Tachyon Paradox

by agopessimist

Orario is in chaos, embroiled in a brutal Civil War that has raged for nearly 15 years. As days pass, the forces of Evilus continue to reign supreme, committing atrocities and striking down Orario's remaining heroes. Only one person is capable of turning the tide of war and saving the city: Bell Cranel, a young boy of Astraea Familia, who has the power to manipulate Time itself.

Hello everyone, and thank you for tuning in to read this story!

I never really saw or heard of a Danmachi fanfic where Bell had actual time-manipulating abilities rather than just being sent back in time, so why not make one of my own? A lot of the time-travel mechanics were inspired by the movies Interstellar, Tenet, the video-game Warframe, and the concepts of Eternalism, Feynman's theory of antimatter, and tachyon particles.

I will admit, writing about time travel in any capacity is a pain in the ass to do, what with all the many, many different ways it can be written, and the inevitable scrutiny that comes when you try to unravel how it works. I'm not gonna bore you with the details or try to give a lecture on quantum gravity, the nature of time, and special relativity, so I'll just give a general description of how it works in the story and further expand upon it as Bell learns more about his new abilities. That said, try not to think too deeply about the physics of it all, or else you'll just get a massive headache. The real scientific theories used for inspiration are just that: inspiration for this story.

Also just a quick disclaimer, this story will be much darker in tone compared to my other Danmachi story, as this fic is set in a war-torn Orario, and if you've read any of the SO novels or Astraea Record, then you know how dark the Dark Days were in Orario's history. Expect a lot of heavy themes concerning war crimes, human trafficking and prostitution, massacres, child soldiers, suicide bombings, terrorism, and such. Don't worry, it won't all be doom and gloom, but these are just things to keep in mind, in case you aren't comfortable with these topics being discussed. I will warn you if there is going to be some very dark stuff happening in each chapter, and this chapter won't be as dark as it is an introduction to the story.

Anyways, feel free to leave your thoughts about the story or the time-travel mechanics and I'll try to answer any questions if I can!

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"To see a World in a grain of sand,

And a Heaven in a wild flower.

Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand,

And Eternity in an hour."

-William Blake, Auguries of Innocence

---

Chapter 1: Just Another Day, in a War Without End...

The deafening sound of thunder echoed throughout the manor, the howling of the wind causing the walls to groan from its sheer force, waking up an exhausted Elf sleeping on her bed.

Ryu wearily opened her eyes, her long ears picking up the frenzied splattering of rain on the glass windows. Raising her arm, she rubbed the last bits of sleep from her face and tried to get up, only to notice a warm arm wrapped around her waist, preventing her from leaving.

Ryu sighed, recognizing the owner of said arm to be Alize, her Familia Captain and best friend. Looks like she snuck into her bedroom once again to use her as a body pillow, having done that many times in the past to tease or comfort her. Alize would always remark how soft and warm Ryu felt, and she could only feebly protest in response. But since Alize was the only person who could touch her bare skin without reprimand, and because she was always there to cheer her and the others up, Ryu always let her behavior slide.

And from just how wounded she was, Ryu could definitely understand why Alize needed a hug.

A bloody bandage covered parts of Alize's forehead, caused by an angry mother who pelted her with a rock after they discovered the charred corpse of her daughter in the Market Square, the victim of yet another suicide bombing. Small cuts and gashes peppered her arms, and her breaths were hoarse and wheezy, the result of a few broken ribs hastily healed by the Familia's healer Maryu. Alize had dived headfirst into the blaze following the bombing, and fought off Valletta by herself in order to buy time for the rest of the Familia to evacuate the wounded and deal with the remaining Evilus stragglers.

And though she was able to fight Valletta to a standstill, the Level 6 executive of Evilus dished out as much damage as she took, using all manner of cursed weapons to even the playing field. It wasn't until Ryu and later Shakti arrived did Alize finally manage to take a break, the multiple wounds on her body horrifying the two as they escorted her to safety. And thanks to Valletta escaping at the last minute, Alize took the full brunt of the outrage from the civilian population, who once again blamed the Adventurers for not finding a way to stop the carnage beforehand.

Seeing her Captain in such a wounded state brought a fresh wave of anger coursing down Ryu's spine. They had fought the same battles over and over again for nearly a decade now, and yet it seems that Evilus was only getting stronger and stronger as the years went by. More and more of the City was slowly being captured by them, and the number of people dying to protect and save Orario rose each day.

It all began 15 years ago, when the two mightiest Familia in human history, Zeus and Hera Familia, were annihilated. The strongest Adventurers in the history of the gods, the legendary Familias who brought down the Behemoth and Leviathan, were completely destroyed by the Black Dragon. Not a single survivor remained from that ill-fated battle, and the horrifying implications of their deaths and the power of the Black Dragon reverberated across the world.

Evilus, a group of terrorists led by evil and chaos–loving Gods, was already a known presence back then, but could do little other than cause mild mischief. Zeus and Hera Familia were more than capable of stomping them out of existence, but when the strongest Familias suddenly found themselves dead, Evilus took this opportunity to amass their forces and cause widespread chaos in a city still reeling from their loss.

Taking in exiled members from Familias defeated by Zeus and Hera, and utilizing their underground methods and contacts, Evilus had exponentially increased in size and power, and unleashed their wrath on Orario. The few remaining strong factions left, composed of Loki, Freya, Ganesha, and Astraea Familia, worked around the clock to try and stop Evilus, and for 15 years this struggle remained in a stalemate, one that is progressing further and further towards an Evilus victory.

Not only did Evilus have the numbers advantage, they were also cunning and deceitful, tricking and brainwashing average citizens into becoming their soldiers or suicide bombers. They sent their minions into the Dungeons to assassinate Adventurers or unleash Pass Parades. They snuck into Familia homes and sent their gods back to Heaven, leaving their followers without a Falna and becoming easy targets for slaughter.

Bit by bit, they captured more and more of the City, driving out the civilians once living inside and establishing them as bases of operations for their next assaults. And the poor, innocent people banished from their homes had no place to go to. If they stayed inside the city then their chances of survival dwindled day by day, and they couldn't even guarantee their safety even if they left. Not one to lose an opportunity, Evilus had also launched ambushes and surprise bombings in the front and back gates of the city, ceaselessly slaughtering the refugees as they fled for their lives.

The supply of Magic stones, the bread-and-butter that kept society moving, and which could only be reliably gathered in Orario, drastically dwindled as the years passed. With more and more Adventurers dying in the Dungeon from Monsters or Evilus, there were fewer Familia capable of meeting the supply and demand. With how much modern technology relied on Magic stones as their power supply, the world outside Orario teetered on the brink of collapse.

Orario couldn't make any profit with so little Magic stones leaving the city, and so the amount of money and resources going into the city fell, if it wasn't already plundered by Evilus. Trade to and from Orario fell as other countries and kingdoms took note of the crisis in Orario and prepared for the worst. Things grew even worse as word spread of Evilus reaching beyond Orario and into neighboring countries, and when notable leaders and Gods in other Kingdoms found themselves dead or sent back to Heaven, the die was cast.

Many Kingdoms, empires, and countries just closed their borders and refused to comply with Orario's call for help. Refugees seeking asylum found themselves locked out and barred entry, left for the picking by Monsters on the surface or by bandits looking for easy pickings. Trade between countries and kingdoms slowed to a crawl as they isolated themselves, fearing for the day that Orario fell and preparing for the worst. Many of the refugees could only set up communities of shelters outside Orario's walls, waiting for the day when the Civil War between the Guild and Evilus would end.

But the War had dragged on for 15 years now, and things were not looking up. Loki, Freya, Ganesha, and Astraea Familia were strong but they could not defeat Evilus by themselves. Other Familias willing to help were either completely annihilated or incorporated into Evilus. Food and water became precious resources as Orario found itself cut off from the rest of the world without support, and rumors began to spread of how other Kingdoms might be taking advantage of the chaos to possibly invade and seize Orario for themselves.

Of course, it wasn't as if the entire world had turned its back on Orario. Brave men and women all around picked up arms and raced to Orario, eager to join the fight and liberate the city. Ryu was one of them, having joined the many others across the world as they left their homes and old life behind to fight. Having been sickened by her village's blatant disregard for outsiders and the fate of the world, she wordlessly left her home and decided to enter Orario to fight for something bigger than herself. It was nearly a decade ago that she met Alize for the first time, the fiery redhead having saved her from being kidnapped and sold to the Entertainment District.

It was also the first time that she was able to touch someone who was not an Elf with her bare hand, and where she would eventually meet Goddess Astraea and join her Familia. It had been 10 years since she tirelessly fought alongside her sisters-in-arms against the forces of Evil, and it had only been a few months ago that she became a Level 6.

And yet those accomplishments felt hollow compared to the immense toll the war had taken on her and her friends. More grueling days of fighting for her life and protecting a population who were now starting to get restless and angry. More days filled with grief and regret, as friends and allies lost their lives in this bloody Civil War. It was what Lyra would cruelly describe as: "same shit, different day."

Ryu would never give up, she would fight till the bitter end, and yet she couldn't help but pray for a change in the tides of war. A beacon of hope, a miracle, that could finally break the slowly dwindling stalemate. A Hero, as Alize described it, who could finally bring down Evilus to its knees.

She shook her head. Now wasn't the time to be thinking about 'What-Ifs', not when people's lives could be at stake. With great regret, she reached down and shook her Captain awake.

"Five more minutes..." Alize muttered sleepily, trying to pull Ryu down next to her, but the blonde Elf shook her shoulder once again.

"Come on, Alize. I know you're tired, but we can't start the meeting without you." Ryu said regretfully, as her best friend relented, groggily pulled herself off the bed and wincing as the pain in her mended ribs flared.

"Are your wounds still hurting Alize? I can use my Magic in case you're still feeling sore." Ryu offered, but Alize shook her head.

"It's best you save your Mind in case we need to treat any civilians. Don't worry, the ever blazing and beautiful Alize wouldn't be brought down that easily by some old wounds! Hmph!" Alize said with her old gusto, causing Ryu to shake her head in disbelief. She threw Alize's arm over her shoulder and wrapped her other arm around her Captain's waist, before pulling her off the bed and marching them towards the common room.

Already seated around the large table in the middle of the room were the rest of the Familia. Kaguya, the vice captain and someone who Ryu never really got along with that well, sharpened her katana with a whetstone, her eyes still holding raw rage behind them. Sitting at the table and analyzing a large map of the entire city with bags under her eyes was Lyra, the small Prum moving various markers across the map and muttering to herself.

To the side was Maryu, the Familia's healer, who moved around and chanted her magic to heal the others. Near her were Nezhe and Iska, a Werewolf and Amazon who distributed breakfast. Celty and Ryana were off to the side mending their staves, Asta was polishing her shield and hammer, Noin was quietly snoozing off in a leather chair, and Cecil was carrying various metals down to the Smithy in the Familia's basement.

At the front of the table next to Lyra was Astraea, the head of the Familia and the Goddess of Justice herself, who looked up and saw Ryu and Alize hobbling towards the rest of the Familia with a smile.

"Ryu! Alize! I'm so happy to see you two! Did you both rest well last night? Do you want me to bring you something to eat?" Like a mother looking after her children, Astraea stood up and made her way towards them in worry, attracting the attention of the others.

"Great, and here I thought our lazy Captain would sleep the rest of the day, with Lion stuck as her useless body pillow again." Kaguya remarked, though with a lot less of her usual bite. It seems even she was sick with worry for the two of them.

"Who are you calling lazy, Kaguya? I just need my beauty sleep! Us girls really need that, you know!" Alize said with a wink, making Kaguya roll her eyes.

"Heh, as if you or Lion are even remotely capable of seducing a guy in the first place, especially with how flat your ass is." Lyra sarcastically remarked.

Ryu blushed, recalling how Lyra had an annoying habit of slapping her butt right before a major battle started as a sign of 'good luck.'

"Hey, my butt is not flat! Lion, check my butt and prove her wrong!" Alize yelled, shoving her backside towards Ryu.

"Cut it out, Alize! And for the last time, Lyra! Quit slapping my butt!" Ryu yelled, instantly distancing herself from her grabby Captain.

The rest of the Familia, having long since grown accustomed to the 'good-luck buttcheek slap', could only watch on with laughter as they watched Alize chase Ryu around the table, forgetting her injuries for a brief moment.

Astraea laughed at their antics, happy to see Alizé still in high spirits. "As much as I'm glad to see you two in such good spirits, I'm afraid we need to get started."

The mood of the Familia suddenly sunk as they all frowned at the map Lyra continued to mark.

"Alright, then let's start this meeting, beginning with the usual updates." Alizé spoke, taking her place at the front of the table next to Astraea.

"Aside from the bombings in the Market Square, nothing else of note happened the previous day. Loki Familia is still in the middle of their expedition to the Deep Floors, Freya Familia have been patrolling the areas around Babel and Folkvangr, and Ganesha Familia reported no additional incursions into Guild-controlled territory." Lyra said, marking several of the mentioned locations with a blue pin representing the Guild-allied factions. The entire map of Orario was sectioned off with various markers, showing key points of interest as well as the placement of troops and the sections of the city under Evilus control, marked with red pins.

"Sadly, Evilus had driven back Ganesha's forces from parts of the Industrial District. They seized control of a few blocks that once belonged to Hephaistos Familia, including a handful of Smithing workshops." Kaguya added.

Alizé frowned. "How have Shakti's forces been doing so far?"

"Oh, most of them were able to retreat with only a handful of casualties on their end, but they're still pissed that Evilus was able to drive them back. I don't blame them for retreating, though. The Dia sisters never take prisoners." Lyra commented, shuddering at the thought of the two psychopathic elves.

"Hildrsleif and Dainsleif will have their hands full. Those twins won't stop until they grab their attention." Ryu said. "And what of the Entertainment District? Have the Guild's investigators found any links tying Ishtar Familia to Evilus?"

"Clean as a whistle, unfortunately." Iska commented, the Familia's only Amazon. "The Guild found no evidence of wrongdoing and were forced to pay reparations to Goddess Ishtar. None of my old contacts in the Pleasure Quarter were able to inform me of anything."

"That's absurd!" Ryu remarked, appalled by the lack of evidence. "Evilus has been attacking the city using the Pleasure Quarter as a base of operations! We've literally seen their members coming to and from there!"

"All the same, the Guild still wasn't able to find anything, and the last thing we need is to piss off Goddess Ishtar." Kaguya said with thinly veiled malice. "Tch… that damn Goddess must be playing both sides. All she cares about even in this day and age is trouncing Goddess Freya. Even with how strong her Familia is now."

The group nodded, recalling how a few months ago Ottar, Captain of Freya Familia, had recently become a Level 7, one of only two in the entire world. It was a huge morale boost to the city as a whole, since to their knowledge Evilus lacked a member of that same power, but not a single major faction took his level-up for granted.

For Evilus had as many Level 6's as the rest of the allied forces combined.

"And what about Evilus? Any news from them?" Alizé continued.

This time Celty spoke up. "Um, I've heard some rumors going around that a few Familias have started to turn towards Evilus. One of them being Kali Familia from Telskyura. There are rumors going around that her two Captains, Argana and Bache, are both Level 6."

The entire Familia groaned as one. Just what they needed, another strong Familia joining the ranks of Evilus at a time when their own forces were starting to dwindle.

"How will they even be able to enter the city? Both gates are being closely monitored by Hermes Familia?" Nezha asked.

"No idea. Perseus said that they were able to track them down at Melen, and so far they've been staying there for the time being. Maybe they're arriving to get combat experience? These are still just rumors after all." Celty commented.

"Captain, what should we do about them?" Kaguya asked Alizé, who could only shake her head.

"Nothing, aside from letting Hermes Familia keep an eye on them for the time being. Kali Familia vastly outnumbers our own, and we don't know for certain if they're really joining Evilus. If they're here just to observe the situation, then we can't make any moves against them. We're already stretched thin as it is."

Alizé turned towards Noin, having woken up from her small nap. "How are the recent shipments of food supplies so far? Is Demeter Familia still doing alright?"

"So far, things have been normal, though the recent storm hasn't been helping them harvest that well. They're still in low spirits since the disappearance of their Captain, Persephone. But as of now, we aren't in any danger of a food shortage like last time."

And boy did that bring back memories. Ryu painfully recalled how an Evilus raid had torched over half of Demeter Familia's crops, sending the city into a large-scale panic as the price of grain skyrocketed. It took several years and some donations from outside countries thanks to Hermes Familia to restore the burnt fields and to stop the city from starving.

"That's strange. The only source of conflict have been the Dia sisters capturing a few Smithy's? That doesn't seem like something Valletta would sanction, especially with Finn and Loki Familia absent for the time being." Alizé remarked. "Also, why would they capture several Smithy's in the first place? They aren't Blacksmiths like Hephaistos or Goibniu Familia."

"I agree, this is a little bit strange for them. And from what I gathered, the Dia sisters left little in the ways of bloodshed. When Kaguya and I scouted the area earlier, the whole place had been crawling with guards. Strangely, we've noticed a lot of carts moving in and out of the area. One of the Smithy's was started up again, with guards stationed on every side of it." Lyra added.

"Are they planning on making something again? Don't tell me they're doubling down on their suicide bombings…" Ryu's face curled into a furious frown. She had never forgiven Evilus for their underhanded tactics, especially with how they utilized children as suicide bombers. Ardee's death at the hands of one still left a throbbing scar in her heart.

"I don't think so. They've already been using suicide bombers for a while now, and it doesn't make any sense for them to double-down on it. Not when we've already been experienced with dealing with them. Something tells me there's more going on here." Lyra said.

"We're you able to find out what was in those carts?" Alizé asked.

"Unfortunately, no. Both sisters were around, so we couldn't stay for long. But they were all the same. And these weren't just your normal storage carts. There were carriages as well." Kaguya pointed out.

"Carriages? Are you saying people were brought to the Smithy?" Ryu asked.

"We can't know for sure unless we investigate ourselves." Astraea chimed in. "I don't want a repeat of what happened 7 years ago. My intuition is telling me that this might be worse than their mass suicide bombings. And Hephaistos has been furious these last few months. A lot of her members have been reported dead or missing, and we need all the help we can get with forging armor and armaments. You should all be careful when investigating there."

The Familia nodded as one, when out of nowhere they heard a frenzied set of knocks from the Manor's front door.

"That doesn't sound like Perseus." Ryu said with a frown, noticing how the knocks were in rapid succession. Alizé nodded and made her way to the door, her hand by her sword's pommel.

She quickly opened the door, and found a small, young girl drenched in the rain, her dress covered head-to-toe in blood.

"P-please… help me!" The girl cried, before fainting.

"Maryu! We need help!" Alizé called, quickly grabbing the girl before she hit the floor, and with a quick inspection, sighing in relief at the lack of any explosives on her person.

The rest of the Familia made space on the table for the little girl as Alize set her down, Maryu quick to cast a healing spell on her.

Eventually, after a few moments the girl woke up with tears in her eyes. She grabbed onto Alizé's red sash, crying uncontrollably.

"There, there, little one. Everything's going to be alright." Alizé spoke gently, cradling the little girl in her arms despite her injuries and caressing her hair. Ryu watched with a small smile as the girl visibly relaxed in her friend's arms, feeling slightly jealous of how Alizé worked so well with little children. A sharp contrast to herself.

When the girl finally calmed down, Alizé passed her to Astraea, who had her sit in her lap. Alizé knelt down and gave the girl a smile.

"Now, what do you need help with, young one?"

The girl's face quickly morphed into one of fear as she recalled what happened. "Please! You must save them!"

The entire Familia looked on, puzzled by her request.

"Who?"

---

An Hour Later…

The rainstorm continued unabated, the deluge of water drowning out all other noises around the abandoned buildings. Entire houses remained eerily silent as several cloaked individuals dashed through the rain, kicking up puddles of water into the air, before stopping and jumping up to the air. With a wet splash, these cloaked figures landed on the roof of one abandoned building, their clothing underneath already soaked to the bone.

"Man, why did it have to rain this much!? I can barely even feel my fingers anymore…" Lyra commented, shaking in her boots.

"Well, you know what they say! It is raining, and it will continue to rain until the rain is done!" Alizé said, wincing and holding the side of her chest following the jump.

"Are you sure you'll be okay, Alizé?" Ryu asked. "There's still time for me or Maryu to heal you with our magic, or I can get Celty to head to Dian Cecht or Miach Familia for potions."

"Aw, I knew you loved me, Lion!" Alizé said with a smile, before trying and failing to wrap Ryu into a very wet hug. "But don't worry, I'll be fine! My flames will never die or splutter, even in the rain! Besides, we need to move as quickly as possible, or else the hostages could die at any moment."

That set everyone straight, and the rest of Astraea Familia looked on from atop the building as they scanned the surroundings of the recently captured Smithing Workshops.

The girl they encountered earlier notified them of a horrible incident that occurred several days ago. She was one of several people from a village far to the North of Orario, who were suddenly kidnapped and taken from their homes by an Evilus raid. They were rallied up, and forcefully loaded onto carts where they were then transported to Orario under the guise of aid shipments.

From there, they were all moved to the recently captured Smithing Workshops and set to work, gathering raw material and transporting it to various areas under Evilus's control.

The girl had managed to escape by breaking her own wrists to escape her cuffs, and one of the villagers had risked his life to ensure her escape before he was violently cut down by the guards, hence the blood on the girl's dress.

Thankfully, she had overheard an Evilus God mention Astraea Familia and the location of their mansion some time prior to her escape, which was what helped her find them in the first place. However, her escape had greatly worried the guards stationed there, and the girl worried that the rest of the villagers would be quickly executed and disposed of before Astraea Familia could intervene.

Perhaps Evilus assumed that the girl would find herself lost in the city or die of hypothermia before she could find them, but luck was on her side when she overheard them talking about Astraea Familia, leading her straight to them.

With no time to lose, Astraea Familia quickly mobilized despite Alizé's wounds and made haste towards the captured blocks.

"So how are we gonna go about this? Any chance the Dia Sisters are still here?" Lyra asked, using her mono scope to gather intel and scout ahead.

"No, the girl never mentioned anything about a Dark and Light Elf in the area. They might have already left, now that their mission was done, to go mess with Freya Familia. Those horny Elves could never leave Hildrsleif and Dainsleif alone for long." Kaguya remarked with a disgusted frown.

"It's a good thing it's raining so much. With the overcast sky and the rain covering the noise of our arrival, we can sneak in and take out any guards before they sound the alarm." Ryu pointed out. "If there are no Evilus executives, then we can quickly rescue the hostages before word gets out."

"Lyra? See anyone so far?" Alizé asked.

"A few scattered guards here and there. A couple sentries on two of the towers, and some foot soldiers down patrolling the streets. Not many people outside, so I'm guessing most of them are inside the Smithy. If we can take out the grunts quickly and quietly, we'll be all set to breach the building without anyone noticing." Lyra said, sheathing her monoscope.

Alizé nodded, and turned to the rest of the Familia standing behind her. "Alright, here's the plan everyone. We first need to take out the Evilus troops on the ground quickly and quietly. Once we deal with the grunts, the rest of us will take position around the Smithy and breach it. Kaguya, Lyra, Lion, and I will enter inside and rescue the hostages, while the rest of you provide cover and alert us for any reinforcements.

"Celty, Ryana. The two of you will take out the sentries on the towers to the north and south end of the block and provide any cover fire should reinforcements arrive. Noin, Asta, you'll take those back streets to the sides of the Smithy and take out the troops. Nezhe, Iska, you'll deal with the stragglers on the street facing the front of the Smithy, and Maryu will act as support, ready to heal us or the hostages once we finish clearing the building. Cecil will be sending word to Ganesha Familia and direct Shakti and her men to follow us. Is everyone ready?"

When the rest of the Familia nodded, Alizé raised her hand in the air and swung down, giving them the signal to attack. And in a split second, the girls of Astraea Familia separated, dashing into several different directions.

Nezhe and Iska darted forward in a flash, their black cloaks keeping them hidden in the darkness of night, and with their enhanced Level 5 vision they honed in on their targets to the street facing the Smithy. With the downpour of rain drowning out the sound of splashing of water from their footsteps, they leapt into the air and grabbed onto the sides of the buildings facing the street. Two Evilus guards were patrolling the area, the heavy rain doing little to help their Magic lanterns illuminate the street. With a shared nod, the two girls jumped down, landing on the two goons and quickly snapping their necks before they could even yell out in surprise.

Ryu couldn't help but flinch at the sudden deaths, but she shook her head and ran past Iska and Nezhe as they dragged the two bodies into an abandoned alley and out of sight. Even all these years later, she still held little enthusiasm towards killing people, even if they were Evilus. But the jails have been overflowing for years now, and any surviving member of Evilus meant more trouble for them down the line. Even Alizé wasn't fond of killing people, but war had changed them, and eventually Kaguya and Lyra convinced the two that killing would be necessary. Unless they surrendered peacefully or if they were child soldiers, they wouldn't take any chances. Especially now that nearly every grunt troop had the high possibility of carrying explosives on their person.

As Alizé, Ryu, Kaguya, and Lyra darted down the main path towards the Smithy, they unleashed their weapons in silent takedowns, stealthily assassinating any nearby guards. Alizé sliced off the head of an Evilus member right before he could turn around the corner and spot them, and Ryu threw a pair of knives in the air, lodging them in the throats of a pair of sentries who spotted their fallen comrade. Kaguya and Lyra watched them from the back, providing cover and silencing any reinforcements.

The muffled takedowns the four of them could hear across the block thanks to their enhanced Level 5 and 6 hearing let them know that their infiltration was a success. Ducking low behind the cover of a nearby building, Ryu looked up towards the towers in the north and south ends, watching as Celty and Ryana choked out the sentries on top before waving a small little light to indicate the all clear.

Ryu turned back to her friends and gave them a nod. Returning it, the other 3 jumped up and scaled the roof, eventually lying prone as the Smithy stood several feet away from them.

"Too easy…" Lyra muttered.

"What do you mean?" Ryu asked.

"This infiltration went way too easily for my liking. I'm not like Finn, but something seems really fishy. Haven't you noticed that there were so few guards around here, especially since this area was just recently captured?"

"Not to mention that they should have raised the guard when they learned that the little girl escaped." Kaguya added, wiping the rain from her face. "Were I one of them, I'd have had the guards doubled and go on hourly rotations. Not to mention that there should have been an extra person on top of the towers to prevent these kinds of easy takedowns in the first place."

"Speaking from experience in the Far East?" Lyra added snarkly, dodging out of the way as Kaguya aimed a punch at her.

"Regardless, we can't just quit here and retreat. If the girl was right, then they'll start torturing or executing the other hostages for her whereabouts, or to stop their plans from getting leaked. The others must have already secured the perimeter. Let's go ahead and breach." Alize responded.

"""Roger!"""

With a leap, Ryu and Alizé jumped to the roof and smashed the windows in with the pommel of their swords, while Kaguya and Lyra used a combination of several explosives and heavy slashes to break down the front and back entrances. They dived in, expecting an ambush or pandemonium inside the building.

Instead, all they were met with was silence.

"Eh? It's empty?" Lyra commented, looking around at the clearly abandoned Smithy.

"I knew it… they must have packed everything up and left as soon as the girl escaped. Tch! We're too late." Kaguya added with a scowl.

Meanwhile, on the top floor Ryu and Alize had arrived at the same conclusion as their friends at the bottom.

"Do you think we were too late? Are the hostages…" Ryu found herself unable to finish her sentence. If they decided to dispose of them the moment the girl escaped…

"We can't be sure until we check everywhere. Maybe we can find something in case Evilus decided to leave in haste." Alize then raised her arm and spoke to a purple gem embedded in her gauntlet, an invention that allowed for communication amongst others who shared the same gem regardless of distance. "Kaguya? Lyra? Were you able to find anything?"

"Sorry, but everything's been stripped bare from our end." Lyra spoke from the gem. "If Evilus was here, they're long gone now. Lemme guess? Search the place for anything they left behind?"

"That's our favorite Prum!"

"Oi, Lion! Don't get all clammy again if you see something unpleasant! I don't want to deal with another sob story!"

"Take that back, Kaguya!" Ryu roared to her own communication gem. "I know what's at stake, and I'm a lot different from 7 years ago!"

"All the same, prepare for the worst. Knowing what Evilus does to prisoners…"

"Alright, everyone! Let's focus and try to find anyone or anything we can use to unearth their future plans. Kaguya, Lyra, you two explore the bottom two floors, while Lion and I explore the top floors. We'll then reconvene at the bottom floor and check for any basements. And make sure to let the others know that we're okay." Alize spoke to her team.

The 4 proceeded to inspect each and every floor in the abandoned Smithy. Lyra had taken to investigating the bottom floor while Kaguya took the 2nd floor. Alize split off from Ryu to explore the 3rd floor, and Ryu stayed on the top.

"I see nothing but broken crates and empty workshops. Nothing on my end." Lyra spoke from the gem.

"Captain, I've found some furnaces still smoldering on the second floor, as well as some recently used smithing tools. Looks like they were indeed making something here, but it doesn't look like they were making any bombs. I don't see any of the ignition tools or the hammering devices they stole." Kaguya said from her spot on the second floor.

"I haven't found anyone on the third floor either." Alize said dejectedly. "Nothing but torn, bloody clothing and some abandoned food. The third floor's really spacious, though. Enough to house several people at a time. Maybe the villlagers were held here during their imprisonment. Lion? Find anything?"

"Nothing so far." Ryu had thoroughly checked the top floor, but sadly found nothing of value. Compared to the other floors below her, the top floor she and Alize had entered was utterly barren of any content. Not even tiny bits of dust or clutter littered the floors, and any sign of human activity was scrubbed clean. Had she not known that Evilus inhabited this building, Ryu would have assumed that the Smithy was newly built.

Dejected, Ryu sighed and made her way downstairs to regroup with the others.

It was then that her ears picked up a quiet thumping sound above, followed by a tiny cluster of dust falling on top of her blonde hair.

Grabbing the pommel of Alf's Lumina, she narrowed her eyes at the ceiling, her ears still picking up the sound of thumping coming from the ceiling. The noise was barely audible, and Ryu doubted that had anyone else been on the top floor aside from her, they wouldn't have been able to hear it at all.

But she could, and the thumping eerily sounded like someone stomping their feet.

Ryu scanned the ceiling very carefully. If that thumping belonged to a person, then there might be a secret attic hidden in the ceiling. Most Smithys lacked an attic, preferring to make a basement to avoid the fumes should a leak occur, but it could be possible that this was an older building that was renovated to a Smithy. Due to the prolonged conflict, construction of new buildings and homes were indefinitely delayed in favor of increased fortification or the construction of shelters. With so many homes and buildings abandoned, it was likely that Hephaistos Familia used an abandoned house and repurposed it.

If this meant that there was an attic… there!

Ryu spotted it: a barely noticeable black handle in the center of the ceiling. She reached up and grasped it with her hand and pulled down. With a heavy and loud groan, the ceiling split, and a large staircase descended as she continued to pull the handle down to the floor.

Turning on a miniature Magic lantern attached to her waist, Ryu raised Alf's Lumina up and carefully made her way up the stairs. In a few seconds, she found herself in a spacious room, completely devoid of any light save for the dim glow from her lantern that revealed a large cell near the far end of the attic.

Inside, a young man lay blindfolded, gagged, and tied up.

"Alize! Kaguya, Lyra! I found someone in the attic!"

"What!? Are they Evilus!?"

"I don't think so! It seems like he's one of the prisoners! I'll free him in a second!"

Ryu made her way towards the cell, slashing the steel bars into pieces with Ardee's sword. The young man, having heard her shouting and the sound of her sword being drawn, pushed himself away from her to the corner of the room, his entire body trembling with fear.

Ryu looked around his cell, finding a dinner plate with tiny crumbs remaining, as well as a book with completely barren pages to his side. Kneeling down, she gently placed her hand on the boy's shoulder.

"Don't worry, my name is Ryu Lion. I'm an Adventurer of Astraea Familia. I'm not here to hurt you. Give me a second to remove these bonds." Ryu spoke gently, and the young man visibly relaxed. Removing the gag from his mouth, she reached behind his head of snow-white hair and tore off the blindfold, and found herself lost in his beautiful, ruby-red eyes.

---

(Several Years Ago)

Bell hesitantly peeked inside the bedroom, gently pushing the door open with his tiny hands to make sure he didn't let a single squeak from the hinges disturb the sole occupant sleeping inside. Even while bedridden, she was still more than capable of destroying the entire house with a single word.

He'd rather not have to help rebuild the house for the 13th time in a row.

Her back was turned towards him, the slight rise and fall of her head and chest the only indication that she was still alive and breathing. He let out a sigh of relief at the sight. It had scared him immensely when he saw her choking on her own blood only a few short hours ago. She had been coming down with a high fever over the past few days, and already it took every ounce of energy she had to even walk by herself to the restroom. He feared that she might not last much longer in this state, not without the necessary medicines.

"Oi, if you're going to be loitering around at the door, then at least come inside. The last thing I want is for you to grow up to be a closet pervert like your Gramps." A weak feminine voice made itself known from the blankets covering her body.

"Eep! I'm so sorry, Mom!" Bell squeaked, already running towards the other side of the bed.

"Idiot, didn't I already tell you before to address me as Stepmother Alfia?" The woman croaked, weakly rubbing her eyes before suddenly coughing intensely.

Bell quickly grabbed a towel and gently dabbed at the sides of Alfia's mouth, wiping away the specks of blood oozing down her lips. With the last of her coughs abating, Alfia slowly opened her eyes, revealing the heterochromia that always fascinated him.

"So? Why were you peeking at me from the door? Don't tell me that damn geezer finally got through to you."

Bell jumped in fright. "Eek! N-no! I-I just brought some soup for you! Y-you didn't eat anything at all today, and it's already half-past 4." He quickly scurried to the door, picking up the bowl of still-steaming soup and bringing it to the bed. Pulling in the small table from the corner, he set the bowl on the table and picked up a spoon.

"Here, say 'ah!'." Bell said cutely, raising a spoonful of soup up.

"Idiot, who are you to ask me to say 'ah' like I'm a little child?" Alfia said, though without her usual bite. She nevertheless obediently opened her mouth and quickly swallowed a mouthful of soup. Raising her eyebrows slightly, she turned her head towards her nephew. "Who taught you to make this?"

"I-I asked Uncle Zald if he could teach me?"

"You do know he's also bedridden?"

"I-I just asked him to write down the recipe, and I tried copying how he cooks. G-Grandpa also helped out a little. I-is it bad?"

Alfia sighed and closed her eyes. "No. It's good. Very good."

Bell sagged with relief. "That's great! Here, say 'ah!'."

"You don't have to do this." Alfia said, still obediently slurping soup.

"Don't do what?"

"Taking care of us."

Bell froze, the spoon of soup long forgotten.

"You and I both know how this ends. For both Zald and I. Like I said, our time together won't last forever."

"Please don't say that, Mom!" Bell cried out. "You shouldn't think like that! R-remember my promise? I said that I would be the Hero you and Uncle Zald wanted to see! T-that I would work hard to be that Hero! So please just hang on for a little longer! I want you and Uncle to see the world I'll save!"

"Bell…" Alfia grunted with effort, but she was able to slightly raise her upper body off of the bed. She raised her arm and looped it around Bell's shoulders, pulling him into her warm embrace. Bell flinched, but quickly wrapped his own arms around Alfia, burying his face into her chest and listening to the slow but fluttering beat of her heart.

"You don't have to worry about being a Hero for our sake." Alfia whispered into his ear, gently stroking his hair. "I already told you before. I chose you over the world. My place will always be by your side, until the day that I die. Nothing makes me more happy than spending my last few moments with you."

"But why do I always see you sighing, or looking out the window all sad?" Bell said, raising his head up slightly to look into his mother's eyes. "Ever since that God came by, you and Uncle Zald have always been so sad. D-did you both really want to leave that badly?"

Alfia sighed. Since when did he start paying that close attention? "It doesn't matter what either of us think. We still chose to stay, rather than be Heroes once more. I'll just have to make peace with my choices."

"Why won't you let me go to Orario? Uncle Zald is too sick to train me, and I don't know magic like you do, so why not let me be an Adventurer? I want to be a Hero like you both!"

"We're not Heroes, Bell. In the eyes of the world, we are failures. Not worthy to even be remembered in the annals of history."

"But that's not fair!" Bell said angrily. "You and Uncle Zald beat those scary monsters back in the day! You saved the world!"

"I'm not saying it's fair, but it's real." Alfia said remorsefully. She pulled Bell up with the last of her strength, so that he slept next to her on the bed. "The days when people wanted heroes who are true to their word and do what's right are long gone. In this age, the only heroes people want to see are those who get results. If you make even one mistake, they will discard you like trash. Make you regret all your life's choices. The only heroes people love… are those who win. Nothing more, and nothing less."

"But-!"

"There are no such things as Heroes. Only people who do heroic deeds. But that's not what the world wants. What the people and Gods want is a person who does the traditional deeds of heroism, who appears flawless, and dances to the tune of the people and the Gods. That is how the world is now, and that's not the kind of hero I want you to be. This world isn't kind to people as compassionate and kind as you." Alfia said, gently poking Bell's cute little nose. "I don't want you to be a God's puppet, or be laughed at and ridiculed when you inevitably encounter failure. To be cursed, mocked, and pelted with rocks and dung. Just like Zald and I…"

"Mom? What does it mean to be a hero then?"

"You will have to figure that out for yourself one day. Cough, cough, but I don't want you to go down that road. This world won't be kind to you, and Orario is dangerous. You will suffer immensely if you go there. Please, don't go."

"B-but, my promise!"

A cold, clammy hand cupped his cheek, making him stare at the teary eyes of his mother.

"Please. Please, don't go."

---

(Present)

And despite his yearnings, Bell ultimately acquiesced to his mother's wishes. In the end, he shoved any thoughts of wanting to enter Orario and becoming a Hero into the depths of his heart, and instead chose to spend the rest of his childhood taking care of his ailing family.

It might not have been what he wanted, but it would have been cruel for him to run away from his home and responsibilities while his mother and uncle still needed him. His grandfather, who also tried to help them out (well, Uncle Zald anyways. Alfia would always clock him in the jaw if he so much as stayed a foot near her), wouldn't steer him in any one direction.

'It's your choice, Bell.' He would tell him. 'Stay, or leave. I'll support you whatever you choose, and I know that Zald and Alfia would never hate or be disappointed in you if you chose to leave.'

It was one of the hardest choices he ever had to make in his life. To give up a possible future of heroism and his promise to his mother, in exchange for a life of simple comfort.

It's not like he didn't understand why Alfia would have preferred that for him. Despite him calling her 'Mom', Alfia wasn't really his mother. She was only his blood-related aunt, his real mother long since dead. Though Alfia normally hated children and preferred solitude and silence, she still nonetheless took care of him and raised him alongside Zald. Alfia could be rude, arrogant, and prone to fits of anger at the slightest provocation, but Bell loved her with all his heart. She was his mother, no matter how much she denied it.

And it broke his heart seeing her and Uncle Zald grow so weak over the years. He was told by his grandfather that the two of them had afflictions that slowly killed them. Uncle Zald had been poisoned long ago, and both his mother and aunt were afflicted with incurable illnesses since birth. His real mother had long since succumbed to it shortly after he was born, and soon it would take the only mother he knew.

Neither Alfia nor Zald really cared about their short lifespans, telling him that things will naturally come to pass, and that they had accepted their inevitable deaths long ago. But he would catch them sighing in resignation at times, with his Uncle often cooking or sitting with his arms crossed several times a day, and his aunt often looking past the mountains and clouds for hours on end with a look of utter regret.

Bell had asked her why she seemed so remorseful, and she told him that she made a choice to stay with him rather than save the world. She told him how she was nothing more than a failed hero, and that she had been offered an opportunity that would have made the arrival of new heroes possible if she and Uncle Zald left.

Instead, she chose him.

And though it filled him with immense joy that both of them decided to stay, things had only gone from bad to worse.

Alfia's and Zald's sickness had dramatically worsened as the years went by. The scent of rotting flesh permeating from Uncle Zald had gotten so bad that he now ate most of his meals outside, if he even ate at all, and he lost nearly all his muscle mass over the next several years. Alfia now threw up blood almost every day, and it wasn't surprising to see her bedridden for days from a simple cold.

Their old strength was nearly gone, and later into Bell's childhood they began spending all their time in bed, unable to even go to the restroom without assistance.

As a result, he ended up becoming their primary caretaker alongside his grandfather. He never spent much time playing outside or interacting with other kids his age. All of his energy was devoted to keeping his mother and uncle as comfortable as possible before they reached the end.

It made him feel helpless, watching the two most important people in his life rot away like that, but there was nothing he could do. And he had no choice but to accept it. He would care for them until they died, and though his heart yearned to explore the world and become the Hero his mother wanted to see, he couldn't go to Orario. His mother's last wish was for him to live a peaceful life, and the City of Heroes was far from peaceful.

He, of course, knew about the ongoing Civil War raging in Orario for the past 15 years. News of the bloodshed and atrocities committed by Evilus had spread even to the far reaches of the North where he called home, as well as the news of the brave volunteers who left their homes to fight against Evil.

A few such individuals had even arrived in Bell's village a few weeks ago, asking for volunteers ready to join them in taking back Orario. As much as he yearned to join them, the image of him becoming a hero and fighting tooth and nail to liberate the center of the world still blazing in his heart, he nevertheless declined their offer. His grandfather had passed away less than a week ago, and he still remembered his mother's dying wish to him. He couldn't squander her last request by throwing his life away, no matter how much his childhood promise still smoldered in his heart.

Bell had no training whatsoever, and he never once fought for his life before. He would only be a burden towards the true heroes, the brave men and women of Loki, Freya, Astraea, and Ganesha Familia. And he doubted that they would ever accept someone like him, a farmer from the North. His dreams of being a hero were nothing but a childish fantasy, and he would just have to be content with watching the new heroes emerge from the sidelines.

That fantasy quickly died when they came.

A group of ruffians arrived a few days ago and set fire to the entire village, razing it to the ground and kidnapping everyone who lived there, including himself. Bell wished he could have done even something heroic, but alas he only received a kick to the back of the head. The next thing he knew, he and the rest of his village were tied up and taken to Orario, where they were held hostage for several days.

One of the Evilus members had endlessly questioned him about the whereabouts of his mother and uncle, and Bell vehemently lied over and over again, refusing to reveal anything. Later on, a god had approached his cell, and rather than interrogate him, the god had instead tossed a book at his feet and 'requested' that he read it in its entirety. Bell never saw the god in question, as he was blindfolded beforehand, but after that god left, he nevertheless read the offered book, and subsequently passed out. He wasn't sure why that happened, possibly from stress and fear, but he read it all the same until the words from the page vanished. Thankfully, his guards seemed satisfied with what happened and kept him blindfolded and gagged for the next several days.

He had no idea what happened to the rest of the villagers, but he heard the tell-tale sounds of metallurgy in the floors below, and a few short hours ago he heard several screams and panicked shouts. Bell could only pray for their safety, and for someone to come rescue him.

And when his rescuer finally arrived, he felt his whole body turn red.

Eyes as blue as the pristine lakes of the North, blonde hair as radiant as the sun, long ears that made him want to reach out and stroke them, and a face that looked like it was carved by the Great Spirits.

Bell had never seen an Elf before, and he wondered if all Elves were just as beautiful as her. She was every bit the beloved Forest Fairy he used to read about in his childhood stories, and he couldn't help but blush fiercely as he gazed at her beautiful face.

"Are you hurt at all?" the blonde Elf asked. "Can you give me a name?"

"I-I'm Bell. Bell Cranel." he muttered shyly. "A-and I'm not hurt at all."

"Do you happen to know what happened to the people here, or why you were all locked up here?"

Bell shook his head. "I don't know. We were all just villagers living in the mountains north of Orario when they showed up at our village. They kidnapped us and brought us here. I was kept up here the entire time, and I don't know what happened to the others."

"I see." Ryu sighed disappointingly. "Nevertheless, I'm at least happy to see that you're okay. Can you stand?"

Bell nodded, and with a groan he attempted to stand up, but after spending days at a time with his arms and legs tied up he inevitably lost his balance and stumbled, falling into Ryu's chest.

"Mr. Cranel!?"

Thankfully, Ryu caught him before his head could touch her modest chest, but he ended up grabbing her by her hand in order to not fully fall to the ground. The Elf's eyes widened as she felt Bell's hand coil around hers, her body accepting his touch just as easily as Alize, much to her shock.

The two stared at each other in embarrassment, before a panicked voice emanated from Ryu's gauntlet.

"LION! YOU AND THE OTHERS HAVE TO GET OUT, NOW!" Celty yelled from the gem.

Before either of the two could react, the room around them turned orange in color, with flames engulfing them in a matter of seconds before the floor collapsed, sending them tumbling down in a heap of embers.

---

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! So this is the power of those legendary Magic Swords!" Vito chortled a few buildings away, his normally pensive face curled into a sadistic smile.

In his hands was a glowing red greatsword brimming with immense Magical power. In a single swing, a tsunami of flames erupted from the sword, swallowing the entire block in a blazing inferno.

He swung his sword once more, sending another avalanche of fire through the block and incinerating the surrounding buildings once more. The towers around the Smithy collapsed, and the building itself sustained immense damage, its roof caving in and slowly starting to sink in.

"You're guess was as accurate as always, Lord Erebus." Vito said with a chuckle. "Of course Astraea Familia would come swarming in here like flies to dead flesh. There's no way Scarlet Harnel or Gale Wind could have survived such an attack! Damn those annoying girls!"

Vito's gaze morphed into a bloodthirsty glare as he recalled all the times Astraea Familia had clashed with him in the past. Even as a Level 6, he still had a hard time dealing with them, especially in a 4 vs 1, but now things were finally looking up for him.

"Even if they somehow managed to survive, we'll soon have enough of these things to turn Orario into a hellscape. Pity that blacksmith can't make them last longer." As if on cue, the Magic Sword shattered into pieces in his palm.

"Ah well, better make him churn out some more! And that takes care of Astraea Familia in one fell swoop!"

"Enjoying your new toy, Vito?"

A new voice echoed behind him, and Vito turned to see his God smirking at the immense joy on his face.

"Ah, Lord Erebus! I didn't expect to see you watching with me this fine evening! I thought Valletta requested that you stay anonymous?"

"Meh, it's not like anyone could tell the difference between Lord Erebus and Lord Eren anyways. Well? How's the Magic Sword?"

"As powerful as I was told. Ah, if only our resident smith would be more cooperative. Sadly, he continues his petty rebellions against us. I wonder how many of his Familia members will I have to kidnap and torture to death before he relents?" Vito pondered.

"He'll break in time. But anyways, do you think Astraea Familia has fallen?"

"Who can say? Some may escape, but I highly doubt Gale Wind could have escaped intact. Honestly, I still cannot understand your fascination with that Elf."

Erebus shrugged. "She's hot for an Elf, and besides, she's still a baby practitioner of Justice. I wonder how far she'll go, or at least I hoped, if she's dead now."

"Don't you think we might have tipped our hand a bit too early? If Loki Familia learns of what happened here…"

"They would have found out eventually, anyways. It's no secret that Hephaistos is still grieving over the disappearance of her favorite child. Braver would have put two and two together if he hasn't already."

"Well then it's time we head out. Ganesha Familia will likely arrive soon." Erebus concluded, gesturing for Vito to follow him. As they made their way to one of the secret passages back into Knossos, Vito couldn't help but ask one more question.

"Ah, I forgot to ask, but what was the point of capturing that boy anyways? I've checked the village, and I couldn't find a trace of Silence or Predator anywhere. Also, why did you give that boy a Grimoire?"

Erebus gave a small grin. "Let's just say that I've been fascinated with him for a while. I wonder, how far will he go? And will he be the spark that changes everything?"

---

Had Ryu not cradled him to her body, Bell would have most certainly died.

He had no idea what had happened, but in mere seconds his entire jail cell was melted to slag, and the entire roof and Smithy was set aflame. The entire building shook on its foundations, and the floor collapsed.

Reacting faster than Bell thought possible, she pulled him to her chest and threw herself over him, shielding him from the flames that incinerated the entire attic. Sadly, while he himself was mostly unharmed, the same couldn't be said for the Elf, who screamed in agony as her clothes and cloak caught fire.

Before he could do anything else, the floor around them let out an ominous groan, before suddenly caving in and sending them tumbling down.

Nevertheless, Ryu still protected him, turning around mid-fall and taking the full force of the impact as their bodies crashed through floor after floor. Eventually, with a sickening crack, the two finally landed painfully on the bottom floor.

Bell quickly disentangled himself from his Elven savior and scrambled towards her.

"Miss Ryu!?"

The poor Elf's back was nearly completely scorched, her cloak and light armor burning away to reveal blackened flesh where pale, creamy skin once lay. She was knocked unconscious from the fall, her right leg twisted in a horrifying angle.

Bell quickly patted away the remaining embers on her body and scanned the room. Sadly, the entire floor was empty of any help, and flames danced around them. Both entrances were set aflame, and another loud creaking noise drew his attention. Raising his head up, he watched in horror as the rest of the roof started to smash through the rest of the floors. In a matter of moments, the two of them would be squashed by the falling debris.

He tried shaking Ryu awake, but she was knocked out cold. Grabbing a piece of wood nearby, Bell carefully fashioned a makeshift splint for her right leg, thankful that she was blissfully unconscious lest she scream in agony. Bel groggily stood up and carefully lifted Ryu up from the ground, the Elf weighing like a feather in his arms.

"Where should I go!?" Bell said in a panic. Both the doors had been blocked completely by fallen debris, and he had no strength that could break through the rubble. As the groaning of the floors above him increased, he looked up in panic and saw a window on the second floor, just big enough for the two of them. But could he even make it in time!?

The sound of the roof now smashing through the third floor forced him to act, and after whispering a silent apology to his savior, Bell forced his legs to move as he ran towards the stairs, dodging bits of burning debris and using his own back to shelter Ryu. Just as he made it to the 2nd floor, the floor above them began to crack and cave in.

"Oh nonononononono! PLEASE LET US MAKE IT IN TIME!"

Channeling all the strength into his legs, Bell made a mad dash to the window, just as the roof caved in completely.

With a mighty leap, he smashed through the glass and tumbled down to the ground, as the entire Smithy collapsed in a roaring burst of flames.

Bell felt the rush of cold air pass him by as he soared through the air, before gravity took hold of him once more and the two of them plummeted. Curling his legs, the two of them rolled across the ground, with him using his back to cushion their fall and to cradle Ryu to his chest in the same manner she did for him. And though his legs and back hurt a ton, he nevertheless managed to stand up, the rain still pouring in droves around them.

"DIE!"

"Eep!"

Bell panicked and turned around, hearing a sinister voice yell at him. With a startle, he saw a black-robed Evilus member like the ones who kidnapped his village rush towards him with a sword. He quickly turned tail and ran, but having just recovered from a fall and not carrying a Falna like his pursuer, the man quickly caught up to him.

Finding himself with nowhere else to go, Bell quickly turned his back towards his attacker, shielding Ryu from the blade.

"Argh!" A crimson sword suddenly pierced through the man's chest, silencing his cries and causing him to sink to the ground before dying. Bell turned around and was met by a young woman a few years older than him with red hair and emerald eyes.

"! Lion!"

Alize quickly crouched beside him and brushed aside Ryu's hair before latching her fingers onto her neck. With a relieved sigh, she felt a shallow pulse in her artery.

"Oh, thank goodness she's alright! Were you one of the prisoners she mentioned?" Alize asked.

"Y-yes! This girl saved me from the fire and I got us out just in time before it collapsed!"

"I'm so sorry! We had just left the building when we heard Celty's warning, and then before we knew it a huge firewave melted everything around us! By the time we took shelter, we were ambushed by Evilus forces! Get behind me!"

Alize then raised her sword in a defensive posture in front of the two as a few more Evilus members wielding black daggers appeared from the shadows.

"Don't worry, just hold onto Lion and let me take care of these guys! I promise I won't let them get an inch near you!" Alize said with a serious voice, and she raised her sword in the air and chanted.

"Arga! Arvana! Arvelia!

Agaris Alvesynth!"

Bright red flames coated Alize's body, hands, and feet, and in a fiery blur, she dashed towards her enemies, the rain failing to make a dent in the inferno around her.

Bell watched in awe as Alize moved and attacked faster than he thought humanly possible. The Evilus members, each Level 4 assassins, soon found themselves falling to her crimson blade, the scorching sword slicing through their bodies like a hot knife to butter.

In a matter of moments, the assassins lay dead as Alize stood in the center like a fiery beacon of hope. She turned around to check on the two of them, and Bell felt himself blush from how attractive she looked at that moment.

""Captain!""

Another pair of female voices grabbed their attention, and Bell turned around to see a Far Eastern girl and a Prum with pink hair jump down from the rooftops, their weapons stained with blood.

"All the Evilus reinforcements were taken down, and Ganesha Familia is rounding up the rest. Everyone else managed to escape the attack unharmed." Lyra added, sheathing her fans.

"Who is this? Was this one of the hostages? And what happened to Lion!?" Kaguya growled, giving Bell a glare as she saw the wounded Elf still lying motionless in his arms.

"We'll talk about that later! Grab the others and tell them to meet back at Star Garden!" Alize ordered, before turning her attention to Bell. "What's your name?"

"B-Bell Cranel!"

Alize gave him a soft smile. "Sorry Bell, but can you come with us? We'll shelter you and keep you safe if you help us bring Lion. Besides, we need you to tell us everything that happened."

"U-understood!" Bell answered, picking himself up and following Alize and the other two girls out of the ruined block, tightly holding onto Ryu.

---

Some Time Later…

"I see. It is unfortunate that we couldn't glean anything further, but I am glad to see that you're okay! You have my immense gratitude for protecting Ryu."

"I-it's not a big deal!" Bell squeaked, feeling thoroughly embarrassed as Goddess Astraea wrapped him in a hug, all while the rest of her Familia lightly giggled at his flustered expression. "Besides, Miss Ryu was the one who saved me when the building fell! All I did was just escape!"

"How is Lion doing, Maryu?" Alize asked, and the black-haired healer gave her a comforting smile.

"She'll be alright. Nothing a few potions and my Magic can't fix. Her back and her leg will be good as new by tomorrow. Though she'll feel incredibly sore."

Bell sighed in relief, firmly clasping Ryu's hand in his.

"Well, this whole thing turned out to be a waste." Lyra said dejectedly. "Don't get me wrong, I'm glad we were able to rescue you in time, but we weren't able to find out anything about Evilus, and we were nearly blind-sided by that Magic attack. Who knew Evilus had something like that hidden up their sleeve?"

"No, we did in fact learn something." Cecil spoke up with a serious expression. "When I arrived with Ganesha Familia, we did a thorough search of the entire block, and I found this."

Pulling out a bundled cloth, she opened it on the table, revealing several fragmented shards and a broken pommel.

"The attack you guys mentioned was caused by a Magic Sword." Cecil said with a frown. "And not just any regular Magic Sword. This one had enough firepower to rival even Lady Riveria's strongest Magic."

Alize gasped. "Then… that means!?"

Cecil nodded. "Yes, this was a Crozzo Magic Sword."

All of the Familia members save for Bell flinched in response, their worries now skyrocketing.

"Damn it, I should have known." Kaguya frowned. "I remember now. One of Goddess Hephaistos's children, Welf Crozzo, was declared missing a few weeks ago following an ambush in the Dungeon. To think he's now smithing those cursed Magic Swords for Evilus now."

"He could be coerced into making them." Cecil countered, her background as a blacksmith herself making her defend a fellow artisan. "Goddess Hephaistos would never allow a weak-minded Smith into her Familia. He's probably forced to smith these."

"Either way, this doesn't bode well for Orario." Ryana said. "Those Magic Swords of his can wipe out entire armies, burn the seas, and annihilate entire forests. There are hundreds of thousands of Elves who were forced to flee for their lives when Rakia used those swords to destroy their homes. If they're in the hands of Evilus now, then they have extremely powerful weapons of mass destruction in their hands."

"But if that were the case, then why haven't they used them by now?" Celty pondered. "If they have a large stockpile of them, then it seems odd how they haven't destroyed Orario yet."

"I don't know. Maybe they're being cautious, and they accidentally blew their cover since they expected us to die tonight. Or, Welf Crozzo's been rebelling in his own way, slowly making swords for them and trying to make as few as possible. Either way, we have to inform the other Familias about this, and try to rescue him. We can't let Evilus keep gathering more of them." Lyra added, to which the other girls nodded.

"Alright, now that we've discussed everything I think we should try to get some rest." Astraea said, clapping her hands gently. "You all have been running yourselves ragged these past few days, and Alize you're still wounded. Please, try to get some sleep tonight, and we'll reconvene with Loki, Freya, Hermes, and Ganesha Familia once Loki Familia returns from their expedition."

"Goddess Astraea. What do we do with him?" Kaguya asked, pointing her thumb at Bell who shrunk in response.

"Ah, I'm sorry to have startled you. I'm sure you must be feeling quite lost, but feel free to stay here until you feel better. I know the disappearance of your fellow villagers must be distressing, but if you like we can arrange for Ganesha or Hermes Familia to return you to your home." Astraea asked nicely, though her expression fell when she saw the sad look on Bell's face.

'Where could I even return to? The village is gone, and Grandfather just passed away. All of my old neighbors are still missing, and there's no one to defend our home from Monsters.' Bell thought with a pang. Thanks to Evilus his village was entirely destroyed, and with his Grandfather's passing he was all alone now. There was nowhere for him to go. He had no idea if he had any surviving family on his father's or mother's side, and no city or Kingdom would let any more refugees enter.

'It looks like I'll be stuck in Orario for a while.' Bell thought. Maybe he could find some work at the Guild, or even volunteer at the soup kitchens and charities. Or, he could assist Astraea Familia by keeping their home neat and tidy, if they'd let him stay for a warm bed and food.

Or… he could finally fulfill his old childhood dream.

Bell's heart skipped a beat as he realized that he could be an Adventurer if he wanted to. He may be untrained and a brand new rookie, but who would refuse new talent in a time like this? No one would be picky during a War, and he felt indebted to Astraea Familia for saving him.

And when he turned his gaze to the Elf who saved his life, and next to the fiery Captain who dazzled him with her powers, he felt his heart beat a mile a minute.

'I'm sorry Mom.' Bell apologized silently. 'But… maybe this is a sign? At least I can make you, Uncle Zald, and Grandpa proud. I want, no, I WILL be a Hero.'

"U-um! I was wondering if I could ask for a favor?" Bell said nervously, as the rest of the Familia turned their heads towards him.

"Of course! What is it that you need?" Astraea asked nicely with a smile, which did nothing to calm his nerves.

Bell took a deep breath, and bowed his head low. "M-may I join your Familia?"

Astraea's eyes shot wide open, and the rest of the Familia stared at him with gaping mouths. Bell flushed from the sudden attention to himself, and he privately wondered what he would do if they refused.

The rest of the Familia could only stare at him in abject shock. Truth be told, no one had ever voluntarily sought to join Astraea Familia. Goddess Astraea personally sought out each and every member, or they were introduced to her by Alize. Many other prospective Adventurers either chose Loki or Ganesha Familia, and after accidentally inviting so many women, Astraea stopped trying to scout for any men to avoid any trouble or embarrassment for the now female-dominant Familia. And everyone was acutely aware of how so many men would salivate at the thought of being surrounded by so many gorgeous women.

But Bell Cranel did not look at them with perverted eyes, but with an earnest desire to prove himself. And he did help rescue Ryu from the collapsing building.

As they debated amongst themselves, a single voice put their errant thoughts to rest.

"I accept him!"

"!? Alize!?"

The redheaded Captain gave a teasing smirk and wrapped her arm around Bell's shoulder. "Why not? We haven't had a new member since Cecil joined a few years ago, and I have a feeling that Bell isn't one of those weirdos who wants to pick up girls in a Dungeon!"

"Ahahaha…" Bell laughed quietly, as sweat ran down his spine.

"Besides, he helped save Lion, and I saw him even turn his back to protect her from an attack. And look over there!" Alize added excitedly.

The rest of the Familia and Bell looked down, seeing his hand still firmly clasped in Ryu's. The entire Familia let out a surprised gasp, which Bell didn't understand why.

"No way…"

"I can't believe it…"

"Lion's holding someone's hand besides Alize's!?"

"A boy's, too!"

"Do you know what this means!?"

"Lion's got a boyfriend!"

"Wait a minute!? How did Lion of all people snag a guy before me!?"

"Are you serious…"

"That damn, crappy Elf actually managed to get a guy to touch her… it's the end of the world as we know it…"

Bell didn't have the foggiest idea what they were going on about. He was just holding onto Ryu's hand. What's the big deal? He looked up and recoiled seeing Alize's smug expression on her face.

Astraea remained stunned for a minute before she threw back her head and let out a hearty laugh, one shared by the other members. Once she finally calmed down, she gave Bell a warm smile.

"If Alize vouches for you then I accept. However, I would like to ask you a question before I bring you in."

Bell nodded in relief. "Of course! Whatever you wish!"

"Very well, then. My question is this: What is Justice?"

That threw Bell for a loop, and the rest of the Familia acted in quiet surprise.

That question, 'What is Justice?', was one that confounded every member for the past several years, ever since an annoying god asked that question to Ryu for the first time 7 years ago. The question had rattled her immensely, especially after the death of Ardee, and it was something no other member, not even Alize, could answer. It wasn't until Ryu found her own answer to that question that she truly began to shine, and find solace and renewed purpose in the bloody years to come.

Each and every member had their own answer to that question. How would Bell Cranel answer?

Bell remained silent as he digested the question. He was expecting something far more personal besides a question about justice, though given how Astraea was supposedly the Goddess of Justice herself, he shouldn't be too surprised.

Still, he had a feeling that if he didn't give a good answer he'd kiss his chances of joining her Familia goodbye. So he thought about the question in his head for a long while, all while Astraea patiently waited for him to come up with an answer.

Eventually, he spoke.

"Um… I don't think that a single answer to that question exists. Justice has so many definitions for so many people, and just like how there are a lot of different people in the world, there are also different forms of justice."

"One person's form of justice is providing a home and taking care of an orphan boy after he lost his parents." The image of his grandfather's smile formed in his mind.

"One person's justice might be to just find happiness at the end of their days. To live life without regrets and to embrace family and tomorrow." The silhouette of Uncle Zald took shape next, his smile warming his heart.

"Another person's justice is taking care of her nephew and raising him like her own son, always wanting him to live a peaceful and happy life free from conflict. To live a life she could never have for herself." Tears began to form behind his eyes as Alfia's smile graced his mind once again.

"So, to me there is no absolute definition of Justice. Justice is an ideal, a personal goal that every person aspires to and yearns for with all their being. And to me… my Justice is to follow my own path. To find my journey, my story, and to continue it the way I want it to continue. My Justice… is to be a Hero. To be the Hero that they yearned for. To be the Hero that they'd be proud to see."

Bell wiped his eyes but stared back resolutely. The rest of Astraea Familia looked on in shock, completely dumbstruck by how this young man, who had probably never lifted a weapon before in his life, who lived a life so different from theirs, could still somehow understand the true meaning of Justice so easily, and find the kind of Justice he sought for himself.

Goddess Astraea stood up, made her way towards Bell, and to his surprise, cradled his face in her hands.

"Welcome to my Familia."

---

Bell laid down face-first onto Goddess Astraea's bed, his back completely bare as she straddled his hips and pricked her finger with a needle. A single drop of her blood fell onto his back, and a brilliant blue glow enveloped the room as the insignia of a winged staff formed over his skin.

Various hieroglyphs manifested into being from Bell's back, and Astraea looked down with pride for her new member, before she looked further down and let out an audible yelp.

"Eh? Goddess? Is everything okay?" Bell asked below her.

"I-it's fine! I was just a little surprised with what I found. You actually developed a Skill AND Magic at the same time."

"EEEEHHHH!?" Bell yelled, completely thrown for a loop by the new information. "I have a Skill!? AND Magic!?"

"That's what I was wondering about. It's incredibly rare for a Human to develop Magic immediately after gaining a Falna. Usually Elves are the ones who develop Magic so quickly. That is, have you read a lot of books before coming to Orario?" Astraea asked him.

"Eh? Uh… do Hero books count?"

Astraea laughed and lightly patted him on the back. "Sadly, those don't count. Either way, congratulations on acquiring Magic. But, I must warn you to be extremely careful. In fact, I would suggest you not use this Magic at all except under extreme circumstances."

"Huh? Why is that?"

Astraea's expression turned serious. "I think it's better for you to see for yourself. The Magic you acquired could very well turn the world on its head. There is no other like it in all of humanity's history."

She brought her hand down on his back, and the glowing hieroglyphs disappeared, leaving a black mark showing his Falna. She locked his Falna, keeping it hidden from others, and wrote down his Status on a piece of paper. As Bell stood up and put on his shirt, he sat next to Astraea on the bed and read through his first ever Status sheet.

His jaw fell to the floor.

---

Bell Cranel

Level 1

STR: I0

END: I0

DEX: I0

AGI: I0

MAG: I0

Skill: [Dreams of Eternity] (Last Hero's Justice): Allows user to gain increased Excelia based on the user's desires, love, and aspirations toward a singular goal. The stronger the user's aspirations and love are, the larger the amount of Excelia gained.

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Magic: [Tachyon Paradox] (Temporal Anchor): Allows the user to travel backwards through Time. Cost for Magic will require Excelia and Status instead of Mind. Traveling further backwards in Time will require larger amounts of Status and Excelia. Excelia and Status will not be restored to pre-Time travel levels following an Inversion. This Magic cannot be used if the user's Status has been reduced to Zero.

---

And that's a wrap!

I hope you enjoyed this first chapter! I was really nervous writing this, as I'm not quite used to writing so much action and fight scenes. This is also the first time I'm writing a 'War' fic and tackling the themes of war, so I would appreciate any advice and feedback! A lot of what I wrote was partially inspired by the events of the Ukraine War (Glory to Ukraine, and a massive 'fuck you' to Dicknugget Putin and his cronies), and how it has affected events on a global scale, from the food scarcities and the increase in the number of refugees, to how more proxy conflicts are erupting around the world, and how global economies have been altered by the conflict.

This is also my first time writing Astraea Familia, and I hope I've kept their personalities intact and as canon as possible. If you feel I need to correct anything then please let me know!

Lastly, what are your guys' thoughts on Bell's new magic? I'm really excited to delve deeper into it in future chapters, so please stay tuned! Later on in the next chapter, we'll see Bell starting to receive some training from the girls, and take a closer look as to how the Civil War had affected Orario and its civilian population. And we'll also see more of the interplay between the various factions allied under the Guild.

As for ships, I'm not completely certain yet. I'm strongly leaning towards Bell x Ryu x Alize x Aiz since I simp for all those girls, but who knows?

Anyways, thank you again for reading this! I'm still nowhere near as decent a writer as the many other outstanding authors on this site, so feel free to give any advice or feedback! I'll answer any and all reviews and PM's in the subsequent chapter!

If you wish to support me, then feel free to check the link below! Everything is just for pure monetary support, so don't feel pressured to donate if you don't wish to. I won't hold chapters ransom under Patrons, and I won't give chapters early access either.

P a treon . com (slash) Agopessimist