I was simply a normal girl who lived with my parents living our normal lives, we were respected by most and we had no problems or got into any trouble… or so I would have loved it to be true.

One day when we were moving out from our village to other, we were attacked by some bandits. People would call it an unfortunate event but it wasn't. I recognised that those bandits were someone who worked under a wicked landlord who hated my father's guts. He was the person who would do anything to pluck off that stops his ways.

I was the only one who had escaped from them while my parents bought me some time.

I was crying all alone, stumbling here and there wandering around the unknown forest. Night had already fallen and I could hear the cries of nocturnal animals. I lost hope at this point, the life that my parents gave is going to end here…

The monsters started to show up around the area, their red eyes locked on me. I shut closed my eyes and crouched instinctively.

"Haaa!"

I heard a shout then looked up, the monsters were hit by some rocks, the monsters were confused, again another set of stones rained on them, all of them charged towards the direction.

The bushes around me made noises.

'Is there another monster?'

"Now is the chance, here," a hand opened up from the bush. I don't know why but my hand moved by itself holding onto the free hand. We quickly ran through the forest.

After reaching the end I could see the person well, a blonde-haired hobbit with blue eyes smiled at me as he laughed, "well that was troublesome, how did you even end up there?"

I was just silent and was not able to give out proper answer.

"Were you separated? Where are your parents?"

"They were killed…"

"Oh… well I can't leave you here. Why not come to my hometown, it is just few hours walk."

The boy again forwarded his hand.

I felt like this person can be trusted. I just nodded and followed him to where he leads me.

…

"I haven't changed at all did I?"

I have pigs of soma familia chasing me back and forth. My tiny body could barely cover distance while they continuously try to close gaps between us.

I finally lost them by getting through the narrow alleyway.

"Damn… these pigs never give in do they."

Just as I said one of them showed up again with the thirst for blood. I just backed away but there was no room for escape.

"I GOT YOU PHANTO—"

Before that man even closed his gaps he was crushed to the ground, the lifted dust disappears to reveal a familiar figure that is standing on him. My eyes widens as I saw him.

"Bell boy?"

"Sup…"

The man casually pushes his foot crushing the soma familia member without mercy.

"W-What are you doing here?"

"Me… oh I was strolling around and just happen to saw these idiots chasing my precious party member," he pushed his foot even further, "So I just happen to jump to the spot where he was standing, or say almost about to stab you."

"Well… that was a good attempt to lie but… why?"

The man lost his conscious, after confirming it himself Bell moved away from the body and closed his gaps with the hobbit.

"Why else… you are Lily… my party member. And I got a policy that I would never let a party member die."

"Flattery would do you no good… if you get caught up with me you will be in trouble also Bell boy!"

The man just gave her an expressionless face. He moves away from the hobbit and starts to look around.

"Did you not hear me? Hurry and—"

"Five… seven… no ten members on their way to hunt the phantom, Lily!"

"H-Huh…"

"Draw all of them to the dungeon," Bell starts to take his steps away from the hobbit.

"W-Why?"

"Just do what I say, get them till floor 7."

"What would that even achieve?"

He simply looked at me with confident eyes, "trust me…"

Again, just like back then… I could feel like trusting him. I have met countless adventurers but he was the second man who had made me earn his trust.

"Okay…"

"Good then…"

In a flash he disappeared, but if I were to tell he quickly took off towards the dungeon.

"Is he even a Level 2? That is way too fast for any level 2."

Jus as he predicted, the crowd started to cram around closing in on me. I decided to do what he said. I made all of them tail me on my way to dungeon.

…

"We are here…"

The blonde said as he waved his hand towards the small village. We were currently on a mountainous region. The place was a little cold but it had warmth of its own.

He led me further inside the village. People living there called out to him.

"Oh… Dim you are back," an old lady said as she placed basket of fruits on the table.

"Oh, you finally came back from the forest… you found something interesting kid?"

"Dim! Welcome home…"

The blonde waved back to them.

"Dim?"

"Yes… that is my name."

"Dim! You are back!"

A woman came up running towards him and hugged him tight.

"Mom… you are holding on tight!"

"Ah… sorry my boy I was worried about you. You again ran off to the forest didn't you?"

"I did… and see I am fine!"

"Well you got lucky again," a man appeared behind the woman who hugged him.

"Dad… I said I can handle."

Both of his parents smiled in relief, the two took a note of me then saw Dim.

"Who is that Dim?"

"Ah… I found her lost in the forest."

"Oh… poor thing. But don't you think her parents would worry about her?" the mother pointed out to Dim which made me tear up a little.

"My parents were killed."

I finally muster up the words to tell them. They looked apologetic to even ask for that.

The family decided to let me stay with them for the time. I told my story to them which made them feel sorry for me, thought for some reason I was relieved. They allowed me to stay with them as a family which made me happy.

We have spent time together as a family. Finn always loves to talk about the story of our goddess Fianna, who is now said to be nothing but a mere fantasy.

This directly came from the gods so all of our race had lost their hope for surviving on their own.

We don't have our goddess so we slowly lost our power and are easily overruled by other races, in simpler term we submitted our race to others. But Dim didn't lose his hope, instead he tried to convince all of the villagers to stand up for themselves.

I have seen him sneak into the chief's home to read books of various kinds. Not only that I have seen him doing something ridiculous all the time. Thinking about it he went on and invited a horde of hell hounds on himself in name of sprint training.

It was fun hanging around with him, the two of us got closer and I just wished the family of four stayed like that for long… but again life isn't fair.

A group of adventurers showed up around the village demanding us to hand over the resources for their benefits, in return they vowed to protect our village from monsters.

All of the elders agreed but Dim was the only person who tried to argue with them. The adventurers felt like bad news to me. We had no other choice but to let them have their way.

Then a day came when the adventurers were out from the mountain for some business and we were just doing our regular work, after few hours we heard roars of monsters.

The roar alarmed everyone of us, we saw a horde of Gargoyles setting their sight on us. Everyone tried to escape but they got us closed. Dim was about to get attacked by gargoyle but his parents took his strike which gave both of us time to escape.

We hid in the forest, crying out our tears and not able to think of what to do but wait till the next dawn. As the new dawn arises… we went back to mountain just to see the corpse of our villagers.

The adventurers who had left the village still didn't arrive. Holding his tears in Dim buried his parents' corpse.

Now we were on our known, we could just sit and sulk for the loss but Dim didn't do that. He tried to stay brave and held onto me.

"We must get stronger."

That is what he always said to me. From then on, I always followed him on his path. I always believed that he will stand up to his ideals that he would be the light of hope for our race, and I wished to be by his side till the very end.

But when it came to it, he was always a step far away from me. I always felt as if I held him back. His determination was something I never had back then.

The time came when he asked for my hand for supporting him forward…

But my feelings didn't take it… I felt weak and hesitant…

I guess… that was the only thing I regret the most. If I took his hand back then… I might've.

…

I finally reached at the seventh floor where Bell told me to draw them, I phanted heavily catching my breath, "Where… too… now… Bell boy."

I could heart the footsteps closing in on me, I pushed even more and ran even deeper. I ended up in a dead end, the soma familia members who chased me got me cornered, there was no sign of Bell boy. I phanted harder while those adventurers looked at me with psychotic look.

"Found you… hand it over!"

"I don't have anything on me!"

"Hand… the… vine OVER!"

All of them launched themselves on me, I instinctively crouched and shut closed my eyes.

'I trust him… I trust him… I trust him… I trust him… I trust him… I trust him… I trust him… I trust him… I trust him…'

That was the only thing repeating in my mind, no matter what those eyes meant what he said.

'He will help me…'

I stayed crouched for few more minutes just to notice nothing had happened. As I opened my eyes and untucked myself, I saw Bell holding a grey bag on his hand standing and looking at a pit… wait a pit?

"Bell boy?"

"Ah Lily… you finally decided to open your eyes."

"when did—wait… is that a pit?"

"What else you think off?"

"But… it's impossible to have pit this big on the seventh floor."

"Yeah… so I made one."

I widen my eyes in surprise, the man continued.

"Well I am the one to be surprised, I didn't tell you where to drag em but you showed up at the point where I exactly dug the whole thing."

"W-Wait… when did yu get here?"

"The moment when those idiots were launching themselves on you, I quickly moved you away and let them have it in the pit."

I was left baffled, his speed and reaction time was insane not to mention I didn't even notice a thing or heard his footsteps, even his presence.

"Just… what are you?"

"Hm? You said something?"

"No… well… what is in that bag?"

I point towards the moving grey bag, he casually opens it scarring the life out of me. It was a dying corpse of killer ant.

"W-WHY WOULD YOU HAVE SUCH A THING?"

I looked back at him to see him having dead eyes, he simply tossed the dying ant inside the pit.

"Wait… you possibly can't…"

At the floor below… the soma children were confused on what happened. They tried looking around for Lily who was missing.

"where the hell the woman go?"

"Wine… we need the wine!"

"Cut some slack dammit!"

In the next moment something drops from the ceiling.

"The hell was that?"

The members looked at the fallen thing which was none other than the corpse of a dying killer ant, everyone panicked as it started to signal its comrades.

"no… shit shit SHIT!"

The floor immediately spawned a horde of killer ants who rushed towards its prey.

"AAAAAAAHHHHH—"

All of them begin to run away to survive, even if meant sacrificing others to live for oneself, but the end for them was bad.

Back on the seventh floor, Lily could hear the sound of the members who were getting killed by the ants, on the other hand Bell patiently starred down at the pit waiting for something.

The girl simultaneously looked at the pit and looked at the boy. After few more minutes… the sound had been disappeared.

"Wait here would ya…"

Bell dives into the pit and now the sound of dying monsters were heard, Lily couldn't' stop herself and dove in.

The time she had reached the ground all that remained were the magic stones and slight remain of the soma familia members.

The girl's eyes were widened to see the outcome.

"You… killed them?"

The man looked at her with a cold face.

"Killer ants… oh yeah I did… but I guess I was too late."

"You… actually made the killer ants kill them?"

"Can you see any blood in my hands?"

"No... but… why?"

"Your life will be hell if more of those idiots think that you are the phantom… and I don't want my party member to be troubled by some dimwits."

"… why did you save me?"

"hm?"

"Why would you go far dirtying your hands indirectly for me? What worth do you see in me?"

The girl started to tear up for a bit, she felt responsible for his action. The cold expression now was replaced with a warm smile, he closed his gap with the girl and knelt down, tapping her shoulder.

"I don't need a reason to save someone who asks to be saved. But if you insist on getting a reason out of me then it would be," he takes his hands off her shoulder and places it on his knee, "it is because it is you… Liliruca Arde, not any phantom, not any supporter and not any adventurer… you are simply Liliruca Arde who gives her best in the work she does. Another reason would be it would be soo wrong to lose a potential person like you."

The girl broke out with tears but still laughed at my reasons.

"Are you serious," she wiped her tears, "the second one seems ridiculous."

"Well I did tell you it is not worth to know."

"And when did you say that haha…"

The tears were now that for joy other than grief, Bell also smiled back and stood back up.

"Well then let's get going… we don't want any more ants to hunt right."

The man casually starts walking and I couldn't help but follow him silently.

"Ya know… I will tell this to you."

"Tell what?"

"No need to feel responsible that I dirtied my hands because of you… it is just," his eyes turned cold again which lily could feel, "I had got dirty hands from a long time."

The prum didn't want to meddle further, "Seems like… everyone has their past filled with unfortunate events."

"Well… I can agree on that…"

Both of us finally reached the surface, we now just sit nearby the park bench. It was almost time for the sunrise and bring new dawn.

"So… what are you going to do from now on?"

"I… I lost everything now… I feel empty."

The boy looked at her weak smile through the corner of his eye.

"Want to join my familia?"

"And why would I do that?"

"Well… a choice."

"…"

"There should be something that you always wanted to do no? something that would make you strive to achieve. Something you seek to get and want it to be a reality."

"…"

Something that I want to strive for and achieve… yes I have something like that. I want to stand beside him, fight along side him and… convey my feelings for him.

Back then I hesitated and didn't hold onto his hand but… I still remember the words he said before we went our separate ways.

'I will always wait for you at the summit. Once you get the courage to stand up… I will be there to stand with you so please… I want you to cherish our dream.'

I want to get stronger.

"There is something that I want to strive… no I want to achieve. And for that… Bell boy".

This time I was determined and not a least bit hesitant, this time I am going to…

"I want to be the absolute spear!"

"Absolute… spear?"

"You might not know but we hobbits believed to have a goddess named Fianna, once the gods themselves had confirmed that there was no such goddess who existed… we gave away our hope," she started to smile from the part onwards, "But there was this one stubborn kid who stood up strong headed and wanted to show that we can stand our own grounds without giving in. He has aimed to be the pillar of hope for our race."

"…"

"I want to be someone like that… in fairy tales it was said that goddess Fianna wasn't actually a god but a knight, a knight who was an excellent spearmen. I want to be like them. I want to get stronger."

She looks at the albino with a determined look on her face, "by joining your familia… will you help me to get stronger?"

By the time her desire was listened by the white rabbit, the dawn arises reflecting on the face of new Liliruca Arde. The boy just smiled and forwarded his hand to her.

"I will…"

The girl smiled back and this time she held onto his hand.

"Then… I guess I am on board."

At that moment, both of them could sense some kind of connection between them, they felt as if if they grew closer… they can make each other stronger.

"And now here we are."

I told the whole story about Lily to Hestia and now the goddess herself was surprised as well as felt bad for the poor girl. The goddess took her time and finally came to her conclusion.

"well then… If Bell says that you can be trusted then I have got no problem, but let me tell you one thing, you have to work hard to support me and Bell okay?"

"yes mam!"

"good… now let me go grab some tea for our newest member."

The boy makes his way to kitchen while Lily leaves her back open for the goddess to see.

"hmm… impressive… of a normal kid your stats are decent."

"I think I is probably because I trained without a god's guidance."

"Though it must be hard but from here on oout it will be easy," the goddess said with a smile.

Though Lily cought onto that so called smiled.

"Something bothering ya?"

"Oh well… what do you think of Bell?"

"huh?"

"I mean… well…" her face turns red to which Lily just gave out a smirk.

"Yah the kid is a fine fella, more like a lil' brother to me."

"Oh.. is that so.. then nice to know he won't be in trouble."

"Ya just making sure I ain't fallin' fer him didcha!"

"Ahh—well."

"Don't worry… I already have someone else in my mind."

"Is that so.. good to know," the goddess take out a blank paper and inscribes her status.

"For a Level 1, these stats are incredible, you are pretty much about to be Level 2 after few more adventures."

The hobbit carefully looked at the status sheet.

Liliruca Arde

Level 1

STR: H 110

END: I 15

DEX: G 200

VIT: H 104

AGI:B 780

MAG: I 0

Developmental Abilities:-

Skills:-

Magic:-

"Well that's reassuring…"

"Time for some tea!"

Bell brought out the tea and the two celebrated the joining of new member with some potato croquets. As Lily was now the official member, Bell decided to share his secret with Lily about his level which she was half surprised and half aware, again swearing that this will be between the tree of them they enjoyed the rest of the day.

Lily decided to go back to her place and took away all her belongings, as she was browsing through some stuff, she got hand of a grimoire that some sage gave her to read for any new magic. The sage did tell her to read it once she joined any familia and now she is in one. Without wasting anytime, the she read it.

In the next update on both Bell's and Lily's falna, she was shocked to find new development on Bell's skill. Even both the children were confused, it turns out that Bell's Liaris Freese is shared with Lily for quick growth.

The phenomenon of this to occur is rarest of all as skill's are one's individual potential. She explained Bell that as long as they have a strong connection between them, his skill would help Lily to grow fast just like him. As for Lily, she obtained a magic named Cinder Ella which allows her to change appearance of anyone she thinks of.

Both the children were amused to know the possible ways this will help both of them out, as for the goddess it was just the time when she has to be careful about these kids and hope no one hunts for them.

Bell Cranel

Level 2 (Fake)

STR: F 310

END: F 320

DEX: F 311

VIT: F 300

AGI: F 330

MAG: H 210

Developmental Abilities:-

Swordsman C

Luck B

Abnormal resistance D

Escape A

Hunter A

-Celestial Blade S-

Skills:-

Ox Slayer: Status boost increases while fighting against bull type monsters.

Argonaut: Instant charge strike, can be infused with weapons and ejected as powerful brute skill.

Liaris Freese: Rapid growth, stronger the desire, stronger the growth.

-Liaris Link: Liliruca Arde: Bond Level - 1

Magic:-

Flame Burst : No chant enchanted magic.

Thunderous purge: No chant triggering magic

Liliruca Arde

Level 1

STR: H 110

END: I 15

DEX: G 200

VIT: H 104

AGI: F 350

MAG: I 0

Developmental Abilities:-

Skills:-

Liaris Link: Allows the user to grow at the rapid rate as long as their bonds are stronger.

Bell Cranel: Bond Level - 1

Magic:-

Cinder Ella – Transformation magic that enables the user to transform into anything.

'Your wound is mine. My wound is mine'

Echoing message of midnight

A/N: Since we have no idea of what Finn's original name was I went ahead and named him Dim cus why not? Also the {-Celestial Blade S- } is actually stroked out replacing with normal swordsman ability. If anyone wondered Level 6 should have 5 developmental abilities but I mentioned 6 of them. Again… a game changer for using Liaris freese, this is something I stupidly came up with but who cares.