It has been three days since the familia departed from land of Alfheim. With Lyra handling the ship's direction, the familia members sat idle thinking of the upcoming adventure which is about saving a whole world from an evil adepti.
Bell was still having a hard time awakening the power manually but he kept training hard to awaken that power again. He tries to feel what he felt back then when he first awakened the power. Hestia monitored him as he concentrated on awakening the power on his own.
Lily checked her equipment and made up a plan for future adventure. She learned to be prepared for anything they plan to face head on. Haruhime was helping Mikoto with the food preparation. Welf just kept a check on everyone's weapon.
The group finally got the sight of the island.
"Is that it?"
Lily called out to Lyra as she pointed out the island, gaining a nod from her side the group prepared themselves to dock.
After docking the ship, Lyra decided to stay on the ship to guard it while Hestia familia made their way to explore the island for the orb.
They made it to an abandoned town… or it seemed abandoned but they could hear wind cluttering through the houses.
"This place is… creepy," Lily.
"Something seems off here, as if there is no life but… there is life," Welf.
"I can't comprehend that," Lily.
Bell and Hestia just walked silently, they might know what this feeling is, Bell might not be able to explain it but Hestia might.
They roamed around the town and then they explored the forest.
"Okay this place gives me the creeps," Welf said as he was feeling eyes on him but from where he had no idea.
"y-you are right… are we getting haunted by a-a g-g-ghost?" Mikoto stuttered.
"Do ghost really exist?" Lily.
"I don't know j-just saying a possible conclusion," Mikoto.
Welf noticed that for whole time period, Bell and Hestia haven't said any word. He decided to leave it at that and focus on getting the location of the orb.
Lily took out the map and placed it on the flat ground.
"so… the orb seemed to be somewhere near that location," she points towards a volcano.
"Wait we have to go there for the orb?" Welf.
"I think so yes…" Lily.
Just as they were discussing, Mikoto suddenly felt a touch on her neck which made her screech taking their attention.
"S-S-something touched me!" Mikoto.
"Huh what touched you?" Welf.
"Ahhh…!" Haruhime screeched as she also felt something clod on her back, "S-Something passed behind me."
"huh?" Lily.
Soon Lily and Welf also felt something clod touching them.
"Brrrrrr… s-something cold touched me too," Lily said as she held her arms tight together as she was feeling cold. They can see their breath coming out from their mouth.
Bell and Hestia scanned around the place.
"B-Bell and Lady H-Hestia the two of you are silent from the very beginning!" Welf.
"S-say something would you?" Lily.
"what can I say… how to explain this," Bell scratched his hair.
"Brrrrr…. Why are we getting cold here," Mikoto.
"The temperature dropped suddenly," Haruhime.
Bell used his flame and gave them warmth while Hestia stood with a serious face.
"I guess this really is the ghost island then," Hestia.
"W-Wait ghost island?!" everyone in surprise as Bell nodded.
"I can feel some ghost passing by us… more specifically observing us very well," Bell.
"W-what… why did you not speak a word of it?" Welf.
"I don't know how to explain but… I think other than ghost there is a god living here," Bell said as Hestia agreed with him.
"Let's go look around… I think I might know who that is," Hestia said and so the group moved and looked around the island.
As they explored, they could feel the cold catching up to them. They could tell in a way that the ghosts were not happy having them.
As the cold kept increasing, Bell's flames were weaker to even give enough warmth.
"We are probably surrounded by them, and they seem to be angry," Bell said as his flames started to flicker and burn out.
The group could not handle the cold they were getting literally making them freeze to the worst state.
"Lets head to the volcano, the magma might give us warmth," Hestia said as they ran towards the volcano.
As they were running towards the volcano, all the cold suddenly disappeared and it was… a still environment.
There was no flow in wind and the cold finally stopped. Bell and Hestia looked around carefully while the familia members were still afraid of what is going to happen next.
"How are those two able to stay calm when we are literally chased by ghosts," Lily said annoyingly.
"And more than that they are silent about this, I can't believe that this island is filled with ghost," Welf.
"Wait is it just me or the wind is picking up," Mikoto.
As the samurai girl said they could feel the wind suddenly picking speed, enough to blow their hairs in swirl. Bell and Hestia just stared at the sky.
"So… you are the one who has awakened the power of god."
A mysterious calm voice spoke, soon the wind formed a tornado and a strong muscular body, upper half having the body and a young face and lower half having the tornado.
The familia members were surprised to see the wind taking form of a handsome young man with grey hair and eyes and a semi-transparent body formed by the wind.
"Vayu…" Hestia called out.
"It's been a while Hestia," the wind named Vayu replied back.
"Lady Hestia… who?" Lily.
"Vayu… he is the god who controls wind," Hestia said as Vayu returned back to his human appearance.
"I didn't expect to see you here Vayu," Hestia.
"That was supposed to be my line… and," he stared at Bell with an intimidating stare, "this is the mortal who has your power."
Bell sweat-dropped while Hestia stood calm.
"If you know it already then you probably know what is going on," Hestia.
"Ofcourse I had the feeling… and I know why you must be here for," Vayu.
"Oh that makes things easy, well then now can you tell us the location of the orb," Hestia.
"For the record, the orb is with Agni," Vayu replied, "and moreover… I can't trust that mortal god."
"Wait Agni is here too?" Hestia.
"Who is that?" Welf.
"A flame god just like me," Hestia answered Welf and got back to Vayu, "I didn't expect Agni to be here. Where is he?"
"Over there."
He points towards the volcano where they could see magma coming out slowly.
"Well… that is the place he definitely would be at," Hestia just shrugged while the familia members paled out.
'We have to go there!?'
While the familia was trying to calm down, Hestia could tell that Vayu still had doubts about Bell. The wind god made it clear to them that he is no one to judge despite having the doubts of this mortal god. One thing he could clear is that he could say that this god seemed to be good one in nature.
Vayu told them everything about this island. This island has been abandoned for over 500 years, him and Agni were the only gods who stay here as they could feel the presence of their dead children in this island. Even after their death, they seem to live peacefully in that island. He told them that they were aware of the fact that there are two mortal gods who have been finally awakened. Vayu told Hestia that Bell has to get through Agni's trials to even claim the orb.
As they were near the volcano, the wind god parted ways from Hestia familia leaving them to carry on their journey. Bell still wasn't good with using Hestia's power but they have to press on forward and get their hands on the orb.
As they marched on towards the volcanic caves a mob of monsters were borne from the magma.
"W-What the hell!?" Welf practically yelled. Those monsters were made up of flame and there is no way they can beat them.
After multiple attempts of ending them, they failed and decided to just escape from the mobs.
"I didn't expect this to go like this," Hestia huffed catching her breath.
"Moreover there is no way our strikes would affect those monsters," Welf also catching his breath.
"What kind of god is Agni exactly," Bell.
"Well… lets say he is a bit aggressive and overexcited person. He always takes things to an extreme," Hestia.
"You should've told us early!" Lily.
"That means this trial is also extreme, how the hell he expects us to fight fire with fire?" Welf.
"Only if we just use fire to push back them then," Bell looked at his palm and pressed it close, he finally remembered the feeling that he felt when he used Vesta's power, in an instant a fiery aura could be felt around him.
"I think I am able to use it now," Bell said as he produced small flame on his palm.
"Yeah right, fight godly flame with godly flame," Welf.
Bell just raised an eyebrow. But something didn't feel right.
What if this was some kind of test that does not require him to use this power. Keeping in mind that he CAN'T afford to abuse Vesta's power, he restrains from using the power for the moment and decided to just analyses what the mobs would do.
Again, charging in this time, Lily recorded the movements of the mobs and with some minor strategy, they made the monsters fight themselves as they successfully clear the first trial.
They made it in deeper volcano where magma is freely flowing, the temperature was high enough to melt any metal, the familia members held on tight not to collapse in this place.
They finally reached a open hall like structure where the magma was flowing freely around the walls, at the center was a throne were a big fire seem to laugh in excitement.
"I could not believe… you actually made it without using your godly powers Kid!" the fire spoke taking Hestia familia by surprise.
"AHHHH AGNI YOU AND YOUR STUPID TRIAL ALMOST TOOK OUR LIVES!" Hestia yelled aloud.
The god of flames Agni showed up, his eye, hair and skin color matched with the shade of red.
"Ahahahahaha! It was fun seeing you all enter this place in such a state." The flame god seemed to enjoy this more than anything else.
"Grrrrrrr." Hestia gritted her teeth.
After few minutes Agni stopped laughing and looked at Bell.
"Even though you tried to use Vesta's power at the beginning, you still didn't use it. Well, you pass the trial," Agni responded quickly making the familia members a bit confused.
"Wait that was it?" Lily.
"SIKE NO!" as Agni said the flames caught onto the familia members except Bell and Hestia, dragging them away and hovering over the burning lava.
"What the… let go!" Welf.
"Ahhh…" Lily,Mikoto and Haruhime.
Hestia now got annoyed, "AGNI! what are you doing!?"
"You think I will just hand over the only thing which I am supposed to protect from being in wrong hands." The god smirked in amusement.
"We are not the bad guys here!" Bell.
"Good or bad it doesn't matter kid," the god stood from his throne, "you have to prove yourself to be worthy for the orb."
The god folds his arms upfront with an intimidating serious look.
"What do you want Agni?" Hestia.
"I have been bored so I am itching for a fight, the kid still has your blessings so might as well see how strong he is without using your power," Agni.
"This is absurd, and first of how are you controlling the flames, you are forbidden to use—"
"I am not using my arcana Hestia, it is just my passive ability to control flames just like Vayu who can control the flow of wind," Agni answered to Hestia's incomplete question.
"Let us have a fair fight, both of us won't use our arcana and fight to see who wins," Agni demanded as he points towards Bell, "and if you are not willing to fight," he gestures his arm to lower as the flames holding his friends lowers down, "your call, fight me to save them or just give up and let them die."
"You… You won't do that would you?" Bell asked, he was mentally panicking inside.
"keh… Kid… right now I am fighting someone I am total strangers with, and this island is the place where one of the four keys to the ultimate artifact lies. I would go far to do anything what it takes to protect it." Agni's serious words made it clear that this is no game.
Bell was afraid at the same time Hestia was worried about him, from above the top of volcano Vayu just saw the whole incident happening.
Few days before the arrival of Hestia familia… Vayu and Agni felt two mystic awakened powers with second one being kind and stronger.
"it seems like there is another mortal who awakened as a god," Vayu.
"Hmm… this one seems to have Hestia's… no its vesta's power," Agni.
"So it really happened… what are you planning to do Agni?" Vayu.
"About what?" Agni.
"At some point, that god will come here for the key to destroy the artifact, will you hand it over to that mortal god?" Vayu.
"You think it would be that easy?" Agni.
"?" Vayu.
"He might have awakened the power but I am sure they have no idea of when to use and when not to use the power of the god," Agni.
"What are you planning to do now?" Vayu.
"Just guide them to me once they arrive here… leave the rest to me…" Agni.
Present time
"Are you sure about what you are doing now Agni?" Vayu said as he prayed for the boy to be victorious.
Bell drew out his blades as the flame god controlled the magma and attacked him with it. Bell swiftly dodges the oncoming flames bended by the flame god.
He gets pushed back by the flames. Hestia could do nothing but stand still, she can't use her arcana moreover…
*BAM*
He now crashes towards the wall of the volcano, ignoring the impact's effect Bell pushed passed the wall and made a run to hide behind the walls.
"I have to do something; measly daggers won't do anything against a god. What kind of a fool am I to even thing of using daggers on a god."
The god showed up exploding the wall behind him.
"Kid… the clock is ticking," Agni.
'What does he mean by that?' Bell thought.
"You are practically a god so you won't notice it but…"
Back at the center Hestia just looked the condition of her children which was not good at all, they were having hard time breathing with magma and heat flowing around.
"Your familia members are having hard time breathing, the more time you take the closer they are to lose their lives," Agni said with a mocking smile, Bell was shaken hearing this.
It is hard to even breath because of the pressure present in here. At this point Bell's mind was in complete chaos.
"What should I do! What should I do! What should I do! What should I do!" Bell panicked, holding his head tight trying to think of a way to beat the god.
HE had to stay calm and think it out. He can't use arcana in this fight and only way he could fight was using his fire magic and nothing else. This was a ranged battle.
He can hear the rocks burning down as Agni proceeded to look for him.
Time is running out, he has to act before his familia members gave in to the flames on which they are hanging their lives onto.
His mind cried out but suddenly a calm wave passed through, recollecting everything from the beginning.
…
'The first two phases focus on manipulating and controlling the flames…' Hestia.
…
'I am not using my arcana, I am just using my passive ability to control the flames,' Agni.
…
'Bell let me tell you, lady Freya is the goddess of beauty and her charms are natural. She might seem to use her arcana but its just her ability that makes it easy for her too charm children of gekai so you better watch out from her,' Hestia.
…
'Hestia formed a shrine using her arcana but still she is here, then that means she is just using the power of the holy flame to summon her shrine,' Hephaistos.
…
'We don't use arcana. We use our passive ability so we are not breaking any rules,' Vayu.
…
As every single piece of puzzle gets completed, Bell realized something.
'There is no need for me to use Vesta's power if I can control the flames. Gods use their passive ability then that means….'
He took a deep breath and exhaled out, pulling his palm out and facing it towards the flowing magma.
'Move…'
He concentrated on moving the magma but it didn't work, he tried again and this time it seemed to wobble on the same are.
"I finally got it!" Bell celebrated but it was not the time, Agni had already found out Bell's hiding spot and threw the magma at the rock breaking it down making Bell jump farther from the flame god.
"Found you ha!"
Agni slapped the flames towards Bell, keeping a calm mind Bell strongly focused on the flying magma. Agni's eyes widened in surprise to see Bell bending the magma and returning back to him. The god dodged his own attack but was not given enough time to balance, Bell raised his hands above is head making the lava behind him rise and threw them at the god.
The god gave a grin filled with excitement and did the same, the two were into throwing the magma at each other, reverting orr diverting the flow, until and unless one of them get hits.
Agni have finally felt the excitement and heat of battling after years of wait, he forgot for a moment he was just testing the kid's ability and took it too far. This time the flame god burned Bell's right sleeve, he panicked but his hand was completely fine making him surprised.
"There is no need for you to even worry, after all you just stepped on the god hood path kiddo!"
AS he said he threw another wave of magma at him, Bell this time took it upfront which was totally unexpected by Agni.
"If fire won't affect me," the challenger grinned, "then that means I have no reason to keep my distances right!" he charged towards the god in front of him whose smile cross the sides of his face.
"Coming at me with punches now, are we?" Agni boldly blocked Bell's strong hit.
He deflected and started to throw his punches; both the gods now went on a physical contact battle. As the battle flowed the flames surrounding them got excited due the heated battle.
While the battle of flame gods was going on Vayu entered and gave the children of Hestia familia some cold wind to breath and stay alive.
He later on explained on what Agni was up to which made Hestia calm down for the moment, although at the point when both of them seriously started fighting, the familia children were left free from the grasp of the flame.
"W-what is going on?" Welf asked in confusion.
"Seems like the boy is putting up a good fight with Agni," Vayu.
"Wait what do you mean by that Lord Vayu," Mikoto.
"Whenever Agni feels that his fight is going to be heated, he loses control on flames which are farther from his contact. I can see the flames bouncing in excitement as the battle is engaged," Vayu.
"How can he tell?" Lily asked looking at Hestia.
"Wind… he can basically talk to the wind," Hestia said as she crossed her arms, "so the battle is near its end."
"I say it would be better if we leave this volcano, trust me you won't prefer to stay here," Vayu said as he generated a tornado carrying all of them outside the volcano and landing them a bit far away from it.
Agni and Bell were just clashing with each other, for some reason both of them enjoyed fighting. As the magma raised the volcano exploaded throwing both of them out of it.
"ahhh!" Bell yelped in pain.
"OWww…" Agni in same state.
"W-What happened, how did we get blown away?" Bell.
"ugh… when it was going smooth it had to happen… well kid you have proved me that you really are the one to bring salvation to this uncalled calamity," Agni.
"huh?" Bell.
"MASTER BELL!"
The albino heard his supporter's call , as he turned to look his family alive and perfectly fine.
"thank goodness you all are fine," Bell.
"Same to say for you, I don't know what happened but I am happy to see you alive," Welf.
"Sir Bell you are not hurt, are you?" Mikoto said as she checked on him.
"Y-Yeah I am totally fine Mikoto," Bell.
Vayu checked on Agni and was surprised to see him bruised up, but he gave him a smile.
"the kid riled you up didn't he?" Vayu said with a smile on his face.
"Yeah right… and as promised," Agni brings his palm towards his chest and pushes it in, taking out a fiery orb and showing it to Hestia.
"Here Vesta… your child proved his strength to me. Now go and destroy that so called arcanum booster once and for all," Agni said as he grinned.
Hestia gave a smile and gracefully accepted the orb, "thank you," she moves up to Bell and pushed the orb inside his body.
"W-What!?" the familia members had their jaw dropped.
"It would be better if god of salvation possess it, or is it not?" Hestia grinned to which Bell just smiled.
"Let me tell you Bell Cranel," Agni takes his attention, "you just steeped into the path of godhood. And I tell you being a god isn't easy. It is a huge responsibility to be a god and do your duty. If you ever try to abuse the power… I think you already know the consequences."
Bell gave a serious nod to which the flame god smirked while the wind god seemed relieved by that answer.
"Let's have a fiery rematch someday… if possible," Agni.
Bell bows down and so the other children, finally making their way to the ship.
…
"He is an adeptus so there is no need for him to consider using arcana," Vayu.
"True… but it is still necessary to know when to use the power and when not to use it, I am counting on you Bell," Agni.
As both the gods viewed the cloudy sky the familia reached to the docked ship.
"So… did you get the orb?" Lyra asked as she came out of the small room to receive Hestia familia.
"Yes we did," lily.
"What is our next destination?" Haruhime.
Lyra pulls out the map and directly says it.
"The kingdom of Rakia…"
Hearing that everyone just paused….
"Oh great we have to deal with that meat-head again," Hestia said annoyingly.
"ahh… hehe… well I hope that one goes easy…" Bell sweat dropped.
The group finally bids farewell to the ghost island and now make its way to the Rakia kingdom.
"All right soldiers, we got new enemies who are planning to invade our kingdom!" Ares.
"You do know who we are dealing with aren't you damned meat-head!" Marius.
"Ugh… why him of all people should be here," Hestia scoffed.
"We better get the orb and get out of here quick," Welf.
"As if we would let you Hestia, I shall show you the wrath of messing with the war god ARES! HAHAHAHAHA," Ares.
"Next Time: Rakia"