CL re-write chapter 1: Nyx
A/N: Yo wys, this is a rewritten chapter to improve quality hopefully.
If you are reading this for the first time some basic info:
-Bell x Tiona
- Bell sacrifices his emotions save for 2 for the reason to become stronger, his only goal is the desire to become a hero.
-The nature and decisions made by the Goddess in this chapter are revealed later in one of the Author Notes, either chapter 6 or 7 I can't remember.
-| CL Break|-
Midnight struck.
A grandfather clock rang, hollow, in eerie silence; even when it signified a new day.
A new start…
Yet the ring died pathetically.
Unheard.
Uncared for.
Soon, it became overshadowed by the quiet sobs of a helpless child.
Left all alone.
Unheard.
Uncared for.
-| CL Break|-
In a grave, a pile of bodies lay; dug crudely, by a child's feeble strength and a nearly broken shovel.
Shrills of agony hung in the air, entrapped in it; polluting it.
Vestiges of their presence left behind, dense; misleading.
Their lives are extinguished forever. Their memories were wiped, and their souls returned to the never-ending cycle of reincarnation. Forgetting every ounce of pain they had felt.
A child, barely a teen.
Unable to forget the pain.
His eyes once filled with a hopeful glimmer- a childish dream, now stared at the clear night sky. Confused. Worried.
Unable to understand what he had to do.
A feeling so complex it overpowered his mind. His blood-red eyes shook violently, his youthful hands clutched the seams of his shirt, just above his heart.
"...Grandpa." He mumbled, his lips quivering.
Terror wracked his head in the form of a strong headache.
Fear gripped his heart as tightly he gripped his knees; his knuckles turning white.
He was left… empty.
…So he sat there.
A memory played in his mind. Over and over again. Raw and gory; it left imprints in his mind. Repeating like a broken record, an endless cycle of pain embedded itself inside him.
He wanted it to stop. The view of everything he knew and cared for being torn into shreds, howls of feral wolves. Snarls of green cretins. He didn't want it- Didn't want to see it anymore.
Oh… how he wanted this nightmare to end.
But it never did.
He mourned. Openly. Tears came to him, making him bawl his eyes out, sneaking out of his tear glands.
If he wanted it to fade… he'd have to find a way to forget; the bloodied images. Desperation overtook him, he looked for something-ANYTHING, anything at all. He…he didn't like this. A heart-squeezing pain, such anguish, he didn't like any of it.
Yet the night was cruel. He was physically and mentally exhausted, and his body desperately wanted to shut down regardless of what he thought.
And so, as he sat in the silence, the quiet but cold wind soothed him, taking his consciousness as it passed, lulling him into a peaceful slumber, one blessed by the Gods, giving him a momentary escape from the horrid nightmare that bothered him.
For now, it was past midnight, a new start, the end of yesterday and the end of his pain.
-| CL Break|-
The morning came with its own brutal wake-up call for Bell, the deathly scent of iron had tingled his nostrils. Unnaturally so.
Along with something else, something…weird.
Not weird as in bad weird, but weird as in it was something he had smelt before.
It was his favourite scent.
'Grandpa!'
Shooting up, he spun side to side trying to find his Grandfather, whose body he could not find the day before.
Yet no matter how many times he turned his neck…no trace of him.
The burst of hope quickly died, but the scent remained. And so did the caped person in front of him.
"What the-" Bell backed away, on all fours. The person appeared suddenly.
Almost as if they had materialised out of thin air.
"Oh, you're awake. Hello child, how do you do?" The person's feminine voice asked.
"Who are you?" He asked warily.
"Me? Just a passing deity, you see I was on my way to the mountains when I saw this village, so I came over and saw you passed out in front of…them."
Casting the disturbingly blank voice aside, the sight of his dead…everything brought shimmering tears to his eyes.
A vice-like grip possessed his heart, as he felt himself hyperventilate.
The raw memories of…everything, sent bile rising into his mouth.
The deity in front sat down beside him, gently patting his back.
Abusing his innocence and youthfulness to trick his young mind to trust…her.
And as the sudden pain came, it also left; leaving behind cursed little traces of it.
Embers of a dwindled flame that threatened to re-ignite should this…Goddess stop comforting him.
Her unique presence.
Her scent- oh how her smell brought him comfort.
He couldn't help himself, he had turned to her.
Sobs leaked out, uncontrollably, as though he had never exhausted himself the night before.
And through the tumultuous storms of mind-boggling grief, the unknown Goddess sat by him.
Her warmth.
Her gentle grasp; brought him the smallest tinge of relief.
One that he'd be immeasurably thankful for.
Though soon it was time to get up.
It was never enough to simply cry and not do anything.
Or so his grandpa used to tell him.
And so, he stood.
Though his heart ached, though his stomach tumbled an endless cycle; threatening to spill whatever contents he had left- even so…he got up.
'A man never leaves his job unfinished, Bell.'
Yes…grandpa.
"Are you feeling a bit better now?" The Goddess made her presence known once more.
"...Yes," Bell replied, his frail control over his own voice threatening to break. "Apologies…for that scene, Goddess."
"No such thing child." The woman stood up brushing her legs free of any dust, "Believe me, I too can understand what you are going through."
"You can?" Bell didn't turn around though his eyes widened in surprise.
"But of course, I too have lost children, I understand plenty of how it feels to lose something you held dear." A sick, twisted grin spread across her face, her forbidden beauty hidden by the cape that she adorned.
"...I…see. My condolences." Bell replied, "O-oh I'm sorry I completely forgot, you said you were headed to the mountains?"
"Yes…I needed some of the ores present there you see, but do not worry little one, I shall get to it when need be…Do you need any help?"
Help huh…
Did he?
Did he need help? Could…Could she even help?
What could she do about his suffering-his agony?
Sure, she had lost people herself…but…
She's a God…she can just see her children again…but me? What about Grandpa?
And so after much thought…he finally spoke-
"No. Thank you, Goddess."
Young he was, but even he knew.
Gods and humans are not the same.
They do not feel the same pain.
Gods are eternal.
He was not.
For deities their mortal acquaintances live for but a mere moment.
For him, it was his entire life.
"...Do you feel lonely, child?"
"!"
"Do you wish...for the wound that torments your heart to go away?" She asked, changing her question.
"I…"
"Do you not possess any wishes at all? None? Not even left by your family over there?"
"I…I-I…" Bell whimpered, having been thrown into a sea of questions to which he could not conjure up a response.
He simply…couldn't.
"Do you…wish for the power to overcome your adversaries? To make sure these things didn't happen to you ever again?" The Goddess grinned maliciously; though he didn't see.
"..."
"I can grant you strength." The Goddess offered her hand, immediately switching back to her gentle accordances. "I can grant you, any of the wishes you had."
"H-...How?" His voice; was as small as the ever so undependable shoulders.
She grinned, "I am a divine being, child, that…you should not forget." She pushed her hands towards him, "Now…if you wish for it…take my hand."
"..."
He really shouldn't be.
She was a stranger- however, nice she had been.
Her words had no basis to be trusted…but she had felt…so secure.
So…comfortable.
Besides, she was a deity right? She wouldn't deceive him…would she?
Slowly, as time dragged itself along second by second…he raised his hand. Grasping into her warm hands.
"Please…"
"Hm?" She grinned, his bush of white hair blocking any view of his face.
"Please… please! Please take it all away! Take this desolation away! I don't want to be tormented any more! It hurts me- pains me too much!" Bell begged, desperation evident in his voice.
"...Is that all you wish for? What of the strength?" She egged him on, just a little bit more aaand-
"That too!"
'...Got him.'
"Very well. I shall bestow upon you which you need." The Goddess openly smirked, though Bell couldn't even say anything any longer.
The Goddess took a quick step back, the missing warmth left him almost shivering.
"The power I bestow upon you is of utmost secrecy, you cannot tell anyone." The Goddess nodded but gave him no time to respond, "My name is Nyx; and I am the Lady of the Night or so many people have called me."
Her previous understanding and gentle voice had all but disappeared it seemed. Her step back left him only with a questioning glance that he could spare before-
His world was swallowed in black.
...
"Upon the divine agreement, I beckon thee, respond!" Nyx grinned maniacally, not holding back anymore, her green eyes glowed.
...
...
"This is a deal, atrade. I grant all your desires…in exchange…I take that which makes you hurt…"
...
"I shall take on the anger that flares in your heart! Peace is coming in its stead."
...
"I shall forever take the loneliness you feel- the darker shadows of your mind!"
...
"I shall take on the sadness of yours! Never again shall you suffer."
...
"I shall take on your weakness! Never again shall you lose! Neither that you hold close, nor your life!"
...
"But it shan't be without price," Nyx added, "Your joy, Your admiration, your surprise, your vigilance, your everything! Everything that makes you feel! I shall take that as compensation."
...
A divine contract, sealed above the trembling heart that soon calmed; not out of relief, but out of need.
A contract settled by the vilest of the divine.
A transaction held…by the wicked.
A witch- A magician of the worst temperance.
His mortal helplessness had left him with nothing; robbing him of everything that truly made him…him.
Except…
A flash of blue…
"URGH," Nyx groaned in pain; taking yet another step back. Steam rose from her pale figure as a wisp of divinity lashed back at her.
As Bell lay, threads of blue arose, encompassing him, crackling menacingly.
She may have been divine...
But she was far from the only one...
"...Huff…Huff… interesting. You never told me you had divinity in you…" Nyx chuckled, "Alas…it's too late. Very well…keep the few gifts that remain. The contract has been sealed; the price shall be paid too, I suppose I can take a little less this time."
And so…the deal went into effect.
"Ah…AH…AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!" Ear-shattering screams followed; heard only by the corpses of his family.
Bell howled as he felt…himself being crushed- no, being stretched- no, being torn apart!
His body throbbed, and his mind spun.
A body he could no longer move.
She had granted him power…
But he was too weak!
So his body grew; Taller; Broader; More compact, yet also bigger.
She had granted him peace…
But he was too frail!
So his mind reeled in; his mindscape expanded, his vessel grew spiritually.
She had taken the payment…
But his grandpa's gift stood with him!
…
But it was too late…
And so…he was left…with the vestiges of emotions he could no longer properly use. Left with nothing but 2.
Nyx chuckled, before bursting into a maddening fit of laughter, her nightmarish cackles went unheard as Bell had long since passed out… "See you again…My Gusha."
...
The awakening came as a rude reminder to Bell, who should've been dead by now for all intents and purposes.
…Metaphorically speaking.
Yet just like any other day, his eyes simply opened as he awoke from his "nap".
His morning though brought its own changes, ones he quickly identified.
The lack of his usual grogginess felt strange, like waking up but in a dream or something.
The disjointed memories rushed his brain, as he soon began to realise exactly why he couldn't feel anything.
He attempted to speak, though upon remembering there was no one left to even talk to, his mouth shut.
Standing up, he walked back to his house; while he knew that he had just gotten robbed by a passing divinity, he ultimately could do nothing.
It felt…odd.
It felt like he should…rage? Get frustrated? Cry?
Something would've- should've happened.
…
Yet nothing did.
He found himself walking around the house listlessly. His slightly longer fingers ran down the edges of the book that once would excite him. The tales of the great; the apocryphal stories that his grandfather had written, had left him nothing but fleeting memories of joy.
The same table upon which he and his only family shared countless meals, stood the same always. Slightly crooked, rough around the edges signature of the crude craftsmanship of their neighbour.
Fifteen birthdays were shared, candles lit, and parties were thrown; everything he experienced remained.
…yet he couldn't feel the same about it.
Upon making his way around he came around to the only mirror in their house. The long panel that was framed against the wall reflected the honest image that he should've seen.
And somehow the picture it painted was almost unknown. The figure before him seemed like himself; but it was too…new, too different to have been him from a few hours ago.
A lasting sign of the trade he had made, and through his own musings, he began to unconsciously check around himself.
A few inches more to the height, while he certainly wasn't the tallest, it was a height sufficient enough to not be called a mere child any longer.
His scrawny figure remained simply as a delineation of his current musculature. Compact muscles that he had never worked for now sat upon his body. Flexing as naturally as if it had always been there.
Thankfully his hair remained as well groomed and well cut as it had been, otherwise, he would have truly looked like a man of the jungles.
Now what do I do about the clothes?
While he saw no particular issue with the clothes he owned, there was an issue.
…They kind of didn't fit anymore.
Though, rather than releasing a groan that'd no doubt unanswered, considering everyone was dead… he chose to follow along to his grandfather's room.
Just across the hall from his room, the door opened with a simple turn of the knob. Somehow as if the room had been sealed for aeons; the smell of vegetable soup burst forth in droves, filling his nostrils with their disturbing presence, before ultimately dissipating into nothingness.
Kinda like Gramps…
Bell made a beeline towards his destination, more precisely the closet in which his grandfather had kept his selection of a few simple overalls and a few other articles of simple wear.
While he did gain quite a bit of muscle mass, it clearly hadn't been enough to fill out the entire frame of his grandfather's outfits, as evident in how the clothes hung loosely on him.
Better than nothing I guess.
…
…
Freshly adorned in his grandfather's clothes, he was left to wonder what to do now.
While he didn't really mind, staying in this…deserted village…by himself.
He also wasn't very…hot about the idea. Considering every inch of this house was simply reminding him of what had been once upon a time.
The flashing images left his body screaming at him that something was tremendously wrong, but it wasn't as though he could do anything anymore.
Bell decided to leave once he was done changing.
He could, of course, spend some reminiscing about good times and about his dead grandfather, but it'd seem a bit illogical to do so.
Besides thinking carefully, he didn't even have any evidence if his grandfather was even dead, given the disappearance of his body.
Yet as moved towards the exit, just from the corner of his eye something…caught his attention.
…a small glint.
Tiny even.
You wouldn't even notice on a normal day.
But he did.
Not fully realising the testament of his ability, Bell made his way to the shining key that sat in its slot right in the frame of a picture.
Really an odd position to put a key in, but he shrugged it off.
He jolted when a slight spark of, a trace of magic that he had not yet discovered, nor comprehended.
Taking the key into his hand, the wall beside the framed picture shifted to reveal a pathway. The jittery movement of whatever mechanic was installed into the wall gave way to the rusted smell of metal that had less action than the condom on his Grandfather's bedside table.
…Hm.
Bell found no fault in entering, though realising that there was no one to stop him from going in anyways.
A moderately small hallway, enough to reach the side of his house where he distinctly remembered a wall blocking the area off.
A hidden room? When did he make this?
In the dark hall he had no choice but to make his way carefully, hand on the wall sliding along until he came upon a sight he had never imagined.
A pedestal.
No.
A throne.
No.
A grave.
Yet of who? He had no idea. The tombstone stood far taller than any other he had seen, its ominous frame outlined solely by the weird source of blue light behind it.
'Here lies the Zeus & Hera Familia.
Let their legends be remembered; their legacy imprinted into the hall of fame.
Here lies The Olympian.
Here lies Gluttony.
Here lies The Empress.
Here lies The Silence.
Here lies all the members that could not escape it. The brave warriors that gave their all in honour of the millennia of peace brought by the two familias.
Let them find eternal peace, and a better life next time.'
…
…
…What?
The lack of information was making things evidently hard to link.
It hadn't taken him long to figure out that the grave had been an empty one. A tomb with nothing but the soul the pillar enraptured.
But he couldn't find any link between his grandfather and the two super giant hero familias.
Information was something he had lacked; and the only person that could have possibly provided it was no longer present…
…What a conundrum.
Shifting his focus back to the blue light, his eyes squinted at it. The compulsion to go towards it made him rethink going towards it, since the last time he followed that instinct…he got robbed.
Though he was pretty sure he could not feel shocked anymore, he knew he stumbled onto something that he had never seen before.
A blade.
Not just any blade though.
…A blade with magic flowing around it.
Quiet crackles and a perpetuating flow of thunder surrounded the sword. A single-edged sword made with a rough strapped grip. The overall look of the sword was as menacing as intended, the gleam of its edge made it only seem sharper.
…Maybe this time, it'll be safe.
Bell inches towards the sword, disregarding the thunder in favour of grasping the sword that almost called to him.
*Spark*
The thunder flew straight at his chest, the minute he laid his hand on the sword.
The edges of his eyes became darker, he felt his world shaking vigorously as he could no longer stand up straight.
…
…
…Note to self…let's not touch random things anymore.
And his world faded to black.
-CL Break-
Waking up for the second in that one day was clearly not a good sign.
Especially since he was all alone in the village.
…and he was knocked out both times.
Either it was some divine curse placed upon him that rested his fate to simply being knocked out, or, he was plain unlucky.
In one sense, it was good to see that at least he can still feel things considering the charge of thunder should've absolutely fried his nerves out.
"Oh?"
Glancing upon the blade which firmly rested in his hand, he felt its weight to be peculiarly low…almost as if it was made for him.
Upon holding it up, a piece of paper fell beside it.
…
'To whoever is reading this…
Ah who am I kidding, it's probably Bell. Now young man, what did I say about entering my room?
Bah, no matter. If you are reading this, then I probably disappeared somewhere or died…either is pretty possible.
Don't worry yourself about these things, but know it is time for you to spread your wings. Go on the adventurer my boy! Get yourself the women!
Save the damsel in distress and find your place in the world! As a final assistance and a happy 15th birthday, I'll leave some things to help you. Be careful to not be overly reliant on them.
The under armour made by your mother, a sword from your father and a lil' tidbit letter from me ;)
Anyways, go out there and make yourself known in the world.
…
Also forgot to mention, I'm Zeus.
Toodaloo~'
…
…
…Well…I know what I should do now.
Regardless of what had happened, he had paths to choose from, logical steps to execute and a "semi-will" of his grandpa.
And so he'd follow it through.
It wasn't a goal…but it was a start.
And if Orario, the centre of the world, was where it all rested…then he had no choice but to go there right?
He exited the hall, ready to scrounge everything he could…before burying this place.
He had no desire to have a place to return to.
He needed not a past to look at, memories to over-glorify; his path could only go forward from here.
Or so he decided, as the final candle was lit; and in the dark of the night, the entire village had been reduced to ash.
-CL Break-
A few days later
…Perhaps…coming to Orario by foot was a mistake.
He hadn't been naive enough to think that Orario was a day's distance; but…it did a couple more than he had planned for.
The salvageable rations from his village truly did help him sustain himself during those extra days.
Bringing along the money he had found, a letter his grandfather had told him to deliver and nothing but a few essentials.
His outfit was nothing out of the norm, except for the sword that hung by his side and if one were to look closely, they'd see the under armour he had adorned.
A fine piece of the black full suit, made of a material he couldn't pierce at all, a fine piece to add to his collection and truly something he appreciated.
It seemed as though his apparent mother had already guessed that he'd end up trying to become an adventurer. How she did that, he had no idea, but he saw absolutely no issues with chalking it all up to a "mother's intuition".
Bell found himself standing in silence, waiting for the long line to move along as he eventually made his way to the guard themselves.
Though Bell was untrained, he almost felt the aura of the man in front of him. No doubt stronger than he was, the man's bored expression did nothing to deter Bell from gauging the man.
"Hey…ya done checking me out already?" The guard asked gruffly.
"Yes."
"Okie dokie then, name?"
"Bell Cranel."
"Age."
"15."
"Purpose of visit?"
"Adventuring."
The response wasn't unheard of by the guard; hell, he heard it so many times by now that he always snorted a "yeah right" to the person.
Though this time…it was different.
Not because the person in front of him was strong per se, but rather to his blessed self the white haired child was as easy to kill as a goblin. But…he found himself not giving the usual response.
"Good luck." He replied, glancing at the sword by Bell's hip.
"Thanks."
"Now…do you pose a threat to Orario and/ or its inhabitants?"
"...No."
"Well, the fee is…" The man glanced at the sword once more, "9000 valis."
Expecting a harsh response from the young man, the guard almost prepared himself to take down an unruly visitor.
It was not often he'd try to rip people off, what with most of them being merchants that frequented the city, asking a higher price was almost impossible.
But aspiring adventurers…were a different case.
'Allow me to teach you your first lesson, kid. Everyone's your enemy here.'
"Sure," Bell replied, reaching for the money.
"H-huh?"
"Here you go." Bell casually handed the man 9000 valis, before entering the city and leaving without even batting an eye.
While 9000 valis wasn't anything too special, it was about a typical level 1s bi-daily income. And for people outside the city even more so…yet this kid simply paid and left?
…Goddamn it, I should've asked for higher!
…
…
Orario was as grand as the stories his grandpa seemed to spit. The high third-floored buildings, were some of the structures he had never seen in his village before.
Especially how every house in the central district was made of bricks!
Truly…the richest city in the world.
As well as being the richest city, it also was the most culturally diverse…once more as described by his grandfather.
Chienthropes. Elves. Amazoness. Dwarf. Pallum. The list goes on, the variety of people in the city was new. His naive self simply knowing the existence of elves from fairy tales and such he would have probably been in awe.
Though nothing…absolutely nothing in the city compared to what's in the middle of it.
Babel.
A tower that reached so high, it seemed to almost pierce the heavens. A miracle building, something akin to a giant pillar. It looked as intimidating and grand as he had expected.
Its mighty presence dwarfed all beneath it.
"!"
Bell's eyes shot up, looking straight towards the upper floors of Babel. The sky penetrating tower with the thick glass walls.
…And the eyes of someone…watching him.
Bell squinted his eyes foolishly as though he could actually see something from his position.
And as expected, he couldn't see anyone.
Unable to really do anything about it, Bell simply shrugged it off, making his way to Loki's Manor.
Though he would've easily gotten lost, given the numerous twists and turns of the city, it became quite difficult to ignore the massive mansion that stood tall right in front of his face.
That, and the fact that there is a literal plate saying its name city; it was quite hard to miss the gigantic manor right in the north direction.
…That, and it said "Loki Familia" on the plate.
Approaching the two guards, they immediately crossed their spears.
"No entry brat."
"Scram."
…
"...I have a letter to deliver."
"Oh yeah? Well, the mail was collected yesterday, shoulda come yesterday. Buzz off." The guard flipped him off.
What purpose do these people find in throwing up their middle fingers?
Regardless of how stupid the guards seemed (at least in his eyes), Bell was now left in a position where he had many issues with.
The guard blocking had indeed not been something he had accounted for.
He had a job to do. And they were an obstacle in his path.
…So he chose to ignore them.
Walking towards them without a care in the world, Bell jumped over the gates; at a speed, no blessing-less person should be able to.
"O-OI!" The guards scrambled to reach for him, one of them rushing towards him. "INTRUDER!" He loudly alerted as he leapt forth to stab Bell.
At blinding speeds, Bell moved; drawing his sword from his hip…using a movement that was not his.
Body memory that belonged not to him, Bell parried the strike with ease. Loose sparks flew from the two blades impacting against each other; before finally, Bell spun and slammed the butt of the sword right into the sphenoid bone.
Out cold.
As the second guard approached, Bell instinctively took on a stance and as he was about to-
"That is quite enough." A voice came behind him.
Young, but authoritative.
When did he…
"Turn around." The voice commanded.
And so he listened. If he was stuck between two sides, then the best for him to do was to obey.
Youthful looking. No. A pallum.
Blond patch of hair.
Fiercely strong blue eyes.
A spear triple the size of its wielder.
"...Ever consider switching to daggers? I find it quite the better match for your…stature." Bell commented blandly.
"Thank you for the suggestion, but spears have worked better for the last 20 or so years. I think I'll stick to them." The child- no, the man replied.
"Now the question is…who are you? And can you give one reason as to why I should not simply cut you down?" The man narrowed his gaze.
"...I come bearing a letter from Zeus?"
"..."
"..."
"...*sigh* of course you do." The man withdrew his blade, " Follow along."
And so he did.
…Along with 30 or so other pairs of eyes with him.
Hmm…guess I'm popular already.
The Loki's Manor could only be described as luxurious.
Various decorations, artefacts and other pieces enhanced the look of the otherwise boring halls.
Bell-being opportunistic as always- took the chance to gleam at just about every inch of the manor.
Until the man in front of him halted by a door.
*Knock Knock*
"Come innnn." A slurred voice spoke.
The door opened to reveal…
"A crossdressing man?" Bell blurted out.
"Whatcha on crossdressing man! I am a functioning, loving female I'll have ya know!" The redhead crossdresser stood on the table.
Their cheeks blushed with an obvious blush, either from embarrassment or from the piles of empty bottles beside them.
"Geez, Loki, you are drunk already? It's midday!"
Scratch that, drunk it is.
"Aw, Finnnn I was just a lil'-just…just a lil bit drunk. Nothing major." The now revealed to be Goddess spoke, before shifting her seemingly closed eyes to Bell, "Whozzat?"
"A man claiming to have a letter from Zeus."
"..."
"..."
"...Well that sobered me the fuck up." Loki cursed, "That sucker is still buzzin' around?"
"Actually, I don't even know where Grandpa is anymore." Bell shrugged.
"Grandpa?"
"I believe it'll be easier if you just read the letter." Bell gave the letter to Finn, who then passed it to Loki.
…
…
…
"What the hell!" Loki slammed her fists into the table, "Of course, he's still dicking around, tchguuurgh he pisses me off."
…I'm sure they were good friends as he had claimed.
"Loki what did it say?"
"He asked us to take the kid in." Loki explained to her captain, "Look kid, yer great for sure probably. And believe me, while I have absolutely nothing better to do than to satisfy his whims. I don't wanna. So, here's how shit is gonna pan out."
"You get tested by one of my executives, if they say yer good nuff' yer in. If not, Try going to that whore up on the tower."
"Whore?" Bell repeated, "What does that mean?"
"..."
"Oh, you sweet innocent child," Loki sighed. "I was referring to Freya."
"...Hm."
"Anyways, Finn."
The pallum sighed, "Fine, I get it. I'll do his test."
"Ah, Finn this is why you're my favourite!" Loki sang.
"Yes yes, I've heard you say the same to Riveria when she finally allowed you to get a jar of Soma's." FInn flippantly replied before turning to Bell, "What is your name?"
"Bell Cranel." He replied, his gaze unwavering from Finn's own, "What's yours?"
"...You don't know me?"
"Am I supposed to?"
Finn paused for a second before chuckling, "No. I suppose you don't. Guess I have more to work for, either way, I am Finn Diemne otherwise known as-"
"Braver."
"...So you did know?" Finn questioned, a bit confused at the boy's temperament.
"I wasn't sure." Bell replied, "The only description I had of you was shorter than a ten year old and blond, and well; that profile fits plenty of people."
"..."
Ignoring the cackles from Loki, Finn sighed; asking Bell to follow him as he guided him to the training grounds.
"Do you need another weapon or is the one you have fine?" Finn asked, not sure whether the weapon had been maintained or not.
"This is fine."
"Very well, We- Ah, Riveria just in time." Finn looked behind Bell.
"Finn." The high elf acknowledged curtly, "Why do you have an unknown child with you?"
"New member…potentially," Finn answered.
"Otherwise, I'm being sent to the whore in the tower," Bell added his two cents.
"..."
Never once had Riveria thought she'd be rendered as speechless as she just had been.
Not many had ever come in front of her in their first interaction and had acted in such a… disrespectful manner?
She should have called it uncouth.
Barbaric even to utter such inane words to her.
But she knew better than to let her elven side get the better of her.
' This boy… he's weird. He has something strange about him. '
"Bell, perhaps you should not say such words to her, " Finn advised after a chuckle, "that is Riveria, the elven princess of our familia."
"... Hm. "
'Hm? That's it?'
"Pardon him, Riveria," Finn said, "It seems our friend here isn't the most expressive person. "
"Am I more expressive than the whore in the tower at least?" Bell asked with withering interest.
"Bell, whore is a derogatory word, please refrain from using it. " Finn sighed, the boy being out of the loop, "The… person up there is Freya as we mentioned before, A Goddess."
"Either way, let us not delay it any longer." Finn changed the subject to hopefully get out of the loop of calling her a whore.
" The rules are simple, you need to touch me once with your weapon. You have 15 mins, any questions?"
"Can I use magic?" Bell asked.
'I thought you didn't have a falna?"
"I…. Don't? " he tilted his head.
"... Hahaha, Magic without a falna. As expected of one sent by the God Zeus." Finn grinned, "Very well."
Finn took lazy steps back, creating a fair distance between himself and Bell.
Underestimating someone was something he'd never be proud of, but-
"Begin!"
What could an unblessed person do to a level 6?
"!"
Dodging at the last second, the tip of Bell's sword flew past Finn.
It wasn't particularly hard to dodge-no, but it wasn't something a person of Bell's standing should be able to do.
'...ok then let us witness your abilities.' Finn grinned, the potential addition to the familia looking exceptional already.
Bell didn't relent in his assault, almost thoughtlessly moving his body choreographed itself for him.
The odd sensations of muscles he had never had to use before kept bearing down on Bell, jolts going off with each contraction.
But he moved.
A swing upwards.
Followed by a kick.
Leg sweep.
Uppercut.
Slash.
The sequence varied.
Fast; unrelenting.
Strong; unhindered.
Bell moved with almost robotic fluency, moving like a well-oiled machine, delivering an indecipherable sequence of attacks.
…
"3 minutes left."
Yet none of them hit.
Finn moved with blinding speed, one Bell couldn't even hope to keep up with.
Any hits that even came close to touching him, Finn swung his spear to just barely parry it.
Not to blow him away, but just a slight tap to get Bell away.
To Finn's amazement, Bell showed no sign of rage or frustration. The albino continued to attack as though he didn't even need to breathe.
But…
"you're doing well. Frighteningly so…but this isn't enough." Finn grinned, "Come on Bell! Is that all you have?! Weakling! Did Zeus sama teach you nothing?"
"Ho? Finns egging him on." Riveria smiled. Having spectated the entire exchange even she had to acknowledge that Bell was particularly skilled.
Way below their level, but just enough to get Finn excited about the Boy's potential.
His thumb probably aching, begging him to just get a little bit under Bell's skin.
"Lightning, enchant!"
The thunderous voice came out of the otherwise silent boy. Clouds quickly gathered above their heads and rumbled in allegiance to him.
"Well, well, well." Finn's grin grew, akin to a maddened beast, "Looks like you did have more in you."
Thunder descended.
-CL Break-
The beginning of raindrops marked a new stage in the fight.
The two stood in the centre, not even paying attention to the crowd they had gathered. Curious eyes; shocked observants alike watched on as this unknown person fought against the captain of the familia.
One, who wished to see the boy in front of him reach newer heights.
He had already done plenty, already qualifying more than the usual recruits they had. But he could tell, there was more to the boy than meets the eye. And so, he pushed on, leaving no stone unturned, no chest unopened unleashing as many non-physical weapons a mortal could wield.
Insults.
Taunts.
Threats.
…Nothing. Not even a glare. Yet finally…
It seemed to have worked. The magic the boy unleashed, a simple enchantment perhaps, but the glow in the boy's eyes was unmistakable.
The other, moving as though he had been used to the strikes he had been pulling off.
With no purpose other than to follow the final wish his grandfather had. Perhaps find where the man was.
He wished not to be fixed; not that he even could.
But now that all that remained was but a mere empowered husk of a boy, the final wishes of his last remaining loved one were all he had.
And his grandfather would move with him. Fight with him.
Blue lightning coated his blade, waves of it crackling, tearing micro-holes into the very air.
The bluish hue left the elven Princess confused, drawing upon an unknown reserve of mind power that she could not find the answer to.
Her people had spent many painstaking generations, to come up with a spell that non-blessed people could use. But it was poor.
A long incantation, weak effect. Yet still the very representation of the academic prowess of the elves.
Yet this boy? A human? Whose lifespan was but a fraction of theirs?
He came out of nowhere, with a spell far shorter; far stronger than what they had conjured up.
A warrior of a fated challenge raced forth, his pace increasing from his previous exchanges.
His slashes grew fiercer.
Coming ever so close, but never touching the captain.
Playfulness danced in the pallum's gauging eyes. A vile excitement, that he himself had been missing.
And he had predicted that this would be the unfortunate end of Bell's test. After all, his own speed had been at a level 2. No amount of training could compare to it.
That's just how unfair the divine's blessings were.
Though he still wished to exchange an offer to join, given the fact that the boy had shown him many admirable qualities.
He had not let his emotions get the better of him, ignoring all the taunts.
He had failed and he instantly got back up. Thinking of a better way. A greater approach.
He had gone head to head, without a single regard for the few accidental scratches Finn had left him with. The minor cuts went ignored.
'What else could you wish for in a young warrior?'
"1 minute left."
Bell paused.
For the first time in that fight, he stopped.
And stared.
'?'
And moved once more. Coming with a flash of speed; he jumped to slice down at the pallum.
And the pallum blocked it.
So, Bell let go of his sword, spinning as he fell onto his side.
…
"Lightning: Discharge."
"?!"
…
"Match over." Finn announced a bright toothy grin on his face, "Congratulations. You won."
"..."
"I heh, I did not expect that. I suppose it's a lesson for me too." Finn smiled, dabbing over the small burn mark on his clothes, "To have assumed you could only enchant your weapon with lightning…was an oversight."
*Clap…Clap…Clap*
The pair turned their heads towards Riveria, "A wonderful show of abilities Cranel san. You must have trained for a decently long amount of time."
"...Yes." Bell replied, "I'm not worthy of such praise, princess."
"Urk…no need for the princess. We are both adventurers here. Just Riveria is fine." Riveria greeted warmly.
"Okay, it's a pleasure to meet you, Just Riveria."
"..."
"..."
"Sooo…Just Riveria, mind taking him to Loki?" Finn teased.
"*sigh* follow along, also it's Riveria."
"Okay, i-"
A staff was raised to his throat.
"Riveria."
-CL Break-
The way Finn and Riveria entered Loki's room was drastically different from one another.
While, Finn was polite, knocking and entering.
Riveria…
"Urgh, she's drinking again." The elven princess pinched her nose, before…
*CRASH*
"Woah woah woah, Who the f-'' Loki cut herself off, her cheeks still pink, "Oh, Riveria tan! What's up? Have you come to finally offer yourself to me?"
"I don't think it'll be good for an elven princess's image to be with a crossdressing God."
"OI! I said I ain't no crossdressing man! I am a bonafide, fully decked woman!" Loki shouted indignantly, "Let me guess…he made it?"
"With flying colours!"
"I don't think-"
"You don't think at all we know. That's why you kept referring to Goddess Freya in such a crude way." Riveria cut him off.
"Well, Goddess Loki did it first."
"Yes, but she doesn't have any manners." Riveria calmly replied, "Now. Loki if you would."
"Yeah yeah, Boy. Strip."
"..."
"...ok."
…
"WAIT WAIT WAIT, KEEP YER PANTS ON!"
"But you told me to strip?" Bell tilted his head.
"No. I mean I did-but, anyways…your shirt off is fine."
Loki approached him, a needle in hand.
Poking her mortal body, a drop of her divine blood fell onto Bell's back.
Marking him as hers.
…
"Holy…shit…"
"What?" Riveria asked.
"Oi, kid what the fuck are ya?" Loki questioned.
"...A human?"
"Don't get snappy with me boy, how the hell is your status this decked? Did you have a blessing before mine?"
"No never."
"... Then…how?"
Status:
Name: Bell Cranel
Title: Sacrificer
Str: 602
Vit: 599
Dex: 403
Agi: 789
Mag: 203
Magic:
Lightning mastery (free reign over lightning. All thunder shall bend to their will from whatever source they are from.)
Skills:
Chromatic Destiny: The owner has shown defiant characteristics, charms and such are ineffective and the owner has increased growth from injuries and severe situations.
"...Yeah this is bullshit." A new voice suddenly appeared.
"Oh Tiona, yer here."
"Heyo!" Tiona greeted before kneeling to the boy that was sitting down on the ground, and extending a hand, "Hello! I am Tiona! What's your name?"
"Bell Cranel."
"Tiona, why are you here?"
"Well you see, I heard there was this decent-looking guy that totally dealt the 1,2 to the captain," She giggled, "So I came to see just who he was."
"Am I a decent-looking guy?"
"Hm…" Tiona took a step back, looking over Bell. Her eyes lingered a few too many seconds over his toned muscles.
Give the guy a loose shirt, and he'd look scrawny as hell, but it was when he was naked that one could truly appreciate the results of Farming for years.
His vessel, which had expanded to contain the changes done to him by Nyx, glistened from the slight sweat that gathered during his and Finn's previous exchange.
The gleaming muscles of his were compact, if useful; and evidently well-trained.
As she gazed up, her eyes stopped on him.
His eyes…seemed despondent.
A pair of rubellite eyes that lacked the one thing that she had…
Life.
Not one she'd questioned before, but her attitude seemed to calm a bit, as though she had remembered a time when...
His otherwise cute face lacked no definition; the strong jawline emerging from a well-balanced diet.
"Nice." She grinned.
"Now if you are done checking him out," Riveria coughed into her fist, a small tint of red on her cheeks, "Please do leave."
"Aww, but I wanted to see more of his…bullshit status."
"Nope, missy leave."
"...Fine…" Tiona grumbled, waving at Bell, who weakly replied in kind.
"Hm…guess I should let someone oversee you on the first couple of days," Loki thought.
"I'll do it." Riveria volunteered, the Goddess recoiling in reaction.
"E-Eh? You will? But you never want to do it."
"Well, I'm curious as to how he was using such magic without a blessing."
Riveria replied, "His potential seems to be great."
"...I'll take Captain please." Bell indirectly refused Riveria.
"Excuse me?!"
"Captain. Please. She gives me Spartan vibes."
Riveria grabbed his head, forcefully turning him to face her, "Tomorrow morning, 6 am sharp. Library. Got it?"
"...Hm."
"Hm," Riveria replied in kind, before leaving Bell alone with Loki.
…
Loki put a comforting hand on Bell's shoulder, "Man yer gonna have it rough, good luck kid."
"...Hm."
-CL Break-
Having gotten the blessing on his back, Bell felt a substantial stub of energy added to his base level.
His speed seemed to have exploded; in comparison to what it had been before, and he felt like he could lift up the entire manor with just one finger.
While it didn't take him long to overcome his new adventurer's high, it was just about enough time for him to be taken to his room.
The system explained to him had been simple enough. All level 4s and below, share a room with another.
Boys with boys.
Girls with girls.
No member of the opposite sex was allowed to the other side of dorms unless it was especially granted.
While Bell wouldn't care for such rules even normally, it did end up being somewhat of a problem to deal with given how his roommate was…
"Hey, so where are you from?" Raul asked.
Eccentric.
"A village."
"How old are you?"
"15."
"Ooh, I was 13 when I joined the familia. You must have good potential." He complimented.
"Not any better than yours."
"Oh stop joking around, I mean I am the High Novice, but I crumble easily under pressure. Not the best pic of the lost."
Who the high novice was…Bell had zero idea.
Would he pretend to know for the sake of the conversation going anywhere near ending?
Yes.
"So what's your primary weapon? Mine's a longsword."
Bell in response threw his weapon at him.
Sheathed, unfortunately.
"Oh? This is quite well made."
"Hm."
"Are you feeling hungry?"
"Hm."
"Is that a yes or a no?"
"...Hm." Bell insisted.
"Great buddy," Raul patted his back, "Let's go, it's time for dinner anyways."
"..."
And so, they made their way to the canteen. Going through a new section of the Twilight Manor's halls that he did not recognise.
Bell once more took in the opportunity to look at every corner of the hall.
The lunch hall was huge, as deserving of a familia as large as the Loki Familia. Magic stone-lit chandeliers placed evenly apart from one another, lighting up the entire place brightly.
The tables were matted with a clean white cloth, with the prepared dishes placed at regular intervals.
While an elevated platform hosted a special selection of members of the Familia.
The executives.
"Ah, he's here." Finn stood up, raising his spear.
Immediately, like a large sheet falling onto a bed. The people simultaneously went quiet, in an impressive demonstration.
"It's a bit of an odd time of the year for this to happen," Finn began, "and many of you may have witnessed him earlier today already."
"Through a special examination of a 1 vs 1 with me, the young man at the far back, Bell Cranel," Finn pointed his spear at him, "Has joined our familia. His entry was no less deserved than any other of you, and from today onwards he's one of us. Treat him nicely, and get along.
Now, if you have some words, Bell."
"...I am Bell. I am 13. My village…no longer exists. Hope we get along." Bell bowed.
"..."
"...Uh Bell, anything more?" Finn asked with a bead of sweat rolling down his cheek.
"No."
"O..kay then. Let's resume with dinner then."
"Hehehe, he's a weird one, Finn." Tiona giggled, raising her dark hand to wipe a tear from her eyes. "Anything more?...No." She mocked.
"He's not the most expressive one that's for sure." Riveria agreed, "Though that's far from the first in this familia."
The arrival of Bell was not expected but still welcomed. Considering how he had proven his worth against Finn at least.
Even if that had been invalidated in some way, the ease with which he knocked out a level 1 guard would definitely serve as sufficient proof.
Though the chatter had continued, Loki oddly had remained quiet. Sober for the first time in that whole day, she had heard the entire story of what Bell had done that day.
…And it left her confused.
The difference between blessed and unblessed wasn't small by any margins.
It wasn't as though the level 1 guard was particularly strong…but that's just how Cyclopean the falna was.
It was a storage mechanism, able to hold to excelia. A record of the holder's actions, lifestyle, motivations and all of them alike.
Like an infinite video camera; it watched.
And recorded.
Almost every part of a living being's life became a source of said excelia, which they could store because of the storage function. The excelia then became status points.
If Bell had never had a falna before…how did he store his excelia?
A question, which simply led to multiple others.
One without any answers available to her, Loki could do nothing but stare at the boy.
'Who the hell are ya?'
-CL Break-
The following morning, Bell got up at 5 as he always does.
His night had once more been plagued with nightmares, a physical phenomenon of his body remembering what should have been a traumatic experience…except he didn't really feel bothered by it.
Through his normal sleep cycle, he got up as though nothing had happened. He grabbed his sword to go do some quick training.
If not to improve then at least to get used to the falna's boost.
And so he jumped out the window…completely unaware of the streak of tears that ran down his cheek.
…
Ok then, let's see.
Having done a quick circuit of stretches, Bell grabbed his sword. The already pretty light sword felt completely featherless in his now-empowered grasp.
A tight swing, flat and straight, resulted in a blow of dust flying just below his blade.
The sword almost seemed to sing, celebrating the increase of its user's powers.
"Hm…"
"Hello." A voice disturbed his concentration.
Radiant blond cascaded down to the middle of her back.
A black flame, hidden deep by the wells of her azure eyes.
Aloof; and almost identical to Bell, her expression was seemingly frozen.
"Hello."
"..."
"..."
"Do…you need help?" Ais tilted her head. "Getting used to your falna."
"...Hm."
"Ok then," She gave a small smile. "Let's spar."
"You…are Sword Princess san right?"
"Yes."
"A level 5?"
"Yes."
"...I will die."
"It's fine, I'll hold back." She reassured, dropping her sword to take her sheath instead.
"...Hm. Ok then."
…
…
She did not hold back.
Her attacks may have started off slow, and just barely good enough for him to follow along.
But she quickly lost track of her limits.
Her pace increased beyond what Finn even used yesterday.
A worrying hail of sword blows rained on him, Bell uselessly attempted to parry and dodge as most of them grazed him. Dealing minor cuts, and bruises that would probably stay for a couple of days.
Though he felt no pain, Bell could not train his control over his new falna. He attempted to use his all, his lightning, his newly level 1 status to even fight back a little.
…Yet it was just futile.
One particular strike, knocked the wind out of him as it gouged past his sides. Crimson splotches of blood falling unnoticed by both.
Thankfully though, the wound was dealt with near the end of the session. So he could excuse himself from her, claiming he has to go meet up with Riveria.
The only issue was…
"Where the hell is the library?"
-CL Break-
A/N: And that's a wrap. The chapter is actually smaller than it should've been, but that was because I could tell my focus was waning near the end, and the quality was progressively becoming worse.
So I chose to end it, it's fine I can quite literally tack on the next bit onto the next chapter, hopefully, this is better, do let me know.
And if it's your first time here, well welcome.
Also, Join the fucking server mayte, you can find the link in any of IreJas's stories.
Bless.