No one's POV
Sora: Switch the ones who are carrying the wounded! Leave the fighting to Bete, Tiona, and Tione as much as possible! Focus on fending off the enemy!
Sora and the Loki Familia were still running towards the exit that Lefiya had found. Remilia and Claire were at a critical condition with both of them barely conscious and were being carried by those who could still moved.
Remilia: Aki... S-Sorry... I can't... Run...
Aki: Don't force yourself to talk!
Sora: Asuna! Is the healing working?
Asuna: Not good! She's cured of the poison, but she has lost too much blood!
Filvis: Dio Thyrsos!
Spindles of lightning crackled out of Filvis's wand to incinerate the group of monsters in front of them only a second before the cacophony of footsteps raced down the now-empty passageway toward the surface.
Aki: Aren't we there yet, Lefiya?
Aki called out, supporting one of her injured companions on her shoulder.
Lefiya: Not much more! It should be...just a little bit farther...!
Lefiya asserted, feeling a trickle of sweat dribble down her temple, probably due to the anxiety she felt. The party had just about reached its limit, what with the myriad monster and assassin attacks. The frantic desperation of their relentless pursuit seemed almost like a last-ditch attempt to stop them.
Aki: The doors don't seem to be closing anymore. A little weird after the way they were constantly opening and closing before...!
Aki noted as she blocked an incoming attack with her buckler.
Raul: Makes it seem like our enemy's run into somethin' unplanned, too... Whuuaagh!!
Raul fended off the enemy with his longsword, gasping for air along with his comrade. True enough, none of the enemies appearing before them seemed to be using one of those "keys," almost as though they feared losing them more than anything else. The cause of this was completely unknown to Raul, Aki, and the rest—that the demi-spirit was causing massive damage to Knossos, and Barca was subsequently pitching a fit. With the single brain capable of operating Knossos's doors down for the count, it made their remote control operation essentially impossible.
Those attacking them now were the rest of the Evils, who were doing everything they could to stop Loki Familia from escaping, though they didn't have the labyrinth's full blessing.
Sora: Aki, Raul, which of the remaining member that are not here yet?!
Aki: The member from Gareth's squad who didn't return are, Lloyd, Karlos, Ange, Liza, Runi, and Line!!
Sora: Then we'll split up here! Bete, Aiz, Asuna, Aki, Nick, Nichole, Shifon, Cruz, Koko! You guys are with me to search the remaining! Gareth, Tiona, Tione, and Lefiya, you guys we'll lead outside and deal with the healing!
Loki Familia: Roger that!
With that the team split up even further. Again and again, Lefiya glanced behind her with visible apprehension. While Tiona and Tione, at the rear and center of the group, were currently keeping the enemies at bay, how much longer would they last? Every one of them was battle-weary and wounded all over, and their knees threatened to give from the fatigue.
Filvis:—! Lefiya!!
Lefiya: Huh?!
The throng of violas appeared without warning from one of the side passages. Had someone finally opened a nearby door? The massive flowers, exclusively used for traps, came at them, attacking friend and foe alike.
Lefiya(mind): They're too f—!
There was no time. Not for Lefiya's Concurrent Casting. Not for Filvis's barrier spell. The writhing swarm of beasts attacked, and Lefiya squeezed her eyes shut.
Riveria: Wynn Fimbulvetr!
Only the attack never came, thwarted by a sudden blast of zero-degree wind. The white gale froze the entire mob in its spot.
Lefiya: What...?
Riveria: Don't stop, Lefiya!
It was Riveria. And she was already preparing her next spell at the end of the tunnel. Lefiya was speechless for a moment, but at Filvis's urging, she practically tumbled forward, renewing her earlier speed. They raced past the magic circle currently forming on the ground to find the rest of their companions awaiting their triumphant return.
Amid: Grab the wounded! Hurry!
Riveria: Get them up and outta here—now!
Alicia and the rest of their old crew extended their hands, yanking the stupefied adventurers forward and out of the maze. Those who couldn't walk were hauled up on shoulders before everyone was taken out, all at once.
Lefiya: This...Th-this is...
Lefiya stuttered as the rest of her familia bustled around her in ceaseless waves.
Riveria: You did well, Lefiya. The staff you left behind—it was the perfect sign.
Riveria smiled, not even turning her head as she bombarded the next rush of incoming enemies with her magic. The strategy she'd been using above, utilizing her magic circle as a sort of radar, had detected the rare magic in the magic jewel of Lefiya's staff, and Riveria herself had figured out everything else. She and the rest of the group had used the newly discovered entrance to infiltrate the maze and seek out their companions within.
Tiona: Riveria!
Riveria: Are you all right, Tiona, Tione?
Tione: Sora Yatagami, Bete, Aiz, Asuna, are still finding the rest! And captain...!
Riveria: I know! Our enemy currently lacks leadership. We'll use this opportunity to save them. Gather together those who can still move and find them. We must persevere as long as it takes!
Tiona: Okay!
Lefiya: Hey, Lady Riveria, Mister Gareth—I'm goin', too!
As the adventurers reached Riveria's party one after another, Gareth, Tiona, Tione, joined the search-and-rescue effort after some brisk emergency treatment for their wounds. Lefiya, too, after shaking away her stupor, made to join the rest. However...
Riveria: Lefiya, you will return to the surface.
Lefiya: B-but, Lady Riveria! I can still move, too! I should go with them...!
Riveria: Says the one severely drained of Mind. I, too, have little power remaining. Leave the efforts to those who can yet fight!
Riveria urged, jade- colored hair clinging to the sweat on her forehead in clumps. Summoning her magic circles again and again for such a powerful spell had drained much of her Mind, to the point where not even her Mind-restoring ability could keep up.
Filvis: Lefiya.
Lefiya:...I know.
Filvis was pulling gently on Lefiya's arm, and Lefiya finally bit down on her lip as she gave the other elf a nod. Moving away from the rescue party, she and Filvis made their way up the tunnel toward the exit, surrounded on all sides by the protection of their companions. Her lungs were gasping for air now as she ascended that topmost step, but finally, she crossed over the threshold of melting ice and into the freedom beyond.
Lefiya:...Ah.
In every direction, her wounded companions were being brought to the surface. Shouts of anger and sorrow formed a storm around her at the sight of their captain. Tears descended in great, rushing rivers at those they'd been one second too late to save. The damage the man-made labyrinth Knossos had done was great, and Loki Familia had paid a hefty price, but in the end they'd escaped.
(Elsewhere)
Valletta: Goddamn...Got away...That slippery blond bastard...Finn...
The woman, Valletta, wandered the labyrinth's halls in solitude. She was bathed in red from head to toe—blood from the assassins she'd used to wash herself of the monster-attracting powder—making her look very much like a casualty of the carnage herself. Even after everything, her anger would not be stopped as she tenaciously pursued the prey that had escaped her.
Line: Hurry! I hear someone fighting. They must be nearby!
Valletta:...Haaah?
The bedraggled party crossed her path without warning—one without an arm, one scorched black as though fresh from an explosion, and one weeping bitterly from the pain of untreated wounds. The fact that they were even still alive at all was likely thanks to the healer in glasses following them. She was lending a shoulder to one of her wounded companions, her own face covered in blood as she offered words of encouragement to the rest of the group— even from Valletta's vantage point, it made for a lovely picture. There was something radiant about her. So devoted. So utterly gallant.
Lloyd: Line...it's...fine...Leave me...You need to...get out of here...
Line: Please, be strong. It's only a little farther! Just a bit more, and...help will be here!
And that was why Valletta's thoughts darkened in sadistic glee. Because what she was about to do next would surely let her see true horror on the face of her mortal enemy.
Valletta(mind): Yes, how good it would feel to snuff out that glimmering, dazzling light, ahhh—
Valletta: Oh-ho-ho...
Her tongue glided across her bottom lip as she slunk forward, as quiet as a phantom.
Valletta: Oh-ho-ho-ho-ho...
Now she was pulling a dagger out of her bloodstained overcoat. Its blade was deep, deep red, imbued with the unimaginable, unadulterated malice of the curse bound to it.
Valletta: Hey, kiddos! You're with Loki Familia, ain't ya?
She announced, finally revealing herself to the group as her lips curled upward in an impish smile.
Line: Hmm? Who are—?
But before the spectacled girl could finish her thought, all she could see was the dagger rushing toward her, accompanied by a high-pitched, carnal laugh. Blood splattered across the Trickster emblem, coloring it a brilliant vermilion.
(Timeskip)
Red. So much red. It stained the inside of his eyes crimson, and it was proof that his consciousness was returning.
Finn:...Ngh.
Wrenching his eyes open, he was met first by the harsh light of the magic- stone lanterns, dim though they were, and he was forced to close them again. The moment his world became dark once more, the unsettling vestiges of reality came crawling back like a dream. The red returned, so vivid his stomach roiled, and with one last attempt to distance himself from it, he forced his eyes back open.
Riveria: Are you awake?
Someone asked from just beside him, finally pulling him free of the dream's grasp. Fighting off a sense of fatigue unlike any he'd ever experienced before, Finn finally opened his eyes.
Finn:...Riveria...Where am I?
Riveria: Dian Cecht's clinic. You've been bedridden since the curse was broken.
The mage explained with a candor Finn's sleep-addled mind appreciated. As for Riveria herself, she'd yet to change from her dirty robes. Accepting only simple treatment, she'd likely been sitting here at his side ever since.
Riveria: You've got Asuna and Amid and the quick-witted efforts of Sora and the others to thank. It came down to the wire, I hear. And again, we owe that boy our lives.
The stark white of the sanitized room struck Finn's eyes like dazzling light. He let his gaze travel toward the ceiling as he waited for his surroundings to come into focus...then promptly threw off the sheets, fully prepared to rise to his feet.
Riveria: Down, Finn. Back to sleep.
Finn:...
Riveria: Do you even know why I'm here? For exactly this reason. To keep you from leaving this bed.
Finn:...
Riveria: Now, down with you. It's no use masking your true intentions from me.
Riveria warned, pointing a finger against the prum's forehead and lightly pressing him back into the comfortable confinement of the bed.
Finn:...I apologize.
They had far too much history for him to think he could hide anything from the high elf.
Finn: The situation, then...?
Riveria: Last I heard, Asuna and her crew were making ready to withdraw from Daedalus Street. Likely, they've already finished that.
Finn: Then...Gareth and the others?
Riveria: Successfully evacuated. All of them were led by Sora Yatagami. And once everyone was out, all known doors in the labyrinth were closed. There were no signs of pursuit from the enemy.
Finn:...What about casualties?
Finn asked, his voice raspy like that of a sick child. As he asked this quiet question, sweat beading on his forehead, Riveria's face clouded. Ever so slightly, she averted her eyes.
Riveria: There were losses. Seven dead, including those who've gone missing. Lloyd, Claire, Ange, Liza, Karlos, Remilia, and...Line.
Loki: You all back in one piece, Gareth? Asuna?
As the dwarf walked by, Loki asked him a question, gazing out toward the night landscape of the city.
Asuna: I'm fine... Now...
Gareth: That I am, ma'am. Thanks to that lads...
Loki: Yer tough as nails; you know that, right? And again, I owed that Itty-Bitty's brat again.
Asuna: Thank God... That, Moonlight Mirror and my Mind reading ability to call Sora work.
They were atop one of the roofs of Daedalus Street. The scarlet-haired goddess was dangling a leg over the edge as she surveyed the dark expanse of the Labyrinth District. Though she didn't turn toward him, Asuna and Gareth took their place beside her.
Gareth: Seems Finn's finally come to.
Loki: Oh? That's good, then.
Asuna: Loki.
Loki: Hmm?
Asuna: I'm sorry.
Loki:...
Asuna: For letting so many die. Even though I'm a healer, I failed to heal the injuries.
Neither one of them looked toward the other.
Gareth: Don't blame yourself. You did what you could.
Loki:...Even after all this time, I still don't know how to react when stuff like this happens. I know this ain't our final farewell, so to speak. I'm a god, after all. And part of me gets it.
Gareth: Is that so?
Loki: But...I can't help thinkin' of their faces, y'know? When I'd cop a feel or grab a little ass and they'd get all up in arms. Moments like that, we'll never have again...How do I put it? Feels kinda like losin' yer first love or somethin'.
Asuna: I see.
They continued to gaze out across the city.
Gareth: Me, I...can't help thinkin' I shoulda shared a few more drinks with 'em.
Asuna: I want to talk with them more as well.
Loki: You think so...? Yeah...a lot more drinks and talks. Woulda been nice.
They simply peered into the darkness before them with heavy expressions.
Gareth: We lost. Those damned orichalcum doors kept me from makin' headway through the maze. Even if I did get the chance to go it again, I don't think the outcome would've change any.
Loki: Those orbs really are the 'key' to everything. At least as far as infiltratin' that place goes.
Their enemy's hideout was truly an impregnable labyrinth. Without a way to move freely through its halls, they couldn't even hope to launch a successful raid. They'd finally had the calamitous "egg" hell-bent on wreaking destruction to the city right under their noses, but they hadn't been able to follow through.
Loki: For now, we'll go seek out info—as well as those keys. Smoke out anything we can find, take any place that seems like it could be connected to those degenerates and turn it upside down.
Gareth: Mmn.
Asuna: Yeah.
Loki: All right! Meeting adjourned. Time to start cookin' our revenge!
Loki suddenly exclaimed, rising to her feet and giving her clothes a quick dusting. Making to leave together with Gareth, she took one last look out across the city.
Loki: Wait for us, you shitheads. This war's just beginning.
Loki hissed. The wrath of Heaven had been released. Eyes widening, she vowed then and there—Knossos hadn't seen the last of them.
(Timeskip)
Loki Familia put Daedalus Street behind them. Aiz and the others had come and gone with the rest of Orario none the wiser—barely anyone was even aware of their presence, let alone the battle that had taken place underground in Knossos's hidden passageways. They emerged from the other side with no small amount of injuries and new sacrifices to bear.
The bodies they were able to recover from the labyrinth's halls were buried in the First Graveyard, otherwise known as the Adventurers Graveyard, in the city's southeastern district. Their gravestones would join those of the other adventurers Loki Familia had already lost. Tiona, Tione, Lefiya, and others who had been close with the departed wept for them. For a certain golden-haired, golden-eyed swordswoman, however, tears proved yet impossible, and she cursed her own ineptitude as she offered flowers while mourning for the lost souls of her companions.
The familia members who had not yet experienced the pang of death had grown few, nearly all of them bore with them the heartache of friends lost. And with that anger, they vowed to one day repay the fiends lurking within Knossos in full.
Though the lingering effects of the retreat were still fresh in everyone's minds, aside from a certain skirmish, they were able to return to their normal routines, at least for a short time. Until, three nights later...
Loki: Nnnnngah! You can't tell me you know where the enemy's lurkin' and then say I shouldn't attack yet! That's just cruel!
The voice came from the central tower of Loki Familia's home, Twilight Manor, where Loki currently had slovenly kicked up her feet on the desk inside her room on the topmost floor. An aura more disconcerting than even her words surrounded her as she glared off into nothing.
Loki:...And besides that, there's that key. Oh sure, we can look, but where? We've got squat for clues...'cept for ol' Ishtar, who's in cahoots with them and all. She our only option...?
Considering the assets they had at their disposal, her eyes widened just slightly, and then... The goddess heard something. A commotion.
Loki:...The hell?
Straightening up on her chair, she glanced toward the nearby window, only to jump to her feet. She was at the window, eyes opening in startled consternation, then yanking the window open and launching herself from it like some kind of circus acrobat. In less than a second, she was on the roof. What drew her attention was the Pleasure Quarter to the city's southeast.
Loki: The Pleasure Quarter... Is it...on fire?
The night sky was currently stained a brilliant red from the tendrils of flame. Loki wasn't the only one to notice it, either. Civilians had halted throughout the streets and were pointing in the direction of the Pleasure Quarter, and even the windows of Twilight Manor were popping open to reveal the half-shocked faces of Loki Familia members. Loki could smell it—the harbinger of war. She knew then and there that this was no ordinary accident.
Loki: A dispute of some kind? Someone stormin' the lady's keep?
Ishtar Familia was a prominent familia even among the large organizations of Orario. Though her actual military strength was not too impressive, she had the entirety of the Night District under her control. No one would just up and attack her with no regard for the consequences. Or, at least, only very few people could manage that, Loki Familia included.
Loki: What kinda idiot...?
But even as the words left her lips, she realized she already knew. A single name rose to the back of her mind.
Loki: Don't tell me...Freya?!
In an instant, her expression twisted from bewilderment to sheer revulsion. Given Ishtar's open stance of hostility against the other goddess, it could be none other. Loki gave the burning city district a tch as she glared into the night sky.
Loki: That idiot's on the move...
(Elsewhere)
Ishtar: Th-there's no way...?!
The world around her had been transformed by flames, screams, and the furtive shadows of incoming assailants. Ishtar found herself at a loss, leaning out over the balcony of her room in her familia's home in mind-numbing shock. She knew who this was. Only Freya Familia could have launched an attack like this on the Pleasure Quarter.
Ishtar: She attacked without even waiting for me to strike? And without a single warning! Preposterous! This is an atrocity!
She could hear all her preparations, all her plans, coming to nothing—unraveling in an instant.
Ishtar: Reinforcements! I need to get word to Kali in Melen...! But no, the original plan was to launch a pincer attack on Freya's home! To signal them now would be too late! Then should I escape? To Daedalus Street? And unleash the Bull of Heaven? But...it has been defeated by that Hero!! What am I thinking? It's too late now! It's too late to do anything!!
Ishtar's carefully laid plan relied on her being the instigator. To get word to Kali or escape to Knossos would require her to leave the Pleasure Quarter —impossible now that it had already been surrounded. It was too late. There was nothing she could do. The moment her enemy had launched a lightning-fast attack, her familia —.
Ishtar: Freya...?!
The Queen of the Brothel City hissed with a deep- rooted enmity and bloodshot eyes, digging her fingers into the balcony handrail.
(Elsewhere)
Freya: Attack anyone who tries to interfere.
Meanwhile, along the Pleasure Quarter's main street. The silver-haired Goddess of Beauty walked calmly through the carnage, making her way straight for the temple of Ishtar itself.
Freya: Ishtar may have a short fuse, but she is no fool. She's careful, cunning, not likely to instigate a fight if she knows she's got no chance of winning. From the way she's been acting, she's likely to have an ace up her sleeve...
She murmured to herself, gaze rising as her own followers waged war with the Berbera on both sides of her. Her silver eyes stopped when they reached the temple's balcony and the copper-skinned Goddess of Beauty currently peering over its railing. Her features twisted into a chilling smile, cold enough to freeze her alluring enemy in place.
Freya: But you've lost.
The true Queen of Beauty was right here. Ishtar had tried to snatch away the boy she was after, and Freya answered her with an inferno of rage that rivaled the wrath of Heaven itself and razed the carnal district to the ground.
Ishtar: W-Wait! I-I didn't mean anything by it, Freya. I didn't know the boy was so important to you.
None of her followers remained inside the palace. Ottar's team had wiped them out. Without any of her pawns to play, Ishtar resorted to asking for forgiveness. A light breeze blew between them, making Freya's silver locks dance around her wicked smile.
Freya: Ishtar, I've been able to laugh off your little pranks so far. But not this time. I won't forgive you.
Freya's eyes showed no emotion, and yet her smile grew.
Freya: Sora Yatagami is going to be mine, no matter what. I might have second thought about Bell Cranel, but not him. I won't let any other woman have him.
Flares of anger flashed through her silver pupils, but she kept smiling.
Freya: But... You dare violated him! Any woman who dare to lay a finger on him will be punish!
Freya's desire to have sole possession of Sora's had been brought to bear. Ishtar was lost for words. It was as if she were looking into a mirror. The same fires of jealousy and hatred that burned within Ishtar were now looking back at her in the form of Freya's obsession with Sora. Eyes narrowing, Freya's lips started moving once again. She then glared at Ishtar.
Freya: So... I'm crushing you.
Spectating. Trembling. Trampling. Though the goddesses played out their respective performances, they shared one common thought between them. The turmoil besieging them now had been carefully arranged; each of them had been guided toward their actions, almost like some kind of preestablished script. The smile of a certain god rose in her mind. The center of immoral love was in flames.
Freya: Our little game of tag is over. I'm tired.
Freya took a step forward. Ishtar shifted backward as far as possible, heel against the cliff, and screamed with everything she had. Eyes open wide, Ishtar caught a glimpse directly behind the other Goddess of Beauty of the scar in her garden created by Sora. Suddenly, smack! A hand appeared from beneath and took hold of the outer layer of stone. Next, the head of the badly injured but handsome young man with tan skin popped above the surface.
It was Tammuz. Despite his still-bleeding wounds, no doubt inflicted by someone in Ottar's battle party, the faithful servant had returned to his mistress in her time of need. There was hope! Ishtar hid the joy in her heart and desperately tried to buy him some time.
Ishtar: Come, Freya. I'll tell you something interesting. Sora Yatagami could easily break our divine charm. Do you want to know why?
Freya's thin shoulders jumped in surprise. Just behind her, Tammuz's second foot landed squarely on an intact slab of the garden's stone floor.
Freya: If that's true, he's even more wonderful, and I'm even more impress with my darling, Sora. Now I want him more than ever.
Freya's eyes smiled, getting caught up in her own fantasy for a moment. Meanwhile, Tammuz held his breath as he quickly but silently snuck up behind the goddess.
Freya: But there's no need to hear that from you.
Freya took another step forward. Tammuz chose that moment to strike.
Ishtar(mind): I win!
Ishtar screamed to herself, a malicious smile on her lips. Just as Tammuz's hands were a mere heartbeat from Freya's neck—she calmly turned to face him like she knew he'd been there the entire time. Ishtar's poor follower was hit by the full force of Freya's beauty. Taking it all in at once, Tammuz came to a sudden halt. Ishtar watched in horror as Freya stepped toward her prized child, slid her fingers down his cheek, and smiled back at him.
Tammuz: Ah...ahhh...!
Tammuz collapsed to the floor. Cheeks blushing and slack-jawed, the human looked up at the silver-haired goddess with glistening, quivering eyes. The man who had received every bit of love Ishtar had to offer had been Charmed by Freya in the blink of an eye.
Freya: Go over there.
Nodding over and over at Freya's request, Tammuz climbed to his feet and drifted away from the two deities as if walking on a cloud. Time stood still for Ishtar. Her man had just been stolen. It happened right in front of her eyes. He had sworn loyalty to her, been overwhelmed by her beauty, and still that woman had been able to nullify her love. Tammuz had been Charmed to the point he should have been her devout servant. There wasn't enough humanity left within him to be Charmed by another.
Ishtar: You charmed my man?
Despite all that, Freya stole him. Her Charm had been overwritten. In other words, it was undeniable proof that Freya's beauty exceeded her
own. Ishtar's pride snapped, crumbling into nothingness.
Ishtar:......hhy. Is your beauty greater than mine? Why?!
Whispered sounds weren't strong enough to become words. Fingers clenched into fists; molars ground against each other. Her tan skin, her luscious, curvy body, every feature of her face shook with anger and humiliation.
Ishtar: WHY?! What's the difference between you an me?!
Ishtar howled at Freya, her skin flaring red. Men who prized beauty above all else went to Freya, not her. Just a moment ago, she had seen her own Charm erased. She could steal anyone from her. They were both Goddesses of Beauty, so why was this possible? Freya took another step closer, causing Ishtar to lash out once again.
Freya: Elegance.
A clear assertion.
Ishtar: !!
Petrified, Ishtar fell silent while Freya laughed at her in jest.
Freya: It's the only possible answer, isn't it?
A moment of silence. Followed almost immediately by one deity's tormented scream.
Ishtar: UHH—UwwAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
Her mind burning white, Ishtar charged Freya with all the ferocity of a wounded bear. The roar of a Goddess of Beauty echoed through the dark evening sky. A sudden gust of wind ripped through her private garden as Ishtar launched herself at Freya, her face warped into a visage unbecoming of a deity. As for Freya...she calmly stepped out of the way with a small twirl.
Ishtar: ?!
Long locks of silver hair and the silky white skin of her opponent's shoulder blades flashed before Ishtar's eyes. Her momentum carried her past her target like a boat riding a raging river past its dock. The steep cliff behind Freya came rushing into view. The pupils of her eyes shrank to nothing but dots as Ishtar slammed her feet into the stone flooring in a desperate attempt to stop herself. A small cloud of dust rose into the air at her feet as she came to a halt with less than a celch to spare. However...ker-tap, ker-tap.
Ishtar: HYE—
Thin high heels echoed behind her. Panicking, she spun around, only to feel a hand hit her square in the chest. Freya stood there, ice in her eyes, and gave Ishtar a push. Her heel was off the edge. There was nothing between her and the cliff. Nothing to save her. Ishtar stretched up her body in a desperate attempt to avoid falling into a dark abyss that spread out beneath her at the base of her palace.
Ishtar: Wai—
Wait, Freya. Those words were abruptly cut short. SLAP. Freya's hand left a red imprint on Ishtar's cheek.
Ishtar: —a.
A silent plea that fell on deaf ears. Body twisting, Ishtar lost her balance and fell off the edge. Freya peered over the side and watched from the very top of the palace as the other deity became smaller and smaller. She enjoyed every moment of the look on her former rival's face before she fell out of sight. It brought a smile to her lips. Until finally—THUD! The cracking of divine bones shattered the silence. Arcanum activated at the moment a fatal wound had been inflicted on an immortal body.
Ishtar's divine power sprang to life in the form of light more beautiful than anything ever before seen on Gekai—which violated the rules of their game. Freya watched with glee and snapped her fingers the moment that Arcanum's light reached her eyes. A heartbeat later, countless glowing orbs descended on the spot where Ishtar fell—BOOOM! A new, deeper explosion shook the Pleasure Quarter. A pillar of light took over the night sky. A bridge of light that signaled a goddess's return to Tenkai. Any deity who lost the game could never return. A cruel smile appeared on Freya's lips as she watched her rival on Gekai meet a permanent end.
Freya: Learn your lesson and don't play any more tricks, Ishtar. It may be too late now, though.
With one last grin, Freya turned her back on the pillar of light. The score was settled.
(Timeskip)
Its Amazonian ladies of the night fell one after another in screams of horror that tore through its streets. In the blink of an eye, the Pleasure Quarter of Orario's southeastern district, along with its adventurers, fighting beneath the emblem of the warring maiden, was obliterated from the map. A certain god narrowed his eyes watching the scene of carnage amid the red embers wafting into the night air.
Asfi: That pillar of light confirms Ishtar's return to heaven. No matter what tricks Ishtar Familia had up their sleeves. It's meaningless before Freya Famili's Lightning-fast attack... Just how much of this was according to plan?
Behind Hermes, Asfi Al Andromeda asked a question that brought a smile to his lips.
Asfi: Was your intention to destroy the Ishtar Familia?
She asked again, knowing all too well the evasive nature of her enigmatic patron deity. Just as he'd said he would after Ishtar's name had come up during his investigations with Loki and Dionysus, Hermes had "done his work properly." The tempest of Ishtar's jealousy had simply gone too far, and he'd judged her capable of bringing about Orario's ruin. Thus, he'd set to work in secret, using his connections as a neutral familia, Ishtar's undiluted rage toward Freya, as well as Freya's "treasure" to sow the proper seeds. Then those seeds had blossomed. They gave way to a magnificent, dazzling, sensational bloom of fire and destruction.
Asfi: Or just Entertainment? Or was it perhaps... a trial?
Asfi's next question was right on the money. Hermes just smiled.
Hermes: I just lit the spark, that's all. I didn't think it would get this out of hand. Ishtar's jealousy was far greater than I thought. And far more of Freya's love towards Sora. People...Gods...even that girl is looking for it. We all are. No one is different.
The blazing red Pleasure Quarter. The spectacle of fire and brimstone as the violent battle ensued. And the single boy, fighting on and on in its midst. Hermes's gaze took everything in as he spoke.
Hermes: The world needs a new Hero. Currently, the one who fits the role is none other than Sora Yatagami. That's why we need more.
The One-Eyed Dragon—the last of the Three Great Quests. And the equally as formidable menace—the demi-spirit, recently discovered. Having left behind the Dungeon, the mother of all this, the darkness now encroached on the city, writhing and squirming as the footsteps of devastation echoed right outside its doors. The crisis was already at hand.
Hermes: However. We still don't have enough pawns. Yes...we need our Joker.
He murmured, his voice joining the rising embers on the breeze. They were all watching the Pleasure Quarter now.
Hermes: A brilliant white light...that can cut through the darkness.
The shadowy Labyrinth District and its denizens of the deep.
Hermes: A chiming bell... and a whistling bird that could fly freely... that will save the chosen ones.
The golden-haired, golden-eyed maiden in her soaring tower in the city's northern district.
Hermes: The last hero...who can bear the Era of Promise on his shoulders.
Yes, the gazes of everyone in the entire city had converged on a single battlefield, where the first cries of new warriors ascended to the heavens. And in a vague, nebulous, self-righteous, and almost desperate prophecy, Hermes delivered his oracle.
Hermes: Zeus, the great task you failed at, Orario will accomplish instead! Watch over us! As we raised your grandson to be the last True Hero!
(Timeskip)
Sora and Bell whom just defeated Phryne and Aisha, were currently sitting near the altar of the ritual where in Sora's arm lies an unconscious Haruhime. The Hero stood still when he saw Freya and was speechless as his eyes registered the deity's lips moving. While her voice didn't reach him, their meaning washed over him like rolling thunder.
Freya: I love you.
Each one of the silent syllables echoed through his mind.
Sora(mind): Lady Freya.... What are you planning? I just can't understand you...
Sora was sure of it. Every time he'd felt the strange twang of an intense stare, she was the one behind it. The nervous beating of his heart pounding in his ears, Sora stared in fascination at the being looking down from above...when she suddenly disappeared. As if awakening from a dream, Sora took control of his quivering lungs and came back into the moment.
Haruhime: Nhh...
At long last, the eyes of the girl in his embrace started to flutter. Her green pupils emerged moments later and she looked up toward his face.
Haruhime: Sora? Master Cranel...?
Her green eyes met Sora and Bell's diamond and ruby-red gaze. The girl was slowly but surely waking up. Sora and Bell watched her eyes clear for a moment before Sora gathered the girl's long golden hair and laid it over his right arm. Ignoring the surprised look on Haruhime's face, the boy put his right hand behind her head and pulled her close into his chest.
Haruhime's fox ears and tail twitched nervously, her cheeks blushing bright pink. With Haruhime's body braced against his, both of Sora's hands were free. His fingers ran down her thin neck. And slipped beneath the black collar still attached to her. CRICK! He grabbed both sides of the magic item and pulled. SNAP!
Haruhime: Ah...
Realizing what just happened, Haruhime cautiously brought her right hand up to her neck in disbelief. The black curse of a leash that had restrained her for years had finally been lifted. Her eyes jumped up to the boy's face. Just one look at his bloody, wound- riddled visage told her all she needed to know. Tears flooded her eyes, making them sparkle in the moonlight.
Sora: Hey there...
Bell: We come to save you.
The first tear rolled down Haruhime's cheek, followed closely by a smile as radiant as a beautiful flower blooming in the early morning sun. The distance was gone. Her real smile had finally surfaced. One look at her and both Sora and Bell couldn't help but do the same.
Haruhime: Thank you. Thank you... my Heroes!
Those words made Sora and Bell smile. A carefree, almost childlike smile grew on his lips. Sora and Bell shared a moment of joy and happiness with the crying yet smiling renard.
Hestia: Bell! Sora!
Lili: Master Bell! Master Sora!
Rin: You're okay!
Welf: You had us worried there!
Muller: We're glad that you're safe! Both of you!
The three basked in each other's warmth until The Boy and The Hero's family came to meet them.
Sora(mind): I'm glad that it turn out okay. But most of all, I'm glad that Haruhime is safe, and I finally managed to grabbed what I want...
Sora said while looking inside his pocket, and it was a white orb with a ball looking shape and an eye on the middle of it.
Sora(mind): The Knossos Key...
A/N: Alright, this is the end for the Death Maze(Knossos) Arc. The story that happened before the Haruhime Arc from the main series. Next is Ulfheoinn(Bete) Arc. The story involves before the Rakia Arc started. Where Bete is the main character. Don't worry, Sora will be there as well. He will fight against the masked creature Ein later on. Hope you liked and voted this story, since it had barely any readers. That's all. And as always, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and thank you for reading.