44 Return of the Trouble-Makers

The day is long in the labyrinth city of Orario, and as that ball of fire floats high in the sky, a certain pair of gods sit in silence as the soft rumblings of rolling wheels vibrate their backsides. They sit inside a carriage, and just the same as the exterior, reddish wood lines the mobile structure and surrounds the cushions they sit upon. Sunlight leaks through tiny windows on either side of the small wooden door to their side.

"So... What do you think? I'm sure that seeing the old man after so long has made you a happy woman," Hermes brandishes a sly grin as his gaze lingers on the individual across from him.

The woman in question reveals her own smirk, a scoff leaving her lips as her lanky limbs drape across the black cushions, "I would be lying if I said it didn't satisfy me. Zeus and I have never meshed, and even more so since I drove him from the city," Loki responds with casual words.

Hermes nods as the Trickster God finishes her words, "If anything, I would argue you did the man a favor. He's said before that he enjoys isolation almost as much as women, and as I'm sure you know, there aren't many things he can say the same about," he says, a slight chuckle rolling from his lips.

Loki clicks her tongue in response, and a dainty hand reaches for a glass set to the side. The Goddess gulps a reddish liquid until it's nearly gone, and as the glass pops from her lips, Loki glances at Hermes with lazy eyes, "...I told you everything you wanted to know, and yet you've failed to reveal even a hint as to why we met with Zeus. You and that old pervert love speaking in riddles, and I'm pretty sure you didn't do this just to snicker about 'carpets and drapes'."

Hermes raises both arms in surrender as a vexed scowl is thrown upon him, "Hey, hey, hey, there's no need for all of that..." the Messenger God chuckles as his hands drop, "...It's a long story."

Loki scoffs once again, raising that glass again as her eyes linger on those golden pupils, "Humor me..." she responds, tipping the drink back with not a sliver of hesitation present.

A pause hangs in the air for a moment, and Hermes suddenly sighs as his shoulders droop, "Sure, sure..." The God leans forward in the seat, removing his leather hat and running slim fingers through golden locks, "Well, the story starts about... fourteen years ago? Yeah, I think that's right. Anyway, after Zeus was forced from the city by you and Freya, he moved to a small village not too far from Orario. Some years later, the old man found himself adopting a child, and he raised it on his own... You know Bell, right?"

Loki listens to the words closely, and she wrinkles her forehead as her chin lowers slowly, "Yes... Why do you ask?" the Goddess responds.

"He's the kid that Zeus raised," Hermes sighs as he leans back again, "He faked his death after Bell reached a certain age and left the boy with dreams of becoming a hero. Though that isn't the only thing he left to Bell. It seems he's taken on the same thirst for skirts as Zeus himself."

Loki sits with parted lips as the words are left in the air, and the woman cocks her head back in confusion, "What does this have to do with Kratos and Atreus? Those two are the only reason we're doing any of this," she responds.

Open palm meet the air, and Hermes raises his brows in a 'told you so' fashion, "I said it was gonna be a long sto-" A tremor suddenly rocks the carriage, and the Gods hold on for dear life as glass shatters and a dark red stain is left on the wood.

"The hell was that?" Loki yells with a wrinkled forehead.

Hermes shrugs in response before turning in the seat. The God slides a wooden panel to the side, and through the small opening, he witnesses a strange sight, "Something seems to be happening near the Tower of Babel..." Hermes turns to meet those scarlet eyes, and as if it had never left, that grin curls his thin lips once again, "...Shall we go see what the ruckus is about?"

"Is that even a question?" A cackle unloads from Loki, and Hermes nods in response. His vision returns to the small opening in the carriage, and a driver sits quietly just before the God, "Do me a favor, will ya? Gas it to that tower over there..." Hermes points to the tower with smoke rising in the sky before it, "...We wouldn't want to miss the party."

The driver nods with his head half-turned, a cap casting a shadow over the man's face. He suddenly raises his arms with the reins gripped tightly in his hands, and slaps them down quickly. A pair of horses neigh wildly as this happens, and they suddenly burst into a gallop with the carriage tugging quickly behind them.

Hermes slides the wooden panel closed, and the Godly duo sit in silence as the carriage rocks a little harder than before. Minutes pass just like this, and the subtle rumbling suddenly ceases. A light knock flows from the front of the mobile room, and Hermes looks to Loki, "I suppose we've arrived," the Messenger God says as he approaches a small door to the side.

Like a larger version of the previous panel, the wood slides until it disappears into a gap in the wall. The Gods step out from the carriage and what meets their vision brings much confusion to the both of them, "It's a bigger party than I thought," Hermes mutters as his eyes roam over hundreds of individuals with their backs turned to him. Low whispers tease his ears and he steps forward to hear them better.

"He's really dead..."

"Has anyone seen Kratos and that boy!? That stupid mist is gone now, but so are they!"

"Someone get me some parchment! I need to write all of this down!"

Hermes slips through the crowd with Loki following close behind, and the Messenger God's brows suddenly furrow as the whispers reach his ears, "Kratos? What has he done now?..." Hermes whispers to himself, and as the God reaches the edge of the living flood, his question is answered with a horrible sight.

Hermes stands frozen with his back to the crowd, and his eyes roam over two massive craters embedded in the bricks. Past the stone stairs, one crater forms just before that massive entrance to the dungeon. The God steps forward suddenly, and soon, he stands over another crater, "Ottar... Oh my..." Hermes mutters with wide eyes as he studies the lifeless body of the strongest adventurer. Ottar's rusty eyes are stuck open, staring at the sky as blood leaks from his nose and mouth. In the center of the man's burly chest, a massive blade-shaped hole opens all the way to his back.

"Hermes? Loki?" A feminine voice suddenly flows, and Hermes raises a brow as he glances at the approaching pig-tails, "What are you two doing here?" Hestia steps up beside them with a wrinkled forehead, donning a red thigh-length dress with a white dress shirt that pokes out around her breasts. Other than her work attire, Hestia wears her usual flower petal hair ties and white stockings that nearly reach her dress.

Hermes hums in response as he looks at Hestia, "It felt like the entire city was shaking... So we came to find out what happened," he says.

Hestia nods with pursed lips, and those blue eyes drift to the lifeless body before her. She lingers, but only for a moment as she suddenly looks at the strangely quiet God beside Hermes, "Loki? No shrimp or Loli Big-boobs today?" Hestia asks with furrowed brows.

Hestia's words are met with silence, and her brows furrow deeper as she stares at Loki. The woman stands nigh frozen in time, her crimson eyes wide as she stares into Ottar's face, an expression of pure fear forever stuck in his skin. Thoughts crash into her mind at a thousand miles an hour, and from the lack of reaction to Hestia's words, none of those invasive thoughts pertain to her surroundings.

Hermes sighs as his eyes linger on the silent God, and he suddenly looks at Hestia with a raised brow, "So... This is Kratos' doing?" he inquires with innocent words.

Hestia meets the Messenger God's gaze, and she nods slowly in response, "...I guess he found out who took Atreus, but... I- I don't know what to think... A god shouldn't even be able to touch an adventurer like Ottar," the petite woman says with uncertain words. Similar to Loki's dour state, Hestia's mind is overloaded with questions, but alas, she finds no answer.

Hermes raises slim fingers to his lips, "That is strange... Maybe we should ask him ourselves?" he responds, and despite his concerned tone, a smirk grows by the second under his hand.

Hestia nods once again, "We really should..." she says. The lingering whispers of the crowd take over for a moment until the Loli Goddess suddenly looks at Hermes with raised brows, "Oh, did you happen to see Hephaestus when you got here?"

Hermes hums with confusion as Hestia finishes her words, lowering his hand to reveal that smirk nowhere to be seen, "I did not... Why do you ask?" he asks with a wrinkled forehead.

Hestia shakes her head, wiping a hand over her face with a sigh, "I saw her sprinting full speed through the tower when all this happened. I tried to catch up with her, but... She surprisingly fast. The strange thing though was Hephaestus seemed... frightened," she responds.

"Hepheastus has always been a strange one..." Hermes says with a hand to his chin, "...Perhaps she's already on the way to Kratos?"

"Maybe..." Hestia mutters, "I just hope she's... Huh?" the Loli Goddess interrupts herself as the constant whispers from the crowd suddenly grow in volume.

"Wha-? Freya?"

"Let her through dumbasses!"

"Ah, she's just as beautiful as ever..."

Hestia, Hermes, and even Loki breaks out of her revery to meet the commotion. The crowd moves to create an opening just before the trio of gods, and Hestia sighs as she gazes at the woman that is revealed, "Oh great..." she mutters as Freya steps out of the crowd with her usual black and red dress squeezing her pale but plump assets.

The spectating god and goddesses take a step back as Freya arrives before that crater. The woman stares down at Ottar with emotionless eyes, and time seems to slow to a crawl through the entire plaza. Every breath, blink, and rustle of clothing halts to pay respects, and it would not be difficult for one to find whisps of fear littered throughout the many gazes.

The gears of time begin to turn again, and suddenly, a pair of vibrant violet eyes turn to the crowd. Every soul finds themselves helpless under that all-seeing gaze, and the spectating Gods watch with wide eyes and short gasps as a purplish aura envelops Freya's body. That same emotionless visage still plagues the Goddess, and in the sickening silence, a whisper reverberates like a scream, "…Find them."