Hey there, thanks for the wait.
Took me a while for this one but it was because I took a one week vacation with my family, which messed up my schedule.
That said, late is better then never, peace!
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—
/The next morning…/
'While Silver went to sleep early, Artemis and Hestia went to sleep much further in the night, seemingly discussing something by themselves away from him.'
'And while he noticed them leave, he let them do their things.'
'It was impossible for anything to escape his senses in this place. He was no werewolf, but he was sensitive enough to hear the footsteps of a clumsy goddess across the gravel.'
'However, he closed his ears this time, feeling he had already pushed them enough with his requests. He knew that everything so far had been done with their approval. As even if he pushed amidst their denials if they truly wanted to prevent him from moving forward, they'd make it clear… Very clear.'
'Silver may reject most of their demands, but if a God were to tell him to stop his actions, especially one he cared deeply for, he wondered if he'd be able to go on without losing his mindset. And in this place, if he were to lose his determination for even a moment…'
'He'd immediately turn back.'
'Thus, he dozed off into a nap, something he desperatedely needed after how much energy he'd spent to get here. And by the time he opened his eyes, they were already sleeping in their sacks beside him.'
/Gleam…/
'And as the morning sun's golden rays pierced through the trees, he stretched his back, getting up for what would likely be a wild day…'
(Images…)
"..."
'It's time.'
'The first thing he did was prepare breakfast on the side. The smell alone woke them up, and they approached him outside. Their stomachs are rumbling.'
'For a moment, as they moved beside him, it was almost as if they weren't here to slay an ancient beast… '
"... You're up. Sit down, it's almost done." He said as he finished scrambling some eggs
Artemis sat down on a small log next to him, her gaze distrusting as a faint smile creeped out on her face, "... Thank you. But this won't change my decision."
"You talk as if I hadn't been cooking Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner every single day since we left."
'Silver chuckled as he exhaled lightly, taking a small plate for his pocket space and placing it on a table before them. '
"And I'm thankful for that, have I ever said otherwise?"
'He smiled, not denying it.'
"... Silver."
'At that moment, Hestia butted in. Her tone serious, unlike her usual self.'
'A slight discomfort could be seen in her body as she struggled to come up with the words to describe her feelings.'
'After descending, she had experienced and learned so many things, some easier to take than others. Fear and happiness, worry and delight. Things she never once thought possible for her to feel…'
'And right now, she was feeling something new yet again. A type of self-doubt and conflict she hadn't experienced before.'
'She wanted to express those emotions but felt difficulty. It had been a very… Very long time since she ever expressed anything similar before. So long that even with her Divine mind, the memories of the event came as nothing but faint shades in her lifetime.'
"Yes?"
"Is it really not possible to wait? Can't we go back and… Gather some people? Like we did before?"
"T-They may not be helpful, and I… I know you want to protect them… and us… But aren't you being a little too hasty this time?"
"You've done many things before but there was always a countermeasure. This time… I'm afraid there's none."
"... It's possible."
'Silver calmly replied to her and he cut the eggs and placed them on a plate, turning to her with a gentle and caring smile:'
"If that's what you two truly want. We can turn back here and leave it for another time."
'He smiled as he said that, a defeated smile, but the smile of someone who knew when to listen.'
'Silver moved in accordance to his emotions, something he made it clear many times before. It was his creed, the way he wanted to live, and even if he didn't want to, it often came out as extreme irresponsibility.'
'It wasn't at a level of acting before thinking, but many times in the past, he moved like that, listening to his heart before his brain… For he had already spent an entire lifetime doing the contrary anyway.'
'Multiple, even…'
'It wouldn't be the first time he did such a thing with this one anyway. He wasn't a child, and many times had he given up on something for something else, it was the basis of responsibility… It was called: Being an adult.'
'In a Familia where he was among the oldest of them all despite not even being 19 years old, it may be a strange thing to say, but he often acted as the most mature of them all. It was the very reason why they thought him to be older, after all.'
'Given his reply, he added, clarifying:'
"Even if we go back… We'll have to return one day. And you already know how close that day is."
"..."
"It's not like I don't understand your point… No matter how much I grow, I'm afraid it would be difficult to take them the beast even the Great Spirits struggled with."
"A-Are you really accepting my words?! That easily?"
"Hm… I realized I was… Harsh."
'Silver turned around, looking at the ruins of this once gorgeous temple.'
'No, calling a temple was too little… This was almost a city.'
"... Having fun, going around the place with others… It's not just about oneself. It's about everyone."
"So far, I did many things out of my own volition, pulling you two here and there without giving you the chance to take a breather and enjoy the scenery… I'm sorry for that."
"W-Wait! That's not what I meant!"
"I know, but its how I feel… So, for your question, yes, I'm agreeing with you… And a little late at that, even."
"I want this to be an adventure we can fondly remember despite its ups and downs, not the adventure where 'Silver was stubborn'... For the tenth time."
"Were you ever not like that?"
'Artemis chuckled as her gaze softened, it seemed she had finally relaxed… But Silver didn't let it slide.'
"I guess you only want toast today, huh?"
She covered her mouth, hiding her smile "I'm sorry~ Forgive me."
"..."
'Seeing them smile was everything to Silver, making him realize that he needed to enjoy these little moments more, no matter what he knew was ahead.'
'If he only lived thinking about the future, he would never truly enjoy the present.'
'With that in mind, he made his choice. If it was what they truly desired, he'd go back and return stronger, not alone, but with those he could put his trust into.'
"But… Since we're here. I'll go check the seal with you."
"At the very least, we must understand how much time we have. So we can all prepare, together."
'She understood Silver's worries. And while she couldn't quite grasp why he was this concerned, like many other moments in the past, she chose not to dig too far into it.'
'She looked at Hestia, but it didn't seem like she noticed that at all. And if she did, she did not let it show at all.'
"Together." She said again as she looked at Silver
"... Humph."
'He may deny it, but he was embarrassed.'
…
/Later…/
'Breakfast went by fast, and within an hour, they were walking through the empty streets of Elsos, Artemis talking about the distant past as they traveled.'
'Like the myths once recorded on the entrance of Ishtar's home, she told them the origin of this mystical land. The secrets within this stone lost to time and history…'
'Truly, only the Gods remembered it all…'
'Hestia was also thrilled to be around; it made her remember her time in the abandoned Church before they moved out.'
'... Speaking of that, before they even realized, Hestia had vanished…'
"... And this was where they prayed…"
"For you?"
"... Yes. It's a little embarrassing."
'Artemis looked at the temple as she held her hair in the faint breeze, smiling faintly as she looked at a half-broken statue of a headless woman, herself.'
"How was it, being prayed to?"
"Hm? Why the question? Jealous?"
"Ha, you wish… Just a little curious. The Gods and everything around them have always fascinated me, and it doesn't help you're all silent about it."
"It's not out of spite, you know?... Well… For most, at least." She replied as she exhaled lightly
'Like many things associated with the Gods, explaining their meanings and principals to mortals was nothing short of a pitiful endeavor… For both sides.'
'No matter how much you love your fish and try to explain your emotions to it, just how much of them would the fish be able to comprehend? And even if it could, how would it feel upon comprehending the innuendos of its existence?'
"Say… Would you hear it if I prayed right now?"
"Who knows?~"
"Alright."
"Hm? Where are you going?"
"To pray, of course." He said with a devious smile as he looked at her
"! You…"
"Let's play a game. I'll pray for you, and then you'll recite it to me. How about that?"
"Ha, you think I don't know what you're thinking? It's too early for you to try and play with me." She said as her cheeks grew a little red
"You know what I'm thinking, you say? Well… Why don't you recite it out loud for me?" He asked with a smirk as he looked at her
"I think you're…"
"Guys! Look at what I found!!" Hestia exclaimed out loud as she raised a small item above her head
"!"
'Artemis turned around in a hurry, hiding her expression. Meanwhile, Silver smacked his lips in amusement, raising his head to face Hestia, asking:'
"... How did you get up there?"
I'm happy she's having fun in this ominous place, but I'm a little too careless.
I was too focused on Artemis' story and neglected my goddess… I can't let my guard down, not here.
She excitedly raised a pair of gemstone earrings into the sky, displaying them proudly, "Is that the only thing you care about? Look at how cute this is!"
"They're quite good."
"Oh, I remember those. They're marital earrings, given to the departing believers whenever they left the temple to marry. If you put hem on, it means you have a husband waiting for you outside." Artemis said with a chuckle as she raised her head as well
"What?!"
'Hestia got super 'embarrassed' as she looked at the earrings.'
'She grew a little skittish as she puffed her cheeks, her eyes sparkling as she looked at them.'
'Silver saw this as an opportunity…'
"Are you going to put them on?"
"WHAT?!! N-N-noo… Hm… not now… AHHHH!"
'Hestia scrambled back inside, hiding from sight. But Silver could clearly feel her breathing and rapidly beating heart as she crouched.'
'He couldn't tell exactly what she was doing, but she definitely kept them.'
'Meanwhile, he turned to Artemis.'
"... For someone who used to hate such things, you gave your followers quite some freedom."
'Artemis couldn't hold it as she laughed loudly.'
"Haha… Those were just ordinary earrings…"
"... Are you certain you're a Goddess and not a little demon? If she learns the truth, she's going to sulk for a whole month."
/Laugh/
"You're stuck with this little demon now. It's too late to run."
"Who said I was going to? In fact, I have another idea…"
"! Ahhh! There's another beast in the temple!" She exclaimed as she jumped away with a smile
"..."
… A Goddess, huh…
'Silver rolled his eyes as he went after her.'
'At least to some degree, the atmosphere had gotten a little more colorful. Making Silver reconsider his plans… Again.'
It seems I won't be fighting it today… Antares isn't an easy monster by any means. If I want to face it, I should at least bring Haruhime to aid me… But I didn't come here without a plan.
Antares isn't the kind of beast that can be killed if you have overwhelming power. I came here with the sole goal of exterminating and not fighting it like the other creatures I've met both under and aboveground.
I have faith in my Plasmids that I can exterminate it… If I can't now, it wouldn't change anything.
That said, it's not like they're my sole option. I could certainly prepare a bit more…
But that's for another time.
…
/Stop…/
"This must be it."
'Before the three of them was a large entrance leading underneath the central island's tower.'
'From the outside, Silver could see faint blue lines running through the walls and ground, spreading outside like veins.'
'The magical particles in the air were quite thick for those sensible enough to feel them, like a sea of shining plankton in the ocean.'
"... What's all of this?" Hestia asked as she placed her hand on the wall, brushing off the dust as she tried to read the inscriptions hidden under it
"It's the light of the seal activated by my Kindred Spirits. My oldest children ,you could say."
'Artemis walked inside confidently, the two right beside her.'
"Oldest... Like ten thousand years ago or so?"
"If you want a smack, just ask for it, alright?"
"... Okay, I was playing around, but I am curious about how you two were in the past. I keep hearing stories about Hestia's 'Goddess of the Flame' days…"
"Urg… Can we not?"
"Fufu… That was a looong time ago…"
"I have a few other stories too. Like how she used to have a seat as one of the main Gods of the Olympian pantheon…"
"It was a chore."
"And then you gave it to Dionysus."
"Tche… Because he couldn't stop obsessing over it. He'd constantly bother me every once in a while, almost driving me mad… Until I figured out that just giving what he wanted would solve all our issues."
"But rather than being satisfied, he just moved on, uninterested… He always had this dark, gloomy mentality… Almost like Loki in a sense."
"I still remember his face when I gave him the position… And Zeus' too."
"Hm… The rumors I hear about him are quite contradictory. I often hear Zeus was a gentle and carefree old man, but some paint him as some sort of uh…"
"Zeus was pretty scary back then. But it was best put as… Overworked." Artemis replied as she looked at the engravings on the wall
"He had too much to look after and it was evident. And now that I think about it, his actions were all reflections of his inner desires… It's no wonder he left as soon as he was given the chance."
"Ouranos too." Artemis added with a nod as she turned away from the strange words on the walls
"... You know… Artemis has her temple… Does you…"
"Never bothered." Hestia replied all of a sudden as she looked at the side
"What she means by that is that she tried and failed miserably. You see, she used to be worse then me, and that's…"
"Ahhhh! Stop it, please!"
"Tell me more."
"Don't!"
/Shine…/
""?""
'After a few minutes walking forward, they reached the end of the corridor.'
'The path ahead was blocked by a wide, smooth door with only a small symbol carved on it. A bow aiming at the moon, the mark of the Artemis Familia.'
(Image)
"That's your symbol, isn't it? Actually, I've always been meaning to ask, what defines a God's symbol? Their Arcanum?"
"Kind of, but it's intrinsically connected."
"Is that why Loki's a clown, yours is a bow and a moon, and Hestia's a brasier?"
"Yes."
"But where did Loki take the Clown from? I don't think there were clowns tens of thousands of years ago."
"Was she like the first clown, or did she invent the concept?…"
Artemis raised her hand, putting it right on his lips as she said "... Don't let her hear what you just said, also, why are you asking so many questions now? Can you keep quiet?"
'She then pulled his nose and shook it a little before playfully letting go of it, chuckling as she walked past him.'
"I'm just making some small talk. Besides, no one ever answers my questions. I'm still trying to learn more about you all."
"I'm particularly interested in how souls work, but no one ever answers."
"Do you want to learn?"
"Of course."
"You think you do, but you don't. I imagine that if you were to be given such knowledge, your brain would explode." She replied with a sigh as she knocked on his head
"You know, she may be like this, but Hestia's temple in Heaven was larger than the entirety of Genkai, and she never got lost inside… Most of the time."
"Hey!"
"The point is… Some things are just… Far too hard to be put into words. It's not that we don't want to… But that we fear what may happen if we do."
"Why do you think it's so difficult to learn our language? It takes a particular gift, tenacity, and talent. Centuries of accumulation and study to master it."
"You're only learning it because Hestia has nothing else to do all day long. How many mortals have the Gods themselves as teachers?"
"I'll maturely ignore that detail..."
'Hestia nodded, her mood a little down, however.'
"I see… Well, guess that's only part of the process. One day I'll get there."
'She smiled without replying.'
Hestia looked at the door, shrugging "... Anyhow… We're here. What now?"
/Touch…/
'Artemis touched the door, and faint blue light ignited around her.'
/Crunk…/
'After a few seconds, the door began to open…'
"We'll just check the seals inside and leave. Is that alright?" She asked as she looked at Silver
"Very well. Might as well scout the area first…"
"You! Quit with your ideas!"
"I'm just kidding… There are more than enough monsters in the Dungeon for me to fight. I don't need more Excelia anyway…"
Although this one would be quite the thing… Killing it would likely give me enough High-quality Excelia to level up immediately. Not that I would, given my tendencies…
'Silver's expression suddenly sharpened as he looked at the doors.'
"Hm? What's going on?"
'Artemis was momentarily confused as she looked at them.'
"Erm… Artemis…"
"Was your temple meant to look like that?" Hestia asked as she pointed forward
"What?..."
'Artemis turned around, and what she saw made her expression contort in a way Silver had never seen before.'
'The walls, the ground, the ceiling, and even the air. Everything was covered by a filthy fleshy substance.'
'Like a living wall… No, it was a living wall, breathing, beating…'
"Everything… Has been taken over." Silver said with a frown as he looked around
This is worse then I thought.
/Baddum…/
'A heartbeate echoed throughout the temple.'
'Something was there, still alive… In the dark.'
Antares… A true monster…
It knows we're here.
/Baddum…/
'The sealed beast that profaned against the Divine…'
/Baddum…/
'It's heartbeat still echoed, thousands of years after its demise.'
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Notes