With Chaldea gone, there is now little resistance left to face the enemy. But those that remain have escaped, and maybe, just maybe, can put up a fight against the remaining evil. So long as they don't get lost, then hope may reignite.
"Annnnd, there we go." It has been two hours since Bell ended up being crushed by a bunch of men, a woman, and some toy alongside a kid. Where it turned out, having a bunch of people fall on you can cause some serious harm. Unlike the stories where a dogpile ends with laughter, here, Bell ended up with a broken leg, a cracked rib, and a huge ugly bruise on the side of his head with a nasty gash on his left thigh.
Normally, the local healers would give Bell a potion to help him out. Sadly, they were out of stock. So it required the next best thing.
"Sorry kid." The God in charge of Melen says, Njord, says while one of his children began using healing magic on Bell. "I know you probably wanted to make a contract with some other cool God in Orario, but in order for Thera here to use his magic, it can only be done with members of my Familia."
"I-I understand." Bell had plans to meet a God in Orario and make a contract, a special bond made between God and mortal, and joining them side by side with others like him. But because of his wounds, Bell needed magic to help with the only magic user Njord had to heal him being useless unless Bell was part of Njord's Familia. Granted, Bell couldn't complain much since he's now feeling much better thanks to it. But even he felt a small sense of disappointment that he made a contract with someone else.
'N-not that he's a bad man.' Bell then tried shaking away any mean thoughts. Honestly, he was grateful that Njord helped him out at his time of need. Plus, the God did say that after a year he can cancel the contract and Bell would then be free to join another Familia. If anything, the real fault lay with other people.
"Woah." One of said people, the kid with fluffy sheep hair, says as he pokes at some monstrous hand with a stick. "I'm surprised this hasn't vanished yet."
"There must be some kind of source of mana providing it from dissipating." A girl with so little clothing that Bell had to look away from her, even as she continued to talk. "But where could it be."
"Forget where it could be?" Then yelled a blonde man with a lot of gold on him. "We should really be asking where we are!?"
"We should be asking you that." Then, a small toy(?) spoke up while on the child's fluffy white hair. "I mean, you brought us here." A man that had what appeared to be bloody armor grunted in agreement. To be truthful, Bell also wanted to know that answer as well. I mean, they came from somewhere and then fell on him, breaking his leg.
"How should I know?" The man then shouted, which was unneeded. "I just wanted us to escape from that freak show. Glad that's over with!" The man then kicked the bloody weird hand. "Gah!" Then screamed as he hopped on one foot and having both hands clutch what was likely a hurt toe. Whatever monster they faced, must have been tough.
"Anyway," The girl turned to Bell, who was still blushing at her outfit. Many men also gawked at her with a few looking a bit pleased. "I am a shinobi. You can call me Assassin."
"And I'm Archer!" The little bear says. Many still wondering if he was a monster or some magical toy that could just move. "But you can call me Orion."
"And I'm just a simple boy you can call Archer." The sheep kid answers. As for the savage man, he just growls. "Oh. And you can call him Berserker."
"And I'm Jason." The others stared at the man who just revealed his name so suddenly like there wasn't even a problem with it. "And you can call me, a king." He then put both hands on his hips and gave a smile while giving off some kind of glow.
Pft!
That glow ended when a bird pooped on his shoulder.
"...okay." Njord was pretty sure these people weren't normal, nor from around here. If anything, they just seemed plain weird. "Well, I'm the God that runs this area, and I say, get out of here." They looked like nothing but trouble. Not to mention they hurt this poor kid, which would have put them in jail if it weren't for the fact the kid was nice enough not to place charges on them.
"Sure." The man called Jason shrugs, while also stealing a walking man's rag who scoffed when Jason used it to wipe his shoulder. "Just give us a map and we're out of here."
"Fine." Njord then looked at one of his children and made a head motion, the man then going to get a map for them. "Though just to be certain, what is that?" He then points at the hand.
"Just something we didn't like." Jason responds. "Glad it's gone with."
"Yeah!" The toy yells. "It deserved it!"
"It'll make a good trophy." Assassin says while Berserker picks it up...then throws it out into the docks where it makes a splash in the water. "...or not."
"Here you go." Njord's child then came in with a rolled up map, handing it to Jason. "Here you go."
"Thank you my poor man." Jason grabs it while insulting the dude. The man looking offended by the insult, especially since it was true. "Now then," Jason rolled open the map. "Where on earth are we."
"Earth?" Bell blinked. Like as in, dirt? Regardless, Jason and his 'friends' gathered to see where they were, while Bell had to think for a moment. Particularly, about his plans to Orario. 'I wanted to go there to enter the Dungeon and pick up girls...but is it even possible with the way I am now?'
The Dungeon held some of the greatest threats to man. Unlike the surface monsters, the Dungeon monsters were on a whole other level. They're immense strength couldn't be compared to regular mortals and were superior to the monsters on the surface who sacrificed their former strength in order to propagate. As such, those who entered the Dungeon had to level up and became fearsome adventurers.
But...that was only if one can get the contract with a God. Bell, because of his severe injuries and lack of potions, had to make a contract with Njord to get help from one of the God's children to use their magic on him. Meaning if he went to Orario, Bell would be unable to make a contract with another God since he now has one.
'I mean, I can still go and fight monsters.' Bell thought. 'The real problem is...that I won't be able to get a status update instantly unlike if I made a contract in Orario.'
The distance between here and Melen wasn't necessarily huge if Bell was being honest. But it'd make leveling up so difficult. He'd have no improvement at all as often as he'd like, not to mention the money that'd have to be wasted to get over here.
'But...it does take a while to level up anyway.' Bell tells himself. Plus, Njord said after a year, he could easily cancel the contract and Bell would be free. So maybe Bell could just go to Orario, set himself up there, kill monsters in the upper levels, make money, then every few months come back here to Melen to get a status update. It'd be a long audiouse task, but Bell felt he could work with it. I mean, it was only a year. No need to rush, and take his time capturing the ladies hearts.
"Great." Bell then heard Jason mutter something. "I can't tell where we are at all?"
"Maybe we're holding the map upside down." The toy bear states.
"Nope. Won't work." Archer himself says. "Heck, I'm not even sure we're on earth."
"Well that is...troubling." Assassin responds grimly with Berserker growling in anger.
It seems those guys had troubles of their own. Guess they must have gotten lost somewhere after they...fell...on him. Actually, how did they fall on him? Bell only recalled a gold light, then instantly getting very hurt by them. But just how did they end up falling onto him without anybody noticing? Some kind of rare magic or something? Uh, to many questions.
"For now, best to get leaving." Bell tells himself as he stands up and does a few leg stretches, checking if everything was working properly. Seems their healer did a fine job, and didn't even ask for money. Neat. Bell had already talked to Njord earlier, and he was happy to update his status whenever he returned, and even provided him some complimentary money, and a bag of food. So that was neat.
So Bell grabbed his stuff, checked his food and water, the remaining Val he had, and then asked around where the ride for out of here is. Eventually, after an hour of wandering, he talks to a nice old man who gave directions to rides out of Melen and found his way to a traveler that accepted his money.
"Hop on kid." The man told him. "We got a long way to go."
"Hai!" Bell promptly got on and got ready. The man adjusted the horses reins as Bell went to get comfy on the wagon he was on. A few other people with him who did their best to get comfy and ready to go. Though as the wagon started to move, Bell then thought he heard something.
"-t!" Turning, Bell saw nobody in particular. Not certain at all if what he heard was a person or just his imagination. The other passengers clearly were not hearing it at all. So Bell decided to go back to relaxing and maybe taking a nap.
"-it! Ho-" There it was again. This time, Bell sat up and turned to the direction of the voice. Where to his surprise, he saw many figures running at them. One he felt he recognized from just some time ago.
"Isn't that…"
"Wait! Wait! Wait for us" The one at front and steering this wagon clearly didn't hear, too focused on the task at hand. Not that it stopped the rather colorful individuals from running as they kept on going and going. Getting closer and closer until suddenly, to the surprise of other passengers including Bell, all five jumped and landed on the wagon causing a shaking.
"What the!" The one who was driving them turned back, having clearly felt the intruder get on. "Who the hell are you people?"
A bag was then thrown showing quite a bit of cash that Bell was certain these five didn't have earlier, with the contents in it spilling out with the blonde man from before saying, "No questions, you can have it all."
Bell couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"Let's get moving." More so when the man clearly accepted the bribe and just went back to driving them like nothing even happened. It then occurred to Bell that this was the man who got in trouble earlier along with the other members, and turning around, he saw none other than that man Rod, one of Njord's children, trying to chase after the wagon with others all shouting and yelling. But they were all too far away to even catch up unlike the five here. Getting smaller and smaller as the distance between them and the wagon grew wider.
"Hehehe." The man, Jason, then looked very happy. Watching as those who tried chasing them for what Bell was certain was a crime, unable to catch him and the others. "I was always good at running."
Gulping, Bell realized this man and his buddies must be a criminal of sorts. After all, why else would he be here now with a bunch of Vals instead of back at Melen facing whatever justice he should have faced, and escaping Rod? Bell turned to see how the other passengers thought of this, though clearly they didn't care as they just did whatever and not even minding of the potential criminals in their midst. Goes to show bystanders will do whatever to ignore a problem in front of them.
Feeling nervous, Bell decided it might be best to just think of what to do when he reached Orario. Like what hotel to rent, the weapons he needed, and maybe trying to find a God and their Familia to join when his one year contract with Njord is up. However, that was all put to a halt when suddenly, the blonde man sat down smack right next to him. Yelping, Bell thought of scooching away only to see another person's bag in his way. Then suddenly, the savage man Berserker, stood behind him. Archer sitting across from him with the toy bear on his head, and the scandalous girl sitting near him. He's surrounded!
As for the blonde, he didn't appear nervous at all. If anything, a smirk could be seen on Jason's face with a slight chuckle escaping his lips. Then, he turned to face Bell who turned his own face around to avoid the stare.
"Hold on a second, I know you." Clearly that wasn't enough. Showing that Jason didn't care for a thing called manners and personal space, a hand grabbed Bell and forcibly turned his head so that now the two men were facing one another face to face.
"H-Help." Bell weakly says, but mentally pleading someone will notice his plight.
Nobody cared.
"Jason, what are you doing?" The toy asked.
"Just checking the kid out. The one we landed on, right?" Jason tells them with Berserker nodding.
"Ah, right. Him." Assassin then bowed to Bell. "I apologize for what we did earlier. We never meant to hurt you."
"Yeah. Sorry." Archer bows to.
"I-it's okay." Bell stutters to them. "It was an accident."
"Exactly." Jason agrees. "So there's no need to apologize. Which reminds me, Berserker, do you have the gold?" Berserker produced a bag full of gold coins. "Perfect! We're set for a while. In your face Njord! Hahahaha!"
Yep. Bell may not know the details, but it was clear these five stole money from Melen somehow. Meaning this wagon is holding a bunch of crooks and thieves and nobody seemed to care! Goes to show that humans really will pretend everything is fine so long as they aren't involved.
"So kid," With Bell now getting involved as Jason now talks to him. "What's your name, kid. May as well have some talk while we're waiting to arrive...where we going again?
"Orario." Assassin reminds him. "This wagon is going to Orario."
"Y-yeah, like she said." Bell tells him. "And, uh, it's Bell sir. Bell Cranel."
"Jason." The man naming himself Jason says and grabs Bell's hand and shakes it. "A pleasure to meet you."
"S-Same." Bell guessed. The man looked like he was waiting for something, and Bell realized Jason was waiting for Bell to start a conversation. Well, he did have time. So may as well. "Uh, how's your day going?" He asked nicely.
"Terrible!" Is the immediate answer. Where soon after Bell would realize he asked the wrong question since soon, the talk became a giant mega rant that would last for quite a while. "Let's get started with what happened a while ago. Like those assholes who tried kicking us out of the place without giving us any food or money!"
"Jerks!" Orion yells out with Berserker nodding.
"Exactly!" Jason pointed at Melen. "We told them we were lost and wanted a place to stay, but they didn't care. So, we stole money from them from the Guild."
"Desperate times call for desperate measures. Especially in this unknown territory." Assassin says without even looking sorry for the crime. "I am used to stealing from the enemy.
"I just only wish we stole from a hot girl and not some guy with a beer gut." Orion grumbles, recalling how they burst into the Guild and quickly robbed them of their counter money while the head of the Guild branch there shouted at them.
"Heck, it didn't help that we were battling a while ago!" Jason then ranted on about some stuff Bell honestly didn't fully understand, but listened because he may as well hear the story. The others, aside from Berserker, adding their own thoughts and actions here and there during it.
Something about a big blue endless sea.
A pirate named Drake.
Something about Singularities held by a magic cup.
A girl facing Jason and killing his best friend while he was stabbed by his ex-wife.
Numerous 'Servants' then attacking some Demon God.
Then all of them ran from some super dangerous threat that came and attacked them.
In other words, an unbelievable story that Bell was pretty sure was fake. I mean, he's been called naïve before, but even he isn't naïve enough to believe-and excuse his language-this baloney Jason and the others were spewing out. Still, it was definitely an interesting story.
"Then there was Mashu." The little toy bear Orion giggled. "Such a soft pair of-" Archer then punched him with a sweet smile on their face. Truth be told, Bell couldn't tell if the kid was a boy or a girl.
"Regardless, we managed to escape and come here." Assassin tells Bell. "While it is shameful we had to steal from innocent people, we do what we must to survive."
"Better than what I caused with Eris." Archer shivers. Then looking at Berserker nervously with the green haired savage man not caring.
"Still, now it seems things are calm." Jason chuckles as he placed both arms behind his head and leans back. "No more being tricked by nasty people. Betrayed. Or being under attack by a bunch of monsters." Jason then sighs. "It was rough, don't you think kid?"
"...sure." Bell speaks up, just says whatever was on his mind after being forced to hear all of that. Just glad it was finally over. The story Jason told was interesting, but had too many holes in it and felt biased. Not to mention the fact that he didn't understand a good chunk of what was even going on. Still, he decided to be nice.
"I knew you'd understand." Jason says as he then leans back and sighs. "Life has been rough since we got here. You know. No friends, no family, and worse of all, no HERCULES! Uhuhu!"
"And it hasn't even been a single day yet." Orion laments how these strangers have had trouble already, and yet it has all happened in less than a day by their perspectives. At the very least, Bell could see they were genuine and that they had trouble hitting them. So with that, Bell did feel a bit sorry for them. Heck, Jason seemed especially sad about this Hercules person. Sounded like a strong adventurer the way Jason described them.
"Anyway," Jason then looked back at Bell. "Enough about us. How about you kid?" They wanted to know about him?
"M-me?"
"Yeah, yours." Jason repeated. "There must be a reason why a kid like yourself must be traveling by yourself with no adult supervision and the possibility of dying in a ditch."
"Yeah." Orion adds in. "I don't see any grown-ups with you."
"Meaning you must have a destination in sight." Assassin also states her thoughts on the matter. "Surely a youngling like you isn't just going with no destination in mind."
Blinking, Bell thought for a moment deciding that he may as well answer. While these five were criminals of sorts, they didn't seem to have ill-intentions, and so decided to just answer having no reason to not talk. "Well, um. I want to go to the city of Orario."
"Orario? You mean the world's center or whatever people call it?" Jason asked as he scratched his left cheek a bit. Having heard some people talk about the city just before him and the other Servants stole some money and ran off.
"Uh-hu!" Bell excitingly says. "I'm going to be an adventurer! A great one." Visions of him kicking monster butt and wooing the ladies came into the adolescents mind. "Once that happens, I'll accomplish my grandfather's dream for me!"
"And what's that? Making lots of money?" Because that was Jason's dream right now.
"To get a harem!"
"..."
For a moment, Jason thought the kid was joking. Heck, even the others with him thought the same thing. That Bell would then start laughing, and say it was a joke to make them laugh. Even the other passengers, who listened in because they were bored, thought the same. When that didn't happen, Jason realized the kid was actually serious. Never did he think such innocent eyes would have such a...rather inappropriate dream.
'Whoever raised him must have been a real piece of work.' In other words, a pervert. Even the people who hadn't bothered with the two also thought the same thing. Clearing his throat, Jason decided to change the topic from the starry eyed boy.
"Yeah. Uh. Good luck with that." Because women can be a pain, as Jason found out the hard way.
"Men in my time have always gathered harems. Nothing wrong with it." Assassin doesn't see a problem with it.
Orion gave a thumbs up to Bell. "May the Gods give you a blessing on this grand quest."
"W-women!" Archer shivered. Recalling how he ended up dying, because of his own mistake. "I-i think you shouldn't." Berserker just groaned. Having had his fair share of lady problems in the past.
"Er, moving on, what's your plan kid?" Jason asked, making Bell confused.
"Plan?" Bell stops being starry eyed and looks at Jason. "What do you mean?"
"I mean, you know." Jason waved his hands like it was obvious. "Got an idea where you're gonna live? How you make your money, that kinda stuff."
"A-a bit." Bell cups his hands together. "Thanks to grandpa, before he...passed," Jason stayed silent, willing to listen. "He left enough money for two months. Once I get to Orario, if I can't find a Familia, I'll rent a place out. As for making money, well, that's what going to the Dungeon is for."
"Missing a lot of things, but at least you got the basics down." Jason shrugs. "At least you have an outline."
"What about you?" Bell then decided to ask. "Do you have an idea where you and your friends are doing?"
Now that got Jason and the others attention. Thinking on it, after they landed here and stole the money, they had no real idea where to go. The map they had, useless to them as they didn't recognize anything. Not to mention the fact that this place was very...off. They saw humans, sure, but now that they had proper time to think about it, they saw people who were clearly not human, like those with pointy ears, animal features, not to mention that guy who called himself a God. In fact, now that they were finally free to think without distraction, the group soon began pondering one thing.
Just where were they in the world?
But more importantly, what should they do now?
Two questions that all of them had to think and consider, even Berserker.
The Temple of Time was a failure. Chaldea had fallen. The Master is dead. Now, they were all that remained as far as they were aware that survived the battle between them and this new enemy. Trapped in this unknown place that they had no clue about. No Master, no Holy Grails, nothing but the clothes and weapons on their backs with what little money they stole, riding to this city called Orario.
"I guess...we'll find out later." Jason says with the rest of the Servants in agreement, as the wagon took them to the city of Orario. Where things were about to get...hectic soon enough.
If anybody thought I was just going to follow canon, well forget that. Sure some things will stay the same, as I guarantee Bell will still meet Hestia. But, due to bad luck, he now has a new God with a bunch of trained warriors now with him. If that doesn't change things, I don't know what will. In any case, upon arriving in Orario, our heroes will sign up in the Guild while they meet another God who might just help them out for his own pleasure.
Until Next Time.