While Erebus was having an internal mental breakdown as he watched the temple he'd been waiting to arrive, retreat with a greater speed than it had been descending. There were many reactions across the city.
"What?! I'm whole again!?"
"Me too!"
"I'd lost an arm in that battle."
"I escaped with my life, but lost my breast… It's back! See, my breast it's fully recovered back to normal!" A woman, completely unbothered by the partial exposure, simply overjoyed she was no longer disfigured, spoke with glee.
"I can work again!"
"He's so powerful…"
And then, one person closer to Al, said something that stirred something within, a desire of some kind.
"He exemplifies what this city is all about… The city of heroes… The Hero city of Orario."
"He's an honest to goddess hero. In the flesh!"
Shurry didn't respond with much else aside for a slight smile, despite the immense pain he was currently experiencing. He was holding back just enough, he had to do something else before fighting Erebus.
"Shurry!"
Ardee came running down, and leaped onto Shurry, wrapping her arms and legs around him. Kissing him with a passionate plea. He returned the sentiment without question. Then they stopped and…
""I'm sorry, I wasn't-""
They both stopped, and smiled at each other. And silently spoke with their eyes, each agreeing not to be sorry anymore, it wasn't the time to mourn.
"I avenged our baby, on my part. But I'm too weak to finish it-"
"No, you did well considering the circumstances. I don't expect anyone to be capable of defeating that fake god over there, the one having an internal mental breakdown." He said with a slight chuckle. "Though, I'm certainly going to try my best…"
"Wait just a moment." Ganesha said, standing up. "I am Ganesha. God of the masses. Shurry, years ago, I made a promise to Ardee's mother, to do everything I could to make sure the two of you grew into a loving couple and were never persuaded or forced to part ways. I've kept this promise with one exception… And I'd like to resolve it now, to make amends for breaking the promise I made to you, and Hathor."
"Ganesha, do you mean it?"
Hathor asked with a gasp.
"I do, indeed. I can't keep her in my familia anymore, no matter how much I want to. I want her to be happy."
Hathor smiled, and pulled out a ceremonial dagger she'd had made for this very moment.
"Here, I had this made for you to use. A special dagger that'll only be used once."
Ganesha, Hathor, Ardee, and Shurry went to a private place, and, Ardee's status was changed, she was no longer a level 5 of the Ganesha familia. She was a level 6 of the Hathor familia. She also gained a unique skill, one that made Ganesha smile with pride, and also cry.
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Ardee Varma
Hathor Familia
Level : 5 -> 6
STR : (I) : (0)
VIT : (I) : (0)
DEX : (I) : (0)
AGI : (I) : (0)
MAG: (I) : (0)
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Development Abilities :
Abnormal Resistance : E : 454
Healing : E : 402
Swordsman : F : 378
Mage : F : 325
Healing Power : I : 0
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Skills:
Amendment - Allows their god to use excelia gained later on, to fill in stats they'd lost out on from previous levels.
Ganapati Blood - slightly raises Ardee's status.
Dharmas Argo (Passive Skill) - Always on, and boosting the status of those with falna within an area around Ardee. The strength of the boost, and range of effect, depends on her level.
Alpha's Queen - As the alpha's Queen, she may summon a portion of the pack's wolven guard to her through her link to the Alpha's soul, to aid in protecting her, whenever she can not do it herself.
Magic:
Ghana Avimutta - Restraining magic which lowered all the stats of the target and had a high chance of forcibly causing them to stop.
Dia Kaumundi - A healing magic that also boosted the status of those affected by it for a limited time. The number of targets was dependent on her level.
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"Be sure to visit! Your sister will be sad if you don't."
"I will. Thank you, Lord Ganesha. For helping to make my dream come true."
"I don't deserve your thanks-"
Shurry sighed, making Ganesha stop.
"I am Shurry!"
"I am Ganesha!"
"I AM SHURRY!"
"I AM GANESHA!"
"Now stop feeling so bad. You're not responsible for what happened."
"But I didn't prepare…"
"No one did. If we start placing blame, this ultimately all boils down to one target."
As they left the private place, Ardee remembered something…
"Shurry, the spirit and the wolf you gave me-"
"I already know."
Ardee pulled out the crystal that was once the core of the wolf she'd been given.
"This wolf, they were the first monster wolf that submitted to you of its own accord… And it-"
She held the crystal in her hand, as if hoping Shurry would be able to do something about it. Not caring about all of the people currently watching them.
"My power to heal, while second to none in Gekai, can not revive the dead. I don't think I'd even want that kind of power. It would trivialize the meaning life holds. It's a precious gift that we all have, and why we should protect it, even if that means dying to protect it."
He spoke, his words made a few gods sigh in relief, and others interested to hear this young man's perspective.
"This wolf knew what you meant to me, and made the same sacrifice I would have made to protect you. I gave him the responsibility to keep you safe, and he did his best. You should carry him with you always. The memory will allow him to rest at ease."
Shurry smiled, despite the memories of the first day he met that wolf flooding his mind. Ardee, being in tune with Shurry's feelings more than ever before after that skill appeared. She took the crystal, and ate it, consuming the whole thing.
"This way, he'll always be protecting me."
"Yes. That is exactly right."
The Astraea familia showed up in the large room, Neze clearly red in the face. It was hard not to see what her feelings were. It was borderline impossible to hide it from him.
"Neze tried her best to save our progress." Ardee said with a slight giggle. "She cried almost as hard as I did."
"I can see that." Shurry chuckled. "It seems like she's also a little jealous of your position."
"Well of course, she may have admitted defeat, but that's not going to stop her from thinking about it."
Neze grew red in the face, but still stood as a proud werewolf.
"It's embarrassing, but I wanted to be relied on. I've relied on you so much I wanted to give back. Even during this battle, I only managed to get out of it with scrapes and bruises because you let me transform. So, I don't mind if… You use me for more things."
"Oh my, you're so bold Neze!" Alise teased, with a laugh.
It was laughter that let everyone take a break from the hellish sights they'd had to bear from the last couple days.
Then Ais came forward with a question.
"Origin Wolf? Why aren't you beating him up now?"
"Hmm? You're Ais' little problem child aren't you?"
"You got that right!" Bokhoir bellowed with laughter. "But she's pretty damn strong for a level 3."
"I see, well then, let me ask you this, how can I possibly fight him right now?"
"You can beat him now can't you?"
Shurry looked, and seemingly sensed quite a bit more than normal people could.
"I probably can, but that temple of his is still pretty close. Gonna be a hell of a fight."
"But you can do it, so why aren't you?"
"That's what you really want to know, isn't it?" Shurry sighed, as Ardee let go of him, he crouched down, and patted the young Ais on her head. "There's something I need before going into a fight like that, isn't that right Ouranos!"
"Indeed. I have what you need."
"Hold on Ouranos, let me give him these first."
An exhausted Hephaestus spoke, entering the room…