Folkvangr

(Lyze POV)

Battle truly was where I was happiest. Even when surrounded by 50 foes with a good portion of them above my level, I couldn't help but feel the adrenaline boiling and my heart pumping ferociously with excitement.

I relished every connection I made with my sword and every body I sent flying. The explosions created by my spells were music to my ears and the screams of my enemies were the raw motivation I need to keep moving.

Was I a battle junkie? I hadn't ever thought of myself like that up until this moment.

At the moment I was battling three individuals with Excalibur. Two were elves equipped with short daggers and the other was a spear guy from earlier. As I kept dodging the spear thrusts, I weaved Excalibur around the long range weapon to block the daggers being jabbed at me.

One of the elves in an impressive display of acrobatics back flipped behind me and tried to slash at my neck while airborne. I took the chance to let his weapon come close to me as possible so he couldn't change its trajectory before ducking down in a momentary burst of speed.

The dagger cut through the fingers of the spear man eliciting a cry of pain. I grabbed the spear and swung myself upwards before he could lose grip, making him my anchor as I smashed both feet in his face. As he went flying back with his nose busted open, I flipped in the air to deliver an axe kick to the elf that had slashed at me.

Their face was smashed deep into the stone pavement as I thrust the spear into the ground, and then swung my body around it to deliver another devastating kick to the other elf, right in the kisser. He wouldn't be kissing anyone any time soon, that was for sure.

A dwarf swung his axe down at me (what is it with dwarves and axes?) and I raised Excalibur just in time to block as the ground cracked around us with the force of that strike. Thanks to my fight with Ottar, I was now able to estimate an adventurer's level in combat, and this guy was definitely a level 4.

Not something I should be dealing with at the moment. I used Earth magic to make the ground swallow him up to the waist as another spearman took a javelin shot.

One Full Counter and a sharp ping of a bell later had the weapon flying back to the owner, sinking into his shoulder and then the wall behind him pinning him there like a tail on a donkey. For good measure I sent a fireball his way and shifted my focus to others as another explosion went off.

I uppercut a Pallum under his jaw which knocked him out cold instantly. He must have been a level 2 to be taken out that easily. Raising Excalibur again, I fended off a proper swordsman this time as we exchanged attacks.

I have to point out tat every adventurer there was after me, so every time I was doing these things I was not standing in one place. I was constantly using my feet to move around, evading weapons and fists as I relied fully on 'Thread' to guide me through attacks I couldn't see.

Spotting a hole in the man's defence, I turned a deflection into pulling his sword with Excalibur. He went stumbling forward into me, but I pivoted out of the way and slammed Excalibur's hilt (which was sharp) into his back. At the same time, I ducked my head low as the whistle of an axe swept over head. The dwarf had managed to escape.

I rolled forward and tried to jump out of that area before I realised the dwarf and a few others had simultaneously leapt towards me. Judging by their speed and the craters the left in the ground from their jumps, I estimated they were all level fours or high level threes.

I'd allowed myself to be cornered by the most powerful adventurers in this welcome party. Gritting my teeth, I decided to do something I had never done in battle before this point, mainly because it was hard to focus on. In this critical moment, I took my mind off my opponents and focused on the spells. A fraction of a second before what looked like a sickle could swipe my face, a purple flash covered my body, and suddenly I was above them.

Teleportation was not an easy spell to master. And it got increasingly difficult the longer you wished to travel. I had to practise more with it at some point though.

The adventurers that had just been about to ambush me all crashed into each other in a bundle of limbs and confusion as I vanished before their eyes. While above them, I pumped in a large amount of mana and threw a ball of ice at them. As soon as the spell hit them, they were all encaged in a giant block of ice.

In the air, I had more time to evaluate my surroundings. On the outskirts of the immediate fighting area, mages had appeared to just finish their chants and spells of different kinds were hurtling towards me as magical circles span under their feet.

Surrounding the ice block were about ten or so adventurers that had been near the ambush. Quickly deciding on my next sequence of attacks, I shot a blue fireball at the block of ice. The structure exploded as little shards of ice as sharp as needles peppered the ten adventurers that were too close and they howled in pain.

I righted myself in the air and held Libur ready as the magic spells closed in on me. I imbued a slash with Full Counter to reflect all those spells simultaneously as I figured out from which to start from. The mages found themselves a faceful of their own spells as more explosions filled the courtyard.

I landed on the ground again in front of a bunch that were definitely not above level 2. I grinned as I found myself easy prey to dispatch but before I could attack them, they were saved when I was shield bashed too quickly to react to.

My small body went tumbling away and slid to a stop by a wall as I was surrounded by the people I was just about to assault. I looked for the one who bashed me and found another dwarf holding a large shield in his left hand and a broadsword in his right.

The weaklings around him grinned as they believed they'd found ground over me. Well they were wrong, the force of their attacks was ass compared to what their captain had dished out and I'd survived. Momentarily discarding Excalibur into my hammer-space, I held both hands together and generated a storm of Force Lightning.

They had good instincts as they immediately jumped back, but the fools could not assume that I wasn't aiming directly at them. I focused the arcs of electricity onto the ground beneath them, which then rebounded into their bodies as they could not dodge in mid-air.

They all got fried, the those of whom were beastmen had their extra hair sticking out in all directions as their bodies started steaming. The dwarf grit his teeth and bore with it as he could not jump so swiftly with heavy armour on.

Once again, as I stopped the barrage, the lightning came rushing back to me instead of dispersing as it usually did. As it came back, I suddenly felt like I'd been revitalised, as if all my strength had been restored with more on top. I paused for a bit to ponder on this before shaking the thought out. I was in the middle of a battle, I couldn't afford distractions.

The dwarf was still breathing heavily from being electrocuted, and I flew towards him while grabbing him by his hair and taking us both upwards. While he was mid-air, I momentarily took demon form and slammed a punch right into his breastplate.

The armour shattered under my Darkness empowered melee and the dwarf went flying through multiple stone pillars that were dotted on certain paths in Folkvangr. I yelped in pain as I felt a sharp stinging pain in my knee and looked down to see an arrow stuck in it.

I looked in the direction it came from and saw a Pallum pulling another arrow taut on his bow. Before he could release that one, I withdrew Grigor from its resting place in my hammer-space and swung it as hard as I could in demon form at his feet.

The ground exploded as Grigor impacted it, the shockwave sending the level 1 Pallum flying into another of his comrades. I pulled the arrow out and withdrew Excalibur as I dodged an ice spell from a mage.

While dodging, I noticed that the level fours I'd trapped in ice earlier were starting to get up. Not wanting them to join the fray yet, I telekinetically pulled one of the felled pillars in their direction. The stone column took them all sprawling through the dirt as they lost their footing once again.

I dodged another spell and this time locked eyes with the mage as I shot a stream of Force Lightning at her. He appeared to try and catch it with with the gem in her staff and to credit her, it may have worked had it been magical lightning. The tendrils of energy just danced around her magical focus and zapped her from the arms.

I released the attack and once again felt new reserves of energy slam into me as I landed on the ground. But as I came to realise, on the ground I did not have much time pause as I had to jump out of the way of throwing knives embedding themselves in the ground where I'd been. I flipped over to where Grigor was and pulled the red sword out of the ground.

Now dual wielding both the minotaur weapon and the holy sword, I engulfed both in my blue flames as I held them aloft. It was time to go full Demon Slayer mode. I was not deprived of a chance either as some more adventurers closed in on me with their weapons out. It was a beautiful dance of metal and fire as our weapons ang with each contact and flames withered around us like bird feathers as their skin burnt.

But such was their devotion to their Lady and to protect her sacred ground, they bore the pain and pushed forward.

If you're wondering why I was not simply taking to the air and raining hell upon them, it was in the heat of battle, I hadn't yet had the time to count how many mages and archers were stationed around waiting to get a good shot on me. I'd seen more than a few arrows fly around other than the one that had hit me. Being swarmed like this on the ground, those long range fighters could not get clear aim of me nor could they risk hitting their comrades.

I was not without my own share of injuries. Bruises and cuts littered my body not a week after they'd been healed.

The ones that had been peppered by ice shards had begun to join the fight as well and I was running out of space to move around. I then noticed we were coming onto a veranda sort of thing that was built to provide shade and was probably used for comfort things like tea and whatnot.

It was made of stone supports while the roof and beams looked to be made of wood. It was quite large, probably enough to host a small party underneath. I began inching my way over there while trying to defend as best as I can. A sword managed to cut through one of my eyebrows and blood filled the blindfolds.

I drove the tip of Excalibur into the wrist of the one who did it, drawing out a spurt of dark red blood as they screamed. We finally made our way under the veranda, and I waited until the entire fight had brought itself under. Using a 'Rising Tornado', I blinded everyone's eyes with dust and debris as I jumped out of there and outside the veranda. I poised Excalibur, the weapon with the biggest chance of doing this successfully and imbued magical energy into a slash.

A magical shockwave sliced through the supports and the roof came crashing down on the adventurers, sending a dust cloud exploding outwards and everywhere.

A mage who finally managed to get me in his sights began chanting but I took demon form again to gain a burst of speed. I appeared in front of him before he could finish casting and smashed my fist into his mouth, cutting him off before kicking his staff and snapping it in half.

As his body fell, I dodged an arrow as it whistled past my ear and swung Grigor around. The red sword whistled through the air and sliced the bow and the arm off the girl who shot the arrow.

I did say that my demon form made me ruthless. I would've normally worried about the fact that the fire still covering the sword cauterized the severed limb and would probably interfere when they tried to reattach it.

I dropped the demon form and pounced upon the fifteen or so lower levelled adventurers left. Excalibur blurred as weapons were split in two while ears and noses were hewn off. One man had a halberd in his hand which he poorly lurched at me with.

He didn't seem to have much good practice with it as I easily ducked under before bashing his temple with the back of my knuckles. He released the halberd which I snatched up. I the did the Rory Mercury twirl before using the momentum of that motion to bat all the rest away at once.

The man I'd pilfered it from tried to grab me in a bear hug which was just dumb, so I turned around and held his throat in a telekinetic grip. The man rose in the air by an unseen force and asphyxiated in front of a terrified and confused bunch of first class adventurers. I threw his body aside and grabbed up Grigor again.

'Thread' suddenly warned me of an imminent danger and I raised both swords in time as a mallet smashed into the crossguard I'd made with the two weapons. Spark flew off the connection as the sheer force the weapon was thrown with continued to push against the two weapons.

An Amazon ducked under my guard and punched me right in the jaw, making me see stars as I was sent flying. I'd measure her strength equal to Bara's. I got up quickly to see the level fours I'd been blasting away earlier were now at the ready with their weapons drawn. That included the dwarf who was missing some of his beard, and he didn't look exactly happy about it.

All the other adventurers were down for the count with burns, cuts and some missing appendages. All the level ones to threes were clean dealt with. This proved that as I was, I had the power of a level 3.

This many of them called for a different form of approach. I put both of my weapons away and took up my demon form in full this time. I released the hold on the killing intent this form exuded. I saw them shiver a little as a wave of cold air washed over them. I tightened my fists as Darkness coated my fists and began swirling in vines around my arms.

This was going to be fun.

---

(General POV) (Meanwhile)

"There is much property damage being done My Lady. Do you not think we should end this now?" A tall pale skinned male elf with glasses spoke. Hedin, the former king of the White Elves on the island of Hjaðningavíg and the tactician of the executive group was both impressed and unimpressed with the spectacle before them.

He along with his old rival Hogni, Allen, and the Gulliver brothers stood behind Ottar and Freya who had the front seats to the fight.

"Such things are easily replaced, Hedin. I am much more invested in the one whose causing it." Freya replied, not taking her eyes off the battle.

"Shall I send the bill to the Loki Familia then?" Hedin asked.

"Not needed. Besides, I suppose one could say that this happened by my own machinations. So by extension, this is my fault." Freya sipped from her wine glass. "Don't bother little Loki."

"As you wish."

"Tell me something though Hedin."

"Anything, Lady Freya."

Freya tilted her head as Lyze threw the pillar at the level fours. "What do you notice about this battle?"

"In context of what?"

"Everything that you care to mention."

Hedin looked back at the battle as Lyze scuffled with his two swords.

"This battle appears to be erratic and spontaneous...but it would appear that the boy is more intelligent than he appears. Woven into this mess is a clever strategy.

It looks like magic is his most effective weapon for sudden attacks. Using that, he is constantly knocking down the level fours and preventing a confrontation with them yet. With them out of the picture, he focuses his attention on the less powerful adventurers who he can dispatch more easily.

Every time the higher ones get up, he knocks them back down or traps them. He then gets right back to incapacitating the others with physical attacks. It appears his plan is to slowly take out the third class class adventurers one by one-" Hedin was cut off as the veranda was destroyed. "...or all at once. Once they're out of the way, he will bring his full powers to front against the second class ones. Quite a simple strategy, but a fool hardy one in the face of so many opponents."

"I don't believe there are many other than him who could risk going through with such a plan." Ottar muttered before he leaned towards Freya. "He has gotten much stronger since our battle My Lady."

"How much stronger would you say?"

Ottar squinted his eyes as Lyze began disfiguring adventurer's face with precision and ease. "Almost twice as strong before perhaps. His weapon is different though. Are you positive it's the same?"

"The sword's appearance has changed, but undoubtedly it is the same one." Freya said.

"Tch." Allen said as he gave the boy a piercing stare. "Any one of us could go down there and take him out with one swipe. Why do you not allow us the opportunity to do so Lady Freya?"

"Because there is a purpose to all this." Freya replied with a smile. "His strength has exceeded my expectations by a large margin. That one could improve so much in the span of a few days is talent unheard of. It's just...so stimulating." Freya's face flushed as Lyze's soul burnt brighter by the second. "Besides, I'm not so confident that you could take him out with one attack Allen."

"Do you doubt our abilities My Lady?"

"We could take him on easy."

"He's nothing special if he can beat up a bunch of weaklings."

"Please let us do it Lady Freya"

Came the voices of the Gulliver brothers.

"Should I smite him down and present his head as affirmed proof of my power Lady Freya? I wish to rid our images of any incompetence this little gnat casts." Hogni said quietly.

"Be silent." Ottar said in a low but dangerous tone. "Do you think our goddess would go through all this just to have him killed in the end?"

"He has no place amongst us if he cannot love our Goddess, Ottar." Allen growled. "In every encounter he has had with her, he has been nothing but a petulant little brat."

"And yet that is what makes him more amazing." Freya breathed. "I suggest tempering those impulses children. You will be seeing more of him soon enough."

Her eyes flashed as she saw Lyze put away his weapons and transform into his demonic persona, the Lesser Demon Mark swirling to life on his temple. Ottar quickly leaned towards her.

"I insist that we stop the fight here my Lady. I have seen first-hand how destructive he becomes when he is like this. If we allow him to continue, he may destroy the manor itself and that is what we simply cannot afford."

Freya pouted. "But it's just getting started."

"This fight cannot go on. He also becomes a bloodthirsty monster when he's likes this. He may end up killing them." Ottar said firmly.

Freya sighed. "Okay. I suppose there are other things I've got to look forward to with him." Freya brightened as she remembered her plans for the day. "Okay, Ottar. Stop it."

Ottar nodded and jumped off the balcony just as Lyze formed a giant fist with Darkness.

---

Ottar landed between him and the level fours. He caught the construct in one hand while the adventurers came to a sudden halt at the sudden appearance of their captain.

"This fight is over." Ottar said firmly as he gave Lyze a side eye.

The boy held the stare before he nodded and withdrew the construct as the Darkness slithered back into the vines on his arms. After a second, his demon form faded away and the cold feeling that had inhabited the courtyard vanished.

"It should never have started." Lyze said. "Why didn't you tell these idiots I was coming?" Ottar gave him a stare. "Oh right, I guess 'she' set this up."

"Indeed." Ottar said. "You've grown stronger, boy. I would have assumed you'd spend another week in bed from the lesson I taught you."

"I guess it was a lesson well learnt." Lyze rubbed his neck. "I suppose I should thank you for knocking some sense into me. Things are going much smoother at home now." The boy then gave him a grin. "You should know though, it has only strengthened my resolve to make good on my promise."

"I'm sure it has." Ottar replied. "But you are still nowhere near that goal."

"I'm aware. But one day big guy, one day." Lyze nodded to emphasize his point.

Ottar nodded in return before glaring at the adventurers who still had their weapons raised. "And the lot of you should know better. If somebody comes here wishing to speak with our Goddess, it is common sense that one of you either comes to me or to her to verify. Not start an all out war on our sacred grounds."

"He is the trespasser Captain!" The dwarf argued. "What would you expect of us other than removing the infestation from our Lady's garden?"

"He is a guest, not an enemy." Ottar said in a stony voice. "Besides, you would not have defeated him anyway."

The dwarf was going to say more before the clicking of heels approached them and they all looked in the direction it was coming from to see the Lady in question walking towards them gracefully in her scandalous outfit.

Lyze raised his brow as he finally got to inspect Freya as she was portrayed. She was no different than he expected. Freya smiled and walked over to him, ignoring the level fours as they were suddenly stunned into silence. Lyze spat at them on the inside.

"Greetings Lyzof Keele." Freya said in her bewitching voice. "It is nice to see that you finally took the time to come and see me."

"You did not leave me much of a choice." He replied as he put a fist on his hip. "And you had a rather interest reception waiting for me."

"I simply forgot to tell them I was expecting you." She smiled. "I am sorry for the inconvenience."

"Inconvenience! I'm bleeding and my clothes are torn! If that is what counts as an inconvenience to you, I wonder what's your view of a crime."

Some of the adventurers bristled as they prepared to shout him down and possibly attack for his insolence. One glare from Ottar shut them up quickly.

"I'd say you've turned my garden into very much a crime scene itself." Freya gestured over to the collapsed veranda. "Some of my beloved children may not even be alive after that."

"Self-defence. They attacked me first by sticking a weapon in my back."

"Are you sure about that?"

"You can tell when we are lying can you not? Did I lie just now?"

"...No you have not." Freya clapped her hands. "Fear not. To accommodate your visit, I have prepared some rather pleasant activities for us to do while we talk. I'm sure that what I have planned for us will more than make up for what was done here today."

"I suppose it's something luxurious and rejuvenating, and the like that women tend to invest in when they have as much wealth as you do."

"No less." Freya replied as she held out a hand, beckoning him forward.

Lyze whistled and walked forwards. "I came here for a serious discussion, but I suppose there's no harm in relaxing a bit while we talk."

"That's the spirit!" Freya cheered. "I do think we will enjoy our time together." She said as they made to go back in doors.

"For some reason, I'm not sure I share the same optimism. But regardless...thank you for having me."

"You're very welcome. And once we're properly settled, let's get down to business shall we. I assume that's what you wish for more than anything else."

"Yes. Do let's."

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