Defiance: Meeting of the Gods Part 1

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/A few minutes later…/

'Hestia, who had just been woken by Silver tiredly made her way out of her room.'

"Do we really… Yawn… Need to go to Babel?"

"Yes, you'll understand when we get there, after we're done, we can stop by to get some ice cream since it's a bit hot, perhaps even invite someone else on the way."

'She was surprised.'

"Aren't you going to the Dungeon today?"

"No."

'Hestia smiled, that was all she needed to hear.'

"Then let us enjoy today!"

…

'Or at least… That was what she thought.'

…

'Silver and Hestia left the Manor, it was still very early, so there weren't that many people on the streets yet.'

'The morning birds, the people who were now setting up their shops, or making their way to their work, be it the Dungeon or a simpler flower shop.'

'But there was one person near the gates, waiting under the sun… Someone with a very grumpy expression…'

'When he saw Silver and Hestia, he didn't hesitate and approached them.'

"You're finally here… Made me wait long enough…"

"And good morning, Goddess Hestia." Loiju said both angrily, and formally

'It was his friend and advisor, the lone Elf that 'loved' to work, Loiju.'

"How unexpected, I expected the Guild to send someone… I just didn't expect it to be you…"

'Loiju shrugged in displeasure.'

"Me neither, but someone came to me and said that since I was your advisor, who else is a better fit for this job than me?"

"Though… This title has also greatly troubled me today… Ever since the sun rose, no less than 20 different people came to talk with me, giving me no time at all to think…"

"Though I wonder what's worse, that, or making my way under the hot sun of summer to deliver you this..."

'Silver did feel a bit bad…'

"I imagine you didn't take this without some complaining..."

"Yes, you know me very well."

"I told them to screw off, not the people that came to visit me mind you, but the people that told me to deliver this letter to you… Assholes…"

"And then my superior kicked me outside, saying it was for my own good and that I had been with my head on papers for too long… That I needed some 'fresh air' and sunlight..."

"Humph, I'm perfectly fine."

"..."

"Don't even say it."

/Smirk/

'Silver smirked, tapping on his shoulders.'

"Should we go?"

"Yeah…"

'But Loiju's expression slowly soured.'

"You are aware of what you did… Right?"

"Does that mean people already know?"

'Loiju shook his head.'

"Nope, not at all."

"No matter how many people came to the Guild to try and pry for answers, no one really knew anything, or they weren't willing to share, the same went for me."

"I just figured out this had to do with you considering that… Well… I'm here."

"After all, whenever such a concerning situation happens, the Guild does issue a summoning to most Familias… It's just that in your case, things are a bit different."

A flaming pillar of light in the sky in the middle of the night isn't something anyone would like to see...

Much less being unable to pinpoint the cause of it, the Guild has suffered quite a bit of pressure to try and reveal what they know, whatever little it is.

I wasn't the only one "attacked", but other Guild workers were also harassed somewhat.

The people that know what is going on would certainly not need to ask like that...

"It's mostly an assumption… Take it as intuition…"

Because you always cause trouble everywhere.

And since you didn't refuse...

"Once again… I hope you were aware when you did that."

"Fully… That is why I'm going now as well."

"... Fine, I won't ask much anyway."

/Tugg.../

"Hey… What's this all about?" Hestia asked with a frown

'She had already noticed something was wrong, so she tugged at Silver's shirt while she looked at them.'

'Loiju looked at Silver, and his face turned into one of enlightenment.'

"Of fucking course… Yeah… That seems more like it."

This guy sure likes keeping secrets...

Perhaps it's for the best, Goddess Hestia is a bit too soft...

"W-What does?..." She asked, confused

"Heh, this guy is notorious for causing trouble on his own…"

'But before he could say more, Silver interrupted.'

"Alright, enough."

'He turned to Hestia and said:'

"I'll tell you everything as we go, it's nothing that great."

"Not great you say… Depending on who you ask… That is indeed the case." Loiju said with a sleek smile

'Shaking his head, Loiju focused on the task at hand.'

"Here… It's about everything I needed to give you."

'It was a green envelope with some details on it, including the Guild's seal in the middle.'

'Hestia may not know, but Silver understood what it meant, it was a summoning from the Guild, one of the highest order… Or one of the highest.'

'Though Hestia had much to learn, Silver was there to help as he had already memorized most of these things over the past half year he spent in Orario.'

"An invite from the Guild?"

I never saw that before...

"It's a summoning… That's why we're here." Silver said as he looked at Hestia

It's not like this is something she should know... It's rarely used after all.

Still, I hope she didn't slack in her studies... Though it's not like she lacks time either...

"How did you know that?"

Did he wake me up at 6 and something in the morning knowing all of this?

"Well… I predicted this would happen, had it not, I would've started to doubt the capabilities of the Guild…"

'Letting out a small sigh, Loiju turned around and waved:'

"Anyway, I have a day off, and right now, I'm extremely tired from dealing with those people…"

"So don't come to visit me, I'll just take a nap or…"

'Loiju froze.'

What should I do in my free time?

"Do you even have a hobby apart from sorting out those boring papers?"

"Huh?! I told you that like… Ages ago!"

"You told me you quit gambling and…"

'This time, it was Hestia's turn to interrupt them:'

"Shouldn't we like… Go?"

"..."

"..."

'The two guys looked at each other, one shrugging, the other shaking his head…'

'After waving goodbye to each other, Silver led Hestia to an alley hidden from the sun, and the two vanished without a trace.'

"..."

'But from the shadows not so far away, a person moved quickly.'

…

/In the center of Orario, in the Plaza surrounding Babel…/

'Silver and Hestia walked out of an Alley.'

"It's quite… Full today, isn't it?" Hestia commented as she looked around

There are also many Gods.

I'm having a baaad feeling…

"Tell me really, what did you do?..."

"..."

"Oh no… Sorry, I didn't mean to sound so doubtful…" She said meekly

"No, it's okay."

"Honestly… I did something very irresponsible."

"To summarize..."

"I have no intention of brushing off my responsibilities, but neither do I have the intention of being pushed around either, to become their scapegoat."

"Hestia, regardless of the why, you cannot allow those guys up there to push us around as they wish, there is a line between taking a step back for the sake of admitting and reflecting upon your mistakes, and cowardice."

"..."

"They'll talk as if I had done something terrible and unforgivable, but they themselves forget that not so long ago, such sights were common in the city, at a time when people fought each other and when they did, mayhem spread all around…"

"It's good those times ended, and it's also good that those that stray from the rules are punished, and I admit to that, so I'm here to receive the final verdict…"

"Not without telling them my own side of the story."

"But to be condemned as a criminal… That is something I won't tolerate… Even if it means…"

"Defying those guys up there."

"Silver…"

'She clenched his hands.'

"Don't worry… I believe that… At the end of the day… I conducted myself in a way that wouldn't make people feel disappointed."

"Hm! Now that's a lie."

"Huh?"

"Heh, I would never feel disappointed!"

"..."

You're awfully sweet, aren't you?...

I'm sure you can tell… That I'm still hiding a lot.

Not just this, but many other things as well…

"Let's go, I don't really understand what's going on, but I at least figured out there are some people waiting for us up there!"

And that Silver is at the center of all of this.

"Speed up!" She said as she pulled his hand

'Silver smiled, letting himself be dragged into Babel.'

…

/Ding!/

'With a clear chime, the elevator opened its doors.'

'Silver, Hestia, and a few others left it, making their way across a corridor, leading to a large circular room without any walls, only pillars sustaining it, allowing those within it to watch Orario below.'

'It was, of course, the room where the Danatus happened every 3 months, the highest accessible floor of Babel… To the normal public of course.'

'The only way up was through a series of small stairs on the side, but that was mainly used for maintenance, and given the dust around the door, Silver knew it had been a long time since it had been used.'

'Babel was a marvel of engineering, and it likely didn't require that much maintenance in the first place.'

'He wondered though, what was the view like from the highest point in Orario?...'

'Looking from above, he would be able to see the entire city without the tower blocking it.'

'It would certainly be breathtaking…'

"Everyone's so silent… I don't like this mood." Hestia said as she looked around

Those guys are usually so talkative, what's gotten into them?

'The Gods that had arrived were all sitting on the stone benches, overlooking the newcomers with a mix of gazes.'

'Though, as per normal, some seemed too carefree to even care, chit-chatting without a bother.'

'Gods were very frivolous beings, most of the time...'

'Next to them were their children, as this time around, they were allowed to bring someone.'

'If they wished of course, and surprisingly, most didn't.'

'Tough those that did, didn't spare a single minute without showing off their child's accomplishments…'

'Most of those children, on the other hand, were focused on staying still, as being in the presence of so many Gods releasing their divinity without much constraint wasn't exactly a pleasant experience.'

'One of the reasons why there were so few here in the first place, and those that came were all Level 3 and above.'

"Hm… Oh!"

'After taking a look around, Hestia finally found a good spot.'

'It was a seat right next to a tomboyish red-haired goddess with an eye patch.'

'Next to her were also a few other noticeable individuals, such as another red-haired goddess sitting a bit above, a blue-haired goddess siting calmly on the side, a blond-haired God with a hat… And a few more.'

'And of course… Ganesha.'

"WHY IS EVERYONE SO DOWN?! SING WITH ME!" Ganesha screamed as he got up from his seat

"I AM GANEE…"

"Shut up already!" Someone exclaimed

"SHAAAAAAAAAAA!"

'Despite most of the Gods rolling their eyes at his shameful display as he flexed his muscles, Ganesha did manage to make some of the Gods start talking to each other, and the mood became that much better.'

'Ganesha knew and wanted that of course, he had proven that and time again that he didn't mind becoming the center of ridicule if that meant others could have a better time.'

'And he would do it with a smile, and that was why he was Ganesha, loved by all, hated by almost none.'

"..."

How does his mask stay in place?

Though… Perhaps it works under the same premise as Hestia's blue strings on her dress…

'Silver shook his head, letting Hestia pull him over to her seat.'

…

/Not long after…/

"Heh?! Your ego sure is mountain-size for someone with such a FLAT personality!" Hestia exclaimed as she looked at Loki

"URG! Oh yeah?! Your brain must be as smooth and round as your cow milkers then!"

"Heh, at least I have it." Hestia replied with proud

"That wasn't a compliment!"

/Pressure.../

'Of course, put Hestia and Loki in the same room and things won't end well, especially with an unsupervised Loki…'

'Had any of her Familia members been here, things would've been different… Well, she did bring one girl, but she looked so meek and frail, almost recoiling every time Loki's voice got a bit too loud.'

'She was likely a new Level 3, one that stayed behind to protect the Manor while the others went on the expedition.'

'Hestia's and Loki's displeasure for each other was known far and wide in heaven, but they weren't the only ones known for having bouts with each other.'

'Though the others weren't as meaningful as the great Loki... And the famous "Virgin Goddess"...'

"Hm?"

'Silver obviously ignored Hestia's talk with Loki, merely resting his head on his hands… But he quickly noticed a gaze on him…'

'Or several pairs of gazes… Just like when he arrived.'

'In this place, where Gods were allowed to show themselves a bit more, their gazes would oftentimes carry "weight", allowing others with some superb senses to feel them.'

'Sometimes, he felt that when stared by these Gods, they could see right through his clothes.'

'Turning his head to the side, he saw a blue-haired girl, it was obviously, Artemis, alone as she didn't bring her Captain with her.'

'She was smiling, giving him a cute wave, so he replied in kind, even giving her a small wink, making her brush him off with a small smile of her own.'

'A very different reaction to how she treats others, and it was a testimony to how their relationship slowly advanced.'

'Sometimes, he wished he would make more time for her, but a day only has 24 hours, and if he wishes to see the day tomorrow, he has to use 12 of those hours to hunt continuously.'

"?..."

'Silver felt something prickle his back, but there was no one there.'

'But as he looked around for the source of that strange feeling, his gaze locked with a pair of purple eyes…'

"..."

'It was a certain platinum-haired girl, fondling her hair slowly as she looked at him, next to her was a very tall man with tanned skin and boar ears…'

Freya?...

'The Goddess only looked at him for a small moment, giving him neither interest nor disinterest, she was merely so, in her traditional poker face with a slight smile that wasn't exactly a smile.'

'Though it was only an inkling, he felt that she was upset…'

"Huh?"

'Another gaze, so he turned to the side, seeing a green-haired Goddess smiling at him.'

Oh!

'Someone he hadn't seen for a while, Leto, one of Hestia's friends.'

'She had visited their Familia more than once, but unfortunately, during those times, Silver was in the Dungeon.'

'Next to her was a blue-haired Elf, a bit too embarrassed to look at him, although she did give him a quick nod before gazing back at the center of the room, stopping a few times to launch some flash looks at him.'

'Silver waved at them as well...'

/PSS PSS PSS!/

'It didn't take long for someone else to attract his attention...'

'A girl with a sunny smile and colorful clothes... It was obviously, Kichijoten.'

'She was a bit further away, and if it weren't for the people in between them, she might've already moved next to him...'

'On her side was a man, one he quickly identified to be her captain.'

'Though today was the first time he met him, the man nodded at him with a lot of respect, thanking him for saving one of their lower Leveled members, even if that was long ago, it was something they would never forget.'

'Someone only has one life after all.'

"Humph!" Hestia pouted as she looked at Silver

"Is something wrong?..."

"You sure know a LOT of Gods..."

Mostly girls!

"I... It happened? I know many guys as well..."

"Name 3."

"Miach, Hermes, and Takemikazuchi?" Silver immediately replied

"... I misspelled, name 10!"

"..."

'Silver thought for a while, but he conceded, he didn't really know that many male Gods...'

'So instead, he looked around while whistling, making Hestia frown.'

"Hm?"

'While he did so, he noticed a very buff guy sitting on the benches.'

That must be Hercules...

'Wearing a loose robe showing almost all of his chest, Hercules was a blond God with red eyes and a fierce expression.'

'Though he had the same aura as Ganesha, a guy that despite looking scary, was actually a very nice person.'

"Again?"

I feel like I'm in a zoo with so many people looking at me...

'But his thoughts would be cut short by yet another glare, this time, it was a fiery one, and it wasn't one of passion.'

'So he yet again turned, and there he saw it, another tanned skin person, a girl, wearing some very provocative clothes, makeup, and many accessories, sitting with her legs crossed, like a queen.'

'Yet, her expression was very unladylike, as it seemed she was about to burst a vein from staring.'

'If looks could kill, Silver believed her blow would be as impactful as the Goliath's…'

'Nevertheless, to her expression, Silver merely turned his face to the side, ignoring any further interactions.'

'Mocking her or showing anything would be childish, and it would devalue the importance of his choices… It's as they say, don't go down to their level.'

'And this, of course, made her that more pissed!'

"..."

'Her children of choice was obviously Tammuz, her Captain, as Phryne was a bit… Too unsightly to be brought here.'

'She even feared if she would fit in the damn elevator, or worse, some of these sly tongue Gods might end up insulting Prhyne on purpose, just to see her reaction.'

'And the last thing she wanted was to make an already angry toad that more uncontrollable…'

...

'In the end, they all returned to their own activities, minding their own business as they waited for the start of this meeting…'

'It was yet another Denatus brought forward…'

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