Netori: Stealing The Hero's Party!

Water and runes–the lifeblood of a trapper, they'd mastered them both and one held one half of the deal and the other, another. A bandit duo who slipped gracefully through the grip of history with not even the gods knowing their names. Their faces permanently masked with masquerade, they danced in silent halls, museums and inside the vaults of the greatest kingdoms.

The pitter-patter of their feet more silent than a whisper, and their hysteric laughs dampened by a kiss. Legends of their conquest weave them as such that a simple touch of the woman's nail was enough command for a lock to unlock itself. Her partner on the other hand would clean a quiet path for his lady by taking out the guards and the soldiers without anyone realizing what had happened or ever finding their bodies.

Their presence turned into a rumor and it carried for years upon years until the couple was finally content with their haul. Having plundered every vault they possibly could, it was time to lay back and watch the sunset together until the end of time. At least that was the plan until their greed turned against each other.

With nobody left to steal from, they began to test each other's skills and plunder from one another. Tension began to build between the two and eventually what started with verbal abuse turned physical. The scale, however, did not tip in anyone's favor for they were both equals and the knives they used to stab each other illustrated that exactly.

The smell of rot filled their house in Athenia, paired with the crying from their child; it wasn't long until the neighbors found out what had happened. Erika was retrieved from the place and sent to the church as an orphan–however, with a recent conflict with a clan of monsters, a dozen more children were brought to the church the very same day. Assumed as the child of a martyr, she was raised the way a loyal soldier of Athenia would want his daughter to be raised–a god-fearing priestess.

"How did they manage to keep their names a secret? I do not know, and the only thing the two left behind is you Erika, nothing more–not their treasures or whatever it is that they were fighting over," concluding the story of Erika's parent much quicker than the rest, Athenia turned her head to look at the priestess. "I didn't plan to choose you as my chosen at that time so I have no clue what happened to them in terms of their afterlife, but judging from their actions–"

"They didn't make it to the heavens," her eyes staring mindlessly to the ground, Erika found herself conflicted about the whole thing. "What's the point of knowing that I had parents without knowing even their names?"

Looking up at the goddess, she expected at least some form of response, but Athenia had none as she had already laid down the truth to the best of her knowledge. She could for sure reach into the past and figure out more, but it was bound to agitate the elder gods who'd been trying to reach through the timelines to choke the life out of her body, not to mention the mortal immortal who'd been far too critical of her playing with time.

"What can I say? You wanted to hear the truth so here it is, as naked as can be," Athenia's response wasn't all that well received, but nobody was in the mood for fighting as their minds were consumed by what they'd learned–everyone but one person, that is.

"What about me?" Raven asked, being the only one left in the dark about his parents.
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Turning her towards him, Athenia's lips hesitated for a moment with visible signs of contemplation on her straining temples. But then with a sign she opened her mouth and answered Raven.

"I do not know," she said, seeming visibly defeated.

Eyes widened across the table from the goddess, a mix of surprise and question took over everyone's mind as none expected her to give such an abrupt response. They saw her as someone who knew better than them, as someone who'd seen and could see far more than they ever could and yet, she didn't know who Raven's parents were? That fact didn't sit well with any of them.

"Stop lying again, you already said you're gonna tell us the truth so just tell us!" Raven yelled out, growing frustrated with the secrets.

Even so, looking at him again, the goddess held one finger pointed at him and drew out from within his body what could be considered his shattered soul. Floating in mid-air as a dark illuminating ball of flame it had a faint crack running through the middle.

"You were found as a kid who just showed up at the church's doorsteps, no note no nothing–just laying outside in the cold of winter," with everyone's eyes focused on the flaming ball, Athenia pulled it closer and pinched both sides of it with different hands. "I saw something unusual in you."

Looking at Raven as she pulled the souls apart in perfect halves with just a crumb of the mix missing from the middle, Atheina separated the light of the soul from the consuming darkness that devoured all.

"What…is that?" Asked Raven, his eyes shifting to the dark part of his soul.

"Nightsilver's soul, the warrior who killed the demon lord," a gasp rippled through the air of the prison as everyone's head jerked to face the goddess, but before a word could be uttered by their lips, she pushed the light part of the soul back into Raven body before adding further. "For whatever reason, the dead hero returned and he lives within you, Raven. He's not conscious or capable of doing anything, so why was this inside of you? Who the hell knows?"

In utter disbelief at what they'd heard, everyone wanted to demand more answers to their questions, but Athenia knew that her time's already done. The morning sun was emerging from the surface, and with their eyes fluttering open, she managed to say just one more thing before they disappeared into the real world.

"Now that you know, make what you wish of this information. No more secrets, so I expect no more distractions," as their bodies began to fade, she hasted her speech and added quickly. "The witch will need a month's time before she's ready, until then you're on the mainland and there are enemies–defeat them and I'll grant you yet another gift, to every single one of you."

Although she'd promised Elanaria not to cause too much chaos for a while, Athena shortened the party's journey to the mainland by speeding up their time as well as that of everyone on their ships.

'Good luck handling true heroes chosen by other gods.' As the party awoke that day they would find their ship stationed at a fine dock.

Note" Sorry for only one chapter today, didn't have time to finish the rest. Will post extra tomorrow.