The Fallen Argonaut
Rated; M (Blood/Gore)
Disclaimer; I do not own Danmachi or anything created by the author Fujino Ōmori, all rights go to him
Authors: Eli-er01 & ViceroyChalister
Summary: The will of a hero is strong, yet unwavering but all good things must come to an end, even at the cost of one's Heroic Will. Imprisoned and blamed for a crime he hadn't committed, Bell seeks a way out of his predicament so that he can live without fear of being hunted by the people he once looked up to.
37: Promising Future
=Guild=
To say that things were hectic would be the understatement of the century. Within a single day of the Themis familia being created and announced, the captain of said Familia, Apollyon had not only as the adventurers of Rivira are calling it 'One-shotted the big ugly mouthed giant' with a punch, but also accepted a duel issued by Allen, the Vice-captain of the Freya familia.
The guild had been packed to the brim with people mere minutes after it was posted outside each office in Orario and if the employees like Misha thought it was bad, you could only imagine the stress Eina was put through as the literal face of the guild.
People were pushing and demanding answers about several differing things. Some were asking about the estimated strength of the Themis Familia since their level's had been announced. Some were asking how they had reached it as if they knew, the guild only had rights to know about their progress after registration, not before it.
Lastly, and the most asked question was when the fight between Allen and Apollyon would take place
The ironic part was that Eina was trying to get the information out on the bulletin board but the very people that were pushing and shoving for answers were the ones that were blocking them in the first place.
No matter what they said, it wouldn't be heard over the deafening sound of people shouting and complaining over each other.
"Mouuu… Why are they like this!" Eina threw the papers over her head as Rose snickered as Misha sweatdropped, looking over her shoulder with adventurers and civillians practically shoving their faces over the counter at her.
"They are excited… Though I have to say, I've never seen a better example of pack mentality than this, the damn idiots" Rose scoffed at the end with a slight smirk.
"You don't say… we can't even leave! The back entrance is surrounded too!" Sophie complained as her blue eyes were begging for mercy.
As this conversation was going on, many of the adventurers didn't take the fact that a few guild employees were chatting in the back, ignoring them that well. Their voices got louder as they screamed at the top of their lungs, which in effect, caused others to do the same to be heard.
Sophie and Eina began to flinch as the sound began hurting their sensitive elven ears. Rose hissed as she backed up, her wolf ears going flat to block the sound while practically all the animal people in the vicinity were beginning to feel the effects of the loud noises.
"ENOUGH! YOU'RE ALL GIVING ME A HEADACHE!" A female commanding voice lashed out as the entire area went completely silent as they all turned around to the entrance where the large gathering had split, at the center was the executives of the Loki familia, Riveria beet red in the face from frustration.
"IS THIS HOW ADVENTURERS ACT?! YOU'RE ONLY BLOCKING THE FLOW OF INFORMATION YOU IMBECILES!" Riveria continued as a few looked away as the fact practically slapped them across the face. Finn put his hand up, peeking at her with a calm smile as she turned to the side, breathing out to calm herself.
"Oy, Neva' seen you get tha' worked up over mere sounds, ya bookworm" Gareth chuckled as Riveria glared at him.
"Well you wouldn't understand as all that alcohol is blocking you hearing you Drunkard" That only cause the Dwarf to laugh as Riveria gave up.
"Now that everyone seems to have our attention, I'd like to give Eina here a chance to clear up some of your questions. First and foremost, when is the duel between Vana Freya and Apollyon taking place?" He asked with a smile as Eina gave him and Riveria a Thankful nod before walking up to the counter as Misha stood to the side.
"The Duel is taking place tomorrow at midday within the colosseum. It will be hosted by Ganesha Familia while Freya familia pays for the expenses as they are the initiators of the duel" Eina answered as a few excited murmurs got out.
"Secondly, what is the estimated strength and ranking of the Themis familia?" He continued as Eina seemed to hesitate.
"Well… after pushing out re-evaluation of every familias strength because of their sudden appearance… They are ranked 3rd in the entirety of Orario with two level 7's, one level 6, one level 4 and two level 3's" To most, that sounded ridiculous. How could a familia that has only recently been created and only has 6 members be ranked that high?
The answer which was on everyone's mind at the moment. The ridiculous power a level 7 possesses as well as what abnormal strength Apollyon had showcased against the Goliath if rumors were to be trusted.
"So, out of curiosity. Who's second and first?" Finn asked as he took the opportunity.
"Freya familia is ranked second, and Loki familia first because of the difference in number and amount of first class adventurers in each familia" Eina answered as Finn smiled.
"Alright, if anyone else has any other questions, please refrain from talking over each other. It only causes confusion" Finn smiled as he turned towards the Turn in Kiosk where Rose quickly moved towards, accepting what he poured down.
"That's 120 000 Valis" She responded after counting all the Valis which he took with a smile before turning around, leaving with Riveria and Gareth.
The moment they left, Eina sighed out as a large portion of the crowd dispersed with them. She honestly wanted to just hug the executives for their intervention.
"Well, I guess that's handled… now let's just get through the day before resting" Misha sighed out as another adventurer came to the counter, waiting for help.
The guild returned to normal business pretty fast, the information now posted outside the guild, preventing any more confusion.
It didn't take long for the entire Orario to be excited again for the show the coming day.
=Hearth Manor=
"What were you thinking!" Elora hissed as Bell just stared blankly at his hands "Not only did you show what you're capable of before we were supposed to, but you also accepted a challenge by one of the strongest in the city! What happened to our goal!?" Elora continued as Bell's eyes turned back to her, surprising her with the coldness behind them.
"He killed one of the best people I knew… do you think I would let that slide?" He asked in a monotone voice as a small amount of scourge leaked from him.
"This entire time… I had believed that the Xenos had managed to return from rumors I have heard from retired adventurers… but it turns out that their leader, and a close friend, Lyd, was killed in front of a young girl I see as a daughter… I watched as she nearly broke down from the memory…" He turned towards Elora who had gone silent as Bache looked at him from the side of the room, arms across her chest.
"What would you have done, if that had been one of our kids? If they had been scarred for life from having one of their closest companions murdered in front of their faces…" Elora choked on her words as she clenched her teeth.
"So… you just threw away our laid out plan?" She asked as he rapidly stood up.
"So what! The plan's changed! Most of the things we wanted to do can be done at any time!" He lashed out as Elora flinched, hurt evident in her eyes.
"Alright, let's calm down. Bell had his reasons for it, Elora, so let's let it go. Bell, I can understand your frustration but taking it out on Elora isn't helping" Bache walked up in between the two, causing Bell to sigh.
"Yeah… I get it. It's just… Lyd was such an amazing person… so friendly and accepting of… well… anyone that just thinking of the one that killed him makes me want to strangle him" Bell frowned, forcing his anger back into a cage.
"I'm sorry" Elora muttered as Bell looked at her, his eyes softening.
"That's my line" He responded as Elora shook her head.
"No… I understand what you meant… it's just… this risks everything. What if they find out? What then?" She asked as Bell sighed out, he was so happy that Freya wasn't peeking at him this late at night
"They'll find out eventually, there is no avoiding it. Whether it happens now or in a month doesn't change how we go about it. If they find out… then we just move up our timetable. It's not like it stops us from digging up the truth" Bell answered as Elora nodded.
"Good… it seems that this pointless little quarrel has stopped so let's get some rest before the fight tomorrow" Bache grinned at her words while Bell shook his head as Elora snorted. Of course, leave it to the amazon to focus on the violence and none of the planning.
"Alright, I do want to be rested" Bell nodded as Bache gave him a thumbs up before walking away, waving at them as she did so.
Elora and Bell took a minute before shaking their heads, quickly leaving towards their rooms before preparing for sleep. It didn't take them long for the dreams to consume them.
=The Colosseum, Midday=
The Colosseum was filled to the brim with people, excited for the battle. The VIP area above is reserved for The Freya, Loki and Themis familia who were separated in three different corners of the Arena, adjacent to each other in a square like pattern, the fourth one being occupied by Ganesha and some of his guards.
Of course, the areas weren't that large so for the two bigger familias, only the executives were able to fit in where the Loki familia was the one most packed.
With the Freya familia, Ottar and the goddess herself were the most noticeable with the former being a 2 meter monster of pure muscle, basically glaring down at anyone who dared stare at them for too long.
As for the goddess, she seemed excited to say the least judging by the smile on her face. She still retained some of her… Class as she liked to call it, but every person did have their limits, whether god or mortal.
Loki familia had a VIP area solely for being the strongest in the city currently, but that didn't remove the anticipation from any of their faces. None of them had seen Apollyon fight in over a decade. It's been 11 years and practically all of them were wondering how strong he had gotten in that time.
The level 7 announcement in his familia's registration had given them an idea, but from Finn's words, a certain group among the Executives were wondering what his true power was.
As Finn had put it:
'It's a prime opportunity to accurately judge his strength, wouldn't you agree'
Ais, who normally didn't really care for anything that went on in the city like duels or events apart from the special Jagamarukun that were served at those times, were positively curious.
The man back then had been powerful, so much so that her heart had in a way yearned for the answers to how he got that strong. Now, 11 years later, she wondered where he was and if she would get some answers from this fight.
Deep down, she knew that was a naive view of it. Just seeing the strength of a person doesn't showcase how they got there, only the end result, but she just ignored that part.
Her eyes shifted to the newly formed Themis Familia in another VIP area, her eyes scanning everyone that was there.
Their god was leaning on the railing, looking down at the arena with a slight smile. Beside him, leaning on her hips with her chestnut colored skin, Bache Kalif was talking with the Elf that was Riveria's Niece, Elora Carleen.
A little to the side, the three kids, Adrienne Kalif, Aralaya Carleen and Jannor Carleen seemed the most excited out of everyone.
Of course, Apollyon was nowhere to be seen, similarly to how Vana Freya wasn't with the Freya familia.
"Alright everyone!" Her attention snapped down at the colosseum where Ibri Achaa stood with a magic stone microphone "I think I speak for everyone when I say that I am pumped for the fight that's going to take place real soon!" His words enticed the crowd to roar out in agreement as Ibri grinned.
"So! I, Ibri and Ganesha of the Ganesha familia will be hosting this show for everyone! Say hello Ganesha!" He turned the microphone up… comically large distance between Ganesha and where Ibri stood.
The god stood up and flexed like a moron before screaming 'I AM GANESHA' at the top of his lungs as chuckles reverberated around the stadium.
"Now that we have introduced ourselves! Let's get this show on the road! To the entrance to my right, the 'Fastest' in the city! The merciless spear! The one that represents the Freya familia, VANA FREYA!" He screamed out as Allen calmly walked out with an annoyed huff, clicking his tongue as he tapped his spear across his padded shoulder.
The crowd were roaring out in welcome as Allen just ignored them all and waited impatiently as he tapped his foot on the ground rapidly.
"And to the left, we have the mysterious newcomer in the fear-inducing armor and mask! The man who's become somewhat of a legend outside Orario! The Captain of the newly formed Themis familia, APOLLYON!" Bell walked out in a calm manner, his wide array of weapons open for everyone to see with his mask gleaming in the light.
"Now, one moment before we start, guards, if you'd please?" Ibri spread out his arms as multiple guards around the arena slotted large magic stones into a container as a field surrounded the inside of the arena before disappearing from view.
'That's new' Bell thought.
"As per the Audience's safety, the protective field had been activated to stop any stray attacks to hurt anyone!" Ibri said as he was just outside the designated battlefield's range.
"Alright, Combatants, get ready!" The crowd instantly grew alert as Bell pulled his spear out smoothly, positioning it behind his back as he crouched low, ready to boost off.
"Three!" Ibri started as Bell picked up on the glare Allen was giving him.
"Two!" Bell inspected Allen's stance, inspecting every inch of his posture.
"One!" He began predicting different scenarios of attack, ways for him to break apart his defence.
"BEGIN!" The two shot off like missiles towards each other, the spears clashing as Allen quickly parried Bell's blow before sending a kick his way.
Bell rapidly adjusted his stance before going low to the ground, letting the kick extend across his body before putting one hand down on the ground, pushing himself up, his feet narrowly missing Allen as he jumped back in response.
"WOAH! It's off to a heated beginning!"
Allen, one not to wait, instantly went back in, sending rapid slashes and jabs towards Bell with his spear while said rabbit dodged and weaved between the attacks, analyzing Allen's movements. Before stopping dead in his track and grabbing the shaft of Allen's outstretched spear.
"Come on, stop playing around" Bell teased as Allen took it just as expected.
He quickly spun the spear, twisting Bell's hold before jumping over it with a downwards kick, forcing Bell to retreat back a step.
"Alright then…" Bell muttered before sheathing the spear and pulling out his black sword, Katua, before blocking an incoming thrust from Allen, parrying it across the side of his mask. He quickly went under a punch in defense from the cat before sending his fist hard into his side.
Allen quickly clenched his teeth as he was sent spiraling across the floor, his spear being the only thing stopping it as he shoved it into the ground.
"OH! Apollyon has nabbed first hit!" Allen clicked his mouth as he spat out some blood on the ground.
"Can that annoying little shit shut up!?" He hissed before he began murmuring something. The atmosphere instantly changed as Bell noticed the faint glow begin enveloping Allen's spear.
'Magic?' He thought as every instinct in his body went into overdrive.
As the glow reached it's peak, Allen rapidly rushed three steps before salshing downwards towards Bell at a distance before a huge shockwave of blue flamed launched towards Bell, completely obliterating the floor of the battlefield on its path towards Bell who's eyes were wide in surprise.
Bell out of instinct put his sword in his right hand from his left before expertly cutting the magic vertically as it was about to impact, causing it to completely disappear out of thin air.
"W-what!?" Allen screamed out in surprise. Up by Freya familia, Ottar's eyes were wide in a similar manner of surprise. Allen rarely uses his magic as it's extremely destructive. It will destroy anything in its path, even Ottar himself would be scared to be in its way.
'And this man negated it with a cut?' He questioned 'No… there is something more to it than that'
Meanwhile Bell just smiled as he saw the glow in the gemstone of the sword intensify with the energy absorbed.
"Thanks" Bell said out with a cheery attitude before repeating Allen's motion with the sword but sideways as the magic was thrown back out at full speed in the same form it was cast.
Allen out of surprise jumped back on his back, narrowly avoiding the deadly blast of magic as it impacted the barrier as the Arena shook from the force.
"WHAT WAS THAT!? DID HE JUST SEND THE MAGIC BACK AT IT'S CASTER! MAGES PAY ATTENTION TO THIS, DON'T EVER FIGHT THIS MAN!" Ibri screamed at the top of his lungs as cheers began to fill the Arena.
With the Loki familia, the Pale faces of Lefiya and Riveria were the most prominent as they stared at the ridiculous action. Seeing someone cause an Ignus Fatus was one thing, but to absorb a spell and send it back at it's caster was just… absurd.
"This is troubling…" Finn muttered as he leaned over the railing, his eyes scanning every detail as the two combatants were locked in battle.
"It is… to think he was capable of 'that'" Riveria shakily said with a hand over her mouth, her composure being broken.
"No… that's not what… it's the fact about how Apollyon is fighting…" This got the attention of the familia as Tiona peered at him from the side.
"Hey, hey, what do you mean Finn? He's doing pretty amazing if you ask me!" She said excitedly as her eyes turned back to the fight.
"No… it's the fact that he's holding back that concerns me" Tiona stopped her excited mannerisms as her face got serious.
"Wait… ya tellin' me that the guy is actually not taking it seriously?" Bete asked as he stared at Finn in contemplation.
"Yes… notice that a certain skill we witnessed 11 years ago hasn't been used once yet. That and the fact that he had Allen underfoot in under a second a week back" Finn reasoned as everyone turned back towards the fight as Loki's eyes opened slightly.
"So… are ya sayin' the kid is trying to do somethin'?" She asked as Finn bit his thumb as his eyes scanned Apollyon's motions with the weapons, now back to using his spear.
"Yeah… but-!" His eyes widened as he noticed something very peculiar.
"Finn? What is it?" The trickster asked as Ais tilted her head in confusion before looking down at Apollyon.
"That's…" Finn shakily whispered as Ais picked up on what he was thinking.
"Your technique…" The half-spirits words made everyone look at her in surprise before rapidly turning their attention back to the fight where Apollyon was fighting, with the very same technique Finn used, favoring Dexterity and agility over overpowering with brute force.
"What… but that's not possible!" Lefiya gasped out as she recognized the movement. The area deathly quiet for a minute before chuckles were heard.
Everyone's eyes turned towards the culprit. Finn was looking down on the ground with a wide smile before he broke out laughing.
"Hahaha! Are you telling me that he saw me fight once, and copied my entire form from that short showcase!?" He asked out loud as Ais' eyes widened at the memory of a certain Demon of talent flashed in her mind.
"Just like her…" Ais whispered as Finn nodded.
"That's right Ais… just like her… Alfia" The mention of the woman made everyone pale as they all remembered the absolute dominance she had over them, easily rendering them defenseless with a mere few words.
"She was able to do something similar… to copy any technique or form no matter how complex with a mere glance… and this man is doing the same thing!" Finn put a hand over his mouth as his brain went over the possibilities.
'Is he possibly related to her…? No, just because someone exhibits similar abilities doesn't mean they are related, but it is worth looking into' He pondered as his eyes continued to follow the battle.
Bell was ducking inbetween Allen's attacks and some people began to notice that the side of Allen's head was bleeding, little did anyone know that it was just a blood vessel that burst from frustration.
"Allen you need to step it up, you're gonna embarrass your goddess" Bell kept picking at Allen.
Allen's response was simple, a yell followed by a jab with his spear. Bell at this point, though he was enjoying teasing him, was growing tired of the fight over all. So he decided to step it up a bit to embarrass him further.
He took the stab right to the chest, while taking a knee like he had been seriously hurt. Many people were worried, gasping or yelling out in shock. All of these actions soon fell silent as Allen laughed aloud.
"HA! You couldn't keep running" His smirk strewn across his face, gleeful satisfaction and rage combined.
"Well you're right about that…" Bell at this point was now looking up at him holding the spear in hand, he let go as Allen jumped back. "Now, don't you think it's time to finish this?" Bell asked as he raised his arms in a shrug like motion.
"I think it's time, though, I'm not entirely fighting for the sake of honor and glory, nor the delights that they entail. No, no, no, I'm here… for revenge" As Bell spoke the final words, he released his scourge ability. Focused on one person, Allen.
Allen, even in all his pride, and his hubris, felt deep within his being that this man was an apex predator. His natural instincts as a cat person took over instantly, activating his fight or flight response.
To the spectators, Allen all of a sudden jumped from one side of the Arena to another, pushing himself against the wall protected from the barrier.
Confused murmuring began circulating as Scourge only affected Allen.
"Hmm, Vana Freya isn't as strong as I thought…" Elora muttered from her spot up in the stands, looking down at Allen.
"Yeah, my guess is that he falls into the category of 'Leveling up too early'" Erebus snarked back as he couldn't help the carefree smile on his face as Bell was slowly peeling away at Allen's defenses. Not even using a weapon, just his fists.
"Well, you can't compare him to you all, you've pushed your stats now for a while from my guess, Allen hasn't got a single stat over A in any of his levels. Maybe one in S" Erebus continued as the kids were cheering loudly.
"Makes sense, I did have at least one stat in A until level 4 where I started pushing them" Elora chuckled as Bache peeked at her with a smile.
"Yeah, I am probably the one with the least amount of potential here" Bache said with a hint of bitterness.
"Bache… don't worry about it, stats aren't everything. Your skills in hand to hand are second to… well, none at this point. Maybe Tione and Tiona could give you a run for your valis, but otherwise, no" Elora defended as the amazon shook her head with a smile.
"Alright, alright. Let's focus on the fight now. It's probably going to get interesting soon" On that, all three could agree on.
Thunderous booms rang the arena, some people were beginning to become worried from the continuous pummeling being enacted by Apollyon. As their concerns began to come to a climax, he stopped. One word slipped his mouth, cold and lined with malice, yet backed with mercy.
"Yield…" Bell said.
"No" Allen responded.
"Heh, alright" Bell reached up as if he was about to punch, but when Allen went to block he only felt a hand around his ankle, the next moment only the brief sound of wind in his ears, and the feeling of the barrier on his back.
Much to everyone's terror and surprise, the barrier failed. Allen landed with an audible thud, everyone held their breath as they looked at Allen and back to Apollyon. Coughing could be heard as Allen spat blood up.
The mages were scrambling to get the barrier up, Bell stood there watching everyone, taking in their reactions. He looked over to his family only to see big grins from his kids, but Adrienne had her thumb down, followed by a prompt team effort smack from her blood and adoptive mothers, earning a chuckle from Bell.
He turned his attention back to Allen, who was now trying to get back to his feet but failing miserably. His scowl was still fixed on Apollyon. Bell, wanted to end this, to everyone else he literally teleported, the boom blowing several people in the front rows back.
He spoke again "Yield Allen!" Bell bellowed.
"NO! I will not fail my lady!" Allen said, as he spat blood at Bell.
"Fine then" Bell grabbed him by the throat and lifted him into the air.
"GAH!"
"Finn we need to stop this, I know it's between them, but this might be crossing the line" Riveria called out.
"I agree, go help Ganesha!" Finn ordered.
Freya took this all in, both impressed and upset that one of her children was being beaten so badly, "Ottar…" She called out, "Yes M'Lady?"
"Help Allen out, no violence, just get him out" She said cooly
"As you wish" Ottar bowed and disappeared.
As Bell stood there holding Allen in the air, he felt people approaching, knowing Ottar was one of them, he turned and tossed a hand up signaling Ottar to stop.
"Apollyon, I request you to hand Allen over" Ottar stated, not really requesting though.
"Ok… does that mean he won't come after me or my family?" Bell asked.
"I will personally see that he doesn't" Ottar responded.
"Alright" Bell casually threw Allen over towards Ottar. The cat person instantly gasped out for air as he spat out blood, Ottar only giving him a glance before turning back towards Apollyon
"Your mercy is appreciated, Apollyon" Ottar simply said before grabbing Allen roughly, throwing him over his shoulder as the beastman protested with no real strength left in his limbs.
Once the two exited the arena, Bell turned towards the remaining ones, coming face to face with Finn.
"Apollyon, we need to talk" The prum said coolly as Bell simply stared back.
"What do you want to talk about?" he asked, annoyance dripped from his very being.
"I mean no offense with what I am about to say bu-" Finn began before being interrupted by the approach of the rest of Bell's familia, coming up behind him.
"Dad, that was awesome!" Adrienne grinned as she walked up to Bell, her back to Finn as she kept her hands behind her back.
"Thank you Adrienne… though I was in a conversation…" He said with a smile, his tone lighter before turning back towards Finn. The amazoness quickly looked behind herself with a scowl before returning back to her usual demeanor.
"Oh, sorry!" Finn nodded as she stepped to the side, Elora having now taken a place next to Bell while inspecting the interaction between the two level 7's.
"As I was saying, I mean you no offense with what I am about to say… but I'll have to comment about the unnecessary brutality you showed in the battle. You almost killed Allen and I am quite certain you would have if Ottar hadn't intervened" Bell's eyes hardened at his words before he shook his head with a sigh.
"Braver… with all due respect, did you not watch the duel? The man tried to kill me multiple times, not hesitating and always going for killing blows. In light of that, I will ask you this. If someone tried to kill you with all their might, would you just stand and take it… or would you retaliate in return?" Finn went quiet at that, knowing his answer wouldn't be favourable… that and a god was looking straight at him so lying would be pointless.
"Your silence says it all… and even if I had killed him, he deserved it. He has taken the life of someone I held dearly… It would only be fitting of me to take his life" Bell finished as he turned around, walking away as Finn blinked.
'Someone he held dearly? Who?' Finn wondered as Riveria and Gareth behind him looked at each other frowning.
Finn had come to watch this duel to gain knowledge… but had left with more questions than answers.
=Folkvangr=
"Tell me Ottar, how is Allen?" Freya asked as she sat down on one of the sofas in their familia's main room. It was rare for Freya to be here, but at the moment, she didn't feel like going all the way to Babel.
"He will be alright in due time, Milady. His wounds were extensive and even with the help of the Dian Saint, it will take at least one week until he'll stand" Freya nodded at the Boaz' reply before sighing.
"Is something bothering you, milady?" He asked as her behaviour was unusual… though this was admittedly an unusual situation for their familia. They hadn't lost a duel since… before Evilus and Erebus.
"No, not particularly, though… What is your verdict of Apolloyons combat capabilities?" She asked as Ottar turned to the side, looking out the window with a rare pondering look on his face.
"He was holding back, toying with Allen. I could tell, he wasn't strained or out of breath while Allen was the complete opposite. I am unsure if I can beat him" The words surprised Freya as she sighed out in half glee. Ohh this will be so fun.
"Is that so… fufu. Then by all means, amend our relationship with him. I'd like to personally meet him…" She said with a seductive smile spreading across her face at the thought.
"Are you planning on charming him, Milady?" Freya but nodded at him.
"Indeed, no matter if they are mortal or god, only one man has ever been immune to Divine charms… he's unfortunately lost out in the world. The chances of Apollyon being the same as my Bell-kun are next to impossible at best" She answered as Ottar nodded.
"Indeed, I will do my best to make this meeting possible, Milady" Ottar bowed his head a little as Freya nodded, before she too looked out the window, imagining all the things she'll do to him.
=Twilight Manor=
"That battle was crazy! That Apollyon is stronger than I thought!"
"Yeah, I honestly put a bet on Allen, what a mistake!"
"Haha, yeah, I wonder if we'll be allies with him instead of semi-hostile like with Freya" The familia was in complete chaos as they returned from wherever they had watched the Duel from. The executives and their goddess walked together with pondering looks on their faces.
"Yeah, but didn't he go a little far at the end?"
"I don't know, the cat has been a royal pain in the ass and has killed people before without repercussions, I think this is all of it biting him in the tail" the people continued as Lefiya glanced at the people that said those words.
'That guy… he was strong… much stronger than 11 years ago' the elf thought as she followed the others from behind. It was clear that everyone had mixed feelings about the entire ordeal.
Finn and Riveria looked worried while Tione, Tiona and Gareth seemed to actually have enjoyed the fight with smiles on their faces. Raul and Annakitty were downright terrified while Ais was well… she honestly seemed to be the one most normal. The only difference was the pondering expression on her face.
It was hard to tell her what she was thinking at any time, and the elf had given up a long time ago to do so.
"Annakitty… wasn't he supposed to be level 7…?" Raul asked as the catgirl nodded.
"Yes… He seemed too strong…" At the girl's words Lefiya could agree. The man seemed to be too strong. She herself was a level 5, nearing level 6, but even to her eyes, when he moved at the end… it was faster than Ais… faster than she had ever gone and that said something.
He also completely broke the barrier that's made to withstand a high leveled mage's full scale assault. The part that scared her the most was the fact that he could turn a magician's attacks against them.
It made Lefiya shiver at the thought of fighting him.
"What are your thoughts, Ais?" Tiona asked as the girl looked up at the amazoness before smiling.
"Oh… Sorry, I wasn't listening" She answered as the Amazoness shrugged.
"That's alright! I'd love to fight him though! He seemed tough" She exclaimed as Tione snickered.
"You'd just get pummeled into the ground" She grinned at her sister as Tiona protested.
Meanwhile, Bete stared at Ais, frowning at her behavior. It wasn't really unusual for the sword princess to act aloof, but to be stuck in her head like that, like she's not in this world, was definitely cause for alarm.
"Hey Ais, what's wrong with you, you're more out of it than usual" Bete called out, slightly startling the half-spirit.
"N-nothing" Ais responded quietly.
"Bull-" Bete started
"Anyways" Finn interrupted.
"We need to find a way to ally with Apollyon, he has not only proven himself incredibly strong, but he also has a great amount of influence in areas Orario does not. I believe he's willing to work with us being he has before" Finn stopped for a second, not continuing on as he pondered in his thoughts
"What do you all think?" Finn reached an outward hand after a second, Riveria frowning.
'He's not telling us something' She thought as she knew it was the only reason he would have stopped like that.
"I'd like to know where he got his weapons" Raul had his hand on his chin in ponderment. "Perhaps he knows someone that we can pay a shiny valis or two for fancy weaponry like that"
"Fair point"
Anakitty spoke up next, "I agree, and I think the same about his armor as well" Her words made the Riveria give her the 'Really?' look.
"You do realize the armor is uniquely made for Royal Executioners, right?" She said as Anakitty let out a soft 'Oh' in understanding.
"What about his family though? They all seemed to have fairly good equipment" She returned.
"You're right about that" Riveria said as she began to think about it. They did have some fascinating looking equipment. Especially Apollyon's but the others weren't anything to scoff at either.
"Gareth, do you have anything to add?" Finn asked
"Nuthin' other than I wanna eat" Gareth bellowed.
"Should we go to the Hostess?" Tiona spoke up.
"I don't see why not" Tione seconded her sister.
"Come on, we just got home!" Raul complained as the others chuckled at him, Ais simply staring off in through.
"Then let's get going" Finn followed up, motioning everyone to leave.
Within the hour, they arrived at the restaurant which was busier than usual, which said something. As they entered Finn's interest was piqued as he noticed that a corner of the building was completely cut off from the rest.
Once they got a little further in, a table was revealed where he quickly recognized the shapes of the members of the Themis familia.
Ais was the first to notice apart from Finn, placing her eyes on Apollyon instantly. He immediately made eye contact as if he sensed her gaze the moment it hit him. He quickly turned his head to Finn and motioned them over, his hand waving towards the empty seats.
It was strange, the amount of seats were exact, the placement of the seats were also set in such a way that allowed the Executioner to be seated at the head of the table essentially.
"I knew you'd be here… hence the seats" Apollyon spoke, "Care to join?" Finn blinked for a second before shaking his head.
"I don't see why not" Finn began as he walked forward, taking his place opposite Apollyon, in other words, the head of their side of the table.
"Though I wonder, how did you know?" Finn queried as Apollyon didn't seem to blink.
"It's quite easy. In all of Orario, you're the only people with such presences apart from Freya Familia. One of the two were heading here in a group and as the rest are gathered on the opposite side from your home, I'd say the logical conclusion was that it was you" He explained as Finn nodded.
'That's quite the impeccable sense he's got…' Finn thought as he nodded.
"Alright, though the question remains, why prepare seats for us? What's the purpose?" Bache leaned back in her chair, taking a quick chug of her drink before putting it down, smiling at them.
"Oh, we just wanted to have a friendly talk between our familias. We are allies in a way you know!" She said as Elora nodded.
"Indeed, we have fought down in the Knossos. That has to mean something" The elf continued as Apollyon just shrugged.
"I'd say tha's mighty fine logic you got there, lass!" Gareth smiled as he stroked his beard.
"Hey, Hey Bache! What kind of adventures have you gone on outside Orario!" Tiona excitedly jumped in as Bache smiled.
"Oh, it's actually been quite peaceful the last decade or so. At least for me. Apollyon here though seems to not be able to keep out of trouble" she teased as she nudged his side, Apollyon turning to her, clear mirth in his eyes.
"How about that time you somehow got stuck in quicksand… as a level 7 might I add" Snickers erupted around the table at the thought as Bache's cheeks flushed.
"That was one time!"
"One time you say? How about the plethora of times you scared half the village to death when you came out of the forest, covered in blood, sometimes even skins on you. I think you even made some wifes widows from heart attacks" The snickers intensified as Bache huffed and turned to the side.
"Though I am curious, how exactly did you get stuck in quicksand as a level 7? I didn't have a problem escaping" He asked as Bache turned to him with a deadpan glare.
"You turned it to sand with your magic…" She muttered as he froze, remembering that detail.
"Oh, right…"
"She's got you there, honey. Though I wouldn't say that it's fair comparing yourself to Bache. Your status is weird after all" Elora's eyes widened for a split second as she realised what she had just said in the moment.
She quickly sent apologies to Bell as he waved his hand in a way to calm her down.
"Weird? How so?" Ais said, the first words since the duel earlier as everyone turned to her.
"Well, it's something that most don't realise, or are too impatient to work for, but leveling up early without pushing your stats does have long term consequences for you" Erebus chimed in as everyone turned to him.
"Yes, it's something Themis has explained to me. The status is both linear and exponential in its increase in power. Every level has a baseline that each point linearly increases the power of that stat by a certain percent…" Apollyon continued as Finn, Riveria and Ais listened intently.
"But, every level adds all that power you've gained to the baseline, creating a new one which the next level's points add onto in percent. That way, the gain from each point increases depending on the amount of points you had gained in previous levels on that particular stat. It's what makes adventurers unique from each other as no one will be as strong or weak as others because of this phenomenon" He finished as Riveria blinked.
"So… that's why some mages lag behind…" The high-elf muttered, thinking on some mages in the familia, mainly level 3's who are too weak for their level. Did they not push their magic stat?
"That's quite interesting, but what does this have to do with your… 'Weird' status?" Finn asked as Apollyon sighed.
"Simple, I've maxed every stat, with every level, making me abnormally strong in each stat compared to others of the same level" Ais' eyes widened as realization began setting in.
'Is he saying that… in my haste for power…' She frowned as it finally hit her fully. She had never gone about A in any stat. Most people don't unless they get stuck on a level, but as she had never really had that problem… Had her rush to defeat the dragon destroyed any chance of her succeeding in her goal?
"That's quite fascinating, but isn't it a little reckless telling that to us now?" Finn asked as the three children chuckled.
"Why are they laughing?" Tione asked as Bache shrugged.
"Isn't it obvious? As Apollyon said, the early levels are the most important. As the growth is exponential depending on the base, the earlier you get a large base, the faster it will grow in the end" She explained as Elora cut in.
"In other words, as none in Loki familia seemed to have done this, you are at a severe disadvantage against Apollyon. To be blunt, even if you all attacked him at once, I'd still bet everything on him coming out on top" Those words sent chills down the executives spines as Finn thought over her words.
If what they were saying was true and his words about his status aren't a bluff… then he might even be able to stand up against Ottar.
'We can use this' He thought as he turned back towards them.
"That's quite the statement, Thúl. Let's hope we never have to find out. To make sure that doesn't happen, I have a proposition to your captain" Apollyon instantly leaned forward, listening to Finn.
"How about we form an Alliance of Mutual benefit?" The table blinked at Finn.
"Mutual benefit? What would we gain out of it?" Apollyon asked as he leaned back, tilting his head to the side.
"The backing, assistance and connections the Loki Familia have formed over the years. In other words, even with your power, going against a familia like Freya, especially now that she most likely has eyes on you, will be extremely difficult alone. Freya's charm is absolute so to speak. No one has ever been able to resist it. If she was to get someone like you, Apollyon, then it's over. No one would be able to control her" Bell listened to his words and contemplated it.
The other benefits didn't really benefit him that much, but he made a valid point. He was able to resist it with Liaris Freeze… but now that it's not active… it's probably wise to have a backup if his theory was incorrect.
It would also help a little with the connections in investigating the truth of the events that led to his exile. After all, he has no idea where to start.
"You made your point. What do you want?" Finn simply smiled, not giving away anything as he looked at him with a calculating expression.
"Well, all I ask is to be able to rely on you as an Ally for support" He vaguely stated as Bell turned to the side in thoughts.
'So… he wants to be able to use our power… It's costly, but worth it' Bell sighed as he nodded.
"Alright, but are you fine with it, Loki?" Bell asked as the goddess who had been silent so far, overlooking the conversation turned to him.
"I agree with Finn, aight? Even someone like me can see the benefits, ya know" he nodded at the goddesses words before turning to the sides.
"How about you all? Are you fine with it?" Everyone nodded as Bell turned back to Finn.
"It's decided then, we accept your proposal" Finn nodded as he smiled.
'He's a good leader. He didn't decide on his own and let everyone hear all the information they needed before asking if they were alright with it. No wonder all of them trust him' He thought before smiling a little wider 'He'll be a good ally'
"Superb, as per our agreement of allies, you may rely on us in your time in need and vice versa. You're also welcome at Twilight manor. Can we expect the same with the newly built hearth manor?" He asked as Bell nodded.
"Yes, though we are planning on renaming it. We haven't figured out a name yet though" Bell said before shifting his gaze to the side before raising his hand.
"Well, I bet you all didn't come here simply for the talk, so why don't we order?" he asked as Finn chuckled before nodding.
"I agree, I am feeling quite famished" Finn answered, as everyone seemed to sigh out in relief
"Finally, I am really hungry!"'
"Dad! Do you recommend something?"
"Adrienne, let him decide first!"
"Bache, have you tested the Honey glazed potatoes with beef stew? It's incredible!"
"No, I might try it"
The table erupted into chaos as everyone began deciding the food they would eat. The only ones seemingly not completely engrossed in the menu were the two captains of the familia alongside Ais.
"Finn, I was wondering, where is your daughter?" The question threw the prum off guard for a second.
"Oh, she's currently in the dungeon. She took a break yesterday and didn't want to slack off so she didn't watch the duel" Bell nodded as his eyes shifted to Ais who seemed to have heard his question.
"Are you alright, Sword Princess?" He asked as Ais nodded.
"Hm… I was just thinking about Fiona…" She answered as Bell chuckled.
"You care about her a lot don't you?" Apollyon asked, causing Ais' lips to curl into a smile.
"I do" Ais now smiling, looked up to Apollyon "She's the only other person I've given lessons to, and through that, felt close" her smile wavered a bit.
"Though… the last person I trained has been missing for quite some time now" once again her smile wavered still, this time it hinted with a tinge of fondness, joy even.
"They both sound amazing" Apollyon smiled, his mask hiding most of his features.
"They truly are" Any sadness present on her face fading.
"As much as I would like to hear more about the other person, right now may not be the best time" Apollyon said, and Ais nodded in agreement.
As the night went on, stories were shared alongside laughs and near death experiences from choking on food or drink caused by said laughter.
That's chapter 37, sorry for the wait. There isn't much to say like usual, so we'll not waste time and get into the reviews!
KneeOil:Allen had this coming since chapter 9
Author: I'm honestly impressed you remember the exact chapter it occurred in xD
Voidborne II: The newborn child of Welf? How? Gods can't have kids…unless you're insinuating that what happened between Aria and Albert happened again
Author: All will be explained in due time!
Thrivean: Any news on when the next posting will be? Looking forward to seeing it!
Author: How about… now?
That's it, there weren't really many reviews I felt a need to respond to… and I won't even try to respond to the monster of the two absolute monsters of reviews.
Anyway, I won't take up any more time and hope to see you all next time!