Netori: Stealing The Hero's Party!

As the disfigured idol of Batimos was brought down, Erika noticed an envelope sitting where the idol stood. Taking it in her hands, she noticed a skull-shaped wax brand keeping the envelope shut. Although curious about its contents, the menace aura creeping from within sent a chill so fierce it made her jump back to her feet. Holding the envelope still, however, she turned it around while her pounding heart had her panting heavily.

'This letter is not meant for you priestess, hand it over…' Reading those words inked in green behind the envelope, Erika knew that it was best for her to hand it over to Asmodia. The writer knew full well that she would be tempted, and somehow they'd even left a note to deter her from breaking the wax seal. 'This must be from Lord Murdok; My goddess' father, I should do as he asks.'

Familiar with both Murdok and Aphrodite thanks to Athenia's gospel, Erika knew who the letter was from and thus without delay, she reached inwards to awaken Asmodia, and the devil wasted no time in taking the letter off of her hands.

"I'll deliver it to her, leave it to me," with a light chuckle the devil disappeared and the very next moment she was standing inside Athenia's prison.

To her surprise, the goddess wasn't sitting at her usual spot, but the clone standing right next to the throne guided Asmodia with a gesture of the hand. Walking in the direction that she'd been directed to, she came up on a wooden box of a structure. It wasn't much taller than about eight feet–something the goddess would've had a hard time staying inside.

But as Asmodia walked in and was rushed with the intense heat of the sauna, she figured why her height wouldn't be a problem. Sitting on a bench at the edge of the room, Athenia had a towel wrapped around her body and sweat trickled down her skin like a river. Her hair was tied with a cloth as well and it appeared that the goddess had just taken a bath.

"What brings you here again?" Asked the goddess, looking at the devil while fanning herself with her right hand.

"You love your beauty schedule, don't you?" Asmodia whispered with a snap of her fingers to undo her clothes as well. Wrapping herself in her dark wings as if they were a towel, she made her way next to the goddess and held out to her the letter that she'd been given. "Another letter by your dead father, the seal unfortunately broke from the moisture inside this room but don't worry nobody has read it yet."

Turning her eyes to the letter, Athenia stared at it for a moment. The wax had melted from the heat of the sauna, but the parchment had fortunately endured the moisture. Taking it from Asmodia, she continued to stare at it for a while longer. Her mind stuck with the thought of her father having touched that letter while writing it.

"Thank you," she whispered, trying her best to keep herself from smiling.

But seeing right through the facade of indifference, Asmodia placed a hand on Athenia's shoulders and leaning in she whispered into her ears.

"I'll leave you alone to cry it out. I do it too sometimes, for Asvaa," pulling away, the devil wagged her happily while making her way out the door, but right before leaving, she turned around to add to her words. "Holding it back will only make you miserable, let it out, goddess. I'm sure you miss him, so you should let your tears honor his memories."

Holding her gaze to the letter a while longer, Athenia said not a word in response. Only after the devil was gone did her fingers squeeze the letter and a drop of golden tears wet the parchment. Nothing in the world mattered as she reached for the letter inside the envelope. Unfolding it in her hand, she began to read through it amidst crying hisses.

'Wipe your tears, they don't suit you, my daughter.' Read the very first line, and reading it Athenia couldn't help but crack a smile. Wiping her tears, she tried to read further, but the sentence right next to the first made her burst into laughter. 'There we go, a smile. Doesn't that look much better?'

"How do you know everything?" She asked and the letter answered.

'Because I know that you miss me, even though I'm gone.' The smile on her face faded yet again, but lifting her eyes, Athenia decided to continue reading it. 'I know things are difficult, I know things have grown more chaotic. Hmm, you must've written your first victim in the death ledger already, haven't you? Batimos, the god of rot. He deserved death, worse than it he deserved eternal servitude under Elanaria. You did well my daughter and you should know that I'm proud of you no matter what happens.'

"No matter what?" Athenia whispered, a mischievous smile flashing on her lips.

The letter, of course, answered.

'There are some limits, of course, I wouldn't want you wedded to an incapable man or a woman after all.' The mere mention of marrying a woman made Athenia roll her eyes scoffing, but the next thing she read made her chuckle. 'Women, I suppose we're both burnt by those, aren't we? Not too fond of those creatures, isn't that right?'

A small smiling skull was drawn at the end of the sentence in place of a period. Athenia could almost hear her father laughing at that joke, but alas, he wasn't there, and as she continued to read and enjoy the letter, eventually his presence from the letter faded as well. Nothing more than ink and paper, the letter felt as if it had lost its value. But even then she put it away with the other, just so she could go back and read the words inked by her father.

"I'll do my best to conquer Atlaris, the people will know peace under one god followed by many. Please keep looking after me, that's all I ask for in return," to conquer the world, to ensure it wouldn't fall into chaos thanks to the faith-hungry gods willing to massacre each other, Athenia renewed her vow to bring peace to her world, even if that vow required the sacrifice of many gods.

Murdok of course knew how she felt, that is why she'd been placed inside that prison, after all. She had his blessing, but war was inevitable and the only thing left to find out was in whose favour would the coming holy war fall. Stay connected through My Virtual Library Empire