Last Hero's Vow

by agopessimist

Born with a disease that tore his body apart, Bell struggled to survive the moment he was born. His life was filled with pain and loneliness, until she came. And one day, he swore a solemn vow to be the Last Hero she wanted to see appear in the world. Years later, Bell arrives to Orario prepared to fulfil his promise, no matter his illness. And not even Death itself will stop him.

1. Chapter 1

Hello all, and thank you for taking the time to read my story! This is my first ever Danmachi Fanfic, and after reading so many amazing stories on this site I finally decided to write my own so please feel free to let me know if there's anything I can improve upon or change. Special shout-out to the story Heroes by author The Four Crosses, and the story Tales of Royalty by author Soul of Horus, both of which have been a massive inspiration for me, and a special thank you to Soul of Horus for giving me the encouragement to write my own fanfic! Definitely check out their works if you haven't already!

Also a special shout out to SmilingIceCube and his story Death Does Not Stop a Hero, which has helped inspire the main premise for my own. My story will focus on similar themes of undeath while also hoping to give my own twist on how Bell copes with it and uses it to his advantage.

Just as a precaution, this story will contain spoilers for ALL DANMACHI CONTENT, including and up to Danmachi Volume 17, Sword Oratoria Volume 12, and all canonical stories in the Danmachi Memoria Freese mobile game up to the 5th Anniversary event as of this first chapter. Any new info about the plot of future novels or Danmemo events may be included in this story. I'll be trying to stick to canon as much as I can, and if new information about the lore is added I'll try to add it here or make some edits unless absolutely necessary. Here's hoping the 6th anniversary Danmemo event is about Zeus and Hera Familia, and here's also hoping that if it is about Zeus and Hera, I won't have to make too many changes if there are some massive reveals.

And of course, I do not own Danmachi, all rights go to Fujino Omori.

---

Chapter 1: A Boy's Solemn Vow

A young woman shed bitter tears as she cradled her dying son in her arms.

There was nothing she could do. The greatest healers from two of the most prominent medical Familia in Orario could do nothing but shake their heads in dismay. For there was nothing in their power they could do to help.

No amount of magic or spells could cure the ailing baby. No Falna could reverse the damage done to the child as he choked on his own blood.

Doing her best to give her child as much comfort as she could, the young mother, only 17 years old, continued to openly weep in silence at the misfortune that plagued her since birth and now plagued her child the moment he came into the world.

'Why? Why!? Why did this have to happen to you!? I'm so sorry…'

This poor girl was cursed from the moment she was born. Abandoned at an empty church, she had been brought into this world with a sickness that robbed her of her strength and her talent. The only thing she had with her was the soft cloth that covered her, and her elder twin sister by her side. The elder of the two was born as frail and sickly as her, but what she lacked in health she more than made up for in intelligence and pure talent. As the twins grew up in that abandoned church, barely surviving thanks to the kind-hearted goddesses and widows who passed by, the elder sister used her cunning and talent to keep them alive and thriving. While the youngest could barely stand and did little else but clutch at her blanket, the eldest would rummage through the slums of Daedalus Street, tricking and stealing from unwitting strangers.

That was, until she got unlucky and attempted to steal from a Goddess. Or maybe she should say that it was lucky of them that the elder twin stole from a Goddess?

For the deity that was almost robbed was none other than the goddess Hera, who controlled the mightiest Familia in all of Orario, and who saw something in the elder twin that made her want to snatch her up.

As "punishment" for attempting to steal from a goddess so mighty and beyond approach, the elder twin would "pay back her debt" by joining her Familia. Not wanting to miss the opportunity, the elder twin accepted on one condition: that she bring her sick younger twin with her. The goddess was fortunately amused by the gall of this child. A starving, sickly little girl like her, making demands of Hera, practically the Queen of Orario herself?

Hah! The prideful goddess could only admire the bravery (or stupidity) of the offer and accepted it. Soon, both girls were brought into Hera Familia. And as the goddess's Falna graced their backs, she gave them their names.

Alfia and Meteria.

Alfia, true to her natural talent, had risen rapidly through the ranks of Orario and even in Hera Familia herself. She developed an aptitude for magic that none in all of Orario's history could match. Her ability to flawlessly mimic the actions of others had brought fear into the hearts of every Familia member, and her utter lack of respect for her superiors or her Goddess only alienated her from her supposed "allies''.

But where Alfia was feared by her Familia, Meteria was the complete opposite. Confined to a bed in the very church she and her twin were found in, Meteria had won the hearts and souls of her Familia, and even her prideful Goddess would soon find herself bending backwards for her every whim. Not a single person in the Familia hated her, and despite her complete lack of strength, her smile could make even the most wounded member suddenly heal up and charge into battle with pride in their hearts.

Her existence was made completely unknown to the rest of Orario, but she felt the love and admiration of her twin, allies, and goddess, and soon she would feel the love of a stranger as well.

Hera Familia was not the only powerhouse in Orario. They had only 1 rival, and one whose deity was the source of many destroyed buildings and angry words.

Zeus Familia was the polar opposite of Hera Familia. Composed entirely of men due to their god's lecherous ways, the Familia was their perfect counterpart. Completely equal to them in strength and resources, Zeus Familia co-ruled Orario as its sword and shield for over a thousand years.

Sadly, the mighty Familia's reputation often plummeted due to the actions of their deity. Zeus was as perverted as he was wise, and spent the majority of his time attempting to peep on many different goddesses and the women in Hera Familia. Each time he was caught, and each time he was nearly sent back to Heaven until a Zeus Familia member would eventually come and drag back their whimsical god from the jaws of death.

While Alfia was almost always the target of many of Zeus's perverted escapades, Meteria herself was fiercely protected, and she herself never fell victim to Zeus's lecherous acts.

Until one day, when a young man with ruby-like eyes fell victim to one of Zeus's disastrous attempts to sneak into the ladies' bathing area, and saw her in all her glory.

Unlike Zeus, his eyes never held a lecherous gaze toward her. Despite seeing all of her body, he had viewed her as if she was a goddess, and after quickly realizing where he was, he immediately apologized and ran out of the bathing room. Right into Alfia's naked bosom.

How he managed to survive that day was a mystery that would never be solved.

But one day he found her collapsed on the floor, writhing in pain at the back of the church as he passed it by and heard the cries of pain coming from within, and hurriedly whisked her away to Miach Familia. He had saved her life from a particularly severe seizure when most of her Familia was out on an expedition, and she was surprised to see that he was the same age as herself.

As the two spoke to each other more and more, Meteria learned more about the young adventurer who saved her. The young man had come to Orario seeking glory and heroism, but was as weak and cowardly as one could be. He had actually joined Zeus Familia the very same day he had accidentally peeped on her, and the only reason he was able to join was that he threatened to reveal Zeus's secret passage into the baths should he refuse.

Despite his best efforts, he was just like her: a completely weak and talentless adventurer who could only stay at the very back of the Familia and act as a Supporter. A job he seldom did well as his cowardice would always kick in and he'd find himself running haplessly away. While he got along well with his god, his peers in the Familia regarded him with distaste and annoyance. He knew full well that he was a coward, and tried his best to be brave and fight alongside his allies, but his fears always paralyzed him.

Meteria could understand his regrets only too well. Despite how she'd often wear a smile on her face and say to Alfia and the others that she wasn't envious of them, she often wondered what it would be like to join her sisters-in-arms in battle. Hera's Falna and the vast resources at her disposal had done little to cure her or Alfia of their illness. Meteria was truly grateful for the life she had, but she too felt regret at her weakness and inability to fight, while her sister would go on dangerous expeditions and constantly risk her life.

The two bonded over their status as the weakest members of their Familias, and soon the boy would secretly visit her, telling her of the latest adventures both Familias took part in, and would use his own money to secretly pay for her medicine.

Needless to say, both teens found themselves deeply in love with the other, and on a wintry night, despite her illness Meteria had welcomed him into her bed, and shared their passion and adoration for one another under the light of the full moon.

For both Familias had decided to undertake the greatest challenge the mortal world has ever encountered, and neither knew when they would be able to see each other again.

The Three Great Quests. 3 missions that needed to be completed for the entire world to be safe. 3 monsters that needed to be annihilated.

Behemoth, poisonous scourge and ruler of the land.

Leviathan, vicious killer and ruler of the oceans.

The One-Eyed Black Dragon, malevolent dominator and ruler of the sky.

These 3 primordial demons escaped the Dungeon in millennia past and continued to wreak havoc across the Lower World.

None have successfully killed them, and only 1 hero managed to wound them.

But this was the Age of the Gods, and with the power bestowed upon the Falna, Zeus and Hera felt that now was the most opportune time to finally assassinate these monsters.

Both their Familias were at the height of their power, with each of their captains being at Level 8 and 9, and with powerful vice-captains such as Zald and Alfia. Not to mention the multiple Level 7's and below that made up their ranks, and the complete victories they held over other rival factions in Orario. Osiris and Sobek Familia, the two factions that were once their greatest rivals, were completely destroyed by them centuries ago. Loki and Freya Familia, the two newest factions to seize power, were nowhere near the power of their old rivals. Emboldened by their strength and with the knowledge that Maquia would soon occur, the two Familias set out to achieve the once thought impossible task: to find and kill the most dangerous monsters that have ever lived, the three Black Monsters.

And to their credit, they did succeed at first. Both the Behemoth and Leviathan fell by their hand. But each victory came at a great cost, and one that their newest rivals took note of. Zald, the famed Predator, sacrificed the health of his body by devouring the poisonous flesh of the Behemoth, giving him the power to kill it in one strike when his comrades were in danger, only to be forever cursed by the toxic flesh that tore apart his innards. Alfia, her beloved sister, used the full power of her magic for the first time, and at the young age of 17 destroyed the Leviathan with one attack, at the cost of her illness becoming far more severe. Both executives were temporarily removed from the field and left to recover while the rest of the Familias prepared themselves for the final Quest.

It was after Alfia defeated the Leviathan that Meteria discovered she was pregnant.

Once the shock had finally settled down, love blossomed in her chest at the discovery of a new life growing within her. Her lover, though scared to death at the prospect of being discovered (for who knew how Hera, or gods forbid, Alfia, would react to her getting pregnant by someone from Zeus Familia), he too was over the moon, and swore to be the best father he could possibly be.

But things began to take a turn for the worse.

Growing a child inside her made Meteria far more sick and weak then she had ever been before, and Hera Familia grew more and more concerned for her health. Alfia, despite being incredibly frail after her defeat of the Leviathan, pulled herself out of bed and stood by her side almost 24/7. Her lover was unable to see her for long periods of time, as he was run ragged by the errands he had to do to help Zeus Familia prepare for the final Grand Quest, and he wouldn't dare try to see her while Alfia clung to her.

Her pregnancy was soon discovered by the many healers of Dian Ceht and Miach Familia, and she had begged on her knees in front of both deities to have them keep it a secret from Hera. While Dian Ceht scoffed at the idea of having to lie to Hera of all goddesses, Miach took pity on her and accepted her wish, being the one to personally report to Hera what was going on. In the end, Hera and Alfia believed that Meteria's condition worsened due to the state of her illness and nothing more, and within a couple of months, both Familias had prepared themselves for their final expedition. Meteria spent one last night together with her love the night before both Familias left, and he swore that he would return to her and take full responsibility for her and their child's happiness.

And that was the last time she saw him ever again.

The news had reached her a few months later near the end of her pregnancy, and it shook her and Orario to their very cores. Zeus and Hera Familia were completely and utterly annihilated by the Black Dragon. Not a single member made it out alive.

She would never see the love of her life again, and she would never see her sister or her friends ever again.

The shock that this news brought drove her to an early labor, and soon the healers were doing their best to keep her alive while she gave birth to her child too early. In the end, after an entire day of brutally painful contractions, she finally gave birth to a healthy baby boy.

Or so she believed.

Meteria was over the moon at seeing her son and his ruby eyes. An excitement that quickly shifted to horror when he took his first breath and immediately threw up blood.

'No! No! NO! NOOOOOOO!'

How could things have gone so wrong!? Had she been under a different Familia, she might have thought that the gods played a cruel joke on her. That they saw her misery, and when she prayed for a healthy child, they mocked her wishes and made her child as sickly as her the moment he was born. But Hera had loved her like a daughter, and would have killed any god or goddess who dared to harm her. Fate, it seemed, played its final trick on her, for not only was her precious child born cursed, but he would now grow up without any of his family.

Meteria was dying. Her sickness had lashed out at the very end of her pregnancy, and her body could no longer move on its own anymore. Her body was paralyzed from the waist down, and her arms grew more and more weak as she struggled to even lift her child into her chest to feed him. Her breathing grew more shallow, and she knew in the depths of her soul that she wouldn't make it to see the next day.

As she continued to cry, the door to her church opened, and the most unlikely of visitors came inside to greet them.

Zeus, who once wore a perverted grin on his face or laughed at the exploits of his Familia, now wore a somber expression as he gazed at the two sickly children in front of him. Taking a seat next to Meteria's bed, he folded his hands over his legs and gave her a remorseful glance.

"You don't need to hide anything from me, Meteria. That idiot kid told me everything about what happened between the two of you a long time ago, and I gave him my full support. Normally, I'd have celebrated and thrown the biggest party in all of Orario at the birth of your child. But now?" He sighed and casted his gaze towards the night sky that shone through the open window.

"Is it true, then? Everyone's… gone?" Meteria said as tears continued to run down her cheek.

"No. While your lover and most of mine and Hera's children are gone, Zald and Alfia are still alive."

"!"

"I just received a letter from them. They're wounded pretty badly, but they escaped thanks to that idiot brat's sacrifice. He saved them from the Dragon, and gave them a chance to run away while he served as distraction. He was always good at running away, after all…"

"W-where are they?"

"Resting at an elven village in Dedine. Remember the Black Desert where Zald killed the Behemoth? They have a herb that can treat Zald's illness, and they have a branch of the Holy Elven Tree to heal Alfia for a bit. But they won't be moving for a while. From what they said in their letter, they're really shaken up by what happened. I don't blame them. We really messed up. The Black Dragon was too strong, and now almost all our children are gone."

"Do they… know about Bell?"

"Bell?"

"Bell Cranell. That's his name."

Zeus gave her a smile for the first time. "It's a nice name. May I hold him?"

Nodding, Meteria passed her son to Zeus, who wore a curious expression on her face as he held the infant in his arms. It almost seemed like a look of… recognition? And wonder?

But that expression vanished as he turned his attention to her once again. "Sadly, things couldn't get any worse for us. The news about our total defeat just got leaked, and all of Orario is calling for our banishment."

Meteria felt her heart stop at the news. Banishment? For what, failing to complete a Quest? Zeus and Hera Familia have protected Orario for a thousand years, and this is how the city treats their protectors once they lose everything? "How…cough… could this happen? After everything you and Goddess Hera did for the city?"

Zeus rolled his eyes, but he too bore a look of resignation on his face. "Don't be so surprised. A lot of the gods are looking for the next thrill, and we've made a lot of enemies over the years. No-boobs and Boobs-on-legs are gonna be frothing at the opportunity to finally give us the boot. They've been looking for this opportunity for years, and now that we've lost all our members, they can finally take our spot. Hmph! This feels just like what happened to Epimetheus, that poor bastard. Doing everything he could to save people only to get laughed at when his efforts did nothing. Hera'll lose her mind for sure. All her children are gone, and the thought of getting kicked out by Freya of all people will make it sting even worse."

"She now knows about Bell," Zeus added, making Meteria freeze up. "But she's too much in shock right now to really come and visit. She also knows you're dying. Normally, I'd be steering clear of that yandere, but she's really down in the dumps right now. She can't bear to see you the way you are now, dying like this. You are her favorite child after all."

"Does she want to see him?"

"I wouldn't recommend it. Who knows how she'd react. It was bad enough that his birth is what's leading you to your death. Can you imagine what she'd do once she hears how it was one of my children that brought him into this world?"

"Please, don't ever say that! Even if I were to die, having Bell was never a mistake!" Meteria shouted, raising her voice for the first time in what felt like years. She couldn't stomach the thought that she would ever come to regret having Bell, or gods forbid, Bell would ever grow up thinking he was responsible for her death.

She would never allow it. She'd rather suffer a thousand painful deaths than live in a world where her son never existed. And though she would never get the chance to see him grow up, she would ensure that he would live a happy life.

"Lord Zeus? I know I'm not a part of your Familia, but I beg you. Can you listen to my last request?"

"Meteria," Zeus said, smiling. "How could you ever think that I wouldn't listen to the last request of a pretty young girl such as yourself? You're already a part of my Familia, so ask away. If it's within my power, I will follow it."

Holding Bell in her arms, she quietly rocked him to sleep, having finally calmed down from his recent bout of non-stop bloody coughing. "Can you promise to look after Bell for me? Take him someplace where he can grow up happy and as healthy as possible? Can you be there for him as family and keep him safe when I'm gone?"

Surprised, Zeus raised his eyebrows in shock. "I would never say no to that, but what about Alfia? I'll admit, Zald was never the paternal type, but Alfia is his blood relative. Shouldn't she raise Bell?"

"Of course! Please tell her about him, and please ask her to take care of Bell for me. I know Alfia never really cared for having children of her own, but at least she'll take care of mine!"

Zeus was skeptical of her claim, but wisely kept his opinion to himself. He had seen and heard enough of Alfia to know that that girl was a real troublemaker and a poor substitute to be Bell's mother. Alfia only ever cared about one person in this world, with said person dying in her bed. Not to mention how much Alfia hated Bell's father. How was he to tell her that the man she hated fathered Meteria's kid? He already considered himself lucky that he never managed to get sent up back to Heaven whenever he tried to peep on her in the past, but once she learns about Bell? Zeus would be as good as dead.

He'll probably have to send them a letter telling her and Zald about Bell and see how they'd react. Zald would most likely want to see Bell at least once, but who knows what would go through Silence's head. Still, as much as he dreaded the prospect, Zeus knew deep down that he'd never turn down a prayer from a pretty girl, and seeing the tragedy unfold before him only made him more resolved to fulfill her last wish.

"Alright. You have my word that I'll protect Bell and raise him as my own. Shouldn't be too hard, I've role-played hundreds of times back in Heaven, so it should be a piece of cake. Should I… take him with me now? I don't have much time left here, after all. Ouranos and Hermes are doing their best to keep me and Hera here for as long as possible, but Loki and Freya won't waste any time. Once they see me or Hera, they'll swoop in and parade us out the front gate. I won't get another chance to take him away safely."

"Can I please… hold on to him for a while? It won't be for much longer."

Zeus nodded and quietly made his way down to the basement to give them privacy.

Meteria's time was nearly up. Let her spend her last moments in this world with her child in her arms.

Said girl simply held her son to her chest as her breathing grew more shallow and labored. Bell was fast asleep in her arms, his coughing fit long since abated.

"I'm so sorry, Bell. I'm sorry that I'll never be able to hold you again after this. That you'll never see your father, or belong to a family. And I'm sorry that you came to this world sick and dying. I'm a failure as a mother. Please, forgive me!"

Fresh tears once again fell from her eyes as she tried to give as much warmth left in her body to her baby.

"I don't know how your life will be without me in it anymore, but I pray that you'll live a happy life. That one day you'll get the chance to see your auntie before she too passes from this world. Just know that no matter what, I'll always watch over you from above."

Bringing Bell to her face, she pressed a kiss to his forehead and passed on as much love as she could through her lips, before finally closing her eyes.

Zeus returned from the basement an hour later to find a crying Bell coughing up blood on the chest of his now deceased mother.

---

True to his word, Orario had reacted exactly as he said it would.

For over a thousand years he, alongside Hera, had protected Orario from the monsters that invaded the surface from the depths of the Dungeon. He helped forge this desolate area that once housed the passageway to Hell into the bustling safe haven and City of Heroes that it is today. Both his and Hera's Familia delved deeper into the Dungeon than anyone else, and in secrecy he had been the one to first discover the existence of sapient monsters, and worked with Ouranos to study and attempt to make peace with them.

All his efforts, all his Familia's achievements, were completely forgotten as a crowd of people gathered on the sides of the roads, hurling stones and verbal abuses at him as he calmly walked down the street to the front entrance of Orario.

The moment they heard that their Familias were all but wiped out, Loki and Freya seized the opportunity and launched their attack. While Zeus was with Meteria in her last moments, Finn and Ottar had led their Familias to the empty manors of Zeus and Hera and practically tore them down. They took everything valuable they could find and grabbed all the resources they stored over the years. Hera, the once prideful goddess, was dragged out of her house by Ottar under Freya's orders, and forced to kneel in front of the goddess she scorned and ridiculed all those years ago. Freya's followers, outraged once they heard of the binding oath that shackled their goddess to Orario as well as the humiliation that she endured in the past, eagerly took their revenge and quite literally kicked Hera out of Orario on her ass. Hera then shouted and cursed the city for hours on end, and swore that she would get her comeuppance against Freya, before running away once the crowd of onlookers pelted her with rocks.

Zeus, however, left the city with far more dignity. He had Hermes secretly send his captain, Lydia, to smuggle Bell out of the city and arrange for Meteria's remains to be cremated. Gathering his small personal belongings, he quietly made his way out of Orario, this time accompanied by Finn Deimne, his fellow vice-captains of Loki Familia, and his flat-chested goddess herself. He made no effort to defend himself or to shield himself from the rocks, dung, or abuses thrown at him as he made his way out of the city. He ignored all the shouts of anger and instead focused on the latest "heroes" now in charge of Orario's protection.

In terms of sheer power, they were like ants compared to his and Hera Familia's at their peak strength. The Warlord Ottar, once the primary punching bag for his Familia every time the zealous Boar tried to "avenge" the humiliation placed on his Goddess, was only a fresh Level 6, and still had a long ways to go before he could truly claim to be the strongest in Orario. Had Zald been present, he would have laughed at the absurdity of the idea. To him, that Boar was still the same brat who constantly got his ass kicked by him.

As for Loki's first members? Finn Deimne, Gareth Landrock, and Riveria Ljos Alf. Each of them a brand new Level 5, and giving him looks of remorse while their goddess cackled and gloated at his downfall. Zeus could only internally sigh at their predicament. While his and Hera's Familia were never exactly on great terms with Loki Familia (made even worse when Zeus publicly declared that Loki looked too much like a man, and thus wasn't even worth peeping on), they were never as annoying as Freya's brats. He and his children only saw the flames of ambition in them, and like moths to a flame these three followed them on nearly every quest they took as Supporters. They were there when they fought the Behemoth and Leviathan, and were present to see Zald and Alfia be presumed dead on the battlefield. Somehow, likely due to that Pallum's excellent foresight, they avoided joining them on their doomed expedition to fight the One-Eyed Black Dragon at the northernmost point of the world. The three adventurers next to him never sought to pick fights with them, and the only thing he could think of that his Familia did to slight them were the admittedly hilarious scribblings Zald would leave on the dwarf's face with permanent ink, after he beat him in their drinking games countless times.

Of course, he couldn't forget the number of times that High Elf got her ass kicked by Alfia whenever the young girl called her an old hag and pissed her off enough to attack her and teach her some manners. It always ended up in failure of course, and not even the ire of all the elves in Orario and even in Hera Familia made her stop.

But none of the three showed any glee at their new rise to power. While Finn's eyes still shone with the same lofty ambitions he always kept to his chest, his face remained as remorseful as ever. A look that was shared with his fellow vice-captains. It was clear that they were very unhappy with the underhanded tactics they used to gain power, and had only followed through when their goddess demanded it from them.

One Level 6 and three Level 5's. This was what Orario had left to fill in the massive vacuum left by their demise.

They only managed to level up when Maxim had challenged both Familias to a duel right before they left to fight the Black Dragon. Loudly proclaiming that he wished to be a wall for them to conquer and step over, Maxim, against the well-wishes of Zald, attacked both Familias head on while the Empress sat by and intervened when necessary. It wasn't even a fair fight, but Maxim was unrelenting, and pursued his prey throughout the City for the remainder of the day. In the end, Finn, Riveria, Gareth, Ottar, and the rest of their Familias lay defeated at their feet while Maxim and Empress gave them words of encouragement and told them to strive to surpass them. It was a move only someone as crazy as Maxim could pull off without giving Royman a heart-attack. And it achieved his goal of ranking up the up-and-coming adventurers.

But it was nowhere near enough to fill in the gap that himself and Hera have left. Without their strength, Ouranos would never be able to learn more about what happened at the very deep floors of the Dungeon, and those Evilus morons would once again rouse their heads and cause chaos. Zeus could foresee it from a kilo away. The moment he left the front gate, Evilus would strike out and seize the opportunity to take out Loki, Freya, Ganesha, and Astraea Familia. And the poor fools would only realize how evenly matched they were.

Was this the fate of Orario? To have the city fall not by the might of the Black Apocalypse, but by the hubris of its own protectors?

At last, Zeus and his entourage had arrived at the front gates, and they stood still as Finn allowed the once mighty god to say his last words before he was banished from the city forever.

"So, ya perverted old fart. Finally realized that chasing tail wasn't gonna protect ya from getting yer ass kicked out? Didn't think this would happen to ya in a thousand years?" Loki said, clearly drunk and laughing with glee at the downfall of her rival.

Zeus ignored her completely and focused his gaze down the road, where he could see a small carriage parked in the distance. Where Lydia and Bell were waiting for him. Turning his attention to his entourage, he casted his gaze down to the ambitious Pallum looking at him with remorse.

"Finn Deimne, you and that Boar have a lot of shoes to fill from here on out. Do you have what it takes to keep this city safe?"

Finn closed his eyes and his fingers around his spear as he nodded. "I don't intend for my story to end here, Lord Zeus. As you already know, I aim to revitalize the pride of my race, and to ensure that I have an heir that can continue that legacy."

Yep. Still the same crazy Pallum as ever, and unfortunately the kind that would no doubt find himself surrounded by hundreds of admirers in the future. It almost made Zeus tremble in jealousy, but he hid his irritation and nodded at the trio before turning his back from Orario forever. Loki continued to shout and taunt him in her drunken state, but Zeus paid her no mind and cast one last look at the city he, Ouranos, and Hera built from the ground up before finally leaving.

Making his way to the carriage down the road, he found Lydis, Hermes' captain, playing and cradling the tiny baby in her arms and dabbing at his mouth with a napkin whenever he coughed up blood.

"Oh! Lord Zeus! Was wondering when you'd finally show up! Jeez, the city's really been after your guys' heads, huh? Never thought I'd see the day when Hera herself would get thrown out of the city with some old rags on her and her hair in shambles. Hermes thought he'd have a heart attack after seeing Freya's face. By the way, who's this cute little baby? Oh, he's SO adorable! If he wasn't puking blood for the past couple of hours, I would have adopted him on the spot! He's like a sick, but cute little rabbit!"

The young captain was the spitting image of her patron god himself, and continued to ramble on while cuddling with Bell. Zeus swelled with pride on the inside at how Bell had already gotten a cutie to fawn over him, but now wasn't the time to teach the young boy on how to charm women just yet. Pulling out a letter from his cloak, he passed it to the surprised captain.

"As much as I'd love to spend some quality time with a cutie like you, I'm afraid I need your services. Do you mind delivering this letter to a village near the Black Desert in Dedine? Preferably with some secrecy?"

"Huh? Who's the letter addressed to?"

"Just ask around for the Glutton, and the elves over there'll handle the rest. Once again, I'd like to keep this secret."

"No problem, Lord Zeus! Hope to see ya again, cutie!" Lydis said as she pinched Bell's cheeks before stepping out of the cart and setting off to the East.

Taking a quick peek at the Captain's fleeting ass as it slowly moved away from them, Zeus took Bell into his arms and readied the carriage, making the horses trot forward to the northern region of the world.

"Hmm, now who should I role-play as this time?"

---

4 years later...

Two strangers walked across the stone road, snow crunching under their feet as they made their way to a sleepy village far north in the mountains.

The taller of the two, a massive hulk of a man encased in pitch-black armor and covered by a dark cloak, reached the edge of the village and gave a quick glance around, totally relaxed despite the gnawing sensation growing in his stomach.

His other companion on the other hand, a young woman wearing a similarly colored dress and gray cloak, quietly shivered and pulled her cloak closer to cover her body. Though the jittering of her hands and feet could be mistaken for the bodily responses to the cold wind and snow, her companion knew what really caused her shivers, and shook his head in disbelief.

"Are you sure you want to go through with this? We're gonna die soon anyway, so it's not like you're going to miss much, if you're this nervous about coming here."

The recipient of said conversation merely shook her head and grumbled under her breath. "Don't be ridiculous. I'm not... nervous. I just hate the cold here. Why'd he have to be all the way up north? He couldn't pick somewhere a bit more warm to settle down in?"

"First you complain about the noise we make walking across the snow, and now you complain about the weather? Just say you're nervous to meet the kid. Would save us a lot of trouble if you'd just admit that and either continue forward or turn back."

The woman ignored him and remained standing a few meters away from the entrance to the village. Her taller companion gave her the space she needed, understanding the massive war that waged in her heart.

To say the two were depressed was a massive understatement. Just a few short years ago, they had lost everything fighting an eldritch horror that scoffed at their attacks and rained hellfire on them. None of their attacks hurt it, none of their spells so much as made it itch, and none of their words of courage and valor shielded them from the sheer terror that monstrosity unleashed upon them.

Its fangs were swords that tore through flesh and armor like teeth through meat. Its claws were spears that gouged the earth and impaled their bodies. Its wings were storms that tore the very stratosphere apart, unleashing hurricanes, lightning, and death upon the world.

They were confident in their abilities, in their assured victory after conquering the previous blights of the land. They couldn't have been more wrong, and that mistake cost them everything.

They lost all their friends and allies, their bodies ripped to shreds or digesting in that monster's belly, and their home was gone, long torn down and abandoned once their weakest rivals took the chance to banish their gods after their defeat. Wallowing in agony at a hidden Elven village, they soon wandered the world looking for purpose.

But a letter sent to them only a few days after their recovery told them of incredulous news. That they weren't the only ones remaining of their long gone Familias. That there was a new life that was born from the ashes of their defeat, and said life was waiting for them in a village far to the north of the world.

Zald had suspected something this crazy and stupid would happen the moment he saw that cowardly idiot join his Familia, and after hearing his confession shortly after their disastrous defeat and retreat from the top of the world Zald had wanted to choke the life out of him. It was bad enough that they suffered a horrendous defeat, but now they learned that their weakest and most disliked member by Hera Familia had slept and fathered a child with their most beloved member. If they weren't already in a broken and beaten state, then Zald was sure that war would have broken out between the two factions. It was one of 4 iron rules that every Zeus Familia member had to learn the moment they joined:

1. Don't piss off Hera

2. Don't piss off Alfia

3. Rescue Zeus from his idiocy whenever he tried to peep on women

4. DON'T DO ANYTHING TO METERIA

And that idiot had broken all 4 cardinal rules at once. He somehow joined Zeus in his peeping trips to the baths, pissed off everyone in the bathhouse that day by getting an eyeful of Alfia and her fellow executives in the baths, and then he peeped on Hera's favorite child. And now that moron had gone and slept with her too! Zeus would no doubt be giving him a massive thumbs up, but Zald, Maxim, and his fellow executives would have prepared themselves for war had the situation not been so dire.

And of course, Alfia took this news as well as expected.

Thankfully, the damage was only limited to one destroyed house, one Zald was roped into rebuilding after apologizing to their hosts. Though Zald could hardly blame the girl for her reaction. To say that Alfia adored and treasured her sister was about as factual as saying that water flows downwards. The girl was as icy and anti-social as can be and made her dislike for noise and for her fellow allies known over the years, but it was undeniable how much love she had for her sick sister. When Alfia read the letter sent by Zeus to its very end, she tore the paper into pieces and for the first time since Zald had met her, she screamed at the top of her lungs and unleashed her magic at its full power. Had Zald not shot up from his bed and pulled the frightened elven nurses into his arms, they would have been reduced to a pile of flesh from the full force of Alfia's powerful soundwaves. After destroying the house, she wept and cried out in agony for several days straight, and no one, not even Zald himself, was willing to try and talk to her. She refused food and drink, refused to bathe, and simply wallowed in agony for almost a week before her sickness took over and she doubled over in pain.

The weeks and years afterward have been pretty awkward between them. Alfia never got over her sister's death, and continued to blame her lover for her death to this day. Any begrudging respect for him she had when he rescued them from the clutches of the Dragon and sacrificed himself to give them the chance to escape, vanished the moment she learned that he fathered a child with Meteria. She cursed his name in her sleep, and at times she gave Zald a heated glare, as if he was to blame for not keeping his Familia member in line. Zald would often shake his head and sigh, having long been resigned to never being able to defend himself or the actions of his deceased comrade. It's not like he and Maxim could micromanage the actions of every single member in their Familia, and theirs was already large to begin with. And in all honesty, no one could have predicted that he would do something as crazy as sleep with their rival's favorite member. As attractive as all the Hera Familia members were, no one in Zeus Familia, or anyone else for that matter, ever tried to approach them for romance. Hera was fiercely protective of her members, and the only person he could think of who ever thought of having a relationship was the Empress herself, who took a particular interest in that zealous Boar brat from Freya Familia. Zald himself was never interested in romance to begin with, but the discovery of a child by one of his Familia members threw him for a loop.

Both he and Alfia had their differences concerning the past, but if there was one thing they shared in common, it was their complete confusion on how to deal with the existence of Meteria's child. Had this occurred in normal times back when they were at the height of their strength, Orario would have been shaken to its core. A love-child born from the two most powerful Familia to ever exist? Zeus would have clapped and thrown a massive party for the boy's birth, and Hera would have both screamed in rage and also have been over the moon at the existence of Meteria having a child that was so much like her. The kid would have been famous before he could even walk or talk, and would have no doubt been the darling child of both Familias.

But there was no Familia left to shower him with love anymore. Just that old perverted gramps of his watching over him.

Zald on one hand would have been content with not seeing the kid if need be, but Alfia was a complete mess on the inside. In truth, she had no idea what to think of the boy Meteria had. Part of her hated the idea of Meteria having a child with him, and the thought of him copulating with her sister behind her back in the church made her want to crush something. But a part of her kept burning with curiosity about him. Like it or not, he was her nephew, her last living relative in this world. And most importantly, he was Meteria's child. How could she not be curious about him?

Motherhood and romance never appealed to her. All she was concerned about at the time was Meteria's health, no matter how many times she teased her or complimented her beauty. She had no time for romance, and the thought of being a mother only sickened her. She had no intention of being called an old lady anytime soon (especially after spending years on end annoying the hell out of that old granny of a High Elf), and she hadn't the slightest clue how to take care of children.

But the existence of Meteria's child threw her for a loop, and ever since that discovery she had spent every day for the last 4 years thinking about him.

What did he look like? What kind of person was he? And did that old fart corrupt him with his perverted schemes? These questions plagued her for years, and Zeus's short letter didn't say much about him. All he said was that her sister had a baby boy and that she asked him to raise him. Many times over the years, after she and Zald had left the village to travel the world in search of some purpose, she had thought about visiting him, but terror gripped her heart every time she had those thoughts, and every time she suggested she and Zald try to see him, she would change her mind at the last minute. Zald merely shrugged his head every time she changed her mind, but Alfia's heart would painfully clench each time she refused to see him. How would her sister react to her twin refusing to meet her own nephew for years on end?

In the end, the pain in her heart grew too much, and she finally gave in and forced herself to reach the village where he was raised, with Zald not far behind her. And that same powerful fear gripped her once more as she stood at the outside of the village, her legs no longer cooperating with her.

She had resigned herself to see one quick glimpse of him before she and Zald would leave forever and die in a ditch somewhere. Both of them knew they didn't have much time left in this world, and they had nothing else to live for. She wasn't motherly material, and she didn't want her sister's child to be burdened by the sins of their failure. Better he never knew his true family, and the legacy they left behind. Or better yet, maybe it's for the best that he never sees her at all? If it was better that he never knew about his heritage, maybe it wasn't necessary to see him at all?

Zald shook his head and roughly pushed Alfia towards the village entrance. "For gods' sake, Alfia, get a grip. You've been putting this off for years now. If you want to see him so badly, then just get a quick peek and be done with it. If you keep hesitating like this, then you'll end up an old lady before you finally make up your mind. Now, do you want to see the kid or not?"

Giving him a heated glare at his words, her temper was enough to temporarily banish the nervousness in her heart, and she finally entered the village.

In terms of villages, this one was remarkably smaller than the one she and Zald stayed in after their defeat. Several log cabins dotted the area, with a larger-than-normal one near the entrance (probably belonging to the village chief or mayor), and a slightly run-down shack situated at the very back of the village.

Villagers were wandering around, hauling around piles of wheat and shepherding various pigs and cows into barns as they prepared for the cold winter freeze. Many of these villagers looked up and were surprised by their arrival. Most of them looked on with curiosity at Alfia's hidden form while the rest were intimidated by Zald's black armor, massive height, and size. A few children here and there either hid behind their mothers or craned their necks to look up at them. Standing in the middle of the village, the two looked around before an elderly man approached them.

"Welcome, visitors. Although you caught us at quite a busy time, we are always willing to provide hospitality. I'm the village elder around here, and you are...?"

"We're not here for idle chat. We're looking for someone."

"Alfia, can you not speak normally for once? We're trying to find Bell, not scare the village to death." Zald said as he reprimanded her. The village elder in question was shaking in his boots at Alfia's voice, and Zald suspected that he could tell that they were adventurers.

Wanting to avoid any trouble, Zald decided to step in. "Please ignore her. We're not here for any trouble. We're actually looking for an... old acquaintance of ours. An old man who happens to be a massive pervert?"

At his last statement, the village elder relaxed and let out a hearty laugh. "Ah, old man Cranell? Why, he lives at the edge of our village in that run-down shack over there. He and his grandson moved here a few years ago, and they've been a part of our little village ever since! Despite Old Man Cranell's... proclivity for flirting, he and his grandson have been wonderful people here. While Old Man Cranell's out at the moment hunting with the others, I'm sure you'd like to see...?"

But his sentence was interrupted by the shout of pain coming from the far end of the village near the frost-covered wheat fields. Something in that voice of pain called out to the depths of Alfia's soul, and before either of the two men could react, she broke out into a run.

Ignoring the pain in her chest from her sudden physical exertion, Alfia kept running until she finally stopped in the middle of the field, where she saw a group of small children surrounding a child curled up on the snow and pelting him with rocks and snowballs.

"Look at him, he's always puking and coughing blood!"

"Gross! Why'd the village chief let someone like him come here?"

"Maybe he's here to lure away the monsters! Since he's always spitting out blood, and the monsters like to eat us, then that means that he's here to act as bait for us!"

"Ah, gross! He's puking blood again! When will he stop being so gross all the time?"

Their bullying came to a swift end when a tall shadow fell over them. Turning around, they were soon face to face with a woman of otherworldly beauty staring down at them. Normally, they would have been ecstatic to see someone as beautiful as the Spirits in their storybooks gazing at them, if said person's face didn't twist in quiet rage at their actions.

"LEAVE. NOW."

The sheer power behind that voice made each child wet themselves, and within a heartbeat they all ran away, leaving Alfia alone with the bleeding child curled up in the snow.

As the boy opened his eyes and looked up at her, Alfia felt a massive wave of revulsion roll down her spine as she saw those ruby eyes that reminded her dreadfully of him.

But not long after, that wave of revulsion gave way to wonder as the rest of his features graced her almost-closed eyes.

His hair was as pure white as the snow that surrounded them. His skin was as warm to the touch as a roaring campfire. His cheeks were as plump and soft as silk.

His expression of wonder at her appearance all but told her who he was. Aside from his eyes, he was the exact carbon-copy of Meteria, from his hair, to his cheeks and cute nose, and his expression of awe. All of it was hers.

Bell started to get up, but soon collapsed to the ground as a violent seizure took over and left him spasming and coughing up blood continuously. Without any hesitation, Alfia gently grabbed him and pulled him into her chest as she hugged him for the duration of his seizure, uncaring for the blood that splattered all over her dress or the concerned and amused gaze of the village elder and Zald as they made their way to her.

Even as Bell's coughing ceased she continued to cradle the child and blanket him in her warmth, as the snow started to fall and the sun began to set. Her shoulders rose and fell at different moments, and the young child briefly wondered why this woman holding him was crying, or why he felt so warm and comforted in her embrace, before sleep took him once more.

---

3 years later...

Bell woke up once again from a violent seizure, coughing painfully and spitting out blood all over the pillows and sheets again. Soon, a pair of arms curled around him and raised him from his bed before resting his body on the owner's shoulder, gently rocking him until his seizure stopped. Bell curled his own arms around Alfia's neck as he struggled to breathe for a few seconds, dislodging the last remnants of blood at the back of his throat before finally calming down. Alfia, ever vigilant and present at his bedside, simply rocked him and gently patted his back as his coughing ceased, before bringing him down to the dining area, where Zald and Zeus were eating breakfast.

It had been 3 years since Bell first met his aunt and adoptive uncle on that wintery evening, and they had been the best 3 years of his entire life. Ever since he was born, he was inflicted with an incurable disease that ravaged his body and tore apart his lungs, constantly making him puke up and cough out blood almost every few hours. Despite being a young child and never being raised in poverty, Bell remained unnaturally pale and skinny for his age, and his constantly sick state alienated him and his grandfather from the rest of the village. While his grandfather held a bit of an infamous reputation for being an uncontrollable flirt, Bell was only known as the "sick child". The adults in the village always took pity on him and helped whenever they could, but the children of the village could never really bond with Bell. He was often too sick to play outside, and he could never hold a conversation for long before he ended up in a coughing fit. Eventually, their confusion at his sorry state turned into disgust and pity as they decided to do what children do best, and bully him. The adults, village chief, and his grandfather did their best to try and stop them from being so mean to him, but they'd almost always get away with it with a mere tongue-lashing, before resuming their bullying. As a result, Bell often chose to just walk around the village by his lonesome, or spend his time quietly reading the story books his grandfather wrote for him. Reading them was always his favorite thing to do, but he couldn't deny the immense loneliness he felt living in this quiet, wintery village. He couldn't bond with the adults because they were too worried about his condition, and the other children hated him. His grandfather was the only companion he had, but he was almost always busy helping out in the village or cultivating the many herbs that were used to make his medicine. Life was grim and lonely for the poor boy, and he would often retreat into himself while doing his best to stifle his incessant coughing.

Until they came.

Bell was saved from a harsh beating by the other children when someone he could only describe as a Spirit in human form came to his rescue and held him in her arms as she cradled his body. No matter how much blood he coughed up, or how much he cried in her dress, she never let go of him, and after the sun had set and the snow began to fall, this angel had carried him to his home, and continued to hold him close to her long after he had fallen asleep.

Bell had only ever believed it was just him and his grandfather alone in the world, but the next day he was beside himself with glee when he learned that this gentle Spirit was family, and that he had a new Aunt and Uncle!

Although, calling his aunt a "gentle" Spirit was anything but truth. Alfia was quite the neurotic woman, almost never opening her eyes beyond a tiny slit, and demanding that the whole house be as quiet as possible. She was widely considered the most beautiful woman the village had ever seen, and though they were awestruck by her beauty, they soon became deathly afraid of her after one explosive morning when Bell's house blew up into thousands of pieces and his grandfather and uncle were thrown into the air.

Needless to say, his aunt and grandfather never got along well with each other. Not a single day went by where his grandfather wasn't sent flying out of the house, smashed into the wall, or buried outside in the dirt by his aunt whenever he tried to cop a feel or spy on her in the baths. Alfia responded to his flirtations and gropes with a slap to the face or the utterance of a single word, and Bell would find himself cowering in the corner while his incredibly annoyed uncle would grab a shovel and dig his grandfather out of whatever mess he landed himself in. Bell had asked his grandfather once why he always tried to touch his aunt, and he wore a proud smile on his face as he told him that a gorgeous woman should always be appreciated, and the best way to do that was to give them some skinship.

Alfia overheard him and proceeded to bury him in the garden again.

Bell wasn't sure what his grandfather meant by "skinship", but he decided to follow his advice and make Alfia feel more appreciated by giving her extra hugs whenever he could. They certainly helped to calm her down, especially after she blew up the house again a few nights ago, and sent his grandfather and Uncle Zald out in the snow in the middle of the night when his grandfather tried to get in bed with them both. It soon became a running gag in the village, where people would take bets on how long Bell's house would last. The bets kept coming even after Bell's house blew up for the 10th time in a row.

Although he made sure that he never called Alfia his "aunt" to her face, or else he'd face the wrath of her Gospel Punch again. Despite only being 24 years old, Alfia hated being referred to as "Auntie", and she made sure to drill into Bell's head that he was to only refer to her as "Stepmother Alfia". He wasn't sure why he couldn't call her Auntie, and when he asked Uncle Zald about it, he just shrugged and said that she was afraid of being called an old lady.

Bell never really understood why she was afraid of being an old lady when she was far from being one. Despite the fear that crept through their spines at her presence, no one in the village could deny her incredulous beauty. It certainly didn't dissuade several of the young men in the village from trying to woo her during the Spring and Winter festivals the village hosted every year. And year after year, Alfia would give them a Gospel Punch and send them flying, before picking up Bell and walking towards the nearby frozen lake. Even after suffering broken jaws and busted ribs, her suitors continued to pursue her, and each time she slapped them away with a flick of her hand. His grandfather once joked that Alfia was a possessive shotacon, and Alfia nearly drowned him in the lake.

It wasn't just his aunt who had trouble dealing with suitors. Uncle Zald had quickly developed his own romantic following, and would often try to dissuade many of the young women who wanted him to spend some "quality" time with him, whatever that meant. While Alfia usually stayed inside of their house to take care of him, his grandfather and Zald would often work out in the fields, go hunting, or drive off any monsters that strayed too close. Many of the women were entranced by his large stature, thick muscles, and his incredible strength. An Infant Dragon that towered over most of the houses had once prowled near their home, and the entire village had their jaws drop to the floor when Zald had grabbed the dragon by its head and threw it over his shoulder down the nearby cliff without even breaking a sweat.

Not to mention that Zald was an absolutely amazing cook! His grandfather never starved him, and the food he made for them was nice, but Uncle Zald's cooking was beyond comparison. Uncle Zald, who was always a picky eater, would spend many hours preparing delicious meals for all 4 of them, and more times than he could count he was often forced into preparing large feasts for the entire village when certain holidays and festivals came up.

Ever since their arrival, the village had come to greatly fear and adore the two mysterious adventurers who came to take care of Bell, and Bell couldn't help but admire and love them with all his heart. He no longer got bullied by the other kids, as one furious glare from his aunt scared them into submission, and he was no longer lonely as he had his grandfather and uncle read him hero stories while his aunt bathed and clothed him. It was all he could ever ask for, and he wished that he could spend the rest of his life with his family.

But the world continued to remind him just how childish his dreams were.

Bell knew that his aunt and uncle were just as sick as he was. They were just able to hide it far better than he could.

He would never forget the first time he saw his aunt throw up blood all over the floor one summer morning, and not stop until a large puddle of her life essence decorated the floor.

He would never forget the smell of rotting flesh that festered around Zald whenever they sat together for dinner. Or the pained expression that dotted his face whenever he ate.

Noticing his fear, they took to hiding their illness as much as they could, but Bell knew deep down that they were suffering. And when he asked his grandfather if there was anything the two of them could do for them, he just shook his head sadly.

One reason his grandfather chose to live in this village so far up north, was that this place used to be an area where Great Spirits once gathered and frolicked without a care in the world. But as time passed and more and more of their kind vanished, killed by monsters or dragged to the depths of the Dungeon, the once prosperous land they inhabited became now was bereft of their magic. Only the unique herbs and plants that grew thanks to their magic survived, and these plants were the only thing that helped manage Bell's, and now Alfia's and Zald's illnesses. While Bell's sickness could be managed since he was treated at such a young age, his aunt and uncle could only get temporary relief. A complete cure for their ailments was impossible, and deep down Bell grew more fearful that they would vanish from his life forever.

His fears came to a head one morning, when he was playing outside in the snow. As he was making a snowman, a malevolent shadow loomed over him. Turning around, Bell came face to face with a god.

Wearing a black coat, white shirt, and disheveled purple tie, the god regarded him with curiosity and gave a slight laugh before crouching down and ruffling his hair.

"And what are you doing out here all alone," the unknown god said. "Isn't it a bit lonely playing out here by yourself?"

Somehow, the god resembled Bell a little bit. Aside from his black hair and dark gray eyes, their faces and even their voices sounded eerily familiar. Bell suddenly became deathly afraid of this god, and found himself on his rump, crawling away from him.

"Woah, slow down there! I'm not that scary. I'm just a traveler looking for some old... acquaintances of mine. You wouldn't happen to know of a man and woman named Zald and Alfia, would you?"

"Y-you're looking for my aun- stepmom and uncle?"

"Oho! So they're your family? No wonder they've been completely off the map for so long. No matter, I just want to talk to them about something."

"T-they're staying at my house with my grandfather." Bell said, pointing to the 11th iteration of his house.

The god ruffled his hair and winked at him, before setting off to his house. Following him, he opened the door and called out to his grandfather.

"Grandpa? There's some god here to see you, stepmom, and uncle."

"A god, Bell? Why don't you play outside for a while and let us talk to him for a bit. Mind giving us some alone time?"

Bell's grandfather came down the stairs and raised his eyebrows at the mysterious god, who raised his eyebrows in return, before casting his gaze at Alfia reading a book on the couch, and Zald who was cooking dinner.

Recognizing the dismissal, Bell left the house, but circled back and peeped through a small crack in the door, as he tried to hear what the 4 were whispering about.

---

"Wow. It's been 7 years since that final battle, but even I didn't think you'd spend your time out here in the middle of nowhere, Zeus."

"And I never thought I'd see the same edgy god who always blabbered about darkness and evil back in Heaven, Erebus. How long has it been since we've met?"

"Hm, probably around the time when us two and Hermes tried peeping on Astraea and Artemis back in their domain. But it has been quite a while."

The two gods regarded each other like old friends that have reunited, and soon Erebus's gaze was drawn to the two ex-adventurers watching them.

"So this is the legendary Predator and Silence? Pleasure to make your acquaintance." Erebus gave a slight bow to each of them.

"Quit the flattery. What is an Evilus god doing here?" Alfia said. She was already in a bad mood after she overheard Zeus teaching Bell the concept of harems, and she was so close to destroying the house again when she heard Bell come in, asking about a god. Part of her briefly wondered if Hera had found them yet, and she was unsure how to feel about it if she did find them. Hera may have been a prideful yandere, but she dearly loved Meteria. But how would she react to her sister's child?

Alfia no longer had any allegiance to her goddess, even with her Falna on her back. Ever since she met Bell 3 years ago, she had decided to spend the rest of her life here with her nephew. Despite his dreadful red eyes, he reminded her too much of her sister, and seeing him painfully cough up blood on the snow that night had nearly torn her heart into pieces. She had seen that same painful expression on her sister's face before, and she'd be damned if she ever saw that same expression on her dear nephew's face again.

"I've come here with a proposition."

Zald raised his eyebrows. "What kind of proposition?"

"I'm sure you're well aware of the state of affairs the world is in after your Familias' defeat? The Behemoth and Leviathan may be dead, but the Black Dragon still lives." Ignoring the winces and looks of fear on the two adventurers' faces, he continued. "You know very well that the Black Dragon won't stay in slumber forever. It woke up when your Familias challenged it, and soon it will rise up again and destroy Orario. It will break the seal over the Dungeon, destroy Ouranos and the gods with it, and the monsters will finally be released. A thousand years of history will be erased and our children will find themselves on the brink of extinction."

"And why are you so concerned about it? Aren't you one of those crap Evilus gods yourself? Isn't the destruction of Orario something you and your group of idiot gods want to happen?" Alfia said.

"True, I am the god of the underworld, after all. I am supposed to represent evil and malevolence in all its cruelest forms."

"That said, I do not cherish the idea of absolute malevolence."

Noticing the confused glances given by the two, he continued. "Unlike my fellow gods in Evilus, I don't believe in absolute evil, just as I don't believe in absolute justice. The world needs evil and malevolence in some form or the other. It is something that is necessary for our children to overcome, and therefore make the world a better place. That is why I helped found Evilus in the first place alongside the other gods. Thanatos and Dionysus might want to sow chaos for their own entertainment, but I can see the bigger picture."

Erebus then gave the two a serious glare. "Be honest, can you say with any confidence that Loki and Freya Familia have what it takes to succeed where your Familias failed? Are you willing to put the fate of the world in the hands of the Warlord Ottar? Or the Braver Finn Deimne? Or even someone in Ganesha or Astraea Familia?"

The silence was more than enough to answer their question. Alfia and Zald only knew a few things that happened in Orario since they left thanks to the whispers and rumors that came to the village from traveling merchants and from Hermes's letters to Zeus. With both their Familias absent, Orario had been drawn into a civil war between the factions of Loki, Freya, Ganesha, and Astraea Familia led by the Guild, and Evilus let by various gods including Erebus, Thanatos, Dionysus, Alecto, Rudra, Ikelos, and many other Familia. Back when Zeus and Hera reigned supreme over the city, Evilus was completely decimated and none of them had dared to do more than lightly harass the city, but in their absence, they had quietly gathered strength and followers, and took the opportunity to strike when Orario was at its weakest. From what they could gather, the two factions were of equal strength. Each side had their own Level 5's, and while Evilus lacked a fighter as strong as Ottar, they more than made up for it with their malicious schemes, lack of restraint, and numbers. According to Hermes, the group was successful in branching out and gaining influence outside of Orario's walls, and the civil war the city found itself in soon became a war of attrition. It was only a matter of time before the city starved itself or crumbled from within.

Sadly, neither of the two ex-adventurers had any high regard for their successors. While Zald had helped train Ottar and held some admiration for him, he knew deep down that it would take the boar years, even decades, to ever reach the heights he and Maxim have gained in half as much time. Alfia held little to no regard or deference to her "rival" in magic, Riveria, and constantly belittled and taunted the Elven Princess even as a young girl. It was way too easy for Alfia to rile up the High Elf, and Riveria could do nothing else but quietly tolerate the ridicule, or get blasted away with a single word. They were strong, but they were far from the power that Zeus and Hera once commanded, and if they were to try and fight the Black Dragon as they were now? Orario would be doomed.

After a long silence, Zald was the first to find his words. "Even if what you said is true, then what do you want with us in particular? Alfia and I have pretty much retired from our old lives as adventurers. While it isn't ideal, we've made a new life here in this village. We can't just waltz back into Orario and train these new heroes. The Guild has officially banished us, Hera is somewhere in this world still trying to find Zeus, and Loki and Freya would rather eat sewage than allow us to return to Orario and start our Familias anew."

"Allow me to be frank then. Alfia, Zald, you both are dying."

"..."

"I can see why you'd stay here. The climate here is cool enough to not be overbearing on your bodies, and the herbs here can help treat your diseases thanks to the magic the Spirits left behind. But you two know that this is barely going to last. I can easily tell, you both have less than a year left to live don't you?"

"!"

"I'm not your deity, so I can't force you two to do anything, but let me say this: you both were members of two Familias who helped protect and save Orario for over a thousand years. And yet, here you are, living the rest of your lives in this far away village. It's a peaceful life, to be sure, and no one would fault you for choosing to spend the rest of your lives here, but are you truly prepared to hand the future of this world over to the next generation as they are now? Can you truly say you can pass from this world with no regrets?"

"Or better yet, let me ask you this? How would you rather die? Rotting away in this village, filled with regrets and the possibility that Orario will fall? Or would you rather die as adventurers with weapons and magic in hand? Ready to sacrifice yourselves so that the next generation of heroes can come? So that the Last Hero can come for the Promised Time? For Maquia?"

Both adventurers were dumbstruck by his last statement. "You know about Maquia?" Alfia asked.

"Every god knows about Maquia and the Promised Time. There are just those who speak about it openly and those who don't. Like it or not, the Promised Time will come soon, and without the Last Hero, the Dungeon will break its oath and the world will face its end. The way I see things, Orario under Braver and the Warlord will fall in time, and the world will be plunged back into the chaotic mess it was before we gods came. Sure, miracles such as the ones made by Argonaut, the Knights of Fianna, Epimetheus, and the Mercenary King can appear, but without the Great Spirits, will they succeed?"

"You still haven't answered my question," Zald said. "Even if what you said is true, then what do you want us to do about it?"

"Become a sacrifice."

"!"

"I want you both to join me and act as Orario's trial by fire. I want you two to offer up your lives, fleeting as they are, and test the heroes of Orario to their very limits. Give them the courage and strength they need to be the heroes that the gods will need. You both are dying, so why not offer your lives and be the challenge Orario needs to succeed? If they succeed and surpass you, the newest generation of heroes will come out of this ordeal stronger than ever, and the world will have one final chance to prepare itself for the Black Dragon and Maquia. If they fail and get struck down, then the hands of the clock will return back to what it was like before we gods came. Monsters will escape the Dungeon, and the world will see a hero rise just as it did in the past. But how long will that take, and will you risk so many deaths for that once-in-a-million chance?"

"I'll be staying in this village until I hear an answer from you. Yes or no, I want you two to think about my offer." Giving everyone a smile, Erebus made his way out. "It was nice to see you again, Zeus. Give my regards to Hermes and Astraea when you get the chance."

Making his way out the door, Erebus wasn't surprised to see Bell near the doorway, no doubt having heard every single word that they said.

'So this is why those two decided to stay here. It was all for this little child.'

"I-Is it true, what you said? You want them to be villains?" The little boy said, tears in his eyes.

Crouching down and patting his head, Erebus smiled. "It's all up to them. Whatever their choice, we gods will be watching."

Erebus then winked at him and walked away, leaving Bell to quietly walk away from the house, lost in his thoughts with the offer Erebus made to his aunt and uncle.

---

Said aunt and uncle were still gathered in the kitchen, digesting everything Erebus told them.

Every single word that came out of his mouth was the truth. Zald and Alfia may have chosen to leave everything behind to stay here with Bell, but they couldn't deny the twinges of regret that roared in their hearts with their choice. Zald had lost every single one of his friends and students during their doomed fight against the Dragon, and Alfia held regrets in her heart over her powerlessness to defeat the Dragon and to protect her little sister. Like it or not, they were the heroes that the gods and people of the world yearned for, to help free them from the monsters that plagued the world for thousands of years.

And they failed. They couldn't even find it in their hearts to curse at the people who mocked and ridiculed them after their failure to kill the Dragon. They were the ones most likely to finish the job, and their power meant nothing in the end. They could stay here with Bell and forget the horrors of the world, but could they be satisfied? Both of them might have jumped at the opportunity had Erebus reached them earlier, but now? Could Alfia even be able to abandon her beloved nephew for a cause that might fail in the end? But if she stayed, what would happen to the world? The monsters would come for them if Orario fell, and if Hera was gone, then there would be nothing she could do to protect him.

Zald kept his eyes closed in contemplation as the silence between the two lasted for what felt like hours. Until finally, he opened his eyes and stared at her with the same look of determination that allowed him to strike down the Behemoth.

"I'm going."

"I didn't take you for a fool, Zald. Has your sickness finally reached that thick skull of yours, or should I knock your head back on straight with my magic?"

But Zald remained steadfast. "Alfia. You know as well as I do that the current adventurers in Orario right now are never going to reach the strength our Familias once had. If we don't do anything, then Orario will fall, and the world won't be safe. Loki and Freya Familia may talk big, now that they've crowned themselves the top dogs of Orario, but should they go against the Dragon as they are now, they'd only meet the same fate as us, if not worse. Not to mention that Maquia and the Promised Time will come soon, and unless the world finds a new hero, then everything we have here, everything we've worked towards, will be for nothing. There'll be mass slaughter across the world, and none of us, not even Bell, won't be safe. I know this. You know this."

"I won't abandon my nephew for some scheme cooked up by some crazy Evilus god!"

"I never said you had to come."

"!"

"I'll go alone if need be. I can give enough of a challenge to put those Loki and Freya brats in their place, and hopefully they can get enough Excelia and learn from this. Heh, to think that 8 years ago I was chewing out Maxim for wasting his time challenging those brats and acting as a stepping stone for them, and here I am doing the exact same thing. He'd probably bust his guts laughing!"

"And what about Bell? Are you content to just leave him and never see him again?"

"Wow, I never thought I'd see the day that Silence of all people, would act so motherly. Did you actually enjoy having me and the old fart around?"

"I'll punch you."

"That'll work on the gramps, but not on me. I'm flattered, Alfia, but the boy doesn't need me in his life. He needs you far more, and you can stay with him if you want. Besides, Gramps here will keep you both entertained when I'm gone."

"You really aren't going to change your mind? You have no regrets throwing your life away like this, for something so stupid and careless?"

Zald finally adopted a serious expression on his face. "Alfia. You and I are both dying." Alfia winced at his words, gritting her teeth in anger at that undeniable fact. "I never cared for money, women, fame, or leaving my mark on history like that Pallum. I lost my friends and family to that Dragon, even after I sacrificed my health and life to save them from the Behemoth. If I can do something to make their deaths not meaningless, if I can hold my head high and take my last breath with satisfaction, then I can say I've lived a life without regrets. You staying here with Bell is more than enough."

Alfia knew that. She knew that Zald was the one with the most regrets wearing him down. She had seen for himself his desperate charge against the Behemoth when it nearly killed his fellow Familia members and students, and the look of utter agony on his face when he saw his Familia cut down by the Dragon continued to haunt her to this day. Zald had nothing else to live for aside from his obligation to look after Bell as the last member of his Familia, and though he would miss Bell immensely, he would do whatever it took to help save the world.

So why did his words resonate with her so much? Why did this lingering feeling of doubt stay in her heart? Why did she seriously start considering joining him?

"Oi, old man. Why haven't you said anything at all this entire time? Normally, I would prefer you didn't stain the air with your breath, but shouldn't you be saying something about this whole deal?" Alfia said, turning her attention to Zeus for the first time.

Said god had been surprisingly silent the entire time during Erebus's conversation. He never once voiced his opinion, never directly intervened, and never supported or denied their ideas. He had simply sat there on the sidelines, waiting patiently for Erebus to finish and for both of them to decide.

"Oh? Alfia is actually concerned for little ol' me? Well then, if you're so worried, then how about you and I head over to the nearest tavern, and-"

"I'll murder you."

"Wait! Please put your arm down! I was just joking," Zeus said, immediately hiding behind Zald, who sighed at his god's antics. "I just thought I'd let you both take your time and think about what you both wanted to do."

"Zeus, if there was any time for you to act like a god, then now would be the time." Zald said. "I'm surprised you aren't begging me or Alfia to stay."

"Why, Zald, I should be more surprised with you! When was the last time I had ever told you what to do?"

Zald made an attempt to retort back at him, when he suddenly fell silent.

"Exactly. Just as I told you, Maxim, and everyone else in our Familia, you should never let others decide for you. Not even me. This is your story, and you are the only one who should decide how it should start and end. If you feel that this is the right path for you to take, then I won't stop you. Same for you, Alfia. You may not be my child, but if you were (and I really wish you were), then I would say the same thing. This is your story, your journey, and you shouldn't let another god try to tell you what to do. Stay with us, or help Zald, it is your choice." Speaking in a serious, yet kind voice, Zeus made eye-contact with both adventurers. "When it comes to swords, women, and even life, you should strike while the iron is hot! If this is the path you feel is best, then I give you my support Zald! If you wish to stay or go with him, then I won't say a word otherwise, Alfia! The choice is yours, and I would never try to force you into one."

Zald rolled his eyes as his god once again told him his useless words of advice that he often gave to every member of the Familia, but as he turned his attention to Alfia, he immediately recognized the battle that was warring in her mind, and the source of that conflict in her heart.

Bell.

Zald was honestly surprised with himself and with Alfia. When he and Alfia set out on their aimless journey across the world, they had initially planned to make one quick visit to see Bell Cranell and continue on their way, after Alfia had spent years debating on whether to see her nephew or not. Just one quick peek, and they would leave. Instead, Zald had found her cradling her nephew in her arms and quietly crying under the snowfall. Strangely, the anti-social and unfriendly Alfia had decided to stay with her nephew, and in a move that surprised even him, he too decided to stay.

While Zald never shared Alfia's hatred for the boy's father, he couldn't say he was overly fond of him either. The brat was always running away in battle, getting his ass kicked by Ottar and Finn, and he nearly gave him a heart attack when he told him and Maxim about Meteria's pregnancy. But the brat had saved his life, and Alfia's, and Zald was the sole witness to his heroic sacrifice as he distracted the Dragon long enough for himself and Alfia to be carted away by supporters from another Familia. He was also the sole witness of that brat's demise, as the Dragon finally found him and swallowed him whole.

He had a complicated relationship with the brat, and it was one initially shared with his son. Appearance-wise, the boy resembled his mother far more than his father, and his constant sickness and coughing always made living with him tense, as he would often have to be ready to run out and grab some of the medicinal herbs that grew in the village. Over time though, he grudgingly admitted that the boy had grown on him immensely. Despite his constant sickness, Bell was as positive as could be, and he would always light up with joy whenever Zeus told him stories about heroes (and embarrassingly, stories about himself), or when he would watch Zald train in the backyard.

And above all, Bell was a survivor, with a will that surpassed many adventurers decades older than him. A lesser person would have wallowed in despair at the amount of pain Bell endured day after day due to his sickness. And yet, Bell never once complained, and always approached his sickness like a challenge to be overcome. Something he no doubt picked up from him and his aunt. Zald was always taken aback by the kid's sheer will to live and see another day, and had he been training him as a member of Zeus Familia, he would have uncharacteristically showered him with praise. No doubt he'd have been the pride and joy of Zeus Familia, with Maxim more than willing to make him the greatest adventurer of them all.

And Bell was surprisingly quick to pick up on things and learn. He was no genius like his aunt, but Bell was undoubtedly a fast learner, and someone able to quickly rectify his mistakes. One time, Bell had spied on him practicing his regular sword strikes in the forest, and he picked up a stick and very nearly replicated his signature style in only a few days of practice. He still hadn't mastered his Greatsword technique, given that he was practicing with small sticks, but had he been an adventurer he could quickly learn to replicate his style of combat.

To his slight chagrin, Bell had many of the qualities that would make for a great adventurer. All except for a primary purpose.

Adventurers always had selfish motivations in their hearts, which was why the strongest of them were always the ones with the strongest ambitions. Whether it was fame, fortune, the sheer determination to be the strongest, or the begrudgingly simple motivation of being popular with men and women, an adventurer needed some goal to fight and continue for another day. Bell had a strong will to live, but simply fighting to survive another day wasn't enough. Survival alone doesn't give you the motivation to fight on when your body fails you, nor does it give you the will to surpass your limits.

Bell would need a goal, an ambition, to make him become a strong adventurer. And Zald wholeheartedly believed that he didn't need one. Even if the boy was born perfectly healthy, Zald would still hold reservations on making him an adventurer. Bell has a peaceful life here in this village, and he would never want for anything as long as this village and his grandfather remained. It was isolated enough that Zeus could deal with most monsters that showed up, and there was never a scarcity of food or other necessities. The herbs here would keep him alive for the remainder of his life, and Bell could one day marry and raise a family of his own when the time came. There was no need for him to know about his heritage as the last child of Zeus and Hera Familia. With the rest of the world considering them failures, and with Erebus's scheme in mind, it was better that he never learn about his family. Zald didn't need him to develop some twisted belief that he needed to avenge his family or that he needed to restore his family's honor.

And what Zald said at the end still rang true: Bell needed Alfia more than he needed him. Bell cared a great deal for him and treated him like a real uncle, but it was painfully obvious just how much he loved his aunt. He followed her everywhere like a little rabbit, did everything she asked him to do, and cuddled up with her every time they slept together. Alfia may put up a front of indifference, but Zald knew that inside she was overjoyed to be a part of his life. It was truly a shock for him to see the once anti-social and prideful young girl act so motherly and doting towards someone. Both were similar in so many ways, so it wasn't a huge surprise that Bell would have such a strong bond with her.

He wished that Alfia would choose to ignore Erebus and spend the rest of her days with Bell, even if it meant living with Zeus. Unlike him, Alfia wasn't close to anyone in Hera Familia save for her sister, and if Bell was able to make her this way, then she could pass away with a smile on her face, finally content. If anyone deserved a happy ending for themselves, it was Alfia. And though Bell would no doubt be saddened once she finally left this world, it was far better that he spend the rest of Alfia's days by her side.

But a quick glance at her told him enough, and it brought a frown to his face. Just like when they first came to this village, a fierce battle was waging inside her heart, and there was nothing he could do to sway the tides to one side. Alfia cared little for Zeus, but maybe Bell would give her the reason she needed to stay.

"Well, as enlightening as this whole thing has been, I think it's time we have dinner! Like Erebus said, you don't have to answer right away. I know you've made up your mind Zald, but you have plenty of time to think it over. Rest assured, no matter what you choose I will still be here for Bell. Now then, Bell, why don't you come inside and stop hiding behind the door."

Alfia flinched while Zald shook his head. Of course, the boy heard everything. He noted the downtrodden look on the kid's face and he internally sighed. Although he didn't fully understand everything said, he must have heard Erebus say that the two of them were dying. Zald wasn't in any position to console the boy, so he'll leave that to Zeus and Alfia. For now, he'll make Bell's favorite food and dessert to take his mind off of things.

As Alfia quickly cradled him and took him to the baths, Zeus made his way to the table and Zald put on his trusted apron to prepare for dinner. Possibly the last one he'll ever have here in this village.

---

The sun slowly began to set, bathing the surrounding wheat fields and melting the small pockets of snow that remained. It marked the end of the first day of Spring, and as the sun began to disappear over the horizon it left a pale, yellow glow over the earth, casting its fading rays of warmth on two figures who peacefully walked across the open fields.

With Spring approaching, the weather began to slowly clear up after the recent winter storm, and Alfia took this time to take Bell outside and let the cool, spring air bring some relief to his ailing lungs. Holding his tiny hand in hers, she led them through the fields to watch the sunset and stars slowly making their appearance in the night sky. All the while a raging storm bellowed in her heart.

She had been noticeably subdued during dinner that night, and in the few days that followed her behavior remained exactly the same. Even while holding Bell during his hourly seizures and staying next to him, her heart quietly waged a war that went unnoticed by most.

As much as she would vehemently deny it, Erebus's words had struck a chord. For all intents and purposes, Alfia was a realist, something that stuck with her since her early years rummaging and stealing from people in Daedalus Street. And what Erebus said was undoubtedly correct. Loki and Freya Familia are, and likely never will, be as strong as Zeus and Hera Familia during their prime. Even with Zald and her severely sick, had their Familias still been around they would have easily torn their rivals to shreds and have plenty of time left to goof off or have dinner. The gap between them was far too large, and it didn't help that both Familias had exceptionally talented individuals, none more so than her. It wasn't an exaggeration to say that she was the most talented and gifted adventurer in the history of the Age of Gods, and there wasn't a single person in this world who could ever match her.

Which was why she constantly debated whether she should join Zald and Erebus on their foolish task. While Zald was strong, he alone wasn't enough to truly challenge Orario. In order to test them, to truly make them break their limits, she would have to participate as well. Oh, they no doubt would have to hold back a great deal, but they were still the best choice to properly push the upcoming heroes of Orario to their fullest potential.

For if they couldn't handle them, then how could they ever handle the Black Apocalypse?

But she would look at her nephew, always by her side, and her previous resolve would weaken once more.

How could she ever think to leave him like this? Alfia was dead set on just seeing him from afar and then leaving him for good, but the moment she saw him on that snowy field 3 years ago her soul radiated with a desperate longing that couldn't be quenched. Her choice was decided right then and there, and it didn't matter to her if she had to deal with Zeus for the rest of her short life. Bell was all she ever wanted or needed, and she loved him too much to leave him.

The past 3 years with him have been some of the happiest in her life. Bell, despite his illness, was one of the strongest and most joyful people she had ever met. Even with all the pain and agony he endured day after day, he still had the strength to smile and endure for her sake, and his hugs could take away all the pain she felt when her own sickness struck.

Meteria would have been immensely proud of him and who he'd grow up to be, Alfia thought with sadness and regret. It was truly a shame that her sister passed away without seeing him grow up. To see his beautiful smile light up her world as it did for her. Bell was so much like his mother that it hurt. He had everything from her. Her smile, her bubbly cheeks and cute nose, her positive attitude, and her kindness and compassion. The only surprising difference between them was that Bell wasn't a fan of sweets, much to hers and Zald's surprise.

Alfia hoped to spend the rest of her life by his side. To see him grow up like a normal child and live a life without fear and sadness, free from the troubles that plagued the rest of the world. To hopefully see him overcome his illness and find his own path in life. To one day find love and raise a family of his own.

But she knew full well that that was just a wishful fantasy. Erebus was also right in that both she and Zald had less than a year to live. They both knew it, knew that their time in this world was limited. And yet, the thought of her impending death didn't disturb her in the slightest. There were few adventurers that survived to peacefully retire, especially without any permanent injury. It was something every adventure accepted. It was the cost that came with becoming strong and venturing into the unknown, and as members of the world's strongest Familias, Alfia and Zald accepted that death might come to them eventually. She was content that as long as Meteria lived, then her own life and safety mattered little.

And yet fate played its cruel hand, taking her beloved sister away from her far before her time. She wanted to blame her early death on her cowardly lover, but as time passed by her hatred for the man slowly withered away. She would never call the man by his name nor would she ever say she grew fond of him, but she did begrudgingly accept that he and Meteria truly loved one another. And that as cowardly as he was, he pulled off the bravest feat in his last few moments of life, when he sacrificed himself to distract the Dragon long enough for her and Zald to escape. She wouldn't fully acknowledge him as her brother-in-law, but she did respect him for being there for her sister when she couldn't, and for saving her life.

Though she still hated that his red eyes were passed on to his son.

Alfia hated how she could only do so much for her nephew. Never in her wildest dreams would she imagine that she would have a new member of her family so soon. She wasn't motherly in the slightest compared to her twin. All she knew was how to kill things and whatever random bits of knowledge and technique she learned thanks to her Skill. But there were things her Skill could never teach her.

How to raise a child. How to act like a mother. How to take care of a sick boy.

It irked her how Zeus, for all his flirtations and perverted nature, mastered all these things long before herself. She had to admit that Zeus had raised Bell well, aside from his 'lessons' on how to seduce girls, and she hated how she couldn't simply replicate those things with her skill. It took 3 painful years of coaching and patience, but she was able to act as some kind of mother-figure for Bell, and she was able to learn what kinds of herbs to collect and how to make a simple potion for him. Learning about his likes and dislikes, learning how to tolerate his nonstop questions about her and the world, and learning how to make him happy and smile were tasks that she took great joy in. For the first time in her life, Alfia had to truly learn how to be a parent for him, and it was the most fulfilling task that she had ever partook in.

Which made her dilemma all the more painful. Erebus said that he would wait for an answer from both of them, but Zald was all set and ready to go. And their time was limited. Whatever scheme Erebus had in mind had to be set up soon, or else the opportunity he was looking for would forever be a distant dream.

Alfia would be an incredible asset. As much as she despised the thought of working with the fanatical followers of those Evilus gods, her addition to the group would give them the power they needed to truly threaten Orario.

And the clock was ticking. Sooner or later, her life would end and she would leave Bell regardless if she stays or leaves. As painful as it was, she had to acknowledge that Bell would one day have to live on without her. And it wasn't just her clock that was ticking. The fate of the entire world was only a few clicks away from total annihilation.

Neither she nor Zald forgot that the Black Apocalypse was still out there, biding its time for one final battle to decide the fate of the world. The world still needed the Last Hero, and she had little to no doubt that that person might not ever come to be. If things remained the same in Orario, if this little feud played out forever, then no one would ever grow. No hero would come to triumph over the Dragon and the Dungeon, and the world she and the rest of her Familia fought for would cease to exist.

What was more important to her? Bell, or her wish for the world to be saved?

Sensing her discomfort, Bell gently squeezed her hand and looked up at her.

"Hey, aunt-."

SMACK!

"I'll hit you."

"You already hit me!" Bell said, nursing the small bump on his head.

Alfia winced and pulled her fist back. Even after all these years, she was still sensitive to the idea of being called 'Auntie'. It wasn't incorrect for Bell to call her as such, but being referred to as Aunt or Auntie made her sound like an old woman, and she had endured countless teasing remarks like that from the rest of her peers in Hera Familia. Even Meteria jokingly referred to her actions and pampering like that of an old granny.

Well, she wouldn't tolerate that stupid nickname even from her own nephew.

"What did I tell you to call me as?"

"...Stepmother Alfia." A far safer and much more appropriate term for her. Yes, she was a stepmother, not an Auntie.

"Good," she said, grabbing Bell's hand once more. "You've been staring at me for a while. What is it you want to say to me?"

"Will you hit me again?"

"If it's something unpleasant, then I will hit you."

"!" Looks like Bell didn't catch the small sarcasm in her voice.

"I jest. I won't do anything to you, so let me hear it." Alfia said, pulling Bell with her and walking down the field of wheat.

Bell hesitated for a short while, before meekly looking up at her. "My real mother, what was she like?"

Alfia stopped walking altogether, suddenly taken aback by Bell's question. "W-what brought this on?"

"I… was just curious. About who else was in our family. I thought it was just me and Grandfather, and then you and Uncle Zald came. A-and I know that my real mom is gone, but you don't talk about her or Dad that much."

Alfia let out a sad sigh. When she first met Bell, she made it clear that she was only his mother's twin sister, and Zeus had long told him that his mother and father had passed away. Bell wasn't old enough back then to fully understand what death was, and when he met her he immediately thought Alfia was his real mom, hugging her with so much unrestrained joy on his face that it tore her heart into pieces. She knew full well that she was a poor replacement for a mother, and that Meteria would have done a far better job than she ever could.

Meteria was a kind and loving person, while she was just a neurotic and silent individual. At times, it felt that the only thing she had in common with her nephew was their shared illness. But if he wanted to know more about his real mom, then she would never deny him.

"She was kind."

"Kind?"

"Yes. She always wore a smile on her face, and her mere presence could relax others. Even though her body was weak, even more so than ours, she never showed others just how fragile she was. She spoke normal things, and she would gently tell you your mistakes. And she was loved by everyone around her. She was a very pure woman."

"Pure…."

"That said," Alfia let out a small giggle. "Her obsession over food was truly terrifying."

"Eh?"

"Once, I secretly ate a candy that she was saving and looking forward to eating. When she saw me eating it, it was like staring into the head of a fiery dragon. That was the first time I resigned myself to death. And it wasn't just me. Hera, a Goddess, was also forced to kneel directly on the stone floor next to me, begging for forgiveness. It was a sight to see that prideful Goddess holding back tears and trembling in shame." Alfia finished with a smile on her face. "Frankly, I'm surprised you never inherited her obsession with sweets. She would be shocked to see her son not liking cake or candy." Alfia lightly pinched Bell's fluffy cheeks in a teasing manner.

"Even though she had to depend on others to live, she never forgot the value of 'living'. She never lowered herself, never forgot to thank others, and never bowed in defeat, even in the face of hellish pain. She smiled and never lost the meaning of living life in the present. Just like you." She wrapped her arms around Bell and hugged him lightly.

"You look a lot like Meteria. That white hair of yours, your face, your smile, everything you have is from your mother."

"Really?"

"Even your name. Meteria always loved coming up with what-if's, and one of them was what kind of name she would have for her child. She told me that she would name her child 'Bell', regardless if they were a boy or girl."

"Why Bell?"

"Why? Well, Meteria said that she wanted her child's name to be something that came from me. She used to say that I would like children since I would pray for their happiness. And so she decided that you would be named 'Bell', after the noise that comes from my magic. So you see? Everything about you, even your name, had all come from your mother."

"Wow…."

"Only one thing came from your father: your eyes. When I first saw them I wanted to pull them out."

"Hiii!"

Bell shuddered, but soon fell silent as he pulled Alfia along with him down the wheat fields. Eventually, after several steps, Bell stopped walking and looked up at her. His eyes and mouth quivered, as if he was debating whether to remain silent or unleash his thoughts, and after she looked at him with concern, the floodgates opened and he let out a sorrowful sentence.

"I-I don't want you to be away from me Stepmother Alfia! Same with Uncle Zald! Or Grandpa!"

Alfia sighed, now knowing what he was going to talk about. "What brought this up? Was it you eavesdropping on us that day?"

Bell slightly jumped in fear, worried that he might receive a Gospel Punch once Alfia confronted him about it. Seeing him quiver like that made Alfia rest her other hand on his head and rub him gently.

"I'm not mad that you overheard us. So just tell me, what is worrying you?"

"T-that god. He said that you and Uncle Zald will be leaving. Something about being villains. I-I don't want you to go! I don't want you to be villains like in my stories! You're heroes, both of you! A-and I want you two to stay with me forever!"

"... Even if you want us to be together forever, not even the Gods can grant that for us. We are not eternal. To be together forever is impossible." Alfia moved her hand to Bell's cheek, wiping away the stray tear that fell down. "Even if you don't want us to disappear, we will one day be forced to leave you. You know as well as I do what is hurting me and Zald. You're young, and if you continue to stay here and keep taking your medicine, you'll continue to live a long life, even if your sickness never goes away. But it's too late for Zald and I. We've been on many adventures, and our time will come. No medicine or God can change that."

As painful as it was, she had to tell him that their time would be up. Regardless if she left or stayed, she will die. And the sooner Bell accepts that, the sooner he will be able to move on. It wasn't as if he was the only one who wanted their time together to last just a little bit longer. As annoying as Zeus was, Alfia would never regret her decision to stay here for the past 3 years, and if she had her way, she would be a part of his life forever. But the world never offers such miracles. Outside of this tiny, mountainous village surrounded by winter and snow, the world was chaotic and restless. It was a world dominated by the idea of 'survival of the fittest'. Not even Orario was safe, and unless a Hero comes, the rest of the world will follow suit.

Bell was silent once again, still firmly holding onto her hand. "What will you do? Will you stay, or… will you go with Uncle Zald?"

"I don't know." She found herself unable to even humor him, speaking plainly. "To be honest, I wasn't planning on meeting you at all that day."

"!"

Ignoring the pain on Bell's face, she continued. It was best that he heard the truth. "I thought that I shouldn't appear before you at all. How could I meet my sister's child? Someone I've only heard about only through a letter?"

"T-then why did you appear in front of me?" Bell said, tears freely flowing down his face.

Alfia turned around and pulled him into her embrace, her body warming him up from the cool chilly winds that raced by. "I succumbed to temptation. I constantly worried about the child my younger sister left behind the moment I first heard of you. I came deep into these mountains with Zald, simply planning on seeing you just once and then leaving." She turned his head towards hers, giving him a self-deprecating smile. "But the moment I heard your voice, and saw that white hair of yours, all my previous thoughts were gone. I was unable to resist what sprang up inside me. My heart and soul absolutely refused to make my body leave, and before I knew it I found myself before you, cradling your body in mine as you began coughing blood."

Alfia knelt down and hugged Bell to her. "I chose you that day, and I never regretted it. These 3 years with you were the best in my life, and I would rather die a thousand times than to live in a world where you weren't in it." Bell hugged her fiercely, uncaring that he might soil her dress with his tears and snot.

The two held each other for several minutes, before Bell broke away with uncertainty in his voice. "If you like being here, then why do you think of leaving?"

"It's not that simple," Alfia said, grabbing his hand and continuing their walk. "Some things are beyond you, me, Zald, and that Gramps. The world is out there, beyond these mountains, fields, and snow. And the world may one day meet its end, without a Hero to save it."

"A hero?"

"Yes, just like the ones in your stories. There were many heroes in the past, people like me and Zald. We once fought against the greatest evil the world has ever seen. And we lost."

"But you and Uncle Zald are so strong! You both could never lose!"

"There are things in this world that are far stronger than us. We took a chance, and we lost. We lost everything, and now the world will once again suffer."

"Is that what that god was talking about earlier?"

"What is a Hero without a villain? That is what he wants from us. Think of your stories. The Hero comes and triumphs because he defeats the strong villain, right? Sometimes, in order for a Hero to be born, there has to be a villain to step in their path. To test them to their very limits, and ultimately be the rung that they step forward on to become stronger. The world needs its hero, and in order for that hero to come, they must first be challenged. Tested to their very limits. Even if it means being hated forever, the villain must be there to ensure the Hero wins over them. That is what a Hero does: to win over evil. And that is what that god asks of us."

"But why!? Why you two!? Why does the world need a Hero so badly!?"

"I already told you. There is a great evil out there that will one day destroy the world unless someone stands up to it. Zald and I fought it, and barely survived. A new hero, the Last Hero, must come forth to defeat that evil or else everything we've suffered will have been for nothing. And if I stay… then that hero might never come forth."

The two stopped several more paces away, and then raised their heads up into the night sky. The sun had set far enough that the stars were much more prominent. Only a tiny ray of sunlight remained over the horizon, bathing them in its reddish glow.

Despite her recent conversation, Alfia still couldn't come up with an answer to Bell's question. Should she stay, or should she go? If she stayed, could she really die with no regrets like Zald? Or would she lament that she could have done more to save the world and chose her own personal happiness over the world's? Meteria would vehemently order her to stay if she were here, but her time was nearly up. By the end of the year she will meet her sister up in Heaven anyway, and Bell would still be alone. But if she went with Zald, there was a chance that the Last Hero would spring forth from the ashes of Orario. But there was just as likely a chance that their endeavors would be for nothing as well. Who was to say that the heroes they would raise would even survive the coming years, or live up to their potential? Could she even throw away her own life for something that was just as likely to fail as it was to succeed?

"Then… I will become a Hero."

Alfia was shocked out of her reverie by the voice beside her, and the unexpected determination that was deeply enrooted in it.

"If that is what you and Uncle Zald are looking for, then I will become the Last Hero."

Bell then stood up and took her hand in both of his, his eyes never wavering from hers. "That is my promise, my vow. So please, Mom. Please stay. I will do anything to be the Hero you both want."

'Mom…'

Alfia's entire body shook and her eyes were wide open for the first time in years. To her shock, tears openly fell down her face as she took in his vow.

Bell had called her Mom. Even after telling him that she didn't want to see him at first, and even after telling him of his real mother, Bell still called her Mom. And what shook her entire being, body and soul, was his solemn vow to her. There was none of the child-like wonder in his eyes, none of the fear in his voice, and none of the hesitation in his being. He was serious. He genuinely wanted to be the Hero that she and Zald wanted.

She was touched. Inhumanely so. That this little boy, who could barely move around without seizing up and throwing up blood every couple of hours, who was so skinny that his clothes were hanging loosely off of him, who could barely even lift a shovel with both hands, would wholeheartedly take up this task for her sake alone.

Warmth radiated across her body, her eyes continued to shed tears, and for the first time in her life, she gave him the biggest smile she had ever given.

"You damn insolent child." Alfia said in a loving voice. She wrapped her arms around Bell and gave him the biggest hug she could give. And as they embraced, the sun finally disappeared over the horizon, leaving Bell's vow to be witnessed by the very stars and Heavens themselves. "I love you, Mom." Bell said, refusing to leave her embrace. Alfia also refused to separate, and simply closed her eyes and let Bell's warmth envelop her, uncaring how her own tears continued to fall.

But despite the infinite amount of happiness and love she felt, she knew deep down that she could never make him follow through with that choice. The road to becoming a Hero was a harsh one, and Bell was simply too sickly and frail to even succeed on this path. How could she ever live with herself, if she let him walk this death-ridden path, especially in his condition? Alfia may have been just as sickly as him, but she more than made up for it with her talent and skill. She was always suited to be an adventurer.

But Bell deserved to live a happy life, free from this kind of pain and misery. She would never forgive herself if she let him foolishly waste his life like this. If she stayed, encouraging his goal, then there'd be nothing to stop him from rushing towards Orario. He would be taken advantage of, made the plaything of the gods, abused, suffer in the Dungeon, and be forced to witness the dark side of humanity.

She wouldn't allow it. She would never allow Bell, her son, to suffer for her sake.

Separating from their hug, she carried Bell in her arms and took the path down to their house. She had finally made her decision.

---

The full moon was at full display over the heavens, casting its glow onto the sleepy village down below. All the villagers had quickly settled down, elated that Spring was finally here and that they managed to weather the harsh winter storms that struck for the last few months. The crops were already growing well, the temperature was rising, and the holiday cheer was starting to build up. Soon, the Spring Festival celebrating the end of Winter would be upon them, and the entire village would cheer and make merry, bringing out barrels of mead and setting up a lavish feast for everyone to attend. Excited for the coming festivities, the entire village entered into an eager sleep.

All save for one house on the far end of the village, recently rebuilt for the 11th time in a row.

Inside, Bell was curled up in his bed quietly sleeping. After a recent seizing fit and several puddles of blood on the floor were mopped up, he quickly went to bed and wrapped the blankets around himself.

The door to his bedroom quietly opened, and Alfia stepped inside.

Unlike earlier, she was dressed in her mage's dress, something she had not worn for the past 3 years. She made her way to Bell's bed and quietly sat down, making sure that he wasn't disturbed.

Alfia tentatively rested her gloved hand on Bell's cheek and leaned forward. "I'm sorry. But I have to go. I'm… touched. Beyond belief, that you would promise something like that, for my sake and for Zald's. I wish there was more that I could do for you, but now I have to do this. You deserve far better than to walk this dangerous path with us. I would never forgive myself if something were to happen to you. Please, forget about us and live a happy life. As long as you are happy, I can go to my death with a smile on my face."

She removed her green pendant, something given to her a long time ago, and placed it in Bell's open hand before gently closing his fingers around it. "I love you, Bell." Alfia said, leaning forward and placing a tender kiss on his forehead before quickly leaving the bedroom in a hurry, tears running down her face.

Alfia raced down the stairs and dashed past the startled gazes of Zald, Erebus, and Zeus, who were shocked to see her openly weeping and rushing out the door.

"I'm guessing she didn't take her decision that well." Zeus said somberly, scratching his beard.

"I suppose I'm partly to blame for that. Had I known she was so attached to her nephew, I would have first spoken to you or Zald about it in private. Or, I could have found another way to do this." Erebus said with remorse.

"It's fine," Zald said. "I'll talk to her and try to make her change her mind. I guess I should also shoulder some of the blame here. It wasn't my intent to make it seem like she had to choose one path or the other. I know both of us are dying, but I'd rather she spend the rest of her life with her nephew than follow me on this foolhardy task."

"I doubt you'll convince her," Zeus said. "She's always been the stubborn-type. Doesn't listen to anyone except her sister. Still, regardless if she changes her mind or not, I'll still be here taking care of Bell."

"Wonder what changed her mind, though? She seemed really unsure until she came back to the house with Bell a few hours ago. Did Bell say something to her?"

"Well, if she's agreed to join us then I'll be heading out now. It's nice to see you again, Zeus. The next time we meet will probably be back up in Heaven. As much as I'd love to stick around and see where these mortals will go, it'll have to be up in Heaven sadly. And this was a very nice village too, with very pretty women."

"Finally, someone who understands around here!" Zeus said. "And yet all the ladies only go after Zald! Sure, he cooks better than all the chefs in Orario, and he could carry an Infant Dragon on his back like nothing, but come on!"

"If you two are done, I'll be heading out." Zald said, ending the conversation before it could get any worse.

"Sure you don't want to say anything to Bell before you leave? He also looks up to you immensely."

"I've already said my goodbyes to him. He's a good kid, and braver than most. I'll definitely miss him, but I've already decided on how I should end my life. I'm not like Alfia, who could choose to settle here. My mind's been made up for a while, and at least I can go out on my own terms rather than from this disease."

"Sure ya wouldn't like one last Status update before your final journey begins?"

"Hmm. I guess I'll check my Status one more time. Don't raise my stats though, otherwise this whole thing will fail."

Taking off his shirt, Zald sat on the chair with his back facing Zeus, who picked his finger and let a drop of blood fall down. A series of lightning bolts, the symbol of Zeus Familia, shone from Zald's back and displayed his stats. As the series of hieroglyphs changed, Zeus carefully looked at them before raising his eyebrows.

"Congratulations, Zald. You can level up to Level 8."

Zald raised his eyebrows in shock. Even though he defeated the Behemoth with one attack, it still wasn't enough to make him level up when he got his Status updated immediately afterward. And when he got his Status updated the day he arrived at the village, his stats remained the same. So what could have gotten him to Level up?

Zeus quietly laughed. "I guess the life of an Uncle finally gave you the feat to level up, eh? Who'd have thought that being a house-husband was enough?"

"Please don't say that out loud, or else Alfia would get the wrong idea." Zald said, quickly putting on his shirt and armor. "I'm not going to level up anyway. Those brats need a challenge, a stepping stone, not a solid wall."

"Are you sure it's only that, and not because you want to keep Maxim's memory and feats intact?"

"..."

"Well, I understand. Zald, I know we've had our moments over the years, but I can say with absolute certainty that I never once regretted bringing you into my Familia. You, Maxim, and the others have all been family to me, and I couldn't be more proud of all of you. Whatever path you choose, I will wholeheartedly support, and the same goes to Alfia as well. Should either of you change your mind, me and Bell will be here waiting for you. And if not, I will still watch over Bell and raise a glass to you and Alfia as I see your souls move on to Heaven. Never hesitate, and show those brats in Orario what they need to accomplish."

"It's been quite a ride Zeus," Zald said, giving a quick hug to his deity. "And I don't regret anything. Well, except for that last bathing incident."

"But those two elven ladies in Hera Familia were getting it on! What's hotter than that?"

"How about respecting their privacy?"

The two shared one last look of fondness, lost in their nostalgia, before separating for the last time. Erebus gave one final nod to Zeus and left the house, leaving it occupied by him and Bell alone for the first time in 3 years.

Zeus sighed, but quietly reached for a glass of mead and slowly sipped it, gazing into the fireplace. He was truly proud of every member of his Familia, and his heart broke knowing that with Zald's passing his Familia would be gone forever. He would no longer be able to reform his Familia by adding new members, and neither would Hera once she learns of Alfia's fate. But unlike the rest of the Gods and Goddesses who came down to the Lower World all those centuries ago, he knew when it was time for him to simply step aside and let the next generation take over. He had a wonderful time these past thousand years building up Orario with Ouranos and Hera, and despite never getting some action or even getting a girl into his Familia, he had enjoyed every minute of his time in the Lower World.

But all things must come to an end, and now it was time for him to return to the one hobby he participated in even back in Heaven: observing heroes. And sooner or later, a new hero would be born.

Or maybe that hero was already born, he thought, taking a quick peek up in the direction of Bell's bedroom. He knew full well whose soul was reborn into this world, and though it brought him immense joy seeing his favorite hero return to the world once more when he held Bell for the first time, his words still rang true. Whatever path Bell takes, it should be up to him to decide for himself.

'Godspeed, Zald, Alfia.' Zeus thought to himself one more time, before finishing the mead in his hands. Tomorrow would be a difficult day for him, now that he has to explain to Bell why his aunt and uncle left.

Outside the house on the weathered road back to Orario, Alfia remained deathly silent, something which was usually normal behavior for her, but her companions knew better.

Zald was the first one to speak. "Alfia, you can always change your mind. You don't have to follow us if it causes you this much pain."

"Forget it Zald," Alfia said, wiping her tears away with her arm. "I've made up my mind, and neither of you will stop me."

Zald was about to speak when Erebus grabbed his arm and shook his head. The three silently made their way back to Orario, knowing full well that this would be their last remaining days on this world.

---

Several Days Later…

Zald lay on the beaten pavement in front of Babel, his pitch-black armor severely damaged and his blood spilling onto the ground unabated. Coughing up blood, he wore a small grin on his face as he saw the Boar and his goddess approach him.

True to their words, Zald and Alfia stood as the penultimate obstacles for Orario to overcome. It sickened him how depraved and bloodthirsty Evilus had become since Zeus and Hera's absence, and he hoped that Finn and Ottar would deal with them in time. Alfia shared his sentiments, and it took all her self-control to not slaughter everyone she saw. But they followed Erebus's will, and promptly unleashed their power onto Orario, easily defeating every adventurer they saw.

Zald was less-than-impressed with what Orario had to offer. Aside from Ottar (and even he had a lot to live up to), the upcoming heroes had a lot to live up to, and a mountain of expectations on their shoulders. But to his and Alfia's surprise, they were more than ready for the challenges ahead. Though they had to hold back and hide their true intentions from the rest of Evilus, Orario had passed their test.

Even though they had to hold themselves back considerably, Orario's heroes still met them head-on, and they came out on top. Given time, they would one day reach the heights that Zeus and Hera once ruled over. And maybe one day, they could finally face the challenge that destroyed Zeus and Hera Familia.

While Alfia was fighting Astraea Familia down in the Dungeon, Zald had met his former protégé in one-on-one combat, and unlike with Alfia, Zald refused to purposefully hold himself back. Ottar may have been an uneducated and zealous Boar, but if there was one thing he knew better than most, it was the language of combat.

He had correctly guessed that Zald was here solely to act as a stepping stone for him and the rest of the city. That he was copying what Maxim did 8 years ago before their ill-fated expedition. And despite that, he still fought him with all his strength and will. Zald would have been a fool to toy with him by not going all out. And knowing that his illness would inevitably lead him to defeat, Zald fought Ottar with his full strength. And in a final clash, Ottar's will to win overpowered his strongest attack, and seeing the Boar walking towards him, head held high and eyes brimming with glory, Zald knew that Ottar had become Level 7.

"Haha… well, it looks like you've won, Freya's brat."

"Things would have been very different had we fought like this 10 years ago. I don't know if I can even be proud of defeating you when you were like this."

Zald let out a quiet laugh. "Quit looking down on yourself, brat. I've eaten more than enough over the years, and even with my sickness I fought you with all my strength. You should be proud of yourself for this victory."

"… Zald. Did you ever regret slaying Behemoth?"

"Never. I did what I had to do to save my friends and allies. If there was one thing I do regret, it would probably be…."

Zald briefly thought of a small, white-haired boy living in a wintery village so far away. Though his time with Bell was brief, he couldn't deny that he was happy. Truly happy. Simple tasks like cooking for their messed-up family and the village, working simple jobs in the fields, and telling Bell stories of heroes and of his comrades? They gave him a sense of peace that he hadn't felt in decades.

For once since his declaration to leave, Zald briefly wondered what his life would have been like if he refused to join Erebus, and stayed with Bell and Alfia. Maybe he might have had some regrets not doing more to save the world, but he had already done more than enough. He defeated the Behemoth, and took care of the last remaining child of his Familia till his dying breath.

He once told Zeus and Alfia that if he could let out his last breath with satisfaction, then he could die without any regrets. And seeing Bell's awestruck face as he watched him practice his Greatsword techniques brought him more happiness than he could-.

"Mmmph!"

A fountain of blood erupted from his mouth, stopping his sentence and train of thought.

This is the end, he thought, watching as Freya herself stood next to him in his dying moments.

"Rest easy, Zald. Though I'm not your deity, I will watch over you as your soul ascends to Heaven."

"Heh, lucky me. I feel a lot better knowing that a Goddess will be watching over me instead of that old gramps." Zeus would be beside himself with jealousy if he knew that Freya herself was by his side.

As his vision began to blur, Zald summoned his last remaining strength and turned his head towards Ottar.

"Listen, Ottar. Don't ever be satisfied with just this victory. Keep striving forward… keep struggling… and aim beyond yourself. Beyond us."

"I already know."

"Good." Laying his head on the ground, all Zald could see was the overcast sky. His time had come. "Become stronger, all you kids. Become stronger than anyone…."

His vision began to dim once more. He could barely even see the color of the clouds. And bit by bit, his breaths slowed down and his heartbeat weakened. With one final smile, Zald closed his eyes, and let the gentle darkness take hold of him for the final time.

"..."

"The last member of Zeus Familia is gone. For good this time." Freya said, watching the dull-red soul of Zald ascend to Heaven.

"I see." Ottar stayed behind as his goddess made her way back to the safety of Babel. He cast one last glimpse of the man who was both the symbol of his powerlessness in the past, and the brick wall that he smashed through, giving him the strength to become Level 7. Only he would know what his true intentions were, and though he could hardly consider this a genuine victory given the circumstances behind their battle, he would still take to heart the words left behind by this warrior. This Hero.

"Thank you, Zald."

---

"Gaaah!"

The pained cry of a young woman with silver hair and heterochromatic eyes rang across the 18th floor, as the blades of a fiery redhead and elven seeker of justice slashed and stabbed her body.

Alize, captain of Astraea Familia, made a large diagonal slash across her body and Ryu, the naive but steadfast elf, plunged her sword into her opponent's stomach. Pulling her sword out, she jumped back and regrouped with the rest of her Familia.

"Did… did we do it?" Ryu asked, wiping the copious amounts of blood off of her blade.

"There's no doubt about it. Just look at her." Kaguya said, pointing her gaze to her now defeated opponent.

Alfia crumpled to the floor, holding her stomach and intestines in as she continued to vomit blood all over the Dungeon floor. She had no doubt in her mind, her wound was fatal.

"Haha… well done… you've defeated me, you little noises." Alfia said, slowly and painfully standing up, keeping her organs from falling out of her body.

"Alfia…." Ryu said, pity and worry worming its way into her voice. Despite all the pain and suffering Alfia had inflicted on her, her comrades, and the people of Orario, the sight of the once mighty and talented Level 7 of Hera Familia now dying and holding her intestines in now made her skin crawl and bile crawl up her throat. For all her faults and motivations, Alfia was a genuine hero. Someone who wholeheartedly wanted to save the world. It was such a shame that she thought that destroying Orario would help save it.

"Good," Alfia said, seeing the look of pity and horror on Ryu's face. "I hope you and your friends remember this look for the rest of your days. Never forget it. This is what you all will look like when the time comes. When you all face the Black Dragon, and find yourselves completely helpless. Just like me and Zald…."

"But know this." Alfia stood as straight as she could, clutching her opened abdomen, and looked straight into the eyes of every Astraea Familia member. "Even if the justice you seek is fragile, even if it crumbles and burns to ash, the trails it leaves behind will always be meaningful. If you truly think that Justice will come around, then let your hopes be linked together. And when that day comes, the Last Hero will be born."

Ignoring the looks of shock and wonder on their faces, Alfia smiled and made her way to the burning abyss a few feet away. The passageway, carved through the Dungeon by the Nightmare Erebus summoned, was alight with flame from that monster's attacks. Molten rock and jets of plasma erupted across the walls, and looking down Alfia saw the bottomless pit that boiled with hellfire. Anyone foolhardy enough to jump inside would only find themselves burned to cinders.

Perfect. Now she can move on from this world the same way as her sister. Burnt to ashes.

"Alfia! Wait!"

"What are you doing!?"

"That pit is full of fire!"

The voices of Alize, Ryu, and Lyra all rang out, but Alfia paid little heed to their words. Her body was already on the verge of death, and her mind was made up.

Turning around at the upcoming heroes of justice, she closed her eyes. "Farewell, Familia of justice." And she let herself fall into the burning Abyss.

As the searing flames tore through her body and reduced her to cinders, Alfia could only reminisce about the past. Her life flashed before her eyes, showing memories of two sick girls begging for scraps and seeking shelter in an abandoned church, their induction into Hera Familia, Alfia's rise to power, their first meeting with him, the death of the Leviathan by her hand, the terror of the Black Dragon….

And her meeting with her sister's child. Seeing him seizing up and coughing blood on the snowy field. Picking him up and cradling him in her arms. Living with him, holding him tight when he spasmed and suffered. Days of simple pleasure, watching the snow fall, the spring rising, the blissful rains. Walking around the village she called home for a time, hand-in-hand with him.

And lastly, that first day of Spring, when he held her hands and made a solemn vow to her, with the Heavens and stars as his witness. That he would shoulder her burdens and become the Last Hero for her sake. And the infinite joy and love she felt for him at that moment, seeing his immense adoration for her on his face, and the bliss she felt when he called her Mom.

'I love you, Bell. Please, live not for me but for yourself. Live a happy life, free of misery and pain. Let the new heroes of Orario rise, so that you may never have to wield a sword.' Alfia thought, as her body disintegrated into specks of dust.

'Meteria. I'm finally coming back to your side.'

---

Bell woke up covered in sweat and tears streaming down his face. For the first time, he didn't wake up with blood all over his pillow, or with him struggling to breathe.

He had a horrible nightmare, one far worse than any he had before. He dreamt of Uncle Zald, cut down by a ferocious warrior who strove to become the mightiest. He dreamt of the deaths of countless people, in a battle to decide the fate of the world. He dreamt of the ascent of many heroes: a Boar that yearned for greater heights. A cat-person whose only purpose was to become the mightiest, now finding himself driven by the hopes and dreams of others around him. A dwarf, Elven queen, and Pallum who fought on the front lines and lost many friends and allies. A group of young women who carried the wishes and hopes of the people who fought and died, and who believed that justice would come around.

And he dreamt of Alfia, who plunged to her death and was burnt to cinders. With him helplessly begging for her to return to him.

That last part was what woke him up from his nightmare, and before he knew it he started openly sobbing. It had been several days since Alfia and Zald left the house, and Bell had been inconsolable. He cried for days on end, refusing to eat or take his medicine despite his grandfather's wishes. All in the vain hope that his mom and uncle would come back. But his grandfather, who never once scolded him for lashing out, only told him that they set out on a final journey that they would not be returning from. Bell could only sob and weep tears and blood at the news, and he stayed miserable for many days afterward.

He often wondered whether he was at fault for driving them away. Did they no longer wish to take care of him? Was his sickness too much for them to handle? Bell would have been a good boy, and followed all their instructions, taking his medicine every single day and eating all his vegetables! Was it because Grandfather was messing with the women in town? Bell would have begged on his hands and knees in front of all the women to forgive his grandfather, and he would have done something to make his grandfather stop.

And then he remembered what happened only a few short hours before they left. How he swore an oath to be the Last Hero that she wanted. He was so proud of that moment, how he saw her give the biggest smile she ever gave and open her eyes fully for the first time. All the pain and suffering he endured all these years since his birth was worth it for that moment alone. Seeing the joy and love all over her face. He didn't care if this path he chose would cause him more pain and grief. He already suffered plenty each day and each waking moment due to his disease. The pain of his organs being ravaged from within, of his lungs failing to breathe, or his muscles failing him, none of that would have been even close to the pain he would have felt had his mom and uncle left him or died.

And yet that was what exactly happened. Bell woke up the next day, eager to fulfill his promise by hopefully convincing Uncle Zald to teach him how to use a Greatsword like he did when he first noticed a small object tucked in his fist. It was Alfia's emerald pendant, something she treasured immensely and was always on her person. She never removed that pendant, ever, and Bell was worried that he might have accidentally taken it. He hurried downstairs and saw only his grandfather sitting at the table. And that was when he told him about where his mom and uncle went.

Wiping his tears, Bell made his way downstairs, his mother's pendant now around his neck, as he sought out his grandfather. Whenever he got nightmares in the past, either his mom or his grandfather would hold him and rock him to sleep or read him a story. And this nightmare was far worse than any he had before.

Surprisingly, the door to the front of the house was open, and when Bell stepped outside he saw his grandfather sitting on the porch, large glass of mead in hand as he gazed forlornly at the night sky.

"Grandpa?"

Zeus turned around and saw Bell standing outside the doorway. "What's wrong, Bell? Did you have a nightmare?"

Bell nodded and sat next to Zeus, who wrapped his arm around him and brought him into a hug. "Why were you drinking, Grandpa? And why outside?"

"I'm just saying goodbye to some old friends."

"Friends?"

"Yeah. They went on a journey to fulfill their final purpose, and now here I am, watching them as they ascend to Heaven. We've had our ups and downs, but I couldn't be more proud of them. Of their achievements, their journey, and the path they settled on. All I can do now is give a toast to them, and wish them well on their next journey."

Both Zeus and Bell sat in silence as they watched the stars in the night sky. Bell couldn't help but notice that two stars in particular were shining far more than the rest.

"What was your nightmare about?"

"I-I saw so many people dying. Many innocent people and heroes fighting and dying in a battle to save the city they lived in. I saw Uncle Zald die, killed by a Boar. I… I saw Mom fall into a pit of fire and be burned to ash." Bell wiped away the tears in his eyes. "Mom and Uncle Zald are never coming back, aren't they?"

"I'm sorry."

"Was it because of something I said?"

"Why would you think that? They love you so much."

"I told Mom that I would be a hero. The Last Hero for them. Because Mom said that the world might end if the Last Hero didn't come. After that god said that Mom and Uncle Zald would leave, I wanted them to stay no matter what! So, I said that I would be their hero, no matter what."

"..."

"Was what I said wrong? Should I not have said that? Did I make them mad at me?"

"No, Bell." Zeus said, wiping away Bell's tears. "You didn't do anything wrong. They left because they wanted you to be safe. Happy. They didn't want you to hurt yourself by being a hero."

"But I am hurting! I'm always hurting!" Bell yelled, uncaring that he was raising his voice. "I'm always sick! I'm always in pain! And having them be here would have made that pain go away! I didn't care if I got hurt! As long as they stayed, I would have been happy! And… and now they're gone!"

Bell collapsed and began openly sobbing, with Zeus cradling him in his arms and rocking him gently.

"Bell, why do you want to be a hero so much?"

"I always loved heroes! All the stories you and Uncle Zald would read me were amazing! I wanted to be just like them. Someone who gave people hope. Like Argonaut, Epimetheus, and Fianna! I wanted to make Mom and Uncle Zald be hopeful for the future! Is it wrong that I would want to be a hero?"

"No, Bell. It never is." Zeus said, now raising Bell so that he was eye-level with him.

"Grandpa?"

"Listen, Bell. I will tell you this as many times as you need. Don't let anyone decide for you. You must decide for yourself, and not for anyone else. Be honest with yourself and do what you truly wish. This is your story. Your heroic tale, and only you can tell how it will go."

"If you want to be a hero, then wait for a few more years. Let your body heal and grow, and one day you can go to Orario."

"Really!?"

"Yep! Orario, the city of Adventurers! Where you'll one day find a pretty Goddess to join a Familia with, meet many pretty girls on your adventurers, save a damsel in distress in the Dungeon, have her fall in love with you, and form your own Harem!"

"Grandpa, what's a harem?"

"Haha! You'll soon learn, and one day you'll find a goal for yourself. Whether it's to be the Last Hero, or to be a strong adventurer, your parents and family will watch you from afar and they will all be proud of you."

Bell wiped his eyes and for the first time in several days, smiled.

He finally decided. Just because his mom and Uncle Zald are gone, doesn't mean his promise to them was forgotten. He would be the Last Hero, and not even his sickness and all its pain would stop him.

---

And that's a wrap! Next chapter Bell will be heading to Orario, and I can't wait to progress through with the story from there! In regards to what Familia he will be joining, I am personally leaning more towards Freya Familia since I have a lot of really good ideas I want to implement, and also since there are very little stories that have Bell in Freya Familia compared to Loki Familia. Although, if a lot of people want it, then depending on the number of people asking I might make Bell join Loki Familia. Unfortunately, Bell will not be joining Astraea Familia in this story. Alfia and Zald are dead, and so is the rest of Ryu's Familia.

Once again, this is my first ever Danmachi story, so if you have any feedback for me I really appreciate it! Thank you once again for taking the time to read this, and if you like it I hope to keep up the quality.