Netori: Stealing The Hero's Party!

Chapter 872: Crashing The Party

A pillar of heavenly silver light descended into the garden of Mansion ’Phordite. It burned with the cool rage of the heavens, and as the light dissipated, out walked none other than the goddess of absurdities–Elenaria. Donned in her glowing silver gown with her eyes covered behind the crescent of the moon, she stood tall, and she stood proud. Her head turned in Nerva’s direction, and she neatly folded her hands by her celestial womb.

“Is that… Is that really…” Rattled to the core by the sight of a goddess walking amongst them in the flesh, Regalia felt a shiver run down her spine as her knees buckled and her body knelt. “M-mother of the king of crows, I-I… bow to you on your kingdom’s behalf!”

“You’ve served me well, Regalia. No need to bow,” with a slow turn of her head, Elenaria’s eyes shifted to Mono, who’d been standing by Erika. Staring at the goddess directly, the queen appeared as indifferent to her goddess as ever. “You could learn a thing or two from her, but no matter, I have a question for you, Mono Aurarelia.”

The queen’s eyes narrowed for time itself had stopped to a crawl. Nerva, Raven, even Elenaria and the others, everyone was moving at a snail’s pace, yet their minds were racing with thoughts. Taking the phenomenon as the doing of the god of time, she eyed him for a moment before shifting her attention back to Elenaria with a nod.

“Athenia asked for a body. I know you haven’t finished it. So would you be so kind as to let her borrow yours for a few minutes? Any other mortal’s coil will sunder to ash if her entire presence were to descend on them.” Glancing sideways at Erika, the goddess gave her an acknowledging nod. “I hope you won’t mind, death’s priestess.”

Shaking her head, Erika gave the goddess a deep bow. With all said and done, Mono heaved a sigh and shrugged her shoulders. Looking around, she knew that there wasn’t much she could do at the moment, especially since her current body wasn’t meant for combat but was rather for leisure and showing off her dresses.

“So be it,” closing her eyes, Mono relinquished control of her body and the very next moment a coil of dark clouds spiralled above the mansions. “I’ll bill you if you damage it, just so you know.”

“Do not worry, I will take care of your flesh.” With her voice thundering from the clouds, a bolt of dark and silver lightning struck Mono’s body. The clouds retreated soon after, as did the steam from the site of the lightning strike. To everyone’s surprise, however, Mono wasn’t the only one standing as the steam cleared, but another pair of women as well, each dressed just as lavishly as the queen and the other important figures in the party.

For most, the spectres were a mystery, but for the hero’s party and the guests from Inktaus, the faces of the two women were far too familiar.

“Fortuna…” Whispered Garcia, her eyes blinking to the mind-shattering reality of her now.

“Lady Mesmerazia… In the flesh?” Eren’s throat went dry as well, and the moment the two’s words settled in their minds, both Ironheart and him as well as Garcia and Ditsy, lowered their heads and knelt on the ground.

As for the gods themselves, the moment Mono’s eyes opened–they found their leader in her silver glow. Athenia smiled at their glances and looked around while drawing a long and deep breath. At last! She was free of that prison and yet could go back at any time. Her feet were set on solid ground, and she could feel the breeze passing through each individual strand of her hair.

Placing a hand over Mono’s chest, she listened to the ironcore whirling within and the heart within it–still pulsing as Mono’s soul had turned dormant for the time being. And while Shamisha and Grace weren’t all too fond of the sudden change, their uncertainty and fear kept them stationed to the side and watching quietly.

Lifting her head to glance at Nerva, the two goddesses smiled at each other.

“We meet at last, in the flesh no less,” Nerva whispered, kicking Gurnir away from her feet and the direction of the angelic ambassador.

“You forced our hand, Nerva,” Elenaria moved to the side to make way for Athenia and the rest to walk up and stand beside her.

“I forced your hand?” Shifting her attention to the crowd around Helga, she smirked. “The valkyrie threw the spear, not I; the war has begun because of her, not me. You blame me all you want, but the spear has been cast, and it’s time for you gods to kill each other and fulfill the end’s prophecy.”

Taking a step forward, Athenia’s eyes narrowed and stared sharply at the goddess of calamity. Holding her arms forward, she demanded.

“Give the girl back, and maybe we’ll forget what happened today.”

“Or what?” She snapped, her head turning to Athenia with a jerk.

Smiling right back at her, the goddess of life and death revealed what she’d been mulling over ever since Nerva showed her face in her prison.

“Or I will replace your flesh with my own after we sever that putrid soul of yours from this world, sister…” For once, Nerva’s lips lay flat. A moment’s hesitation in speaking reflected at least some notion of doubt. “The gods you knew who fought against each other for power and thrones are long gone. They used these mortals as their pawns, and you provided them with a reason to unite them against a singular enemy.”

Opening her arms, Athenia directed her right hand at Helga and the other to the rest of the crowd.

“It was their way to boost their faith and power, but under my rule, I will unite the frontier of man without any need for such manipulation. And for that, I am willing to lay down my body for this world as soon as we get rid of you. What better god to replace you but that of life and death, a cycle paramount for the continued existence of mortals?”

“Embelished word and just as hollow as your heart–”

“And what of you? An elder god with a vendetta against their own sons and daughters.”

“YOU DO NOT KNOW!” Nerva screamed out of sheer frustration from not being heard.

“And I’m glad I don’t! Because the last thing I would ever want for myself is to end up like you, Nerva! A dead god clinging to life and spreading her misery through her nightmares for aeons, and now you even want to kill everyone and end this world for good! Do you honestly expect your flock to follow you blindly?”

Silence fell on the goddess’s lips. But she was far from convinced, as her mind was unlike any other. She was set on one goal, and there was nothing that could stop her from achieving it. After all, this very moment had been a hundred years in the making.

“Forget the girl,” covering Aurora’s body with her long and dark sleeves, Nerva turned her face away from Athenia. “Find me at the end of the world, and we will talk, hero.”

Looking back at Raven, she heaved through gritted teeth.

“I’ve set your path long before you were born. Do not disappoint me, my son. I will be waiting, and I know that you will make the right choice in the end…”

“I’m not your son!” The hero screeched as he tried stepping forward to snatch Aurora from Nerva’s hands. However, the moment his boot hit the ground on the second step, the goddess of calamity disappeared into a cloud of darkness.

“N-no! NOOO! AURORA!!” June’s howling screams cut through the silence that followed, and with everything that had just transpired, the night’s absurdities would only grow…