Netori: Stealing The Hero's Party!-Chapter 620: To Welcome The Champions - Part 2
To welcome the champions of war, the city of Athenia rumbled with excitement. Lanterns were hung high, and braziers burned bright with passion. The roads were paved with flower petals, and lining the streets were the royal servants, each holding a basket full of flowers to welcome the soldiers. Gathering by the front gate, the citizens kept behind a line of local militia, their eyes glistening with tears, hoping for their sons and daughters to be amongst the convoy.
It had been years since they'd seen their face, a year since they'd held them in their arms. Anxiety wrestled with the mothers while their husbands put up a braver front. Then there were the lovers, the orphaned siblings and many more like them, just praying to their goddess to return their loved ones home without a single scratch.
Thus, as the gates rumbled open and the sight of the soldiers riding on Coppalicons came into view, a wave of gasps erupted, but were quickly drowned by the beating of ceremonial drums. Moving further into the city, the soldiers were showered with the fragrant petals of flowers, and the flames of the braziers danced in the forms of countless beautiful women–all thanks to the Mistress' magic.
Following the path laden with petals, the soldiers were being led to the castle grounds. Met with many cries, but mostly the crowd remained cheerful, for the majority of their loved ones had returned. Compared to the entire army, only a handful had perished, but that didn't stop those who'd lost their family and lovers from bawling their eyes out.
"I can't believe we survived that hell…" Being back in the comfort of home, Aredin's mind wandered to what he and his battalion had to endure. "We killed horrors and now, we're back home. Feels like a happy end to a nightmare."
"Don't jinx us just yet!" Complained June, her sharp elven eyes twitching at the thought.
"We still have to go back when it's time to fight, so yeah, let's not count our lucky stars, eh?" Tris added while moving beside the others.
Riding alongside one another, their battalion scoured the crowd for their family members. But amongst the shower of petals and the cheers, it was hard to recognize faces or even the call of their names. A bit disappointed, both Aredin and June gave up eventually; however, noticing their downcast expression, Hannah tried to offer her help.
"Hey…" Nudging her boyfriend on the elbow, Hannah handed him the leash to her bird. Albeit confused at first, Tris took it off her hand and kept her close while she conversed with the other two instead. "Tell me what your family looks like, I'll take flight and find them."
"Hmm?" Slowly turning his head towards her, it took Aredin a moment to realize what she meant. "Oh…don't worry about it, we can't meet up with them before the assembly in front of the king anyway."
"Yeah, but–"
"Save you energy, Hannah," wearing a weak smile on her face, June looked at the harpy as well. "This is your first visit to our city. Don't tire yourself out before I get a chance to show you everywhere we have to offer."
Trying to mask their disappointment, the duo decided to move on to another topic. And although Hannah still wished to help, as a child of a rebel back in Lululalia, she felt somewhat reluctant to act however she wanted in a foreign kingdom. Being from the same city as her, Tris felt the same way.
"Alright then, you two lovebirds are gonna pay for tonight's feast!" And yet in his usual enthusiastic fashion, Tris joked with the others. He may have never been to another kingdom just like Hannah, but unlike her introverted personality, his extroverted nature was helping him stay much calmer about the change of scenery.
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Shaking his head, almost disappointed, Aradin broke into a fit of laughs before the group finally arrived at the foot of the castle's outdoor gate. The leader of the march ordered the soldiers to get on foot and let the local militia take their birds to spacious pens where they would spend some time eating and mating until another war was on the horizon.
An hour passed, and the soldiers struggled to control the beast, forcing the war weathered soldiers to take the birds to the pen themselves. Another delay in their arrival set in when a handful of local soldiers tried to cause a stir with the somewhat weaker-looking veterans, but the quarrel didn't last long as those who've fought against horrors for months were in a league the regular person couldn't hope to achieve within the kingdom walls.
Leaving the cocky bastards with their faces in the mud and their hands tied on their backs, everyone returned to the front gate and this time it opened right up. Walking into the garden, a hint of fresh food being grilled, stewed and boiled could be felt. Giant cauldrons were preparing a hearty meal for the soldiers in the garden, and amongst the servants were countless succubuses waving and winking at the loneliest seeming men and women.
"Devils…I'd heard Atheina was a diverse place, but succubuses, really?!" Hannah's shock knew no bounds, but having been around the creatures before leaving for the war, neither June nor Aradin were shaken by the sight.
"Just ignore them, they've been living with us for about a year now–some deal with some devil or something–nobody's really sure, but the king ensures that everyone falls in line." June's trust in Milo was as great as any other Athenian. And why wouldn't it be? Ever since he'd taken the crown, things have only looked up for the kingdom.
Nudging Tris with a smirk on his face, Aradun added.
"I would suggest Hannah keep you on a leash, the girls seem especially interested in someone new, ahaha…"
"What!?" Quickly looking at her man, the harpy didn't waste a second and locked her arms with him as if to show that he was taken. "You're staying with me at all times while we're here!"
"Y-yeah…" A bit thrown off by her clinginess, Tris grew somewhat bashful, but that didn't last long as he realized something else as well.
Looking around at the servants and reminding himself of the crowd on their path here, he felt a sense of endearment for the place, as his own city of Lululalia had been a nightmare for the demi-humans and the beastmen before Raven and his group arrived. Glancing sideways at Hannah, the thought made him wonder.
'Maybe someday we can stay here, find a place to live the rest of our lives together?' A fine thought, but before he could voice it as a joke to see Hannah's reaction, a loud bang was heard, and the next thing he knew, the spire of the castle had cast their bodies in a shadow. Quickly looking up, he saw rubble and the pike about to fall on the shocked soldiers.
What happened? Was there a monster? Such thoughts emerged in everyone's head, but to their horror, it was something entirely different. Something far more fierce, something from another world that had followed them all this time, from the desert to the city, just so it could find where the loyals of Athenia lived. And now, it was time for it to hunt!
