Is It Wrong To Skitter In A Dungeon? Chapter 53: The Streets Have Eyes (Patreon)

Chapter 53: The Streets Have Eyes

“Do we have to?” Hestia asked, whining a little as she dragged her feet.

“Yes,” Taylor replied, resisting the urge to sigh. “It’s an important meeting with the other members of our little conspiracy.”

“Don’t call it a conspiracy, that makes it sound bad,” the goddess huffed. “We’re trying to do good things, here!”

“Exactly. So please stop pouting,” Taylor requested. “Your rivalry with Loki is exhausting.”

“That washboard is the one who’s exhausting!” Hestia growled. “Always being so smug and rude and trying to stab people in the kidneys!”

Taylor resisted the urge to roll her eyes, but it was a close thing, and instead she patted Hestia on the head, earning a squawk from her.

A moment later, the duo walked inside a bar that was commonly used by gods to drink and chat, so their appearance wasn’t unusual. Approaching a barmaid, Taylor placed a gold coin onto her tray.

“The brat with the feathered cap said we needed the key to the yellow room,” Taylor told her in a low voice, and the woman just smiled before fishing a silver key from her cleavage.

Thanking her, Taylor and Hestia went to the private rooms in the back, opening the door that had a yellow doorknob with the key they’d been given.

“Welcome, welcome!” a man with golden blond hair and emerald eyes said in greeting. “It’s been too long, little Hestia!”

“Dionysus! Nice to see you again!” the Hearth Goddess said with a smile.

“Indeed! Such a shame we have to meet under such circumstances,” the god sighed, before turning to look at Taylor. “Greetings, my lady. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Same,” Taylor said curtly. She was not a fan of his aura: screams of ecstasy and terror, mixing chaotically. Still, it was better than the buzzing static that belonged to the black-haired elf at his side that set Taylor’s teeth on edge. It was also… familiar…

“It’s a regular reunion, ain’t it?” Hermes said cheerfully as he strode into the room. “Dio, Hesty, how ya doing?”

Behind him, Asfi sighed, shaking her head, but kept silent.

“Hey, Hermes,” Hestia said, not as enthused to see the Messenger God. She still hadn’t forgiven him for treating Taylor and Bell’s familial connection like an exciting game, and to be honest, neither had the parahuman.

Sensing the hostility, he coughed awkwardly and sat down at the table as far from the duo as possible.

“We’re just waiting on Loki, right?” Hermes asked.

“Right,” Dionysus nodded. “I hope you don’t mind if I ordered some drinks for us.”

“No, not at all,” Hermes replied.

“Lord Hermes… this room is on your tab,” Asfi reminded him, and he blanched.

“Uh, on second thought, maybe don’t get anything too expensive?”

Dionysus just smiled, and the God of Thieves groaned and covered his face, muttering about his monthly allowance being used up. Hestia snorted and even Taylor cracked a smile.

“I’m here, I’m here!” Loki called out a minute later, entering the private room with Finn at her side. “Don’t start the drinking without me!”

“Well, now that we’ve all gathered, how about we discuss the real reason we’re meeting up,” Finn suggested after the gods had all had a glass of wine.

“Evilus,” Dionysus nodded, his expression turning solemn.

“Yup,” Loki said, squinting into her drink. “Time to plan the invasion of Knossos.”

“Before we can do anything, we have to find as many entrances as possible so we can keep them locked down,” Asfi replied. “And find a way to open the doors.”

The gods and captains spoke for a bit, discussing ways to do just that. Unfortunately, they didn’t have many good ideas.

“If only you hadn’t destroyed that orb, Weaver,” Dionysus sighed, looking over at Taylor.

“There wasn’t any other choice,” she replied. “That red-head was too strong. Level 6, at a minimum. And her power to control those monsters was a strong counter for my own ability to do the same.”

“Revis,” Finn spoke up. “We found out that her name was Revis.”

“Helpful. But I assume the Guild has no records of any adventurer matching that name and her description?” Taylor inquired, and when Finn nodded she frowned.

“Odd. Unless she’s from outside Orario somebody should know her. The fact nobody seems to recognize her, though, is worrisome.”

“Hey, how does that even work?” Loki inquired, staring at the parahuman. “The monster-control thing. Because if the enemy can counter your ability, then what’s even the point of bringing you with us?”

“First of all, her – Revis’s – range is significantly smaller than my own,” Taylor replied, hiding her annoyance. “Secondly, my power works by taking control of the brain. Revis takes control of their soul.”

“Monsters don’t have souls,” Filvis said, speaking up for the first time.

“Their Magic Stone, then. Or whatever it is that animates them,” Taylor said with a dismissive shake of her head. “Point is, the point of contact is different. We can send conflicting orders and paralyze the monsters, which is what I did when Evilus attacked us. And, if it truly came down to a contest of wills… I would win.”

“You sure?” Hermes asked.

“Absolutely,” she stated firmly, her tone brooking no argument.

“In that case, we’ll leave that task to you, then,” Finn said with a conciliatory tone. “Anyways, back to the original point: doors and keys.”

He raised three fingers. “So far, we’ve found three entrances to Knossos. We’re still looking for more.”

“We can brute force the doors,” Loki said. “At least the ones leading into Knossos. It’s the traps that are the problem.”

“Pardon, but you said three? I was only aware of two: the sewer entrance and the one in the Entertainment District,” Dionysus spoke up.

“You can thank Weaver for the third one,” Finn said. “She discovered a hidden door on the 18th Floor being used as a smuggler’s den. I investigated it, and it matches the materials and design of the other doors.”

“That’s not all you got, right?” Hermes asked, and the pallum nodded.

“Weaver also captured a pair of adventurers who were with Evilus and part of Thanatos’ Familia. Unfortunately, they were zealots,” Finn revealed with a grimace. “One bit off his own tongue before I could interrogate him, and the other one simply spouted nonsense about reincarnation and meeting his loved ones again.”

“That must be how Thanatos is getting their loyalty,” Asfi guessed. “If he is promising to reunite people with their lovers in the afterlife and give them a second chance, it would explain their fanaticism.”

“Can he do that?” Taylor asked, concerned. “Reunite the dead with their friends and family?”

“Technically? Yes,” Hestia confirmed for her captain’s sake. “As a god in charge of souls, Thanatos is tasked with making sure the dead are cleaned of sins and worldly attachments before sending them into the Sea of Souls surrounding Tenkai. Some gods may select certain souls to receive rewards or punishments, and Thanatos does have some say in where a soul ends up, but that’s only if he was in Tenkai. While he’s descended, he’s unable to keep his promises, and the other Death Gods will be taking care of his followers. And they might not be as kind to them due to their sins.”

“And even if Thanatos does reincarnate his followers with their loved ones, there is no telling what they will be, or when they’d manifest again,” Hermes added. “Simply put, it’s a scam, but an effective one for the lost, hopeless, and desperate.”

“Disgusting,” Filvis muttered, and Taylor nodded, agreeing with the elf.

“Three doors, hm? I’d prefer it if we could find another one. One for each of the Familias here,” Dionysus mused.

“We’ll keep looking,” Finn declared.

“That would be a relief,” the god said. “Though I must say, I’m worried. Even if we find them, the worry of a way in remains.”

“Asfi might have a solution,” Hermes declared. “She’s been studying the doors and thinks she can… what was it you said?”

“Analyze the magical signature required to open them and copy the wavelength,” the bluenette replied dutifully, pushing her glasses up.

“Right. That,” Hermes chuckled. “Give us a few weeks to a month and we should have a magical lockpick.”

“Good to know,” Loki nodded, and Finn looked eager.

“In that case, why don’t we celebrate with another bottle of wine?” Dionysus suggested, and Hermes paled at the thought of paying for any more drinks.

“No, no, that’s quite alright!” the Messenger God hastily said. Dionysus smiled, but it was an amused smirk. Clearly, he knew what he was doing and enjoying it.

This did not go unnoticed, and Loki snorted in amusement while Hestia giggled.

“I’m glad that you’ve mellowed out since descending, Dionysus,” Hestia said, smiling at the God of Wine.

“I don’t think I’ve changed that much,” he replied, scratching the back of his head with an awkward laugh.

“Oh, I think you have,” Hermes said, a teasing smirk on his face. “Didn’t you used to go around beating up other gods whenever they annoyed you?”

Dionysus huffed and flipped his fabulous golden hair. “Don’t pretend that you wouldn’t have punched those punks too, Hermes!”

The gods had a good laugh at that, before settling down.

“Now! Supplies!” Loki said, slapping the table. “That’s the next topic!”

“We will need Airmid on our side,” Finn declared, rubbing his chest. “The enemy has cursed weapons and Elixirs simply aren’t enough.”

“Will Dian Cecht agree to that?” Filvis asked softly. “He is very… protective of Dea Saint.”

“Offer him enough money and he’ll do anything,” Hermes replied. “He won’t like it… but he’ll do it.”

“Bringing in Airmid and more Supporters and Healers from the Dian Cecht Familia will cost a lot,” Dionysus warned.

‘And Loki is always broke,’ went unsaid, but heard all the same, if the grimace the Trickster Goddess sported was any clue.

“We will fund the expedition with a quick Dungeon raid,” Finn stated. “It will help us acquire the materials we need, as well.”

He then glanced at Taylor and Hesita. “Would your Familia be willing to work with us to collect some funds?”

Goddess and captain shared a look before the latter turned back to the pallum and nodded.

“Yes,” Taylor replied. “Only up to the 36th Floor, though. We won’t venture into the Deep Floors.”

“Acceptable,” Finn conceded.

“I believe we should also get the Ganesha Familia’s help,” the parahuman added. “At least for assistance in forming a cordon around Knossos’ entrances to keep Evilus from fleeing.”

“Agreed,” Asfi nodded. “They will likely step in even if we don’t ask. Especially when the fighting spills out into the city. And it will happen, because Evilus are not the sort to leave civilians alone.”

“Yes, based on their previous actions they’ll try to attack other sites to draw our attention,” Finn hummed. “Very well. We’ll petition the Ganesha Familia for aide.”

“Also, I would like to make another suggestion, this time for the Loki Familia,” Taylor said.

“What would that be?” Loki drawled.

“One of your adventurers can copy Spells, correct?” Taylor asked, and Finn and Loki shared a glance before nodding.

“That’s right,” Finn confirmed. “Leyfia Viridis. Thousand Elf. Why?”

“One of my Familia members has a Spell I think would be quite useful for her,” Taylor replied.

“I’m afraid Leyfia can only learn magic that come from other elves,” Finn said apologetically.

“Good, because it’s Ryuu who has the Spell I want her to learn,” Taylor replied. Ryuu had agreed to the trade when she’d brought it up before leaving for the meeting, having little to connection to her magic, save one Spell.

“And what, exactly, would you want from this exchange?” Loki demanded.

“A favor,” Hestia spoke up. “We let you learn this magic from Ryuu, and you promise to give us one favor.”

Loki frowned, but Taylor knew she and Finn would agree. A Spell was a Spell, in the end. And anything that boosted the fighting power of their Familia was worth any price, even an ambiguous favor to be called in later.

“Fine,” Loki grunted after a moment of thinking the offer over. “One Spell for one favor. Acceptable. We’ll bring Leyfia over later today, alright?”

“Sounds good,” Hestia nodded in agreement.

“Great! Now, is there anything else?” Hermes asked, looking around.

“Nope, can’t think of anything,” Loki shrugged.

“In that case, I supposed we should end it here,” Dionysus suggested. “There’s much to do, and we can’t sit around waiting, can we?”

The God of Wine then walked out of the room, his dark-haired captain scrambling out after him.

“He drank all of the good stuff,” Hermes whined as he looked at the empty bottles where Dionysus had previously sat.

“Sucks to be you,” Loki snarked.

“You should really be cutting back on that stuff anyways,” Hestia sniffed.

“How come Dionysus can drink like a fish but I can’t?” Hermes grumbled.

“He’s the God of Wine. He gets a pass,” Hestia smirked, clearly just teasing before standing up as well. “Anyways… bye, Hermes. Later, Washboard.”

“Suck it, Tiny!” Loki shot back.

Taylor and Finn rolled their eyes as the former led her goddess out of the room and the bar.

“That was informative,” the parahuman commented.

“Yeah, it was… though did you have to be so rude to Dionysus?” Hestia asked. “I know he’s a bit of a flirt, but…”

“His aura annoyed me,” she replied. “And something about his captain is… off-putting.”

“Ah,” Hestia winced. “Well… try to get along next time, okay?”

“I’ll do what I can,” Taylor said, before looking down at her. “We’ve got time before we have to head home. What do you want to do next?”

“Why don’t we ask my friend Penia if she’s seen anything odd in the city,” Hestia suggested after thinking it over. “I still feel kinda hyped up and wanna do something to help fight those meanies!”

“Penia? The Goddess of Poverty?” Taylor asked, leaning in. She’d heard of her, of course. The parahuman had made it a mission to learn all she could about the different gods in Orario.

Penia stood out amongst the dozens of deities, mostly because she was the only goddess to lack a Familia. If rumors were true, she actually hated the very idea of giving mortals power in the form of Falna.

“Yup! I knew her back in Tenkai. She descended a few centuries ago, so I haven’t seen her since,” Hestia replied.

“She lives in Daedalus Street, last I heard, and is sort of a bigshot for the beggars and homeless of the city,” Hestia continued. “We could go ask her if she knows anything about Evilus, or if she heard something from her worshippers.”

Taylor looked skeptical at that. “In my experience, villains don’t just monologue their whole evil plan out in the open for people to hear.”

“Well duh, but Penia has eyes and ears everywhere, so somebody likely knows something,” the Goddess of the Hearth pointed out.

“Good point,” Taylor admitted.

Privately, she doubted Penia knew more than Gita or her extensive information network, but there was always the chance they could get a bit of intel they hadn’t yet discovered.

‘And it’s not like there’s anything else happening today aside from Bell taking Wiene out into Orario.’

To test whether or not Taylor’s plan about having the Xenos move around on the surface with the Hestia Familia emblem on their clothing would work, the young Vouivre had volunteered to help. Bell was going to take her around the city, introducing her to the various places they usually went to see what happened.

Wiene was a monster, but she also looked human enough (aside from the blue skin tone) most people might not even realize she wasn’t normal. Add in the fact she was cute and curious and people would be taken aback but, hopefully, also be quick to warm up to her.

‘For now, I have to trust Bell and his impressive charisma to turn people to our side regarding Wiene and the Xenos,’ Taylor thought to herself.

For the moment, though, the parahuman had a job to do, and she dutifully followed Hestia into Daedalus Street. Entering the area always felt weird. Her swarm had trouble with the spatial distortions in the place, and she still wasn’t sure why.

‘Perhaps it has to do with Knossos?’ Taylor mused. ‘The two entrances on the surface that have been found are both close to Daedalus Street, so it’s not beyond the pale that the hideout is responsible for effect.’

But that raised more worrying questions. After all, Daedalus Street was one of the oldest districts of the city, built shortly after Babel and the central regions, and according to the few records dating back to that era, the maze-like qualities of the street had existed ever since it was built. That implied Knossos had been around just as long if the distortions were any indicator.

Yet Evilus was relatively new. It had only formed after the Zeus and Hera Familias were driven out of Orario. What purpose did Knossos serve? Why had it been built? And by whom?

‘Hopefully I can find some answers during the raid,’ Taylor thought, before her swarm detected an odd aura coming from nearby.

It was a deity, and the hum radiating off of her was the sound of coins clinking together. Taylor guided Hestia towards the goddess, and was soon greeted with the sight of an elderly woman with white hair and a white hood-like shawl draped around her shoulders. Underneath she wore a black dress that had seen better days.

“…remember! The sin of Greed is the greatest to plague mortals!” she declared, giving a sermon to numerous people bowing to her while wearing tattered, dirty clothes. “Greed is the Primordial Sin! It is Greed that causes mortals to go to war, spawning Wrath! It is Greed that causes mortals to desire the spouses of the others, birthing Lust! Greed for what others own gives rise to Envy! Greed is what leads to mortals reaching for undeserved success, leading to Hubris! And Greed for excessive food and relaxation in turn is the source of Gluttony and Sloth! Do not give in to Greed! You may be poor in wallet, but your souls are richer than any mortal in a golden palace!”

The worshipers cheered and praised her, calling out her name. “Penia! Save us, Penia!” the cried out, and coins were tossed into begging bowls at her feet.

Eventually the supplicants departed, and the goddess sighed, sagging a little before whipping out a bottle of wine, taking a swig from it. However, as she drank, her eyes drifted towards the entrance to the alleyway she was proselytizing at and immediately coughed upon spotting Taylor and Hestia.

“Hestia?” the goddess spluttered in surprise, her grey eyes widening, and the tiny dark-haired deity bounced over, giving her a hug.

“Penia! It’s good to see you again!” Hestia declared.

“I… yes, I suppose it is,” she stammered. “What are you doing here?”

“Well, I was looking for stuff in Daedalus Street with my child, and I figured if anyone knew anything about the place, it’d be you!” the Goddess of the Hearth explained.

“Oh?” Penia murmured, glancing over at Taylor who stood nearby, watching quietly. “So, you have a Familia, now.”

“Yup!” Hestia nodded. “They’re the best! No, the bestest!”

Penia sighed, but there was fondness within it. “I’m sure. Even I’ve heard about the Record Holders. Honestly, my dear, you must be feeding them something amazing to get them so strong so quickly. But what else can I expect from the goddess who tended to the Divine Flame of Tenkai?”

“I take it you two know each other quite well,” Taylor spoke up.

“I am the Goddess of the Hearth. A warm and safe place to stay is the right of all mortals,” Hestia said proudly. “When people would pray to Penia for deliverance from their woes, I would make sure they would find somewhere that would accommodate them.”

“You were always too kind for your own good,” Penia commented. “And that means… you’re here about Evilus.”

“That’s right,” Hestia confirmed, but Taylor narrowed her eyes in suspicion.

“You know something,” Taylor said accusingly.

“Maybe I do, maybe I don’t,” Penia replied. “I don’t work for free, though.”

“Nobody does,” Taylor agreed, and she fished out some valis from her pocket. Her swarm then carried the golden coins over to the prayer bowls, and deposited them within.

“Generous,” Penia murmured.

“Compared to what the people from earlier gave, it is nothing,” Taylor replied.

“Oh? But I see only copper and silver from my followers. Yours are the first gold coins I have been given in a long time,” Penia commented.

“There is a story from my home. It’s been a while since I heard it, but it goes that there are two people who donate money to a god’s temple. One is a rich man, the other a poor woman. Both give only a single gold coin. But the woman is the more generous of the two, for that one coin is worth far more to her than it is to the rich man,” Taylor replied.

Penia stared at her with narrowed eyes, scrutinizing the parahuman before snorting. “You are a strange one, Outsider. But you are kind to a fault as well. However, your kindness is hidden behind scars.”

Taylor simply folded her arms. “Hestia and I are looking for any information you might have on Evilus. We know the Loki Familia has been through here, but had no luck. Perhaps you can change that?”

“Hmph, those adventurers from the Loki Familia have been combing through Daedalus Street for a while, now,” Penia huffed. “No clue what they’re looking for. They haven’t bothered to ask any of the inhabitants for help, at least.”

“That seems shortsighted,” Taylor pointed out. “Surely people who live in this place would make for decent guides, or at least might know something useful.”

“Common sense from an adventurer? Will wonders never cease!” Penia cackled. “Poor child, the members of the Loki Familia are afflicted by the same curse most of those with a Falna fall prey to: arrogance. They cannot see those without a god’s blessing as anything other than weak, and lesser.”

She opened her arms widely. “That is why I do not have a Familia of my own. I feel that to bless a mortal is to take away something fundamental from them. They end up relying on their strength of arms, and fail to consider other avenues, such as what their mind can offer.”

“The world is poorer for the inclusion of the Falna, or so you believe,” Taylor said, quickly figuring out why a goddess of poverty would think that way, and Penia snapped her fingers.

“Correct,” she replied. “Since you shared a tale from your homeland with me, let me give you one of my own. Once, a young and naïve goddess descended to the realm of mortals. She sought to guide the poor and helpless out of the pit of poverty they had fallen into. She traveled the land, and blessed orphans, beggars, homeless and pickpockets so they might become more than what they currently were.”

Hestia gave her a worried look as she spoke, clearly knowing the story. Penia sighed, and waved a hand. “Amongst these mortals, the goddess found a man who was destitute, debt-riddled from poor decisions his parents had made and then foisted the responsibility for onto. Yet despite that, he preserved, working hard and never giving up. Despite having nothing he was generous and gave to all who needed food or coin more than him. It was this charitable nature that drew the goddess to him, and so, she blessed him.”

“He had an incredible sense for money. And with the goddess’ aide, he soon managed to amass a fortune and pay off his debts. They said he had the golden touch! But in time, his greed grew too much, and he turned arrogant,” the Goddess of Poverty said morosely. “Gone was his charity, of giving to the less fortunate. Now, he abused them and worked them to the bone without another thought. He lied, claiming it was for their own good. That if they worked hard like he had, they could be like him! In the end, the Man with the Golden Touch died when his greed caused him to steal the wife of another man, one whom he had forced into poverty and debt, just like he once had.”

Penia clenched her fists. “The foolish and naïve goddess saw that her beloved Golden Man had died, and took away her blessing from the corpse wearing his skin. Without the divine guidance, his golden touch vanished, and his fate was sealed by the ones he had ruined.”

“Midas,” Taylor muttered, recognizing some parallels with the Greek tragic figure of her world, and Penia twitched, her expression darkening at that name.

“Yes. Midas. His pursuit of wealth was not what killed him, but rather, it was the power the goddess granted him that made him lose sight of everything he should have held dear. And the goddess realized that it was only in adversity after everything else is taken away that the true nature of a person is revealed. Without struggles and pain they do not have a chance to shine.”

Taylor wasn’t sure she agreed, but she couldn’t deny that power… it did things to people. Twisted even what should have been noble goals into monstrous ideals and brought out hidden darkness from a person’s heart that might have stayed buried otherwise.

“Hestia would never let that happen to me,” the parahuman replied.

For a moment there was silence, and Penia sighed and closed her eyes. “Within the deepest part of Daedalus Street, there is a warehouse. Beneath the warehouse is something… odd. A golden door, completely out of place for its surroundings. The warehouse has no owner, but no one dares sleep within it, even on the coldest and wettest nights, for those who do… are never seen again. It has always been this way, but in the past decade and a half, even those who try to find shelter in the buildings surrounding it vanish.”

“Thank you,” Taylor said gratefully.

“…Hestia was the only one who never made fun of me in Tenkai,” Penia muttered. “I’m just repaying that favor.”

The tiny goddess looked up at the Goddess of Poverty with a conflicted expression, but her concern was waved off.

“Go on, Hestia. You have more important things to do than hang around a dirty alleyway with an old, drunk, and rambling woman,” Penia said. Hestia just gave her another hug before returning to Taylor’s side.

“I’ll visit again soon!” Hestia promised as the duo left.

“So… what do you think we should do next?” the Goddess of the Hearth wondered as they walked away.

“I’m searching the area and marking the walls and paths with my spiders,” Taylor informed Hestia. “I think I’ve found the place Penia was referring to.”

“Really?” Hestia asked, taken aback.

“Just as she said, there’s a bunch of buildings that are completely empty of people, and from the conditions, have been that way for over a decade. Everywhere else has somebody living in there, or even just stray animals. But there’s nothing like that in this part, just insects. Kinda obvious in hindsight.”

“Huh. That was easy,” she murmured.

“I still need to map it out more and check to see if there’s a golden door… but yes, we’re done,” Taylor said. “Want to get a snack or something?”

“I could go with some ice cream,” Hestia suggested leadingly and Taylor chuckled.

“We can grab the ingredients and make some for dessert tonight.”

“Yes!” Hestia cheered, pumping her fist. “We need to buy or invent some magic tools to make ice cream on our own at some point! I wanna sell it! It’d be a hit in the stores!”

“Not a bad idea,” Taylor praised. “How’s the restaurant coming, anyways?”

“Almost done! Just got a few more things to finish up with. I’ve got deals with Demeter and Hathor for supplies, and got a few hires lined up to work the kitchens!”

“Good to hear, I can’t wait to try some good ol’ fast food again,” Taylor said. ‘And with an adventurer’s constitution there’s no risk of clogged arteries!’

As a Level 3, she could probably eat a whole Challenger Burger from Fugly Bob’s without getting sick! Maybe. If she hadn’t eaten anything else that day…

She was shaken from her thoughts about the greasiest burger this side of the multi-verse by an explosion coming from within the city, and she frowned.

‘Was that… thunder?’ Taylor wondered in worry. It had sounded a lot like when one of Bell’s clones blew itself up.

 A second later another blast of thunder rang out and her fears were proven correct.

“Hestia, we need to go,” the parahuman announced, and Taylor scoped Hestia up while summoning her wings. The goddess let out an “Eep!” as she was soon being carried through the air at ridiculous speeds, but Taylor ignored her, pausing only to drop her off at the Hearth Manor before shooting off to see what was happening.

When she found the source of the commotion – two more thunder-like explosions having gone off in the time it took her to cross half the city – Taylor was both frustrated and unsurprised to see the ones responsible.

“Sword Princess,” Taylor called out through her swarm as it buzzed angrily. “Care to explain why you’re attacking my brother and Familia members?”