blessed with a hero's heart

Chapter 18: The Last Step

Magnus: Sorry for the delay, I had to face a lot of troubles, and having to wait to know if I needed surgery killed the mood for writing. Fortunately, it just happens that I don't need surgery, much to the disappointment of the doctors that wanted to open up my knee. Still have to wait for it to heal naturally, and the holidays also demand my attention, so, I'll be returning until February. For now, please enjoy this chapter.
Disclaimer: I love the Tvtropes page, but I feel the need to clarify two details: First, Chika's claws, the ones she uses as sharp tools, are the ones on her feet. Second, I didn't switch Fio's and Clemea's names, although I accidentally gave them wrong classes; Clemea doesn't look like a warrior to me with that outfit.
Edit: This chapter was Beta'ed by Vandenbz.
Chapter 17
The last step.
It was early in the morning, but the staff of the Guild Hall were already scrambling around. The Hero of Axel had been attacked last night by succubi.
While the fact that such servants of the darkness were roaming in their city was scandalous enough, it was the news about Izuku being able to not only defeat them, but subdue them as well that was causing a ruckus. While most people believed the feat, no one could imagine how such a thing could be done.
"Alright everybody!" Luna called those present to attention, knowing she had to act fast if she wanted to turn this situation around, "We need to set up an emergency quest to find out where these succubi came from. We have to show Izuku that he can rely on us, and show the churches how our town is not a den of heresy!"
Cheers erupted inside the building, however, it wasn't difficult to notice that the men were a lot less energetic than usual. Not that it was too surprising, considering that succubi were known for being extremely strong against males.
Luna did expect the day to become ugly. The inquisitors no doubt would arrive on the scene and bother her star adventurer to no end, so she needed to prepare the stage for him. Good meals at a discount, well deserved praise, getting permission to post a fake quest to reward his achievement, all good methods to make him feel better. She could even gift him her bathhouse vouchers with a letter to allow him and his harem to share a private…
BAM!
The doors of the hall opened, revealing a furious Arch-Druid, closely followed by an entourage of angry looking girls… and one gator-girl carrying two sacks from where the heads of two crying females were poking out.
Luna quickly came to realize that this wasn't going to be just any ugly day…
"Luna!" Izuku called over as he walked to the booth, leaving only dread in the busty attendant, "I need to talk to you, in private. The denouncement I have to make is rather troublesome."
Taking a look at the followers of the Arch-Druid, Luna couldn't help but notice the Gator-girl, particularly the way she was actually glaring at the two female heads that were poking out of the sacks.
"Of course." Luna answered with as much professionalism as possible, "Please follow me."
Five minutes later, inside a private room…
Luna found herself staring not only at the annoyed Arch-Druid, but his two Crimson Demon lovers and the two slaves that refused to let their master out of their sight. The Gator-girl seemed exceedingly violent this morning, and the Guild Attendant wasn't going to test how little patience she had left.
Then, Izuku explained the situation surprisingly quickly.
"Impossible…" Luna despaired while holding her head in her hands.
"I'm afraid that's the truth." Izuku lamented, crossing his arms and giving a heavy sigh, "I was also surprised by their confession."
For someone who had been wronged so horrifyingly, Izuku had remained rather calm, if obviously annoyed.
The oldest of the succubi had confessed that they had been summoned by someone from within the guild with the intention of getting private information on himself, namely his proclivities and possible gifts to offer him. It was rather tame compared to other possibilities, almost forgivable. And Izuku had no way to know how much of it wasn't true.
"Even if it wasn't that evil of an intention, it is still a crime." Megumin added, looking the most annoyed, "Not to mention the trouble we got ourselves into with the inn."
Her dream had been fantastic, getting to know his world with metal carriages that didn't require magic or horses, giant towers made of steel and glass, getting to know his loving mother, and finally getting bold and sharing a bath… just for the dream to be interrupted when they were about to take off the towels!
"I understand!" Luna immediately began to wave her hands in an apologetic gesture, "The Guild will pay for all the inconveniences!"
Glass was expensive, and very few buildings had it on their windows. Wiz was an expert at fixing them with magic though, so there had been little trouble whenever Chika accidentally shattered them. The innkeeper had been surprisingly understanding too. What had Izuku annoyed, though, was the idea of having to deal with an angry Liza.
The Gator-girl had been way too close to killing her captives. Izuku really needed to find a way for her to control her strength… or rather… find the will to show some restraint.
"Can you see to that before the Inquisitors arrive?" Yunyun shyly asked, "As fun as it would be to start a fight with the church…"
Defeating and capturing succubi were feats said to belong to those both pious and devout. To hear that a group of heretics did so without any kind of effort would make the already tense situation explode. Their Chunni tendencies made it hard to resist, but both Crimson Demons knew that their leader REALLY didn't want to let his rage surface.
To be honest, they'd rather not see Liza go all out. Blood and gore were actually pretty hard to remove from their clothes.
"Don't worry!" Luna was quick to agree, she knew better than anyone else that dealing with Inquisitors was really bad for one's health, "The Guild will make sure to properly deal with this!"
Knowing the Eris Church, there would be a long investigation, and more than likely a purge inside the Guild, but it would be much better than dealing with a case of widespread succubi prowling in the city. If she was lucky enough, and the culprit was caught fast, the only one to be cut down would be the summoner. No need to further bother the Arch-Druid.
"Well, I wish you luck with that." Izuku finally said, handing over a piece of parchment with the information of the inn, and the amount requested for repairs, "We'll take our leave now."
Luna looked at the amount of money requested, and sighed in relief at seeing it was a rather modest sum. Small blessings.
"Chika is thankful this is over!" Chika whispered in relief, her worries that this circus would extend until her beloved master snapped finally put to rest, "Now we can all…"
CRASH!
"GGGAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"
"HOW DID THAT HAPPEN?!"
The noises and scream managed to enter the private room.
Before Luna could do or ask anything, Izuku was already moving into action. Darkness and Aela were still there, keeping an eye on the succubi, so he feared that they had been hurt in an attempt to free the captives.
BAM!
Izuku opened the door with such force that it almost broke.
"WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?!"
One look at the scene told its own story.
Aela was sitting on the floor, most likely the result of falling backwards. Darkness, however, was holding the adventurer Dust against a wall. Two sacks were laying on the floor, empty, and there were no succubi on sight.
"Why did you do that?!" Darkness shouted at her captive, who was showing tears of pain and fear.
"I don't know!" Dust replied between sobs.
Succubi excelled at illusions and seduction, while the men of Axel were largely known for their proclivities. That was why he left Darkness and Aela in charge of the captives, and yet, it seemed he underestimated the perverts.
"Aela, are you alright?" Izuku asked with care, his soft expression denoting how he cared for the wellbeing of his teammates first and foremost.
"Yes." The Ranger replied as she took an outstretched hand, "He pushed me, that's all. It was mostly the surprise."
"I see." Izuku replied with a kind smile, happy to see that nothing bad really happened, "Darkness, what happened?"
Taking a deep breath, the Blond Crusader left Dust go. But not before fixing him with a death glare.
"These damnable she-devils must have used one of their seduction spells without us noticing." Darkness replied with a sigh, "Some adventurers approached us with questions, and this… man… sneaked around with a knife to cut the bindings. Before we could react, the wenches flew off as fast as they could."
Darkness tone came off as full of hatred toward the succubi, which was understandable due to her religion. Izuku, however, didn't hold that much animosity toward the escapees. They did try to use their magic on his dream, true, but the intent hadn't been an act of evil, or even an attempt to feed off of him. It made him wonder if they were truly evil, or just victims like the demi-humans.
"But…" Izuku's voice earned the attention of his party members, "You two are unharmed?"
The worry in the voice of the Arch-Druid made the hearts of the girls skip a beat… all of them. He was such a caring man, thinking about their wellbeing rather than berating their failures. Or missing the vast bounty for the heads of the succubi.
"Yes." Aela replied, now standing and showing a tiny blush, "I was just startled, as I said before."
"I'm fine." Darkness answered, successfully managing to contain her disappointment at not being assaulted during the escape, "I wasn't even attacked."
As Izuku sighed in relief, Chika and Liza looked at the whole scene. The Black Harpy, now attuned to the works of magic, knew that no spell had been cast. She also knew that Megumin and Yunyun were pretty much aware of that fact, if their glares where any indication. Liza, however, could tell that there were a lot of pheromones in the air; not feminine ones, just male. It was like most of the guys in the hall had been willingly lusting after the intruders she caught.
While it wasn't their place to say anything, both had reached the conclusion that asking their master later would be for the best.
"Luna…" Izuku called to the blond attendant, sounding rather neutral in his tone, "Can I trust the Guild to handle this problem?"
It was an odd question to be asked, to be honest. With everything at stake, any other adventurer would be able to make pretty much any demand and get away with it. Anything was better than dealing with the inquisitors, even allowing said adventurer to do all sorts of evil things was better than to let the church burn down the town.
"Yes, of course!" Luna was quick to answer, and eager to take the opportunity given to not deal with the church, "I'll be sure to send you an appropriate compensation to your room tonight!"
Compensating the Arch Druid for this kindness was the least she could do. Of course, if said compensation was giving him her attention while wearing just one ribbon…
"No need." Izuku replied as he gathered his party, giving head-pats to the demi-humans, and a quick kiss to Megumin's cheek, "We won't be returning to the inn."
It made sense, Luna supposed. After being assaulted by succubi there, no one would want to return. The innkeeper no doubt would experience a reduction in clientele thanks to the new reputation their establishment had gained.
"I see…" Luna was quick to re-think her choices, she needed to make it clear that she… and the guild… were grateful, "So… where will you be staying?"
Izuku gave out a sigh. Then Luna saw the rest of the humans in his party give smug grins her way.
"We won't be staying in town anymore." Izuku revealed, leaving a petrified attendant standing in disbelief, "Today we are leaving."
"Leaving?" Luna knew very well that such a development was going to happen, but she still hoped it wouldn't happen so soon, "Where are you going? When are you returning?"
"HA HA HA!" Megumin laughter echoed through the hall as she posed extravagantly. "We are going on a dangerous journey. We are departing this town of beginners to put an end to the eternal conflict!"
Immediately, Yunyun joined the pose, even though she looked a bit nervous.
"We'll march to the frontlines, to the edge of danger!" Yunyun continued, obviously enjoying the chance to demonstrate her heritage, "But not as warriors, BUT LIKE A FIERCE STORM!"
"We are taking a training route." Izuku interrupted, knowing better than to allow them to fantasize about raining massive spells over potential battlefields, "We'll be heading to the next big city to spend winter there, then we'll proceed to the other stops before heading into Demon territory."
Izuku informed the room while giving another once over to Darkness and Aela. He really wanted to ensure they were unharmed.
Luna had gone from startled to full-on panic. The best adventurer to ever grace the Guild had just declared a suicide run. She couldn't allow it!
"IZUKU WAIT!" Luna screamed as she reached to grab the Arch-Druid's robe, "That's too dangerous!"
Izuku stopped as he felt the tug on his clothes. Turning to look at the distressed attendant, he did notice honest concern. Pity the town lacked more honest people.
"The frontlines are meant for the King's men and the chosen heroes." Luna tried her best to make her point, knowing very well that all the adventurers that had gone against the Devil King and his servants had died in horrible ways, "The town needs you. We all need you. You make this place safe!"
Megumin and Yunyun grimaced. Their beloved leader was rather weak to damsels in need of saving, in need of protection. Luna had been always supportive towards them, and her demeanor toward Izuku was glaringly sweet. They could easily see him giving in, to accept a more permanent role in this side of the conflict, not that they minded…
"No." Izuku's response had been startlingly firm, much to the disbelief of his party members, "The only reason I came to this land is to defeat the Devil King."
The severity in the voice of the Arch-Druid gave everyone in the Guild pause. There was no proclamation of greatness, no demands for recognition and reward. As if such things were beneath the desires of his heart.
"It is true that I found people to love, to call family, in this town." Izuku revealed, regaling his girlfriend with a tender smile, "But rather than setting my roots here, I intend to return home after my mission is over. With my newfound family."
Megumin had to lower the brim of her hat to try to hide her massive blush and wavering smile. Her boyfriend could get overwhelming romantic at the most random of times. Yunyun, however, had her jaw dropping to the floor. This guy had just declared that he was going to steal her friend to a faraway land!
Luna wanted to build an argument, to convince the young Arch-Druid that this town of beginners could become his home. But the memory of all the times that this town of idiots had pushed him away, the hostility of the churches…
With no fanfare or further words directed to the adventurers, or the Guild's staff, Izuku took his party and left the building.
The hall quickly fell into a rather creepy silence.
Everyone knew what kind of moment this was. The Hero of Axel was leaving, for good, and no one had tried to stop him, or to join him in his heroic quest… not even offering words of encouragement. The people of Axel, the adventurers, were all beginners; marching to the frontlines was for veterans, people with talent and true strength. Everyone knew that no one was going to be of much help against the Devil King…
And yet, Izuku the Arch-Druid had declared his intention.
The adventurers were currently struggling to forget that Izuku was perhaps the most recent addition to the Adventurer's Guild. They were trying really hard to convince themselves that the verdanette had started powerful and wise, that his massive power was most likely a gift from his heritage, and not the result of hard work and research.
They were trying truly hard to protect their lazy way of living, and were failing miserably to do so…
"Maybe we should…" Dust started, his low voice still strong enough to be heard in the entire hall, "Join him? Help him reach the frontlines at least?"
Lynn squeezed the hand of the blond warrior, beaming with pride at the rare glint of bravery from the man she was dating. Keith and Taylor pondered really hard on the proposal, knowing very well that they had no special talent to offer, nor any special expertise or relic to help along the way. But their need to repay their life-debt to the Arch-Druid was great, their pride as men and adventurers gnawing savagely against their need to avoid danger.
"Well…" Keith began, obviously struggling to find some sort of speech to agree, "Giving him a hand to reach the frontlines would certainly increase his chances against the Devil King… And if he passes through Alcanretia, we may be able to make a long stop to get plenty of holy water."
Alcanretia was the home of the Axis cult, and while the fanatics were annoying to deal with, the thermal waters and the cheap holy water were more than enough compensation for the bothersome cultists.
"And if he decides to reach the frontlines through Monsbaya, we can hit the local labyrinth for some rare items" Taylor quickly added, ensuring that whichever route the Arch Druid chose, would benefit them greatly, "It is decided then, let's offer our services as an escort party!"
With a last cheer, the rather mediocre party left the building, making the rest of the adventurers feel even worse. Without anyone noticing, though, a certain silver-haired thief left the place too.
Later, at Wiz's Magic Shop…
Izuku looked at the shop where his undead friend resided. They hadn't been friends for too long, but Wiz was someone he considered a true friend. Reincarnating her was going to be a rather bombastic farewell, and he hoped that his departure didn't affect her too badly.
Standing on his left side, the pair of Crimson Demons were locked in a heated discussion about the procedure to come, bickering about the possibility of changing the chant to increase the cool factor and how much of an impact such a thing would have in the quality of the spell.
To his other side, Chika and Liza were talking about what they would like for a last meal in town before the start of their journey… or rather… Chika was doing all the talking, with Liza just standing there, seemingly waiting for him to move or order something.
Darkness and Aela were absent though, both having to solve some last minute family matters.
Reincarnation was a very taxing spell, expensive too, but the young Arch-Druid thought it was worth it in the name of saving people, especially if they were friends. He would have to see to possibly recruiting an Arch Priest though, as he understood that using Reincarnation was meant to be a last resort, or an emergency solution, not the go-to choice. He still shuddered at the image of the Lyndon Mage crying in despair at changing races…
Entering the shop, Izuku did his best to suppress various doubts and fears. Wiz had already declared that she didn't mind changing race, or even gender, if that meant being free of her burden.
"Wiz!" Izuku happily called as he stepped into the eccentric shop, being closely followed by Yunyun and his girls, "We are here for a special service!"
Yunyun had been exceedingly happy to find out that she was allowed to witness this miracle. Such occurrences were rare, as any spellcaster would religiously safeguard any secrets that granted them more power than usual; this was going to be her second time, and she still felt shivers about the chance to learn.
"One moment please!" Wiz replied from the back of the shop, the sounds of rattling and rustling being faintly heard, "I just finished your request!"
The group chuckled wholeheartedly, finding the antics of the shopkeeper charming. When she entered the room though…
"I was curious as to the function of the clothes you requested, so I made some for me with the specifications." Wiz explained as she walked in, spinning and posing all the way, "This is so comfortable! My back feels so free!"
The ditzy shopkeeper had no outward change on her clothes as the same purple robe covered her like always; and yet she looked incredibly different. Where once her breasts were free to bounce wildly whenever she moved, now they were firmly standing as if on parade.
They looked massive…
"I hope you don't mind." Wiz added as she began to place the requested clothes on the counter, completely failing to notice that Izuku had blushed and was now trying to look away.
There was a great allure to watching breasts move freely, and yet, watching them standing firm had its charm too.
"These are for us?" Yunyun shyly asked while taking a hold of one of the cloth pieces. It seemed to be appropriate for her chest size, and after analyzing it, she noticed that the shape was meant to increase comfort, while the metal piece below the breasts was meant for support.
"Is this some kind of charm that allows for increased growth?!" Megumin was quick to throw her question, taking a hold of one piece that was better suited for Darkness or Liza. It was easy to imagine herself growing to fill it.
Izuku's blueprints had included a diversity of models. Sport bras were closer to usable visible clothing, while also being adjustable for small breasts, so he requested them for Chika and Megumin; the piece of black cloth would no doubt look fine as part of Megumin's outfit, while it'd be easily covered by Chika's.
The others were variants of the classical model, so the top-heavy girls would find relief in the support provided, although Yunyun would have to change her attire a little bit, lest the bra peek out from her outfit.
"No, no." Izuku replied, making an effort to not think on peeking bras and girls too innocent to know what that meant, "This will help you while growing. It will give you frontal support so your back doesn't hurt, and your movement isn't impaired."
While Izuku struggled to find words to properly explain things without sounding like a total pervert, his mind couldn't get over the fact that his petite girlfriend was indeed growing up.
Now that she didn't deplete her mana everyday casting Explosion magic, and regularly ate full meals, her body had begun to grow. She had grown nearly half an inch, and her dress was beginning to show signs of becoming too short; little bulges of flesh were starting to perk off from her chest too. Perhaps not even an A-cup yet, but if she managed to hit a growth spurt…
"Ok then." Megumin replied, failing to hide her smug grin, knowing that her boyfriend did indeed notice her as a woman.
"Here is your staff too." Wiz suddenly spoke, regaining their attention, making everyone aware of her anticipation, "I upgraded it a little bit."
The staff that was presented to the young Arch Druid had a new addition. The beak of the cockatrice had been shaped into a spear head, and attached to one end of the staff, turning it into a staff-spear of sorts. Izuku finally had a functional melee weapon, even if it looked primal in nature.
Taking the staff in his hands, Izuku could feel it fitting perfectly with his soul. Liza's protective nature in the scales covering the shaft, Chika's speed in the feathers adorning the top, and Wiz's faith in the care put into building it.
"Wiz…" Izuku's voice calling for silence drew all of their attention to himself, "Are you ready?"
The undead shopkeeper nodded, showing a rare glint of determination.
She was ready for this, even if the spell failed, she had everything ready. Her demise would mark the beginning of the Devil King's fall, her reincarnation would mean her freedom, and either way her dear friend would be safe.
Meanwhile…
Chris followed Izuku and his party using Lurk, and by blessing her stats with her divine authority. She couldn't afford to mess things up again.
She had come to terms with the fact that she had fucked up in their previous interaction. Loving to play the part of the prankster thief, she had forgotten that in most versions of Japan, taking things without explicit permission was considered a serious offense. She should've shown common courtesy before showing off her skills.
The Arch-Druid's love for the Harpy, while misplaced, was also understandable.
Without proper context, and a thorough history lesson, most otherworlders would see the treatment of the Harpies as something tyrannical. She was certain that after showing him the truth, he would, at the least, be wary of the Harpies. Even if he still coddled his Harpy companion.
Unfortunately, things had aligned to make possible interactions all the more difficult.
As the Goddess Eris, she found it infuriating how both churches alienated the young hero, prosecuted him even though he wasn't part of either group, and then had the audacity of excusing their misdeeds by invoking their 'greater' standing. She had already sent prophetic dreams scolding them all, and demanding them to change their twisted ways.
And still, she knew that her decision wasn't enough.
Now perched on the roof of Wiz's Magic Shop, Chris was doing her best to infiltrate the locale and carefully watch what was going on. Wiz was a great source of entertainment and rare artifacts, but even she would think twice before fiddling with anything without the supervision of the ditzy shopkeeper.
"So, what are you doing here?" Chris whispered to herself as she entered through one of the upper floor's windows, "What kind of rarity are you trying to get before departing on your adventure?"
Looking through the cracks in the floor, the silver-haired thief managed to see the shopkeeper and Izuku's party. It didn't take long before she noticed that things were getting weird.
'Is that a sacrificial circle?' The Thief thought as she looked at all the stuff lined up inside that circle, 'Why would a Druid need to do that? Why would anyone use that?!'
Sacrificial circles were useless, an absolute waste of resources. Even the most desperate of wizards would only use one in the direst of circumstances. The floor was thick though, and the magic too dense for her to properly hear what was going on, so, she could only wait and see. She could only hope to understand the young hero a little better, so she could convince him to accept her services.
Magic began to flow inside the shop; it was a massive amount, and it resonated so beautifully that the thief couldn't help but be mesmerized.
'Is this his divine talent?' Chris thought to herself as she failed to grasp why Izuku could cast spells on this level, 'Did he ask for the secrets of the arcane? Or perhaps the secrets of the nature of magic? Why does this feel… familiar?'
Inside the shop floor…
"REINCARNATION!"
Izuku finished his spell, and Wiz was enveloped in what appeared to be a cocoon of emerald light. For the ditzy shopkeeper, it felt warm and cozy, like being embraced by a loving parent. The scarce seconds it lasted, were some of the best she had gone through in her existence; if the spell were to fail and she ended up dead, she would still be satisfied with the result.
When the light receded, changes had become apparent. First and foremost, her ears had been elongated, becoming pointy and rigid. Second, she had become ever so slightly shorter, with a slender build that also affected her massive breasts… they were still big, but now in the same league as Yunyun, rather than the unreasonable size she used to have.
"It's over…" Izuku breathed a sigh of relief as his friend had returned to life and retained her gender at the very least, "I'm glad nothing too dras…"
"Ugh…"
Wiz's groan interrupted Izuku, giving him a severe case of panic attack. Seeing the ex-undead double over in apparent discomfort was starting to make him regret his actions. The thought of causing suffering to someone dear to him was unbearable.
"Wiz?" Izuku shyly called, taking a step toward the aching shopkeeper, an action quickly mirrored by Megumin and Yunyun.
"A-are you ok?" Yunyun asked with a stutter. Being able to see the super spell again had been a gift to her, but seeing a potential friend suffering was starting to affect her.
"AAHHH!" Wiz shouted as she arched her back, and then…
RRIIIPPPPP!
Her robes nearly exploded, revealing a pair of beautiful white wings growing from her back. They were somewhat shorter than Chika's, and the feathers didn't match any type Izuku could recognize, but they were beautiful and part of her new body. The Emerald Arch-Druid was looking not at an elf, but at an Avariel.
"EEEPPP!" Izuku also noticed that, for some reason, Wiz had made her bra… lacey.
It was then that things began to cascade into a series of unusual events.
CRACK! WHAM!
From the ceiling, a silver-haired thief fell. Haphazardly landing, and pointing a shaky finger at the reincarnated shopkeeper, said thief began to sputter.
"THE BELOVED!" Chris incoherently began to shout, "THE DEAR ON…"
WHAM!
Just to have Liza's tail fall upon her head, knocking her out instantly.
For the Gator-Girl, it was the most obvious thing to do. After all, the thief had been rather mean to Chika, so, it stood to reason that she may hate any feathered friends. Since being mean to friends angered her beloved master, the reasonable thing to do was to remove such sources of anger.
"Hi there!" Keel opened the door and entered the shop, closely followed by his wife, "I know it's early… is this a bad moment?"
The ex-lich looked at the room for about half a second before things escalated yet again.
"EEEEEKKKKKK!" Wiz shouted as she quickly covered her chest in a rather rare show of embarrassment.
"OOWWWW!" The Necromancer yelped as his wife jumped to cover his eyes.
"Yunyun!" Megumin called as she knew that she was the only one who could take command in this situation, "Go get a spare robe!"
As the shy Crimson Demon darted into the back of the shop without even knowing where to search, the petite Arch Wizard began use her large hat to provide some sort modesty to the panicking woman.
She hadn't failed to notice that Wiz had not minded Izuku looking at her, something she would have to question later, after things calmed down.
About an hour later…
"And that's the gist of it." Sasha finished her recount of what had happened to have them all reunited.
In the background, a now dressed Wiz was chasing a distressed Black Harpy, blabbering about how they were now feathered sisters, and that they should spend time caressing each other's wings.
"I can't believe all that happened so fast." Izuku was amazed at the information.
Without being told of anything, things had developed on their own to set Keel and Sasha as the new owners of the Magic Shop, while Wiz had gone through all the paperwork required to leave her life behind to either start anew, or to pass away without regrets.
It pained Izuku to think that his friend was preparing everything necessary for her burial.
"I know." Sasha replied, showing her own amazement, "You'll think that someone that ditzy would also be messy with documentation!"
Now Liza was being used as a wall to help Chika get away from the crazed shopkeeper. The Barbarian was showing rather dull eyes at the antics of the winged girls, seemingly unable to care about them, at least for the moment.
"She is still a messy person." Keel added as he emerged from the back of the shop, "She may call this a shop, but the pieces here are more fit for a museum. Almost nothing is usable!"
Izuku could only give a nervous chuckle at the information. He had also noticed that oddity, but had been too nice to mention that to Wiz's face.
"I'm sure you'll manage." Izuku stated in good spirits. He was still worried about what Wiz was going to do now.
Outside the shop…
"So?" Yunyun asked to the now tied-up thief, too angry to show any of her shyness.
"That is one of the beloved!" Chris continued to state, too far gone on whatever had her going, "They were lost once, but now that she is here, they can return!"
For the Goddess Eris, seeing her beloved children again, even if it was only one of them, filled her with hope. She even began to make plans to get her the perfect husband, a pure-blooded High Elf that would give the best chances of continuing the Avariel race. With careful breeding, they could even become pure-blooded after just a few generations, and then she'd have her perfect children to dote on to her heart's content.
"Forget it." Megumin's words struck the thief deep, making her wonder why her idea of perpetuating her children's race was bad, "She may have been reincarnated into one of the Avariel, but she is not some sort of prophet of Eris. If you want to take her to some sort of crazy zealots, then you'll find that we like to protect our friends."
Yunyun nodded fiercely at that declaration, still pointing her wand toward the intruder.
"And if she wants to come to the Eris church?" Chris asked, finally overcoming the shock of seeing an Avariel after so long, "Don't you think she'll enjoy a better life under the care of…"
BAM!
"KKUUUUEEEEE!"
Whatever else she was going to say, was interrupted by a horrifying screech that had everyone sans Yunyun flinching in pain. The Black Harpy and the reincarnated Avariel were now flying in circles around the group, with the first fleeing from the later.
"We are both the same!" Wiz shouted all too happily, arms outstretched in the hopes of catching the avian girl, "Let me caress your feathers! I'll let you caress mine!"
Seeing the only Avariel in existence chase after a harpy in obvious love made Eris' blood boil. The last Avariel was choosing a Harpy over her. She quickly swallowed her anger though. Flying into a rage wouldn't help her here. She had to be cunning and win over the heart of her beloved child no matter the cost, even if that meant having to form a party with a Harpy.
"I don't think your goddess would allow her to play with Harpies." Yunyun casually threw out her thoughts, giggling at how childish the shopkeeper looked while chasing the petite Harpy, "I also don't think Wiz will take it kindly if she sees how Eris treats her beloved harpies."
That information gave Chris pause. How to cure the Avariel of her infatuation?
"Ready to go?" Izuku asked as he exited the shop, closely being followed by the Dark Elf and the High Elf, "Wiz will be joining us by the way."
"WHAT?!" Megumin and Yunyun shouted at the same time. One feared she'd get diminished attention, while the other had to add another obstacle in her goal of getting more attention.
"I'll join your party too!" Chris also shouted, eyes full of determination; the first step to win her child's heart was to spend as much time as possible with her, and for that, she needed to be in the same party. "You need my expertise!"
"No, I don't." Izuku was getting annoyed; he had to leave town before dusk if he wanted to reach the next large town with time to spare before winter, so he couldn't afford to entertain zealots today. "Why don't you take your expertise somewhere else?"
"I'll let you know that I am the ve…" Whatever Chris tried to say was interrupted by a zealous Albino Gator-Girl.
"Master… says…" Liza calmly repeated as her massive clawed hand enveloped the head of the now panicking thief, "Some where… else!"
And with that said, Chris was launched roughly in the direction of the Adventurer's Guild. She also joined the scarcely few that could boast about surviving an encounter with a Gator Demi-human, even if she was aided by her godly endurance, rather than skill or luck.
"Do you think she'll be alright?" Izuku asked, slightly worried that his wording may have ended up killing someone.
"Do you want her to be alright?" Megumin asked, knowing that the thief would only keep causing trouble if left alone and alive.
Rather than answering, Izuku decided that now was the best time to leave. He was getting behind schedule now, and still had to modify the seating arrangement now that Wiz was joining the party, even if only until she decided where to start anew.
Later, at the gates of Axel…
Darkness and Aela were still missing, but Izuku had faith in them. Seeing the carriage before him filled him with an odd sense of accomplishment though. The dwarves he had commissioned to construct it had done a superb job.
The main body was made of thick insulated wood, reinforced with a frame of high quality steel. Runes carved throughout the frame ensured that it would resist all but the most top-tier monsters that included dragons, and the special treated wood would not burn short of being thrown into an active volcano. The interior was cushioned for maximum comfort, and a set of enchanted stones helped to regulate the temperature to some extent.
The wheels were quite the sight to behold too. Rather than the usual beam supported wheel, or a plain thick wooden disc, it was made with round steel plates, thick enough to offer a lot of ground contact, which helped to distribute the weight. They were also covered with Izuku's vines, which worked like tires from his own world. To top it all off, the dwarves had used his blueprints for a suspension system, ensuring a much more pleasant voyage for everyone.
There seemed to be a problem though…
"Who, or what is going to move this…?" Megumin began to ask, failing to contain her curiosity.
"Monstrosity of a fortress?" Yunyun finished the question, equal parts amazed by the design, and baffled at the fatal flaw of the same.
Before Izuku could answer, Liza walked to the vehicle, and began to move it back and forth a few centimeters, showing just a little bit of effort. Then she beamed at her master, expecting to be appointed to the job of moving such a thing, to show how useful she could be.
Both Crimson Demons couldn't help but to take a step back at the show of monstrous power.
"No need to worry about that, we are going to use this." Izuku waved off the concerns as he pulled out a small pouch, "Chika! Come here!"
Izuku called for the avian girl, who instantly glided to his side, avoiding the still chasing Wiz. Liza knew that her Master required the full attention of the little Trickster, so, with agility and speed she had no right to possess, captured the Avariel. Wiz didn't seem bothered by being held like a kitten by someone that strong, instead still flailing her arms in a futile attempt to catch up to Chika.
"Master?" Chika shyly whispered, no longer expecting a scolding, but desiring some sweet words.
"Remember your egg?" Izuku's question received a nod from the avian girl, "I asked Wiz to turn it into this, the strongest fertilizer known to man."
Chika gave a cute awed sound. She may not have understood all the words, but she had understood that her egg had been very useful to her beloved Master.
"Now we are going to use it to create a new friend." Izuku added as he introduced a Good Berry into the pouch, "A very strong friend for our new mobile home."
As Izuku placed the pouch on the ground, he reflected on the skill he had purchased recently. It had cost a lot, but the description had been enticing enough for him to be unable to resist it.
Activating both Plant Growth and Plant Manipulation, Izuku directed the Good Berry to germinate and grow into a shaped plant. Before the astonished Crimson Demons, a new plant creature was being created. Thorny vines expanded, twisted and knotted to form a body. It was like an Ox, but massive, easily two meters tall. The hooves were massive, the tail ended in a spiked ball, and the horns were closer to those of a moose.
The plant looked like a green bull with exposed sinew, or rather…
"Behemoth…" Yunyun spoke without thinking, closely followed by a gulping Megumin. Both saw this as another creature of myth being born before their eyes.
"Now comes the real work." Izuku stated as he strengthened the grip on his staff, ready to cast his new spell.
"I call to you, woodland spirit, humble being standing before me."
Izuku intoned, failing to notice the entire forest outside Axel standing to attention at his voice.
"Listen to my will as I guide you to a higher calling, a greater destiny."
The bull made of vines began to glow, resonating beautifully with Izuku's mana.
"Unbound and unshackled, join me in my journey while learning what it means to live."
Unknown to the Arch Wizards, Izuku had yet again changed the chant, eliminating the mentions of forced servitude.
"Because life has form, form has life! Awakening!"
When the spell finished, the bull came to life. It made no verbal sound, but the steps it took toward Izuku made the ground tremble a little bit.
"Friend?" Izuku asked as he extended his open hand towards the incoming creature.
The massive ox-like creature happily nuzzled against said outstretched hand.
"Master!" Chika was way too happy with the sight of the new friend made with her egg, "New friend is like a baby!"
Megumin flinched at the comparison, not failing to understand the undertone used by the Harpy.
As Izuku began to attach the newly created creature to the carriage, Izuku failed to sense a few dark clouds approaching. His journey was about to start, but it wouldn't be without complications.
Magnus: And Izuku's journey starts from the next chapter, and you can expect the unexpected too. In any case, Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year!
Omake – A man's struggle.
Kyouya Mitsurugi, otherworlder chosen by the Goddess, and self-proclaimed Hero, was returning from his work in the mines. It was not glamorous, and poorly paid, but with the mark on his adventurer card, he was forbidden to take even gathering requests.
"Just a little bit more…" Kyouya bemoaned as he approached the third rate inn he was booked in, the thought of his Lady Goddess welcoming him being the fuel powering his muscles, "One more week of this nonsense and we'll be able to afford that ticket to Alcanretia…"
It was bullshit, really. While true that they had fucked up Keel's dungeon, it hadn't been that big of a mess up, especially if the rumors were true, and the Druid fixed everything without help. Most likely the undead being weakened as a result of his beloved Aqua's divine seal. The charges of endangering an entire town should be null and void, but the King had decided otherwise, and he couldn't do anything else about it.
"Why did she denounce me like that?" Kyouya made a short stop to ponder on the other charges.
What they did to their Ranger companion, or rather, ex-companion, was seen as a most despicable act. Even if the procedure was not illegal, leaving someone else with your debts was seen as an act of betrayal. Worse still was the additional shame of finding out that the girl had been able to pay the entire debt herself in a rather short amount of time, making him look as a truly unreliable party member.
"I don't deserve any of this…" Kyouya bemoaned as he entered the inn.
"Hey! Pretty boy!" The innkeeper, a rather fat and big woman who looked as if she had some Orc ancestry, called over the counter, "Don't you dare to be late for payment. You know what I'll do to you if you don't pay on time, right?"
The rather feral grin on the woman gave Kyouya the shivers.
"I'll pay tomorrow, just like everyone else!" Kyouya's reply was colored by fear. He really didn't want to spend an entire day… entertaining… this woman and her friends to pay for the room.
The last flight of stairs was both dreadful and comforting, signaling the end of the day, and marking the beginning of more headaches.
Aqua didn't like to make sacrifices or compromises. She wanted her liquor, and she wanted her pampering. Kyouya quickly had to learn that for such a refined palate, his Lady Goddess was unable to recognize her favorite fruity wine from the cheap moonshine sold by seedy bars. He also had to learn that the single bed in their room was never going to welcome him, as his Lady Goddess REALLY didn't want to share it.
"I'm home!" Kyouya nearly sang as he entered the tiny room.
While he stopped expecting the traditional greeting long ago, he had come to expect some kind of rebuttal or complaint from his beloved Goddess upon entering the room, instead, there was a rather uneasy silence, and a suspiciously calm looking Goddess sitting in the bed… looking away, and shielding a rolled piece of cloth.
"Lady Goddess?" Kyouya's eyebrow began to twitch, "You are not hiding anything, right?"
He knew he was to blame. He had promised abundance of the best of everything, and he hadn't been able to deliver. However, he expected certain level of understanding, like understanding the fact that they needed to save money to reach Alcanretia.
"I don't know what you are talking about…" Aqua's poor denial was more than enough.
It didn't take a lot of effort to wrestle the bundled cloth away from the Arch-Priestess, much less to find out that the girl had somehow found a way to use their savings to buy more liquor… again…
"Lady Goddess…" Kyouya was falling in despair, this would need another week of work and eating just half as usual, "I was going to use that money to pay the rent…"
"Didn't she give you an option to pay without money?" Aqua replied with a pout.
Kyouya quickly began to reconsider the option of returning to Axel, maybe then he could find a way to lift the marks on his card, and recruit the Ranger, who no doubt would be more useful than the thief that ran away with half of their money.