Finn was left to his thoughts, knowing that every move he made would track on his record forever, and… I failed to consider that a god would lie, if that's the case Origin Wolf would still be alive. And in that case… There shouldn't be a reason to fear this evil. Back then as a meager, new level 4, he single handedly destroyed all of us. And at that time we were collectively more than enough to deal with Balor, hell, two of them at once even. Three would have been pushing it… Could he have actually been that strong back then? No way, that's way too high, right? But if it's true, then that dragon wouldn't be a problem, so why is there something I feel like I'm overlooking?
"-inn… FINN!"
"Huh! What?"
"What's the plan, we got monsters on all sides."
"That's right! And all of us have leveled up. I need a good fight to get used to this level 6, it's something else." Gareth chuckled, with a proud, and positive outlook.
"I could use a little exercise as well." Riveria commented with a sly remark.
"Ahahaha! This is fantastic!" Bara laughed, practicing a few of her standard movements. "I love it! Who'd have thought we'd level up again!"
"Speak for yourself, Bara, I for one never gave up!" Dain said, with powerful, and smooth movements.
"You're both so uppity, what's so exciting about leveling up now?" Noir smirked, stroking his beard.
"You're one to talk, wrinkly old prune. You're making a show of it more than anyone else. Better make use of that longer life span you've got now. Don't die so easily out there."
Noir was currently bouncing around on a fairly large stick, just bouncing around.
"Bara, Dain, Noir, head back west, the people there already know your faces, so it'll be easy to work yourselves in over there."
"Got it! We're on the way!"
"Gareth, Riveria, head north and help our familia push back the cultists, and monsters. Don't waste your strength doing this either."
"And you?"
"I'm staying here, just in case we need to worry about something else happening. Freya familia can deal with the south."
"True, if they're anywhere near us, they'll all have some level ups as well."
"We'll have to see if Ottar has leveled up too."
…
The battles kept going for quite some time, neither front ending. And there were many small skirmishes going on within the city blocks as well. Nothing that was too severe, aside for the occasional adventurer dying from a well timed blast rock explosion.
While this was going on, Hathor along with the wolf guarding her- she left the other wolves behind to keep the other gods safe, while they continue impersonating a trap so Legi, and the other assassin types in Hathor familia can kill the Evilus assassins- were tending to Ardee.
She laid in the bed cozying Ardee up to her body, and they stayed there like that for several minutes before any words were spoken. It was as if Hathor was deciphering the true reason behind Ardee's broken spirit.
"Ardee, you know that I think of you as if you were my very own daughter. I love you so much it's too hard to express with just words." She paused, stroking Ardee's hair. "Talk to me. I'll listen to all of it."
"I-" Ardee cried… "I'm sorry…"
Hathor remained attentive as she waited for Ardee to continue, but she didn't.
"Why are you sorry?"
"I lost… his baby, my baby, our baby."
"What happened was cruel. But you shouldn't blame yourself for it."
"But it is my fault-"
"No, it's not. You did everything you could. You were out matched, and over burdened. No one will blame you for what happened, least of all him. He loves you far too much to blame you for this."
"I-"
"You're heartbroken because you lost your baby, the baby you've wanted for so long."
"I lost the wolf, and the spirit he gave me too."
"No you didn't."
"Huh?"
"They willingly gave themselves up doing their best to protect your life. Had they not done so, you might not be here, in my arms now."
Ardee cried, stopped, and tried not to cry, but it was clear she was suffering inside, and needed to let it out.
"Ardee, if you ever need to cry, just ask, I'll always lend you my bosom. And Shurry will never tell you no."
"I- I want him to hold me and tell me everything is just a terrible nightmare. I don't ever want to go through that again!" She wailed, muffled by a bosom.
"Are you giving up on your motherly desires?"
"No! I'm going to have my baby!!!"
"Good, rest well for a little while. I'm glad you're coming back around. A weaker woman would have lost her senses by now… I can't wait to see what kind of mother you'll become, I'm certain you'll be a great mother."
"Ca- can you stay just a little while longer?"
"Yes, I can stay a little longer."
…
In a moment where all of her strongest members returned home at once, all requesting a status update, Freya updated them all at once… on her couch, she laid in a provocative pose, clearly showing off small scenes of her full, bare naked beauty while her familia's children read their statuses.
"So, what do you want to do now?"
She swirled her wine, and sipped it down. Waiting for the responses, she slowly rose to her feet, in an overly dramatic manner, and walked over to Ottar, gently brushing her hands across his muscular body.
"Ottar, are you, alright?"
"Yes, Lady Freya-"
"Don't lie to me."
"It's just, he was right. The barrier was that simple."
"You said it! I almost don't like the fact that what he said was right." Hedin said, dressing himself.
"It changes a lot. What else was he right about?"
"We need to go make ourselves useful, lest we be disposed of." Hogni said with a deep undertone.
"It was just two dragons. How did it change the situation this much?!" Allen basically growled through clenched teeth.
"Pfft, you're all funny, letting that-"
"Lady Freya, I'm going." Ottar turned, and left the room, leaving behind his equipment… the utterly destroyed set.
It was a little bit later when he returned, the others were simply confused about his reaction, but now they saw why he reacted the way he did.
"It's been a while since you've worn that equipment… Heading into battle?"
"I am."
"Where to?"
"East."
"Fight hard, my strongest. My king."
Ottar knelt to no one but Freya, he did so here. "I will, Lady Freya."
He stood, and left with a flick of his cape.
Origin Wolf, he was right… I held myself back all of these years, in all of the wrong ways. My level 6 stats were the highest they've ever been as a result, but, I have the feeling now that I could have grown far stronger, far faster, had I just understood what he did back then. How did he learn it?
…