Finn watched on as the boy, only a month prior that had run from the very creature he was now fighting against. His fellow Familia members were entranced by the boy's spirit, by the fight he was enduring, even Bete who had so openly mocked the boy's fear in the face of such a monster could only watch on stunned. The armor that the boy had been wearing was destroyed, discarded across the battlefield that the ninth floor had become for the showdown. One wrong move and the boy would be skewered on the bull's horn. The weapon he used, a knife, black as obsidian glowing with blue runes that made him think of a Falna, what an incredible blade.

Finn's eyes were drawn to the Prum in Riviera's arms, the disguise she had used to appear as a werewolf had faded when she had fallen unconscious. A bright flame caught Finn's attention bringing his gaze back to the fight.

"FIREBOLT!" In rapid succession the boy fired of three blasts of fire magic, all the meanwhile dodging the blade that had obviously been gifted to the monster by the 'King'. Ottar's presence on such a low level floor and his timing to challenge Ais preventing her from getting here sooner, it couldn't have been a coincidence, this had all been orchestrated. For Freya's amusement or something else?

Ever since he had come to witness this battle, his thumb hadn't stopped throbbing. It wasn't warning him of danger, or anything of the like. It was the boy. As he stood here, watching the fight unfold which shouldn't have been possible, he was witnessing the boys potential. Just watching his movements it was clear Ais had been secretly training him, they'd have to talk about that later. But it couldn't have been for long, a few days at most. The boy hadn't picked everything up but he was already on a level where he could use what Ais had taught him, in a combat scenario. How much more could he be if he had been given true guidance?

It was clear the fight was coming to an end, the boy had gained control over the great sword that the minotaur had been in possession of, he wielded it like a champion ready to slay the ox. Sword in one hand, knife in the other. Both the boy and the minotaur charged forward, the minotaur like the primal beast it was charged with it's head down, horn at the ready.

"Idiot!" Bete hissed, knowing going against a charging minotaur was suicidal. Finn smiled to himself, as he watched everyone amazed as the boy used the large sword to his advantage, crashing it down onto the horn which resulted in both the horn and the sword shattering. The minotaur was left stunned and the boy didn't hesitate, sliding under it's massive frame that towered over him, it's sheer size was incomparable to just an average minotaur. Getting his footing beneath the Minotaur, he thrust upwards with his knife, digging it deep into it's stomach.

"FIREBOLT!" The flame coursed through the blade, the mithril in it's development allowing the magic to flow through it, and straight into the belly of the beast. The Minotaur reared back howling in pain, stomach slightly bloated as the numerous cuts across it's burst with embers. "FIREBOLT!" Again the blade directed the magic straight into the monster, the magic swelling inside as it coughed up blood it's body bloating as flames now escaping the wounds as it was seared from the inside out. Those that were bearing witnessed held their breath. "FIREBOLT!" No longer capable of containing the magic, the beast exploded into flames, it's entire upper body erupting into a swirling inferno.

The fight was over. The boy had defeated the minotaur against impossible odds. Finn could only smile as he rose his throbbing thumb to his lip as he watched the others hurry over to the boy. Bell Cranel Ais had called him. Finn reached into his pouch and he pulled out a fathered quill and quickly dug the tip into his finger drawing blood before pulling out a parchment. He didn't know why, but the potential in the kid was frightening, and by the looks of it, he had nobody to guide him.

"What if he did..." Finn mused as he wrote down a quick report of the events that had transpired, he'd have it delivered to Loki. Riveria was already in the process of healing some of the boys more severe wounds Ais helping him lay down with Tiona as Bete and Tione were discussing how the kid had grown so fast in just a month. Writing a personal message on the back of the report he rolled the parchment up.

"We should get them both back to the surface." Riveria stated as Tiona helped Ais pull Bell onto her back, the boy completely unconscious after his battle. Riveria herself picked up the Prum in her arms, they would both need more medical treatment if they were to survive.

"Riveria." Finn began gaining the elf's attention as he held out the parchment. "A report for Loki." The elf's eyes widened slightly, before nodding taking the report and placing it into her coat. "Let's go Ais."

"Right."

"Yahallo Hestia!" Hestia was stunned at the sudden greeting. She was in one of the guild's medical rooms and hadn't been expecting to be greeted by anyone, let alone Loki of all people. Hestia really wasn't in the mood to deal with anyone right now, let alone her least favorite person. Bell still hadn't regained consciousness and she had explicitly asked not to be disturbed by the guild staff, but considering Loki's mannerisms it probably wasn't their fault. But there she was standing in the doorway, hands in her pockets with the stupid aloof expression on her face.

"Go away Loki." Hestia simply stated as she turned back to Bell, his sleeping face drawing her attention. She didn't hear Loki leave, instead the door closed and Loki approached the bed. Loki stood beside her looking down at the unconscious teen as she pulled a hand from her pocket and scratched at her cheek.

"He really doesn't look like all that much." Loki mused before recalling her meeting with Freya just before everything went south at Monsterphilia. "Weak. Unreliable. An easy crier." They had been Freya's words when she had described the one that had caught her attention. From what she knew of the kid, it matched him to a T. Seriously what did that perverted Goddess see in him? For that matter, the hell did Finn see in him?

"What do you want Loki, did you come here to gloat because your children had to save my Bell." Hestia glared at the red headed Goddess beside her.

"No." Loki admitted. "From what I hear, they didn't have to save him at all." Hestia's eyes widened slightly, how did she know that? Wait, didn't that High Elf ask for a letter to be sent to Loki, is that why she was here? "Wasn't this kid running from a Minotaur a month ago? And now he's slaying them? What's the big secret, Hestia?" Hestia swallowed nervously as Loki's eyes opened slightly looking at her from the corner of her eye, Hestia always knew Loki had a cruel gaze but being on the receiving end of it made her nervous.

"T-there is no secret! Now what are you doing here!?" Hestia growled at her.

"That's easy." Loki stated looking around the room, finding another chair she walked over to it and plopped herself down , raising her legs up and crossing them as she faced Hestia. "I want you to transfer Bell to my Familia." Hestia blinked before realization set in and her eyes widened, standing up as she clenched her fists in her hands as she glared at Loki.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me." Loki shrugged. "I want the kid in my Familia." She continued. "It's clear he's got potential, something you clearly don't see and even if you could see it, you don't have the means to help him grow properly."

"Get out."

"You have no one to teach him, he'll wind up dead if he doesn't get proper guidance." Loki flared back at her.

"I said get out!"

"Yeah! And what happens when Freya comes for him!?" Loki snapped back at her making Hestia stop for a second as a look of confusion crossed her features. "You don't even know that much? Just how stupid can you be Hestia?"

"What are you talking about?"

"You really think all of this is a coincidence?" Loki asked. "The Silverback at Monsterphilia? The fact he encountered a Minotaur on two separate occasions on floors they don't even spawn on? Sure the first one wasn't on Freya, but you really think she didn't have a hand in it this time? The fact that members of the Freya Familia happened to attack my Ais when she was training him?" She continued.

Loki was aware that Freya was after someone and had her suspicions but the fact the Ottar was there to try and stop Ais and the others from heading to the fight that took place, it wasn't hard to decipher Freya's involvement, everything was falling into place.

"I don't know how long, but Freya's had her eyes set on the kid for a while now. You know as well as I do what that means." Hestia averted her gaze.

"Why do you even want Bell?" Hestia asked. "What's he too you?"

"Me? Nothing, couldn't care less to be honest." Loki shrugged as Hestia's anger flared. "But, a child of mine asked for a request and after everything my children have done, I think I can grant them a little request." Loki continued. "So what's it going to be Hestia? Are you going to hand over Bell, or am I going to have to send you home to heaven and take him?" Hestia's eyes shot wide open as she took a step back in surprise, Loki wasn't kidding. It was either give Bell up, or have him taken away from her. There was no other way. "At least if you're still here on the lower world, you'll still be able to see him." Loki added.

"W-What am I suppose to tell him!? That I just gave him up!?" Hestia cried, tears running down her face. She had always told Bell to be careful so as to not leave her alone in this world, but Loki was forcing this upon her.

"Whatever you want, that's not my issue." Loki's gaze hardened. "Now, choose." Hestia grit her teeth, her anger was swelling within her, for Loki to think she could just waltz in here and take whatever she wanted. Hestia turned to the unconscious form of Bell. Slowly she approached Bell's side, leaning down and taking his hand in her own as she leaned over and pressed her lips to his forehead.

"I'm so sorry Bell." Loki frowned as she stood from her chair as Hestia turned to face her, the resolve in her eyes clear. Sighing Loki ran a hand down her face in annoyance.

"Well..." Loki breathed out. "Can't say I'm not going to enjoy this." She shrugged. "I'll tell the rabbit something, make sure he doesn't think you just up and abandoned him." She added.

"Tell him whatever you want." Hestia stated. "He'll find out the truth some day."

Groaning slightly, Bell's ruby red eyes slowly opened to the small unfamiliar room. He felt drowsy, no doubt the after effects of several potions at work. Other than the tiredness, he felt otherwise fine. Sitting up he looked around, the room was bare of anything, only the bed he was in a small dresser a table and a bedside table.

"Where am I?" Bell questioned as he swung his legs out of bed. When his feet hit the floor his eyes widened as he recalled what had happened to make him be in this state. Standing up abruptly he felt... off. Weaker, even more than what he was use too after being beaten like that. It was like he had no strength, honestly it felt like how he was before he had received his Falna. "Gotta find... Lili." Sluggishly, Bell headed for the door each step making him feel queasy as he reached for the handle. He grabbed the doorknob and pulled the door open.

"Eh! Ah!" There was someone waiting on the other side, someone he'd never seen before. She stared at him with wide eyes as Bell leaned on the door for support. She wore a large gray and white coat, which underneath she wore a white top, blue skirt with black tights beneath that came to below her knees and a simple pair of boots. Her hair was brown with a single side-tail. "You're finally awake!" the girl said astonished, surprise clear on her features.

"W-Who?" Bell managed to get out.

"Oh! I'm Elfy, Elfy Colette!" She greeted cheerfully before rushing forward, wrapping one of his arms over her shoulders as she helped support him. "I'm a member of the Loki Familia, you're at the Twilight Manor." It took a moment for her words to sink in but once they did he let out a sound of surprise. "I'll take you to Goddess Loki, she asked to see you when you woke up." She explained. Bell was honestly speechless, why was he here in the Loki Familia home?

Elfy helped Bell walk, there were a few members of the Loki Familia about, some giving him a curious glance. None of the faces Bell recognized, all of those he did know of the Loki Familia were no doubt on their expedition into the Dungeon, the one Ais had told him about during their training. The two entered a large hall and Elfy looked just as surprised at the sheer destruction that looked like it had torn through here.

"W-Wh-What happened!?" Elfy shouted in surprise.

"It was Goddess Hephaestus! She came in with a hammer and started smashing everything up!" Someone called out shocking Elfy and Bell both.

"M-Maybe we should wait?" Elfy questioned, but Bell had no idea on what to say. Nervously, Elfy started to lead Bell to where she knew Loki would be, exactly where the path of destruction by the Goddess of the Forge led.

"WHA!" A crash came from inside the office causing Bell and Elfy to glance at one another nervously. "Hey that's expensive!"

"You damn well deserve it Loki! What the hell were you thinking!?" More sounds of destruction as no doubt Hephaestus was dealing some damage with the hammer she currently wielded. Elfy nervously slipped Bell's arm off her shoulders and quickly knocked on the door making the interior of the room go quiet.

"Good luck." Elfy told him leaving Bell speechless as she hurried back the way they'd come. Bell looked after her, she turned and gave him a quick thumbs up before hurrying off.

It didn't take long before the door opened revealing Hephaestus, hammer in hand, Bell looked past her to see Loki currently peering out from behind her desk. The moment Hephaestus saw Bell a sorrowful look came to her face... he didn't even know yet. Hephaestus stepped to the side gesturing for Bell to enter. Slowly Bell walked in, seeing the destruction hadn't stopped outside and had followed Hephaestus into the room.

"U-Um... sorry to interrupt." Bell began awkwardly.

"You have nothing to be sorry for Bell." Hephaestus stated as she walked to his side, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry." Hephaestus apologised to him causing to him to blink on confusion, what did she have to be sorry about?

"Geeze." Loki muttered as she stood up from where she was crouched behind her desk. "Look kid." Loki began. "Hestia's gone." Bell blinked in surprise, what did she mean by gone? "That weakness you're feeling right now? Yeah that's because Hestia's Falna is no longer active. When a deity returns to heaven, the Falna no longer supports the strength of it's user until it's reactivated." Bell felt like he had been punched in the gut.

"Wha... how...?" Bell was confused, what was going on? Why was he here? Why was Hestia gone? He glanced to Hephaestus but she simply turned her gaze away.

"Listen." Loki began. "The thing is... what happened was... look, the fact of the matter is, Hestia's gone and she's not coming back." Loki stated, as she tussled up her hair. "The reports say she was attacked when you were in the dungeon." Hephaestus's glare hardened as she rounded on Loki but the Trickster Goddess matched it with her own silencing her. Loki walked around the table to Bell, the teen had his head hung low as his body trembled. "I know it's a lot to take in."

"I... I'm sorry." Bell turned and he was about to leave but Loki reached out and grabbed his arm.

"Join the Loki Familia." Loki offered causing Bell to pause and turn back to her with wide eyes, the tears that had been rising up brimming and ready to pool over.

Hephaestus turned away with a scowl on her face, but if she said anything she risked angering one of the strongest Familia's in the city and she didn't want to drag her Familia into a mess that was best settled between them. She was the only one to know of what happened, nobody even suspected Loki having been the one to send Hestia back to heaven. But what she was doing now, was cruel even by Loki's standards. Why had Loki done this? Was it just a petty squabble between her and Hestia that had gotten out of hand?

"W-Why me?" Bell asked.

"Right time, right place." Loki shrugged letting go of the boys wrist as she walked back over to the table, leaning against it.

"Bell." It was Hephaestus that spoke up surprising the two. "With Hestia gone, you'll need a new Familia." She continued. "There are plenty out there that would take you in now that you have the experience. Hestia once told me that when you first came to Orario you had a hard time finding a Familia to join." Bell nodded hesitantly. "But..." Hephaestus's gaze drifted over to Loki. "You won't find a better offer than the one Loki's offering you now."

"O-Oh..." Bell lowered his head, he didn't know what to think. With Hestia gone... what was he suppose to do now? Until his Falna was reactivated he couldn't go into the Dungeon as he was now so he wouldn't be able to make a living and he didn't have much savings. Everything was overwhelming him, everything was happening so fast he didn't know what to do. Seeing no other option, Bell slowly nodded his head. "O-Okay."

Hephaestus frowned slightly as Bell stood with his head down, tears evident as they fell from his face. It would take some time for the boy to recover. Turning her attention back to Loki, her grip tightening on the hammer in her hand she walked over. Loki grew nervous as the taller goddess approached before Hephaestus leaned down to Loki's ear.

"I'll never forgive you for this Loki." Loki frowned as Hephaestus reached out and grabbed the knife that Hestia had come to her personally to forge which Loki had on her desk. Turning, the Goddess walked back to Bell, she crouched before him and it broke her heart to see his tears and pain stricken face. "Hey." She smiled softly, his ruby red eyes darting to hers. "Come see me when you're ready, I'll have to make some adjustments to the knife, alright."

"Okay." Bell nodded softly as he wiped at his eyes with his sleeve. Hephaestus nodded and placed a hand on his shoulder before leaving the room without another word. Loki watched the boy for a few moments, no doubt it would be a while before the pain of Hestia's absence began to fade in his heart. But she had done what Finn had asked, she got him into their Familia.

"I hope you're worth the trouble kid." Loki sighed as she looked towards the ceiling, more so looking to the heavens above. "I'll at least take good care of him, for you ya shrimp." Loki walked towards Bell, the two roughly around the same height as one another. She placed both her hands on his shoulders as he looked up at her. "Welcome to the Loki Familia kid, I know it'll be different but we'll welcome you with open arms. When you're ready, we'll get your status all good and new."