I LIVE!
Jokes aside, thank you for all your patience during this long period between chapters! I've just been so busy with work, my degree, and writer's block that I haven't had a chance to work on this new chapter until recently. I do apologize if this chapter doesn't seem up to par with the previous chapters in terms of quality, since it's been a while since I last worked on Last Hero's Vow.
As an aside, I seriously want to thank all of you again for all your support and feedback. I feel like I'm a broken record when I say this, but I am just consistently blown away by all the praise this story has been receiving. I can only hope that I will continue to meet those expectations as I keep writing.
Of course, I received my fair share of pushback too, especially when it came to the previous chapter. I knew it would happen, but even I was taken aback by all the comments you guys made concerning Bell's Skill and how I treated Astraea Familia. So before we continue with the chapter, let me clarify some things.
I've seen a lot of confusion regarding how Bell's Skill works, so to simplify it, it basically is an even more cursed version of Alfia's Skill. It greatly worsens his sickness, makes it more painful, and in combat his Status will drop the longer he is in it. I already made some edits in the previous chapter to alter the name and to make the description more clear. If it still seems a bit confusing please let me know.
Now a lot of people have been saying that this Skill makes Bell's dream to be a Hero impossible, and that I'm just making a Bell torture porn story. Let me make it clear that this is absolutely NOT the case. This story is about Bell overcoming hardship and the immense pressure on his shoulders. His sickness and his Skill are among the many obstacles in his path to achieve greatness, and like all those who struggle with constant chronic pain or debilitating diseases, sometimes there is just nothing you can do other than to accept it and try to move forward with your life. You are not just defined by your body, your sickness, or your heritage. And the focus of this story is for Bell to overcome these hardships, treasure his life no matter how shitty it can be, and for him to earn the respect and admiration of those who scorned him due to his sickness. There is a reason I made Bell be in Freya Familia for this story, even though it would have been super easy for me to write him in Loki or Astraea Familia. I just hope you guys will be okay with this premise. Bell will suffer, but he will also overcome these challenges and gain the respect he earns. And bedsides, you didn't think I'd just let him have that one Skill right?
Speaking of Astraea Familia, I completely understand why people had such a mixed reaction to it. I know for a fact that in canon Astraea Familia would have been more than willing to accept him, but in this story due to his sickness Bell would have been a huge liability for them, especially since he is so weak and cannot be healed by normal means. This is still an Astraea Familia who survived the Dark Ages, and I will further expand on their hesitation to accept Bell later on. Nevertheless, I will admit that even that is a bit of a flimsy excuse, and that my first draft of the chapter made them sound far harsher than they normally should be, and I apologize for that. Even my revision of that scene didn't really seem to jive with most of you guys, so hopefully I can make it up to you guys once Bell encounters Ryu and the others again in the next chapter.
Anyways, thank you all once again for sticking around with this story during my hiatus, and I hope that this chapter was worth the months-long wait.
Chapter 4: A Bloody Baptism
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In the audience room adjacent to the Goddess's chambers, 8 First-Class Adventurers sat around a roundtable with bated breath. Having all 8 of them gathered together in one spot was nothing short of a miraculous feat, and sadly the only thing that could compel any of these men to come together was an emergency that required their immediate attention.
And what was that emergency today?
The sight of their beloved Goddess, the most beautiful being in the Heavens and Lower World, and the patron deity of the strongest Familia in Orario, giggling and jumping around like a little schoolgirl.
Clutching a Status sheet to her chest, the silver-haired goddess radiated a smile that would have sent even the most hardened and experienced Adventurers to their knees in ecstasy, as she skipped across the audience chambers laughing with unrestrained joy.
Ottar, having long been used to his goddess's antics, merely stood to the side with his eyes closed in resignation. Allen fought back a blush as he coughed into his hand, and Hedin looked at the rest of his peers, mainly Hogni and the Gulliver brothers, with barely restrained disgust as they clutched their chests to the adorable sight.
The group continued to watch Freya dance around the conference room until Hedin loudly coughed to grab her attention.
"Ahem, I hate to interrupt you Milady, but may I ask why you gathered us here so early in the morning?" Hedin asked.
Freya let out a longing sigh as she sank into her plush chair at the end of the chamber, Bell's Status Sheet still nestled in her bosom. "Ah, is this what true love feels like? At last, I finally found him. My dear Odr is finally in my grasp. I finally found him, after all this time…"
''''''''Thank the gods…''''''''
Though the majority of them harbored some resentment towards their newest member for so easily monopolizing their Goddess's attention, they all were secretly grateful that they no longer had to go on a wild goose chase to find their goddess again. It was a huge pain in the ass to try and track Freya down whenever she was in her 'Odr' moods, and the last time they tried searching for her in the City, they nearly started a conflict with Loki Familia.
At least now she can behave herself (hopefully).
"Hehe… t-to think that the most sacred wind had finally found her final sanctuary within the prison of the gods. My hand is t-trembling in both envy and bloodlust. Soon, Ragnarok will descend upon us as we all fight to the death for the right to be eaten…" Hogni whispered, his eyes twitching rapidly as he raised his hand in the air with a maniacal smile.
"Please stop talking, Hogni. You're only going to embarrass yourself in front of our Goddess." Hedin said, pushing his glasses further up his nose. "Milady, I'm assuming you called us to address something about our newest member? This… Bell Cranel?"
"Indeed!" Freya answered with a drunk smile. "I want you all to train him and help him get stronger. That cute, adorable child has a dream, and I want to see him fulfill it. To see his beautiful soul shine even more…" She shuddered in bliss, recalling how brilliantly his soul had sparkled when he agreed to join her Familia. She had to see it blossom into something greater, something divine.
"Very well, please leave the matter of his training to us." Hedin answered. "But, are you sure that training him is a wise idea, Milady? His body might not …"
"Oh, I'm sure you will be quite surprised. My Odr may be weak in body, but he is strong in spirit. And besides, it's not like this is the first time I took in a small, weak child and watched them grow into a colossus. Right, Ottar?"
Freya cast a cheeky smile towards her ever silent Captain, his expression remaining as neutral as ever save for the small twitch of his eyelids.
"Alright, then. I will leave his training to you all. Make sure he grows strong, regardless of his sickness. I will be heading out now, so please inform me of his progress by the day's end."
"Allow me to accompany you." Allen offered, but Freya waved his offer down.
"No worries, Allen. I'm only going to be making a small shopping trip. Besides, you will be needed here to train that boy."
"...As you wish."
The rest of the executives waited with bated breath as Freya finally left the conference room, before they all erupted into angry murmurs.
"This is a load of bullshit. Do we really have to train that twig?"
"He looks like he'd snap in two if you so much as sneeze on him."
"As if I want that guy's rotten blood all over my clothes…"
"Hey, quit it you guys! Lady Freya gave us an order!" Alfrigg said, hushing his brothers.
"Those damn Pallum's have got it right, for once. This whole thing seems like a colossal waste of time." Allen said with a snarl. "I bet he'll run with his tail between his legs the moment he sees the Baptism."
"Hehe, the white rabbit chases the shining moon, only for him to plunge into the fiery depths of Hell. And only when he bathes in the bloodfire's of agony will his body be purged of sin and filth."
"Hogni, stop talking."
"Regardless," Ottar said, speaking for the first time. "This is a command by Lady Freya. She asked us to train Bell Cranel, and that is what we'll do."
"Even I feel that this is going to be a waste of time, but we'll just have to put up with it until Lady Freya grows bored of him, or he quits." Hedin sighed. "We'll each spend a day training him. I'll start first, then Hogni, then the Bringar, Allen, and finally Ottar."
"Screw that!" Allen yelled. "I'm not wasting time with a bloody meatbag who's gonna keel over in less than a minute!"
"Oh? So you're going to purposefully turn your back on Lady Freya, and renounce her right here and now for failing to obey a single request? And here I thought you prided yourself on being Milady's chariot?" Hedin retorted, giving Allen a condescending glare.
"Heh, in the end Allen's just a cat sulking with his tail between his legs."
"What a load of dung. 'Lady Freya's chariot' my ass."
"A cat? More like a chicken."
"Guys!? Will you three shut it!?"
"Screw you, Pallums!" Allen roared. "Fine! If he manages to stay alive until my turn, then I'll 'train' him. But if he croaks or decides to leave, then I'm putting him into the ground!" He grabbed his spear and left the room with a fury.
Hedin sighed before grabbing his sword-staff and leaving the room, shortly accompanied by Hogni who for once wore a fearful expression on his face, having realized that he'd have to talk to Bell face-to-face.
With the departure of the Gulliver brothers, Ottar was alone in the conference room. Stepping towards the large open window, where he had a full view of the Baptism happening down below.
Freya's words brought him down memory lane, back when he was just a starving, malnourished child unable to even lift his arms. She had seen the value of his soul despite his frail body, and brought him back to Folkvangr. After several years of careful nurturing, thousands of hours of combat in the arena, and many broken bones, he was able to transform his body from a pitiful sack of flesh into a warrior worthy of protecting Goddess Freya.
Back then, he never gave up on improving himself, no matter how much he was brutally beaten to the ground. No matter how fierce the fires of the Baptism were, he always stood up in the end, ready to fight another day.
And he could tell, from the brief glimpse he had of the boy as he made his way inside Folkvangr for the first time, that Bell Cranel was a fighter like him, the odds stacked against him since the day he was born.
But will he be able to handle the immense stress and pain from the Baptisms? Or will his will crumble to ashes? Is he truly worthy of being Goddess Freya's eternal companion?
Ottar continued to watch the Baptisms from the conference room, partly lost in nostalgia as he recalled the many times he shed and spilt blood on this sacred ground. Soon, Bell Cranel will follow in the same bloody footsteps he and his peers have taken over the past several years.
Only time will tell if he was worthy to be considered an Einherjar.
Bell could hardly contain his excitement as he eagerly followed Horn through the massive halls of Folkvangr.
He had done it! He finally joined a Familia! And he had the fortune of joining one of, if not the strongest one in the entire city! Oh, he was gonna wrap Syr in the tightest hug possible once he sees her again! To think that she would be the key to finally getting him back on track for his goal!
Granted, everyone he had met so far, aside from his new Goddess, have been either pretty mean or scary, but he supposed that it came with the territory. You don't end up as the strongest Familia in Orario by being all happy-go-lucky. And after meeting Freya for the first time, he completely understood why she had such a devout following.
He would never be able to say in words just how grateful he was that she was the only God in all of Orario who accepted him, despite his sickness.
His silent companion, however, didn't show the same enthusiasm as he did, and instead wordlessly led him out of the manor. She did give him a nasty glare every now and then, though Bell didn't pay it much mind thanks to his good mood.
But as they ventured further into the fields, Bell started to notice the distinct sound of weapons colliding, followed by the pained grunts and loud shouts coming from across the distance. What was going on over there?
"Um… Miss Horn? Do you, cough, know what that sound is?"
"Just shut up and follow me." Horn snarled, not even bothering to turn her head in his direction. Bell flinched and continued to follow her in silence. Eventually, the two found themselves in front of a massive arena, where the sounds of combat grew even louder.
Bell swallowed heavily. What were they fighting over there? "M-miss Horn? Is this…"
Horn gave him an incredulous stare. "What do you think happens there? That is where the Baptisms occur."
"Baptism?"
"Mortal combat."
Bell flinched in fear. "M-mortal combat!?"
Horn let out an exasperated sigh and clapped a hand to her face. "How daft are you, you sickly rabbit!? Don't you know how the Familia operates!? The majority of the Level 1 to 4 Adventurers fight here from dawn to dusk, unless they're going inside the Dungeon. No hand-holding, no holding back, weapons free. You shed blood, and further your prowess in combat until you are near Death's door."
Scary!
Bell hastily swallowed the bile and blood rising up his throat. He was going to have to fight till near-death right from the get-go? He barely even knew how to use a weapon!
"What are you doing just standing there!? Go inside, grab a weapon, and fight!" Sensing his weakness, Horn grabbed him by his collar and pulled him right in front of her face, their noses and lips mere centimeters apart. Bell would have blushed up a storm being so close to a woman as pretty as her, but her facial expression quickly killed those feelings.
If she disliked him before, then the look she gave him now would have killed him a hundred times over.
"Listen closely, you disease-ridden rabbit." Horn snarled, her lifeless gray eyes never once breaking eye-contact with him. "I don't like you. At. All. From the moment you stepped foot into our home, you've already changed things for the worse. Had it been up to me, I would have kicked you out on your sorry rear-end so far away from Folkvangr that your tainted corpse would never tarnish these halls ever again."
Bell's face paled at the threat, but then he grew more confused as he saw Horn's face suddenly start to turn beet-red, her eyes now staring at the ground with immense embarrassment.
"B-but… our Goddess, in her Divine wisdom, had decided that you were worthy to be a member of her Familia. S-she thinks you are very special to her, so y-you'd better not disappoint her!" she spat out, her face turning even more red by the minute. Her eyes were no longer locked on his, as she kept looking everywhere else but her.
"Um, Miss Horn? Are you okay? Your face is really red. Are you having a fever, too?" Bell asked kindly, reaching out to touch her forehead.
"! D-don't touch me!" Horn shrieked, pushing him away and giving him a murderous glare, face as red as a tomato. "You pervert! Lecher! How dare you defile Lady Freya with those filthy hands!"
"Huh!? B-but all I did was just check your temperature!?"
Horn let out a roar of frustration, before grabbing him by the collar again and forcefully shoving him into the arena. "Just keep your hands to yourself! And you better not disappoint Lady Freya!" With one final embarrassed glare, she ran away from him back towards the inside of the mansion.
Bell swallowed heavily, looking at the tall gates in front of him. This was it. This is where his Baptism would begin…
Even though Horn was acting rather odd, one thing she did say made perfect sense. Freya made a huge gambit inviting him into her Familia, and he couldn't disappoint her now, not when she was looking forward to seeing how far he could go.
He still had a goal in mind, and he wouldn't stop here just because of a bit of bloodshed. Uncle Zald and Alfia fought and endured far worse things, and if he ever wanted to reach their level, to be the Hero they wanted, he would have to take the plunge into battle.
Taking a lengthy sip from his flask of Spirit potion, Bell pried open the gates and stepped inside the fields of Ragnarok.
The moment he stepped through the gates, his senses were overwhelmed by the sheer chaos in front of him.
An ocean of white flowers lay before him, occasionally getting stained by the downpour of blood from fallen bodies. The thunderous sounds of metal clashing against metal, bones cracking into pieces, skin getting sliced apart, and the cries of hundreds of warriors fighting to the death assaulted his ears.
"For Lady Freya!"
"For her love!"
"I shall bathe in our Lady's favor!"
"Oooooooooooooooooo!"
All around him, various Familia members were engaging in mortal combat. A Dwarf slammed his Warhammer into the exposed chest of an elf, shattering their ribs and sending them flying into the air before landing with a sickening crack of their spine. A group of Pallums were thrusting their spears into the bellies of a trio of humans as they let out a bloodthirsty cry. A brutish Chienthrope curled their massive biceps around the throat of a female human, squeezing until their opponent turned blue in the face. And next to him, a pair of female Humans were fiercely dueling against each other, the rapid collisions of their swords and rapier causing sparks to blossom into being.
Bell felt his throat suddenly dry up as he saw the carnage in front of him. Horn wasn't joking in the slightest when she said that combatants in the Familia fought in bloody battles to the death. Was this how Freya Familia reigned supreme? Is this the key to their strength?
But most importantly, would he be able to survive this?
"Oi! The fuck are you doing, standing around like you got a spear shoved up your ass?"
A sudden kick to the back knocked him out of his train of thought and sent him sprawling onto the dirt. Spitting out specks of spit and blood, Bell turned his head around and paled as he saw several other Familia members staring at him with spite, their weapons wet with fresh blood.
"If you're gonna disrespect our Goddess by acting like a piece of weed around here, then I'll cut you down myself!" He roared, and within moments he and the rest of his peers ran straight towards him, weapons drawn.
Bell let out a girly scream and scrambled to his feet, quickly kicking up dust as he ran for his life.
"Weapon… I need to grab a weapon!" Bell screamed to himself, looking around hastily.
How could he be so stupid as to not ask Horn where he could find one!? He needed to find a weapon soon or else he's dead!
Looking back as he ran, Bell felt a tremor go down his spine as he saw his pursuers gaining ground. They may all be Level 1's like him, but they were far more experienced and had the Status to match. It was only a matter of time before they caught up to him, and they looked extremely pissed off at his cowardice.
'I have to lose them somehow!'
He swallowed the blood and bile building up in his throat as he suddenly changed direction and ran straight into the middle of the fields, right where the majority of the fighting took place.
Ignoring the sudden shouts and random curses thrown his way, Bell pushed aside various combatants as he darted past them, trying desperately to find a weapon he could use on the ground. Though the loud thuds and sudden flurry of curses and screaming indicated that he was partly successful in diverting his pursuers' attention, he knew it wouldn't last long. And sadly, every time someone discarded a weapon on the ground, another Familia member would quickly grab it and jump back into combat.
Suddenly, Bell felt someone tackle him from behind, and he collapsed face-first into the ground as one of his pursuers straddled his back.
"Thought you could pull a fast one on us, huh? You're a damn coward! I'll make sure our Goddess doesn't see your sorry face ever again!"
"W-wait! I can explain!" Bell screamed, too weak to move or push his far heavier opponent off of him.
"Too late! Now shut up and die!" His opponent, the same human who kicked him to the ground, raised his sword up and prepared to stab him.
Bell, helpless to do anything, closed his eyes.
"Get off of him!"
A feminine voice rang out, and Bell felt his opponent suddenly get kicked off of his back. Opening his eyes, he was surprised to see the two female Humans he saw dueling each other earlier, now hovering over him.
The girl who kicked his opponent off of him looked to be about a year older than him, with pink hair styled into twin tails running down the front of her face and wearing a red and pink top with a matching red skirt. She moved in front of his downed body, holding out her twin red swords in reverse grip, ready to attack at a moment's notice with a resolute frown on her face.
"Are you alright? Here, grab my hand."
The other human, a girl around the same age as her partner with pitch-black hair and purple clothes, reached out her hand towards Bell. He gently grasped her hand, and she pulled him up while moving him away from the argument that broke out in front of the two.
"What the fuck!? You dare interrupt a Baptism!?" The man who attempted to stab him earlier shouted out, his face growing red in anger.
"Can't you see that he's brand new here!? He barely even knows how to fight, and already you're threatening to kill him!" The pink-haired girl shouted back.
"Shut up, Emma! You know the rules here! We fight and bleed each other dry from sunrise to sunset everyday! Cowardice isn't welcome here! You think him running away like a little bitch is gonna please our Goddess?"
"And do you expect him to be able to please anyone when he's running around not knowing what on Earth is going on?" The girl who helped pull Bell up spoke out, her voice ringing with a tone reminiscent of nobility. "This is why Lady Freya has never noticed you, or acknowledged any of you sorry fools for so long. All I see are a bunch of barbarians who'd threaten to kill someone who just joined."
"Oh, you've done it now, Karen!" The man roared. Their shouting match had attracted the attention of nearby combatants, as well as the rest of Bell's previous pursuers. In mere moments, Bell and the newly named Emma and Karen were surrounded in their front by a semicircle of other Familia members, all of whom were giving them looks of utter hatred.
Emma and Karen wore identical frowns on their faces. Though the two had partaken in the Baptisms for a decent period of time now, most of the time they either fought against each other or in duels with the rest of the Level 1's. Being surrounded like this against a wave of other rival members was a new but unpleasant situation they found themselves in.
"W-wait!" Bell cried out. He quickly placed his hands on the two girls' arms. "Y-you don't have to do this! Just, cough, let me go! You shouldn't get in trouble because of me!"
"I'm afraid I cannot do that." Karen spoke, her eyes never leaving her opponents. "It would be cruel of me to throw you to the wolves like this, especially since you're still green."
"Don't worry!" Emma said kindly. She turned to him and gave him a reassuring smile. "The Baptisms here are always rough, but I'd feel terrible having you go through this all by yourself! We won't let you down!"
"And besides, it looks like they won't be ignoring the two of us even if we surrender you to them." Karen said. She quickly removed a longsword strapped to her waist and pushed it into Bell's hands. "Here. Unfortunately, it looks like all three of us will be in for a rough fight. At least you have something to defend yourself with now."
"B-but-!"
"Hey, you'll be fine!" Emma reassured him. "Although I was hoping we could have had your first day go a little better, at least you won't be by yourself! Just stick close to us and start swinging!"
"That's it!?"
"These baboons only know the language of combat." Karen said, raising her rapier into a fencing stance. "If you want them to back off, then you'll have to make them!"
"Is the pep-talk over now?" One of their opponents spoke out mockingly. "Less talking, more bloodshed!"
""Brace yourself!"" Emma and Karen said as one.
Bell swallowed and hastily pulled his weapon up to his waist. Had he been in a less stressful situation he would have face-palmed at how much of a complete idiot he must look like right now, but with the bloodlust spiking in the air, he could only hope that he'd find the strength to protect himself when the time comes.
And that time came now. As if roused to action by the sound of a ringing bell, the group of rival Familia members roared as one and charged straight towards them!
Emma and Karen immediately sprang to action, each diving headfirst into the group and expertly splitting them apart. Though it resulted in each girl having to fend off against 3-4 other members at once, the two wore resolute and steadfast looks on their faces as they carefully dueled. With well-practiced movements, the two were able to fend off each and every attack sent their way, their weapons dancing in the air and parrying their opponents with ease.
Bell would have loved to watch the two fight, but sadly his opponent was the same man who attempted to stab him earlier, now looking positively livid.
"You're dead, you hear me you damn rabbit!" He swore. With a roar, he raised his own sword in the air and slammed it down, ready to slice Bell's head into two.
Bell panicked and quickly jumped to the side, his opponent's blade missing him by a hair-length.
'Damn it! If only I knew how to fight!' Bell cursed as he again sloppily dodged another slash from his opponent. This time the sword was close enough to slash off a few bits off of his coat.
Bell took in a gulp of air and shakily drew his sword to his waist, before thrusting his sword forward!
"Don't think it'll be that easy!"
His opponent brought his blade up and knocked the pitiful thrust aside, knocking Bell off balance, before quickly raising his fist and plunging it straight into Bell's stomach.
"Gak!"
Bell recoiled at the sheer force behind the attack and staggered back. His opponent then used the opportunity to rush straight towards him once again, angling his blade into a thrust to stab him in the stomach.
Ironically, his sickness kicked in to save him at the last second. Bell suddenly felt his stomach twist around, and he soon felt the familiar burning sensation in his lungs take root once again. Right before his opponent could pierce through his shirt, Bell coughed out a sizable fountain of blood from his throat which splattered all over his opponent's face.
"Ah, fuck!" The man swore, suddenly blinded by the red fluid. Quickly thinking on his feet, Bell turned his body away from the stumbling man and stuck his foot out. The man tripped over his outstretched foot and tumbled to the ground.
"Nice one!" Emma cried out, having knocked away one of her own opponents before jogging towards him and quickly lashing out a devastating kick at the jaw of Bell's opponent. With a sickening crack, the man was knocked out.
"! Behind you!" Bell shouted. Instinctively, he raised his sword and made a diagonal slash as one of Emma's previous opponents, a female elf with red hair, attempted to stab her from behind. Though he wished he could attribute it to his skill, Bell was miraculously able to bat aside the incoming attack, startling the elf just as Emma recovered, who turned around and landed a superb roundhouse kick into her opponent's stomach, sending her crashing to the ground.
"There you go! You're doing great! Just keep doing what you were doing before and you'll be okay!" Emma cheered, giving him a pleased smile. His victory was short-lived, as several more opponents surrounded the two. Emma raised her crimson swords up close to her chest and pressed her back against Bell's. "I'll keep them off of us, and you can block their attacks. Sound good?" She asked, as the two twisted around on the spot, never letting their opponents surprise them.
"But I don't know how to, cough, use a sword!" Bell yelled, fear gripping him once again. "What if I mess up?"
"Don't need to worry about technique right now." Emma said calmly. "Even I didn't know how to fight when I first came here. All you need to do is just fight."
"But-!"
"You can learn technique later, and even then, in a fight technique doesn't necessarily result in victory." Emma continued. The two of them were starting to get closed off as their opponents formed a circle around them. "Here's a tip: Don't think. Just do."
Don't think. Just do.
Easier said than done, Bell thought, but he had no reason to doubt Emma, who had helped him this entire time.
"Here they come! Remember, just let your body do the fighting, not your mind!" Emma warned, as the circle of enemies finally converged on them.
Following Emma's advice, Bell decided to just ignore his thoughts and focus solely on defending Emma as she responded in kind, thrusting her swords forward to block an incoming spear that threatened to separate the two, before responding in kind and landing a slash at her opponent's arm.
He quickly spotted another opponent attempting to land an attack on them, and he raised his sword up and blocked the incoming spear, knocking it to the side and throwing a punch at his opponent's face. Though it ended up with him possibly breaking one of his fingers, Bell couldn't help but feel a little pride in himself as he saw that he successfully protected himself and broke his opponent's nose in the process.
He made sure to keep his back pressed against Emma's as she swung her swords in a wide arc around her, batting away any attempts to break her guard, while he used his own sword to block any attacks from behind. Though he couldn't fully counterattack, and though he was only barely able to stop the two of them from getting hurt, he was still able to defend himself. A far cry from when he first started running away from his opponents like a headless chicken, and he felt a surge of confidence rise as he realized that he was truly fighting.
'Emma's right. I CAN do this!' Bell thought to himself, as he deflected another couple of strikes with his sword. Another Familia member ran straight towards him, slashing down with his sword, and Bell raised his up in defense, blocking the attack, before he lashed out a kick, striking his opponent between his legs just like how his mother used to do the same to his grandfather the last time he tried joining them in the bath. His kick was successful, making his opponent sag to the ground in agony, before Bell angled his sword and swung, striking his head with the flat side of the blade, knocking him out.
"Don't forget about me!"
To the side, Bell and Emma saw Karen jump on top of the head of one of their opponents, using them as a springboard before jumping into the foray and landing between them. Karen's face and arms were covered in scratches, and her clothes and armor had definitely seen better days, but she wore a satisfied smirk on her face as she joined their group, the three now back-to-back as they faced the circle of attackers around them.
"How'd it go, Karen?" Emma asked, breathing hard but still giving a friendly smile to her friend, who offered a smirk in return.
"Hmph. There isn't a single Level 1 here who can last against me in a one-on-one fight." Karen replied, before turning her gaze towards Bell. "By the way, we didn't get a chance to introduce ourselves. My name is Karen, Karen Morris." She added, while knocking aside a sword sent her way. "And the dolt swinging her swords like an animal over there is Emma."
"Hey! I am not an animal!" Emma retorted, parrying a spear and throwing a kick into her opponent's chest. "And I'm Emma Flores, by the way!"
"Oh, I'm uh, cough, cough, Bell. Bell Cranel!" He replied, accidentally spraying his opponent with his bloody spit once again, before slashing his sword downward, slicing their legs and making them crumple to the ground.
"Are you sick or something? You don't sound too good." Emma asked worryingly as she saw Bell continue to cough more and more as time passed.
"Haha, I… cough, cough, cough, get asked that a lot. It's a long story, cough." Bell said jokingly, but as the three of them continued to fight back, his coughing fits lasted longer and longer.
'Something's not right. I drank a lot of the Spirit potion not too long ago, and I'm still coughing a lot. Is it because I'm fighting a lot right now?' he thought worryingly. It wasn't just the coughing that was getting worse, as the longer he fought the more his arms started to feel like they were filled with Adamantite. He could feel his heart rate spike, causing painful palpitations, and every breath he took felt like a sword was getting shoved down his throat.
He found it even more difficult to attack now, his swings feeling more heavy by the second, and soon he couldn't even attack, let alone defend his new friends from attacks in the rear. His vision started to blacken around his peripheries, and he had to slap himself to stop himself from possibly passing out.
'I… I need to… drink more of my potion!'
It was the only thing he could think of that could get him out of this funk, but the task was easier said than done. Though the three of them were able to miraculously hold off for quite a while now, and Bell found himself even able to take out a couple Level 1's by himself, more and more people kept coming, as if the entirety of the Familia's Level 1s were out for them. Emma and Karen had done the majority of the fighting while he defended them to the best of his ability, but the two of them were growing more exhausted by the minute. Bell's defenses were also less-than-perfect, and the two girls had multiple scratches all over their bodies. If the three of them didn't find a way to end this all soon, they'd all be too exhausted to fight back.
"ARGH! JUST DIE!"
Another Familia member charged straight at Bell, and though his arms felt like they weighed a ton, he raised his sword up to block the attack.
And as the two swords clashed, Bell's heart stopped beating normally.
A sudden electrical heat traveled down his spine that quickly spread throughout his body, and in a matter of seconds, every fiber of his being felt like it had been set on fire and stabbed with a thousand needles.
"AAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"
Bell screamed and collapsed on the ground, his sword falling from his now spasming hand as the immense pain wracking his body made it impossible for him to stand, let alone pay attention to anything that happened on the battlefield.
"! Bell!?"
"What happened!?"
Both Emma and Karen looked back in shock as their newfound friend suddenly fell to the ground, screaming and twisting around in agony as if being tortured by an invisible force. They quickly moved to his position, but their opponents, who never once relented in their attacks, seized the opportunity to stop their advance. Forced to defend themselves, the two could only watch on in horror as the other Level 1s made their way towards Bell, weapons raised.
Though he was still wracked by seizures and immense pain, Bell still saw that he was slowly getting surrounded. He channeled as much strength and will into his body, trying with all his might to force his arm to reach for the flask of Spirit potion strapped to his waist.
"Eat shit and die!"
A sudden shout, and a kick to his jaw put an end to those plans. And like spilt blood in a shark-infested lake his attackers showed no mercy, pouncing on him and brutally beating him up into a bloody pulp.
The last thing Bell could remember before oblivion took him was a wounded Emma running towards him, before a foot smashed down on his face, shattering his nose and sending him to Death's embrace.
Had the Gods and world been more merciful, Bell's journey would have ended right then and there.
He wouldn't have had to worry about his sickness any longer, and he would have no longer needed to worry about trying to fulfill a vow he had no possibility of ever fulfilling.
In another world, he might have embraced Death's cold but welcoming embrace, and been ferried to the afterlife where his family awaited him.
Uncle Zald, giving him a small chuckle and presenting him with his favorite stew.
His grandfather, who would have clapped him on the back, commended him for trying so hard, and read him one last bedtime story before his reincarnation.
His aunt and mother in all but name, who didn't need to speak a single word and would just pull him into her warm embrace.
He would have been content.
Sadly, this was not that world. This was not that kind of 'What-If'.
"Haaah. Those idiots really did a number on you. If only I could use my magic on you."
Somewhere in the depths of his subconscious, Bell could feel someone roll his mauled body onto his back, before opening his jaw and pouring something down his throat.
The moment the liquid touched his lips, Bell felt a cool, soothing sensation run through his skin and flesh, as if he was being caressed by the very winds itself. Though the damage done to his body was quite extensive, bit by bit he could feel his skin starting to mend itself together, his bones slowly returning to normal, and his torn muscles stitching back together.
The unknown figure kept on pouring potion after potion into his mouth, until his eyes were no longer swollen and bloodshot. Blinking away the black peripheries from his vision, Bell looked up and saw a female Adventurer with red hair and wearing an expression of utmost lethargy on her face.
"Wow… when Lady Freya spoke about this new potion Lord Miach made, I didn't expect it to work this well. Shame that it only seems to work really well for you. Damn it… I guess I'll still be as busy as always."
"Who… who are, cough, you?" Bell said, his throat still sore even after drinking several Spirit potions.
"Ah, you haven't seen me yet as I was out with Lady Freya this morning. I'm Heith. Heith Velvet, and I'm the main healer of the Familia." Heith replied, looking down at him with an indifferent expression.
Bell would have thanked the girl for healing him, but a part of her sentence caught him off guard. "Wait, did you say morning!?"
He looked up at the open sky, and to his shock realized that night had fallen, the stars in the sky clearly visible. Raising his head up with heavy effort, Bell also noticed that the fields of the Baptisms were now pretty much empty, the only people present aside from himself and Heith other healers who were hauling other wounded members inside the manor or healing them. Emma and Karen were nowhere to be found, and his attackers were also absent.
"I've, cough, been unconscious the entire day!?"
Heith shrugged. "It's not that unusual here. Plenty of Familia members get the stuffing kicked out of them, and it's both mine and the other healers jobs to fix you guys up to fight some more. Though, I will say it's been a while since I've seen someone struggle as much as you have."
Despite the overwhelming beating he received earlier, Bell couldn't help but feel a slight bit of shame for the way he fought today. "D-did I at least do decent, for someone who just entered the Familia?"
"You want the good news or the bad news first?"
Well, that wasn't a good sign. "Uh, the bad news first?" Bell asked hesitantly.
Heith gave him an unimpressed face. "To be honest, it was pretty bad, even for a newbie. I think you lasted maybe… 30 minutes or so? Most others usually last for several. And you mainly relied on Emma and Karen's help for most of it anyway."
Bell practically felt his soul nearly leave his body right then and there. And to think he thought he was doing so well for someone who never used a weapon before…
"But… I guess given your condition, it was a bit commendable that you were able to last as long. Emma and Karen certainly were impressed with you."
"H-how are they, by the way?" Bell asked, thankful that at least his new friends thought he did well.
"They're fine," Heith said, waving her hand flippantly. "They're back at the manor eating with the rest of the Familia. They wanted to stay with you, but Hedin said that no one was to touch you until I got here." She crouched down and offered her hand. "Alright, come on then. Sleeping on the ground is gonna ruin your back, trust me I tried. Besides, Lady Freya wanted to see you after you ate. Best not keep her waiting out here."
Oh god, how was he going to face his Goddess!?
But he couldn't just delay the inevitable, and he had a feeling the others wouldn't take kindly to him trying to run away. With a labored grunt, he offered his hand to Heith, who pulled him up with surprising strength and ease. Despite Heith being a couple inches shorter than him, she easily pulled him off the ground with a single tug of her hand.
"H-how!?"
Heith lightly slapped his arm. "Don't be so surprised, I'm a Level 4. Come on, I'll lead you back inside for dinner."
She pulled Bell's arm over her shoulder, letting him weakly lean on her as she half-carried him back inside. Once they entered the manor, Heith led him to a nearby room to the left, and Bell felt his jaw unhinge itself as he saw the massive kitchen and dining area. The common dining area by itself could have held 4 or 5 of the houses back in his village, filled with 10 long tables packed to the brim with other Familia members who for once weren't trading barbs or weapons with each other. Instead, they tore through the food placed in front of them like rabid dogs, greedily swallowing plates of meat and gallons of mead.
In an adjacent area, several of the healers, herbalists, and maids were busy cooking in the kitchen, cutting apart and seasoning cow and boar meat, stirring a gigantic cauldron filled with a hearty meat stew, or refilling gourds and glasses with frothy mead and booze. It was a chaotic mess, with everyone involved in meal preparation covered in soot and sweat, and yet not a single bit of food or drink was spilled. Each and every member of the kitchen staff worked in rotations replenishing the depleted plates of food at the long tables.
The sizzling smell of roasted meat and stew made Bell's stomach growl like an Infant Dragon, much to his embarrassment. Heith just rolled her eyes at his apparent hunger.
"Haah, you're all as hungry as usual. Well, go find yourself a seat and someone will serve you soon. I have to head back into the kitchens to help out."
The sheer exhaustion in her voice made him wince in sympathy. "A-are you sure you don't need any help? Maybe I could help you out in the kitchen?"
"I could kiss you for that offer to help, were you not our Goddess's favorite child." Heith said with a tired sigh, making Bell turn bright red. "You're the first person who actually offered to help me out here. Sadly, I don't think you're in any position to help given your… condition. If only that legendary dwarf was here to cook for everyone…"
Letting go of Bell, Heith grabbed an apron and hair cap from a nearby maid and made her way to the kitchen, leaving Bell to awkwardly look around for an empty table where he could hopefully find a place to eat alone.
"Hey, Bell! Over here!"
But then his heart soared when he heard a familiar voice to his right. Turning, he was relieved to see Emma and Karen, sporting several bandages over their faces and arms but still full of energy, waving at him from a table set a few feet away from the rest of the Familia. He quickly limped over to them and sat down heavily, letting out a sigh as he found himself with pleasant company.
"I'm glad to see you two are okay! T-thank you very much for helping me today, and sorry for being a burden!" Bell said eagerly, bowing his head so low that his chin touched the wood of the table.
"No need to be so sorry, Bell!" Emma said cheerfully. "If anything, we're both sorry that we couldn't have helped out more!"
"In all honesty, we were more concerned for you than for ourselves." Karen said, sipping her tea while giving him a worried glance. "You gave us quite the fright when you collapsed like that. Did someone hurt you? We tried to reach out to you to get you to a healer, but all of them said that they were forbidden to do so."
Bell swallowed. "To tell you the truth, cough, I was born with an incurable sickness. I've lived with it all my life, and the only way I can deal with it is drinking a potion made from herbs from my village. Cough, I guess during the fight I didn't get a chance to drink any of it, and I seized up really badly."
"That's horrible!" Emma said, her hands covering her mouth in horror. "Couldn't you have gone to Dea Saint or Heith to help you? They're among the best healers in all of Orario!"
"Ehehe… I actually visited Miss Airmid a few days ago." Bell said, giving a light smile, one that quickly morphed into a frown. "Unfortunately, it seems that healing me with Magic only makes my sickness worse. Even Airmid's best Magic spell couldn't do anything. Or Miss Riveria's."
Emma and Karen shared an incredulous look. "Really? Even Nine Hell couldn't help you? In fact, how did you meet Loki Familia in the first place?" Karen asked.
"Um… on the first day I came to Orario, I actually asked if I could join Loki Familia, and they turned me down. I kept on asking other Familias if they could let me join, and all of them said no. Goddess Freya was the only one to accept me, and I just joined today."
"I'm sorry that your first day went so poorly." Karen said, pushing a cup of tea in front of him. "Even we had to go through that unpleasant Baptism when we first came here. We were fortunate that we could at least get by, by just dueling each other for some time. Well, I say duel, when in all reality Emma was swinging her swords around like a little child. Honestly, I helped teach her how to fight and she still swings her blades like an animal."
"Hey! I wasn't a little kid! I was just new!" Emma retorted, her cheeks turning pink. "Besides, you were lucky you had training before you even came to Orario!"
"Hmph. Excuses. At least I was there to teach you something useful. And to stop you from getting us lost for the 9th time in a row." Karen replied back in a teasing tone.
"Hey! At least I didn't waste my entire pocket change on cakes and sandwiches on our first day in the city!" Emma said, pointing an accusatory finger at Karen, who in turn also turned pink in the face.
"T-that was one time! And the Benevolent Mistress has the best cakes I have ever tasted on this side of the continent! I certainly didn't see you complaining when you ate those same cakes! Cakes that I paid for!"
"Grr!"
"Hmph!"
The two girls pouted and frowned at each other across the table, until Bell's laughter drew their attention.
"Hahaha! You two really are good friends with each other!" Bell said with a small grin. "No wonder you two get along and fight so well together."
"E-Emma is not my friend!" Karen huffed, crossing her arms. "She is my fated rival on the battlefield! Nothing more! The amount of trouble she's caused me is too much to count!"
"Aw, don't be so pouty!" Emma said, jokingly pinching Karen's cheek who batted her hand away. "Don't let Karen's words fool you. She may seem like a spoiled rich princess on the outside, but she's a huge softy on the inside!"
"Hey! Who are you calling a spoiled princess!?"
"I was wondering if you, cough, were a princess or a noblewoman before, Miss Karen." Bell said. "How did the two of you come to Orario?"
Emma and Karen shared a fond look as they recalled their bizarre journey. "We didn't actually journey together to Orario, or at least not at first. We met each other halfway to Orario, got into a ton of fights, and well… we somehow ended up in Freya Familia?" Emma said.
"Emma, that barely explained anything." Karen sighed, sipping from her cup. "I guess it is fair that we all share our past experiences. Yes, you were right Mr. Bell, I am of nobility. Or at least, I was. I was originally going to be married off to a fellow nobleman, and part-way through my carriage ride to meet my fiance, we were attacked by monsters. Luckily, a brave Adventurer saved my life, and I was so inspired by his act of courage that I renounced my old life and decided to head to Orario to become an Adventurer like him. I never once regretted my decision to leave."
"Karen's story is so inspiring, while mine's a lot more boring, unfortunately." Emma said, though her joking tone contrasted with her worried frown. "I'm actually from a village about a month's journey away from Orario. To be honest, the only reason I decided to go to Orario was to look for my older sister. She decided to leave on a whim over 2 years ago, and neither I nor my parents knew what happened to her. So I just decided to leave the village and make the trip to Orario myself. Halfway there, I ran into Karen, and we kinda argued for the rest of the trip, and when we finally did arrive, well…"
"Emma got lost, and sent us on a wild treasure hunt several days in a row." Karen added, making Emma cover her face in embarrassment. "I swear, even after we were given specific instructions on how to find the Guild, she still stubbornly insisted she knew the way, and even when I led us, we still somehow ended up lost! We'd have probably still ended up nowhere near the Guild had we not encountered Lady Freya on the way."
"Really? How did that happen?" Bell asked, his curiosity peaked.
Karen chuckled to herself. "Well, to be blunt, Emma ran off in a hurry with a piece of cake in her hands, ran straight into Lady Freya in the middle of the road, and accidentally shoved the entire cake into her face."
"Karen!" Emma chimed, looking as if she would rather sink into the earth than be further reminded of her blunder.
"Don't 'Karen' me, that incident was entirely your fault!" Karen retorted, shaking her head. "Honestly, we were lucky that Lady Freya found the whole incident funny, or else Allen would have killed us right then and there!"
"Ahaha…" Bell quietly chuckled, feeling a bit guilty over how much he was starting to enjoy watching Emma grow more and more embarrassed. "Were you able to find your sister yet, Miss Emma?"
"Oh, you don't have to address me with 'Miss', just Emma is fine. And sadly, I haven't heard a single thing about her so far." Emma said, lightly poking her meal. "Karen and I have been in the Familia now for a little over a year, and so far I've found nothing. Nobody in the Guild has any info on her. It's as if she never came to Orario in the first place, which makes no sense since we received letters from her in Orario. Still, I haven't given up yet. Maybe I just need to keep searching for a bit longer."
"Wow, you and Miss Karen have been here for over a year? No wonder you two are so strong." Bell said remorsefully. If only he didn't hold them back so much, then they wouldn't have gotten themselves so hurt…
"Don't worry about it, Mr. Bell." Karen spoke up, patting him on the shoulder. "If I'm being completely honest, you performed admirably today. In fact, you were miles better than Emma when she first started. Honestly, who stabs themself with their own sword?"
"Hey! But it is true, you honestly did way better than I thought you would." Emma noted. "When I said that you should focus on your instincts, I didn't expect you to take to the sword that fast. You certainly didn't fight like an amateur. Did someone teach you?"
"N-not really. I really did never use a sword until today. I just… took inspiration from someone I knew in the past who used a Greatsword." Bell said, his mind going back to earlier in the day. He had followed Emma's advice and avoided trying to focus on how he was holding his sword, or what attacks he should follow up on.
Rather, he instead turned his thoughts to a single man, whose blade could slice through mountains and the most fearsome of beasts. A man who could tear his prey into pieces like a lion tearing through deer.
Though Bell knew deep inside that he could never truly emulate Zald's style or strength, his power and ability was still a huge inspiration for him, and during his childhood he had often sneaked out of home to secretly watch Uncle Zald fight off the random wandering monster or two. Of course he knew that Bell always watched him, and thankfully he never tattled on him to Alfia. But Bell always privately hoped that he could be as strong as his aunt and uncle some day. Able to slay beasts with a single swipe of his blade, or a single word from his mouth.
He was pulled out of his thoughts as he heard Karen speak to him once more. "Incredible. You have quite the hidden talent there, Mr. Bell. And you were handling yourself quite well despite your illness. Don't be discouraged by what others say around here. Everyone who is in this Familia is here because Lady Freya saw something in them, and no other God or Goddess can see into people's souls like she can."
"Somehow, I feel like that isn't true." Bell admitted. "I don't know if I can survive the same thing tomorrow."
"Well, at least you know what to expect. And you can stick with us for the Baptisms. As long as you stay near us, we can make sure you aren't ganged up on like that again. I honestly don't know what happened to make everyone so mad at you today. It's incredibly rare for large fights to break out like that." Emma pondered.
"Not to mention that your Status will increase now that you've trained for the first time. Granted, it may not seem like much, but keep practicing and you'll keep getting stronger thanks to the Falna." Karen added. "We can also go into the Dungeon this weekend if you like. If you wish to be an Adventurer, then you will have to go into the Dungeon sooner or later."
"If I can survive this week…"
Emma clapped him on the back. "Hey, enough of that kind of talk! One step at a time. And the best way to recover after a long day of fighting is to eat like there's no tomorrow!"
"Emma, please eat like a civilized person! And stop eating nothing but cookies!" Karen chided her, as Emma eagerly dug into her plate of desserts.
Bell laughed, and grabbed a plate full of meat, chugging down a sip of his Spirit potion and continuing to chat with his new friends as the three talked nonstop about their pasts and aspirations.
Today might have been off to a bad start, but if he stuck with these two then he would definitely have a chance to prove himself. And the friendly banter between him and the two girls had already brightened his mood significantly.
He couldn't wait to train with them tomorrow.
Across the hall, watching Bell chat away without a care in the world was Hedin, who wore a disgusted look on his face.
Despite the insistence of the two girls, Bell was still a far cry from the warrior his Goddess wanted him to be. He could hardly call his exploits a victory when most of his achievements were due to the intervention of Emma Flores and Karen Morris, the two most recent additions to the Familia before Bell.
Hedin kept his expectations down to a bare minimum, and even then he found himself thoroughly unimpressed and insulted by the sickly rabbit hogging his Goddess's eternal devotion. If he really wanted to be an Adventurer and someone worthy of being called an Einherjar, then he would have to do a LOT more than just half-heartedly blocking attacks like a drunkard.
"Well? What's your verdict?"
Hedin didn't even bother to turn around and address Heith, who stood to the side and watched Bell Cranel with pity in her eyes.
"He has the most basic foundations, but everything else was laughable. His defenses were sloppy, his attacks uncoordinated and lacking strength, and his stamina is atrocious." Hedin said with utmost disdain. "If this is what he wants to proudly show Milady, then he is in for a rude awakening."
"Still, this is his first day, and his sickness isn't something we can really readily deal with." Heith advised. "If even Dea Saint can't cure him of his sickness, then there is nothing I can do about it except for feeding him his potions. Besides, Emma and Karen are decent fighters. I'm sure they can show him the ropes."
"That's not good enough." Hedin said, forcing his displeasure down his throat and wearing a calm expression. "Lady Freya has high hopes for him, and I won't let him waste her time by spending his training with Level 1s. Our Goddess wants him to shine like never before, to make him stronger. And I will ensure it happens, even if I have to beat it into him as many times as needed."
"Even if it kills him?" Heith warned.
"We are Einherjar. We are warriors of the dusk, even in death. Even if death is forced upon us, even if our hearts are cut out, we will rise again. As long as we have faith and devotion in our Goddess, we will do anything. And it's time to see whether that sickly rabbit has the devotion and faith to truly become Einherjar. To mold him into one fit for Milady, I will unleash the gates of Hell upon him."
And… that's a wrap!
I sincerely apologize if this chapter seems lackluster. I originally wanted to have the rest of this chapter focus on Bell's training with the executives, and his eventual meeting with Ryu, but I delayed this chapter long enough. I also wanted to make this a more light-hearted (?) chapter after the last three were filled with a ton of angst.
For those unaware, Emma Flores and Karen Morris were original characters created by Omori for the Orario Rhapsodia PC game a few years ago. Sadly, the game has long since shut down, and it was only available in Japan. Most information about the two that I could find was on the Danmachi wiki, and only tiny snippets of info at that, too. As a result I tried to keep their original backstories, motivations, and yes, Skills as similar as I could to the original game, so if I make any mistakes or if there's any additional information about them I don't know then feel free to let me know! The only notable differences between the two and their game counterparts is the Familia they are in, and some of their Skills which will be buffed and expanded upon in later chapters. I hope you guys enjoyed the way I wrote them and their banter with Bell, as I wanted to give Bell some allies in Freya Familia, and they will be important characters later on. Don't worry, Bell will still be the main character.
And again, though it may seem like Bell is constantly suffering or being held back because of his sickness, that's the whole point. Bell will have to suffer from his sickness and weakness, but rest assured he WILL surpass his limits regardless of his body's limitations. His suffering is there for a reason, after all. All I ask is just a little patience.
And speaking of patience, I once again cannot thank you all enough for supporting this story and for still keeping it on your mind despite the long wait. I'm dialing back the length of new chapters, as 20k+ is way too much for me to do nowadays. And also, I truly appreciate any feedback you guys have, whether it be positive or negative. If you feel that there is something extremely bad that I wrote in this chapter, feel free to PM me or leave it in a review, and I won't hesitate to rewrite it if need be.
Tune in for the next chapter, where Bell will experience utter Hell from the executives, and eventually have some nice moments with Ryu, who will help him out in a huge way.
Thank you again, and have a wonderful day!
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