Legions of the Gods chapter 6: We found him.
After the members of the Athena Legion have had their rest, Lina comes out of her room with her outfit ready to go. And sees Yumi and Dante close to Kragur's workspace. Dante looked back toward the red-head. A subtle smile, mixed with a raised eyebrow.
"Are you okay?" He said with a chuckle in his voice. Making her a little embarrassed.
she chuckled nervously. "It's… Nothing." She walked up to them. Checking out what's going on that they're so grouped together.
"What's happening?" She asked, looking at the blade Kragur is forging. Pounding it with his small hammer.
"We were just talking about ideas on how to take down Heimdall." Yumi spoke. Crossing her arms, And Dante intervened.
Kragur huffed at his words, "Yer crazy, ya heard, jizz-head? Pickin' to screw and fawn with an Aesir who could throw down Thor and Baldar. He's never been hit in his 2000 years of his life."
"He's not that strong," Dante told Kragur, as if he really cared that much. "He can't fight and it shows."
Kragur was gonna say something, but in the end. He shrugged dismissively at his words. "Can't stop you people. I make the weapons, ya smear them with blood."
"We do what we must." Yumi nodded. "And with respect."
Kragur Finally stopped his forging activities. And immediately seeks out to give it to Yumi. But it wasn't any regular weapon. It was her Katana.
"Some refinements to this masterpiece from the Japanese; my taste." Kragur complimented, Yumi took it, but saw it had a slight bit of grease on it. And the Dwarf noticed it too. "Oh— hold on, I got—"
"No need," Yumi put the Katana in between her fore arm and bicep. Swiping slowly as she cleans in with her sleeve. And swiftly releases it, ringing slightly.
"You've done enough. Let me do the rest." She smiled. "It'll be of good use."
"I'm back!" Lili called, coming out with a pair of brown boots and hoodie covering her head and is almost big enough to cover her entire body aand a small backpack— just like her brother. But it's bigger on her. And a cute smile on her face.
"You're coming with us?" Lina crossed her arms. A funny smile on her face.
"Of course I am, I'm a big girl!" She puts her hands on her hips and pouts. And Dante laughs.
And Elda came in from above the tree summoning above them. "Morning, everyone. Are we ready for today?"
"I think we are." He looked back at his team, who one way or another agreed.
"Wonderful," Elda walked towards the door of the temple. Letting Dante open the door with his hands. And a mystical tree lies in the middle of the travel room that was left unquestioned.
"Hey, I never really asked. But what is it with that tree?" Lina asked, walking as the roots of the tree make a bridge with the gap in between the tree and the group.
"Hoho," Elda chuckled to herself. "This is the world tree. The first thing to appear in the nine realms, and as well the equipment of creation. Transcending Space and time." As she was explaining. Dante had grabbed the Bifröst dagger from the small pouch he had it in, and stabbed it into the machine of travel. Allowing him to control their location. And on top of the magical desk, was the symbol of the elves, signal their next stop. And took off the dagger
"Woah…." Lili had never seen such things in her lifetime other then maybe the dolls she used to play with.
The world tree's intense magical energy swirled around in a circle they were trapped in as it did last time. Opening a void up from above that shows parts of creation. And Elda took this time to talk to them.
"You do know Alfheim is dangerous, right? The elves will kill anything that is not the opposite color of them, too."
"That's if they can. If they do. They only live to be stories." Yumi looked up at the void above her. "And if Thorne is alive. We shouldn't have any less trouble."
"Yeah, what she said!" Punched the air with excitement. And Lina could only agree with a nod. And Dante of course, "Never doubted we can't:" He smirked to himself,
"Well, Kragur told me he had use one of the emergency stones. This time, don't get in trouble, Kay?." Elda looks at them concerned for their wellbeing.
"Thanks for that, but we have bigger concerns right now." Dante stepped out of the circle once the machine was deactivated, ready to open the doors to a new world.
And when they did… Wow.
As they stepped forward, the air around him shimmered with an ethereal glow, the very essence of the realm pulsing with an unseen energy. Before him, a grand structure stretched toward the heavens, its intricate, sweeping architecture resembling the delicate weave of fate itself. A massive circular arch loomed overhead, its dark surface laced with luminous patterns, framing the radiant beam of light that pierced the sky like a celestial pillar.
The path leading to the structure was ancient yet alive, overgrown with moss and delicate flowers that whispered with the wind. The scent of fresh earth and blooming cherry blossoms lingered, their pink petals dancing lazily through the air, as if time itself had slowed in reverence to the sacred place. Cracked stone pathways, their surfaces worn smooth by ages of passage, guided his steps toward the center, where cascading streams of light converged upon a glowing gateway.
Beyond the arch, the landscape stretched into rolling hills bathed in the gentle glow of an eternal dawn. Small winged creatures, their forms trailing light like falling stars, glided through the sky, their presence both foreign and familiar. Silence reigned, not the hollow emptiness of desolation, but the serene quiet of a world untouched by mortal strife.
Dante exhaled, feeling the weight of his journey settle upon him. The realm of Alfheim was as beautiful as the stories had claimed, yet there was something beneath its pristine surface—an echo of something lost, something waiting. And as he stepped closer, the pulse of the light grew stronger, calling to him, beckoning him deeper into the heart of the unknown.
"You wouldn't believe this is a battlefield, right?" Elda smiled. Bitterly at the words.
"Definitely wouldn't." Dante responded. Looking at the light shooting up from the sky. And someone tugged his pants.
"Holy moly. I'd loved to be trapped in there, ya know." Kragur wheezed with laughter, "Lucky Bastard." But Elda's face said otherwise. A nervous one.
"Actually— there's not so much luck in there…" she chuckled nervously. Kragur pointed at his chest and shook his head at her words,
"Luck is my thing. Let me come with yall fellers." He puts his hands on his hips. But Elda pulls Kragur by the ear and away from the adventurers.
"Don't be stupid, dear… let's go back to working on weapons, hmm?" She says while Kragur just yelps the words 'ow' and 'agh', "Hey!"
The 4 are off to go find their dear member. But the path there is only so far…. Until one of them start a conversation. "Hey, so what's the Legion games you guys were talking about?" Lina asked, to Dante's answer.
"I thought you'd never ask. The Legion games is a festival celebrating the anniversary of the gods coming down to earth. And we celebrate it by a contest of who's the strongest Legion in ways that always change to the Gods convenience. Still doesn't change the fact we won 3 years in a row." He grinned smugly at those words. To Yumi's chuckle.
"I must say; it's a good break from having to save everything from collapsing." She smiled softly, and Lili raised her hand almost as if she was in class.
"Oh, oh! And my favorite part is the night before the games! You get to meet all the other Gods and Legionnaires in a ceremony. It's great!" She grinned at her own words. And Lina's was plastered too. "Wow, it sounds fun."
"Hey," Dante intervened. "If we get out of here. It's set for you to come." He smirked. Pushing her shoulder. To her amusement. "Let's get out of this situation."
"We're here." Lili looked up as the team find themselves with a clear… sky above? Are they not in the realm!?
Dante looks down and sees that there is floor grounding them. A bright blue light at that. "You know, I've seen things in adventures. But definitely not this."
The air shimmered with an ethereal glow as radiant figures emerged from the light itself. Light elves—graceful, luminous beings with translucent wings and flowing silver robes—drifted toward them, their presence weightless, almost surreal. Their movements were fluid, each step rippling like waves across the glowing floor beneath them.
Then, as if carried by the melody of an unheard song, the elves began to dance. Their bodies twisted and spun in perfect harmony, trailing ribbons of golden light that traced patterns in the air. Soft laughter echoed like chimes in the wind, and with every turn, their luminous forms blurred into streaks of radiance, encircling Dante and the others.
The light thickened, spiraling around them in a mesmerizing display—gentle at first, then faster, until the figures of the elves became indistinct swirls of brilliance. The world beyond them melted away as reality itself unraveled, replaced by cascading rays of celestial light.
And while all of this was happening. The team only looked at each other in confusion. But didn't question it.
The sensation was neither falling nor rising, but something in between—a weightless drift through infinity. Then, just as suddenly as it began, the radiance condensed in a final, blinding flare. The team felt solid ground beneath their feet once more.
As their vision adjusted, the light receded, revealing a breathtaking expanse ahead—a vast domain bathed in a soft, perpetual glow, where the air itself shimmered with divine energy.
"And just like that; they're gone." Dante raised an eyebrow. Although not in his tone. Bam! A slash of light comes from a light elf. To Dante's luck he's fast enough to dodge. But isn't fast enough to fight back as he's pinned to the ground soon after. Using his hands to push the blade away from his chest while the elf only tries harder.
"Dante!" Yumi shouted as she unleashed her Katana ready to strike. But the elf hit her with the power of light. Which blinded her strong enough to the point she stood still. Not being able to see anything around her. And Lina who was in the crossfire. Meanwhile,
"Nice to meet you too. Where did you get those weapons?" He gritted. But it didn't reply back. It only changed the way it was gonna pierce Dante. But he's just as clever as ever, so he lets go. Rolling and grabbing the light elf. Throwing him far away and high. Where he gets…. SWIPED IN HALF!? By who?
…A dark elf.
And the group can only watch stunned. But there was more on the lookout.
"Let go!!" Lili shouted. Squirming under a light Elves hold as it tried to fly back. But Dante was quick. "Lili!" He said as the light elf slashed the pillar. Making it fall on him. Making him lift it. But there was a swarm of Light elves coming to stop him. But even then, Yumi wanted revenge. She reached for her Katana. Her eyes glowing as she ripped the blade out. And swinged it diagonally with a spin. Letting out a strike so strong it cut all of the light Elves in seconds. Including the one that held Lili. Making her fall.
The moment Lili plummeted, Dante let go of the pillar and surged forward, catching her just before she hit the ground. His red eyes gleamed as he set her down gently, only to snap his gaze toward the battlefield—where dark elves and light elves clashed in a chaotic storm of blades and radiant energy. The air pulsed with opposing forces, each side fueled by an ancient enmity that made the team little more than obstacles in their war.
"We should get out of here." He said as he looked up. "What about the others?" Lili looked at him with wide eyes while hell is literally in the background.
"Yumi's got more then enough in her to take them by herself."
"Dante?" A voice calls, launching an axe that barely misses Dante. Shocking him a little, but still composed. "Is this another hallucination you're putting me through…?"
"What? What are you talking about?" Dante raises an eyebrow, walking backwards slowly. But ready to fight.
"Odin just can't stop, can he?. But guess what." The voice calls, its yellow eyes shining as it grins. The axe, hooked onto the wall, is recalled by his hand. Flies to his hand. And rests it on his shoulder, Looking down at The two, while Lili looks panicked.
"I do things the hard way too; I don't. hesitate…"
"If that's a promise... I promise you you're not all that." Dante waved his hand. Getting ready to fight. But the giant man only chuckled, and then deadpanned.
"No. It's a purpose."