, preparing to skewer Perseus for such insolence. Rejecting Lady Freya was one of the highest forms of blasphemy. He thrusted his spear at lightning speed, wanting to tear open the boy's neck, not caring what his Lady may think of it. Such an act should never go unpunished.
Perseus recognised the bloodlust coming off the cat-man but there was no hope in stopping him. Before he even had time to react, the spearhead flew towards his neck.
Perseus landed on the cobbled floor, his eyes staring up at the spear that had been millimetres away from his neck. If it wasn't for the giant Boaz warrior holding the spear with his hand, Perseus was sure he would be dead right now.
Allen stared at Ottar viscously, anger and bloodlust piercing at the Boaz man, though it did little to beat the giant. Ottar, with one swift pull of his arm, yanked the spear out of Vana Freya's grip, almost as if pulling a toy away from a child. This made Allen stumble forward, Ottar used this to knee the man in the chest before pinning him on the ground, all in one quick motion.
Perseus sat there, stunned at what he just witnessed. Allen Frommel, one of the strongest Adventurers in the city, had just tried to take his life, only to be stopped by Ottar, who beat the level 5 with such ease and simplicity.
The boy sat there in complete shock and fear, as Allen squirmed underneath the weight of Ottar's knee on his back, struggling to regain the air lost from his lungs after the warlord's impact on his stomach.
"He insulted our lady you fucking idiot, how dare you protect him!" Allen shouted at his captain, garnering no response except a grunt to shut up.
"Allen."
The voice of the Goddess was icy and cold, quietening the struggling cat-man, making him stop moving.
"You will go back to Folkvangr this instant, I will talk to you there. Do you understand?"
"But...?"
"Are you disobeying me?"
Perseus almost wet himself at the look Freya was giving Allen and he could see the cat-man wasn't dealing with it much better as he physically shivered.
"Understood... my lady."
"Good!"
Ottar slowly got off Allen, releasing him again. This made Perseus jump back up, ready to react to any attack from the adventurer. Ottar noticed this, seeing the primal fear in the boy's eyes, the Boaz man silently commended the boy for his bravery to stand back up against such odds, even if he was shaking in fear.
Perseus had been traumatized by the look Vana Freya gave him just before he tried to take his life. His mind was reeling as he sweated all over, preparing for another attack, but no attack came.
The cat-man grunted as he stood up and walked over to pick up his spear. Perseus instinctively took a step back, crouching into a fighting position with his fists up. Allen noticed this as he picked up his spear, he gave the boy another look full of bloodlust and anger, making the boy tense up.
After he picked up his spear, he walked back to his Goddess to apologise but she put up her hand to stop him, not wanting to hear it. This made Allen grimace. So he gave a quick bow and then disappeared.
Perseus remained on guard, his fists still in a fighting position. His forehead was covered in sweat as he looked at the large adventurer who just bested the person who wanted to kill him. He truly realised how far behind he was to the man they called The King.
"I'm truly sorry about that."
Freya's voice brought Perseus' attention back to the Goddess, the look on her face had softened as she now looked at him.
"I promise you that he will be punished for this transgression."
Perseus didn't know what that last word meant but he was just happy the cat-man was gone, though his replacement wasn't much better. Towering over him like he was the Tower of Babel itself, the Warlord's eyes glared at the young boy. While not as vicious as Vana Freya, the look Ottar gave Perseus was not friendly. It appeared he too took some insult from the rejection.
"Anyway, may I ask why you will not accept my invitation?" Freya asked, pushing a thread of silver hair behind her ear, making Perseus look away for a split second. Even when it wasn't activated, Freya's natural charm was incredibly overpowering to those not accustomed to it.
As Perseus looked away, he wondered why he had rejected it. What aspiring adventurer wouldn't want to join the Freya Familia? They would be supplied with the greatest weapons, resources, and expeditions and also be in the company of some of the strongest adventurers around. Not to mention the Goddess Freya herself.
Was it down to his old family? The Freya Familia were the main driving force when kicking the Zeus and Hera Familia's out of Orario, which resulted in Percy being abandoned. After learning that, there had always been a small bit of resentment towards the Loki and Freya Familia's. That was most likely a factor at play here, but didn't Perseus also resent the Hera and Zeus Familia as well?
Thinking about it, someone must have taken his twin brother when they were separated. Why did they choose him and Perseus? The Goddess Hera had chosen to leave him with Mother Maria and the ones left did nothing to prevent this, they were just as guilty as the Deity in Percy's mind. So wouldn't joining their biggest rivals be a good way to get back at them?
No, that wasn't who Perseus was. While he still held some form of resentment toward all parties involved in his abandonment, he knew that wasn't the real reason he accepted the offer of a lifetime. It was something a lot more selfish.
'I want to prove something.'
Freya saw the boy's soul harden with resolve once more as he looked at her. She couldn't help but look in awe at it transform into something amazing.
Perseus wanted to prove to everyone that he was strong, stronger than everyone else. He wanted to show the Freya and Loki Familia who kicked out his family that there was nothing they could do to stop him. He wanted to show the Hera and Zeus Familia's that he didn't need their help or names for him to grow, that he could do it on his own. He wanted to show the world that no one else but himself defined who he was.
He wasn't going to be some sad boy who cried because he got left behind. He wasn't going to be someone who focused on getting revenge like all those people in the stories he read, he would be better than that. He was going to use that to push him forward, to push him past all those who had left him alone. If he joined Freya Familia, then he couldn't surpass them.
Freya then watched the boy's soul gleam slightly as the boy's mouth twitched upwards slightly.
Perseus reflected on the past year, reminiscing all the things he would lose if he took the Goddess' hand.
The Astrea Familia, who offered to support him in the dungeon.
Reg, who instead of ordering him to stop going down the path of the Adventurer, chose to help him and give him armour and weapons but also someone to talk to when he was upset.
Brant. Perseus couldn't recall when he had started to like the scruffy man. In the beginning, their partnership was built on lies and mistrust, but slowly over time, Brant began helping Perseus in unusual ways but they always helped. He was the main reason Perseus was still alive and able to take on the dungeon. He was like one of those advisors he'd heard being mentioned by passing adventurers but so much more. He would never have met Reg if it wasn't for Brant, and never would've started to make money or descend lower floors. He was sure he would lose contact with Brant if he went with Freya.
Then there was Penia. If he joined the Freya Familia, he would have to leave the Penia Familia. The first one who accepted him beside Maria. Where was Freya when he was looking for help, or Loki, Astrea and especially Hera and Zeus? The only one who grabbed his hand was Penia, though he knew it was a rough start. He understood he was some form of entertainment to her but that would be no different than if he joined Freya.
He'd heard that Freya spent most of her time at the top of Babel and he had learnt that the rest of that time was spent at that pub, so he'd probably never see her. Penia, even if she was drunk or hungover most of the time, never failed to be there, week in and week out. Even if they didn't talk much, she always asked if he was alright at the start and told him to be careful at the end. That was enough for Perseus.
Yes, she was cranky and loud and rude and drunk, but she never pushed him away, never dishonoured her promise, never caged him and was always there for him.
He couldn't help but smile as he looked at Freya, his green eyes alight with determination.
'She may be a lousy, no-good, drunk Goddess, but she is my Goddess and I wouldn't change that for the world.'
Freya could only gaze at the boy. The way his soul moved and glowed, was mesmerising. He was clearly thinking, of what she would never know but if she had to guess, it was probably all the reasons why he rejected her.
'If I took him now, would it ruin his soul? It looks like this because of the experiences he has gone through, experiences he wouldn't deal with if he went with her.'
"I'm sorry Goddess Freya," Perseus began as he stood up straight.
'If I took him, it would be like plucking a flower before it had a chance to properly bloom.'
"-but I won't join your Familia."
Perseus said what he wanted to say. He had no regrets about it. He would not let this stop him, he would fight the whole of the Freya Familia if he had to, no matter how high the mountain was.
Freya marvelled at the boy's resolve, his soul almost singing. She wanted it, badly. But she realised why she wanted it. She wanted to watch it, to see it prosper and become something even more amazing. That was what she always wanted, and she tried to nurture that in her Familia. They would fight and struggle their hardest to try and get closer to her, that was the way her Familia worked because it made her children's souls shine the brightest. Just looking at Ottar was a perfect example.
But this boy was different, she could tell. His soul didn't shine, it glowed. It was a unique soul, even among those of her children and it had come like this without her involvement. The small part of her that feared that she could damage it was now her main concern. Her worst fear was ruining a soul with such potential.
Freya stood back up and looked at the boy. She couldn't help but smile.
"Very well, I understand."
She would accept the boy's rejection with grace but that didn't mean she would just let him go. Oh no, as soon as Freya found something she wanted, she would never leave it alone. This was no exception.
"I will accept you not joining me, under one condition."
She would watch the boy constantly, seeing his growth. It would almost be an experiment, comparing him to her other children. The different environments, the different goals to achieve and the different ways to obtain them. She would have it all.
"You will come to me at least once a week, at the pub, and will tell me about your adventures."
She was a greedy Goddess with an insatiable appetite. She would not let the boy go like that. If she could not have him in her Familia, she would have everything else. She will know his past, present and future. His goals, his friends, his family.
"If you do not comply, then I will have you join my Familia through force. Understood?"
This was almost perfect. With Syr being newly created, this will pair nicely with her new game, a different way to play.
Perseus looked at the Goddess and nodded slowly. He was happy she was not going to hurt him but he was uncomfortable with the condition, but he would comply, knowing the outcome if he didn't wouldn't end well.
"Very good. Now before, I take my leave I have one more question that seemed to have slipped my mind all this time."
Perseus tilted his head in confusion.
"What's your name?" Freya asked almost innocently. Both Perseus and Ottar raised their eyebrows at the Goddess. Both had thought she had known the boy's name by now but it seemed she had never figured it out.
"Errm, my n-name is..."
Perseus didn't want to tell her his real name. He had accepted it when telling Penia and Astrea had forced him to tell her when they were alone after she realised he didn't want others to know his full name. It would seem Freya would be no different in that department, her eyes hungry as she looked at the boy.
'Goddesses are annoying,' He thought as he sighed and accepted his fate once again.
"... erm, Perseus. My name is Perseus but please call me Percy!" The boy said a bit too loud, his pleading to not be called by his actual name evident.
Freya couldn't help but giggle. Already something interesting about the boy. Why did he not want to be called by that name, it was such a nice name after all.
"Ok. Well, it's nice to meet you Percy, I look forward to our future relationship."
And with that simple statement, Freya looked at Ottar who picked her up and vanished again, just like Allen, a small puff of dust from the cobbled floor was all that was left.
Perseus looked at the spot for a good minute before slowly turning around and heading back home, one thought lingering in his mind as dusk fell on the city.
'Did that just happen?'
Perseus stood at the entrance to the dungeon. He had finally recovered and had been aching to get back in the dungeon. He wore his usual armour but this time he had on his Galva Knuckles, excited to use them as fast as possible. The poor goblins he would meet on floor 1 won't know what hit them.
"Ready to test your level 2 strength?"
Just behind him stood the captain of the Astrea Familia, Alise Lovell. Her red hair was motionless in front of the dungeon entrance. Next to her stood the other members of Kaguya, Ryu and Neze.
"Y-yeah."
"Why the wait, let's get goin'. I wanna see his new magic!" Neze, the wolf girl boldly stated, her loud voice causing Perseus to wince slightly.
"Lower your voice Neze, you don't need to yell."
It seemed Ryu also got discomfort from the loud Chienthrope. Neze simply smiled a toothy grin at the elf.
"Oi Lyra, is the coast clear?" Kaguya said into the dungeon, seemingly to no one. That was until a pink-haired prum appeared.
"Yeah, seems quiet. Probably the best chance we've got not to get spotted, best we use it," The prum explained.
And with that, Perseus entered the dungeon for the first time as a level 2, accompanied by the Astrea Familia.
And Freya is now in the story, wooooooo. Now we can go back in the dungeon and begin focusing on getting to level 3.
I hope I got Freya's personality right in this, along with Allen and Ottar. Ottar and Freya especially are going to play active roles in Perseus' life from here on out and by no means is Freya just going to sit back and stay a spectator the whole time. I hope that what I came up with makes sense within the story and that it is believable.
I hope the description for Perseus' soul was also good. I wanted it to hold no similarity to Bell's but also have that uniqueness Bell's soul has. Freya already knows it isn't her Odr's but that doesn't mean it isn't special.
Hope you like the new weapons. They seem really cool but for those that like sharp, pointy things. Sorry, those weapons won't be coming for a bit, in the meantime it is pure hands on. That doesn't mean he won't use a sword or a bow. He is the nephew of the incarnation of Talent after all. As for the name galvaknuckles... ;)
Reviews:
004 - NOOOO PERCY DON'T LOOK AT NAKED FOUNTAIN LADY, OH GOD HE HAS HIS AIR PODS IN HE CANT HEAR US!
calderoneric758 - I laughed out loud reading this. While I would have loved seeing Percy throw some cutlery at Syr, unfortunately they hadn't ordered food so no cutlery was given to them at that moment. Sad times. It is an idea saved in the idea bank tho.
couldman3011 - Well imagine being 5 and trying to hide from strongest person in the world and the strongest Goddess. I'm glad you liked the way I showed the fear and thanks, glad you are enjoying the story, always great to hear.
Roland Tepes - Yeah, Brant is a really interesting person. Just an average adventurer who is going to be caught up in the whirlwind that is Perseus' life.
004 - I really like Brok's voice for Reg, I personally imagined Gimly from Lord of the Rings but any smith/dwarf works.
Jose Blas - Thanks and here you are.
Muhammed Ibrahim Faisal - Appreciated.
Kabob - Okay, here we go:
- Evilus will be coming in very soon. From my understanding they didn't really make their presence known until about 5-6 years after Zeus and Hera left, which is around the time the story is currently in.
- Perseus will definetly have an impact on the story and things will change from the canon but not so drastically that it shakes the entire world.
- After the Great Feud, I think it will be difficult for Perseus to remain hidden like he wants and the guild will be wanting answers.
- I have the months and years between each level up planned so he is at a strong point come the arrival of Bell. 9 months is extremely quick. Ais doing it in 1 year was completely unheard of and she had the help of Finn, Gareth and Riveria plus a lot of time spent in the dungeon. For Perseus to do what he did is a miracle, considering he is 5 and has no help in the dungeon apart from Brant. However, now he has the Astrea Familia and Reg as well, his ascension all the way up to first class will put his first level up to shame. While it may not be as fast, compared to everyone else, even Ais, it will seem out of fantasy.
- I personally don't like some of the older women getting feelings for Bell. The oldest should be Haruhime (not including the deities). Even before Syr was revealed to be Freya, I felt a bit uncomfortable, same with Ryu whenever I think about it too much but she has being an elf as something going for her. Airmid being only a year older just makes it easier and more believable for me to right. And yes this is a single pair but who knows, he is Bell's brother, who knows who he may accidently charm.
- I think having it be like Ace with Roger is a good comparison to how Percy will react. He may not like them but he alos doesn't like hearing them getting bad mouthed and yes, he has a sore spot with the people for kicking Zeus and Hera out so readily. It is a bad betrayal.
- Freya... yh I wouldn't trust her with defeating the OEBD. Finn though, beating the OEBD would be a great way to inspire Prums.
Woo, Thank you for the reviews. Long ones show how much you actually like my story so they are welcomed.
P.S
Just before I go, I'd like to ask to go read my side story I wrote. It's only 3 chapters but I really like it and I was wondering if people would want another one simialr to it, quick stories involving side characters who don't get enough love or exploring certain parts of the world not yet fully seen in the books. It would eb appreciated so let me know on that stories reviews on what you think.
Anyway, thank you for reading. I'll see ya next time, Peace!