The lonely elf began to finally give in to despair as the Coven was breached. The Rain, having pooled in the castle grounds above, poured down in a deluge upon the great library as she fell to her knees. This place was the culmination of the years she had spent with her lover, it was his life's work and now her charge.
I'd first met her in a blizzard. I was lonely, confuzed, despairing. Floating aimlessly through the snow, I wished for death, having lost my purpose. And then, with a brilliant light, I was found.
As one who understood the elf better than anyone, I could only watch in silence as she grieved the loss of her lover. He had been tasked with researching a cure for the Blight, but was lost to the affliction himself. If only the two hadn't been from this accursed kingdom. The Rain pooling in the lower floors, I watched in sorrow as the elf resolved herself. As the Coven began to flood, she entreated me.
'Please, if we can do nothing else, let us protect this place.'
Responding to the heartfelt cry of my blessed Hero, I spent the last of my power fulfilling her wish. Her cheeks stained with tears, she took my hand and began our last magic. Infusing our very beings into the spell, familiar glowing particles began their dance as I thought of the past amidst this catastrophe.
I had already failed to save her lover.
I would not fail to save his legacy.
I could not fail her again…
~
The tremors suddenly ceased.
Did they succeed?
Riveria stifled a slight panic as she rushed through the halls of Knossos, looking for her comrades with a small group of Loki familia elites. She had promised Finn that she'd deal with the situation, but judging by the sudden stillness she may have been too late. The passages becoming more misshapen and destroyed as she progressed, she finally emerged into a badly scorched room.
…! So much magic residue…
Looking at the adamantite rubble littering the floor and the rock faces peeking out from the walls, Riveria knew this had been the scene of the battle. As she began to panic at the horrible state of the area, she heard a familiar, antagonistic voice break into laughter.
"Hahaha! After all that he just faints? What a pussy!"
"The lad did pull 'is weight. Maybe if ye didn't guzzle so much magic he wouldn'ta had a mind down."
"Aw, can it geezer! This is his own damn fault."
Cresting a large pile of rubble, Riveria was finally able to see the three who'd covered the party's retreat.
"Gareth."
A surprised dwarf looked to the high elf, his body marred by burns.
"A little late, eh?"
"I apologize."
Looking at the state of the group, Riveria could tell the battle had been fierce. Bete's legs were in horrible condition, Gareth was severely burned, and Shay was unconscious. Not wanting to waste time since Leene's group was still missing, Riveria casted a healing spell and got them moving. After some time moving through Knossos, Shay finally stirred.
"So… we won then?"
"Aye. Now, how's about'cha use yer own legs."
"Hah… Right. Thanks."
Being let down from the chuckling dwarf's back, Shay groggily began walking beside the rest of the group.
These spirits… it's always so tragic…
Having experienced more of the Spirits' memories, Shay felt a rising, undirected frustration, similar to after he lost his family. The Spirits had given their blessings to mortals, helping and supporting them, only to be corrupted and forced to fight against the mortals they wished to protect. Was this their own fault? Shay really couldn't say. Correcting his expression before anyone noticed, Shay returned to the present as Riveria spoke up.
"You recovered the magic stone this time, I see."
"Aye."
We did?
"It doesn't look like the others we've seen. This one is clear, as if its power has been lost."
…!
As Shay was faced with the prospect of explaining his connection to the spirits, a shrill scream echoed through the halls.
"I need a healer, now! Something, anything! Quickly!"
It was Anakitty, one of the second string animal person scouts who had been sent ahead. As the party rushed to assist, they stumbled upon a gruesome scene.
The walls were stained with gore, Loki familia's trickster flag crying tears of blood next to a group of still bodies. Written in entrails on the wall was a hastily scrawled message: THIS IS YOUR DOING, BRAVER!
"Oh shit! Lloyd! No, no!"
As the healers scrambled to save whoever they could among the fallen, Shay watched as healing light enveloped several of the bodies, only to stop soon after.
"It…! It's not working!"
"It's the same as the Captain!"
Cursed weapons. All the wounds had been caused by a dagger, inflicting them with an Unhealable curse. Aiz, who had been frantically searching for survivors, was in the corner of the room looking over a dark haired girl, the cursed dagger responsible for ending her comrades sticking out of her stomach.
"Leene—"
Shay watched as Bete walked towards the two with an icy cold expression, never having felt so useless.
"Mister…Bete…"
Even as he thought he should give them some space, Shay stood rooted to the spot, shaken by the wolf's frozen expression. As Aiz moved out of the way, Bete laughed.
"Damn, look at yourself. Just like I've always said. Weaklings only get in the way."
Completely bewildered at the absolutely out of place comment, Shay walked over to the sneering wolf, about to stop him. Getting closer, he finally was able to see Bete's trembling hands, causing him to pause.
"And what a useless death for everyone, huh? Curse yourselves for being so weak and pointless! Taste the shame and never forget it, long after you die so pathetically!"
"...!"
"…So long, then. I never wanna see your sorry asses again."
His voice echoing through the chamber, almost everyone who was grieving their comrades glared at Bete as if he was their mortal enemy. Aiz was furious, about to hit him before seeing his face and stopping. Shay didn't understand what Bete was doing, but he'd heard the chant of his magic. As a reflection of one's soul, there were times when a person's magic could tell you all you needed to know about them. This is why, as Bete accosted his fallen comrades, Shay was one of the few to notice the wolf's grief. In a voice so small only those close could hear, Bete spoke directly to the fallen healer, his expression faltering.
"Rest easy… I was saved by your hands often enough."
"Ah…"
Tears fell from Leene's eyes as her hands fell limp, a soft smile forming on her face as she finally grew still.
~
As he made his way through the crowds, Shay's thoughts were still muddled. The sun was nearing the horizon as he followed it down West Main, heading to Mikoto's familia's newly acquired home. Apparently they had left a message with Folkvangr's guards, who had informed Shay as he returned from Knossos. After cleaning himself up he began his walk through the city. Even though it just happened, Shay was concerned by his inability to move past the events of the last day or so.
Bete's magic, that blood stained scene, and the look on that healer's face. When he first heard the wolf's chant, Shay was surprised at its tragic implications. The spell talked about losing comrades, becoming wounded, and moving on. If there was a good reason to be as abrasive as Bete was, that kind of past would be it. As Shay thought about the glares the wolf had received from his comrades, he had a difficult time blaming either side.
The Spirit's memories were similar…
The events of Knossos had once again reaffirmed the fairly obvious opinion that the world was inevitably full of loss.
But…
Remembering the soft smile on Leene's face as she passed away, Shay thought that at the very least, the wolf had saved one person.
The answer's right there… make 'the lament your roar—and your lost companions your strength'… Hah, that was my first instinct all those years ago.
Thinking back to his quest for vengeance, Shay reaffirmed his growth.
So I've got that first part down. I just need to point myself in the right direction.
As Shay came up to the mansion, his thoughts returned to Mikoto's plight. Apparently it was an urgent matter that needed to be discussed in private. Thinking it wasn't worth puzzling through it right before the meeting, Shay knocked on the mansion's grand doors. After a moment they creaked open, a small prum girl looking up at him. She seemed rather intimidated and immediately called for backup.
"…h-hello, honorable adventurer… one moment please… Mikoto, it's for you!"
Trying to look as harmless as possible after the tense greeting, Shay wondered what exactly Mikoto had told her familia about him. Being let inside and into the living room, Shay sat down and made small talk with the nervous prum. After he hopefully somewhat repaired his reputation, Mikoto finally entered the room.
"Shay-dono!"
"Hey, nice place you got here. That wargame was really impressive."
"Thank you, although it was mostly Bell-dono."
"You're too humble, but I have to admit I'd like to meet the 'Little Rookie' at some point. He did break my record and all."
"Ahaha…That may have to wait… He's busy doing community service."
…Community service?
The prum in the corner of the room making a difficult to decipher expression, Shay realized just how many questions he had about Hestia familia.
"...?"
"It's a long story… Anyway, I apologize, but I must get to the reason I called for you."
"Right, of course."
"It's… about Haruhime."
…!?
It had been years since he'd heard that name. Haruhime was a sheltered renard that Také familia knew from their time spent in the Far East, who they would sneak away from her parents so she could experience the outside world. After enough of this, her parents had grown tired of it and took her away, forbidding the shrine's orphans from making further contact with her.
"Really? It's been a long time… Did something happen?"
A smile crossing Mikoto's features, the girl continued.
"We found her."
...!
The beginnings of an excited smile forming on Shay's face, his voice was optimistic.
"That's great! I hope she's doing well. It really has been forever since we last spoke."
Her smile turning slightly sour, Mikoto continued in a less enthusiastic voice.
"Yes, she's… in the Pleasure District."
"..."
…Oh. But, her parents were so strict… they would never let that happen, right?
"...How?"
Mikoto's expression faltered but with some effort her words were unaffected.
"Her parents disowned her… She was deceived by a heartless person and sold into… that."
"...Oh."
Hearing news like this about a former friend hit Shay like a cart of adamantite. Mikoto had felt the same way, and gave it a moment before continuing. Feeling a measure of guilt about her next move, she spoke somewhat apologetically.
"But, there's good news. I spoke to Hermes-sama, and it is a tradition for prostitutes to be bought in certain cases…"
Seeing the obvious opportunity for him to step in, Shay didn't hesitate.
"Oh. How much?"
"...!"
Surprised at Shay's complete lack of timidity, Mikoto let her features ease into a warm smile.
"She is a lower ranking member of Ishtar familia, so the estimate is three million valis."
"Does the price change for rare races?"
"...Ah, probably. Hermes-sama did seem concerned after learning she was a renard…"
"She's former nobility too… Well, it doesn't really matter. I'll get the money."
Bowing in a mix of shame and appreciation, Mikoto gave her thanks.
"...Thank you so much… I swear that Hestia familia will pay you back!"
Out of the corner of his eye, Shay saw the prum twitch. Having heard about Hestia familia's already outstanding debt from Chloe when she considered joining after the wargame, Shay decided to cut them some slack.
"That's not necessary. I'm the oldest of Také familia, it's my responsibility to handle stuff like this."
The prum relaxed a little.
"...! No, we must do this together! I'm sure everyone wants to pitch in to help miss Haruhime!"
The prum stiffened once again as Shay mentally apologized to her.
Sorry, I tried…
"...I'm sure they do, but… Well, that's a conversation for later. First, let's just get her out of there."
"Right! I'll contact Hermes-sama to set up the transaction!"
Already thinking about how he'd make the money, Shay was strangely at peace, being given a clearly defined duty. As Mikoto filled him in on the details of her talk with Hermes however, Shay became more and more worried at her apparent lack of common sense.
"The Killing Stone?"
"Yes, as we finished Hermes mentioned that he was transporting that item."
"So… Right after talking about your dear friend, Hermes mentions an item called the 'Killing Stone'?"
"Yes."
"And you're not concerned."
"...?"
…Oh man. I'm glad she called for me.
~
"Come in."
Opening the door to the Goddess's chambers, Shay gave a polite greeting as he made his way once again to the canopied bed.
"Thank you for coming on such short notice."
"It's not a problem. I have business here anyways."
Freya elegantly gestured for Shay to join her, and as usual Shay removed his shirt as she pricked her finger. Getting to work, she spoke with a subtle air of indifference, as if she was focused on other matters.
"Did your outing with Loki familia go well?"
Shay was unsure of how to answer. On one hand, he had defeated another corrupted Spirit. On the other, there had been casualties. Sifting through her follower's excelia, Freya understood his brief silence.
"...I defeated another corrupted Spirit."
"That's pleasing to hear."
After allowing more silence, Freya spoke with mild curiosity.
"Hörn told me you were looking through the library for something. Did your search bear fruit?"
After his meeting with Mikoto a day ago, Shay had sifted through both the Guild's and Freya familia's libraries. After some time looking through alchemical and magical guides, Shay found a few mentions of 'killing stones'. What he learned was about as disconcerting as the name suggested.
"Yes. Well… I learned something rather unpleasant."
"Oh? What about—?"
Shay felt the Goddess's fingers pause on his back, right in the middle of tracing something into his Status.
"...? Is something the matter?"
"..."
Her fingers gradually resuming their dance after a somewhat awkward giggle escaped her lips, Freya finished up and imprinted Shay's Status on a piece of parchment.
"You… seem to have a knack for surprising me, don't you? It may be better for you to just see for yourself."
|Level 5|
Str 268 G End 230 G Dex 345 F Agl 365 F Mag 322 F
•Immunity F •Magic Control E •Spirit Healing G •Lightning Flash I
•MAGIC
[Raijin]
Enchantment magic, Swift chant
[Deucalion]
Water magic, Short chant
-[Blink]
Transportation magic, Long chant
•SKILLS
[Greater Will]
Greatly increases the user's potential
[Ichneuo]
Improves dexterity when using throwing weapons
[Sylph]
Massively enhances perception speed at the cost of mind
Looking over his new Status on the edge of the bed, Shay felt a rising anticipation as he inspected his third magic slot. Shay looked back to his Goddess, her moonlit shadow stretching across the bed towards him.
"Transportation?"
"Yes. This is quite unprecedented…"
"...? What does it do specifically? Also, where's the chant? I…honestly wish you would've asked before finalizing my last magic slot…"
Letting out a small giggle at her follower's uncharacteristic cluelessness, Freya shook her head before trying to put it into words a mortal would understand.
"I'll give you the chant separately, it's too long for a neat Status sheet. The magic is what the sheet says, a transportation spell. From A to B."
"Right, but…how?"
Taking a pause, Freya's face was colored by consideration as she thought of an appropriate answer.
"You understand Gods and Goddesses traveling from Tenkai to Gekai, yes?"
"...Yes."
"It's like that. Your magic uses a principle similar to travel between the realms."
Like the Gods? …So, what? It's like…teleportation!?
"Honestly, even in all my years dealing with the unpredictability of the mortal realm, I've never even heard of anything like this… but then again, I've never heard of anything quite like yourself either."
I… Now I see why she didn't hesitate. Teleportation magic!? That's just insane. Wait… Is something like this even attainable for 'pure' mortals, or is this just further evidence of my strange soul?
Seeing her follower lost in his thoughts, Freya spoke in a flippant but unmistakably divine manner.
"Shay. This magic is the closest I've seen to that of the Gods. I'm sure you know what that means about who you have to thank for it."
"...Yes…"
This…has to be against the rules, right? A mortal using the magic of the Gods?
In her divinity, Freya could easily sense Shay's disquietude. It would be plain to see even for a mortal. Resting her hand on his shoulder, she began to color him in her perspective.
"You are certainly an anomaly, but you aren't breaking any hard rules. Your Spirit willingly bonded her soul to yours, creating a hybrid neither God nor mortal has ever seen. The Gods hadn't predicted this, so no rules could have been made around it."
"I see…"
"From my perspective, you may even be the corrective force to the other Spirit anomalies we've been seeing, yes? Maybe it's fate."
Freya smiled flippantly at her pondering follower.
Fate, huh? Magic that can take me anywhere…
To anybody else the appearance of this magic may have been confusing, but as Leene's final moments replayed in his mind Shay understood what his soul was telling him.
This is a magic to address regrets.
A cry from his soul, and from the souls of others.
That's what caused this.
The bull Spirit, who couldn't save her hero's lover. Bete, who couldn't save Leene. Shay, who couldn't save his family. Shay's soul, and the souls of the Spirits, had made their regrets into strength, their lament into a roar. Shay had been given new strength, to protect those he held dear.
This means no more excuses, then. No more 'I couldn't be there'. This magic is specifically for keeping people safe.
"I'm repeating myself, but no Spirit has ever given their entire being the way yours has. You have an obligation to honor her wishes. If I devoted myself completely to my Odr, that would be the very minimum consideration on his part. —Oh, and just in case you were worried, your Spirit hasn't affected your physical body, so you'll still be able to have offspring."
Shaken out of his thoughts by the out of place comment, Shay responded light heartedly as his Goddess smiled.
"Oh, hahah… that's good, then."
Spirits couldn't have children, so it wasn't an unfounded concern that merging with them could cause issues in that regard. Thinking of all his Spirit had done for him, Shay reaffirmed his duty to her.
"You're right. I have an obligation to honor her wishes and free the corrupted Spirits… But, it's not just that."
Shay had something important to ask of his Goddess, and this is where he'd make his plea. After researching the Killing stone, Shay'd learned that Haruhime was in grave danger. Ishtar familia was planning on trapping her soul in a strikingly similar fashion to the manner in which that of his Spirit was sealed in Ancient times. The main difference was that Haruhime's soul would be broken apart in an attempt to duplicate her renard sorcery, irreparably fragmenting her soul.
"The Spirit gave me this magic so that I could protect those dear to me. In light of that will, I have a request to make."
Now looking quite intrigued, Freya met Shay's gaze directly.
"Oh? Do continue."
"In order to help an old friend, I would like to request permission to anger Ishtar familia."
"Oh? Is that all? Granted."
"...!?"
As Shay marveled at the lack of hesitation, Freya broke into an impish laugh. Silhouetted by the moonlight, Shay couldn't help but think his Goddess looked more like a mischievous witch. Settling down, Freya got up off her grand bed.
"Ishtar recently crossed the line with her little games, and took something important to me. I returned to Folkvangr in the first place in order to crush her."
"Crush her…!?"
"Yes. I've been able to overlook her trifling thus far, but there are limits. I will not forgive any woman who tries to take what is rightfully mine. I was going to ask for your participation as well, but it seems there's no need. We crush Ishtar familia tonight. Do whatever it is that you need to do."