AN: I know I said that I wanted to get back to my Rider roots but I also wanted to update this, plus I need to set up some things first before I update the Decade perspective of what went on in my latest chapter of W. Now Showtime!
Disclaimer: I do not own DanMachi or Garo.
Chapter 6: Aiz Wallenstein
It was night and Aiz Wallenstein was in her room, examining the emerald green armguard that she found in the Dungeon after helping Bell. As she was examining, she remembered showed it to Riveria.
(A little while ago)
Riveria was examining the armguard before giving it back to Aiz.
"I'm no Blacksmith but there is more to this armguard than meets the eye, Aiz."
"Is that so?"Aiz tilted her head in curiosity before Riveria traced her finger across the armguard.
"Despite it looking a little old, I can sense that this armguard is a whole lot tougher than it looks. Allow me to demonstrate."
Riveria grabbed a nearby dagger and tried to slash it, only for the dagger to break upon impact. Aiz looked surprised but armor pieces can usually be upgraded to this degree but only by highly skilled blacksmiths.
"Usually, it would be safe to assume that this has been upgraded by a smith but…the look of this…it's been enhanced more than what any smith it can do. This is real special, Aiz. You got a rare find."
(Present)
To Aiz, it would make sense that something like this would belong to Bell. Not only was Bell with her but, based on her experience with Bell, he has equipment that seemed ordinary but can perform amazing feats such as his sword and ring. There was so much more that Aiz wanted to see out of Bell along with wanting a few answers from him.
That was when she decided
As Aiz was getting ready for bed, she looked at the book one last time.
"Bell Cranel…who are you?"
When there is light, shadows lurk and fear reigns. Yet by the blade of knights, mankind was given hope.
(Play Savior In The Dark by JAM Project)
[Yuke kaze no gotoku. Sadame no kenshi yo, yami ni magirete.] The song starts with the camera zooming in a dark background before Garo slashed the screen. The scene soon changed to a silhouetted Bell in a combat position.
[Nani yue tatakau no ka? Sore wa ken ni kike.] Garo spends some time doing poses before the camera changes to Bell, without his coat, practicing with two giant pendulums in a training room underneath the church that he lives in.
[Seigi da to ka ai nado ore wa oi-kakenai] The camera soon changes to a white background where Garo and the axe-wielding Makai Knight, Giga, were fighting together.
[Yami ni umare…Yami ni shinobi…Yami wo kiri-saku.] Several demonic hands reach for the light but only to see Garo get in between them and cutting down the hands.
[Haruka na inishie kara uketsuida simei da kara.] The camera sees the wicked smile of a hooded figure before seeing Horrors and Dungeon monsters. The camera soon changes to Garo doing various things such as writing a rune with his sword and fighting a Horror.
[Yuke kaze no gotoku. Makai no kenshi yo] A Horror blasts a dark fire ball but Garo shook off the attack before using his Blazing Armament mode. The camera soon changes to Garo riding Goten and Bell transforming into Garo.
[Tamashoo we kometa. Ikari no yaiba tataki-tsukete. Jidai ni kagayake!] The camera switches between Bell and Garo. Garo was dealing with Horrors while Bell was dealing with Dungeon monsters. The two soon did the same poses, switching in and out.
[GARO!] The camera soon changes view to see the title of the story.
(In the morning with Bell and Lili)
The two were walking towards Hestia Familia HQ and Bell looked at Lili's Makai outfit which was basically a darker version of her previous one but had a few pieces of dark leather armor attached. She even had her Stats tattoo removed. Symbolizing her transition to the Makai Order.
"So, just to be clear, you're done with the Soma Familia?" Bell asked.
Lili nodded.
"Yes, I have no doubt that the Soma Familia think that I am dead." Lili explained. The latest thing they know about Lili is that she is most likely dead because they sent a few scouts into the Dungeon not a long time ago, only to find the bloody remains of the other Soma Familia members that were going to ambush her. So it was safe to assume that she too was dead.
Bell just nodded, listening to her explanation.
"Since I'm 'dead', there's no reason for me to continue being involved in the Soma Familia. Without my Stats tattoo and distinguishable appearance, the Soma Familia will presume I'm dead so they won't continue hounding me." Lili explained.
Bell nodded.
"But are you sure you're okay with being dead to the Soma Familia?" Zaruba asked, still feeling a little concerned over Lili. He was a little cranky towards Lili for being stolen by her, but Bell told him to lay off.
"Thanks for the concern, Zaruba but it's better to cut them off. There's no one that I can rely on over there anyways. The Makai Order is my new home and I'm just satisfied with it." Lili responded as she remembered her first lesson with Lana.
She was nice and understanding, despite knowing what Lili did. But when Lili explained herself, Lana understood and immediately promised to take better care of her, even offering her to stay at her and Dalton's apartment in the meantime before starting the first lesson which was just a fire spell.
Lili smiled at the memory while Bell looked at Lili who was in her Chienthrope disguise. He wasn't surprised that Lili was using a disguise spell since Zaruba could sense it but Bell was surprised on how convincing she looked. As long as no one told her who she was, Lili could easily work her plan out.
And it was good thing too. He was both angry and sad after hearing about why Lili was that way. He was mad that her fellow Familia members would treat her as if she wasn't a person and sad that she would always be punished and abused in such harsh ways.
Bell then touched Lili's cat ears to see how authentic it was. While they felt real, it also made Lili gasp with a blush of red on her face.
"B-Bell!" Lili gasped, making Bell retract his arms immediately.
"Smooth…." Zaruba commented, wondering how Hestia and Bell's grandfather would react to this.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to…." Bell started before noticing Lili smiling with a blush on her face. "Anyways, you just surprised me. I was just wondering how convincing your transformation spell was and it looked like it really was authentic."
"Of course it is. So unless they know about this ability, no one can recognize me now." Lili said confidently with that blush on her face. "As long as they don't see me for a while, they'll still presume that I died in the Dungeon but…"
"Eh?"
"Are you okay with this?" Lili asked with a guilty look on her face as she still couldn't believe that Bell was treating her with kindness even after what she did. "I tricked you! I took advantage of your kindness and betrayed you."
"…"
"I don't know how I'll ever repay you for your kindness. If I'm just forgiven like this…"
Lili felt horrible. Guilt hung over her head. All the money and items she carried with her, as well as her life savings of gnome jewels, had been stolen by the Soma Familia when her key was destroyed in the battle between Garo and Chaurus. And no doubt that the Soma Familia took possession of her belongings now that she's "dead".
"Don't worry about me." Bell assured with a smile only to see Lili still depressed. How could she not be? No matter how many times Bell told her not to worry about it, rather than cheering up, she looked more and more depressed. It was like she wanted some form of punishment, something more than a slap on the wrist.
Bell looked down on her and saw that meaning through Lili's expression. He knelt down and gave Lili a hug which caught her offguard.
"B-Bell?" Lili got out, still surprised.
"It's alright, as long as you learned your lesson, there's no bad blood between us. And it wasn't your fault that you were like that, your 'fellow' Familia members didn't treat you like a person. You deserve so much better than them and I'm going to make sure of that. It's why I got you into the Makai Order." Bell said, explaining his reasons.
Lili hugged back and cried a little, so fortunate that she has a good friend like Bell. He did everything for her and seeing her knowing her lesson along with being better from it was enough for things to be considered even between them.
Bell soon broke the hug as the two looked at each other.
"Now enough with all this sadness and let bygones be bygones. You're now a Makai Priestess-in-training, no need to be stuck with the past!" Bell cheered, turning Lili's frown upside down.
"Right, Bell!"
The two then went into the Hestia Familia HQ where they were greeted by Hestia. She welcomed back Bell the way she usually does before looking at Lili.
"So this is the girl?"
Lili nodded nervously as she was in front of Bell's Familia leader and Goddess.
"M-My name is Liliruca Arde." Lili said nervously while Hestia scanned her.
"So you're the Supporter/Makai Priestess-in-training that I've heard so much about." Hestia said, remembering Bell's description of her. "Bell told me all about you."
Sensing a bit of a tense atmosphere, Bell decided to grab some tea for them just to lighten the mood.
"I'll go make some tea downstairs." Bell told them before going to do so. "Unfortunately, we only have two cups."
This immediately caught Hestia's attention as her eyes sparked.
"Oh, there's no reason to be worried about that! You and I can use the same cup!" Hestia said eagerly, wanting an indirect kiss from Bell.
Bell knew what she meant and sweatdropped at that but he decided to play dumb and cast it off like so.
"I guess even deities like you can tell jokes, Lady Hestia." Bell said, pretending to chuckle as he went down.
"Oh…" Hestia let out, disappointed before focusing on the matter at hand; Lili. "Anyways, first of all…let's hear your resolve."
"Eh?"
"Miss Supporter, can you swear you'll never make the same mistake again?"
"Yes, I swear. To Bell, to you, to the Makai Order, and more than anything, to myself." Lili answered with a nod. "He saved me. He given me a new home where people there aren't afraid or disgusted of me. I'll never betray him again. I don't want to."
"I see." Hestia answered.
Lili sighed in relief, that the goddess would be willing to understand her.
"However, I'll be honest, Miss Supporter." Hestia said as she sat down and looked at Lili in the eye. "I don't like you. Of course, I don't. You were lying to Bell so much, and now you're trying to win him over. I really don't like you. If it was up to me, I wouldn't have explained to Lady Shiroishi about you." Hestia said before noticing Lili's downcast look. "What's with that glum look, anyway?"
"…"
"Let me guess; Bell was too nice for his own good and refused to blame you at all, so now you're being crushed by your guilt, right?" Hestia guessed and the pained expression on Lili's face tells it all despite her best attempts to put it behind like Bell told her to. "In my opinion, you're just being selfish….but I'll judge you in Bell's place."
Lili then braced herself for what harsh words Hestia will say next but she didn't expect this…
"Please watch over Bell." Hestia said, surprising Lili. "Keep an eye on Bell so he won't get scammed by any more weirdos. And as a new member of the Makai Order, I expect you to fulfill your obligations towards sentient life the way that Bell does."
Lili looked at her, speechless.
"But just so we're clear, this isn't for you sake. After this, I'm sure of that if I don't do something, Bell will just get tricked by someone else again! And in the end, guilt is just the question of whether you're capable of forgiving yourself or not. If you've really changed, then prove it with your actions."
"Hestia…" Lili then bowed with a smile, grateful that even Bell's goddess is giving her a chance to prove herself.
"I'll let you into his Party. And I'm leaving you to be his Supporter in terms of adventuring and the Makai Order but…"
"I'm back!" Bell said as he was on his way back up. Hestia immediately looked at Lili.
"Be sure of one thing. Know your place." Hestia warned, leaving Lili surprised and confused.
"Huh?"
"Sorry, I'm late-." Bell started before…Hestia cuddled one of his arms, surprising everyone in the room. "L-Lady Hestia?"
Lili just looked speechless as she know understood what Hestia was saying. Hestia wanted Bell all to herself.
"So once more, hello there, Miss Supporter. I hear you've been very good to MY Bell." Hestia said, putting emphasis on "my" to mark her territory. Hestia then gave a devious smiled. 'You've joined this race way too late. So keep your hands off my Bell! You thieving beast!'
Lili gasped as if she heard what Hestia thought before gaining a determined look. Then to everyone's surprise, Lili cuddled Bell's other arm.
"Oh, not at all. Bell is always nice to ME, too!" Lili said, not afraid to compete for Bell. She'll admit that she developed feelings for Bell since that incident. Hestia just encouraged her to make a move. 'I'll rise to any challenge for Bell, even a Goddess! Yeah, I'm not going to lose!'
The two girls glared at each other while Bell sweatdropped.
"Uh, Lady Hestia? Lili?" Bell called but they wouldn't listen, trapped in their own game
Zaruba just chuckled, amused at the situation Bell is in. Bell then got out of their grasps and ran straight out.
"That's right! I need to go to Eina and meet her at the Guild!" Bell said, wanting to get out of there.
"Bell!" Both girls called out before glaring at each other, blaming the other for what happened.
"It's your fault that Bell ran off!"
"What are you talking about!? You were doing the exact same thing!"
(At the Guild building)
Bell arrived and was looking for Eina but she wasn't at her station. Bell started looking everywhere for Eina.
"Where the heck is Eina?"
Zaruba then saw her.
"Found her." Zaruba whispered and Bell looked in the direction that Zaruba was facing.
Bell then saw Eina talking with a certain blonde at a booth.
"Bell?" Eina recognized and the blonde turned around, whom Bell recognizes as Aiz. His eyes widened before his gaze and Aiz's were locked onto each other.
'What the heck!? Why is she talking to Eina!?' Bell thought, surprised that not only does Aiz know Eina but Bell heard a little bit of the conversation and was pretty sure he heard his name somewhere along the lines.
Sure, he knew he was going to talk to Aiz sooner or later but not now. Plus he wanted to talk with her alone and in private. Not out here in broad daylight with a bunch of other people. Seeing that both Eina and Aiz were preoccupied with themselves, Bell tried to make the other way.
"Bell!" Eina called but Bell ignored her.
'Bell, calm down.' Zaruba mentally told him but Bell ignored him as well. His thoughts were too into his situation about Aiz that he didn't pay attention to where he was going.
Bell then bumped into a very muscular adventurer who had nothing but a loincloth.
"Huh?" The adventurer looked down to see Bell on his butt.
"S-Sorry, but excuse me." Bell said while Aiz flipped over to Bell. Bell was about to get up just as Aiz's backside landed in front of Bell mid-movement. It made his face collide with her butt. 'You have to be kidding me…'
Bell moved his blushed face out of there to look at Aiz, who was looking at him. Bell turned as his face returned to normal color before Eina looked down at him with an annoyed look.
"What are you doing, Bell? It's rude to run off like that." Eina scolded, earning an annoyed look from Bell.
"Well, you could've told me that you knew the Sword Princess on personal level!" Bell pointed out before having a thought. "How much did you tell her of the…you know?"
"You can ask her yourself. Miss Wallenstein said she wanted to talk to you as soon as possible." Eina explained, making Bell look back at Aiz surprised. He didn't expect her to be this forward. Eina then started to whisper in Bell's ear. "Plus even though I did promise to tell her everything, Miss Wallenstein told me of your promise and who am I to deny her to you?" Eina whispered before giggling, much to Bell's confusion.
"Eh?"
Eina just waved it off before she escorted both Bell and Aiz into a private booth and returning to her duties. The two stared at each for a while, not knowing where to start.
'Good conversation so far.' Zaruba mentally and sarcastically said, making Bell quietly groaned but the Madou Ring did have a point. Bell or Aiz needs to say something now.
Bell then took a deep breath before looking at Aiz.
"I'm sorry for my early behavior. I just didn't expect to be talking with you this quickly. I also had no idea that you knew Eina. If I knew then…I guess it doesn't really matter now." Bell said, adopting her usual personality. "Anyways, I wanted to thank you earlier ago for helping me escape the Orcs so I can rescue my friend."
"Is your friend well?"
Bell nodded before Aiz presented him with his emerald armguard.
"You left this in the Dungeon last time we met. I found it on the floor as I made my way back to the exit." Aiz explained as Bell looked at the armguard, making sure that it wasn't damaged.
"I'm surprised you didn't take it. Most people would've wanted to take it for themselves." Bell said as he placed the armguard on.
"I'm not that kind of person." Aiz explained as she looked at him. "Also…I never did thank you for saving my life for those three times we've met before."
"Eh?"
"For the time with those creatures during the Minotaur incident, the Monsterphilia incident, and the demon attack that me and my friend got drawn into. I never did thank you properly and I'm sorry for that." Aiz said, bowing in apology which made Bell scratch the back of his head.
Bell then smiled before flickering her on the on the forehead, getting Aiz's attention.
"Huh?" Aiz was caught offguard as she did not anticipate Bell doing something like that.
"I'm not helping you for a thanks or an apology. I'm doing this not only because of duty as well." Bell explained, making Aiz tilt her head in curiosity. "I do this because I care about your well-being as I do for others. In short, I want to protect you because I care about you which is why I protected you during those times. Just seeing you up and about in perfect condition is enough for me. No thanks or apologies necessary."
Aiz then finally understood. Bell wasn't doing this for any type of reward no matter how small it is. He was truly selfless in every definition of the word. It was like something out of a fairy tale her mother would read to her.
"I see." Aiz said with a small blush as she softly smiled at that and Bell returned a smile of equal quality as well.
Unknown to the two of them, Eina was watching and smiled at the way things were going.
"They look so cute together." Eina thought out loud to herself before continuing work.
After a little bit, Bell and Aiz exited the Guild building. They looked at each other.
"Sorry, I know I promised that I'd answer your questions but I'd rather do it where there isn't that many people." Bell said, wanting his armor and answers being secrets for now. Sure the Guild building is technically Makai Order property but it is filled with outsiders in broad daylight.
"I understand the precaution." Aiz said, being understanding.
"Also, I'm kind of curious." Bell said, surprising and slightly confusing Aiz.
"About what?" Aiz asked curious to what Bell has to say.
"I've seen you fight before but…" Bell then scanned Aiz, making her tilt her head in curiosity. "Well, we can talk about that later when I tell you about my armor and who I work for. Speaking of which, do you know anywhere quiet?"
Aiz started thinking before she came up with a place.
"There aren't that many people at the city walls. We can meet up with each other there later, after we're done with the Dungeon." Aiz proposed before remembering something. "Speaking of which, what is your Level?"
"Pardon?"
"What Level are you? When we first met, it was on Floor 10. You must be on a high Level to even go that far." Aiz remarked, remembering how dangerous monsters can be there even for someone of her caliber if not careful.
"That's…a bit complicated. Let's just say, I know my way around. I'll see you at night." Bell said before leaving.
Aiz watched him leave before Bell looked at Zaruba.
"I have to admit, I think she has a crush on you." Zaruba said, feeling the tension between the two as they talked in the Guild building.
Bell waved it off.
"There's nothing 'between' us other than friendship. Besides, even if I do have a small crush, I doubt the feeling is mutual." Bell said, not really interested in Aiz at the moment but he will admit that she has caught his eye a little.
"What makes you say that?" Zaruba asked as Bell looked back to see Aiz walking in the other direction.
"I heard a rumor that she rejected about 1000 requests for courtships. Just imagine all those broken hearts." Bell said, remembering what he heard last night at the Hostess of Fertility when he treated Lili for dinner just to make her feel better. "Plus, I think Lady Hestia told me that Loki is very possessive of Aiz and the last thing I want to do is cross a deity."
"Maybe you'll be the lucky one." Zaruba said, making Bell chuckle at his effort.
"Like that'll be today. Besides, I said I'm not that interested in Aiz."
(Later at night)
Bell was sitting on the northwestern wall and looked at the rest of Orario. He took a deep breath before smiling at the sites of the buildings. He could see the Pantheon, the Coliseum, and the large buildings that most likely belong to the other Familias such as the Twilight House that belongs to the Loki Familia.
He wished it was day though. That way, he could see all the people out there enjoying their day in this beautiful metropolis. Bell then pulled out his goggles and tapped the lenses twice, making them glow bright green and enabling night vision.
He was looking out to spot any Horror Activity before Aiz gets here. So far, it didn't look like there was trouble. As Bell kept scanning the area, he felt a poke on the back of his shoulder. He turned to see Aiz in her armor, meaning that she just got out of the Dungeon.
Bell lifted his goggled down and allow them to rest on his neck before the lenses changed back to normal.
"Hey, Aiz." Bell greeted to which Aiz nodded.
"Hello, Bell."
Bell then gestured Aiz to sit next to him and Aiz rested her sword against the wall before just doing that. The two stared out onto the city before Aiz looked at Bell. Bell caught her gaze and sighed. There was no escape from this, it was time to answer her questions.
"So, let's start things off with this, you want to know more about my armor?"
Aiz nodded.
"You already told me the name of the armor is Garo. Where and how did you get it?" Aiz asked.
"Inheritance. The armor came from my father, then his father before him, etc." Bell explained as he fully took off his goggled and rubbed his thumb against the lenses as he remembered his father, Marlowe.
"I see…where is your father?" Aiz asked before seeing Bell's face adopted a saddened look.
"He's…gone. Has been for a while." Bell said with a sad tone, making Aiz feel bad since she brought up the subject. Bell then took another deep breath before exhaling and adopting his usual cheerful demeanor. "But that was a long time ago. I don't like to talk about it but I do my best to honor his memory and that's by continuing my duty as the Golden Knight Garo."
Aiz was surprised by the sound of Bell's resolve before Bell looked at Zaruba. He seemed to be staring at the ring before looking back at Aiz.
"The sword and the armor isn't the only thing I inherited from my father." Bell then showed Zaruba, making Aiz tilt her head.
"A ring?"
"I'm not just any ring. I'm a Madou Ring." Zaruba said, slightly annoyed and surprising Aiz.
"A talking ring?" This just made Zaruba groan in annoyance while Bell just chuckled.
"Zaruba here is my partner and my friend." Bell explained. "He's been around for as long as Garo has been around. He acts as my advisor, Horror tracker, source of wisdom, and…a great conversation person." Bell said.
"I do what I can." Zaruba said.
"He knows your father then?" Aiz asked, making Bell nod.
"He knows all of the Garos. Like I've said, Zaruba has been around as long as Garo has. You can't have one without the other. Any more questions?"
Aiz then thought about her experience with Bell before thinking of another question.
"Who…do you work for?"
"…" Bell looked at Aiz with an expression that clearly asked for clarification.
"You don't seem like an Adventurer as your goals are clearly single tracked, you leave the Dungeon earlier than most Adventurers even the low Level ones, and I've seen you fight creatures that don't seem like ordinary Dungeon Monsters and I'm comparing that to Boss-types as well. So who do you work for?" Aiz explained.
Bell sighed. He already told her a lot of things regarding his armor and she has an inkling to what Horrors are. He might as well give her the full story.
"I work for an organization called the Makai Order."
"Makai Order?"
"Yes, we're an organization dedicated to the preservation of peaceful sentient life but our main aim is hunting the demons known as Horrors."
"Horrors?" Aiz asked before remembering the Horrors that she encountered. "That's what the monsters we encountered were called?"
Bell nodded before Aiz had another thought.
"Are Makai like you…?"
"Makai Knight."
"Hm?"
"I probably should've mentioned this earlier ago but the Makai Order is made up of two subgroups; Makai Knights and Makai Priests. I am a Makai Knight."
"What's the difference?"
"Makai Priests are smart and have experimented on magic regarding the Makai, the spiritual world. They use spells by painting magical runes in the air, use unique weapons if they want to, and create Madou tools like Zaruba here."
"And the Knights?" Aiz asked. She had an inkling of what a Makai Knight does, given her association with Bell, but she was still curious enough for a full explanation.
"Makai Knights…are basically the warriors of the Order, like me. We've been trained since childhood to inherit armors, like mine, to hunt down and exterminate Horrors until the end of our days so we can pass it on to our sons."
This caught Aiz by surprise. She didn't expect that kind of level of training or the fact that there were other armors like Garo.
"Are Makai Knights strong and skilled, given that they've been training for a long time?" Aiz asked, curious about their strength.
Bell seemed to pause for a moment before smiling. He got on his legs before taking out his sheathed Garoken.
"How about you see for yourself?" Bell proposed with a smile, surprising Aiz. "I'll admit, I want to see your skills for myself since I saw you in action. The famous Sword Princess should be strong, right?"
Aiz looked at him before thinking about it. Sure she had saw Bell in action before but not up close and personal enough to get a good reading on him. Plus Aiz did ask how strong a Makai Knight is and what better way to do that than to fight one.
"Very well, I accept your challenge."Aiz said as she got up and took her sheathed sword before taking the actual sword out and putting it back against the wall. Bell did the same thing as he placed Garoken next to Aiz's sword, Desperate.
The two looked at each other and adopted combat poses.
"Aiz…don't hold back." Bell said as he wanted this fight to be at full potential.
"Very well." Aiz said before the two started to circle each other. The two stared at each other, eager to see which person will make the first move.
"Come on Aiz, I'll let you do the first move." Bell grinned.
"As you wish, but tell me; do you know martial arts or any other fighting style?"
"Come and test me."
Aiz nodded before charging and doing a spinning kick which Bell instinctively dodged. He flipped a few spots before looking up to see Aiz directly coming for him. She tried to attack with her sheath before Bell blocked it.
The two looked at each other as their makeshift weapons were locked in. Aiz's serious looked was matched by Bell's casual smile.
"I must admit, your skills are impressive." Aiz complimented as she never fought anyone as swift as her, let alone someone who could read her moves.
"I can say the same. Maybe we should make this training together a daily thing." Bell joked but Aiz took that into serious consideration, given that their two Familia leaders are rivals.
But Aiz was thinking too much on it that Bell kicked her in the stomach, making her take a few steps back before Bell charged. Aiz quickly regained her composure before dodging Bell's charge. Aiz slashed with her sheath but Bell ducked and performed a sweep kick on Aiz, making her fall on her back.
She was about to get up before Bell pointed his sheath directly close to Aiz's face.
"Yield." Bell advised and Aiz was shocked on how long the fight lasted plus someone actually defeated her in a training match, of all things.
Aiz finally regained her composure before looking at her position. She looked around for a way out but she couldn't. She had no choice but to comply to Bell.
"I…yield." Aiz said before Bell smiled and placed his sheath down and offered his hand. Aiz accept it as Bell pulled her out.
"That was a good fight." Bell complimented. In his point of view, Aiz definitely earned the title of Sword Princess but he still felt like she was holding back a little. He was, however, keeping that to himself.
"And you are no pushover yourself." Aiz complimented as the two went back to their swords. As Aiz took Desperate and placed it back in her sheath before she watched Bell inspect the Garoken. Aiz looked at the blade itself and was impressed that a simple looking sword like the Garoken can not only be sturdy, powerful, and most likely centuries old but it's that it can transform itself and Bell into the legendary warrior known as Garo.
Bell soon caught Aiz's gaze and looked at Garoken itself.
"Interested in my sword, huh?" Bell asked, snapping Aiz out of her thoughts.
"May I see it?" Aiz asked.
Bell looked at the sword before looking at Aiz. He then had it in a reverse grip before offering it to Aiz. Aiz grabbed it before Bell lets go, making Aiz feel a drastic change in weight of the sword. It felt so heavy that Aiz's arm and upper body dropped with the Garoken impacting the stone floor.
"And that's just about what I expect." Bell said, leaving Aiz completely shocked before she let go of the sword. Bell reclaimed Garoken and played around with it as if it was weightless. Aiz was even more chocked and speechless by this act.
"Huh? What?"
"Only a true Makai Knight can wield this due to the special metal it was made with. Also, the weapon is alive, meaning that it can only choose the wielder." Bell explained as he looked at the Garo Dagger as well.
"All of this…just to slay creatures?" Aiz asked, making Bell have a dark look on his face. Did she hit a nerve or something? Unknown to her, Bell was thinking about the lives lost and ruined because of the Horrors.
'Boy, is she in for a surprise when she finds out…' Zaruba mentally remarked to Bell before the white haired Makai Knight looked at Aiz.
"It's a…bit more complicated than that." Bell said, recomposing himself.
"What do you mean? Aren't they just creatures?"
"Look, next time that I'm assigned to a Horror Hunt…I'm bringing you with me." Bell said, surprising both Zaruba and Aiz.
"What?"
"Are you sure?" Zaruba asked, making Bell nod as he sheathed his sword and placed it back.
"My father always says that the best way to get an idea of something is to see it to believe it? Just bare this in mind, Horrors are no ordinary creatures." Bell said as Aiz nodded in understanding.
"Should we meet here?" Aiz asked, making Bell nod. "Also I was thinking about something else."
"What is it?"
"Maybe we should be sparring partners." Aiz proposed, somewhat surprising Bell. Bell did enjoy the fight enjoy the fight with Aiz but he didn't know Aiz would enjoy it so much that she wanted him to be her new sparring partner.
"Before I give my answer; tell me this. Why do you fight?" Bell requested, surprising Aiz as she did not anticipate a question like that.
"Why do you want to know?"
"It's just a matter of trivia, really. Besides, you were curious about me so I'm a little curious about you." Bell explained.
"If you must know…I want to be even stronger than before. It's the only way to survive in this world." Aiz answered and it Bell made a blank look.
"How fruitless." Bell stated, making Aiz blink in surprise as she didn't expect that kind of response. "No real drive or purpose, becoming strong for the sake of it is meaningless."
"Then why do you want to be strong?" Aiz asked. "I could tell by the look in your eyes. You train constantly with a look that tells the need for power. You said my reason for being strong was meaningless because it has no drive. What about you? Do you have a reason? I imagine you do and it's regarding these 'Horrors'."
Bell looked at her.
"You'll see soon…Anyways, I'll be your new sparring partner, sure. We can do this…every early morning here, if it suits you."
"It's enough." Aiz replied, still wondering if she hit a nerve. The two then started to leave the walls.
"Come on, I'll drop you off at your place." Bell offered and Aiz accepted it.
(In the Dungeon)
Ottar, a Freya Familia member, has just slain a Dungeon Monster with an unsatisfied look as he watched his prey explode into Magic Crystals.
"Not enough." Ottar said as he remembered why he was doing this. Freya was curious about Bell's strength and potential so she hired Ottar to find the perfect monster to bring out Bell's strength. "This is not enough to fulfill the orders."
Just then Ottar heard a noise and saw a unique Minotaur emerge. It had a grayish skin unlike the usual red, it had makeshift plate armor on, its fur was as black as the darkest void, its claws were as sharp as daggers, and it had a blunt weapon dripping with the blood of victims. The only thing it had in common with the normal Minotaur is the menacing glowing red eyes.
Ottar seemed unfazed but just scanned the creature and was impressed by its appearance. This could be the beast that he is looking for.
"You look a little tougher." Ottar remarked before the Minotaur roared at him. It tried to strike him with the blunt weapon but Ottar held it to block it. He smiled at the amount of force behind the weapon. This was the monster he was looking for. "Excellent, I choose you."
Ottar then shattered the Minotaur's weapon into pieces before offering it one of his cleaver-edged claymores.
"Master this." Ottar commanded and the Minotaur growled before taking the sword.
Ottar smiled while the Minotaur inwardly smiled because, unknown to Ottar, it was a Horrified Minotaur. A Horrified Minotaur with an agenda of its own…
(A little while ago)
The hooded man grabbed a Minotaur's face before holding a purple glowing crystal in the other hand. He showed it in front of the Minotaur's eye before the energy from it was extracted and went into the Minotaur's eyes, nose, and mouth.
Soon when all the energy ran out, the hooded man released the Minotaur as it groaned in pain before transforming into the Horrified Minotaur. It looked at the hooded man before kneeling before him, recognizing him as master.
"Now then…I have a task for you." The hooded man said before gesturing the Minotaur to rise and it did.
The two started walking down the hall.
"From the Makai Priestess that I interrogated, the other Familia after the Keys is the Hestia Familia. Other than Hestia herself, there is only one other member; Bell Cranel the current Garo."
The Horrified Minotaur growled before nodding, jotting all of this down in his head.
"My original plan was for you to directly assault Bell but then…I found a better plan to put to use." The hooded man revealed as the two saw Ottar slaying Dungeon Monsters, including another Minotaur.
The Horrified Minotaur growled a little, still feeling a little bit of kinship over the fallen Minotaur but quickly waved that off. The hooded man looked at his loyal Dungeon Monster.
"My sources say that Freya wants the Golden Knight all to herself and I say how about we help with that?" The hooded man said, wanting to at least distract Bell to give him and the woman some time.
The Horrified Minotaur nodded, eager to hear what plan the hooded man had in store. The two then looked at Ottar who just slain another Dungeon Monster with an unsatisfied look.
"This will not do." Ottar sighed as he continued looking. From the looks of it, looks like the big burly man is going to continue roaming the Dungeon until he finds what he's seeking.
"That man right there…he's a Freya Familia member. All you need to do is pretend to be tamed by him. He can lead you to the Golden Knight.' The hooded man instructed before the Horrified Minotaur nodded. "I do not expect you to survive but I hope you'll leave a lasting impression on the Golden Knight. Now go and play your role."
The Horrified Minotaur nodded before grabbing its old weapon and walking out.
(Present)
Both the Horrified Minotaur and Ottar smiled as the creature examined its brand new weapon. Ottar decided to train the Horrified Minotaur by swinging his own weapon at it.
The Horrified Horror saw this before quickly using his new sword to block the attack. The two locked their weapons and Ottar can easily see that this Minotaur was unlike any of the others. Truly he made such a rare find.
Meanwhile the Horrified Horror was trying to play the role of an untamed animal. It didn't want to show off too much of its strength and save it for the Golden Knight. As the two were fighting, the Horrified Minotaur charged like a bull and pinned Ottar against the wall.
"Impressive." Ottar said, amazed by the amount of strength the Horrified Minotaur had. Ottar then elbowed the head with all of his strength.
SNAP!
What the Horrified Minotaur didn't expect was the man snapping off one of the horns with his brutish strength. The Horrified Minotaur rubbed its hand on the spot where its horn used to be.
"Stand." Ottar commanded and the Horrified Minotaur growled over the fact that it has to listen to Ottar's orders, orders that come from a mortal. But in order for his real master's plan to come to fruition, the Horrified Minotaur has no choice but to heed Ottar's commands besides it needs to master its brand new weapon.
The Horrified Minotaur stood up and grabbed the sword before the two clashed their swords. Ottar smiled, there is no doubt that this Minotaur will rival Bell's strength once it masters the use of its brand new weapon.
(The next morning at the city walls)
"Ha!"
Bell was trying to slash Aiz with her sheath but she was dodging his attacks before punching him in the face, pushing Bell back a little. Bell was about to attack again before he stopped and dodged a slash but just then…
WHACK!
Aiz kicked Bell in the cheek with a spinning kick, knocking him out. After a few moments, Bell woke up again in the lap of Aiz just like what happened when Bell overused his Firebolt spell in the Dungeon. The blush was red enough to be visible before it intensified in color when Bell felt Aiz stroking his hair.
'Not again..' Bell thought as he noticed Aiz, with a similar blush on her face, looking down on him. As the sun was rising, Bell had to admit; she looked cute like thatin this light but there was no time for that.
Bell then sat up before looking at Aiz. The two awkwardly stared at each other before looking away, trying to make their blushes die down.
"S-So nice job, knocking me out like that." Bell said, trying to start a conversation while calming down.
"T-Thank you…" Aiz said as she too calmed down before thinking of a question regarding the Makai Order. "Can I ask you a question, Bell?"
"Hm?"
"Are the Knights and Priests in Familias?"
"You can say that, some Familias are in the Makai Order such as mine. The same question goes to the Deities. We also have a being known as the Watchdog to oversee and organize the Order in this city."
"Is this Watchdog the leader?"
"No, she is…something more of an advisor." Bell explained as he and Aiz got comfortable sitting on the floor.
"I see. Is there anybody that you know are Makai Knights or Priests in this city?"
"I'm close with a Dwarf named Dalton and an Elf named Lana."
"Are they both Makai Knights?" Aiz asked, causing Bell to shake his head.
"Dalton is but not Lana. I probably should've mentioned this but females can't be Makai Knights. I apologize if it sounds a little discriminate."
"Why not?" Aiz asked with her head tilted in curiosity.
Bell gestured Aiz to look at his sword.
"The material that was used to create the sword and armor is called Soul Metal. I don't exactly know the reason but the female soul isn't compatible with Soul Metal." Bell explained.
"That's…actually a little discriminate." Aiz remarked as she didn't anticipate metal being biased on genders.
"Sorry, but it's not up to me." Bell apologized before Aiz yawned. "Tired?"
"A little, I'm going to practice my afternoon naps." Aiz said, surprising Bell. Why would a famous Adventurer like the Sword Princess would practice something like that? Swordplay and strategizing makes sense but afternoon naps? That was a little skeptical.
"Pardon me?" Bell asked, wondering if he heard all of that right.
"In a dungeon, you need to be able to fall asleep anywhere, at any time." Aiz explained, meaning that it's important to get rest to recharge in a dungeon.
"I understand that part but practicing it? Are you sure you're not just sleepy?"
"It's a part of training." Aiz explained, making Bell sigh.
"Go ahead and nap then. I'll be here. I've been trained to last days without sleeping." Bell explained.
Aiz looked slightly amazed before nodding. She laid down on her back, placed her hands on her stomach, and closed her eyes. Bell soon her chest rise and compress with light snores coming out of Aiz's mouth, signaling her slumber.
Bell just sighed as he wondered if she was a bit of an airhead. Bell then examined Aiz and she kinda looked peaceful asleep.
He then heard Zaruba chuckle.
"You know what your grandpa would say in this type of situation?" Zaruba joked.
"What?" Bell asked, trying to hold in a chuckle.
"'Go, Bell! A real man always goes after women in their sleep! Kiss her'!" Zaruba joked, making Bell laugh.
"The strange thing is that he would actually say that to me!" Bell laughed as Zaruba continued the joke.
"'It's the height of impropriety to not do anything in this situation. The girl is waiting expectantly for you to do something'!" Zaruba quoted in an old scruffy voice.
"Hahahaha!" Bell laughed quietly so he doesn't wake up Aiz. "You know what would be better? 'Stop, Bell! I didn't raise you to be the kind of boy who goes after women in their sleep'!" Bell said in a voice that sounds like his father. "'I'll never let you kiss her like this! Now stop this'!"
"'This is a man's battle now'!" Zaruba replied before the two laughed a little bit more.
The two soon calmed down a little before Bell went over to the Garoken and examined the blade. He looked into the reflection of the blade itself as he had a sad smile before memories came to him.
(4 years ago)
Bell's Grandpa woke up in the morning before going out the front door, sitting on the chair next to it, and enjoying his morning porridge. The old man then noticed something in the distance before his eyes widened.
"Bell?" The old man recognized as he ran towards the 10-year old boy and knelt down to examine him.
He was covered in dirt and blood with injuries adoring his skin. He breathed heavily as he tried to carry the sword he stole from the basement which was now covered in dripping blood. And his training outfit was covered in dirt and a few parts had either tears or holes in them.
"Bell…did…did you go outside the village and tried to fight the Goblins in the nearby cave?" Bell's Grandpa asked as Bell looked at him. Right now, it was a little hard to breath.
Bell just nodded.
"What were you thinking, child!? You could've gotten yourself killed!" The old man scolded as he was worried and scared to death right now but Bell didn't mind. He anticipated the pain from the Goblins and his grandfather's scolding.
"Granpda…I want to be strong…" Bell answered.
"Huh?"
Bell then turned his head towards a hill.
"Like him."
The old man looked at the hill and there was a patch of dirt with the Garoken being used a makeshift gravestone. The old man looked down at the child and finally understood Bell's intention when going to the Goblins' cave. He wanted to be strong. As strong as his father Marlowe was.
The old man then hugged Bell.
"I know, Bell. I miss him too but getting yourself killed isn't going to make you stronger."
"Then what will?"
"Your passion, humility, and love for…"
"You say love for girls, Marlowe will come back from the dead to haunt you!" Zaruba scolded from his stand at the window.
"You know what I mean."The old man said. "Zaruba and I will help become as strong as your father was, just…don't get yourself killed."
Bell nodded before passing out from exhaustion.
(Present)
Bell sighed as he sheathed his sword and looked at Aiz who was still asleep. Bell then laid his back against the wall with his hands directly behind his head. He looked up at the sky.
"Today is a good day..." Bell said as he enjoyed the cool weather.
(Later)
It was now sunset and the two teens were walking through the marketplace.
"So wanna get something to eat? I'm a bit famished." Bell asked and Aiz nodded.
"Sure, I could go for a bite."
Aiz then recognized a food stand and stopped in front of it along with Bell.
"Two jagamarukuns (fried potatoes) with red bean cream." Aiz requested and Bell's eyes widened upon seeing who was the stall vendor; Hestia.
"Very well-EHHHH!?" Hestia got out upon seeing Bell with Aiz.
"With extra cream and double extra red beans." Aiz requested as she was unaware that Bell and Hestia were staring at each other with wide eyes and sweatdrops.
"…" Hestia didn't answer as she and Bell continued staring at each other.
"Hello?" Aiz asked, trying to get their attention but Zaruba started counting down.
"3. 2. 1. 0.."
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!?" Hestia said as she jumped and pounced onto Bell. Hestia grabbed Bell's head and made sure their eyes was locked.
"L-Lady Hestia…"
"It's a different one every time with you, damnit!" Hestia shouted as she bit her lower lip with tears of frustration. "And now, of all people, you come with THIS woman!?" First it was Lili, then the female deities during their date, and now the famous Sword Princess whom Bell was concerned with at the beginning.
"I can explain! Please Lady Hestia, please calm down!" Bell pleaded but it seemed that his words were falling on deaf ears as Hestia just wept.
Soon after calming down Hestia, the three went into an alleyway where Bell explained the whole situation and what he told Aiz.
"I see…so Wallenwhatsit knows about the Makai Order."
"Yes, forgive me on being so open, Lady Hestia." Bell bowed.
Hestia stared at Bell before looking at Aiz.
"I was also trying to bring her on my next Horror Hunt so she could understand the ideas of what kind of monsters Horrors are." Bell explained and Hestia seemed unfazed before looking at Aiz and then at Bell. "With your permission…I would like make it so!" Bell requested which made Hestia think about it before sighing.
"Very well, if you're that insistent but you're the one that has to explain this to the Watchdog when I tell her." Hestia said before Bell sighed with relief as he looked at Hestia.
"Thank you, Lady Hestia."
Hestia then looked at Aiz.
"But look here, Wallenwhatsit! If you try to pull anything with my Bell, I'll make sure a Priestess erases your memory so much that you wouldn't even recognize your Familia! Got it?" Hestia warned, being very clingy to Bell.
"Yes." Aiz responded being calm.
"You're not allowed to try and seduce him, got it?"
"Huh?" Both Aiz and Bell got out. What gave Hestia that idea?
"You're not going to get your hands on my Bell, okay? I got to him first, after all!" Hesita warned before jumping and hugging Bell's face, pressing it against his face.
"L-Lady Hestia, please get off of me!" Bell requested as his face turned red. Hestia's face turned red in return as she just realized what she's doing.
"W-Why am I being so bold!?" Hestia questioned herself as she lets go.
"You have a good goddess, don't you?" Aiz remarked to Bell.
"That's up for debate." Zaruba replied.
Hestia just growled before she gave Bell the red envelope, signaling his next Horror Hunt tonight.
"Just take this, go, and get it over with before I change my mind!" Hestia said as Bell took the envelope. 'I hope Wallenwhatsit gets eaten…'
Hestia then walked off while Bell took out his lighter and burned the envelope.
"What are you doing?" Aiz asked as she was curious as to why Bell would burn his orders.
Just then the burnt scraps floated around before they formed a message in a language the Aiz could not read.
Bell spent a couple of minutes reading before the message faded.
"I got my orders and we'll hunt the Horror around night time." Bell then looked at the sunset. "We still have some time so how about we get some food like before?"
"Okay." The two left went to the Hostess of Fertility for a little bit while the sun went down. Soon it was now night and the two left the bar, ready to hunt the Horror.
Aiz looked at the Dungeon.
"Are we going to the Dungeon?"
"No." Bell said, slightly surprising Aiz.
"Did it escape the Dungeon?" Aiz asked, having no clue what she's in for.
"You saw me slay a Horror near here, didn't you?"
Aiz nodded.
Sure she saw Bell slain that one Horror in town after seeing him for the first time without his armor, but she thought that was a one of a kind Horror.
'Boy is she in for a shock.' Zaruba mentally said to Bell.
Bell and Aiz just continued walking down the dark street.
"Any ideas on where to start then?" Aiz asked, hoping that Bell would answer that question.
"That's where I'm heading to right now." Bell answered before he stopping in front of a building.
Aiz looked at the building's sign which read as, "The Dwarven Song Tavern" which was sort of a rival to the Hostess of Fertility.
"Are we going to get information here?" Aiz asked.
"Something like that."
They soon went in and found a bunch of people enjoying themselves to the music, food, drinks, and each other. Bell and Aiz took an empty table and Bell started scanning the area while Aiz was simply wondering why they were here or not asking the bartender for information. Aiz soon noticed Bell's eyes looking at Zaruba before looking into another direction.
Aiz looked in the direction to see a very attractive barmaid flirting with a smith.
"Come on baby, I can show you around the forge? Make you a real piece of work." The blacksmith said with a drunk smile on his face.
The barmaid giggled as she had a blush on her face.
"Well, I'm about to get off. But I think it's too dark to go to your place."
"Nonsense, I know a sweat shortcut nearby." The smith said before he and the barmaid went out.
"Come on, we're following them." Bell said as he got up and quickly went out.
Aiz followed too while also wondering what's going on. First Bell brought her to a bar, then he eyed a couple, and now he was following them. There was nothing regarding the Horror. Maybe Bell will give her answers but right now, she has to follow him.
She went out the tavern and saw Bell looking down a dark alley before…
"AAAHHH!" A scream echoed in the alley.
Aiz and Bell looked at each other before nodding and running down the alley. They see a huge blood splatter on the ground with the frightened barmaid in tattered clothes.
"Oh my gods! I need help, please! The creature…"
Aiz investigated the scene and looked at the frightened woman. If the Horror was indeed here then, it would come back for the barmaid. So they have to protect the barmaid so she might still be hunted. At least, that's what Aiz was thinking.
Meanwhile Bell looked at the barmaid and showed her the flame of his lighter. The eyes reacted and Bell quickly took out his Garoken before the barmaid screamed, making Aiz look. She saw Bell about to kill the barmaid so Aiz quickly pulled out Desperate and got in-between the two with her sword clashing with Bell's.
"Aiz, what are you doing!?"
"Why are you harming her?" Aiz asked with a serious look on her face.
"Aiz, SHE'S the Horror!" Bell explained.
"What…?"
Just then the barmaid kicked Aiz towards Bell, making them fall to the ground.
"Ha! That was easier than I expected!" The barmaid laughed before running off.
The two got off each other before Bell looked back at Aiz who had a somewhat guilty face.
"You saw a man transform into a Horror when we first fully met! Are you serious!?"
"I thought that was a special Horror…" Aiz said, feeling it is a weak response.
Bell soon caught up before flipping over the barmaid and slashing her a couple times with his sword before being kicked back by Aiz. Bell tried to stab the barmaid but the barmaid's eyes flowed green before she summoned a plant-like tentacle from her mouth that whacked Bell to the side.
Bell rolled before quickly getting up as the barmaid transformed. It had a dark green body with thorns, a dark red rose for a head, a crocodile head on the chest, green sharp claws, and when the crocodile head opened its mouth a slithery tongue made up of tendrils/tentacles appeared.
Aiz was surprised to see the Horror looking more frightening than any other Dungeon Monster she fought. Bell just braced himself before Zaruba started talking.
"The Horror Ivy is a plant-type Horror with a bit of a vicious animal-side."
Ivy roared as it jumped and burrowed through the ground, trying to escape through making tunnels. Bell and Aiz examined the hole the Horror made before Bell pointed Zaruba towards it.
"Zaruba!"
"I've marked it! Head north!"
Bell nodded before he and Aiz ran north.
"Turn left."
They did and Aiz felt a little guilty of giving Ivy a chance to escape. She was snapped out of her thoughts by…
"AAAAHH!"
"No, please! NO!"
The two heard screams in a house before blood was spilled over the window. Bell and Aiz opened the door and, to their shock and disbelief, Ive was seen consuming a man before consuming a couple of kids.
Aiz just stood in shock. She allowed this to happen and because she did, an innocent family was being slaughtered. Aiz couldn't take it anymore, she had to atone for her mistakes. She charged with her sword.
"No wait, Aiz-!" Bell tried to stop her but it was no use so Bell just helped the mother and a little girl escape while Aiz slashed the Horror but no damage was taken as she was easily disarmed and tossed away.
"And here I thought I was in trouble when I saw the Sword Princess next to the Makai Knight, but me screaming to fool you was priceless! Are you some sort of airhead! Ha! Ha! Ha!"
Aiz just gritted her teeth as she grabbed her sheath and was about to attack but Bell appeared in between them.
"Bell…"
"Aiz…listen carefully." Bell said in serious voice. "I'm going to teach you what a Horror is."
Bell then took out his sword and charged. He dodged Ivy's claws as he appeared behind Ivy's back. He jumped on to her and had the Horror in a choke hold.
"This is a Horror!" Bell said as he stabbed Ivy in the neck.
Ivy then ran out of the house and threw Bell off while Aiz watched. Ivy opened her crocodile head's mouth, unleashing the vine-like tentacles towards Bell.
"Horrors pretend to be like people…" Bell started as charged while cutting a few of the tentacles in the process before getting close enough to cut an arm off. "To attack people!"
"Why you little…!" Ivy said before firing a beam from her rose head. Bell cut through it as he continued teaching.
"And devour them!" Bell told Aiz before ramming his sword through the abdomen. "That's what a Horror is!" Bell then kicked Ivy to the side as he removed his sword from her. "And the only ones who can defeat Horrors are…"
Bell then raised his sword, summoning and merging with his armor to become Garo.
"The Makai Knights!" Garo finished as Ivy launched more tentacles. Garo cut through some of them before some of them opened their mouths and tried to spit acid at him but his armor dissolved it upon contact.
Garo grabbed the remaining tentacles before pulling on them, launching Ivy towards him at a fast speed. When she was close enough, Garo cut through Ivy's waist, splitting her into two. The area below the lower waist dissolved into darkness while the upper body tried crawling away.
Garo noticed before flipping in the air and landing on Ivy's back before stabbing both her crocodile and rose head with his sword. Ivy screamed in pain as she dissolved into darkness.
Aiz approached Garo as he sheathed his sword and reverted back to Bell. Before they could exchange words, they heard crying and turned to see the mother and daughter hugging and crying over the loss of the father and other children.
The sensation of guilt was too much for Aiz so she started shaking a little and got on her knees before crying a little. She caused this to happen, it was all her fault. She saw a Horror transform before Ivy and disregarded that, thinking a Horror was just some creature but it wasn't. They were cruel dark beings with the need to harvest on the life of people. She now realizes how cunning, tactful, and how close they are to acting as people.
"I-I'm sorry…" Aiz got out as she continued crying.
Bell just looked at the mother and daughter with a sad but stern look. There was no point in grieving. His job was to protect peaceful sentient life but he couldn't get attached to the victims. He then looked at the crying Aiz.
"Hey, come here." Bell said softly as he made Aiz stand and face him before giving her a hug to comfort her. While he can't get attached to the victims, he can become attached to his friend.
Aiz just cried onto Bell's chest as she hugged him back.
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" Aiz just cried, feeling her guilt intensified. Bell just kept the hug up as he rubbed her back too.
After calming down, Bell placed his duster around Aiz's shoulders to comfort her before escorting her back to Twilight House. Soon they were at the front gates and Aiz removed the duster and gave it back to Bell.
"Thank you, Bell." Aiz said with a smile. "I learned a lot today but…"
"Aiz?" Bell noticed Aiz's smiled turning into a frown.
"All this time, I thought Horrors were just creatures but…"
"Horrors have evolved to use the races of all people who live in this world as disguises. After all, a hunter is more efficient when it doesn't look like a predator." Zaruba said.
"But still I saw one transform before, I should've seen it coming."
"What's done is done. No point in mourning over the past. Nothing good comes from that, trust me." Bell said in a serious tone as if something similar happened. He then lightly grabbed her by the shoulder. "Look what matters is that Horror won't be doing any more harm, right?"
Aiz thought about it before nodding.
"Good, now stop frowning. A smile suits you better." Bell said and Aiz smiled.
"Okay, and Bell…"
"Hm?"
Aiz then closed her eyes…and kissed Bell on the cheek, making him blush a deep red.
"Thank you." Aiz said softly before went into the Twilight House.
Bell just watched her go as his blush died down and Zaruba chuckled a bit.
"You sure she doesn't have a crush on you?" Zaruba asked as Bell just placed his hand on the cheek that was kissed before smiling and going back home.
It has been one heck of a night.
(Outside of the Dungeon)
Ottar emerged with a broken sword and looked at the Dungeon with a smile. The Minotaur was ready to give Bell the hardest fight he'll ever receive.
"You'll be proud to see this, Lady Freya…" Ottar said before leaving.
AN: And that's my latest chapter of Garo. I know I said I will be doing KR but I recently got a DanMachi light novel and I couldn't resist doing this so sorry. I'll be working on KR next, I promise.
Also someone said that I've been ignoring the fact that Soul Metal burns like when Garo saved Aiz in the beginning. I'll address that right now; I'm tweaking it. In my stories, the Soul Metal reacts on the state of the soul of the user. For example if Garo acts aggressive, the armor will burn but will not if Garo is calm. Easy to understand.
One more thing, I got the idea for the Horror from KR Chrome which is supposed to be based on Kaiju Biollante from Godzilla. So thanks man.
So, you guys know the drill. Be sure to review or message me with questions or comments regarding the story. And don't be afraid to check out my other stories as well. Alright, I'm done, goodnight.