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—
'The group pierced the darkness and fire, reaching the foot of the grand temple.'
'However, as they neared the upward pathway, they stopped before a strange section of the city where no flames could be seen.'
'It was a perfect street with blue torches along its path, leading to another corner of the city they hadn't been before, casting a beautiful and calm light onto this otherwise horrific night.'
(Image?)
'Silver noticed how calm this place felt compared to outside. His first thought was that this was some sort of barrier, given they were sent here in a straight line.'
'These people were prepared, making him even more suspicious... Because no matter where he looked, no one was in sight.'
'Why create a barrier if there wasn't anything to protect?'
"We're here… I know it may sound strange, but I implore you: Everything will be explained tomorrow."
'The headpriestess had a pained gaze of helplessness, it wasn't the first time he had seen a look like that today.'
'Many soldiers shared her gaze, albeit many seemed hopeful, looking at them, or rather, at the Goddess around him.'
"Tomorrow? Are you suggesting we stay here in this chaos?"
"I… I understand how it may look to you, but this isn't something you can help us with. You'll understand… Tomorrow."
"Why tomorrow and not now? Can't you spare us some time?"
'Silver crossed his arms as he stepped forward, trying to take control of the conversation. He couldn't let them go like that, not without some answers.'
'He had already experienced how people in desperation often acted. Blinded by their beliefs, rather due to a lack of options of a strong sentiment, if he let them be, they may act in unpredictable ways.'
'Silver believed that no problem had a single solution, but that was due to how resourceful and knowledgeable he was. Not everyone was like him... Not everyone was willing to risk their own safety and that of those around them for a stranger's unreliable ideals.'
'And he knew that very well.'
"Right now we have to quell the burning fire. They need me to lead them. It is my duty to those that have fallen…"
'There was more to her words, but Silver chose not to press her on that front:'
"Then leave someone behind to explain the situation…"
"Silver. Stop putting pressure on them… We're still guests, one way or another." Hestia added as she held on his hand, pulling it back
"I'm sorry. I know you want to help… That you must feel suffocated. But this isn't something anyone can help us with."
"Better put, nothing will change even if you help us."
'The priestess turned around, stepping off the street.'
"You'll understand soon enough. Stay here for the night. I promise you, I'll explain everything as soon as we're done here."
"And if you can, try not to step out of the barrier. It will protect you, but if you gather too much attention, they'll come after you."
""...""
'Silver watched her leave with the soldiers but did not pursue. Instead, he turned around, crossing the torches with Hestia and Artemis in tow.'
/Shuom…/
"... This doesn't make any sense."
'As soon as they crossed the line of torches, the world completely changed.'
'As if stepping onto the past, the fire was completely gone. Its heat and smell, the crumbling buildings, the crackling of wood, the screams of the fiery beasts, all had vanished.'
'In contrast, an ancient city untoucheed by time appeared before them. It was just as the legends described, if not greater.'
'It was similar in size to the port city of Melen, likely housing a few tens of thousands of individuals.'
'However, while Melen had mostly wooden architecture, the houses and streets were all utterly made of multiple types of cut stone, faintly illuminated by twinkling red lights.'
'If Silver could describe it in any way, he'd say it was like stepping in ancient Rome.'
"... You two get inside, I'll follow soon after… I just need to look around for a moment."
I need some time to process all of this.
"Are you going to cause trouble?" Hestia asked as her eyes narrowed
"I… I won't be leaving this barrier… If I can even call this one."
"... Alright. I'll go inside for now, the boat ride has my bum numb. So I'll see if I can rest somewhere more comfortable."
'Despite saying that, Hestia was unusually silent. It seemed something was going on in her mind, but she did not share it with Silver.'
'However, to him, she was clearly holding something back... He wouldn't have noticed it, given she didn't show a change in her expression. But her calmness in the face of this madness made him realize something was wrong.'
'The usual Hestia would've been panicking and fuming in anger... In her own harmless way.'
'Simultaneously, her initial reaction to this situation did not escape his eyes. The contrast between then and now was far too evident for him to ignore.'
'She knew something and was trying to act mature and focused, likely to steer his attention from something else.'
'Silver needed some time to take it all in and think.'
"I'll be back soon."
/Jump!/
'He jumped onto a building nearby while Hestia and Artemis entered the house.'
/Chatter…/
'He soon heard them discuss something, but like before, chose not to listen. After all, if he did listen, they would, without a doubt, get upset.'
'Listening would've been too obvious either way, and all it would take would be one look for them to realize what he had done. The intuition of a God, or rather, their wisdom, wasn't one to be taken lightly.'
'Instead, Silver looked at the legendary city, bitter feelings surging within his heart.'
"It's almost as if nothing's happening… Why would they even have a barrier like this?... Rather than a barrier, this is almost like a veil, covering the truth from falsehood."
It's almost like this isn't their first time dealing with this situation…
Perfect coordination when dealing with the creatures. They moved around the fire without orders, as if they already knew the layout…
I can understand guards knowing the city they live in, but I've never heard of an army, even one that has trained in the same place for years, operating this efficiently in the face of such a disaster.
Soldiers would panic, worrying for their families and their lives, yet they did not seem to worry about any of that. They charged forward, plowing through the fire without a care in the world.
They've done this before… Have the Olympians been fighting the fire for decades without the world knowing? Could it be that they abandoned their city but chose to build a bastion to prevent the fire from spreading?
Could that be why they erected a barrier around their archipelago and chose not to let anyone inside?
Still... What is the purpose of this barrier? To make them remember a past that has already been lost?
"I have too many questions… What is the truth and what is the illusion?"
"This barrier… It's no magic… But so, what could it be? What were those soldiers from before even doing?"
Does it work under the same principle? Have the Olympians developed magic to such a degree that it no longer resembles it?
Their culture is thousands of years older than that of the Elves. Even the royals of the great forests trace their history to the saintess during the great raid that built Orario a thousand years ago. Anything before is fragmented history.
Some distant kingdoms untouched by monsters may have longer histories, but few empires managed to last from before the age of the Gods to the modern day. And that's all due to how they defended themselves.
No matter how big a nation became, it wasn't free from the grasp of the Dungeon. That was proven two decades ago when the biggest nation in the whole world vanished... In a single night.
Elves survived because they developed a System for casting magic with chants without relying on the blessings of the Gods. This system of mortals was imperfect before the might of Falna, but still reliable enough to protect the people in ancient times and even today.
Magic once symbolized nobility and power; mages with the power to cast magic, a Level 2 or 3 adventurer would easily cast and were hailed as War Gods.
The Olympians' ancestors were the first Heroes of the world in recorded history—failed ones but champions nonetheless.
They were the ones who braved the chaotic world and tried to cleanse the surface of monsters. Despite his many failures, Epimetheus, the Hero of the fallen flame, opened space for kingdoms and cultures to flourish.
Ultimately, they all branded him a failure, cast him aside, and made him the greatest disappointment in history.
'Silver looked at the waves in the distance, having the urge to return and forget about this...'
"... Sigh… I thought this would be a nice vacation… To enjoy some time with them, learn more about their past… But I just dragged them into another mess."
At least I managed to solve the issue in Belthane, they were thrilled after it was done… I thought Olympia would make them remember their time in Heaven and help us bond a little more.
It would be a nice story to share once we're back home...
"... Haaa… What a mess... I'll think about those things later."
'He looked at the city under the stars and exhaled.'
'He stood there for a few more minutes and took his reliable camera after a while.'
/Snap!/
'A picture of the ancient world, cold and lonely. Forever engraved in a tiny parchment.'
'Although his memories held this moment just the same, nothing was as reliable as ink on paper.'
'He'd have painted this moment if he had the patience, but right now, he wasn't in the mood.'
"I'm tired."
/Close.../
'He closed his eyes and let the breeze brush past him...'
…
/Later…/
/Bam!/
'After enjoying the cold breeze of the sea, Silver returned home just in time to see Artemis storming through the entrance.'
"What just…"
/Swoosh!/
'She stormed past him, ignoring him completely.'
'Confused, Silver looked back to see Hestia standing by the door, looking calmly at him as she exhaled lightly.'
'He thought about what to do, but Hestia stepped outside before he could say anything.'
"Leave her be, she just needs some time to think."
"Okay... But think about what?"
"... Can I be honest with you? Silver?"
"Hm? Of course you can. I'm the best listener in all of Orario."
Something isn't right.
/Chuckle/
"Of course you are."
'Hestia approached him, putting her head in his chest.'
"I've been wondering recently… About how little I've been doing for you."
"What do you mean? You do a lot already."
"... You're kind, Silver. Tolerant… But we both know deep down that the little I do cannot compare to the efforts you put into the Familia and your relationships."
'Hestia spoke slowly with a faint smile, it was a seriousness she rarely showed. A type of maturity he knew she had, but chose not to, as it isn't who she was.'
"Can that even be measured? Hestia, each person fights their own battles and tends to their responsibilities. Some can work harder than others, but it doesn't mean their work is more valuable than someone who does little, and the opposite can be said."
"A King can relax an entire year with nothing to do, but when the time comes to make a choice, he does it… A soldier gives their life away for their country, dying in thousands, but a commander overlooks the battlefield, commanding them and shouldering the weight of their souls."
"I am the Captain of the Hestia Familia and have made personal or work-related choices and goals I wish to attain. And you also have your tasks as a Goddess as well."
"Never have I considered you inept at your tasks because there is no correct way of leading a Familia to begin with. It's a group effort."
"If you feel your actions don't quite meet the standard, then you can try to do more, but in the end, if you go and ask the others if there's anything else you can do, they'll probably deny it."
"Besides, you shouldn't feel pressed to do more anyway. Some Gods do nothing at all aside from updating the Status of their children, while others use their followers to push for their side activities. Others... Are even worse."
"But... I believe none of them are wrong... The blessings of the Gods follow their will, that's just how things are."
"However, it doesn't mean I agree with them all... Some Gods are better off kicked back to heaven for their own good. I said it before and will repeat it. I'm a selfish man, one that has no time to try and comprehend the Divine troubles of a God."
"If they're causing trouble to me and my family, I'll treat them as they deserve. These are my morals... But not all think like this, some just choose to avoid trouble altogether despite understanding the many sides of this reality."
"But in our Familia, being carefree can be seen as one of its inherent traits, no?"
"... Right, only you would speak of a God like that…"
'Hestia's smile deepened.'
"... But Silver, this time… I'm afraid that this issue goes beyond my expectations. You spoke of people choosing their battles and fulfilling their responsibilities… This is one of those times."
"Prometheus took the flame of heaven and cast it down to the mortal world, and now it has gone berserk… The proof is all around us."
"It is my duty to return it to where it belongs."
"... So?"
"What do you mean, "so"? Can't you see I'm pouring my heart out here?!"
"I can see that, what I don't understand is why you're making such a big deal out of this? If you need to return it, do so. Just tell me what to do and we'll solve the issue."
"..."
"Hestia?"
'Silver's expression turned heavy. And the feeling he had in his stomach grew incomprehensibly large.'
"There's something you're not telling me, isn't it? You spoke about honesty, so be frank and tell me the truth. How bad is it?"
"I…"
'He held onto her shoulders, grasping them tightly.'
"What is it that you can't share? What is it that you believe I cannot hear? Have I not…"
"Silver… You're hurting me."
"!... I… I'm sorry. I lost my composure."
'He let go of her, his hand shaking as he hesitated reaching out to her.'
'But she still went after him…'
"... If things go the way I think… Promise me something…"
"I… Can't…"
Why... Why is she looking at me like that?... This is making me remember things I threw away long ago...
... Why does it hurt so much? She hasn't even said anything...
"Promise me Silver… That this time… You'll let me do things my way."
"..."
'Silver struggled to say anything more.'
…
/The next day…/
'It was a long, silent night, but as he struggled to answer, the day finally came.'
/Chatter.../
'And what appeared before him shook him even further.'
"What... How?... The city..."
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Notes