Netori: Stealing The Hero's Party!

Hours had passed, and unrest amongst the soldiers was only getting worse. Held off by Regalia and a handful of others, they remained under great scrutiny as Raven already suspected that they might try something worthy of retaliation from him directly. To keep things in line, the holy order had declared Nerva’s words as heresy, and anyone found reciting them was to be dragged to her church and questioned thoroughly.

Of course, such crude methods did not soothe the anxiety amongst the soldiers. However, the knowledge that Athenia was present in her world in the flesh, was enough to put their trust in her, chosen–at least for now. Now, were they made aware that the goddess had left for her cold throne in her prisons, their thoughts may have swayed, but with Mono staying inside the mansion, that fact remained closed, as did the mansion’s doors.

Alas, the one thing that could alleviate their worries–another beacon of hope was finally coming back to her senses. Her eyes fluttered to the light of dusk bleeding in through the curtains and cast over her face. Opening her eyes with a flutter of eyelids, Helga looked around the room in a groggy daze.

Surrounding her were Raven and his companions, each asleep in a chair or leaning against some wall with their heads hanging. Right next to her in arms, however, were her daughters. One on each side with her arms wrapped around her collar. Trying to raise her arm and touch them, she felt a sudden ache in her heart, and her expression contorted with pain.

“Aghhh…” Through gritted teeth, she shook away the pain and heaved a sigh that, as if breathing life into everyone, woke them all up. Head quickly began lifting, and their eyes turned to her bed. Thankfully, amidst the waking chaos, her daughter kept sleeping as they had cried themselves to sleep last night. “Blasted pain. What happened?”

Looking around at everyone still visibly dazed, she blinked her eyes some more before focusing on Raven. Bumping her head, she urged him to answer, but before he could, the memories from last night returned to her brain. The spear of war–taken from the goddess of war and left in her care–had finally been cast, heralding a war that soon stretched through every inch of Atlaris.

Closing her eyes shut tight, Helga felt her stomach twisting, and her body convulsed at the thought. Freeing herself from her daughters’ grips, she struggled yet managed to sit upright with her back leaning against the bed frame.

“Someone fucking kill me…”

“Markus already threatened us if someone tries so, no can do.” Getting off his chair, Raven moved closer to the Valkyrie. Standing by her side, he placed a hand on her shoulder and squatted to meet her eyes on the same level. “What’s done is done. Just get some rest, and then we’re gonna need you to describe what preparation that we must make. As a former general of the holy war, we can really use your help.”

Knowing her, the hero did not waste time checking on her condition. If anything, doing so would’ve upset her–especially since she’d cast the world in a dire direction.

“What else can I even do at this point…” Lifting her head to look at the ceiling, Helga let out a trembling sigh. Closing her mouth, she swallowed the weight of her choices, and then, with a defeated smirk, she laughed. “Everyone’s gonna hate me. The people I killed and slaughtered hate me already, and now even the living will sneer at my name.”

With the burden of her sins lying heavy on her head, Helga glanced down at her daughters. Placing her hands on their head, she gently ran her fingers through their hair before turning her gaze to Raven. For a spell, her eyes held a sombre hue. Quickly replaced by a flicker of a flame once thought extinguished.

“So…” Closing her eyes, she chuckled once again. “When are we taking the slaughter to the gods?”

As her eyes opened again, her gleaming blue eyes were muddied with a dimmed silver tone. At a single glance, the hero knew that she was drawing back on her past–a past best forgotten and yet a necessity for encroaching dark times.

Balling up her fist, she held it in front of Raven’s face–her fingers cracking and her skin squeaking under the pressure built within her grip.

“You said this will be the last war. The very last time we fight the demon lord,” looking up into her eyes, Raven gave her a nod. “Add the last of the holy wars to the promise, and I will help you kill these wretched gods. Not for Athenia or the gods aiding her, but for the mortal who shall lead us into better times. Besides, I would rather serve you as another cog in your plan than be the servant of any god.”

“Yes, we will end these wars. Just one push, that’s what this–” Before Raven could finish his sentence, a sudden knock on the room’s door drew everyone’s attention.

“RAVEN?! ERIKA! GET OUT HERE! AND COME WITH ME!” Maria’s voice rumbled with desperation, and the way she kept knocking without rest, as well as kicking the door, emphasized the urgency of the matter.

“What the hell?” Quickly walking up to the door, Linkle opened it to the sight of a sweat-laden Maria standing on the other side of the door with Ophelia, Amelia, and even Hayley breathing heavily right behind her. “What’s going on?”

“No time to explain,” looking at Linkle, Maria grabbed her by the arm and turned her attention to Raven and the rest. “All of you! Follow me, NOW!!”

Struggling against the mistress of illusions’ hold, Linkle tried to pull her hand away, but Maria’s grip only grew stronger.

“What’s going on?” Linkle asked yet again, but the answer remained the same.

“I have no time to explain, just come and follow me to Brenna!” Without wasting another second or waiting for the group to gather themselves, Maria started leading the way with her hand dragging Linkle alone.

The rest of her group ensured that everyone followed without wasting another second, and before long, the group was on its way to Brenna. And from the look of it, news most dire was waiting for them all.