It was late into the night by the time Freya finally settled the last of her familia members.
The unrest that had spread through them had taken longer to calm than she had hoped, and only after everything was resolved did she return to her chambers. Freya let out a slow breath as she sat down, the weight of the night finally catching up to her. Without bothering to change, she lay on the bed and closed her eyes.
Sleep came quickly. It wasn't deep, but it was enough—at least for a moment.
A faint notification broke the silence as her communication device lit up once beside her. She didn't stir. If it was important, they would call.
A moment passed.
Then it came again.
This time, Freya's eyes opened slowly, a trace of irritation flickering across her expression as she reached for the device.
There were two messages—one from Lili, the other from Hephaestus.
She opened the first message. It was phrased lightly, almost like a complaint rather than a request for help.
Freya's expression remained unchanged.
Expecting her to hold the church alone had never been realistic.
She moved to the second message. From Hephaestus. Short and casual—a simple question about who would respond.
Freya leaned back slightly, considering it. Her familia was not in the condition she preferred. Even during Apollo's previous situation, she had needed support to maintain control. Acting alone now would be inefficient.
Her fingers moved across the device, typing:
"It would be better if both of us go, as most of my members are not in proper condition."
She sent the reply.
Even so, her strength remained overwhelming. Level Seven. And the four brothers—more than enough to deal with Apollo if necessary.
Freya set the device aside, her expression returning to calm.
A moment later, she rose from the bed without any urgency. After adjusting her clothes, she picked up the device again and moved toward the door.
It opened.
The guard outside straightened immediately.
"Call the others," Freya said.
By the time she stepped into the corridor, several members had already begun to gather. More arrived within moments, drawn by her presence rather than any spoken order.
Freya's gaze moved across them. There were fewer than ten.
Not ideal. But enough.
She turned without hesitation and began walking, the others falling in behind her.
The moment she stepped outside, she was forced to stop.
Multiple figures stood in the distance, as if they were waiting for her.
Their formation made their intent obvious—they hadn't come to observe.
They had come to fight.
Freya's gaze remained steady as she studied them. Before she could speak, the formation shifted.
Several of the Amazonian women stepped aside in a smooth, deliberate motion, opening a path through their ranks.
Ishtar stepped forward.
Behind her stood two familiar figures—Phryne, large and imposing, and Haruhime, quiet but no less significant.
Freya's eyes lingered on them for a moment before returning to Ishtar.
Ishtar smiled faintly as she came to a stop, her posture relaxed, as if this were nothing more than a casual meeting.
"Freya," she said smoothly. "Out for a walk this late at night?"
She tilted her head slightly.
"I heard a certain church has become rather popular tonight," she continued. "So I thought… why not offer a little help?"
Her tone shifted, more direct now.
"In exchange, you can share your new toy with me. After all, eating alone is a bad habit."
Freya remained silent for a moment, her gaze unreadable.
"No need."
The refusal was simple and absolute.
Ishtar blinked once, then laughed softly.
"Well… I suppose I tried."
The shift was immediate.
Phryne surged forward, her massive form closing the distance in an instant, weapon already descending toward Freya.
The strike never reached her.
Ottar intercepted it mid-swing, steel crashing against steel and halting the blow inches from its mark.
The impact echoed through the street.
Freya's attention lingered on the clash for only a moment before returning to Ishtar.
"So you've aligned yourself with Apollo," she said calmly. "And you believe that will be enough to stand against me?"
Ishtar didn't answer. Instead, she glanced to the side.
"Haruhime."
The fox girl stepped forward, raising her hands as light gathered around her. A soft glow spread outward, settling over Phryne as the air grew heavier with the surge of power.
At the same time, more members of the Ishtar Familia advanced, their numbers filling the space. Some carried familiar weapons—likely taken from Apollo.
At least, that was her assumption, as she didn't know both of them had been working together from the start.
A gunshot cut through the tension.
The round struck her, but the refractor shield she was carrying deflected it harmlessly.
Freya turned her head slightly toward Ishtar.
"That was not a good idea."
Saying that, she disappeared.
In the same instant, she reappeared behind her.
A small blade slipped forward, precise and controlled, piercing cleanly into Ishtar's back.
There was no time to react.
Light erupted.
A column of divine radiance surged upward, cutting through the night as Ishtar's form dissolved within it. The sudden release of divine presence stilled the battlefield for a brief moment.
Her voice broke as she tried to speak, but no words formed before the light carried her away.
With her gone, the pressure that had filled the battlefield collapsed without warning.
Phryne's movement faltered mid-strike, the strength behind her attack vanishing so abruptly that her stance broke.
Before she could adjust, a blade cut through her body like butter.
Nearby, another member staggered as their strength failed them. Their weapon felt heavier in their grasp as confusion turned to panic, then fear.
It didn't take long for the others to understand.
Even those still confused—the pillar of light had made it clear enough.
Their blessing was gone.
One by one, weapons lowered. Some slipped from their hands and struck the ground with dull, empty sounds.
The same people who had advanced without hesitation now stood frozen, fully aware of the situation.
The shift had been immediate. Absolute.
Freya stepped forward.
Her gaze passed over them briefly before settling on Aisha, who still held herself together.
Freya stopped in front of her.
"You will keep them under control," she said calmly.
It wasn't a request.
Aisha didn't answer immediately, but she didn't look away either.
Freya didn't wait stepping closer she made a small cut on her thumb before pressing it lightly against Aisha's back.
There was no ceremony—after all, nobody had the time for that.
Aisha felt the change at once as strength returned to her body, her posture easing as the pressure lifted.
"Just pick a few decent ones and handle everyone," Freya said, already turning away. "Once everything is over, you can choose if you want to leave or stay."
Aisha's breath caught slightly as the strength settled into her body, the meaning of it clear without further explanation.
Freya's attention shifted to Haruhime. Recalling her skills, she decided to keep her close—it would be troublesome if someone else got her.
"Follow me."
The fox girl stiffened, then lowered her head and stepped forward.
Freya turned, already leaving.
Behind her, the remnants of the Ishtar Familia remained exactly where they were—disarmed, shaken, and very aware that they had just been allowed to continue existing.
Freya didn't look back.
She had already spent more time here than necessary.
Now, she just hoped that little girl hadn't run away.
---
Authors note : while at the current time I think most people have already taken the membership if they can but If you Haven't for some reason then maybe you can check out the Parteon
https://[email protected]/Silvervir?utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator
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