Desire

by Ignus042

Bell's journey from the Deep floors to the One-Eyed Black Dragon as he seeks to not only unravel the mysteries of the dungeon, but the secrets behind Ais Wallenstein, the Xenos, and the hidden shame of Ouranos.

7. Part VII

"You're alive!"

"And my ears work, boy!" Zeus tossed his scarf to the side with a beaming smile. "No need to shout."

Taking a half-step forward, Bell was frozen with indecision. Unable to tell whether he wanted to tackle his grandfather in a hug or to the floor, he managed to blurt "But...the goblins! You were killed!"

"Ah." The old man looked sheepish. "That. Well, it was necessary. Time for me to move on and all that."

Across the tent, two angry goddesses looked on. "Ah, dammit, Zeus! Did ya play the 'dead grandpa' card? 'Cause that's low, even for ya." Next to Loki, Hestia nodded severely, arms crossed.

"Come now, ladies, Bell! No need for the long face!" Hermes, sporting a toothy grin, grabbed Bell's shoulder in one hand and embraced Zeus with the other arm. He spoke to the grizzled old god with unbridled enthusiasm. "You should be real proud, Zeus! You said he lacked spirit, but it's been a pleasure watching the little man grow into a fine adventurer!"

"...'lacked spirit'?"

Hermes curdled under the looks from Bell and Zeus. The older god struggled to appease the boy he raised. "It's not like it sounds, boy! You were young and..."

"And I don't want to hear it. I already know."

As the young man left, Zeus pushed Hermes back with an irritated grunt but was prevented from following by Finn. The prum wanted to know what he was doing there and if he had anything valuable to contribute to their effort. The war party converged on Zeus and Hermes as they were pressed for answers. While Finn led the questioning, Ais slipped out after Bell.

He hadn't lingered. Following his footprints led to their owner standing in the shadow of the mountain, arms tightly hugging Salamander Wool to his torso.

"He doesn't believe in me," the boy said when Ais reached his side. He stared ahead where the One-Eyed Black Dragon disappeared. "Never did. All those hero stories, all the lessons and thirst for adventure he tried to instill...it makes a strange sort of sense. He wanted to make me one, but gave up when I didn't meet expectations. And Hermes! Finn was right. He was working for Grandf—Zeus—the entire time. He never stayed long in Orario until I reached Level-2. He knew who I was and who raised me all along. He was watching me, throwing obstacles and tests in my path trying to mold me into a hero after Grandf—Zeus!—gave up on me. He didn't come straight here." Gold met red eyes burning with anger. "Zeus. He faked his death, left me behind like so much garbage because he didn't believe I had what it took. He raised me for years...and dropped me as a bad investment so he could search for the real hero he wanted. He didn't come here until after Hermes began reporting on me."

Ais wasn't sure what to say. Agreeing didn't seem like the smart move, nor did trying to defend the old god's actions. She decided that words were unnecessary. Leaning into his shoulder, she wrapped her arms tightly around him, pleased that he held her back tightly. After a time, Ais felt some of the tension leave the boy's body as he calmed down. "You know," Ais pushed back a little to look up at Bell. "Gods...they aren't perfect. Leaving you the way he did was dirty. From a certain perspective, though...it was probably the best thing for you." She raised her hands in a pacifying gesture as Bell whipped his neck around. "You never would have come to Orario otherwise. Never would have met your goddess or learned to adventure on your own. Loki Familia would have been obliterated without you, Cel would still be alive, and we wouldn't be standing here today, ready to end the quest that began so long ago." Holding his hand, Ais gently pulled him down for a kiss. "Your grandfather has been through a lot; in many ways he's just a tired old man. He didn't see what was in front of him. But without him, you're not you. And you are a hero to a lot of people, Bell." Snuggling into her favorite place in his side, Ais closed her eyes as she tenderly pumped his hand. "You're mine."

Gold eyes fluttered open as her pillow started to heave unexpectedly. "Are...are you laughing?!"

"Sorry." Bell hugged her close with one arms and wiped his face with the other. "It's just, it makes me so happy hearing you say that. Thanks, Ais." Jerking his chin at the tent behind him, he suggested heading back. Hugging him one last time, Ais agreed.

"This is not what you were meant for!"

The two returned to a heated argument. Zeus and Jupiter stood in the middle of the room; two old men, one irritated, the other calm.

"It may not be the way you intended my power to be implemented," Jupiter held out his hands. "But, you'll remember, the decision was left to me. I stand by it."

Zeus frowned at the smile that crawled unbidden to Lefiya's lips. "She's a beauty, I'll give you that. But you ought to place more weight on the fate of the world than on peeping at bath time." He forestalled Lefiya's surprised yell and Jupiter's retort. "No! You weren't made for a mage, but a frontline fighter! Specifically, the hero I would send to you. You were made for Bell! Do you know why?" Like the rest of the tent, Jupiter remained silent. "Because magic won't do anything to this beast. It's hide is thicker and tougher than a Black Goliath's and its scales reflect magic back upon its caster like a juggernaut's armor. No magic can harm the One-Eyed Black Dragon. A bond with this elf, no matter her talent or resolve, is a waste."

"I refuse to believe that," Jupiter stood strong beside Lefiya. "She and the other mages may not be able to harm the dragon, but what good would my strength do supplementing a single adventurer, no matter their abilities? How much good did strength and skill at arms do you and Hera, hmm?" Anger flared in the old god's chest, but he remained silent. Jupiter leaned in kindly towards his creator. "You gave me this choice. Respect that I made the right one. Perhaps the strength gathered here is enough, and we will be better used for defense."

A strangled laugh mixed with a derisive grunt. "You really think there's a defense against the power this monster wields? I watched this one's barriers crumble as the dragon growled from miles away! And you think she and a few other mages without the benefit of your help can protect everyone in close quarters combat?"

"Yes."

Lefiya stood smartly at Zeus' last words. "I can do far, far better!" Clenched fists crackled with static power as her emotions practically oozed magical potential. "I was taken by surprise last time. It won't happen again." Steel entered the small elf's voice. "I won't allow that thing to harm any member of this party."

Staring hard with a critical eye, Zeus relaxed with a sigh. "I admire the fire, little mage." He met Jupiter's eye. "You were made for a task. There is no way I will ever believe you gave up on completing it. I will trust your judgement."

"Fine, fine," Finn waved away the argument as Jupiter returned to Lefiya. Focusing squarely on Zeus, he asked "You were here for almost a year. You told us about its hide and scales; we already know about it's psychological and sonic attacks. What else can you tell us? Have you noticed any weaknesses?"

"Well..." Chagrine painted the old man's face as he rubbed his neck in apology. "No. Hera and I together lasted less than three minutes. Many succumbed to fear and lost their minds. All were crushed to the ground by its roars, bones creaking and snapping as the very air around them pressed their bodies into the earth with all the gentleness of a hammer on anvil." His voice became soft, sad. "It didn't need anything else. A few of Hera's mages—the most powerful in the world, even more so than you," he waved a hand at Riveria, "managed to get off some spells. That's how I know about its ability to redirect magic. A handful of my warriors were able to stand and somewhat fight." Zeus bowed his head. "It ended with a single step. One foot, blacker than anything you can imagine and bigger than the home my familia occupied back in Orario. It dropped from the sky...and so ended the most powerful adventurers ever assembled on Gekai."

Dead silence weighed heavily in their tent. Even the crackles of the fire and the roar of the blizzard outside seemed muted. Finn was the first to break the reverie. "The past year, Zeus." He wasn't about to let a story break him or his war party. Not when they were so close. "What has it been doing for the past year? Maybe there's something you witnessed we can turn to our advantage."

"Nothing." Zeus shrugged his shoulders at Finn's glare. "What? It's the truth. In a year, the first time I saw it move was when you approached. It's been dormant ever since I arrived; probably for a long time before, too."

Finn grunted. "That doesn't seem right," he said. "Are you sure you've kept constant vigil? I'd have thought there would have been some sort of reaction to witness about five months ago."

"Oh? Why's that?"

"We killed Cel."

Eyes popped into massive orbs, electric blue and terrified. "You...you did...what?!" Reaching out behind him for support, Hermes rushed in and led the agitated god to a seat. "Why would you do that?!"

Zeus was not at all happy to learn of Ouranos' involvement. "If ever there was a blinder, more tired old man than me." Looking at the assembled adventurers and lingering on his his grandson, Zeus sighed. "I didn't notice anything, but that doesn't necessarily mean anything. Cel, Gugulanna, and whatever souls Cel was in possession of at the time...they all went into the Black Dragon. Half the power of Ouranos, the primordial god. Gugulanna, a Great Spirit, First Child and Aspect of Death. However many monsters and adventurers died during your battle." He shook his head. "The One-Eyed Black Dragon is even more powerful now. By a staggering degree."

Finn's hand sliced through the air. "Enough with the doom talk. We killed a god once; we can certainly do it again. Does that dragon use arcanum?" Zeus shook his head. "Then there's no problem." Finn drew himself up. Though small, his presence and bearing was decidedly impressive. "We are going to cast that thing down and take back...our world." Finn recovered so quickly, Bell wondered if anybody else caught his slip. Subtly peaking around, he saw the tight lips on most of Loki's followers. They knew. Were they also worried their leader was only thinking about Tione? Bell didn't get a chance to continue the thought before Finn spoke again. "All we need is a plan. How do you kill something when blades won't cut its flesh and magic is completely useless?"

Ais nudged Bell's shoulder. Following her eyes to the pouch at his waist, Bell understood. "I might have a way." It was intimidating how every eye in the room was focused solely on him. He coughed. "It's possible...I fought a creature once who was completely immune to magic, and even five first-tier adventurers couldn't cut it." He turned to Zeus and Hermes. "Are there any caverns in these mountains, by any chance?"

"Caverns?" Hermes scratched his head, confused at the sudden change in direction. "No, I don't think so."

"Gareth," Bell switched his attention to the dwarf. "On the trip up here, didn't you tell a story about dwarven soldiers who lived in these mountains?"

"Aye." Gareth stroked his beard in thought. "There's an old tale about a band of our bravest warriors. Legend has it they defended our homeland against the monster hordes with great zeal and they had a fortress built into the heart of the northernmost mountain range." He shrugged. "Can't get any more north than this. Maybe there's something to the old legend."

Finn shook his head. "Where are you going with this, Bell? What do old dwarven legends have to do with a monster that can't be cut?"

"Asterius. When we fought, I quickly discovered cutting him was impossible. But even if you can't cut through something, blunt force trauma works just fine. If there is a large enough cavern to lure the dragon into, then Fairy Force can use their magic to raze the mountain and bring the entire thing down on top of it." Bell shrugged. "If Zeus is right about how strong this thing is, then what can we do that several hundred tonnes of falling stone can't do better?"

Silence stretched for several moments before a slow smile grew on Finn's face. "I need maps of the area anyway before we can plan a proper engagement." Orders were quickly handed out. Hermes was to organize scouting parties into the mountains while Lefiya-Jupiter, Riveria, and Fairy Force prepared for the strongest magical barrage they'd ever launch.

Bell and Ais volunteered for scouting. Drawing lines and connecting landmarks on their parchment, Bell supressed an involuntary shudder. The last time he mapped an area, he and Ryuu had nearly died a few dozen times. Gold eyes bored into his back. Smiling over his shoulder, the young man hurriedly pressed on. It was the only thing they hadn't talked about, and before a battle guaranteed to be far tougher than the thirty seventh floor was not the time to discuss it.

It was not too far into the next day when a breathless Hermes huffed into the command tent. "You'll never believe it, Finn!" Sweat plastered orange hair to a divine face despite the cold. "There really is an ancient dwarven outpost tucked away inside the mountain! Why, they must have..!"

Finn raised a hand. "I'm sure it's interesting, but I'm not interested in it right now. Is the cavern large enough to fit the dragon?"

"Oh, definitely!" Hermes was a little sad the lost piece of history he discovered was about to be blown up...but considering the worthiness of their goal, he figured he'd get over it. "The hollow is big enough to fit most of Orario; possibly all of it. It's difficult to tell in the dark."

"Excellent. Let's make sure Fairy Force is up to the task...and we'll have to prepare the bait."

Bell was thrilled to learn about the discovery of the cavern and that there was a reasonable chance they'd succeed where Zeus failed so miserably. He was happy to see plans enacted and preparations made. He was less happy to discover Ais was the bait.

"It makes sense." Ais was firmly onboard with Finn's idea. After all, Cel called the dragon her champion and claimed it to be Lord of the Sky. It couldn't claim that mantle until it consumed Ais and fully subdued Aria. "I'm what the dragon really wants. Once I activate Tempest...things are going to get interesting fast."

Bell nodded. "I'm coming with you." It was not a question.

"I figured you'd say that," Finn weighed in. He pressed something into each of their hands. Bell held it up to reveal a pair of earmuffs. "Asfi made these last night using most of the crafting components we have left. She's not entirely sure they'll work and there's not a chance to test them, but they're supposed to negate the affect of the dragon's sonic attack."

"We're field testing equipment like this while dangling Ais in front of the Black Dragon?"

Finn lifted his palms at Bell's distaste. "Better than not having them at all. If they work, great. If not, Airmid should be close enough to help you out."

Bell gripped the earmuffs tightly as Finn walked away. "I don't like this," he whispered to Ais. He knew she could feel his trepidation through their bond, but he needed to get the words out. "He's taking more risks. He's not acting like himself."

Torn between her love and the man she considered family, Ais decided speaking the truth was the best course of action. "He's not himself. But he's not to blame for this. I volunteered." Calming his flare of emotion, she continued. "I have to go. I am here to get my mother back, just as he's here for Tione. I would face that beast no matter the odds, even without Asfi's creations."

Eventually the plan was set and the battlefield prepared. Bell and Ais walked to the plateau Finn had earlier marked for their initial battle. It was ideally suited for Ais to use her wind and was close to the entrance to the cavern. A day of labor had helped widen the entrance to admit the monster. All they had to do was lure the dragon and run as fast as possible.

"Fairy Force should be in position," Ais squinted at the top of the mountain. People moved amongst the middle of some far distant rocks, tiny at this range. The circle of mages was gathering strength. "They're waiting on us. Let's go."

Calling her magic, Ais sent it in a wave across the face of the mountain. Mere seconds passed before a high wind blew across the plateau in answer. Ais' eyes went round, lips slackening in surprise before lunging to tackle Bell. The two rolled out of danger just as a large boulder crashed down where they had been standing. No, not a boulder, Bell realized. A claw. Pitch black and roughly the size of a large house, Bell couldn't help but gape at the natural weapon. He traced it to the foot it connected to then up the leg as far as his neck could allow. He barely reached the monster's navel before Ais gripped his shoulders, hauling him bodily up.

"Run!"

The two ran pell mell atop the mountain. The dragon roared its hunger for Ais' magic...and Asfi's earmuffs worked. The two sprinting adventurers weren't sure if the dragon was confused about its attack not working or if was disappointed in its challenger running away. And they didn't care; the longer it held back, the more distance they could put between them.

"It was my mother, Bell!" Ais yelled as they cleared the plateau. Claws screeched against rock as the dragon stirred into pursuit behind them. "The wind before the dragon attacked! I felt her, it was her—she warned me!"

"That's great!" Judging by his ears, the dragon had simply taken one massive step and was just behind them. "Run!"

The harsh glare of sun on snow vanished suddenly. A low rumble echoed through the mountain peaks—the dragon sounded suspiciously, eerily like it was laughing as a foot came down on the two fleas who disturbed it. Unlike its most recent prey, however, these irritants retained all the speed and agility of their Status. Pouring energy into their legs, the two adventurers hit sunlight just as the sky crashed down. The force of the dragon's stomp threw Bell and Ais forward, careening helplessly through the air. Landing several dozen meters away, they realized they had been knocked off the planned route.

"Left!" Ais was better with directions than Bell. She took the lead. "And down!"

Fortunately, the blow they dodged also knocked them closer to the cavern entrance. Ais periodically fired off bursts of magic to keep the dragon hooked; it roared and raged as it followed, but they managed to stay out of melee range. In less than a minute they were at the cavern mouth, rushing inside as Ais sent off a final gust of wind.

"Oh..."Bell looked around at the blackness of the cavern. "We didn't think this through."

"What do you mean?"

"Look around," Bell spoke quickly, swivelling his head every direction, looking for an answer. "We're in the target area where the dragon is going to be killed. This place is bigger than Orario—no matter how fast we run, we'll never reach the other side, and even if we get there, we didn't have time to map this area fully. We don't know if there are any escape routes. The only way out..." Bell turned to face the sunlight streaming through the hole several hundred meters behind them, "...is the way we came in. Past the Black Dragon."

"Oh." Staring at the stone floor for a moment, the knight raised her head decisively. "Okay, then."

Bell grinned. There were many reasons he liked Ais, but her cool demeanor and acceptance of situations and solutions was a very attractive quality. She made life and death ordeals far easier to handle. His grin vanished when the sunlight at the cavern entrance did. Jaws slid into the cavern, quickly followed by a face. From here they could clearly see the disfigurement Albert inflicted. A mass of swollen tissue bubbled over where the right eye had been; despite this, the area had a sunken quality, as if the eye had rotted out over time. There was no time for them to dwell on Albert's accomplishment as its good eye locked onto them. Bell shuddered. It was the same dead, black as Cel.

"We have to keep moving!" Bell ushered Ais back as they retreated further into the cavern. "This thing is way too big; we need to get its entire body into the target area." He pointed to the closest wall. "If we draw the dragon the opposite way, then once it's in we can run down there, away from the dragon and following the wall out."

Agreeing, Ais moved further back and away from their escape route. Wide black shoulders squeezed into the hole, breaking it apart to admit the rest of the beast. It roared, the force of it's cry sending a rain of dust and pebbles down on white and gold hair.

"It's in!" Ais saw the last bit of tail enter the hollow of the mountain. "Finn should be signalling Fairy Force at any mo..!"

A series of explosions rocked the earth as massive cracks split the cavern ceiling. Hundreds of large rocks fell and the earth shook; Ais fell to the ground and Bell stumbled, but the dragon barely noticed the disturbance.

They've already started! Angry thoughts filled the boy's head. Lifting Ais from the ground, Bell trusted in his strength and speed as he followed their escape route. The dragon's size worked against it in the narrower confines there where the stone wall met the floor. Unable to bend its neck or raise its feet, the dragon grumbled in irritation as Bell and Ais ran by. Another volley of magic shook the earth. Lefiya-Jupiter must be going all out, Bell thought. Strike after strike tore across the mountain above them...then the sky fell down.

Snow and light fell on the three occupants of the cavern...along with hundreds of tonnes of stone and ice. The Black Dragon cried in pain as a large boulder hit its shoulder. A satisfying crunch told of the broken bone underneath its unmarred scales. Many others struck the beast one after the other. Despite its speed, it was a large target in a narrow space. Any it avoided meant three more striking it. In wild, pained thrashes, the dragon slammed its body into the nearest wall—just where Bell and Ais were running.

Seeing the wall of black scales rapidly approaching, Bell jumped as high as he possibly could. Landing on the beast's thigh, he continued to carry Ais as he ran across the dragon's leg. Dodging more successfully due to their small size, they were able to avoid the stony deluge from above...at least the larger stones. Dozens of smaller stone shards filled the air, slicing several gashes across the exposed parts of their bodies. Finally, Bell leapt from the dragon's back into sunlight, landing in snow several meters from the cavern entrance. From there, with the destruction they had caused, Bell and Ais could see Fairy Force atop the next peak, swirling arcs of magic landing relentlessly on the remains of the mountain above the Black Dragon's grave. With a final effort, the mages finished their destructive work. The cavern closed behind them, the dragon crushed beneath the weight of the earth.

A burst of wind blew sharply upwards through the spaces in the rocks burying the great beast before dying down to nothing. Alone in the snow, Ais and Bell held each other, shouting in joyous victory and at the thrill of being alive. Hugging him tightly, Ais' voice quickly cracked as tears took over. "She's free, Bell." Ais pulled away from Bell, rolling in the snow to look at the ruined mountain. "At the end, the wind that blew...that was my mother. She's free of the dragon, after all this time she's...she's...gone."

The war party met up with them as soon as they were able, but a stern look from Bell kept them away from the still crying Ais. There would be time for celebrations back at camp. For now, the golden knight mourned.

"I can't believe it's over." Zeus and Hermes were talking in the command tent. The war party had returned with news of their triumph. Though happy, Zeus could not help but feel a little bit cheated. "After everything my familia suffered...after all the death and destruction and pain...and Bell came up with an idea to crush it—literally—in just a few moments."

Hermes clapped a hand on his master's shoulder. "This is what you raised Bell for, after all. He is the hero created to defeat the One-Eyed Black Dragon. Are you really so surprised he did it?" Orange eyes narrowed. "Are you disappointed?"

"I'm thrilled!" The old god knew it would be inappropriate to answer truthfully. He didn't need to say a word, though, for the goddesses just a few feet away to pick up his true feelings.

"Ugh," Hestia and Loki said at the same time. They didn't even look at each other in distaste, so united they were in disgust for the male deities.

Loki took the lead. "Come on, Shrimp. If I stick 'round these arrogant bastards any longer I may puke."

The goddesses left the gods to their ever louder celebrations. Settling into an even stride developed over months of adventuring together, the two shortly found themselves perched atop a large rock. Backs to the battlefield, they stared out at the vast snowy plains glinting in the final rays of daylight. A hearty guffaw, unmistakably Zeus, drifted on the thin air.

"Wha'd'ya think, Shrimp?" Loki growled. She jerked a thumb in the direction of Zeus' laughter. "Should we punish 'em when we get back home?"

"Why waste the effort?" Hestia casually threw her ponytails over slim shoulders. "It seems like punishment enough just being them."

Loki slapped her knee with a delighted chuckle. It made her happy to know they were of the same mind. After a few moments she settled down, drawing her knees to her chest. Resting her chin between her knees, she looked across the vast barren landscape before them. There was a question she wanted to ask...but, annoyingly, she found herself at a loss for words. More than wanting an answer, she didn't want to risk damaging their fledgling friendship. Much as she hated to admit it, Hestia was actually pretty easy to get along with. Loki smirked. She certainly wasn't afraid to stand up to her, unlike every other deity...apart from Freya, whom Hestia also bore enmity. Maybe it would be okay to ask...

"It is our duty to watch over the children of this world," Hestia mirrored Loki's position, staring out into nothing. "But it was never ours...and never will be. The time of gods is ending."

Stunned, Loki tried to formulate a sentence. "So, ya...ya accept it, then?"

"Of course." Loki was amazed at the calm demeanor of the loli goddess. And impressed at her divination. Boobs Fer Brains was smarter than she let on. "It's not too difficult to see."

Silence stretched between them. Loki had questions...and regrets. Despite everything—the power struggles, the games, the thrills and adventures—she was simply a mother. She cared for her children every bit as much as the raven-haired goddess beside her. Resting a cheek on her knees, she took the other woman in. How would she handle losing children like Loki had?

"I am Goddess of the Hearth." Hestia also rested a cheek atop her knees, smiling warmly at the other woman. Seeing her confusion, Hestia explained. "All the children of the world who have a place to call home are mine. Every one warmed by a fire is touched by my love and care. And every lost soul who enters heaven without any sense of home, warmth, or family is welcomed into my home until they are ready for the beyond." A low huff escaped Hestia's lips. "I had a reputation in Tenkai. The other gods and goddesses thought I was lazy or self-centered because I never left my temple to come play with them." Head sinking below her knees, Hestia closed her eyes in sorrow. "Quite the opposite. I was far too busy. There were so many children who needed my guidance. Too many."

"Then..." Loki squinted at her companion. "Why come to the Lower World?"

"To see what was missing." Hestia explained her realization that something must have been missing on Gekai for the children to be so lost when they reached Tenkai. "I thought it would be better to come into this world personally so children could better understand family here before entering the next world. Also," shoulders sagged in shame. "I did my best, but some souls...those poor, lost children...were almost beyond my help. I thought that maybe I could help them better by knowing more; by living amongst them, sharing a home and a fire whilst feeling their pains and desires. You'll remember—heaven is empty of both."

Loki nodded. It was true. It was one of the major reasons why gods descended in the first place. She felt shamed at Hestia's noble reasons for coming down when she had simply been bored. But, that chapter of her life had closed. She had her own familia, her own family. And some of them had been taken from her. Loki silently thanked the whims of fate for bringing her into contact with Hestia; it seemed, despite her lack of ambition, the tiny goddess held a unique position in Heaven. Perhaps she could help Loki reunite with her lost children.

"Well...one of these days, I'll have to seek ya out." Grimacing at the softness of her voice, Loki forced a gruff nonchalance. "I mean, Olympus isn't too far from home. I'll need yer help findin' some of my kids."

A stab of annoyance quickly turned to a blush as Hestia laughed beside her. "Oh, I don't think you have to worry about any of your kids being lost, Loki. You're a flat-chested eyesore, but a good mother. A good goddess."

"Why, ya bra-busting loli..!"

Their good-natured ribbing came to an abrupt end as the earth shifted beneath them. They scrambled off the rock, running back to camp as tremors ripped through the ground, stone and ice tearing asunder as the rubble-strewn mountain began to heave upwards.

The Black Dragon was rising.

"Thrice-damn that arrogant, stupid, foolish old man!" Loki screamed as they ran. "I knew he and that orange-haired lackey were celebrating too early!"

The two rushed to the center of the war party's defensive huddle just as Lefiya-Jupiter took control of Fairy Force. Green light fell on the party. Despite her anger, exhaustion and fear, Loki spared a moment to be proud of her child's development and resolve—Lefiya was really outdoing herself. The dual magic shells surrounding them were so dense it was difficult to see out of. Even the blinding colors of the snow and sky were nullified in their tiny green world. But it did nothing for black. From the ruined mountain several hundred meters away the dragon tore itself from its stony prison, stretching to its full height as it roared its anger and hatred at the adventurers below.

Loki gaped at the shadow that fell upon them. Her green world seemed less. Only the dragon stood out, its terrible, inky black profile growing clearer by the second. Her focus snapped to Lefiya and Airmid, the party's two greatest defenders. Despite not having been utilized much, both were looking very strained. Their faces shifted again into pained grimaces and Loki's vision shifted towards black. With a start, she realized what was happening. The One-Eyed Black Dragon didn't just have scales as dark as the void—it was the void. All light was being sucked away, diminished and then annihilated by its very presence...including their defensive magic. Judging by the looks worn by the Saint and Thousand Elf, if the dragon stood unchallenged for just a few more moments, they would quickly become tapped and the war party would be completely vulnerable.

A soft hand grasped her elbow, forestalling her cry to Finn. "Don't worry," Hestia was surprisingly calm, looking to the fore of the party. "This is where we have have faith in our children."

Following her eyes, Loki found her friend's first child on the front line between her Finn and Ais. Holding his knife before him as if in prayer, white light began to glow. Quickly spreading, Loki noticed the warmth that touched her core through all the terror the dragon inspired. It was hope. The light coming from the boy was not—could not be—absorbed or destroyed by the great beast. As it reached Fairy Force, the relief on their faces was palpable. Their defenses strengthened as jaws set with even more determination. Fortified by hope, the war party—some consciously, some instinctually—fell in behind Bell, their light against the dark.

"We need five minutes!" Finn yelled at Fairy Force. Five minutes was a long time in a fight, particularly against a foe like the Black Dragon. But there was no choice. And, nodding at Lefiya's grit teeth, Finn knew it wasn't a problem. He turned with another nod to Bell. "You get one chance. Now's not the time to hold anything back."

Free of its temporary grave, the dragon bellowed in rage at the tiny defiant light growing so far below. Flexing massive forearms as broad and long as any avenue in Orario, the monster brought down its claws with ferocious speed. The air hissed and cracked as it was cut through...then a dull thud as they were stopped by Lefiya-Jupiter's outer barrier.

"Damn..." Zeus was impressed, watching blow after be deflected by Lefiya's spell. He raised his hands. "I can admit when I'm wrong. You made the right call." The old god was too far away and the battle far too loud for the elf to have heard him, but arcs of electricity crackled in answer.

The chimes got louder around Bell, glowing pristinely white at the fore of the party. "Two minutes!" Finn shouted at Fairy Force, elated. Waiting behind magic barriers, the first-tier warriors hadn't a chance yet to be active. It was an unusual strategy, one demanded by the unusual foe they faced, but it did give Finn time to think. Most of his thoughts were bent on Tione as they had been for months. Most of the rest focused on the battle. But a small part of him, the part responsible for the smile curling the corner of his lips, recognized that their small band had outlasted Zeus and Hera. In less than two minutes Bell would deliver his strike, and then...

The dragon's next strike did not fruitlessly slam into the barrier. Instead of landing across, the beast's claws struck point-first into the heart of the spell. Several mages screamed at the sudden energy draw Lefiya-Jupiter pulled to keep their spells up; a black claw pierced the first layer and was dangerously close to breaking the second. Another slash and more screams—the elves of Fairy Force had been strained during the first three minutes of the assault, but with Lefiya and Jupiter simply using them as batteries along with Riveria's ability to return and replenish magical power, they had endured the constant draw with grace. The first strike was damaging enough to require a massive amount of energy to keep their protection from failing. The second strike completely shattered the outer layer, and the power Lefiya-Jupiter required to maintain the inner was enough to cause multiple bouts of Mind Down. Three elves—half of Fairy Force—were on the ground. Strain painted the remaining elves at having to bear more of the load. Even Riveria was brought to her knees, elegant face haggard with effort. It was a cascade failure—every elf that fell put more strain on the others which in turn meant they tired faster. Soon, even the strength of a Great Spirit would fail in the face of the Black Dragon.

As an adventurer wears down after bearing repeated hits from an enemy, so do mages when their barriers are struck. The difference was a regular adventurer bore the strain of the encounter on their shields and armor first, then their muscle. Defensive magic, on the other hand, is an expression of power come from a mage's mind—taking a hit to that, particularly several powerful hits in a row, takes a frightening toll on a magic user. Ryuu collapsed from mental exhaustion alongside two other elves as claws raked into the party's defenses for a third time. Only Lefiya-Jupiter stood. Riveria was conscious and providing power, but the poor elf was barely strong enough to keep her eyes open. It would be over soon.

The dragon twisted its head, roaring at a new sound that seemed to agitate it. The Grand Bell tolled clear, bouncing through the mountain peaks in such a way that seemed almost melodic as they rang together in harmony. The sound drowned out the cries of the great beast. It bore the same quality as his light—it was hope.

Bell clenched the grip of the Hestia Knife and checked the security of Asfi's earmuffs. Magic was useless against the dragon and Bell didn't want to waste his shot with a low powered attack. He would have to leave Airmid's protection, just like the dash to lure it into the cavern. Readying his mind, Bell ran.

Terror flooded his mind as the dragon lowered its head, focusing all its rage and hatred on the single adventurer to have left its shell. The force of its roar almost took Bell off his feet, but, trusting in his superior agility to keep good footing, the strength of his Status propelled him forward. Bell cut to the side, his Escape ability activating as the dragon suddenly lunged forward. Fast as he was, teeth still managed to close around his Salamander Wool cloak. Bell ripped the fastener at his throat before the dragon could jerk its head, barely losing momentum though the cold now pressed his body with almost as much ferocity as the dragon's sonic attack. Running alongside its extended neck, Bell quickly reached his target. Leaping as the beast reared back, his blade found its mark directly over the monster's heart.

White light blasted through the sky, obliterating the void it struck with absolute power. Like soap to a stain, Bell's pure, unadulterated power clashed with the corruption that was the pride of an insane goddess. Across the war party, jaws dropped at the expenditure of power they beheld and a few cheers went up...but those who celebrated were quickly silenced as the blackness consumed the periphery of their vision. The dragon still stood. The blinding white of Bell's attack lessened, the Grand Bell silent. Something fell from the dragon, black against black—a single scale. A paltry reward for such great efforts. And something else fell beside the scale. A tiny speck of white hair against the Black Dragon's body, from hundreds of meters away Bell looked like just another snowflake in the blizzard.

But not to golden eyes.

Ais ran as fast as she could, but was too late to catch Bell before he landed with a sickening thud into the snow. Fortunately the snow was deep, but it was also strewn with rock and ice. Several bones broke and blood stained the white-hell landscape as lacerations opened up all over his body. Unprotected by Salamander Wool, the extreme cold lessened the blood flow, but he was in great danger of freezing to death—even Zeus' Level-9 adventurer had nearly frozen when they set foot on the fifty ninth floor's blizzard. Here, in very similar conditions and as a Level-5, Bell did not have very long.

Lifting him up, Ais ran for the party and what little protection remained behind Lefiya's shield. Calling on Tempest to aid their escape, she was shocked to find herself facedown in the snow. Betrayed by her own wind, her magic wrapped around her feet, its purpose perverted by the beast Cel claimed to be Lord of the Sky. Sickened as the world turned black, Ais flipped over to see a massive foot descending upon them. Scrambling, she fought the snow to hold Bell against her, desperately attempting to get her feet under her so they could run...but she could not. Held by her own magic—by her mother's magic, twisted into foul use by the Black Dragon, Ais was helpless, only able to grab Bell and pull him to her bosom. Unconscious, broken, Ais felt his exhaustion and wounds through their bond. Though asleep, she felt him there. She wasn't alone. She had never thought of it before, but it was a comfort now. She didn't want to die alone.

"You're a coward."

While Ais ran towards her love, Hestia turned from Zeus, refusing to acknowledge the sputtering old god's complaints and arguments that the Lower World and its problems were for the children of this world to handle.

"Perhaps," Hestia strode towards the edge of the green light. "If they were facing a normal threat. But this...this is a result of our meddling. Besides. Our children serve with devotion and offer their lives under our names; it is the least we can do to return that love and devotion." She looked at back at Loki, the tall goddess subconsciously wringing her hands as her beloved Ais ran into danger. Her next words were a whisper. "Devotion and love. That's all family is. And that's what I'll take back home."

It was some seconds after Hestia disappeared outside Lefiya and Airmid's protection that Loki noticed a tiny, irritating woman was no longer beside her. Screaming after her, it took Zeus and Hermes to keep her from following.

As the monster's foot came down, green filled Ais' vision. Lefiya stood above her and Bell, staff held upright as she and Jupiter held a single defensive spell with everything they had. Twisting to take a quick look at the rest of the war party, Ais was amazed to see Riveria, blue stains running down her cheek from a sloppily applied Mind Potion, maintaining their lines. Lefiya-Jupiter, already strained to the point of passing out, stood alone without any reserve power to call upon as the full weight of the One-Eyed Black Dragon dropped on them.

Lefiya screamed as black covered them—the dragon's foot encircled them. Like stepping on a marble, black flesh pressed around her barrier all the way to the ground. Green light splintered and cracked as Lefiya screamed in agony...but she held. It grew slightly brighter as the dragon's foot lifted, but its terrible quality of soaking in light and life took its toll on the battered elf. Even with Jupiter, she had reached her limit. The dragon's claws dragged at the spell protecting the three beaten adventurers, shattering the last defense they had.

Gathering up the unconscious elf, Ais was surprised at the soft white light above her. Bell..! Had he..? But, no. Bell slept on her chest and she could feel through their bond how very little life was left in him. His heroic strike had taken a hefty toll—it did more than take Mind. It took will. Willpower took strength and Bell poured all of his into his ability. Bell would not be waking again for this fight; his last attack was even stronger than when he killed the demi-spirit on the fifty first floor and that resulted in him being knocked out for over a week. What was..?

Flowers? Ais thought. Why are there two flowers in the snow? Not flowers, she realized. Hairbands. Raven hair tickled her face. Lady Hestia stood calmly before the Living End, hair flowing freely. Ais noticed she wore only her normal outfit and had removed even the silver and ruby headband, yet the tiny goddess did not shiver or bow in the frigid air. Ais gasped.

Arcanum.

The Black Dragon roared with delight at the prospect of such a fine meal, snapping its head down to meet the deity with bared teeth. Her power would soon be his, and this small, insignificant goddess would never again be seen on Gekai or in heaven.

The soft glow around Hestia grew as she smiled kindly down at Ais. The blonde knight realized the power holding her had vanished. "Run."

Getting to her feet, Ais grabbed Bell and Lefiya, roughly slinging them over her shoulders as she screamed at the goddess to come with her. She made to grab Hestia, but an invisible force had her clawing at air a foot away from the deity. Hestia turned back with another smile. "It's alright, Wallenwhatsit-kun." Ais cried at the familiar name. It had become something of a pet name over her time bonding with Hestia and her familia at their home. "You three get to safety. I'll see you again someday...hopefully, a long time from now."

A gentle wave of pressure, like the polite but firm arm of a mother directing their child away from danger, compelled Ais to obey. Tears froze on her face as she carried her fallen companions to Riveria's circle. With her Level-6 speed, half the distance was closed before the rules of the Lower World made Hestia's earthly body forfeit. Breaking the ban on the use of arcanum, Hestia's soul shot upwards in a pillar of holy light...squarely striking the dragon in its good eye on her way to heaven.

Ais turned to witness the passing of Lady Hestia. The Black Dragon claw at its face, blinded and, for the first time, scared. Thrashing in pain, the beast scurried away haphazardly, ramming itself into the few standing parts of the mountain that remained as it retreated across the rubble and ruin of the battlefield. Within moments the monster's profile was hid in snow, it's whimpering bellows nullified by distance.

Hestia's followers, already wearing multiple layers of Salamander Wool against the blizzard, stood nearly frozen without the benefit of Status to keep their bodies functioning. Yet, not a word was spoken as they took what supplies were available to garb their fallen captain. The war party rapidly made for camp, Ais carrying Bell ahead to their tent to start a fire. He was warmed by the time the rest of Hestia Familia arrived. Ais found herself unable to speak, but that was alright with the others. Nobody felt like saying anything; it was too fresh.

But not for everyone. With the enthusiasm of a little boy getting a present, Zeus charged into the crowded tent before they had been gathered an hour. "That was incredible!" Ais scowled as a heavy hand clapped on Bell's shoulder. Airmid had yet to be by; several bones were broken, among other injuries. "He did it! Did you see the scale fall after Bell hit it? He gave us an opening! Right over the heart! That skin is tough, but it's a damn sight more vulnerable than those armored scales! One good hit, that's all we need! If we can cut through that, we can destroy it!" He turned to the others. "I'm sorry for your loss, but...well, the battle will continue. We need every adventurer available combat ready. If you'll accept..." Zeus raised a hand as if extending friendship, "...I would be honored to welcome you into Zeus Familia!"

Four sets of eyes stared blankly. Slowly, Lili stood. Anger and revulsion tore her vision apart as she took the presumptuous god in. Though her relationship with Lady Hestia had often been adversarial, the fact remained that, aside from Bell, she and Hestia had been together the longest and, in many ways, their bond was just as deep. Lili loved the goddess—her goddess—who brought her into a home. A family. Leading the others, she bore down on the surprised deity with a vengeance, verbally assaulting his attempt to make them turn from Hestia so soon.

Before things could truly devolve, Loki entered the tent. Quickly grabbing the old god—none too gently—she forced him into the snow Re-entering a few seconds later, the tall, lithe goddess sat across from Ais. Considering the immobile Bell, she observed the remnants of Hestia Familia. A few months ago she would have been impressed—no, shocked—at the devotion and loyalty of the Shrimp's followers. Now, though, it was obvious how she inspired such feeling.

"Don't worry, I'm not gonna ask ya to Convert," Loki said. "If y'all let me, though, I'd like to say somethin'." She took their silence as assent. "See, a lot of people might expect words of comfort...but yer adventurers. And yer needed still." Lili sat down. Loki let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. Finn wasn't the only pallum who could be scary. "Hestia isn't here anymore...but it would be a mistake to think she's gone. If I know her, she's lookin' down right now, probably sayin' somethin' stupid like 'Say somethin' postive, Flatty!' or 'Man, she's really bunglin' this one.'" She flashed a grin to no response. Quickly swallowing her facial expression, she opted for the direct path. "Hestia sacrificed herself for all of us. Ya may not have Status, but yer still here and yer still adventurers. I understand if ya don't want to fight, but there's things to be done that don't involve fightin'. Yer still her children. What're ya gonna do to honor her sacrifice?"

Loki stood to leave, but Welf moved first. The goddess twitched, worried she might have gotten carried away or misjudged Hestia's children, but Welf ignored the vermillion-haired deity. Standing over Bell, the smith reach out to take the Hestia Blade laying next to his bed. Drawing it, he examined the blade carefully. It had been a thing of beauty; it had been alive. The hieroglyphs on the side were like a falna for the weapon itself. Now they were gone, unwritten from existence just like the falna on their backs. The blade was a reflection of every member of Hestia Familia—weak, lessened, powerless...but still a knife. Ignoring the gasps of protest, Welf quickly opened one of the bandages on Bell's leg and wiped the blade thoroughly across the wound, coating the blade with its master's blood. WIth a quick word of apology he leaned over to pluck a few hairs from Ais' head. Heading out the tent, Welf stopped at the entrance. Coming back, he fumbled at Bell's waist before withdrawing Asterius' familia emblem from Bell's waist pouch. He left without a word.

The girls had no idea what was going through his mind, but the fire in his eyes was unmistakable. He had found a way to move forward, to do something useful. What could they do? Lili was never a strong adventurer, but her keen mind, slyness, and sense of organization on the battlefield were hers to keep. With Finn behaving erratically, she needed to be in the command tent. Softly touching the foot of Bell's bed, she offered a short bow to Loki before departing. After her was Mikoto. The ninja thought of training with Takemikazuchi—though he bore no falna or special abilities, his natural skill and superior technique was enough to face two Level-2 adventurers...and win. She possessed a unique skillset nobody else present could match; she could help read the battlefield and look for opportunities to turn the tide. Haruhime lost the ability to enhance the abilities of multiple adventurers, but her skill to enhance a single adventurer was a race ability unique to renarts. Without Status her ability was greatly diminished, but she could still offer strength to the party.

Alone, Loki and Ais sat on either side of Bell. "Well," Loki drummed her fingers on Bell's bed. "Guess that's that." She looked across at her child. "Ais..." golden eyes refused to move away from the fallen young man. Loki softened her tone. "It'll be okay. I know it doesn't feel like it now, but...I promise. Things will work out. I'll be nearby if you need to talk, alright?"

Leaving Ais behind with the boy, Loki's ears were met with the sound of hammer on metal. Welf had fired up Hephaestus' mobile forge. Looking skywards, Loki blew out a breath. "Don't worry 'bout yer kids too much, ya hear?" She couldn't get out more than a strained whisper. "They're a good bunch. I'll look after 'em fer as long as they need, yeah?" Nodding, she walked to the command tent, casually giving a thumbs-up to the heavens. "I got this."

Night fell soon after, and though it disturbed whatever rest the adventurers might have had, nobody had the heart to tell Welf off for working metal without pause. It was then Riveria visited. It had been many, many years since the high elf had been so magically tapped. Even Ais had never seen her so tired. Still, a few hours rest had restored the woman to at least an outward sense of elegant refinement.

She sat respectfully in the chair Loki vacated not long before. "This is beginning to feel like habit," she said lightly. Ais did not rise to the joke. "He used less power against the demi-spirit and it took over a week for him to rise. Throw on top of that the extreme cold he suffered without any protection, all the injuries...and the lack of falna." Riveria shook her head. "What did Airmid say?"

"She set what she could," Ais muttered. Airmid was a good friend and a great healer; Ais knew she shouldn't be upset that she couldn't work miracles all the time. "She said that to do any more would risk things healing incorrectly, possibly crippling him. She healed several bruised organs and the cold shouldn't be a problem, but..." Ais didn't want to say anymore. She hadn't needed Airmid to tell her his lack of Status meant he wouldn't recover anywhere near as quickly as before. This level of injury and extreme exhaustion was rough for first-tier adventurers. For a normal person..?

"I don't think anyone could ever accurately call this young man normal, Ais." Riveria smiled kindly across the table.

Starting at how the older woman seemed to read her thoughts, Ais shifted guiltily. "I was just thinking about how he won't wake up. How...how we're going to miss him." She smiled back. "He definitely isn't normal."

"Ais..." It was unusual for the high elf to look so uncertain. Ais cocked her head. "Do you mind if I ask...how did your father do it?" She leaned in. "Albert was one of the strongest, greatest heroes ever recorded. He singlehandedly injured and drove away the Black Dragon. Even you reported that it shed scales from its flight away from where they dueled—your father must have wounded it terribly. How?"

Images of the sunken wound under the mountain flooded the fore of her mind. The blonde knight shrugged. "I have no idea. I remember...I remember him charging. His silver sword held high, he rushed it and then..." She shook her head. "I'm sorry. I don't have anything."

Reaching across Bell, Riveria gently squeezed the girl's hand. "It's alright, Ais." Rising, the elf set to leave.

"Wait!" Riveria turned, a questioning eyebrow raised. Ais struggled to voice her concern. "Earlier...the first time we engaged the dragon. When Bell and I led it into the cavern. I felt something before it attacked. It was my mother." Ais hugged knees to her chest with one arm, the other still held out to grasp Bell's limp hand. "She warned me. She had the freedom, the ability to do that. I knew she wasn't truly gone! But...later. Just when...when..."

"Lady Hestia?"

Gold hair dipped closer to the floor. "Yes. When Lady Hestia came to save us...she came because I couldn't move. I used my magic to help speed our escape and...it failed. No. It was worse. It betrayed me!" Ais buried her face between her knees. "I could feel my own magic being twisted against its purpose, used against me. It felt like my mother screaming in agony." The girl's head sunk lower. "I don't know how, but my magic isn't just a lure for the Black Dragon. It's a liability. And because of it, Hestia is dead."

"Do not cheapen the noble actions of others, Ais." Blonde hair whipped back as her face rose to meet the elf's. Riveria was firm, but not unkind. "To place blame upon yourself is to diminish the honor of another's sacrifice. Hestia gave her life because she loves you. Do not for an instant believe any differently."

Riveria stood quietly for Ais to put together her thoughts. "And...the other thing. My magic is a liability. How can I be strong enough to help defeat the Black Dragon if I can't use my greatest tool?"

The high elf scoffed. "Open your ears, Ais. What do you hear?"

Focusing for a moment, the only noise of note was Welf. "Hammer on metal. Welf at his forge."

"Yes," Riveria nodded. "And coming here, who took the bulk of responsibility organizing and leading us while Finn has been...occupied?"

"Lili."

"And do you know who came to me earlier, wishing to stand beside me as a personal supporter during the next battle?"

"That sounds like something Mikoto would do."

"Indeed. And the renart girl. Do you know where she is?"

"The command tent."

"Indeed. Because she recognizes her value as an asset in the coming engagement." Riveria stood a little taller. "It is humbling to see adventurers who have lost so much still act like adventurers. You may not be able to rely on your wind, you may have lost a little strength...but you're still an adventurer."

Closing her eyes as Riveria left, Ais found herself deep in thought. It was a surprise when delicate fingers gently shook her shoulder. "Ais?"

"Lefiya." Ais lifted her head from Bell's chest. She had fallen asleep. "I..." Stuttering, unsure where to go, Ais kept it simple. "Thank you. For earlier. You and Jupiter...you two were amazing, coming out alone like that. You saved us."

The elf grimaced. "It wasn't enough." She reached out to hold the other girl's hand. "Ais, I wanted to say..."

An arc of electricity shot from Lefiya's outstretched hand to Bell's chest. The mage's attention seemed drawn away, as if listening to something only she could hear. A second later she was staring wide-eyed at Bell, glancing back and forth between he and Ais. "What the..?"

Golden eyes squinted at the bewildered maiden. "What is it?"

"Jupiter." Lefiya waved her hands around. "He says that even had he wanted to, he'd not be able to bind himself to Bell. He says...he says he's already bound to a Great Spirit."

Refusing to entertain the questions bouncing around dark blue eyes, Ais stared at the floor until Lefiya looked away.

"No matter." Lefiya had the grace to let it go. She stood to embrace the knight. "I just wanted to tell you that I am sorry for not doing more. For not being able to save everyone."

The girl returned the hug, shaking her head. "No. You did more than anyone else could."

Lefiya quietly slipped away after a few more goodbyes, leaving Ais to stand vigil over Bell. Apart from Airmid, Ryuu and Bell's familia members who checked in periodically, the two were left alone for a full day and night before Finn came to see her. It was a simple visit—they would be moving out the next morning and Ais was needed. The girl felt time travelled too quickly as daylight peaked through the tent flap. There had been no change, not even the slightest thing she could feel through their connection. Bell was gone. Ais had suggested Mind Potions, but Airmid refused to hand any out. Not only from Finn's orders—they were needed for Fairy Force, and besides: what good could one melee adventurer without Status do?—but also because she explained it was dangerous. There was a reason item sellers in Orario only sold certain things to adventurers—their bodies were different, tougher, more durable. For a normal person to imbibe adventurer' potions would be like drinking poison. They were simply too strong; normal people couldn't handle them.

"I still want to spend more time with you," Ais whispered, fingers trailing the length of the bed as she slowly made her way to the exit. She stopped, grasping the tent flap tightly. "I'll see you soon." She left quickly to avoid talking herself into staying permanently. Before joining the other adventurers, though, she found her goddess sitting to the side. Relief washed over her after sharing a few words. Loki was staying behind to watch after Bell. It was the next best thing to her staying behind. Welf, too, was staying. Perking her ears, she could still hear the ringing of hammered metal through the wintry air. She was happy Bell wouldn't be alone.

As the war party vanished into the white-hell, Zeus entered Bell's tent. Checking the fire, he sat beside his grandson. Taking in the bandages and absolute stillness of his body, tears streamed down wrinkled, weathered cheeks. "I am so proud of you, Bell." Waving his hand in a brushing gesture, he said "Not just this. Everything. Always. You're my grandson, boy. You're my boy." Leaning forward, the old man rested his elbows on his knees, fingers steepled over the sleeping Bell. Restlessly tapping his lips, his hands dropped, suddenly asking "Do you remember?" Zeus leaned back, waving his arms with his next words. "Grand adventures, sweeping epics; romance, duels, resolve. Swords and sorcery!" Leaning in again, the boyish enthusiasm vanished. For the first time in many, many years, he was the god Orario remembered. "Did you ever figure out what every hero you ever loved had in common? I taught you so many things trying to instill the qualities of many different heroes...but you made your own choices, had your own favorites. Do you know the hallmark shared by those you loved the most?" Zeus stood, empty glass bottles scattering in his wake as he made his way to the exit, gentle chinking noises filling the silence. Looking back, he said "They were selfless. Selfless in a way that hasn't been seen since." Tearing his gaze away from the boy, Zeus left crunching through the snow. "I'm betting everything on you, boy."

Body nearly broken, mind lost in shadow and barely clinging to life, Bell lay alone next to the low embers of a fire, a trail of blue liquid running from the corner of his mouth.

The old battleground was a flattened expanse of rubble, but it was close and familiar to the adventurers lined up neatly under Airmid and Lefiya's protection. Asfi had begged, borrowed and stolen material to make another set of earmuffs to protect against the dragon's sonic attack. There were three total. The plan was simple: an attack rotation was set up between the only first-tier adventurers available. Ottar, Allen, Finn, Gareth, Bete, Tiona, and Ais would work in sets of three, giving the others a chance to recover inside Airmid's protection from the psychological attack that struck fear into the strongest and most hardened of hearts. Striking from three different directions, their target was the opening Bell created—they were going for its heart.

Blonde hair whipping in the blizzard winds, Ais stood at the fore of the party. At Finn's nod she called upon her magic, sending a wave of air across the newly formed plain. Though she no longer trusted her magic in combat, it was still their best—and only—lure for the beast. It still craved her magic. It took no time at all for her challenge to be answered; an angry cry tore through the air, rending the earth from miles away. The Black Dragon was coming.

Darkness. That was all Bell could see, no matter which way he turned. Or...could he turn? Was he moving freely or falling? It was so dark and he was so weak...he heard voices. Ais, mainly. Riveria was there, too. And Grandfather. He felt as though he had come to an revelation...but what? Everything was so hazy, covered in inky blackness. Words warbled and warped, twisting around his scattered mind. There was a light in the far distance. He knew it was Ais, heard her calling to him, pulling him closer...but he couldn't move. It stayed far away despite every effort. Another voice, the words a little clearer. Hestia was there. He felt warmer, but heavy limbs remained lifeless. Something felt missing...yet, not. Confusion and fear threatened to pull him further from the light, but Ais' call and Hestia's words soothed him, made him fight harder.

Then he felt pain.

Ais was hurt. Resolve fired his heart and the world grew brighter as he marshalled every fiber of strength and ability remaining to push towards the light. Reaching out with a cry, the words said to Ais replayed in his mind with renewed strength. She had asked for help and he made a promise.

Bell opened his eyes, sitting up through the creaks and protests of barely mended and still-healing bone. His vision was split and the fog in his head threatened to topple him sideways as he reached for the pile of Salamander Wool beside the bed. But the fire beside him was hot and strong, a reflection of his renewed spirit as he quickly dressed. Flames danced in ruby eyes. He knew something was wrong, felt the unusual weakness and sluggishness of his actions that couldn't be attributed to injury. He knew. She was gone...yet...

The small hearth at the center of the tent crackled merrily. "Goddess..?"

Dressed, Bell pushed to the exit of the tent, reaching back for his blade. Distracted at closing his fingers around empty space, he didn't see another person entering. Bumped backwards, Welf didn't seem surprised at seeing Bell awake, simply ushering the boy deeper into the tent so he could stand inside the warmth. "I figured it out, Bell."

Through their connection, Bell could feel Ais moving, still fighting. He didn't want to waste time, but his friend insisted on explaining. Pulling out a small bundle, he held it out before Bell. "I know what Hephaestus meant."

Loki entered as Bell accepted the package. "There ya are!" She seemed miffed. "Two days poundin' away at that anvil, and the minute I go to get a drink ye'r gone! What're ya doing...huh?!" She noticed Bell on his feet. Gaping, she was at a loss for words. Her mouth dropped further when Bell opened the package.

Inside was the Hestia Knife, reworked into something...more. The handle was the familiar, comfortable black the same color as Hestia's hair. The blade was purest white and brightest gold swirled together in beautiful harmony. On the edge of the blade, barely visible, was a deep, angry red. Holding it felt like the most natural thing in the world; it was an extension of himself. He felt the warmth and love of his goddess, the anger and thirst of Asterius, the love and devotion of Ais...and resolve. More than anything, the weapon in his hand demanded to fulfill noble purpose—it was meant to complete Bell's will. It was made to keep his promise. The aura of love and resolve surrounding the blade was an intimate thing; Bell almost felt embarrassed. It was like baring his soul to the world. He remembered his Grandfather's words, the ones Hermes mirrored not too long ago. Stay true to your wishes. Cry out your desires...let your longings burn.

"Whoa..." Loki stared at Welf with open astonishment. "How'd ya manage to create somethin' like this?"

Welf explained that many first-tier pieces he saw were not created with common items. Things like Riveria's battledress, for example, which incorporated the dress she wore when leaving her homeland. Or Finn's old Fortia Spear, which had been made from materials taken from the legendary birthplace of the Prum goddess Phiana. Even the Hestia Knife had been composed partly of Hestia's own hair and blood. After their example, Welf crafted with items unique and personal to Bell—the Hestia Knife, Asterius' familia emblem, Bell's blood and Ais' hair. "I get what she meant, now." Welf scratched the back of his head. "Hephaestus. When she talked about the disconnect between creator and client. The origin of smithing contracts. They're designed for the smith to figure out out their client and craft goods to their specifications."

"Umm..." Loki blinked, still a little awestruck at Hestia's kids. "Isn't that what smiths do anyway?"

Welf shook his head. "Yeah, but...no. Not to this level. Smiths are artisans—we have passions and ideas and values that we put into our blades. No matter how close a smith may be to their client or how well they know them, there's always a bit of themselves in the blade that doesn't show any regard for the client. A signature. A true Master Smith can take themselves out of it. The process is...selfless."

The word bounced around Bell's skull. The white and gold blade thrummed in response, liking his train of thought. Something pulled the edge of his mind. "And the other bit?" he asked. "Lady Hephaestus told you to remember her as she was. Did you figure that out?"

The redhead nodded. "When she came down...she was as us. She was human, more or less. No arcanum, no special abilities. Just pure skill and devotion—the perfect sword she made? It's a testament to what people can do with their hands. I had it wrong." He laughed wryly. "Smiths have had it wrong for over a thousand years. We chase strength and Status and abilities to increase the power and quality of our wares, but none of that is necessary. Without any special abilities, Hephaestus can craft rings around us all."

Bell clenched the raven-handle of the new Hestia Knife. "It doesn't take a goddess to be strong. To do the right thing." He met Welf and Loki's gaze. "I get it now, too."

"Whadda'ya get, kid?"

Taking Welf's scarf, Bell strode out the tent. "The kind of hero I need to be."

Ais landed hard, rolling across the snow. Laying wide-eyed in the dragon's shadow, Airmid's healing aura began washing away the vestiges of terror plaguing her mind. Ripping off Asfi's creation and handing it to Allen, the next adventurer in rotation, Ais sluggishly got to her feet. They had been attacking all-out for almost an hour. It was an impressive feat, only made possible by the relentlessness of the first-tier adventurers. Utilized for the first time, they were eager to make up for standing by during previous engagements. Striking three at a time, they kept the dragon on its heels, so to speak. Their engagement lasted so long because the dragon was kept on the defensive. It was heartening—the way the Black Dragon defended the open area on its chest meant it was aware of a weakness. Yet, despite their best efforts, the beast was simply too fast. Twisting and turning so lithely, it moved with grace unbefitting such a large being. The increasingly angry Allen, the fastest adventurer in the world, couldn't land a blow. Ottar—considered the best bet for landing a critical hit—landed next to Ais, the glow of Haruhime's magic fading as he stood. Even he, boosted to Level-8 and assisted by two first-tier adventurers, was unable to strike the target.

Ais stepped forward. Their rotation was fast; there was just enough time for Airmid's aura to rejuvenate their will to fight before they were beyond her protection again. It had become a battle of endurance—the war party had to maintain its strength and will long enough for the dragon to make a slip. Essentially, they had to get lucky.

Allen landed with a hiss. Blood stood out starkly on the snowy ground. His tail had been sliced through, cut on the sharp edge of one of the beast's scales. Numbing the wound by sticking it into the snow, the catperson turned murderous eyes upon Finn.

"We need to get out of here," he seethed. Jerking his chin to Fairy Force, he said "They can cover us to the campsite; from there we go back south. We take the strategies we've learned and come back stronger and better equipped."

Finn barely acknowledged Allen's glare, staring ahead as he stepped up in line. "No good." He kept the facts simple. "We're in it, now. Any attempt at retreat will give the Black Dragon free reign to attack. We'll die as soon as we turn around. Even if we rely on Fairy Force to cover part of the way, only the first-tier adventurers stand a chance of escaping. Everyone else would perish."

A sick grin marred Allen's handsome face. "And what's a few casualties to ensuring success?" The catperson scoffed, grip tightening around his spear. "It's not like another corpse should frighten you, Braver. You've been carting one around for months."

The rotation broke, Finn and Tiona whirling to meet the equally angered Allen. Before they could clash, another prum stepped between them.

"Enough!" Lili raised her arms between the agitated parties. Despite lacking a falna, her voice was strong and clear. It was a sign of how well her commands had been received while she filled in Finn's absence that all three stopped, the others keeping respectfully quiet. "There is no time for this! Bete and Gareth have already taken extra runs against the monster while you squabbled!" Indeed, Bete's tail was decidedly bushy, his slightly too-wide eyes twitching as he leapt back into Airmid's light. Gareth, too, looked shaken. Jerking her thumb to the rotation line, Lili ordered them to get back to work before the dragon recovered enough to kill them all. Tiona obeyed, eager to fight for her sister. Finn was a step behind, glaring at Allen as the catperson turned the opposite way.

"I've had enough of you damned uppity pallums," he sneered. "I'm going back home."

"Easy there, lad." Gareth, having taken two runs at the Black Dragon in a row, merrily twirled his Great Axe between battle-worn hands. His tremendous fortitude quickly threw off the dragon's terror. "Didn't think Freya was the sort to be wrong about the quality of people. But if you're the kind of man to be shown up in bravery and commitment by a little prum girl who doesn't even have a falna..." Gareth shrugged, prepping his legs for a sprint. "Either you fail the duty your goddess assigned or you recognize that she chose wrong. Live with the consequences, lad." He charged, axe raised high. "Or help us defeat this thing!"

"Tsk!" Anger covered Allen's shame as he thought of his Lady. "I hate arrogant, dirty dwarves even more than snot-nosed prums!" He followed the dwarf back into the maelstrom.

Despite getting their attack rotation back on track, the gap was long enough for the dragon to counterattack. As it rampaged forward, somebody in Fairy Force saw an opening. Mikoto, serving as Riveria's personal supporter, whispered frantically into the high elf's ear. The older woman nodded, telling the girl to inform Finn and Lili. As Mikoto ran, Riveria turned to another elf, who began gathering magic for a spell.

Finn gone on the offensive, Lili agreed to Mikoto's plan. Catching Riveria's eye, she accepted the elf's nod that everything was in place. Carefully observing the dragon's movements and the spot Mikoto pointed out, Lili timed the command perfectly. "Ryuu, now!"

"Luminous Wind!" Just as the Black Dragon's massive foot crashed to the ground, Ryuu cast her spell directly underneath. As Mikoto noticed, the earth was churned and damaged. This part of the mountain was where the old dwarven cavern had been—the monster was walking on dozens of meters of loose rubble. Ryuu's magic exploding under the dragon's foot bounced off the beast's magic-reflecting scales. Unable to return to the caster, they struck the stone underneath, the continuous bouncing explosions delving deeper and deeper into the earth, pulverizing rubble into sand. The weight of the dragon worked against it as sand mixed with snow; within moments, the dragon's front leg had sunk into a pit nearly to its shoulder joint.

"Wynn Fimbulvetr!" Beginning her chant shortly after giving orders to Ryuu, Riveria unleashed her own spell. Carefully directing her magic into the pit of sand and snow, the already frigid air dropped several more degrees as her spell turned the sticky mix into concrete. The dragon was trapped.

Finn had nearly returned when the cheer went up from the war party. Seeing the opportunity, he turned for another attack. The dragon roared with pure malice as it deflected blows from Ottar and Ais. As it twisted to protect itself from Desperate, Finn found himself with the perfect opening. Raging into a berserker for extra speed and strength, Finn struck with everything he had.

Finn's spear broke on a scale, the force of the strike shattering his weapon to splinters. The dragon had stood as best it could with a trapped limb, simply allowing its size to protect its weak point. Shock and disappointment broke Finn's berserker state. He flew backwards as the monster shifted, knocking him through the air.

With an ear-splitting roar the Living End ripped its leg from the ground, still covered in meters thick concrete. Rearing back to its full height, the beast spread its wings as it flexed the muscles in its trapped limb.

The concrete broke.

Shards of stone and ice fell on the adventurers...then the dragon beat its wings. A rush of wind stronger than anything they'd experienced buffeted the party, shaking the steadiness of everyone inside Lefiya's circle. The three young women of Hestia Familia were in danger of being blown clear of the magical barrier before being caught by other supporters. Then they heard the noise. Several dozen thunks sounded around their barrier. The dragon's wing buffet captured the falling shards; they were now thousands of daggers carried on the wind. Hundreds of strikes dug at their defenses, but none got through. Those inside the circle were safe.

Finn, Ottar and Ais lay outside the circle in increasingly red-stained circles of snow. Finn was the worst; over a dozen shards pierced his tiny unconscious body. Nothing vital had been hit, but considering the number and size of the wounds on his little frame, he would bleed out in minutes. Only the extreme cold kept it from happening sooner. Ottar wasn't much better off, but weakly twitching limbs showed he was conscious.

Ais was relatively unscathed. Two stone shards pierced her side. One was shallow; she pulled it from her body with a gasp of pain. The other stuck clear through her back. Grasping the front, she hesitated. Checking the holster under her leg armor, she was greeted by a single potion. Looking over the field, sharp eyes revealed the severity of her companion's wounds. Her hand fell; the makeshift dagger would stay where it was. The others needed her potion more and she was the only one who could help them. Trying to stand saw her on the ground again with a cry. A third shard split through her leg between the shin and calf muscle. She gasped again, from dismay rather than pain.

Bell had woken up.

Feeling him through their connection, she knew his stubborn devotion would see him to the battlefield. Grabbing the shard in her leg, teeth grit fiercely as she pulled. Vision white with pain, she blinked through it, gaining her feet with determination. The dragon's wing attack had blown her hundreds of meters away from Finn; Ottar was even further away. The war party was several hundred meters behind. Standing was agony; the shard through her leg had separated the muscle from bone. She was lamed. Testing her weight, she knew she wouldn't be able to move.

She didn't have to.

Hand aching around Desperate, she prepared her wind. She could distract the dragon, make it focus on her, giving the rest of the party an opening...but that was no good. They three were the only ones with Asfi's protective devices. Without that equipment, no adventurer could attack effectively. She had to return, preferably with one or both first-tier attackers.

While she was thinking, movement caught her attention. Ottar was up. Ais could just make out a golden light around the Warlord. Back in the war party, Haruhime sagged into Bete, the grim-faced werewolf lifting her out of the snow to rest on Airmid's wagon. Even so strengthened, Ottar was already slowing to a staggering gait on his way to Finn. Pushing himself with his wounds would cause him to bleed out before they could make it back to the party, and that was just the two of them. The dragon was already moving; Ais was too far away for a rescue to be feasible and couldn't move on her own. Haruhime had used her magic for the last time in an effort to save them...but it wasn't going to work.

Unless Ais made it work.

Setting herself, Ais steadied with a deep breath. She only had once chance. Aiming carefully, she quickly whipped off Asfi's protectors, tucked the potion inside, and threw the bundle towards her fallen commander. A large hand grabbed the bundle from midair; in an instant the worst of Finn's wounds were tended, Ottar saving only the barest portion of healing elixir for himself. They made it back to the war party shortly after.

Ais was paralyzed, pressed into the earth relentlessly by the Black Dragon's terrible roar. Every grumble, groan and grunt tore at her body, sinking her deep into the wintry terrain. Her back hit a large slab of rock; the danger of drowning in snow was gone, but the pressure applied by the beast's sonic attack pressed her body to the point of breaking. The stone shard stuck through her body ground her innards; the pressure was so great she couldn't open her mouth to scream. Bones cracked and bent unnaturally, her armor cutting into flesh like it weighed as much as the dragon itself. Helplessness gave way to horror as hellish orange-red light fell from the heavens.

A column of fire as tall and thick as Babel descended upon the war party. No, not pure fire—it was flaming oil, a natural biological ability. The oil clung to Lefiya's barriers, sliding to the ground to roil around the party in an increasingly larger pool of fire, gravity and the force of the dragon's breath causing the caustic material to swirl around the protective bubble surrounding them. The women of Hestia Familia, lacking a falna, were vastly more susceptible to the intense heat than the others. They were quickly protected by the others, but even shielded by layers of Salamander Wool and the bodies of upper-class adventurers, they suffered. And raw heat wasn't the worst of it. Snow melted as the flaming oil neared, turning into superheated steam that passed through the magical barrier as if it weren't even there. Flesh cracked and split as skin and muscle literally cooked. Airmid's aura healed the damage as it was caused, but nobody was spared the torment of being cooked alive.

Riveria tried chanting her ice magic, but opening her mouth only resulted in coughing up blood as steam turned her throat into a mass of blistered flesh.

"Wynn Fimbulvetr!"

It was Lefiya who saved them. Dispelling their inner layer of protection so she could use her Cannon ability to dual cast, Lefiya made use of the spell gifted by the high elf. Granted the ability to quickly chant by Jupiter, she used the dragon's magic-reflective properties to advantage. The strength of Lefiya-Jupiter's spell tore towards the source of the fire. Striking the beast squarely in the mouth, the Black Dragon grumbled in irritation as the force of the blow caused its head to jerk, stopping the stream of fire. As the spell bounced back, it followed the path of the flames, the latent heat in the air taking more and more of the edge off Lefiya's spell as it raced towards them. By the time her ice magic fell around the party it was just enough to cool the oil-based flames surrounding the group and neutralize the steam.

Hundreds of meters away, the paralyzed golden knight tried to use the horror of the dragon's next move to fuel her body...but her broken frame refused to budge as the Black Dragon descended upon the war party. Jaws opened wide as it rushed the small group of adventurers assembled far below. She had hoped Ottar would have been fast enough to return in time for the first-tiers to begin attacking again, but the rush to provide them aid and the speed of the dragon's reprisal had locked the party in place. Crushed onto the rock, held by the great beast's rage, Ais thought her sacrifice would save them. In reality, it only meant she would watch everyone die at once. Before thought could flash through her anguished mind, Death's Jaws closed around her friends and family.

The earth buckled, rising in waves against Lefiya's outer spell as massive teeth blacker than the most dreadful nightmare bit into the ground around them. The leftover heat from its latest attack was still hot enough to draw beads of sweat on the brows of first-tier adventurers and the strength of its jaws collapsed the earth like a musician playing an accordion. But they weren't dead yet. Despite the quickness of Lefiya's incantations, the dragon was that much faster. Having no time to replace the second layer of defense, she instead threw raw magic into her existing spell. Dangerously close to ignis fatuus, the elf's eyes rolled backwards, all focus on controlling the flow of magical energy against the teeth that threatened to grind them all into mash.

There's a way out of this. The thought was not Lefiya's own, but gentle prodding brought her eyes back into focus. She felt Jupiter's exhaustion, but he spared enough strength to bring the young maiden a little comfort. Directing her gaze to the roof of the dragon's mouth, the Great Spirit pointed something out.

"No..." Lefiya could barely gasp, but letting the words fall from weary lips without a thought was less exhausting than carrying on a mental conversation with the specter in her head. "Too...dangerous..."

"Definitely." Jupiter nodded, his projected form standing next to the battered mage. Looking into the abyss above them—the dragon's maw—he winced. "This abomination has eaten many of my brethren. I certainly have no desire to join them." Jupiter closed a warm hand around Lefiya's slender shoulder. "But if it works, you'll be saved. And the others. This is my purpose, Beautiful Maiden." Lefiya shuddered but didn't say anything. Jupiter cracked his knuckles, tiny arcs of electricity adding to the noise as he gathered strength. "When I leave, you'll have to bear the weight of the dragon alone. Can you do it?"

Dark blue eyes blazed—unseen by the rest of the party, they were the second light the dragon could not vanquish. "Go." Voice strained, mind warped, and body drained, Thousand Elf stood against the overwhelming darkness. "You were meant to fight—go fight. I..." the green shell grew brighter as cries came from Fairy Force; Lefiya was drawing in more power than ever before. If Zeus could witness this act, he would have told them that the tiny Level-4 elf was juggling more magical energy than Hera Familia's Level-9 mage captain ever could. She was already dangerously close to burning out of control, her spell primed into a bomb that could obliterate every adventurer there. A single misstep or flaw in her mental state would literally spell disaster. And without Jupiter to help fortify her..? "...I am a mage. I will protect everyone!"

Lefiya's mind and body rocked under the sudden weight of the beast gnawing at her defenses. Green light cracked as teeth dug closer to its meal, but the elf remained focused, Mind wholly devoted to safeguarding the lives entrusted to her. An impressive display, she was still bound by hard limits. The elves supplying her with power were draining fast; another cascade failure was imminent. Following Mikoto and Riveria's example, each mage of Fairy Force had a personal supporter running potions to them, forcing them to drink as the elves fought to remain conscious. Effective in the short term, eventually the potions would run out. Also, they were only holding because the dragon was trying to eat them—the pressure of its teeth was roughly even and the gnawing, grinding motions were spread out across the surface of her defenses. If it decided to drop fire on them point blank or rise to deliver a sharp strike, they couldn't hold.

Fortunately, they didn't need to hold for long. Rising in a storm cloud, Jupiter flew to the dragon's top row of teeth. His target was insignificant to the dragon. The space between tooth and gum is infinitesimal in most beings, but its massive size worked against it. What was tiny to the dragon was a gap wide enough for a human fist to stick through...which Jupiter did. Satisfaction lit up his face; he had been right. Jet black like the rest of the monster, the Spirit felt this delicate part of its body lacked the same defenses—particularly magic-reflective properties—as the rest. Deeply digging into the small, relatively vulnerable space, Jupiter unleashed the whole might of his power.

The One-Eyed Black Dragon reared back in pain, electricity coursing through the length of its mouth, smoke pouring from seared flesh as the smell of burned meat filled the air. There was no time for celebration, though. The pained wrenching movement tore through Lefiya's barrier, its roars falling on unprotected ears as Lefiya and the rest of Fairy Force collapsed from trauma at the sudden blow. Finn's limp form remained protected, laying wounded near Tione's cart. Ottar forced a potion down Lefiya's limp throat as she sunk into the ground and tried to put his earmuffs on the downed mage, but the strength of the Black Dragon's hatred overcame his abilities. Unprotected, the entire party was crushed under the Living End's anger and pain, trapped as Ais was.

Ais wept at the sight of green light crumbling and flickering out of existence. They hadn't been eaten, but they were completely vulnerable. A white-knuckled fist grasped Desperate painfully, the form of the handle pressing shapes into a clenched palm. The sword...her sword...she had to do something. She had to fight. Bell was still coming; she felt him. She had to move.

"Mom..."

Ais had to move.

"Mom..."

The pressure weighing on her jaw lessened; the broken girl was able to regain some function. Rather, she was able to overcome some of the pain and pressure afflicting her.

"Mom...your wind..."

Something niggled the back of Ais' mind. The Black Dragon was created to be the new Lord of the Sky...a title taken from Ouranos, the god Cel hated above all others. But Ouranos was not the being he was back then; he had already given that title to his Child, Aria. Ais' mother.

Golden eyes widened, then narrowed. She was the daughter of Aria, Great Spirit of Air, First Child of the primordial god of the sky. The magic she inherited was Spirit Magic, a legacy gifted through blood and power from the Age of Heroes. Shame filled her at the realization—she had been using her mother's magic, her mother's gift, as an adventurer wielded magic. As a mere tool.

"You...you never let it win. The dragon was never able to conquer you...and it will not conquer me. Tempest!"

Wind rose in a gale of frightening intensity, stronger than its use in Knossos. Ais was more than an adventurer—she was the progeny of the greatest heroes of Dungeon Oratoria, inheritor of the wind that carried them to heights greater than all other heroes. This monster built to be Lord of the Sky was a pretender, a pale imitation of the Spirit it sought to consume; it used the wind. Ais was the wind.

The golden knight rose. Swirling around her in fierce eddies, Tempest broke the dragon's hold. Her leg was still lamed, but the wind encasing her body was a comforting blanket; a soothing balm, like hands running through her hair. It was her mother; Ais felt the power well within her...and an answering power echoed from the One-Eyed Black Dragon.

Attention drawn by Ais' Tempest, the great beast tore itself away from the defeated adventurers at its mercy. It bounded towards the immobile young woman, savagely blasting her with sonic attacks the whole while. It wasn't effective; in her shell of pure wind, the dragon could not harm her that way.

A light smile turned the corners of Ais' lips. 'Now!' a voice seemed to say. Ais obeyed. She recognized the voice. Her mother was calling. Casting her wind forward, Aria struck from within. The Black Dragon stumbled, body pitching in the middle as its head and knees dug into the ground. The wind Spirit it consumed was even stronger than the girl before it, pressing at its innards as the girl's power hit its giant head like a wall of adamantite.

Still, the beast wouldn't stop. With a fervent shake the monster righted itself and tore at Ais' strength. She was holding it back, but she knew its raw strength would overcome her eventually. For Aria...Ais felt her mother's strength ebb away. She had been saving for a single shot—she had succeeded, however briefly, in bringing the dragon down. But Ais couldn't capitalize on the situation. Nobody could. And now the terrible mouth that consumed her mother would come for her. Stoicism went out the window. Raising her sword, Ais screamed defiance, stepping forward to meet the dragon that killed her father.

It was her last step.

The wounded leg folded beneath her, but the blonde warrior remained at the ready, sword steady. Thinking to focus her wind around Desperate, effectively releasing the Black Dragon in order to attempt a critical strike, the atmosphere shifted. She felt it before he appeared before her. Bell had arrived.

He had been stripped of armor when placed in sickbed; he had not put it back on. His weapon, she knew, drew power from Hestia; she was gone, his knife was dead. He had no falna, no Status, no special strength or abilities...yet, her heart soared. Despite everything, he stood between her kneeling form and the Living End. She felt his confidence, his fear, his love—she felt him.

"I understand, now. I know how your father did it."

Ais cocked her head; these were not the words she expected to hear. Less than a hundred meters away, the dragon roared, raging at the wall of wind Ais held against it. Yet, without Asfi's protectors, Lefiya's barrier, or even shielded by her wind, Bell did not collapse. She felt the pain the dragon's roars caused the young man...but he did not bow or bend. She realized something about the dragon's primary attack—it was designed for strong adventurers. Cel created the Black Dragon to be deadly against the foes Ouranos would naturally try to create. Orario was built to train strong adventurers to kill Cel and her creations...this creature was a testament to Ouranos', and all the deity's, folly. They influenced the mortal world, built it up according to their plans, and Cel countered by creating a foe that could not be defeated by any would-be hero coming from Orario's system. Against the war party—and even Bell before Hestia sacrificed herself—the dragon's roar amplified itself against their own power and brought them down. The same happened to Zeus and Hera. But now, as a normal man without a falna, Ais could feel the pain Bell felt from the attack, but it had no debilitating effects on a person without Status. It could not harm resolve.

Bell continued. "Albert lived his whole life without falna. He and his friends fought the monster hordes all the way back to Orario. Eventually he was bonded with your mother and received Ouranos' falna, but his strength and experience as a normal man brought the Age of Heroes to its peak. Every hero of the age lived, fought, and died without the gods' support; mortals had already reclaimed the surface before they came down." A soft laugh escaped frozen lips. "His time in Ouranos Familia...when you think about it, it was only a few months. He couldn't have been more than a Level-1 adventurer. Yet he took the dragon's eye and wounded it severely enough that it shed scales for hundreds of miles." Fingers wrapped around the handle of the reworked Hestia Knife. Ais' wind was powerful, but the Black Dragon's raw strength was pushing through. She wouldn't be able to hold it much longer. Bell didn't want her to. "It wasn't ridiculous levels of power. It was skill and resolve—he did it because he had to. That was it."

Bell smiled fiercely over his shoulder at the kneeling woman. "Your father had you and your mother. He was yours and you were his; there's nothing more to it." Bell faced the One-Eyed Black Dragon, weapon raised high. "He was a man, the kind who stood up for his values with passion. You have to be a man first...if you do that right, then people will call you a hero. And I'm yours."

Scarf whipping in the blizzard that froze the joints of Level-6 adventurers, Bell charged.

Ais took in his form. How many times, she wondered, am I going to see his back and be reminded of...of...

...father.

Looking at her sword hand, Desperate weighed heavier than ever before. It gleamed silver, just like her father's blade. The last time she saw him...it was just as now. Ancient echoes welled from her heart, words from father as she sat upon his knee.

"I can't be your hero," he had said. "Because I already have your mother. I hope one day you have a hero you can call your own."

I had it all wrong, Ais realized. I thought he may have been referring to romance...but that wasn't it at all.

She had modeled herself after him as an adventurer and only recently come to realize her mother's legacy. Seeing Bell run alone to face the Living End, she finally understood what her father meant. Desperate fell from limp fingers, the young woman closing her eyes peacefully. "My father and mother had each other," she whispered to Bell's back. She reached to him through their connection. "Just as we do."

The wind holding the Black Dragon burst, the sudden lack of restraint causing the powerful monster to stumble forward over its own momentum. At the same time, Bell felt his connection with Ais surge. It seemed natural to hear Ais' voice urging him forwards. Though falling forward, the dragon was still fast and powerful. Turning the stumbling lunge into an attack, the dragon opened its mouth to eat the rabbit-like young man running obligingly into its maw. Though lacking a Status, Bell spent hours each day honing his body into a weapon. He was weaker by far than any person with a falna, but his muscles were hard and honestly earned; they would not fail him. His stamina, too, could be outlasted by the weakest Level-1, but his spirit was limitless; resolve would not let him fall.

Now! Ais' voice screamed warning as Bell followed her advice, slipping between two teeth as they snapped shut. Emerging underneath the dragon's chin, Bell saw his target only a hundred meters away—the missing scale over its heart. Running with everything he had, Bell could not match the dragon's speed. Rising up, it had scrambled up to one foot, it's weak point rising far above Bell's reach. An orange-red glow illuminated the sky above the white-haired boy—the dragon was about to drop fire on him. Bell lunged.

For the first time in a thousand years, steel bit into the Black Dragon's flesh.

The white-gold blade slipped readily through the dragon's armored scales. The light of Bell's resolve and dedication overcame Cel's will, her greatest creation wounded by a boy who simply refused to give up. Reaching his free hand to the top of the scale, Bell pulled himself upwards, making sure of his grip before stabbing the beast again higher up. Thrashing about, the dragon twisted and turned, flapped its wings and rolled in effort to dislodge the boy...but Bell clung to the black handle, trusting the last mortal vestige of his goddess to remain true. He climbed slowly, pain and dizziness mounting. He had been severely injured in the previous battle and had only been recovering for a day, had suffered a Mind Down, and was nearly frozen to death, all without the benefit of Status to negate ill effects or provide aid in healing. On top of that, the dragon's scales were sharp—the fingers of his free hand were nearly severed they were so deeply cut. Blood loss combined with a potion-delayed Mind Down on a vanilla mortal was a bad combination...yet still he climbed, ever closer to the gap in its scales. Vision white with pain; numb, and disturbingly pale from blood loss, Bell pushed himself forwards with a terrible cry. He had reached the expanse of black flesh. Adjusting the grip on the Hestia Knife, Bell rammed the blade through the Black Dragon's heart.

You can rest now, a kind voice told him. Ais..? Jerking in mighty spasms, Bell was flung from the beast's body for a second time. This time, however, Ais was there to catch him. Wind cradled the falling boy, carrying him gently to meet Ais' tender embrace. Gone before slender arms wrapped around his frozen body, Ais held her love as she watched the dragon fall apart around them. Unlike a normal monster which turned to ash, the Black Dragon had no magic stone. Rather, it flew apart in wisps and shreds of black material, much like how Cel dispersed upon death. Glints of gold attracted Ais' attention; there was something lying on the snow. Barely visible in the white-hell lay a woman, golden hair stirring in the wintry winds.

Aria.

Grabbing Bell, she drug his limp form beside her mother, doing her best to cover them as well as possible with the Salamander Wool on hand. It wasn't long before more was made available. Having run to her adopted daughter's side, Riveria stood above them, freely offering her own layers. Recovered, the rest of the war party had risen and made their way to the place where the third Great Quest had been completed. None could say a word at the sight of the great beast falling to pieces around them, nor at the image of the young woman cradling white and golden heads in her lap, tears flowing freely. Ais finally had her family back.

"Wake up, Bell."

"Ais?" Red eyes surveyed their surroundings. Back in their tent, Bell was comfortably laid on a mattress. Sitting beside the bed, Ais pumped his hand affectionately, smiling down when his gaze reached her. She nodded. Bell raised his head looking to the tent flap. There was a great noise from outside, though his muddled head made making sense of it difficult.

"Celebrations," Ais explained. Bell could vaguely make out the sounds of cheering and singing. Ais leaned in. "Don't you remember?"

Pain shot up his arm; his fingers, healed, bore terrible scars from his climb up the dragon. Bell nodded. "But, what happened after?" The promise he made weighed heavily on him.

Gentle fingers pressed his lips shut before he could voice concern. Ais giggled. "There's someone I'd very much like you to meet." Calling outside the tent, it was a moment before a woman entered, long blonde hair glowing in the firelight. Aria was Ais matured, stunningly beautiful and graceful as she took a place beside her daughter. Bell did his best to rise before the Ancient Great Spirit—his girlfriend's mother—but Aria and Ais both pressed him down. Bell's lips formed a loopy grin; the two women's smiles were identical.

"It is my very great pleasure to meet you," Aria said first. "There will never be enough thanks for your help in freeing me." She bowed her head. "But I must make an effort. Thank you."

"Absolutely," Bell breathed. "I mean, you're welcome. I'm glad to have been there for both of you." Unsure where to carry the conversation, and a little terrified of making a fool of himself before an ancient hero he greatly admired, Bell asked what the future held.

"I'll definitely stick around for at least a generation," Aria said. She kindly squeezed her daughter's hand, bringing her in for a hug. "I've missed far too much time already. And I've never seen the surface world at peace..." She grinned. It was odd, seeing something playfully mischievous on such a beautiful face. "I think it will be nice to have some adventures with my grandkids one day."

Like a deity could not be lied to, it seemed the First Children also had the ability to divine the thoughts and feelings of mortals. Not that she needed to divine anything—nervous laughter echoed through the tent, a red-faced Ais blushing as her mother looked pointedly at the white-gold sword beside Bell. The Hestia Knife's aura blatantly revealed everything to the world. "W-well..." Ais stammered at the floor. "We did say we'd start after creating a safer world. Which we did. So...umm..."

Bell's hand found hers, fingers twining together naturally. There would be time to talk about everything later; for now, they just wanted to enjoy the moment.

Not long after that, Bell left the tent to thunderous applause. The loudest came from Finn, the small prum standing beside a restored Tione. Bell beamed at the sight, but was drawn immediately to the remnants of Hestia Familia. Seeing Bell blocked trying to reach his family, Ryuu threatened away the rest of the war party. Loki, too, helped. Stepping forward, the vermillion-haired goddess raised her voice in song. It was enchanting in its sadness...and its gratitude. For those who died, especially her new friend, Loki led the Elegia—the song for the honored dead. As the rest bowed their heads, Hestia's children found themselves drawn back to the battlefield, to the spot where their lady sacrificed herself.

"Think we'll ever get used to her being gone?" Lili asked.

"She's not." Shocked at Bell's smile, the others couldn't help but be warmed at their friend's unyielding faith in their goddess. "She may not be in Gekai anymore, but I refuse to believe she's left us." Grin widening as he observed the heavens, Bell said "I wouldn't be at all surprised if she was looking at us right now. And she'll continue to do so...until we meet again."

Moved by the surety of Bell's faith, the small family spoke happily for a short while until the need for a fire overcame their desire to be together alone. Turning back, Ais met them. Asking for Bell, he said goodbye to his friends as Ais led him away.

"I'm curious," Bell turned an eye to the girl beside him. "When I ran at the dragon our connection surged, like it suddenly became deeper. Stronger."

"Yes." Ais' blush was subtle. She was getting better with the whole 'feelings' business. She stopped, making Bell turn. They had reached the final battlefield, the place where Bell stood between Ais and the dragon. Standing opposite, curious red followed nervous gold eyes to a spot on the ground. Following her gaze, Bell saw Ais armor, sword, and battlecloth lying abandoned in the snow.

"But..?" Staring hard at the girl, Bell noticed for the first time that she wasn't armed; her armor was gone as well, and instead of her battlecloth she wore a simple white dress; her Salamander Wool was nowhere in sight. "This seems like a really bad place to change."

The perfect place, actually. White hair whipped through the air as Ais' voice sounded in his head. Surprise jerked him around looking for the source of the sound. "Uh...Ais..?"

She nodded. "It's me." Taking his hand, Ais explained that her goal of saving her mother required her to become her own hero. She had modeled that hero after her father. After breaking the dragon's hold and kneeling behind Bell, she realized she was trying to split herself across two roles—the adventurer and the Spirit. She had to make a choice, to fully invest in one or the other. She chose to follow her mother's path, trusting in her hero. "It's me, here," the young woman gestured to herself. "But, if I so desire..." In a blink Ais was gone, turned to the wind as she entered Bell. I'm here, also; always. Her words were accompanied by a warmth snuggled deep within his heart. A gentle breeze ruffled his Salamander Wool as Ais reappeared before the startled boy. She read Bell's concern. "I'm still human, Bell." She took his hand, the comfortable, familiar sensation sending tingles up his arm. "I'm still Ais. Just...more."

Holding her close, Bell didn't need any words to convey acceptance. They loved each other; that was enough. He nodded when Ais mentioned Lefiya and Jupiter—they had more experience with bonding, they would discuss the situation with them later. The young man wavered as Ais turned to go. Gaze falling on her discarded equipment, Bell made to pick up Desperate.

"Leave it." Ais ran a hand along Bell's arms, gently squeezing as she pulled him away. "I don't need it anymore."

The two left. The war party would depart in a few hours. Few, if any, people would ever come this far north. But for those who found themselves at the edge of the world, Desperate would forever lay in the ruin of the mountain, the only testament to the battle that saved Gekai.