Hello Everybody, I'm here with a new chapter release, First I wish to thank everybody for the supportive reviews in my last update. While my motivation isn't completely here, I did have a small spark this week to finish the chapter I had been working on. So again thank you. So I have come to a decision with my chapters. I have been trying to push my chapters to 10k words or close to, but I think that might have been a cause for a portion of my problems. So I will make chapters as long as I feel it is necessary, aiming for 5k instead. I will probably have more per chapter but I won't force it. So again Thank You and Thank everybody who has taken the time out of their day to read this.
Chapter 24 Discussion
Ryu paced back and forth on the roof of the Hearth Manor for what felt like hours, but in reality, had only been two or three at the most. To her surprise the main feeling she felt was loneliness, sure she was scared and worried about her love, but she had become accustomed to the constant feel of Bell being nearby. Always being able to voice her concerns to him either vocally or mentally. Now that she couldn't, she didn't feel completely like herself. Time crawled by for the elf, but she was determined to keep her word, she would protect the familia until midnight struck, and then she would go after him. But she couldn't help but wonder if their mental connection would be the same, would it be stronger, or would it be weaker? No matter how much she told herself to keep focus on watching for danger, her mind couldn't help wandering back to her partner. The connection they shared was like a rope that had been ripped apart, frayed, and separated. As the moon began to rise towards the peak of the sky, "Only five more minutes," she quietly said to herself.
Then she felt something, not from herself, she focused on their connection and it was like time was in reverse as the damage to the rope that connected them seemed to reconnect them. The frayed ends touched and reattached as if nothing happened. 'Bell!' She mentally shouted with so much joy it surprised her. But there was no response. She waited for a moment, but still no response.
She jumped off the roof and landed on the grounds near the gate, she exited looking in both directions but not seeing him. Focusing on her connection with the human she could feel a vague direction he was. She ran down the street, turning left at the nearest intersection of streets. Then she saw it, the giant of a man carrying the white-haired human, he was in an alleyway to avoid attention. She rushed over, "Ottar what happened?!" Her worry was evident, she also grabbed for him not wanting to leave him again.
Ottar quietly handed Bell over and spoke quietly, "It would be better to speak with everybody at once. I don't want to repeat it." Having finished his side of the conversation he continued walking towards the Hearth Manor. Noticing the look of extreme worry on the elf's face he spoke up again, "Don't worry. He'll be fine. I used one of my familia's strongest potions, it might take a day for him to wake though."
"Thank you." Was all Ryu could muster as she carried the unconscious human. She looked him over not seeing any major damage, most must have been healed by the potion, but she did notice what looked like a hundred tiny tears in his clothing and a few dozen more scratches across his armor. But that wasn't the worst of it. His hand, the one she knew he always charged his skill through, looked like the entire arm had been healed, the skin was splotched with white and red. The glove and undershirt he wore were nowhere to be seen even the vambrace looked shattered missing roughly eighty percent of it.
They walked in silence for a few minutes, Ryu couldn't help but keep her eyes on Bell the entire time. She would have to place some trust in the Goliath of a man to guide. She took a quick glance upwards and saw the gates of the Hearth Manor approaching quickly. Ryu rang a small buzzer that alerted the building to their presence.
A moment later the gate was opened by Haruhime whose face went from a professional smile to that of worry in the blink of an eye. "Bell…" she had to stop herself from crying out his name. She could only stand aside and allow the trio to enter.
"Haruhime can you gather everybody in the gathering area?" Ryu spoke softly, "Well except Welf, I doubt he wants to be distracted from his work."
"Of course…" Haruhime couldn't help but sound disheartened. Whatever happened to Bell was more than everybody else in the familia could manage together in raw power.
It broke Ryu's heart to hear the Renard sound so depressed, but she needed to push forward. Ottar followed silently, wanting to keep an eye on the young human, Freya's Odr.
Ryu had been sitting in the room with Bell laying next to her with his head on her lap. First entered Mikoto who was always extremely close to Haruhime. Her reaction was silent, but Ryu noticed a noticeable tightening of her fist as she saw the condition of Bell. The second was Lili who seemed to want to yell something but could find the right words. The third was Hestia, who ran into the room, tears flooding from her eyes. She wanted to call out for Bell as that had reached him once before but resisted the urge only because she knew that he probably wouldn't want to disturb his rest.
The rest of the familia entered the room all with similar expressions on their face, on Daphne held hers back. She had seen much worse but the fact it was on the kind-hearted boy nearly broke her. She noticed between the cuts in the undershirt the massive collection of scars. She barely managed to hold everything in.
In a voice so emotionless that everybody all had a sweat run down their spine, Hestia spoke. "What happened…"
Even Ottar was shocked by the sudden change in emotion from the goddess but was the first to recover. He took a small and silent breath before he spoke, "As I told you Freya familia had already started exploring the area, but after you explained that you felt the energy going to Daedalus Street I went myself to find anything. Many hours passed and night fell. I was going to take a break but I heard the sound of his skill, the sound of Bells filling the area. Knowing what that meant I rushed to the sound only to hear and see an explosion right before I got there. What I saw… let's say it was surprising, Bell was half a foot implanted in a wall, blood dripping from his arm with the missing vambrace. But a slender figure approached him reaching out for his neck I managed to intervene with my magic cutting that arm off, in the moment of confusion I managed to cut the other one off. But the person got away." Ottar had been explaining, he had never said so much in a few breaths, pausing for a second allowed Ryu to ask a question everybody wanted to know.
"How did he get away from you a Level 8, the strongest adventurer alive?" The question was pointed.
"After I cut the other arm I gave a quick glance towards Bell, I noticed the figure sink into the shadow he was standing on. Within a quarter of a second, all presence from him faded as if never there." Ottar gave a weary look towards the familia, "After that, I used a powerful potion I had on myself, it repaired his arm which had the most damage. I proceeded to carry him here until Lion took him from my arms."
Hestia sighed, "Ryu take him up to your room. I'll be up there shortly." she ordered as Ryu gave a slight nod. Leaving the room with Bell in her arms.
Ryu barely managed to escape around the corner of the staircase before the first tear fell. Memories of Astraea familia passed unbidden as she continued to carry the unconscious human to the room they shared. "Bell…" she quietly whispered, she opened the door, laying him down once again on the bed only taking the opportunity to remove his armor or what was left of it.
An hour passed as she finished removing every piece, even removing his undershirt which had what seemed like hundreds of cuts. "When will you learn?" She whispered as she laid him into a more comfortable position, she pulled her own chair next to his spot on the bed and sat in it with a quick clutch of his hand she waited, focusing on their connection seeing if she could learn anything from it.
Ryu almost didn't notice Hestia entering the room, "No changes?" The goddess asked quietly.
"Not yet, It won't be until mid-afternoon tomorrow if I had to blindly guess." Ryu's voice was calm, but Hestia noticed the slightest tremble in her hand. The once grasping Bell's.
"Will you help me update his status? I often get glimpses of what gave Exilia. I might be able to get a glimpse without him telling us." Hestia spoke as she approached his frame. "I just need your help flipping him over so I can access his blessing." She waited for Ryu's response before continuing. Ryu nodded and helped to flip Bell around, forcing her to release her grip on his hand. "That should be enough," Hestia commented as she prepared to prick her finger once more, she sat on the bed next to Bell and began her work.
Only a minute or two passed, as the work had been quickly finished. She observed the changes and grimaced slightly, "Well good news his endurance increased by a serious amount as well as his magic." She paused for a moment before continuing, "I wasn't able to see much but what did notice was waves of shadows cutting his flesh as a protective barrier faded." Hestia sighed, "We will have to wait until he wakes up for more information on the enemy." Hestia couldn't help but place a gentle hand on his scarred back, "I know what you were thinking Bell but I wish you had more faith in everybody else and wasn't so worried about losing anybody else." A quiet whisper fell from Hestia's lips as she stood once more, "Let me know if anything changes."
Only after Hestia left could Ryu let her emotions flood her once more. Regaining her hold on Bell's hand, she sat there and waited, even as the hours trickled by she didn't leave the chair she had been sitting in.
"Dammit… I was so close to getting the Rabbit Foot if only that bumbling giant didn't interfere. This is going to force my hand now." The figure grimaced at the unintended self jab, looking his body down to remind that he no longer had his arms. There was no pain, no longing to change what happened, only acceptance of the reality. He moved along the dark alley until he found his destination. Opening the door with great effort he watched the fruits of his labor over the past year. A small black formless blob floating in a large tank. "So close, I just need a strong enough vessel to act for your revival, the divine energy won't be enough by itself." A minute passed as he thought about possible actions for the future, without his arms he couldn't wield shadows as weapons, so a single thought filled his mind. The last resort to ensure the process proceeds. With a small smile of disappointment, he flung himself into the tank. One last thought passed through his mind even as the pain of being devoured started, 'The last of my people, once great now no more. By the pack of the shadow, I give my body and soul to your rebirth just as my ancestors did before. Live and devour everything on sight.'
A silent scene unfolded before the viewer, Ryu, Riveria, Bell, and an unknown goddess sitting around a small table enjoying food with each other. The goddess must have told some joke as the three children of the goddess broke into laughter. Then a bright flash broke through the silent field.
The first sensation Bell felt was an unignorable ache from his entire body but especially from his right hand. The second was the gentle embrace on his left hand. The third was the blinding light as the muted sun shone through the curtains, leaving him dazed for a second. With a conscious effort, Bell sat upwards and saw Ryu sitting on a chair to his left, holding onto his hand for dear life as if fearing it vanish. But her head was on the bed asleep.
"Bell…" a whispered voice broke from the sleeping form.
The pain in his right forced his attention as he attempted to lift the hand to rub his face. With an effort unbefitting the task a grown escaped his lips as he rubbed his face to clear the fog away from his mind. The fading memories of a dream already ebbing away. Like a leaf on the wind. "Ryu…" he whispered. Placing a gentle hand onto the elf's sleeping head. To his surprise, she didn't start or wake right away like he thought she would. "Guess she spent the majority of the night worrying about me… I really need to stop doing that." *sigh* moving gently backward so he could rest his back against the headboard and resigned himself to wait as long as needed. "I should try to move her to the bed so she might be more comfortable. But I doubt I could even lift myself off the bed right now. What happened? The last thing I remember was slamming into that wall and watching as the person approached then nothing."
Bell sighed and leaned his head against the headrest of the bed. His eyes drifting from left to right as a restless wait encroached, but as his mind started to wander in his mind he could feel Ryu starting to shift from a haze-filled unconsciousness to a brighter field as he also felt her begin to move slightly. The grip tightening for a second "Ryu…" immediately jerked fully awake as she captured Bell into a tight embrace. Despite the tightness of the embrace he still managed to raise a hand placing it on the back of her head, "I'm sorry… I did it again, didn't I?"
The anger and frustration that Ryu had been feeling melted away as she felt Bell return the embrace, "Bell…"
"I'm sorry, I nearly left you alone again… that not something I ever wanted you to experience again." The painful reality of his actions started to dawn on him at that point. A wave of regret and self-loathing flooded their connection.
Ryu could easily feel the emotions but at the same time, a sense of determination forged from the strongest of adamantium. "That you did…" the tears still leaving trails down her cheeks. "Please Bell… never… do something… like that again…" barely able to hold back a complete breakdown.
Bell met her gaze as a gentle smile grew, "I promise, no matter what happens I won't leave you alone." He gave a relieved sigh, "That being said, even if I promise sometimes as you all too well know, my body moves on its own if somebody is in danger."
"I know, but that's a similar part we both share." She tightened her embrace, even more, to feel his warmth completely. 'There is always something so calming whenever we embrace.'
Bell couldn't help but chuckle slightly, with a voice only she could possibly hear, 'So that's why you enjoy whenever I hold you. Even on the thirty-seventh floor, I could tell.'
The mental reply caused her to flush with embarrassment b no matter what she thought she couldn't deny that. "Well, I'm glad your awake Bell, you have much to explain." A new voice broke their moment, Hestia approached the bed as silent as possible. "I updated your status while you were unconscious, I could only see glimpses of what transpired. You need to tell us, then get more rest."
"But we need to continue looking for whoever it is that's behind this," Bell argued but deep down knew his goddess was right.
"No, you look ready to collapse as it is right now, I doubt you could even stand properly right now, do you want to hear your list of injuries. We had Cassandra take a look at you during the night? Let's see there was innumerable cut and bruises, your hand had been healed before you got back. One of your rips is cracked, do I need to continue?" Hestia crossed her arms over her ample chest and looked down on her child.
In no more than a whisper, "No…" Bell replied with a defeated sound in his voice.
"Listen, I'm not telling you all that to make you feel bad, you need to let your body recover. Remember how long it took for you to fully recover from the first expedition?" She huffed but place a gentle hand on his head. "I just don't want you to die alright."
"I know, but you're wrong about one thing. My hand never fully recovered, Amid told me when I was alone with her after I mentioned a numb spot. Behind my thumb, there is a section where I cannot feel anything…" Removing his grasp from Ryu he pointer to a small area about an inch in diameter behind his thumb near his wrist. "I have absolutely no feeling here. The nerve damage was too great and took too long to address." He sighed once more before noticing the tear-filled eyes of both Hestia and Ryu.
"I thought the scarring was the worse of it. But to have permanent damage that cannot be seen…" Ryu voiced first. "Is there anything else we can know about? I know you didn't tell us because you knew how we would react."
"If it's hit at the right angle a shock of pain fills my arm, luckily my vambrace covers the angle." He showed by taking a deep breath and putting pressure at a specific angle sending a wave of pain that Ryu felt. "No matter how much you train your body you cannot train your nerves, but that time it hurt a lot less than the last time I felt it."
Ryu was at a loss for words, 'Hurts less this time? How much did it pain him before.' Being careful so Bell couldn't hear her thoughts. A new regret filled her as she briefly remembers him fighting the Juggernaut.
"Right, well let me explain what happened." Over the next twenty minutes, Bell filled the pair in on what happened, noticing that the shadows followed the motions of his main weapon. Why he dropped his barrier. Everything, he hid nothing from them.
The day passed excruciatingly slowly for Bell, as it was starting to get dark Welf and every other member of the familia returned from their investigation. "Nothing was found yet… but it seems like the evacuation of the residents is going smoothly. Also, I have heard in passing the Guild has put an official notice out for the various gods and familias to prepare to take action if needed." Welf commented as he stood next to the laying Bell.
Bell couldn't help but take a sigh of relief. "Good, at least that is proceeding." He flexed his arm feeling his strength slowly returning. "Tomorrow I should be able to rejoin the search."
"Bell.." Ryu muttered as she sat to his side. The concern is obvious in a single word.
"It's alright, I should have the majority of my strength returned by the morning." Trying her best to reassure her. A gentle smile showed on his face. It didn't remove her worries but it helped slightly.
"Well then captain, what should we start to prepare?" Welf said in a joking tone, as he leaned on the wall attached to the door.
"Please don't call me that…" An embarrassed edge filling his voice. Closing his eyes in an attempt to relieve himself of the embarrassment, a deep breath filled his lungs. "Right, let's see… have Loki familia been informed of the situation and what we have discovered?"
"A letter was sent a few hours ago," Hestia replied quickly. "They should be here within an hour. I figured it would be best to speak of everything in person rather than over letter."
Bell only nodded before attempting to get off the bed, only for his arm to slightly give way. At everybody's reaction he held out his hand, "It's alright, can you all go and prepare for their arrival. As the captain, I need to be there when they arrive."
"We understand that but you're still recovering," Ryu argued as she refused to let him get up.
"All the more reason why they should see my condition. It will help to prove the level of threat," but Bell gave a defeated sigh. "Alright, I'll stay here for now, but when they arrive I will need your help to get down there. Perhaps having a room on the second-floor wad, not the best idea." He chuckled a little bit causing his head to swim with dizziness.
"Perhaps." That was all Ryu replied, a small smile spreading.
Soon after the remaining members of the familia dispersed, each discussing what needed to be done before their ally arrived.
An hour passed, the Hearth Manor swarmed with activity like an overturn ant hill. So much so that the activity was noticed by the Loki familia. Loki, Finn, Gareth, and Riveria were all that came. The other members are preparing themselves for whatever could happen. Much like a massive expedition, they were busy preparing weapons, potions, and anything that could be needed in a hostile environment.
"Well they seem busy, wonder if they're preparing for our arrival." The trickster goddess mused with a slight grin.
"Seems like a possibility." Finn had to admit with a sigh.
"Well let's not keep them waiting!" Gareth bellowed as he rang the bell to announce their arrival.
Within a few seconds, the gate opened to show the beautiful Renard Haruhime dressed in her traditional clothing. "Welcome Lady Loki, if you all wouldn't mind following me we have prepared a proper area to talk." With a slight bow, she turned and started to walk towards the manor.
Loki couldn't help but drool slightly at the sight of the eastern beauty after receiving a swift elbow from the elven princess they followed as Finn could help but chuckle at the expression on Loki's face.
Entering the house they took an immediate left down a hallway, four doors down Haruhime opened a door with a slight bow and held it open for them. In the room sat a decently large round table with eight chairs around it at various angles. Loki noticed quickly Hestia was with a child that sat to her left to be more specifically Welf.
Hestia stood, followed by Welf, "Please sit, Haruhime will bring us some tea shortly."
"What Bell could join us?" Loki questioned trying to get a read of the situation.
"He will be j…" Hestia was cut off by a voice that echoed through the halls.
"Ow, geez Ryu, could you be a little more gentle?" Everybody recognized the voice as the captain Bell Cranell.
"You got yourself into this situation, now you insist on joining this talk. You'll have to deal with it." Ryu's voice this time.
Loki only raised a single eyebrow, as the door opened once more to Ryu helping Bell through the door. An arm around her slender shoulders. As well, Bell entered with a pronounced limp. Despite being in his normal clothing they could see his right hand swathed in bandages as well as his forehead. "Sorry for the delay." He muttered as Ryu eased him into the chair to Hestia's right. A sigh of relief released from his lips as he looked at the slightly stunned Loki familia. "What's wrong? We should try to finish quickly."
Riveria was the first to recover, "What happened? You look dreadful."
"No kidding." Loki continued with no hint of the trickster in her voice.
"That is one of the reasons we requested for you to come here. Last night, I ran into some trouble as we were investigating Daedalus street. I believe it was the same person who attacked the ball." His voice was serious, not showing anything of the adventurer's age. With a slight smile, "Now please would you be willing to sit so we can proceed?" Gesturing towards the chairs.
Loki sat across from Hestia, with Finn to her right and Riveria to her left, and Gareth taking the remaining seat next to Welf.
"So, what happened?" Loki voiced her hands steepled as she gazed at Bell between the peaks.
Over the next hour, Bell explained what happened, leaving as little out as possible. Hestia picked up and continued the story as Bell described how he blacked out. The Loki familia was silent for an uncomfortable amount of time. "So this person probably doesn't have their arms anymore. As Ottar cut them off when protecting you. How do you think they will continue with their plans?" Finn had his own ideas on the situation, but he couldn't help but notice his thumb was throbbing violently.
"I'm not completely sure, I was hoping to bounce ideas off you and see if we can come with a decent plan," Bell admitted he never was one to try to out-think an opponent, it was a fault of his honest personality. "But I think that whoever this person is will either panic and act recklessly or will act even more aggressive now that he has a permanent detriment."
"I agree. You said you were being watched for a while, tomorrow will you be able to show us where from?" Finn probed, genuinely wanting to know, but also curious to how capable he will be in his condition.
"I should be able to do that, the majority of my strength has returned but a portion of my left leg doesn't want to work properly. I've been told it should be better either tomorrow or the day after." Bell admitted that it pained him to rely on Amid, but she made an appearance and gave her diagnosis during the day.
"Loki." It was Hestia, she spoke in a flat empty tone.
Slightly annoyed at the tone of address, "Yes Hestia?"
"Did we ever find out they summoned it originally?" Put a massive emphasis on the word it so there was doubt on what she was talking about.
Loki thought for a moment, "Well… after they obtained divine power from a fallen god they required… a… sacrifice." Loki realized what Hestia was leaning towards. "Shit! Do you think that person is going to sacrifice themselves for the abomination? That could be more dangerous than the last time it appeared."
"Why so?" Finn questioned as his thumb was reacting to the statement.
Loki's eyes narrowed as she looked at her captain, "What would happen when an abomination meant to destroy doesn't have a master?" Finn's own eyes went wide, but he could say anything. "If this is what'll happen I'm willing to place my familia's fortune on the fact that hundreds of children will die because of this. Possibly many gods and goddesses as well."
"If that's the case, we need to come up with a plan before it happens. As I have learned the evacuation of the city is proceeding and the majority of the city is empty with the exception of adventurers and deities." Bell spoke in a rushed voice trying to get his thoughts out.
Hestia cleared her throat as she began to speak, "Loki, as much as I hate to say it, I think it's time to keep no more secrets. If we are going to succeed we will probably have to share everything our children can do. Skills and all at least for those that will be in the front lines. Why don't we take a short break for both of us to really think on the idea."
The room was quiet as the Hestia familia left. "I don't like this," Finn spoke quietly as his eyes never left the door.
"Neither do I." Admitted Loki, "But even so I think we should. If we do, you might be able to come up with a better strategy for this conflict. Knowing what everybody can do will definitely help in this. The main thing is that we have a much larger hand to show."
"They have shown trust in us at the very least. Think about how Goddess Hestia gained our alliance in the first place." Riveria's voice was gentle and calm, "Personally I don't mind. If it will help us with whatever might be coming."
"As much as it pains me to agree with the ancient elf, I agree. Besides, it's not like I have an extreme amount to hide about my status. Just my stats and my skills." Gareth begrudgingly agreed.
"Finn, the decision lies with you. If you agree I don't mind." Loki softly spoke, in as neutral a possible tone.
Finn was quiet for a very uncomfortable minute mentally debating the pros and cons. Eventually, even as Riveria fidgeted slightly, he released a sigh of acceptance. "Alright, if we are going to do this, we might as well do it properly. I'll go let them know." Standing with his shorter height, he quietly walked over to the door and opened it to find the hallway empty. "Good," returning to the main sitting area they passed, finding all of Hestia familia sitting and talking near a small chimney fire. "Alright, we have come to a decision." Holding back a small chuckle as Haruhime jumped slightly in surprise.
"Alright, we will meet you back in the meeting room. Just give us one moment." Hestia replied as she moved a sheet of paper. In the process of copying everybody's status, "Here can you give Loki these? I'm copying down their statuses if she wants she can do the same." Retrieving the paper Finn quietly returned, his thumb no longer throbbing.
Returning with a small stack of papers, Hestia sighed as she sat placing them on the desk. Loki shifted slightly and placed three papers on the desk, with a slight nudge from Riveria, she sighed and retrieved a folded paper from a small pocket. "Unfortunately I won't be able to give you everybody as they are not here, but I have the three here as well as Aiz." She noticed everybody's look and sighed, "Aiz is my pride and joy, I always have some proof of that on me. I just happen to have updated her status before coming here. I was planning on destroying it but I had a feeling I shouldn't."
"Alright, Here is everybody's sheet in my familia. One, in particular, is strange but that is one of the last papers."
The group started by examining Bell's sheet, "Still cannot believe you've had a skill like this for so long." Loki muttered as she looked at the Liaris Freese skill. Next was Ryu, looking at the skills you could easily understand why she was so efficient at destroying Evilus after her familia was destroyed.
"Wait, you both have the same skill?" Riveria asked in mild amazement, skills normally follow a theme for the person. It seems so rare, that she doubted it. "What does this skill do exactly? The description doesn't really help with that."
It was Bell that spoke, "I think I would be the best to explain this, first let me say that Ryu and myself have a unique connection that allows us to talk without speaking out loud. We can think about it and push our thoughts towards the other. That alone is extremely useful, we can share skills with each other though they are slightly weaker than normal." All of the Loki familia's eyes nearly bulged out their sockets the implications of those statements alone. Riveria already knew about the mental talking, but still.
"Wait, so you're saying Ryu here could use your Argonaut skill?" Riveria nearly stuttered as she remembered seeing the skill and the improvement the skill gives.
"Yes, but it seems significantly more expensive. It's probably because that skill is unique to who I am similar to Welf's Blood of Crozzo skill. So it's not as practical to use, but could be useful." Bell placed a hand around his chin in thought. "I believe Loki had already told you who I am correct?" She only nodded, "Good, I didn't want to keep a secret. Since we said we wouldn't."
"But the fact that you are not only the reincarnation of the Argonaut but also that you have conceived thanks to Zeus who poured his divine power into it." Finn gave an exhausted half-smile, "It's a lot to take in and believe."
As they passed the sheets around, it finally came to one that confused the members of Loki familia, Cassandra's was completely normal until they saw her skills section. "What is this? I thought we weren't hiding anything?" Loki scoffed slightly.
"I understand your confusion and frustration, but believe me when I say this. Her skill is something we gods cannot fully understand. I have tried for hours and hours, but after I look at the symbols for an extended period of time I get a massive headache and have even passed out a couple of times." Hestia sighed as she vented her frustrations of the skill. "But this is what lets her have visions of the future. She thought she was cursed until recently."
Loki had no answer, no query, nothing. She wanted to say how it was because of her inexperience, but something told her that it wasn't that. So she remained silent as she passed Aiz's sheet. Everybody was silent as they looked over her sheet. Before anybody could say anything Loki spoke up, "What I am about to say mist never leave this room, am I understood?" Everybody simply nodded, "Vengeance is a skill she unlocked because of her desire to kill a certain Black Dragon. Many people want it dead but her situation is unique. Her mother Aria was taken by the Dragon a long time ago."
Loki watched as Bell was the first to catch onto what she said, "Wait Aria as in the wind spirit Aria?"
Loki only nodded as confirmation. "So she is half spirit? Even as I have spirit blood in my own veins." Welf whispered quietly.
Over the next few hours, they talked about different ideas and strategies they could without knowing all the information, but they did decide on one thing for sure no matter the situation. "Lili has the commander skill I have, so as an option to organize our troops she should stay by me, not only so I can protect her but also if any information can be called out between our separate familia's without running messages."
Bell stayed in the room long after the Loki familia left, only Ryu remained but no words were vocalized between them. They talked mainly through their connection, sharing their thoughts on everything they learned and what might come. 'Something is bothering you. Do you want to talk about it?' Ryu asked gently.
'I'm not sure I could even remember. I had a dream last night, but the details are fuzzy at best and non-existent at worst. But for some reason whatever it was feels so important. Yet I cannot remember.' Bell replied looking out a large window that filled the majority of the wall. The moon visible in the sky was clear despite being on the receding cycle.
'What do you remember? Maybe talking about that will help fill in some blanks.' In a calm mental voice, she stated her opinion.
With an audible sigh, he turned to face his lover for the first time in roughly an hour. A gentle smile on his face, 'Maybe you're right… let's see, it was you, Riveria, myself, and a Goddess I didn't recognize. I don't remember what was said or the details. But it seems we were all going over some paperwork over what must have been dinner. Then my memory fades like a distant breeze.' Having said his piece, Bell squeezed the hand he had been holding.
Ryu had no response; she could only look at the moon, a sliver of a cloud floating in front of the moon for the briefest of seconds.
"Do either of you want anything?" The voice of Haruhime floated through the cracks in the door.
A few mental messages later Bell spoke up his voice cracking slightly as he hadn't spoken a word out loud for several hours, "Would you be able to bring something to help me sleep? I would appreciate it greatly."
Though the door was blocking the view of Haruhime, they could almost hear the sound of swishing as she replied happily, "Of course give me a few minutes."
Ryu looked over at Bell who almost chuckled at the mental image of Haruhime being so happy to help that her tail made very audible sounds.