5 The Divine Council

Gods...

Goddesses...

The entities that transcended the very realms of mortal understanding. The beings whose home resides in the Seven Heaven's that watches over all of creation. They were the ultimate beings. The

greatest existences to have ever been conceived. They were the almighty ones, people who had no equal in terms of sheer raw power. They were the divine beings who no one dared to oppose for in

fear of their wrathful fury that could destroy the earth itself.

It was they, the pantheon of the divine, who watched over their children from the Heaven's and yet in a decision made many centuries ago it was decided that they would live amongst their own

creations. To see, to experience, to live life just like their own subjects. To wipe away their own boredom they came down from the Heaven's to live on the Lower World, the Earth. Locking away

their godly power by ancient law so they could live life through the body and eyes of their own children.

However the Gods and Goddesses had no equal among the realm of mortals, even with their power locked away every mortal understood on some primal understanding that as restricted as they

were a deity was every bit as dangerous without their powers. It came down to terms of how much they knew, their wisdom made a mortals pale in comparison, their experiences drawn upon their

immortal unchanging life's dwarfed the meager lifespans of their creations. They knew more than anyone else, that was a solid unbreakable fact, and no one in their right mind would challenge a

deities wisdom.

The Gods and Goddesses were, even with their power locked away, were still as dangerous as they were with it. They were the ones who ruled over the Kingdom's of Mortal's, manipulated the races

behind the shadows or through political warfare. Under their leadership, it was unanimously true that every city, every kingdom, every race would flourish under their guiding hand. And their

children worshiped them all the same because of this, even when they restricted themselves to be at bare bones mortal, average in almost every sense. Their children worshiped them for all they

have given them.

Gods and Goddesses held no ranking when it was among their children, for they were always at the top, power or no.

…..Yet the same could not be said when it was amongst themselves. When it was among them, every God and Goddess held a ranking among their own kind. Among the Seven Heaven's every God

or Goddess was ranked in terms of a few qualities that made them what they were. These rankings are what separated every deity into a different level of what kind of God or Goddess they were.

Power, Wisdom, Experience, Strength, Agility, Reflexes, Endurance, Stamina. Such things were what most would think to be what tested the mettle of every deity. However, in terms of the deity's

ranking it was different from a mortals understanding because it all came down to one singular aspect of what made them low or high in the ranks of their own kind.

Influence...

Power, Strength, Wisdom and Experience would only get a God or Goddess so far. But it was the influence that was the key aspect that determined a deities level of status amongst their own kind.

What specific qualities they had to themselves was only an a minor aspect to their overall rank. Influence was given upon them by their own children that worshiped that specific deity, by those that

knew of them or those that practiced in their specific governing ruling body. With influence, it is what separated the Chief Deities from the Major and Minor Gods and Goddesses.

And when the decision to come down to the Lower World was made, the formation of the Divine Council was formed. It was the ruling body of every Chief Deity and Major God or Goddess that ruled

over the Heavens. It was a means to govern over the matter's pertaining to the status quo of the earth and it's overall inhabitants. To keep the balance over the earth, it was to settle any and all

disputes, problems or other matters that threatened to break the balance of the earth.

It was held every 5 year's to accumulate all that would happen in those year's and deal with any problems that would arise in that time span. And when a Deity was told to come to the Council, no

matter what you were doing, who you were, you were obliged to come. If not then you were risking yourself to be at the mercy of the one who called for the Council in the first place. A deity would

be branded with a sealing designate that would permit other Gods and Goddesses the specific removal over their sealed powers for a limited time so they could hunt down their fellow deity and drag

him or her back to the Council for the consequences.

No one was allowed to ignore the meeting, and if one should do so then they would face the consequences.

Except...for one...

Hestia, the Goddess of the Hearth and Family. The Divine Council held little meaning to her and even if she hadn't come, no one would have come after her for the simple fact of what she was.

Despite her rather young appearance, Hestia's status as a Goddess among the Heaven's went unquestioned by even the most arrogant and ignorant deities. Though her name was unknown to most

and was looked over by the majority of her kind, there was the simple fact that you do not cross Hestia.

She was the eldest of the first generation of the Olympian Gods, the Middle-Western pantheon of Greek deities. She was the firstborn of the mythological Titans Rhea and Cronus which by age, she

was one of the oldest living deities to ever exist in the Seven Heavens. Only a few could be counted on her hands that surpassed her in age and those that did were either long dead or were apart of

a different pantheon.

But that is not what made her such a dangerous existence, it had nothing to do with her age, her wisdom or her experience. There was a reason why she alone could bypass the laws set forth by the

Divine Council's formation. There was a reason why she was left alone by others in Orario.

It was because of fear, plain and simple.

Hestia was known by most to be a pacifist, she held a non-confrontational attitude towards just about anyone. It was why she passed on leadership of the Olympian Gods to her younger brother

Zeus. Because she held no desire nor any wish to confront anyone just on the basis of something as trivial as who was right or who was wrong, who was stronger and who was weaker. It held no

meaning to her, it was trivial and meaningless to her.

That is...until recently when she had shown an interest for the first time in millennium, it was for the first person who became her familia dependent. It was become of him, that she started to

attend these Council meetings, it wasn't out of any other reason then for him and him alone. Though she cared for the children of the lower world, all of her attention was on the man who grew up

into who he was today, the one who changed her from who she once was. It was for no other reason that she started to attend these meetings.

It was all because of the man she loved. Her soul, her body, her heart was his as he was to her. Bell Ōtsutsuki was the man for whom she would give up her own innocence for, her chastity that

she's held onto for so long. It was because of Bell that she attended this because.

It was to protect him...

Hestia's blue eyes seemed to glow with an unnatural azure as she walked inside the Council Chambers with a natural grace that was both otherworldly and yet divine in every aspect. Every breath

she made was even, every move was balanced, her pose was graceful, but beyond that lithe frame that appeared to be a young woman spoke of something else entirely. Beyond that seemingly

young body, was the soul of Hestia, the firstborn of ancient titans Rhea and Cronus.

For the man she loved, Hestia was willing to toss aside her passive nature and make her fellow deities remember why she was so feared.

'Hopefully, I can keep myself docile long enough, it wouldn't do for me to lash out...yet.' inwardly her eyes narrowed at the notion. The last time she attended this meeting she had nearly unveiled

information on Bell in her anger towards her fellow deities. This time around she was going to have to keep her temper in check. Bell decided to keep his identity a secret to protect those he cared

for and while she still opposed it, she still supported him because in some manner he was correct.

Her fellow deities, contrary to what they would say, were incredibly paranoid and cautious of Bell's other persona. Because of his extremely fast rise to power and his deeds in the Labyrinth beneath

Orario becoming so well known they were doing everything in their power to find him. Meaning they would use any method to get to him, by getting him or using other methods agaisnt those that

were associated with him.

Luckily, no one had been found being in contact with Diablo besides the Guild Master, Ouranos himself. And no one was going to anger that particular celestial disaster.

That was a death sentence in of itself...

Overall, it was Bell's choice to do this, and as the Goddess whom he had sworn himself too she would honor that conviction of his and do all she could to protect him. And if that meant unleashing

her power upon the Heaven's once again and bathe the Universe in celestial fire then so be it.

Inwardly Hestia sighed at what was about to come but outwardly she showed no emotion as she finally took her seat amongst the Council Chambers. At that moment she cast her gaze amongst the

room, surveying it for all those that were present.

The Council Chambers was built with a dome like shape with 8 columns built around the outer edge. Inside there was 2 circular rows that went around the inner chamber which was connected to a

door for those that were called into question before the Gods and Goddesses. The first row had a total of 3 seats meant for the 3 Chief Deities that ruled over the Earth. And on the second row was a

total of 6 other seats with two for each below the Chief Deity seat. These were for the Major Gods aligned with that specific pantheon.

And Hestia ignored all the stares she received as she took the Chief Deity seat for the Olympian Pantheon. She leaned back slightly, matching all the stares she received with a cool gaze that was

unnerving to see on the normal exuberant Goddess. For a moment she took the time to look down to see who was with her to represent the Greek Gods and Goddesses and she was not surprised to

meet the gaze of her old friend Hephaestus, the Goddess of the Divine Smithing.

Hephaestus was a beautiful woman in her own regard. She has crimson eyes, not as dark as Bell's own, and long red hair that fell down to her waist that was tied in a simple messy ponytail. She

had a rather sharp face and a slender body with an eyepatch over her right eye. She wore black boots with skin tight black pants with a brown leather belt. Upwards she wore a white long sleeved

button up shirt with a few buttons left open revealing a fair amount of her generous cleavage. However the sleeves were tucked into elbow length black gloves.

Hestia felt a small amount of relief when the woman offered her a small unnoticeable smile, Hephaestus was one of the very few true friends that she could count on. She was the one who Hestia

could look to for advice and vice versa. Out of most of the Olympian deities, Hestia could confidently say she held Hephaestus in the highest regard, more so then most of her siblings.

Of course Hephaestus knew nothing of Bell's double life, but she treated Bell well enough though she did treat Diablo, to her slight annoyance, with a rather fangirlish attitude. The reason? Because

of the item's he's brought in from the unexplored floors of the labyrinth have nearly all went to Hephaestus and her smithing familia. The materials of a few were some she had never worked with

and the most recent had been the Horn ripped off the corpse of an Elder Ember Dragon, a creature that hadn't been seen since the early mythological age.

So yes, to Hestia's annoyance, Hephaestus had a small fangirl quirk when it came to Bell's other persona. The very same whose name became such a hot topic amongst the deities for the past few

years. Still she liked Hephaestus for who she was and for being such a loyal friend for all these years.

But the same could not be said for the person sitting beside Hephaestus, the other deity that was representing with Hestia for the Olympians. Hestia's right eye twitched when she looked down to

see the brown gaze of the one God she absolutely despised.

''As beautiful as ever, Hestia...'' the comment made her want to, for just a moment, allow her eyes to burn a hole through the Gods head. Instead she merely frowned at the God who in turn just

smiled playfully at her annoyance.

It was Apollo, The God of Light and Music, the one God among others who frequently flirted with her among the Heavens before they came down to the lower world. He was a God who was as

persistent as he was annoying and would stop at nothing to get what he wanted. And on more then one occasion she's had to beat it into him to leave her alone. Apollo was a beautiful man by

physical appearance. He had wavy blonde hair and brown eyes that twinkled with mirth. He wore an attire of royal clothes befitting his stature as a God and not a resident of the Earth. Like many

male Gods he liked to flaunt his divine status even amongst the earth. While not as arrogant as Ares, he was still in Hestia's words an arrogant bastard.

'Though I would be more afraid if Bell ever met with Apollo, that would be something I'd rather not happen. Who knows what he'd do if he knew what Apollo's tried to do to me in the past.' she

thought whimsically, yet inwardly a smile came to her face. Though she didn't want to even think about such a thing ever coming to pass, it was still comforting to know that without a doubt, Bell

would fight and kill even a God for her.

The thought filled her with a warmth that eased her state, if only slightly.

Ignoring Apollo, Hestia cast her gaze forward to the others that came, looking to her right she saw the deities that represented the Norse Pantheon and the deities that ruled the northern lands.

Unlike most pantheons, the Norse Gods and Goddesses were alike with the Olympians in terms of protecting their creations and directly intervening when a threat came upon them. They were

adventurous and were attuned to having fun, even at the expense of causing trouble for others.

The Chief deity was none other then the one eyed Odin with both Huginn and Muninn ravens sitting quietly over his shoulders. Odin had the appearance of a very old man with long gray hair with a

few bangs parting way for his light blue right eye with his left covered by an eyepatch. He also had, in Hestia's humble opinion, the longest beard imaginable. Seriously, the thing felt down to his

feet! However, contrary to his warrior-like pantheon, he wore robes consisting of white and blue with gold trimmings. He wore simple white shoe slippers and a wooden cane laid across his lap While

atop his head he wore what seemed like a crown with golden trimmings with blue sapphires embedded into the crown.

Overall, Odin appeared to be in almost every sense of the word unassuming. However he was not the God of Battle and Death for no reason. He was the father of many Gods, the most eye catching

being Thor and Baldr, and with his power she had seen firsthand what he could really do.

Then Hestia looked at the deities below him and to her surprise the first person she saw was another one of her friends though maybe not as close as she was to Hephaestus. Who she saw was a

beautiful woman with long silky light silver hair with a complexion that was as white as snow. Her eyes were of the most deep royal purple she had ever seen and they seemed to spark with an inner

light, as if she knew something others did not. She had a slim yet curvy figure that did in fact bring men to their knee's and fall every time they laid eyes on her. She wore a cloak of black and red

raven feathers that did little to accentuate her robust bosom, wide hips and long legs.

Hestia caught the gaze of the woman who merely smiled and offered a small wave to which she only offered in kind. The woman was in fact Freya, the Goddess of Beauty, Love and War and was

quite possibly Hestia's greatest enemy. Not out of spite, but out of caution because of one simple fact.

Freya was a charmer of men, there was no denying of that fact however she never laid with one as of yet as her charms were too overpowering and caused those that fell under her sway to dream.

Her beauty was both a blessing and a curse as any men that looked upon her would not be able to truly look beyond that beauty to see the woman that Freya was. And for that she's been unable to

find the man that could be her equal, to see beyond her divine beauty that she was born with and see her for who she was.

Which was why Hestia was so cautious of her, Freya was always on the prowl which was why she protected Bell by having Ouranos throw an illusionary spell over him years ago.

It was to protect him from Freya.

She was already having to share Bell with those he called friends, there was no way she was going to give him up to anyone else!

Then her blue gaze fell on the other deity and it was none other then the hammer-wielding God himself, Thor. In stark contrast to his fellow deities, Thor gave off a very strong presence. It was thick

with power and strength which only added to his overall appearance. Thor was a giant of a man, easily standing 7,0 with a body that was all muscle. He wore a suit of armor that was mainly silver

with a long red cape, while strapped to his left hip was the legendary hammer Mjölnir. Thor had long gold hair that fell around his shoulders and deep blue eyes that glowed with a fierce almost

brutal light. He had a strong angular face and a slight stubble that seemed to only broaden his overall rough appearance.

In her limited experience, Thor was a deity of immense strength. He was the God of Thunder and the first one to jump into danger if it meant to protect their children on earth. This was the first

time she'd seen Thor as he was always usually off fighting or protecting the earth from threats all over the galaxy.

'Still stories don't do him justice, that's a strong presence he's got.' Hestia thought to herself, while not even affected by it she did give the young God some points for being a deity she could

respect to a degree.

Then finally she turned her gaze to the left and what she saw to her slight surprise was the three deities that would represent the Shinto pantheon and those that ruled the eastern lands. The Shinto

Gods and Goddesses were for the most part a mysterious bunch even amongst their own kind. They were of the opinion to leave mortals to their own machinations and let them live and grow how

they wished. So it was a surprise to many that they chose to come down to the earth with the other two pantheons so long ago.

The Chief Deity was an even bigger surprise, it was the estranged Great God Izanagi himself. The forefather of the Shinto Gods who along with his long dead wife and sister Izanami birthed the first

generation of the Shinto deities. Izanagi was from what she could remember a deity who held a tense friendship with her younger brother Zeus and Odin. Yet he was always unwilling to have

anything to do with their creations in the lower world. Which was why it came to the surprise of many that he decided to bring himself and his pantheon to the earth when the suggestion was

offered.

Izanagi was a man with black as night hair that fell down to his neck along with a beard and mustache. He was adorned in a simple black kimono with a rather simplistic design consisting of a sun

coming over the horizon on the back. His eyes were as black as the empty vacuum of space and just as cold as well. In appearance he seemed very much unassuming like Odin himself, but that

couldn't be any farther from the truth.

Then there was the two deities below him and the first one was yet another surprise. It was a absolutely gorgeous woman with long flowing hair that was as white as the moon. Her round innocent

blue orbs held a deep spark of mirth even in the tense atmosphere and the small smile on her face only showed how much she cared about what was happening. The woman was dressed in a moon

white yukata with red flower petal designs running down the side of it. Embroidered on the back however was the design of a lake with the full moon breaking over the calm water.

This woman was none other then Inari Ōkami , the Goddess of Foxes and Sake, and was also the creator of the Runarl race. A race of human/fox hybrids that carried her mark from the moment

they were born. Inari was a principal Goddess among the Shinto pantheon who was very well known for her pranks when excited, some could be harmless and some were just nasty as all Gods and

Goddesses could attest to that among the Seven Heavens.

'She's as beautiful as ever, but don't think I've forgotten your pranks yet, Inari-san.' Hestia thought amused glint in her equally azure blue eyes.

And finally her eyes fell upon the last deity in the chamber, and it was probably the biggest surprise of them all. If Thor was a giant of a man, then the man she was looking at now dwarfed him by 3

feet. It was a titan of a man who seemed to be at the height of 10 foot equally. He wore a simple red kimono with no footwear whatsoever. He had hair that was dark crimson that spiked in the back

with sharp eyes and a angular jawline. His physique was a body built for both speed and power. His eyes however were different from most others as it was a shade of gold with flecks of red and

green intermixed while sharp slits for pupils stared at them all with a cold impassive gaze.

Contrary to Thor's presence of savage power and brutal strength, this mans presence was a cold, balanced and neutral one, the presence was so cold it could have even froze the sun itself in it's

intensity.

Which made him all the more dangerous then Thor in that regard.

'Well this is rare...if he's here then that must definitely mean something big is going to happen here.' Hestia thought with an inward frown. Of course it was to be expected as she was looking upon

the ever mysterious deity who kept only to himself and his own race. It was Bahamut, The God of the Dragons and Command-in-Chief of the Heavenly Armada's Draconic Division upon the Heavens.

However he was in his human form, but the fact Bahamut was here meant only one thing to Hestia and that was the fact that this meeting was much more serious then the last one.

Not that it helped that this meeting was 2 years early and was being held for an emergency.

''Now that we are all here, I believe it is time we get this meeting underway.'' spoke Izanagi bringing the attention of all the deities in the room to him.

'Well at least I know who called for this meeting now.' Hestia thought to herself as she watched the Shinto Great God stand up to address their attention.

''Now, I know you all may be wondering why this meeting has been called and so early from the normal 5 year cycle, but matters concerning the balance over the earth and it's inhabitants has taken

much more importance as of late. Many of these matters have yet to be solved over the year's and some more recently have arisen to be a troubling factor as of late.'' he said causing many to

either frown or show no emotion whatsoever.

However Hestia's eyes narrowed at the small subtle heat in Izanagi's words.

''And where might we begin on these matters then? Not much has happened in the years to warrant a meeting this early, well besides the obvious of course.'' Odin spoke while a mirthful smile

played across his face. His words however had the impact to cause the atmosphere to become even more tense.

Izanagi spoke again, unheeded by Odin's words. ''For one, the earth overall may be in a relative sense of peace besides the normal unsavory acts of criminal behavior and unwarranted savagery by

many around the globe, but by the majority it's human expansion threatening the other races. Something we'll have to fix so their won't be racial tensions among the earth.'' he said causing some

to nod, one being Inari who agreed with Izanagi at that.

Mankind was a highly populating race, more so then others and were always expanding to gather resources for their own. This threatened the borders of the other races cities, villages and

Kingdoms. Which sparked tensions and battles to arise and to avoid a war it was needed that mankind either cut down on their territorial expansion or face the consequences.

''True enough and it doesn't help that one particular country Rakia is causing more problems around the world.'' Hephaestus spoke to which Thor gave a undignified snort.

''Rakia? That nation-type familia Ares controls? What concern are they? I'm more inclined to wonder why that familia and Ares haven't been crushed and properly dealt with by now. Have you softies

in Orario been letting them roam free?'' Thor grunted in challenge to which Hestia eyes narrowed at the God of Thunder. His provocation, while unwarranted, was mostly correct in a regard.

Rakia, a nation-type familia that once counted of over 60,000 familia dependents. It's country lay across the border of Orario's territory and was built with a castle-like city with an even bigger castle

to house the familia's Generals, King and their God, Ares. It was a familia that worshiped the God of War, Ares who loved to start wars and skirmishes. To fight, control and dominate other countries

in the past. And at one point they had the power too, that is until they burned down several elf forests and angered the spirits of the world.

And the spirits came back with a vengeance and destroyed their main power structure, the ones who created the familia's most powerful weapons that to this day are still counted to be one of the

most dangerous. The spirits cursed the Crozzo clan, a family of blacksmiths that were hired under the Rakia to forge for them magical weapons of massive power and destruction. The spirits

destroyed the weapons and cursed the family from ever making them ever again.

From that point on Rakia lost their main fighting power and had been reporting on losing more then winning their War campaigns. Which struck true as they tried on more then one occasion to try

and invade Orario which ultimately ended up in failure every single time. However every time they lost, they never received a true punishment and merely a slap on the wrist.

Well that is before Hestia took the seat of the Chief Deity among the Olympian Gods, the one before her was her younger sister Hera, the wife of her younger brother Zeus and the mother of Ares

himself. In all honesty, while Hera may be her sister, Hestia could only think of her as a bitch because of her attitude when it came to mortals. She would stop at nothing when it came to mortals

that crossed her or did something that offended her.

So it was no surprise that Hera was reluctant to give up her seat as chief deity to Hestia, but seeing as Zeus was nowhere to be found and the fact that Hestia had seniority over her by a long

stretch. She wasn't about to truly annoy Hestia and gave up her position in search of Zeus.

And while Hera merely gave very light punishments to her son and his familia as Chief Deity, Hestia was not going to be so inclined to be as forgiving to her baby nephew.

''Trust me when I say this Thor.'' Hestia spoke for the first time bringing attention to herself in the process, but her unusually sharp blue eyes stared back into Thor's own. Her soft, but cold voice

carried a hint of warning that put everyone their on edge. Know it or not, when pushed, Hestia would push back.

''While Hera allowed Ares to go about his deeds with a slap on the wrist, I do not intend to let him do as he pleases anymore. That goes for any deity under my pantheon. Such actions are the ones

of a fool and as such he will be treated as the fool he is regardless of who he may be. If he attacks again, he and his familia will not escape unscathed, they will be destroyed.'' she said coldly, as if

saying she would kill her own nephew wasn't even a big deal to her.

And it wasn't, contrary to popular belief, Hestia absolutely loathed Ares from the deepest depths of her soul, while she could hate Apollo, Hera and any other just like anyone else. Ares was someone

she just despised on principal alone. Ares was the God of War, he was a savage, muscle-bound man that held a thirst for nothing, but bloodshed, violence and overall chaos. Because of him families

were torn apart, men were slaughtered, women no matter the age young or old were raped and defiled by Ares and his familia and children were either stomped out or forcefully recruited into his

army.

If for any other reason then that alone Hestia would gladly unleash her power and completely eradicate him from existence, body and soul. It was an existence that she would be glad to be rid of

from both the lower world and the Seven Heavens. Ares was a mistake and she would rectify that mistake that her brother and sister conceived. To her, Ares was no family of her's and she would be

glad to end him so he and his familia could no longer cause any more pain.

But it didn't end their, that wouldn't be the only reason she herself would kill Ares, there was also the fact that if he and his familia did attack Orario it would also run the risk of exposing Bell to the

world.

And that was a confrontation she wanted the avoid the most of all, she knew Ares and she knew Bell and if both persons met, it would spell only one thing.

Destruction would undoubtedly ensue...

It would be the equivalent of a natural disaster...

For a moment the chambers were deathly silent that is before Thor finally averted his gaze, unable to keep meeting Hestia's own powerful blue orbs any longer. ''Well spoken...'' his comment was

reluctant, but Hestia took it in stride regardless.

''Pretty words Hestia, but actions are more powerful then words and from the reports it'll take more then your word alone.'' Izanagi spoke causing her to glance at him as if asking him what he

meant.

''I am inclined to agree, over the year's since his last attempt Ares has been gathering his forces and invading smaller countries and forcefully taking in anyone able to pick up a sword and pillaging

the rest. His actions have only gotten more savage as of late and that says a lot for a man like him. Thus his numbers have swelled from the previous 60,000 to an estimate over 500,000 and

counting.'' Odin said, frowning at his own words which had the impact to cause the entire chamber to go silent.

It could have been a graveyard from how silent the chamber became at that point, the shock was evident in everyone's face even for Freya and Bahamut's whose eyes widened marginally.

''...Has he gone mad?!'' thankfully, it was Hephaestus exclaimed the general thoughts running through the minds of a few. However, Hestia remained stone faced even with this new bit of

information thrown at her.

''Oh please, Hephaestus we all knew Ares was a little messed in the head. I guess all these defeats has finally pushed him over the edge and is trying to start a war with all of us.'' Apollo said with a

shrug, but from the small amount of surprise in his face it was evident that even if he was a bit taken off guard by this.

''And that's not all there is to it...'' Izanagi said getting everyone's attention, there was more?

''What could be worse then Ares more then tripling his forces, Izanagi?'' Thor spoke causing the God to close his eyes as his expression morphed into a scowl.

''Lately, I've had Inari's foxes scouting his country and his war campaigns and it's come our attention that Ares has come into possession of a certain type of energy source. Inari can explain in more

detail, if you please?'' he asked glancing at the Goddess who for once had a stony expression upon her face.

''Very well, from what my foxes have seen, the power Ares has somehow obtained is a mysterious source of energy the likes of which I have never seen before in my long life. However unlike the

energy of nature that some of us are used to, this energy is...foul in every sense of the word. It's pure corruption in liquid form and he's been using it as a means to enhance his soldier's combat

ability through excruciating methods. The presence of it alone nearly killed my foxes, but it was stated the sheer amount of power jump given by this power is the equivalent of 10x times normal

power for one dose alone.'' she said making every deity in the chambers eyes grow wide.

The sheer implications of what was just told to them...

''And what is this power? Is it a substance? How does it affect those affiliated by Ares and his grace?'' Hephaestus bombarded Inari with question after question that is until the woman rose her hand

up.

''I am not entirely sure, Hephaestus-san, but from what I was able to understand the power Ares has obtained is a liquid that he injects into his soldiers, commanders and generals. I suspect it does

affect the grace and falna he bestowed upon his familia that can fight, but that's not the worst of it.'' her eyes suddenly glazed over, as if she was haunted by something.

But a comforting hand from Izanagi on her shoulder ease away her small episode of fear to which she continued with a noticeable tremor in her voice. ''However...the liquid has a side effect that

Ares has been taking full control over and that is...those injected with the liquid over time begins to fall into a state of degradation. They slowly begin to lose their minds, sanity and common sense

are lost to them and friend or foe mean nothing to them. Then their body begins to break down and transform into...something else. It's a painful process, but in the end every single one of those

that have been injected with this liquid have become...abominations...monsters in every sense of the word. Yet they still obey Ares command which only makes them far more terrifying then they

would be without his command.''

….

….

Silence...

That's all that could describe the chambers at that point...

''I-I see, so Ares intends to lead an army of over 500,000 super enhanced human/monster...things against the world? He's officially lost his mind!'' Apollo exclaimed loudly.

''Indeed, it is a troubling thought.'' Odin thought so as well with a grimace on his expression.

The thought alone that Ares was amassing such a force was surprising, but hardly enough to warrant them all to act besides crushing him when he attacked. However the fact he garnered a

mysterious substance behind their backs and has been utilizing it by forcing it upon his familia to turn them into enhance human/monster hybrids was something altogether. That coupled with the

fact that he was actually playing smart and forcing smaller countries to bend to his will and join his force and pillage the rest that rebelled only added to the overall problem.

However...

''What of it?''

Bu-bump!

Then that shock that was building up over the course of the discussion was completely absolved and was replaced with a sense of something else, something stronger then simple shock and

apprehension. It was something far more instinctive, a primal thing every deity felt within their very souls.

It was terror...

It was a pulse, almost nonexistent in every sense of the word yet the pulse was felt by every single deity in that chamber. Released by the will of one who would not hesitate to unleash it on just a

whim. The words spoken by the entity that unleashed the bone chilling, blood curdling pulse of sheer raw intent, was none other then Hestia for whom their eyes were drawn too.

However, her face was devoid of any emotion whatsoever, her eyes were colder then void of space and seemed soulless in every sense. Any sense of light was gone and all that was left was a deep

chilling dread that went down the spines of everyone in the room. Her posture was casual, almost uncaring of the events happening, but her eyes spoke of something else altogether.

The deities shifted in their seats uncomfortably, Bahamut finally took notice as he narrowed his eyes and even Thor straightened up in his seat.

''Ares can amount whatever forces or power he likes, but in the end should he come and try to attack Orario or any major territories of any other pantheon. I will personally see to it that he suffers

for it. Ares will die and so too will his familia should they even make an attempt. You have my word as the last direct blood primordial descendant, that I will personally rip out Ares heart and crush

his familia with my own two hands.'' she said spoke with the most seriousness that could be mustered from her soul. It wasn't out of duty she would do this, but on sheer principal and to, above all

else, make sure Bell and Ares never came in contact with one another.

And by swearing on her rather particular bloodline would cement this, their was a reason why Hestia was so well regarded and so feared among the Seven Heavens. And that was because she was

the firstborn of the Titans Rheas and Cronus and when she was eaten by her father first, she inherited the blood of the ancient race of the Primordials. The race of the true Gods, the true almighty

entities that lorded over all of creation. Cronus was the youngest son of the primordial Gaia and by extension that made Hestia a primordial direct descendant.

And she knew exactly how to utilize her power, which was also why she was a pacifist by nature just because the power alone was just too strong to completely control.

Her declaration silenced the other deities for the longest moment, that is before Bahamut finally broke the ice.

''If you can make such a bold declaration to swear on your own primordial blood then I don't see why we can't trust this matter to you. However keep in mind Hestia, you will have my support for

when the time comes, me and the armada will be ready should the time come.'' Bahamut said with a respectful nod to which Hestia returned with a slight small.

''Thank you very much, Bahamut.'' said Dragon in disguise merely nodded.

''Very well, we'll leave you to deal with Ares if he attacks again and with Bahamut's help in addition to the armada being granted you should have no problem. You will have temporary permission to

unleash your power, so do it how you see fit Hestia.'' Izanagi stated with agreements coming from most of them.

''Well then, now with that settled I believe it's time we got to the last matter at hand. I believe the time has come to deal with our mysterious adventurer at large, Diablo.'' spoke Izanagi once more.

Once he said that name, the tense atmosphere that was going down suddenly shot up at an all time high. If the uncomfortable atmosphere from Hestia's earlier declaration was striking, then the air

in the chambers just now went beyond that in terms of how uneasy it became.

Hestia's eyes imperceptibly narrowed by the smallest amount at Izanagi's words, her right eye twitched as she watched all the deities pay ever close to attention this time around. No one was stupid

enough to ignore something as important as this. Every sat up ram rod straight and all their eyes were glued on Izanagi, ready to discuss about the subject that's been looming over them for so

long.

'And so it has come to this...' thought Hestia as she watched the meeting begin on the last and the cause for which the meeting has become so erratic as of late.

''Ah~ Yes...Diablo...How could we forget such an important matter, from what I know he's been making all sorts of ruckus as of late.'' Apollo stated with a wave of his hand. To which Hephaestus

gave a small nod though her cheeks were a tad pink at the most recent event of what the esteemed adventurer had done. She had put a notice up strictly for him, not as a Goddesses but as a

customer that wanted a specific rare item. At first she didn't really think he'd accept anything from a Goddesses, but lo and behold he did and completed it.

Granting her with a legendary material beyond the rank of SSS, an Elder Dragon's horn alone was worth more then most of what the city of Orario could must up in a years time. But the worth of it

to one who could use it as a base for crafting weapons and armor made it more valuable then an entire country. The fact the estranged adventurer had not only taken it up and completed it for a

Goddess only added to the overall mystery.

Who was Diablo?

Thor on the other hand merely gave a grunt to his fellow deities. ''So it's come to him again? I swear he's proven to be far more elusive then any other I've ever seen. It's been 6 year's since he

appeared and ever since then he's been making quakes all over the world with his deeds in the labyrinth. If he wasn't such a troubling element I'd like to fight the man myself.'' Thor commented, let

it be known. Thor was a God of Strength, born and raised among a pantheon of warrior's and trained the warrior people of Asgard. As such he respected strength above all else and Diablo has

proven to have strength in spades.

He understood the danger Diablo possessed, but he also respected the man for his strength and would like nothing more then to fight him himself.

''Be that as it may, Diablo is a danger to everyone around him and to the world. Through his actions, through his very existence he threatens to destabilize the very world.'' Izanagi stated to which

Hestia twitched again though she held back the scowl that oh so wanted to appear on her face. Damn what anyone else said, Izanagi was speaking as if Bell was an actual danger.

And that rightfully pissed her off!

''I'm not so sure Izanagi, the man has yet to do anything to smite us directly and has only been delving into the labyrinth for most of his career. Sure, his sudden rise to the world was a surprise to

us all and his power is an even bigger unknown, but has he really done anything to warrant our hand?'' Odin questioned his fellow chief deity to whom let a small sigh.

''It's not that I don't understand where you're coming from Odin, but the fact of the matter is we know next to nothing about Diablo. His power is a mystery to us, how strong is he to be able to

travel into the labyrinth on his own and come out victorious every time? No mortal on this earth has that amount of power nor should they have such power! We know nothing about him, his

existence is a mystery to us, every time I hear about him I think is he a flight risk? Will he explode at some power and lash out? Will the power go to his head and suddenly flip the world upside

down? Why do you think we gave him that alias 6 year's ago? He is walking catastrophe waiting to happen!'' unusual to his normally stoic character, Izanagi exclaimed his frustrations for the other

deities to hear.

A sigh was heard and the God turned to see Freya was seen rubbing her temples just before she gave him a cool stare that could have froze even the blackest of souls. For the first time since the

meeting began, Freya relayed her own opinion on the matter.

''You named him Diablo because of the kind of threat he supposedly represented? You actually think Diablo-san has any sort of threat significance to that monster don't you?'' in a rare display of

anger Freya spat back against Izanagi that surprised them all, Hestia included.

The Goddess looked toward her friend with a suspicious look and yet Hestia could find no ulterior motive then to simply defend Diablo, and by extension Bell. It was surprising to say the least and a

bit...comforting that she wasn't alone this.

The monster of which they spoke of though was a troubling aspect in of itself as it was the very being that scorned the Seven Heavens themselves. For at the early age of creation, this monster in

particular was the archenemy of the Gods themselves. The entity was a creature of such evil that not even the most holy of the Heavens could withstand it's corruption. It was the antithesis of the

deities in every sense of the word. It's power was beyond them, it's sheer essence was like it came from the void itself.

It was a creature of hell, the epitome of what it meant to be a monster, it was the original entity that which felled the Gods and brought down chaos among the universe...it was...

The Devil...

Inari spoke up though just as Izanagi was able to retort. ''I see where you're coming from Freya and I agree it is a bit outlandish to think he would represent that thing, but you can't ignore the

threat he represents. We know nothing about his power and worse still he's been able to hide from all the Gods and Goddesses in Orario for 6 years. Not only that he has been delving into the

labyrinth on his own, he is the singular existence on earth that knows more about the labyrinth then anyone else. And the more he delves into it the closer he comes to learning the truth of what lay

inside.'' Inari explained.

This caused many to shift uncomfortably once they realized that fact, while Hestia and to her growing surprise Freya frowned in response.

The truth was, the labyrinth was more then a simple dungeon that lay beneath the city of Orario. The labyrinth itself was very much alive as in ancient times before mankind came to fruition and

before the birth of the many other Gods and Goddesses. The labyrinth was in fact a monster in of itself, a monstrous entity of unparalleled power. It was a creature of such size that only a planet

could house it's body which was why, in the stories, the last of the Primordials defeated it in battle and cast the entity into the core of Gaia who sealed the creature within her body.

And to keep watch over it, the Seven Heavens established a direct eye over the spot and over time the city of Orario was built over the spot to keep watch over the spot. And over time that entity

become known as simply, the labyrinth.

However since then, people have become brave or foolish to travel into the entrance of the labyrinth. To feed upon their desires for fame, glory, wealth and power and began to venture forth into the

dungeon where all sorts of spawns birthed from the entity. At the beginning the Gods and Goddesses among the Heavens didn't seem to care as mortals at the time never had the power to go too

deep. However, over time their children began to grow strong and develop more destructive methods to fight and since then a decision was made.

That decision was to come down from the Heavens with the original purpose to keep a tight watch on their children so they didn't go too deep. Masking that purpose as a means to experience life as

a mortal by locking away their power when in truth it was to keep watch in case anything was to happen.

And yet something happened regardless of their efforts...a mysterious adventurer showed up 6 year's ago from out of nowhere and simply started to break through the labyrinth with an alarming

speed. It was an existence that went against everything they tried to stop.

And that...was Diablo...

''We would have known had he reached the 90th floor, but he has yet to reach that part as of yet and we don't even know if he will. Besides how can you judge him without even knowing who he

is?'' Hestia finally spoke causing Izanagi to frown and Odin to run his hand through his ridiculously long beard.

''You may have a point, but if I recall you defended him the last time we had this discussion. Which begs to question why are you defending this adventurer? He resides in Orario, but little to no one

knows where he resides and out of all the Gods and Goddesses you have been the most vocal in defending this entity. Why is that, Hestia?'' Izanagi asked, his gaze peering back onto Hestia who

remained completely stone faced even when faced with the scrutiny of the few deities who questioned her.

''I merely speak my mind, I am not one who fears another simply based off what he has done and what he can do. I'm not like you Izanagi, I'm not so overly cautious as to suddenly lock up such a

potentially powerful entity who could offer so much to the world. He has done nothing to spite me and through his actions he has actually made Orario become an even more booming city for

adventurers. That's why instead of trying to capture him, I support him, which is why I find this entire argument about him to be completely ridiculous.'' Hestia spoke her mind on the matter.

Which was true, she found this entire argument completely idiotic. After all, Diablo was Bell and Bell was not like anything of which Izanagi suspected him to be. From the moment she found Bell all

those years ago she knew, deep down, that Bell was just a troubled soul that just wanted one thing that resonated in her own immortal soul. It is the very thing that which tied them so close

together the moment they met.

He wanted family, he wanted to have bonds, he wanted to have loved ones again so he wasn't alone in this world. That was all he ever wanted and when he began to gain friends, having her as his

first and soon others he began to come out of the shell of who he once was. And to protect those friends so he wouldn't lose them, he went above and beyond every expectation to become stronger.

To become the strongest, and to stand above everyone just so he could protect his family.

She understood this better then anyone else, she was the personification of family and through that she understood Bell more then most would think. It was why she loved the man he became, he

became the exemplar of what it meant to be one who safeguarded family above all else.

He became like her, an entity that valued family above everything else. Duty, Honor, Loyalty, all of that was meaningless to him when family was involved.

And to see that other deities found him as a threat only ignited the fury within Hestia's soul. Bell has always sworn to protect her, but from the deities she would protect him.

''I am inclined to agree with Hestia he has done nothing to scorn the Heavens and none of his actions have directly or indirectly endanger anyone, but himself. And he has proven himself to be very

capable of protecting his own life.'' Hephaestus came to aid her long time friend as she supported Hestia's decision to halt the other deities action to put their hand against Diablo.

And it also went unsaid that she supported Diablo personally because of all the materials he brought in from his travels from within the depths of the labyrinth. Some of those materials she had

never even worked with during the Age of Heroes and Myth!

Just as Izanagi was about to retort, Freya to Hestia's surprise spoke up as well. ''I agree with them as well. You're assumptions about him are built upon false foundations of your own caution and

paranoia. Diablo has done nothing to warrant our hand as of yet, and in all honesty he has been more of a boon for the world with his deeds causing many to look toward his example as a story of

legend. Something we've not seen in centuries since the Age of Heroes and Myth long ago. And I for one will have no hand in trying to shackle and or kill such a man. Someone like that is only

worthy of respect as far as I am concerned.'' Freya said to the surprise of many.

And for a small sliver of a moment, Freya's purple gaze met Hestia's piercing blue orbs, and at that moment the Goddess flashed her a true smile toward her. Which only made Hestia's eyes widen

marginally, though she quickly masked this as fast as it came. However the alarm filled her body as Hestia quickly came to a realization that sent a jolt of shock throughout her body.

'S-she knows...Freya knows!' she could tell from just that one gaze, Freya knew who Diablo really was. Her attempts to hide him from her proved to be entirely futile as the Goddess of Love seemed

completely sure of who the adventurer really was.

And yet...

'She's protecting him...Freya's actually protecting him instead of actually trying to play this all in her favor...what's going on here?' it was a bit disturbing really, the way Freya defend Bell/Diablo

with such fervor in her voice spoke volumes to Hestia that somehow or someway Freya found something in Bell to actually care enough to defend him. It was a bit uncomfortable to her to know that

Freya knew, but at the same time...

It eased her to know she wasn't alone in this endeavor...

''Have you forgotten what he did 6 year's ago? The day when he shook the world when he did the one thing that should not have been impossible, something that no mortal should ever have the

smallest chance of doing. He killed what a God could not...he killed Seath!'' for the first time Izanagi lost his cool when he realized where the argument was heading. He just couldn't help it, in his

eyes the children on the lower world, was just that, children, who knew nothing of the true dangers that lay above and beyond their world.

He had seen firsthand what power would do to those that received it, mankind was a fine example as those with power would become corrupted and those with absolute power would be corrupted

absolutely. Kings and Emperor's would abuse their power and authority to get what they wished. The strong would rule over the weak and pillage what they wanted. He had seen civilizations rise

and fall time and time and time again because those of mankind with power would go down a path of sin just for their own selfish desires.

And now someone appeared with that kind of power and was making ripples all over the world and no doubt was causing havoc in the Heavens due to his actions. It was the very scenario that he

didn't want to happen, but there was those that just didn't see reason!

He didn't want any part of this, which was why he didn't want his pantheon to come down to the earth, but he was overruled by many of which that wanted to experience what their children

experienced.

It was foolish...

However before they could retort, someone else did and to their surprise and even Izanagi it was none other then Bahamut who opened his eyes again only now they were blazing with a fire of such

intensity that it belied the true entity underneath that mortal shell. And in a move that surprised many, he stood ram rod straight and turned to peer directly into Izanagi's eyes with his own

smoldering orbs.

''Izanagi, do not attempt to make light of what happened 6 year's ago. Whether you accept it or not is none of my concern, but the fact is that man did what I, the God of the Dragons could not! He

killed an enemy to the world and the Heavens and brought back Seath's corrupted heart as evidence to the battle. You can deny it as much as you wish, but I will not sit here and listen to you

prattle on because of your misplaced paranoia. I am siding with Hestia and Freya in this matter, for that man has earned my respect and the gratitude of the entire Dragon Race among the peaks of

the Heavens for what he has done.'' with his piece said, Bahamut turned around and stalked off.

That is before he met Hestia's surprised gaze and gave her a respectful nod before he left of his own will leaving behind a chamber of shell shocked deities and a flabbergasted Izanagi.

And then Odin broke the silence with a chuckle, ''Well I do suppose that ends that for now, how about we call this meeting adjourned for now? We'll schedule the next one in 5 year's time until

then.'' Odin suggested getting a unanimous agreement from many as some of the deities had much to think over with the current matters thrown their way.

''Well if that is all then I shall be taking my leave.'' with that Hestia stood up and began to walk away, but as she passed a column she saw, to her increasing annoyance, Apollo leaning against it. His

brown gaze leering on her form like a hungry dog, shamelessly staring at her body like she was some form of art display.

She could feel the bile rising up in her throat from how much it sickened her...

''You know Hestia, from the way you spoke about Diablo, I was almost almost inclined to think that you actually felt more for him then you would say. Don't tell me you actually like that mongrel.''

spoke the Sun God, the thought alone that Hestia of all people, in his mind, actually liked someone that wasn't a God was ridiculous by itself. She was the Maiden of the Olympian Pantheon,

someones whose innocence could never be called into question due to her unbreakable resolve to never accept any attempts of courtships from her fellow deities.

She was untouchable, an object of desire and one of conquest that many of the male Gods in the Heavens sought after, but could never truly have. For her power alone would smite them down

faster then they could even blink. Yet out of them all, Apollo never gave up because she was a quest that he simply would never give up on. He was determined to have her, and if she actually

showed interest in someone else just...

...annoyed him...

Hestia didn't even spare Apollo a glance as she gave a rebuttal that left Apollo frozen on the spot. ''I don't see how it is any of your business Apollo of whom I can or cannot like or love. You are not

nor will you ever be that kind of person to me. And besides...'' her smile turned absolutely cold as she walked away.

''I find Diablo-kun much more interesting then anyone else, he has shown to be more of a man then anyone I have ever met, and that especially means you too, Apollo. Compared to him in my

eyes, you are nothing but trash in the wind. Now have a good day.'' and without another word Hestia walked away with a slight skip in her step, feeling more then pleased with herself for letting off

some steam.

The God on the other hand watched her go with shadowed eyes before he grit his teeth and balled his fist before slamming it against the column causing it to shatter into pieces. His normally brown

orbs flickered into a shade of fiery gold as he watched Hestia go with disdain.

''That...bitch!''

As Hestia made her way out of the chamber doors, she looked upon the night sky and for a moment she just stood there and took a breath of fresh air.

''Ah! It seems like it's been a few hours since the meeting began, and it seems like Ganesha's party is still going pretty strong too.'' Hestia commented lightly as she looked down from the building

to see below her the large gathering of the other Gods and Goddesses partying just before the Monsterphilia that will begin tomorrow.

Giving another sigh, Hestia toward the edge and sat down reveling in the cool night breeze that blew past her. Her long black hair blew in the breeze as she looked upon the city of Orario with warm

eyes. Then she reached upwards to her chest and she closed her eyes in content as her hand went to her heart as she finally calmed herself.

'It seems in the end your resolve did help me come out of this Bell...' the thought of the man she loved wiped away all the uneasiness she felt from the meeting before her. Even with the threat of

Ares and his forces looming in the depths of her mind, it was pushed to the farthest and lowest levels of her mind as something far more important came to mind.

She wanted to see him...

Her body was burning to see him again, while she saw him everyday and was almost always held in his arms. Right now, after everything that happened in the meeting, all she wanted to was go

back home and fall right into his arms. To feel the comfort in knowing that after all that's happened, all that's going to happen, she could feel content in knowing that Bell was just fine. That he was

safe.

Unfortunately fate was never a kind woman to deal with let alone tempt...

In a fluctuation in the air Hestia looked up only to close her eyes when a brief flash of white appeared before it disappeared just as quick. When she opened her eyes again she felt a weight in her

hand and when she looked at it her eyes widened when she saw what it was.

It was a letter with a particular feather that she was very familiar with...

''Hermes? Why's he sent me a letter?'' It's been a long time since she last heard from Hermes, but not because of any ill feelings. Hermes was just a very busy God who acted as a direct liaison with

her younger brother Zeus and the other Gods among the Olympian pantheon. Among most Gods, Hestia held a somewhat docile friendship with the Messenger as, while he was a pervert and an

idiot, he was still a good friend regardless.

Curious and a bit apprehensive of the letter though, Hestia unfolded it and began to read it's content.

….

Slowly her eyes began to widen and once she finished the letter slipped from her numb fingers as the words on the letter began to settle in her mind.

''No...''

'Hestia...I must speak with you urgently, a matter has arisen that demands your attention...'

Her blue eyes began to water as the cold, dark realization of what the letter said began to settle.

''No...please no...''

'...It's about your young friend, the young man called Bell...he's been hurt Hestia...'

The control over her powers began to slip as her tears began trail down from her eyes and fall from her face.

''No...no...no...no no no no no no no no no!''

'...There is no easy way to say this Hestia...but Bell...Bell is dying Hestia...'

''NO!''

What followed was quite possibly the most terrifying to have ever been seen, following Hestia's scream of anguish, her power slipped from between her fingers and it erupted into an iridescent pillar

of power that split the sky in twine. The city of Orario itself trembled as the very Heavens themselves were split from Hestia's eruption of power. No, it didn't stop there as the entire world felt the

aftershock of that blast.

And then...then the world knew the power of Hestia's sorrow...

And all that was left behind when Hestia vanished in nothing more then a flash of blue was a multitude of Gods and Goddesses left in complete disarray. All the while watching from around the

corner Freya's purple gaze watched Hestia go with a suspicious gaze.

''Hestia...'' worry overcoming her, Freya disregarded the law entirely and vanished as well...

Intent of following Hestia and finding out the source of her distress...

Yet...why did her heart ache so?

'I've got a very bad feeling about this.'

She had no idea...