Chapter 74 - 74 Four years and time for war

I spent all night giving out falnas. First the 30 beastmen I made back in the Monsterverse and then all the werewolves and other beast people.

Now I know for certain that I have a peculiar effect on the people I give a falna to.

Usually when a god gives someone a falna they get maybe a random ability or nothing at all. But if I give a beast person a falna, they'll get the ability to turn into an animal. Werewolves can turn into full wolves, weretigers into tigers, etc. That along with whatever ability they'd normally be getting.

Once I was done giving falnas, I crawled into bed next to Alice and wrapped my arms around her.

"Good morning." Alice says as she wakes up. "Did you just get to bed?"

"Yes. I've been giving out falnas all night."

"How many are still left?" Alice asks as she clumsily rolls around in my arms to look at me.

"None, I did all of them. Well, I suppose there's still the Titans."

"You've decided to give them one as well?"

"Yes, I think I should."

"Good. Now, I have to prepare for another day in the dungeon so..." Alice says. As I open my arms to let her go, she kisses me and rolls out of bed.

"Alright, I guess I'll be spending the morning putting the finishing touches on our underground base. Put in some furnishings and some artwork depicting my fights with the Titans. And perhaps a statue of you and myself."

"Yeah, good idea. I'll see you tonight."

A few hours later I'm in the bas.e.m.e.nt as I've finished getting everything ready for the Familia members to move into their new homes.

"Lord Fenrir?" One of my beastman calls out as he walks down the stairs.

"Yes?"

"A messenger from the Apollo Familia came with a letter for you." He says as he hands me the letter.

"I see. Thank you."

I open the letter and start reading. 'Rejoice! For you have been invited to a ball, hosted by the magnanimous God of the Sun, Apollo.'

'No way I'm going there. And what kind of asshole calls himself magnanimous?'

I rip up the invitation and go outside to check on the kids.

They're being looked after by the beastmen I made as they're playing with Baragon and the little Kongs.

I walk to the side of the lake where a flat crystal board rises from the ground.

I put two fingers in my mouth and whistle as loud as I can, getting everyone's attention.

"Everybody listen up. Your new homes are ready." I say as I put my hand on the panel and immediately the entrance of a tunnel appears from the lake.

"Do as I just did and then you can enter."

While everyone is settling into their new homes, I take Sleipnir and pick up my daily grimoires.

-----

Four years later.

*Knock knock*

"Mom! Dad! It's time!" Lagertha yells excitedly as she knocks on the bedroom door.

*Yawn*

"Alice, wake up honey." I say as I get out of bed and get dressed.

"Yeah, I heard." She says as she gets up and goes into the bathroom. "You go ahead, I'll be there in a few minutes."

I go downstairs and immediately I'm tackled by a little girl with horns.

"Hi daddy. When do I get my falna?"

"Hmm, I forget. How old are you again?" I say teasingly.

Iris starts counting on her fingers. "One, two, three,..." At every number she puts up another finger. "Five! I'm this much years!" She says, holding up five fingers.

"In that case we can start training when you're this much." I say as I put up two more fingers on her other hand. "And you'll get your falna a few years later, just like your brother and sisters."

"Okay. They're all waiting for you, let's go." She says as she pulls me by the arm towards the living room.

When we get there, I see Lagertha, Kwenthrith, Anakitty and Falgar all waiting.

"Falna please. You promised you'd give us a falna when the last of us turns twelve. Today I'm twelve." Anakitty says as all four of them look at me pleadingly with puppy dog eyes.

"... Argh. Stop looking at me like that! Alright. Get on your knees and lift up the back of your shirts."

Falgar gets the ability to turn into a tiger along with an ability called overdrive, that allows him to put his senses into overdrive.

Anakitty gets the ability to turn into a cat along with an ability called nine lives, which allows her to pull someone else from the brink of death however often she wants but she can only do it for herself nine times.

Meanwhile Kwenthrith and Lagertha both change a little more drastically. They've both become werewolves.

They look at each other's ears and tails and start playing with them.

"Huh, I'd never given a human a falna before. Now I know what happens when I do."

"Are we like you now?" Kwenthrith asks.

"Yes, you can turn into wolves like me."

"Cool." Lagertha says excitedly.

"So dad, when can we go into the dungeon?" Falgar asks immediately as he stands up.

"No, you're twelve years old. You won't be entering the dungeon until you're at least fourteen.

Wait, no, fifteen. Yes, fifteen. Until then you can train." I say sternly.

"Oh come on! Please?" Lagertha says, clearly displeased. "We've been training for the last four years."

"I said no! The dungeon is not a playground for children. It's a dangerous place filled with monsters. One mistake in there can lead to your death."

"Listen to him children. There is no need to go in there, you still have a lot of growing up to do. Now go on, you have classes this morning and training with dad at noon." Alice says as she walks down the stairs.

""Okay mom."" They all say a little dejected.

"Have fun at school." I say as they walk outside.

As the kids are gone, I sit on the couch and Alice sits next to me.

"Today is the day the Zeus and Hera Familias go on their expedition. Are you sure you don't want to help them?"

"Yes, I'm sure. We've already helped them with better equipment and yet according to your visions it didn't change a thing. So aside from directly interfering there's not much we can do, and I'm not willing to risk the lives of our people.

Once Evilus tries to rise up, we will stomp them down ourselves and become Orario's undisputed number one Familia.

And unlike Freya and Loki, I won't chase Zeus and Hera out of Orario. We'll give their survivors any aid they might need and allow them to remain if they want.

It's not much and I don't like it either but unless you want to reveal your precognitive abilities and warn them, it's all we can do."

"Yeah, I guess.

At least today's not all bad. The Titans are returning from their expedition to the 50th floor." Alice says, trying to cheer me up.

"Right, both King and Gojira were almost ready to level up last time I updated their falnas.

Along with you and the wolves we'll now have eight people who are level six. And over twenty people at level five."

"All that in four year's time. That's insanely fast."

*woosh*

Suddenly two black birds fly in through an open window. They change into two men, dressed in all black and silver armor. They both have dual swords hanging at their waists and they're both hiding wrist daggers in their arm guards.

"Huginn, Muninn, what is it?"

"My lord, there's been an incident in the dungeon." Huginn says as he kneels.

"We got an emergency call from one of our smaller groups on the sixteenth floor." Muninn continues.

"The call mentioned an ambush but it was cut short. We sent a quick-dive rescue team but they still haven't reported back. It's been over an hour." Huginn says as he hands me a recording crystal.

I activate the recording crystal and listen. "We need help! we've been ambushed on the sixteenth floor. Apollo Fam*CRGHH*"

*Crack* *Crunch*

As I hear the name Apollo, I get angry and crush the crystal in my hand.

"That's it. He wants war, he's got it. He's been a pain in the a.s.s for the last four years.

Huginn, Muninn, I want you to kill the captain and vice-captain of the Apollo Familia before the Denatus tomorrow."

""Yes, Lord Fenrir. Your will be done."" They say in unison before they turn back into ravens and fly out the window.