A Moon That Burns

[2464 Words]

[Next Day]

*BANG BANG BANG*

"Wha OH SHI-"

Welf suddenly tumbles from his bed and crashes into the bare wooden floor. Before he can even further vocalize his surprise of being torn from his exhaustion induced slumber he lands on his back and knocks the breath out of himself.

"GAH HACK!"

His wooden door suddenly busts open revealing a slightly embarrassed looking Shai. Shai looks at the obviously broken door and smiles wryly before noticing the struggling Welf on the floor.

"You look like shit."

Welf, barely managing to gather his breath, manages to glare at the smirking Shai.

"What… urgh, are you doing here…. So early?" Welf manages.

"It's 3pm sleeping beauty. So gear up and head down stairs." Shai closes the broken door only to smile sheepishly when the door breaks more and he is fully visible to Welf. "We're all waiting soo.."

Welf lays back on his floor as Shai's heavy footsteps lead away from Welf's door.

Gathering himself Welf stands up and glances at the sword and armor in the corner of the room. The reason for his exhaustion gaining most of his attention.

The full set of membrane armor reflects back at him. Placing his calloused hand on the breastplate Welf thinks about how much he's grown within the last few days.

With practiced ease Welf straps all the pieces of armor to himself as he feels the warm feeling of mana surrounds his body. Welf looks in his mirror and sighs as he clips his helm to his side.

His ember cutlass thrums as he clicks it to his back.

"Took you long enough."

Shai's voice makes Welf look up as he walks down the stairs into the mansions entryway. 

Standing with a casual smile Shai is wearing what at a first glance looks like casual clothes. Welf quickly recognizes the gear as the recruits uniform.

Standing silently next to Shai was the ever stoic Ryuu that Welf wasn't really familiar with. Her sharp eyes tore through Welf's confidence as she seemingly analyzed every detail of Welf's gear. Her green cloak covered any signs of armor she may be wearing.

Similarly analytical was the absolutely towing figure of Ottar. His eyes stared blatantly at Welf's blade as Welf subconsciously shivers in worry. His large frame was also covered in a large dark cloak.

"Finally." The last figure was not looking at Welf in a polite way. Allen openly glared at the redhead as he finally made it down the stairs. Welf crosses to Shai and nods at him as Allen pushes off the wall he was leaning on and walks towards the two.

As Allen walks over Welf looks at him standing next to Ryuu and notices that hes slightly shorter than the elf.

'Huh, he's shorter than I thought he would be.'

Welfs pulled out of his thoughts as Shai claps his hands together.

"Alright children, let's get going."

Shai smiles big as he flicks his hood up and walks towards the door. Welf looks around and sees Ryuu and Ottar do the same. Even Allen, who he didn't notice was wearing a cloak, puts his hood up and walks next to his captain.

Redfaced, Welf catches up with the group and looks around embarrassed as the people walking along Orarios streets only seem to notice the armored guy with the huge sword.

At the front of the group Shai glances at Ryuu who walks silently next to him.

"You seem nervous." Shai states simply.

Ryuu flinches ever so slightly at Shai's words before looking up at him. Shock prevalent in her eyes as she was highly trained and reading her emotions was one of the most difficult things in the city. Dungeon included.

"I… suppose."

Shai looks forward and nods understandingly. Silence washes over the group again as the shadow of Babel finally covers their path towards the Dungeon.

"Ottar." Shai says getting the attention of the group. "Are you nervous?"

Before Allen can interrupt to defend his captain, Ottar's deep voice cuts him off.

"Yes."

"And Welf? What about you?" 

Allen whips around to look at Welf staring at the ground with a complicated expression.

"Yeah."

Allen looks back at his captain to see the same complicated expression on the boaz' face as Ottar stares at Shai's back.

"Good." The four look at Shai in surprise as he continues forward nonchalantly. "Being nervous is the best thing I can ask of you all right now. Although I'm sure you will all admit you're nervous for different reasons."

"Welf is nervous because he's the weakest here and doesn't want to be a burden to the group. Even though I have all the confidence in the world in him, I'd be stupid to say he shouldn't feel nervous. I'm sure you've all noticed his gear. Well what he's wearing is the first full set of armor and weapons from my world made with this world's energy. And he learned how to make them in a few days."

Shock leads to the three other members to turn and stare at Welf. Welf's surprised face suddenly turns red as a blush makes his skin match the shade of the armor.

"Ottar." Shai pulls their attention again. "I believe is nervous because he is unsure how well this little group is going to perform together." Shai looks back for a second to see the surprised man nod. 

"Which again, is understandable. My confidence in the group is not the highest either, especially considering…. Well. Being nervous about the group is fine, it's my job to put you guys together in a way that will be a success. If I fail, then I restart with new people. Or the less preferred scenario happens."

Shai looks at Ryuu and meets her eyes. 

"And you… are nervous because the last team you were a part of all died."

Ryuu's eyes widen as she stops walking. The group freezes along with her as the information makes the others wince. Emotions flood Ryuu's mind as she stares at the man who somehow knows about her past. She stares into his eyes only for a seemingly impossible thought to surface in her mind. Eyes that have seen their friends die in front of them look the same.

Shai looks at Ryuu with a look of understanding as a small smile masks his thoughts.

Not like it matters.

"Mine did too."

The four adventures look at Shai in shock as he begins walking again. His previously invincible figure looks smaller as he weaves through the afternoon crowds of people.

Wordlessly, the four begin walking again and swiftly catch up to their new leader.

The group walk in silence as they near their destination.

As the group walks up to Loki's mansion Shai takes his hood off leading to the others doing the same.

"What about me? I… I'm not nervous." Allen admits.

Shai doesn't even turn around as he nods.

"You're confident. In yourself. Your captain. Hell, even me." Shai half turns toward the short cat person. Allen flinches as Shai's eyes bore into his own. "Your confidence isn't baseless. But even then, it can get you killed."

Shai suddenly looks forward and waives to the adventurer at the mansion's gate to get their attention.

"Just make sure you were nervous enough to learn how to survive first."

The very bored looking adventurer at the gate suddenly stares in shock as he recognizes the group.

"We're here for Bete, Finn and Riveria."

Shai stares at the stammering adventurer for a few moments before suddenly sighing and crossing his arms.

"Ok listen, I know I know I'm not allowed to see them or whatever but just go run and tell the overdramatic ass we're here." Shai sighs again as the adventurer starts stammering more in an attempt to explain what Loki told him. 

Only to freeze up in fear as Shai glares at him.

"Now."

Shai nods as the adventurer sprints off towards the castle-like mansion. Turning towards the confused looking team behind him Shai waves casually.

"We'll talk about it later."

The group stands in slightly tense silence as they wait for their other team members to show up so they can begin their first dungeon dive.

It doesn't take long before a loud noise signals to the group that they finally arrived, although not alone.

A pissed off looking Loki storms through the courtyard with her entire executive team behind her. The anxious look on all of their faces not noticed by anyone other than Shai as he momentarily glances at Ais.

The gate suddenly opens as Loki walks straight to Shai leaving her anxious children behind her.

"YOUVE GOT SOME NERVE!" Loki screams as her hand suddenly shoots towards Shai's face.

Every adventurer present either gasps or stares in shock as Loki attempts to slap the demi god in front of her. But the next moment solidified their shock.

*THUWUMP*

A blue barrier stops any attempt from Loki to harm Shai as her hand is repelled back with surprising force.

As her hand is sent above her shoulder Shai suddenly blurs beside her and grasps her wrist while staring at the shocked goddess. Without hesitating Shai flicks his other hand sending a large spike of ice right into the ground in front of Ais who had already drawn her sword.

The atmosphere suddenly gets heavy as everyone sees Shai glare at the shaking Ais.

"Dont move."

"DONT TALK TO MY DAUGHTER LIKE THAT YOU BASTARD- GAH!!"

Loki is cut off as she suddenly falls to the ground when Shai lets go of her hand.

"What the hell!" Loki yells again as she stands up and dusts herself off.

The entire group of adventures look on in shock as Loki glares at Shai who seems surprisingly calm. 

"..."

Tense moments pass as Loki does nothing but glare at Shai. Eventually, to the shock of everyone there, Shai yawns loudly.

"Aaaaaaawh. So. Are you gonna explain the situation, or should I just go ahead?" Loki starts to talk only for Shai to continue over her. 

"Ok so basically Ais tried to backstab me yesterday so I knocked her out and tossed her on the 50th floor."

"!!!"

"You killed her!"

"So?"

"SO?!" Loki bubbles with anger and gets in Shai's face again. "I SAW THE MEMORY! I saw what happened! Yeah she attacked you, BUT YOU CUT HER HEAD OFF!"

Ais flinches as the shocked adventurers look at her. A shaking hand finds her neck as she tries to remember what happened. All she can fully remember is drawing her sword, then screams, then waking up in her bedroom.

"I fixed it." Shai's voice is laced with a surprising amount of venom as he stares right back at Loki. "She stuck first, I retaliated. That's it."

"NO!" Loki screams again. "You pulled a temporal weapon on my child! There are levels to this and you went way too far!"

"SHE KILLED A CHILD!"

Ais feels tears well up in her eyes as Loki flinches from Shai's words. A sharp pain wells in her heart as she remembers the sight of the baby beneath the mother. She hardly feels the sharp pain of Riveria's nails digging into her skin from the previously comforting grip on her arm.

"You! You! YOU COULD HAVE BLOCKED IT!"

"NO I COULDNT!" Shai's voice makes everyone flinch as the previous venom is instead replaced with surprisingly heavy emotions.

Loki backs up as suddenly a brilliant white axe forms in Shai's hand. Shai glares at her again as he tosses the axe to the ground between them.

"I already used it before to dodge the attack." Shai's voice is low and back to venomous as he stares at Loki. The trickster just stares at the thrumming blade on the ground. 

"I used it again after to revert the changes of Ais' attack. But it kept happening even if my body was in the way. I tried. Over and over again to get the best solution. So yeah I killed her in one of them."

Loki looks up from the axe and at Shai who stares at her dead in the eye.

"I'm not a god Loki. I can't just make endless changes to time, no matter how insignificant the moment. I ran out of chances, so I at least saved your stupid ass kid."

Shai raises his hand and the white axe suddenly shoots towards him and vanishes the moment it touches him.

Loki, still shaking, finally finds words as she sees Shai remove the axe.

"It doesn't matter." Loki's previously furious voice is still angry, but the shakiness drains any feeling of superiority. "I don't care if it was the best scenario. You killed my child in that timeline, that's all that matters."

Loki glares at Shai again and turns back toward her home. Her executives make a path as she storms back to her mansion.

"Get out of my home." 

The still shocked executives of the Loki familia start awkwardly following their furious goddess. Well, all but one.

"Wait."

A voice suddenly makes Loki stop in her tracks. She turns around only to see Bete looking down with a complicated look on his face. Bete clearly didn't move as he stands between Shai's group and Loki's.

"Bete, inside. Now."

Loki takes a step towards Bete as he doesn't listen and turns toward Shai.

"Why did you pick me?" He asks.

"BETE!"

Loki's voice falls on deaf ears as the confused eyes of Bete stare straight at Shai. Loki storms towards her child as Shai finally answers.

"Because you're strong."

"BETE LOOK AT ME!- *SLAP*"

Shai, this time, can't help but stare in shock as Bete slaps Loki's hand away. She had grabbed his shoulder and turned him around, only for his hand to smack hers away with a resounding smack.

"... I'm sorry." Loki looks at Bete in shock as he meets her eyes. "But they.... They're going into the dungeon. And... and I…."

Loki flinches as flames suddenly burst from Bete's hands and feet. The only thing keeping her unscathed being the invisible barrier that Shai wraps around her with an outstretched hand.

"I'M TIRED OF BEING SO WEAK!"

Blood red flames suddenly burst once again as Bete grits his teeth. As quick as they appeared, the flames suddenly vanish as Bete looks up at Loki again.

Loki trembles as Bete suddenly turns around and walks away. Burning tears fill her eyes as she watches Shai look at her with pity before walking along with Bete towards the tower. Towards the dungeon.

As the team of slayers leave the gate suddenly closes. Loki falls to her knees and watches as her child leaves her behind.

"Bete.." Her voice croaks as tears stream down her face.