It's not time to do a comment review, but I had to shout out one for catching my mistake.

Ais is 10 years old, not 9. Thank you for the correction, Bezdushnyy.

"Is everything okay?" Astraea ask. Alise escorts Lady Astraea to the Twilight Manor. Finn invites them as he deems it necessary to know why they are nearby, although he knows the answer.

Finn needs to ask what they think about Bell before coming here.

All of them watch Bell's massive barrage of tiny fireballs. Gareth puts his guard up, protecting himself from the hundreds of attacks.

"I'm not sure, Lady Astraea. My thumb has been throbbing all day because of that child." Finn answers honestly. Finn shows his honesty first so that Astraea's familia will be honest.

"He is an interesting 8-year-old." Alise feels the fire and the magic in the Twilight Garden. She knows what Bell is hiding behind his mask and sunglasses. No wonder he asked for directions to Loki's familia.

"Bell is 8?!" Riviera is genuinely shocked, and her ears flop down. She cups her hand to her face and mutters, "Not again." Riviera sounds like she is entering a nightmare…again.

Dealing with children, actually age-wise children, is draining. Aiz was and still is a handful to all executives. Imagine the pain of having two Aiz…but one has deadly fire magic.

Alise and Astraea can only imagine the inner turmoil Loki's familia is about to face.

"You'll be an amazing mother to Bell! I promise he's…different?" Alise questions herself as she thinks about the inner pain she's been through talking with Bell for one day.

Did you bring me here because you both like young boys?

Alise coughs loudly as if she's coughing a lung out. Astraea pats Alise's back as Astraea has a bead of sweat rolling down. They jitter and look around awkwardly like they were caught stealing.

They're hiding something—probably embarrassing too. Riviera and Finn assume. Why else would the chatty Alise be quiet and question herself? Alise brought a newbie elf to her familia, and Alise almost talks about her every time.

Alise would be complementing and praising Bell for his magic and talent. But Alise isn't, so there's more than meets the eye.

"ANYWAYS," Alise switched the subject. "What do you think about Bell; are you gonna accept him?"

"Bell has shown his worth with this battle, but…." Finn answers

" —We don't know if he will be a good fit for us." Loki finishes.

Frail and pale looking, odd speaking mannerisms and lack of pupils. It seems more of a gamble with many risks that outweigh the reward.

The kid is like Ais but totally exemplified. His status controls bell, and he doesn't have one yet! He will always depend on his stats as an adventure.

Also, Finn doesn't know if Riviera can mentally handle another child to take care of. Riviera is in shock as a bleak aura oozes.

"Are you going to reject him then?" Astraea questions, gaining a side eye from Loki. Loki walks up to Astraea, but Finn stops Loki. Loki walks up to Astraea—

*BOOM*

Out in a blast of smoke, Bell flies backward, comically so. No longer on fire, he tumbles and rolls down the floor.

Bell lies in a starfish potion, limbs fully extended. It took a second, but the executive's faces lost color when they noticed Bell's missing left hand.

"WHAT THE F—"

"Shucks," Gareth emerges from the smoke, waving his right hand. A tiny wave with the strength of a level 6 makes the smoke disappears.

Gareth holding Bell's nondripping left hand would have shocked everyone. Expect there's something more surprising than ripping a child's hand off.

Gereth's shirt is burned—specifically his stomach area. A small area of black smoke can be seen rising. Gareth's body is well and healthy—Bell did not hurt him at all.

Gareth's arm didn't look red, not a single change in color for Gareth's body parts.

However, a single blow reached Gareth's body. No matter how much Gareth held back, Bell surpassed that.

Bell has done it without a falna.

But back to the main hand.

"Gareth! HE'S A CHILD!" Loki shouts, uncharacteristically appealing to morals. Finn cannot fault her because Finn is shocked. His thumb did not prepare him for this.

Riviera appears to be on the verge of fainting.

Alise runs to Bell, and Astraea doesn't know what to do.

"I lost, didn't I?" They look at the challenger getting up. Using his right arm as support, Bell pushes his legs to stand upright.

"Don't fault Gareth. I challenged him and was defeated." Bell's voice is loud and clear. He's not in pain or screaming that he lost a hand. Bell lost, but he did not whine or complain—

"Your hand!" Alice grabs Bell's open wrist. She yanks so hard Bell comes off the floor for a second. The height difference is between a baby and a teenager/adult.

The cut is clean and, fortunately, closed off. As a long-time adventure, Alise knows she can save Bell by touching the wound.

Alice checks her pockets for a high-tier potion but remembers she does not have it!

It's her day off! Why would she have a potion if she was going to be relaxing? She doesn't need that type of stress!

"Riviera!" Finn orders, but Loki's familia knows that healing magic is limited. She can maybe(?) heal back Bell's hand since it is a clean cut.

"You're going to rip my arm off." Alice immediately let's go and raises her hand, showing she's innocent.

"Can I get my hand back? My sunglasses and mask too?" Bell holds his right hand out. He reverts to his neutral facial expression.

Not smiling or mad.

A little disappointed, but he keeps a neutral face.

Gareth hands back Bell's hands; Ais walks up and holds out Bell's stolen belonging.

Bell grabs his missing hands and—

*PLOP*

—jams it into the open flesh.

Steam releases, and a small fire erupts. Bell's disconnected hand begins to move as a faint brown/red line marks this incident. That line will haunt the Loki Familia for a while.

The onlookers wince and groan silently. They jitter and pace back and forth due to their uncomfortable sight. A child, no less, fighting to survive and suffering the consequences.

It's like seeing a child in the dungeon… except crazier than Aiz.

That and Gareth pulled a kid's hand off.

Putting on his robes, mask and sunglasses, Bell begins to walk away. That snaps the Loki executives to stop Gareth's interrogation.

"Hey! Where are you going?" Loki shouts after Bell. She dashes to the fence, blocking the exit. The last thing she needs is Bell spreading rumors that her executive ripped off his hand.

No matter what, that will bring the downfall of her familia and the honor of everyone associated with her. Her familia member count might decrease if she doesn't resolve this issue!

" Freya Familia."

"…"

As if this day can't get any more shocking. WHYYYYYY

"Can you tell me the way?" If Bell had eyes and asked Loki that, Loki would have done something so atrocious the pranks in Heaven can't compare.

NO! Loki wants to scream so badly. But if she did, this child may be more inclined to leave! Did Gareth beat Bell so badly his brain stopped working? Freya Familia will eat this child up!

"Lad. Why that familia?" Gareth speaks, trying to break out Riviera's lecture. Riviera would not LISTEN that Gareth did not pull Bell's hand off—Bell did.

"I lost, didn't I? I lost the fight, so I can't join Loki's familia. So I will try the next best thing."

"Woah. Woah. Woah. Who said you can't join my familia?" Bell tries to take a step, but Loki steps in front of him…waving her hands before realizing how dumb she looks to do that to a human without pupils.

Did this child really think he would win against one of the strongest members in Orario before gaining a status? Of course, he will lose, even if he has experience slaying millions of surface monsters!

The power of a first-level adventure can never be compared to a newbie's. Bell shows potential, enough to rival Gareth in the future, but now?

Hell no.

Even with the fire, he spurts out (perhaps a spirit contractor?), Bell can never leap past Gareth's or any first and second-level adventure here. An experience-level one adventure can potentially win against Bell if that's all he had—well, until the last move. That descending attack could beat a new level 2, no one higher.

"Oh! You're Lady Loki, the God of Mischief" Bell puts his hands to his che—

"Stopstopstopstop. You don't have to do that." Loki enjoys the greeting once, but twice is excessive. Some gods may get a kick out of it, but excessive sucking up is too much for Loki. Bell might as well be a country-bumpkin with his mannerism with the gods.

Loki weighs her option if Bell is a good candidate for her familia.

The LAST THING Loki wants is for Bell to join Freya Familia. Bell might be charmed, killed or even worse, become stronger. If Bell can land a blow on Gareth, what kind of monster will he become under Freya's executive members?

The two familia are around equal in strength now, but Bell has the power to turn the scale. Just like Bell can shift Freya to the clear winner, Bell can do the same to Loki. That slutty goddess gaining this child is the equivalent of having gold slip out into an annoying neighbor that has a bomb waiting to be thrown at her.

Dam it; it's checkmate! Loki scratches her head as she notices the predicament she is in.

Even if Bell didn't join either familia, he would give rise to another third-party familia. Who knows, that familia might become as wild as the battle everyone watched here.

Loki looks at the executives, and Finn signals Loki with his eyes. Looking back to the manor, more specifically, the general direction to the command office. Gareth sighs as he rubs his shirt… saying he needs a drink. Riviera messages her temple, but she begrudgingly nods her head; are those tears in her eyes?

"Why don't we talk more in my office." Loki waves her hand, signaling EVERYONE WATCHING to go back. They comply but gossip about what's going to happen.

"Does that mean I have a chance?" Bell asks with a smidge of hope.

"Congratulations." Alise smiles before leaving. Taking a good look at Bell before and after fighting, it makes sense why he wears that cloak. Alise can only pray that Bell finds a new family with Loki's familia. Astraea stays quiet as she waves goodbye.

They might have overstayed their welcome, but at least they know Bell—should—be in good hands.

Bell does not say goodbye to them.

Behind Loki's executives and Astraea's familia lies one girl with trembling hands and unsolved anger with Bell. She waits and stalks Bell until the time is right—to strike.

Her opportunity came closer than expected because Ais is 'guarding' Bell. Finn, Gareth, Riviera and Loki are having a quick meeting before inviting Bell for an interview.

This is the moment. Ais prepares her sword for the unexpecting boy. He called her by her mom's name. Only four in her familia should know that, not this stranger who came out of nowhere. Especially now that he's literally in Ais' house.

"You can calm your stare, you know. I'm not going to burn up." Bell speaks out loud. Ais steps back, thinking she is silent. However, Bell wasn't talking to Aiz.

"Wait, no!" Raul's advice gets ignored as Anakitty and Alicia walk past him.

Aiz is too distracted to notice them; she is focusing on the identity of this boy—that and cutting him down.

"What are you." Curt, angry and desperate in Alicia's voice. Alicia has never displayed such anger in her voice. The sentence didn't address Bell as a person but as something else.

Bell takes offense to that.

He cannot let that comment slide.

"Wow, I'm human, you know. My name is Bell. Bell Cranel. " Bell looks at Alcilia. Even with a mask, sunglasses and robe covering him, Bell looks like a devil to her.

The uncanny fire resembles the scene Alicia had burned in her memory—the destruction of Alcilia's home from the Crozzo family.

The fire, the burning, the residue it leaves. It feels different yet the same—absolute destruction to anything in its path, leaving nothing left when out of control.

That boy is in Loki's familia— Alicia's new home.

And for this boy to give Alicia altitude.

"Now listen here, you little s—"

"Okay, okay, okay," Anikitty holds Alciaia back from committing assault against a child. Raul blocks Alicia from reaching their guest.

Even if Alicia is level 4, who would be willing to fight someone who can regenerate lost limbs?

Could it be an easy fight? Yes, Bell has no falna, but is it a wise decision down the line? No, because Bell can be a potential member or rival, depending on where he goes. Alicia making rude comments is not helping Loki's familia's case.

While Alicia had her anger displaced visible, another girl was burning internally with rage.

The black flame rampages for strength. A flame that drove Ais to the point of death many times. People who know Ais' true name/past will ignite that flame brighter and stronger. That black flame may be used against a human with full force today.

Ais wants to grab Bell so badly and interrogate him. His desire for an answer rekindles that black flame stronger than before. Seeing Bell burn himself, raining fire as he pleases, boosting himself to fight against Ais's familia—Ais cannot stand that. Ais should have cut him down.

How dare he tries to burn her new home.

That flame is strong but cold. It doesn't burn with the skin but burns the soul. The way Bell smiles while he fights. How his body cannot handle his flames, but Bell continues to burn.

It makes Bell look like a tiny monster —Running straight into danger headfirst, getting up after a heavy hit, and spraying magic into the air and the surroundings. Even losing his hand and not batting an eye, he's everything Ais wanted.

To regenerate so that when she gets hurt, she will eventually heal back—releasing her limiters when she is comforted by a stronger enemy. He mentioned he killed outside monsters; how many did he kill to get skills like that?

Ais wants to know his secret. Where did he live before, how did he practice, and what is the secret to his power? She has to know because she needs to get stronger. Much stronger because her black flame desires it.

But she can't. Finn and Riveria made Ais not touch Bell—at all. Saying something along the lines, "he can set himself on fire again and go to Freya familia…yada yada brah brah."

Ais feels a little guilty; if she didn't pull off Bell's mask, then maybe Bell didn't have to be set on fire. Bell said he only had to release his magic when he was on fire.

What kind of human is set on fire before a blessing or chant?

"Do you like the familia here?" Bell asks. A touch of curiosity mixed with..what is it called? Somber?

Alcilia stops pushing as Anikitty halts to process his question. Raul looks behind to see Bell staring into Rauls…heart?

Why is Bell asking that?

"They seem like a great trio, being close friends and to their goddess. Do you think they will treat me as a friend too?"

Ais stays quiet, unable to answer. Ais sees them as guardians—to be saved, protected and calm as necessary. Knowing them, they will definitely treat Bell like a child—always supervising and controlling.

But why does Bell need friends? He has so much power inside him: the healing, the fire, the enchantment.

He's free! Why stay at Loki's familia, with that stubborn and stuck-up elf initially?

Why on Earth does Bell want to join Loki's familia?

The second-string members stop what they are doing, try to process Bell's question, and quickly fail.

Anikitty and Alcilia assume Bell is weird and talking crazy.

Raul thinks Bell is trying to ease the air but makes it odd instead.

Who would treat a kid like him as a friend?

Absolutely not; they unanimously answer in their mind.

"Is it okay to leave Ais with that boy?" Riviera asks first thing in the meeting.

"The Second String is there for backup. It's for the best Ais hangs out with people her age. It might be a blessing in disguise."Finn sits on his desk— messaging his thumb. It's calmed down but might restart if the interview becomes a disaster.

"Yeah. Let the youngins hang out." Gareth adds, taking off his shirt. He shakes to remove the ashy area— it does not come off.

"But, they might start fighting," Riviera adds—knowing Ais has shown apparent hostility to Bell since their encounter. Leave them together, and a disaster waiting to happen.

"They talk out it," Finn concludes. There is no yelling outside, and there's soft small talk. Bell is way more talkative than Ais, given her past. Short and direct answers aside, Ais may learn how to communicate more.

Gareth shrugs as Loki has a sh*t—eating grin. She rudely points at Riviera, saying what everyone is thinking in their mind.

"Mama is being protective of her little daughter! HAHAHa." Loki giggles.

Riviera's ears are red because she cannot deny such claims. However, seeing Gareth and Finn's all-knowing grin is super vexing.

"He might be crazier than Ais when fighting." Dealing with two battle-hungry children, how will anyone survive? It was hard to take care of one child of the four members; imagine doubling that to deal with two children.

Who knew that Loki Familia would get another child member so soon? How do the members prepare for this? It's 100 years too early for Riviera to bring another child to take care of—one enough for Riviera's lifelong century.

"He looks as wild as Aiz when he's blasting fire everywhere." A tiny arsonist—exactly what Loki familia needs for their reputation.

"Speaking of that fire. It's clearly beyond our knowledge." Finn acknowledges. The three members look for Loki for answers.

"What. Why are you looking at me for? I don't know nothing." Shocked, Loki raises her hands because she's just as clueless.

"So you know something." Finn pointed out the double negative. Loki sticking out her tongue, ticked at Finn's divine intuition.

Stupid thumbs at his.

"It's the Primordial Flame." The three members show genuine shock; the fire from before their time and eras, much older than the Age of Gods & Heroes.

"I never saw much of it back in Heaven. I can ask Hephaestus for more info, but I can't say much. Only that the rest of 'Heaven of Flame' is safeguarded from Olympia- the eternal sanctuary."

"Is Bell from Olympia then?" The question remains up in the air.

The answer can only come from Bell.

But going to the question that must be answered—for the sake of all executive honor.

"How did Bell lose his hand against you?" Finn asks calmly. Finn trusts his friend not to do that intentionally—he needs to know Gareth's perspective.

Gareth sighed for the last time as he was berated and shown as the 'bad guy' to Bell. Is it time to clear up the misunderstanding that could destroy Loki Familia's reputation.

Gareth briefly describes what Bell has done, his thought process and his final move toward Gareth.

Shock, disgust and questioning on all adventures face. Who on Earth would think of these moves?

"So, how did you avoid his uppercut?" Loki asks, addressing the elephant in the room. A child ripping out his hand to punch will shock any adventure to the point they won't move for a second.

"I chest bump him, making his fist hit himself first. The front forearm had burning power, so it stained the front of my shirt." Gareth solemnly says.

A chest bump from a hunky man brimming with muscles to level up against a child is like throwing a mountain at a house. The lightest touch will leave a powerful vibration that can blow the house down. Bell is lucky to have come out in one…two pieces.

Any more strength and blood will be pouring out of Bell's mouth. Gareth controls his chest just enough to push Bell away at the cost of getting hit.

"It seems like a clear case of Bell's potential. Is everyone in favor of letting Bell join?" Finn asks the office. Everyone here would want Bell to join, but there's a BIG problem if he does.

"Who will raise Bell then?" Riviera asks. "AND no. I refuse to be his primary daycare." She added to avoid the same problem three years ago.

"Awww. You're mama senses aren't activating when you see little Bell?" Loki gives Riviera the puppy ears as Gareth and Finn assume Riviera would do it.

"You little! No way. Not uh. Nope." Riviera crosses her hands, signaling she has no desire to raise a boy of a different race.

"I think you should. You know the magic, and you did a great job with Ais." Finn adds, logically speaking. Finn and Gareth's knowledge of magic will always be less than Riviera's.

"Yer the most capable out of us," Gareth adds.

"What?!" Riviera does not want a repeat of Ais. "Didn't Bell challenge Gareth first? Bell could have challenged anyone in the executive chair and chosen him!"

"That's Alise fault, and I know you all heard it!" Gareth knocks on his head. Problematic girl giving Gareth more work to do.

"Then we can bring Alise to babysit Bell too. He seems close to her and Lady Astraea."

"Ah, bums under the burning sun. Do you think that's a good idea? Alise parenting style will make Bell ten times worst." Gareth spoke, fed up with this parenting nonsense.

Ten times worst. How so? In the way he talks, fights or behavior? Will there be an Alise 2.0 in the Loki familia?

"Then I can teach him magic, but what about his everyday life?" Bell's lack of pupils is a severe weakness because he must constantly be monitored. Getting lost, can't read or write, and what else waiting to happen to Bell?

"Ay. I can teach him how to fight." Gareth cracks his fist. Bell has shown too much potential only to be fought how to chant. A warrior should be on the front line.

"He's a mage acting like a warrior—without even a weapon. A certified magic swordsman without the sword. But I cannot watch that youngster all the time."

"What if we ask Ais to watch over him?" Loki jumps into the conversation.

3 blank stares.

The silence was palpable.

The gears in their brain worked so hard from that suggestion one could hear something spinning.

"I don't want to give Ais either, but it is probably for the best. Ais gets a friend, and Bell gets someone to care for him."

"Yeah!" Gareth knocks on his leg in excitement. "Ais learned from Riviera so that Ais can teach Bell. Like mother like daughter, eh?"

"They are the same age. I think Ais can learn a lot by getting a potential student. Of course, we supervise them together at the same time." Finn smiles at the brilliant idea Loki lay on them.

"I don't know if she can do that." The only one who was not on board was Riviera. Riviera felt unsafe leaving Bell's hands, not for Ai's safety, but for Bell's.

"First, Ais is 10 years old and level 4. She does not know the damage she can put to Bell if she does not suppress her strength."

Simply put, Ais is too immature to know how to take care of someone younger and weaker than her. Riviera was at that point, but Riviera had decades of life experience. Ais only have one.

"Are you suggesting Anakity, Raul or Alicia take care of Bell?" Finn listens carefully to Riviera's remarks.

"They can assist but are too young to care for Bell." Riviera lays out her reasons, but there is a flaw in her logic.

"Riviera. 2 years, 5 years, or any age older is good enough to take care of someone." Gareth calmly debunks

"How much the age differs means nothing. Regardless of age, it's all about the relationship that can form." Loki and Finn agree.

"Riviera, you are… a lot older than Ais when you cared for her. Just because you're older doesn't mean you are better than, say…me at taking care of Ais." Gareth avoided saying Riviera's actual age because she's super sensitive about it.

"Everyone is immature when they start, but it's how they learn going forward. I say, if we are all in the same familia, then anyone can look after Bell!"

No one is good at something when they first start. One can be a grandpa but is unable to care for a child. Likewise, if, say… an older cat brother protects, feeds, and loves his younger sister, it doesn't matter if the age difference is five, three or two years old.

All that matters is how the older member takes care of the younger member. Not how much older the adult is or the age difference to decide who will give the best care.

"I was foolish," Riviera admits—the age difference and their childhood development instill this harsh, strict judgment in most elves. Elves are notably prideful because they look down on every belief that does not align with theirs.

Rivera leaving her home has opened her eyes to other ideas she wasn't familiar with.

However, the look in Riviera's eye means she still refuses Loki's suggestion.

"Then it must be something else." Finn quickly picks up the hints.

"Yes. He called Aiz, Aria today." The headache does not end with Bell.

"Are you sure that was no mistake, Riviera?"

"Yes. Aiz grabbed him once Bell called her Aria. She removed his mask, causing Bell to combust." Now everyone knows why Ais were staring daggers at Bell. Loki thought it was jealous of all the attention Bell was taking away from her.

It turns out it's much worse.

"That's more of a reason why Ais should watch over Bell. She might remember or get her answer if she looks after him." Finn notes.

If Bell and Ais get closer, then Ais will know why Bell called him that. Everyone here can get more information once Bell is in their familia.

"All agree to let Bell join Loki's familia? We can ask Bell what he knows and wants." The other executives agree as the goddess sulk. Bell joining Loki's familia is the best case—imagining Bell joining Freya or some dark gods give her the shivers.

"Bell! You can come in."

*THUNK*

A scratch, like a cat, is heard on the other side. Alicia opens the door revealing Bell isn't even on the opposite. He's on a wall, further down to the wall than the door.

Anakitty and Raul guide Bell to the correct position to enter the door. Bell did not want anyone touching him.

Without any experience with the blind, the two struggle to lead a child in.

There was a lot of:

"More to the left.

"Go up one step.

"Ehhh, you're going to clip the door. Little more right now.

Stop, stop! Too much, right? Now come left.

"Left! No, your left, my right.".

"May the caves lead me to the right way. Pray for me, my kind." Gareth brings his hand to his head.

Riviera submits to the inevitable and refuses to show the other members her intense fatigue and sorrow.

Finn eyes Bell—thinking of the best way to break the news to Bell and the younger members.

Loki laughs at the ensuing chaos that will come.

After entering the room and bringing Bell to the chair so he can sit on it, Annikitty, Raul and Aiz proceed to leave the room. However, they were stopped because Finn asked them to remain.

Sensing danger, Annikitty fur sticks out straight. Raul did not feel any danger. Ais kept staring at a Bell like he was a foreign item.

"Hello, Bell. My name is Finn Daphine, and you are in the Loki Familia office. Over here is our goddess Loki and everyone else is a high-tier member of our familia."

"We have some questions that we would like you to answer. These questions will decide if you will join the familia or not." Riviera adds.

"I can see through lies, so it's better off staying quiet than lying, okay," Loki adds, swinging her feet disgracefully.

"Anything you would like to say before we start?" Gareth ends the trio introduction.

"No questions." Bell stays stills. Despite the levels 6 and 4s and the presence of the god, he sounds calm and unnerving. Not tired, stressed or bored.

Just neutral.

"Perfect. For starters. How old are you?"

"Eight years old."

"Where did you live?"

"A village in the mountains. I don't remember the name or how to get back."

Loki did not raise any objections. Bell is confirmed not from Olympia.

"With the basic questions out of the way, what can you see, Bell?" Finn asks the second question on everyone's mind.

"I see heat and magic."

"Please explain a bit more." Riviera has her curiosity set high. See magic? Adventures feel magic and see magic when it is in a circle. However, see heat?

"All living beings have heat, so I can see the heat in the body. If any race tried to hit me, I would see them coming because of the heat they emit."

"So, nonliving things you cannot see?" Riviera follows up on what Bell can see.

"What if a weapon was thrown at you?" Gareth asks what happens to him in combat.

"How far can you see?" Finn asks, questioning the capability of Bell's sight.

"Can you tell me the amount of fingers I hold up?" Loki ask… ignoring the stares everyone sent her.

All valid questions; mind them!

The familia members listening wanted to answer their questions but didn't. It didn't seem right to ask them yet.

"I cannot see nonliving things because they have no heat."

"If something nonliving is thrown, then I won't be able to see it. But if the fire turns hot because of my magic, I can see it. Metal typically gets hot easily, so I should be fine most of the time. Also, I normally have my fire thrown in all directions to see & sense anything—living and nonliving— within a radius."

"I don't know how far I can see because I cannot know the measurements."

"No, I cannot see how many fingers you hold up. Little details & characteristics I cannot see."

Very interesting. Bell's vision capacity must be tested first—before he goes to the dungeon. A list of Bell's weaknesses and strengths is necessary for him to become an adventurer.

If an adventure ever gets a hold on Bell's weakness, Bell can be incapacity simply if alone. Finn must give Bell an accurate list of what could and preventive measures if one scenario occurs.

Hypothetically, a metal spear launched out of Bell's seeing range can snipe him down. Unless Bell can sense danger, he will be weak to arrows too. Range surprise attack is Bell's weakness number one.

How about dungeon monster? Does dungeon monster have heat? If Bell has to spew flames to see constantly, how will he work with the familia position?

So much to do, but those questions can wait.

"Alright. That is a good enough answer for now. We will ask about your magic detection another time. Final question…" Finn brings his hand to his cheeks—ready to judge how Bell will answer this question.

"Why do you want to be an adventurer?"

The best question to ask an adventurer. A look into their deepest desire. How the past, future or present shape it.

Everyone has wealth, fame, dreams and ambitions to achieve. How about revenge and a thirst for power? How much is Bell willing to risk for his goals? What kind of distortion does Bell process?

Bell takes a moment to think. He knows he cannot lie but cannot reveal everything he wants. That takes time, a proper setting… a real audience. There are eight adventures here, all from the same familia, eager for his answer. So, for now, Bell answers calmly.

"I want to be famous." Bell smiles. The executives groan or shake their heads. An average answer is fame. Fame that led to millions of people's death and thousands of murders. The most useless thing an adventure can want except for a few.

Is it naivety? That cannot be. There's something that goes beyond this. Loki knows Bell is telling the truth, but the 'truth' can be skewed. Half-truth and partially true. The opposite of a half-truth is not a half-lie: it is undiscovered truth.

Well, that's one interpretation.

But Bell continues.

"Famous enough so that gods will remember my name. Books will be written on the feats I have yet to accomplish."

"I will sacrifice everything I have to reach the impossible. But the thing is, for every impossible act I will achieve, someone else can do it after & better. If I kill one goblin, the next person to kill two will be more well-known than me."

Smoke comes out of Bell's mouth, shocking everyone. Is Bell going to explode? Steam bellows out Bell's skin. Gareth is blocking Loki from potentially getting hurt.

Riviera moves to stop Bell, but Finn waves his hand. Finn sees something within Bell. The ever-so-familiar itch has appeared once more.

Finn has to listen to Bell more as Bell smiles.

Smiles like Bell was fighting Gareth.

"So I must do something that never has been accomplished to cement my name in history."

"What will that be?" Riviera asks. It could not be good if Bell didn't reveal it right now.

Bell stays quiet. He taps on his thigh and silently chuckles.

"I'll wait for you all later once I'm stronger so you won't laugh at my dreams."

The conversation with Bell revealed he's not different than anyone. All adventures are the same in their desire: desperate for it. Even the first class adventures—they continue to push themselves for their goal.

But that last sentence leaves a weird taste in the member's mouth. Laugh at Bell's dream? Bell is eight! Of course, people will not take him seriously, especially if he says something no one has accomplished before.

But on the flip side: if Bell was serious about his dream and people laughed at him, it would make sense why Bell keeps it a secret. Finn concludes his interview since everyone has a rough idea of what Bell wants.

"Well then, Bell. As captain of the Loki Familia, I welcome you to our familia. Congratulations."

The eight members (Finn, Riviera, Gareth, Loki, Ais, Anikitty, Raul, and Alicia) clap for Bell's acceptance. Bell did show any emotions or smile.

Bell simply removes his face mask, sunglasses and hood. Displaying his face for all to see, Bell bows 90 degrees.

"Thank you. I will be in your care now."

"Loki, you can convert Bell now. I will have a chat with the rest of the members here." Finn smiles as he puts Loki's plan into action.

"Congratulations Bell! Come to my room, and let's get you converted now. Don't bump into anything walls or furniture, please!" Loki offers her hand to Bell, but he rejects it. He stares a Loki waiting for her to walk.

"I'm blind, Lady Loki, not stupid. I will follow your path." Loki and Bell left, closing the door.

Leaving three unexpected babysitters to their fate.

Poor Anikitty probably realizes something terrible will happen to her.

Author Note: I swear the end of this arc is near.

Writing these chapters takes so long because there are too many options to add. And then boom, you get a new idea and expand onto it. Suddenly, I'm at 5k words and need to wrap it up.

Oh well. At the end of the arc, I SWEAR I will review all the new comments.