Oh hello there. So it seems you are interested in this path. Well this path is the incest one, so yeah. Path of Bond is what it is all about. So after this you could read my notes about it in the end.
Hope you enjoyed it, and yes, it starts off the way it did. However, the context changes to add the mood of it.
Disclaimer: I don't own Danmachi nor the characters
Alt Final Chapter: Path of Bond
Both Bell and Alfia looked shocked at the revelation.
Alfia then looked carefully and saw the semblance on Meteria. Instead of the long hair she had, it was short, the face features did look similar, except a slight sharper look. It's those red eyes….those red eyes of that coward. She should have seen it. She should have known better.
Bell felt disgusted with himself. How could he do this to himself? How could he love someone like his own kinship in that way? Was it his lust?
"Alfia...you're my aunt….we just dated…." was all Bell could say.
Hermes looked at both of them as they looked pale. He heard what the white haired teen said and realized the implication of it all. He saw shame on both of them.
Bell turned and tried to run, only to get tackled by Cassandra and Daphne.
"Let me go!" Bell yelled.
"No! You can't just run from this!" Cassandra shouted. "Please don't run! It will make it worse!"
He reached for his knife and aimed to stab. Asfi was quick and disarmed him.
"Please let me go….I don't deserve to see the shame of anyone for what I have done…." Bell was crying.
Alfia was on her knees, as her heart was in pain. Conflicted with everything. She felt that shame and could just imagine the disappointment her own sister felt from this. She was in tears.
She was then getting up, but was held by Hermes.
"Please…." was all she could say weakly.
"If you do leave, it will make it worse for your nephew. Talk to him…." Was all Hermes said.
She looked at her nephew who just gave up and began to cry. She felt that shame and she wouldn't blame him for hating her. She wouldn't at all as she was selfish on her emotions.
She went over on her knees near Bell as he looked away.
"I'm so sorry Alfia….I'm so sorry….I don't deserve your love for what I have done…."
"Me neither Bell….I shouldn't have done it…."
Not far off from there, Freya was on her cloak, watching this along with Ottarl. She was surprised to see Alfia, a name she hadn't heard in years and was surprised she was alive. What makes it more shocking is who her nephew is and their growing relationship.
Hestia and Lilli followed Bell and watched on. On the one hand, they were happy to see Bell didn't do anything worse. On the other hand, just learning his relationship was now in an uncertainty. They never saw how hurt Bell is at all.
Cassandra then looked at both of them with a determined look, it was now or never. "Bell, Alfia. I need you to stop and think about this carefully. I saw how this would have played out in a way. Bell" She turned to look at him "You were going to stab your own eyes as you couldn't bear to see the shame of your own familia and friends. You couldn't live by knowing the truth of your actions and would lose the motivation to go back to the Dungeon."
She turned to see the older woman "Alfia, you would have hanged yourself of shame, not able to handle living in this world."
Bell realized the revelation on what he was about to do.
"I did see another vision though…." She looked up at the sky.
"You were both going to keep the relationship a secret by lying to others. That is until the woman in the tower would have exposed it out in the open."
Hestia's eyes widened hearing this. "Freya…"
Freya was surprised to hear this.
"She would have used it as a way to bring the bounty back of someone that was supposed to be dead and would have threatened both of you to end it. You both refused and both were given an opportunity by Lady Hestia for both of you to escape. By then, the story would spread that Hestia had a known criminal in her own familia and it would have been the end of the familia. She would be forced to disband the familia due to an outcry of Orario, and the familia would be given a black mark on their records of who they are."
She looked at her hands "You both will be running non stop, in hiding and praying for safety. In the end, both of you would live in misery, looking back each night of when the woman would want you."
She closed her eyes "Now….my visions have changed."
Bell decided to pay close attention to this one.
"Two paths lead a change to you. You can either take the Path of Blood or the Path of Bond. I need you to think carefully based on what your mind and heart are."
She got up.
"Daphne, Lord Hermes, and Asfi, let's give them space please."
They nodded and did so.
Both Bell and Alfia looked at one another and looked down.
"You know….I think that explained that odd connection when I was near you." Alfia chuckled.
"Yeah…." he sniffed as he dried his eyes "I had that feeling too strangely enough…"
Both looked at each other and laughed about this.
"Look at my, I was about to do something stupid….yet it took Cassandra to snap me back to normal. Just as she saw her pillow on her former home still, she in a way, saved us." Bell said.
She nodded, "I may have to thank her."
Both then looked at each other. "So….how do we handle this, Bell?"
Bell began to think about this carefully and closed his eyes. He began to find out how they can figure out how to do this. Then he said,
"Alfia, if I made this choice, would we do it openly?"
She thought about it for a moment and said "If it comes to whatever choice you make, I will be by your side no matter what."
"Okay."
He then cupped her face and began to kiss her.
This caused Hestia and Lilli their jaws to drop. Freya frowned on this as the others watched on quietly.
The kiss was a little longer than expected and she caressed his cheek. Then they parted ways as both blushed a little.
"D-did you feel something?" He asked.
She nodded "Yes….my heart is going fast, I feel warmth, and….I want to hold you close….is that love?"
He nodded "Then I suppose we have to tell others. I know people would think of us as wrong, but I am not asking others to do the same at all. I do hope at least they can let us be in this relationship. I do hope that Lady Hestia could respect it and the others. I just pray they do."
She hugged him and caressed his back "I know they will, Bell. I know they will. Whatever obstacles we will face, we will do this, together."
He nodded. "I love you, Alfia."
"I love you too, Bell."
Freya grew tired of this and wanted to end this so-called relationship.
"Oh look what we have here, Ottarl. Alfia, former member of Hera's Familia and member of Evilus."
Ottarl had his stoic look at them and holding his weapon at the ready.
Bell and Alfia got up and Bell placed her behind him.
"Oh my. Playing a hero, protecting the villain who caused the deaths of numerous lives. Move aside Bell, I have to end this monster."
"No…"
This surprised her. He would defy a goddess like her. She closed her eyes and knew a way to put an end to it. Alfia realized what was going to happen, as Alfia was resistant to it.
"Bell….look-"
Too late her eyes glowed and Bell twitched a bit.
"Bell, she is evil. She doesn't love you. She is using you" She then pouted "You wouldn't like that. I can comfort you. So please, end her life here with your blade."
Bell looked down and wasn't moving a moment.
"I refuse." He looked up in a determined look. His eyes look as bright as ever.
This surprised her further. He was able to resist the Charm somehow. She didn't know what to do as she was caught red handed.
"How…"
"I don't care what you think. I refuse to listen to you. I love Alfia with all my heart and I refuse to listen to you."
She trembled a bit and didn't know what to do. She wanted to end this farce of a relationship, why couldn't he see how she is the villain on this one.
"Freya, go home."
She turned and saw Hestia was there, along with Lilli.
"Hestia? Can't you see how wrong this is?!" She pointed at both of them.
"Freya, I am the goddess of Hearth and Family. And I see a love between an aunt and nephew beyond that, a love that I don't want to tarnish. I refuse. If my child found love, who am I to deny it!" She stood beside Bell.
Lilli then said "Lilli is going to side with Bell. Lilli owes Bell a lot and Lilli would support Bell on anything no matter what." She was next to Alfia, ready for anything.
Hermes appeared and smiled "I have seen Bell go through so much and I do believe Bell here earned his right to be with anyone, so long as the other person agrees to it."
Asfi and the others were coming out.
Freya could just Charm them, but she could only do so much before Bell managed to snap them out of it, somehow. Even if she tried a plan to do this, she wouldn't want Bell to hate her. She looked down and grew frustrated. Even if she pushed it off, he still has support in various places.
"My lady, if I may."
She looked at Ottarl as he whispered.
"Let it go for now." she looked at him surprised "If this relationship fails, then you can go after him. If it works out, then you can still help him out. Would you rather let him hate you, or still look for you on any advice in the future."
She thought about this once more. She could get Loki to side with her, but then what? Resentment will kick in and it might cause a bigger problem, especially how Ais would side with Bell on this one.
That is something she would rather avoid than anything. Even if they try to go after Alfia for her crimes, the problem is that it occured a long time ago. Her powers are gone from what she has seen and it has been years since she has done anything besides keeping it at peace. Maybe her punishment was already there, but she couldn't just see it.
She sighed "You win this one. I will keep an eye on both of you." She looked at Alfia "I do hope you don't break my Bell's heart…."
Alfia had a determined look "I won't."
She smiled "Good. Ottarl, let's leave."
He nodded and both were gone.
Bell and Alfia were relieved.
"I don't think I will win the fight against Ottarl anytime soon." Bell simply said.
"Give it a while, and you might beat him one day." Alfia pointed out.
Hestia was relieved as well, then said "Alfia, I could welcome you to our home and we could discuss arrangements on things."
She nodded. "This day has been trying, and I would like to spend time with my Bell."
Hermes chuckled "I will leave you lovebirds alone. Until then, tata!"
"Zeus is going to laugh about this. He would say 'So my grandson went with the route of forbidden love? Hahaha, that's mah boy!'"
The others were leaving, as Cassandra went up to both of them and held their hands.
"I could say that….your future is brighter this time around….just as long as that love stays there, it will grow."
Alfia went to hug Cassandra "Thank you Cassandra….thank you."
She blushed and nodded "You're...you're welcome…."
The hug ended. Then they all went home that day.
Epilogue: Hearth Mansion, a few hours later….
Bell was laying his head on her lap as she caressed his hair.
"Alfia?"
"Yes?"
"If I plan to retire one day, would you wiling to marry me?" he asked.
She smiled softly "Of course I would. But let us wait and see how far our relationship will go."
He nodded "I never thought my own familia would accept this relationship."
"Bell, a true familia would love you whether you love men, women or both. Just as long as it doesn't interfere with your work in the Dungeon."
He closed his eyes and smiled "Yes. I like that idea."
She then lays next to him and both begin to kiss as he caresses her cheek.
Once the kiss ended, they stared at each other's eyes. "I love you, Bell."
"I love you too, Alfia."
Both couples knew that the road of their relationship will be filled with challenges and uncertainty, but as long as they tackle it together their love will grow more.
End.
A/N: I will be honest, I am not much into the incest stuff. I did this for the sake of challenging myself as a writer. One of the things I thought was how to make it work and this is the best I can come up with. A confrontation is needed and I admit, it wasn't the best, but I wrote with what I can work with. I know that Freya was told about Bell being immune to Charms, but let us assume she didn't know to what extent it is.
Alfia, I would assume knew something about Freya's Charm and is immune to it, due to years of conditioning herself with magics and such. That is all I can think of at the moment and recognizes it anywhere. That is all I could think about. I could be wrong, which is fine by me.
Now I can finally take my week off and replenish my mind as this literally took a mental toll on me, because of the endings. This troubled me a lot on how to do it to be honest.
Anyways, thank you for reading both endings and well….if anyone is interested in being a beta reader for my one-shots to improve it or so, PM me and we can talk. Until then take care.
