AN: So formatting on this site is not easy. But I did take the time to rewrite chapters two and three. It should hopefully be much more fluid. I realize the dialogue is still weak and am hopefull as I focus on writing more dialoug it will get better. I did write chapter 5. But I am going to let it sit for a few days before I go back and edit. As a side note if anyone would like to Beta for me it would be greatly appreciated! It is very difficutl to spot certain errors simply because I obvioulsy know exactly what I wrote!
18 Months Ago
Bell was skipping as he followed Ryuu back to the hostess. It had been six months since the Hestia incident, and he had finally been allowed into the dungeon. Ryuu had taken him all the way down to the sixth floor!
"Bell, what's wrong? You are shaking!" Syr said, running up to them as they entered the hostess, pulling Bell into a gentle hug. His face flushing as he pulled back from her.
"IT WAS THE BEST!" he tried to keep his voice down he really did. But how could he? This was the best day of his life! He had been invincible. Not a single monster had even come close to touching him. I'm going to be a hero. That was all he could think about as they had made their way out of the dungeon.
"We went down to the sixth floor! Did you know war shadows appear out of the wall? They just form out of shadows! They were everywhere, and I even got a drop item!" he proudly held up a single black claw that seemed to absorb any light cast on it.
"Ryuu was awesome too! She took out half of the floor. Then she told me there is a town in the dungeon," he stopped spinning back towards the elf. "The town can we go there, please!"
"It is too dangerous at your level, but once we get you to a high-level one, I will escort you down," Ryuu replied. Bell slammed into the elf giving her a giant hug. Today was the best day ever! I'm doing it, grandpa he thought.
Don't forget the women part! His heart stuttered as he heard his grandpa's voice in his head. In front of him, unnoticed, Syr's eyes widened dramatically.
"Brats! I don't pay you to hug and go on adventurers. Get cleaned up. The dinner rush will be here soon!" Mia yelled as she entered the room.
The night was typical, a big dinner rush followed by heavy drinking and a healthy dose of waitress drama. Syr flirted with everyone and anyone to get a tip. Ryuu was serving and smacking hands away from Syr. Chole, Lunor, and Anya were present but somehow not doing any work. Just another day, he thought loading up a tray of cleaned glasses, he made his way behind the bar.
"Rabbit, get your ass back in the kitchen. Hestia is here, and I don't-"Mia was cut off as Hestia appeared as if summoned in front of them. Her face flushed red she swayed against the bar.
"Mia, I thought you only like castoff girls. Let me take Bell off your hands. I can give you ten thousand Valis for him," the glasses on the tray trembled at his old goddesses' words. "Although if he begs, I may go up to twenty. It would be nice to have someone to clean the house up." The weight of the tray left his hands as Mia grabbed it before slamming it against the bar.
Hestia's castoff. Her first child, but now she had other children—better children who weren't level one. Children who could earn enough Vali's to allow her to quit working and spend more time drinking, not to mention they could buy her an actual home.
He blinked hard, his vision blurry and his throat burning as he clenched his hands together to stop their trembling. Hestia was the goddess of families. Why was she so cruel to him? I won't cry in front of her. A large hand landed on his shoulder, pulling him firmly against Mia's side. A smaller hand gripped him from the other side as Syr appeared. Did she always have violet eyes?
"The rabbit owes me money, and even if he didn't, I would never hand over one of my kids to you," Mia replied, her voice devoid of emotion. "and if you insult my girls or me again, you are going on an express trip to Genki."
The inn exploded as Hestia stood there, mouth frozen open as she struggled with Mia's reaction. Her five children, however, rushed the bar, having heard the implied threat against their goddess. Ryuu met two of them before they were even halfway. Anya swung a chair catching a third adventurer in the chest. The impact sent him across the room, where he slumped to the floor.
The remaining two made it across the room to the bar. Mia moved from her spot beside him when they vaulted over the bartop. Her giant hands, each snatching an adventurer before their feet could touch the back of the bar. She must have been an adventurer.
He recognized both of the adventurers Mia held. One was a level two Mord, if he remembered correctly from when he had served him. An extended cut across his broad face had never healed right. The other had fire red hair, his lean body betraying the brutal power he held even as a level three. The Berserker had been thrown out of the Loki familia for leaving family members behind while on an expedition. Bell wasn't even sure anyone knew his real name. It had made big news when he joined Hestia's familia after Bell had been kicked out. Berserker was so strong he inspired four others to join Hestia's familia. Now Mia held him like one held an angry kitten. Mia must have been an adventurer.
"Ite Berserker," Bell watched in fascination as the Berserker activated his ability. His skin seemed to grow scales, and his muscles bulged until his body almost looked malformed. His arms had to be the size of a small tree. Even his eyes changed, going blood red.
Mord used the distraction of his captain to pull his sword out of its sheath. Swinging at the dwarf's arms, Bell watched as Mia dropped both of Hestia's members to avoid losing an arm.
"Mord, get that little shit. I got the dwarf," Bell shivered at the voice, a deep timbre that had a slight echo.
Mord brought his sword up as he moved toward them. "Syr, run!" Bell yelled. Looking around for any weapon, all that was behind the bar was his serving tray, spirits, and mugs. He started throwing everything in arm's reach liquor, the tray, even metal mugs. It made no difference. Everything was a weapon.
"YOU LITTLE SHIT," Mord roared, both hands up to protect his face as the rain of items continued. His clothes were soaked with all manner of liquid as he stomped forward. Behind them, Mia had the Berserk in a headlock and was making her way back toward them.
Whether from all the drinking Mord had done earlier in the evening, or the slick floor from Bell's throws, the result was the same, Mord tripped. He lost his grip on his sword as he went down, his level two strength sending the sword straight toward Bell and Syr at high speed. Its tip pointed right at Syr's chest.
Bell's feet moved on their violation faster than his mind could process. He slammed into the silver-haired waitress seconds before the sword would have. He closed his eyes. A metallic clang followed by a burst of pain across his face. He could feel hot liquid running down his face. At his feet laid the sword speckled in blood, the color matching the blade's hilt.
"Bell!" he hardly noticed the voices calling his name. His hand shook as he ran it up his body checking for any damage. No blood, then where is that dripping coming from, he thought.
The whole room was staring at him. Bringing a hand to his face, he felt the warm, sticky liquid coating his fingers. He didn't feel any cuts, so where was all the blood coming from? Moving his hand further up his face, white-hot pain greeted him when he touched where his nose should have been. His nose was broken at a 90-degree angle.
"Bell," Ryuu rushed to his side, bringing her own hands up to his face. "He's okay, just a broken nose." She spun around to Mord, who was struggling back to his feet. Ryuu moved forward, grabbing the squirming man and tossing him out the door. Anya followed suit tossing out three others until it was just the Hostess Staff, Hestia, and Berserker.
'Let me see that," Ryuu gently placed her hands against Bell's face. "Noah Heal."
He could feel the cartilage in his face moving. He couldn't see it but could feel his nose moving until it popped like a knuckle popping.
"Hestia, take your kid and get out. If you ever come in again, it will be the last time," Mia threatened, shoving the final member at Hestia. Bell watched as the final two left before she turned her gaze. "You," she pointed at Syr, "Are coming with me, I need to explain to some people how you almost died, and you," she said, staring at Bell. "Get cleaned up, Ryuu. Make sure he gets that blood out. If it dries in the cloth, it will stain."
"Thank you," Syr whispered into his ear before following Mia out of the bar.
The cats had gotten to cleaning up the dining area mess while Ryuu led him into the kitchen. Pulling off his blood-soaked uniform shirt, he stood there in just his white undershirt. Ryuu was gently dapping at the uniform.
"You got fortunate tonight Bell. Had I missed hitting that sword, you would be dead instead of just having a broken nose," Ryuu spoke softly as she continued cleaning.
"I had to save Syr. Isn't that what family does? Look out for each other," he replied.
"Yeah, it is," Ryuu said.
His stomach fluttered at the small smile that graced Ryuu's lips. He hustled up to his bed. But sleep remained elusive as he tossed and turned in bed—one of her kids. The words ran through his head as he stared at the ceiling. A woman had just threatened a goddess for him. Did the hostess feel like home? Mia was undoubtedly a parental figure, even if she showed it oddly. Chloe and the cats were older sisters, distant but always watching out for him. Syr was well, Syr. Ryuu, what was she? He was the closest to her of anyone, but the thought of her as a sister churned his stomach. When he fell asleep, there was a slight smile on his face.
Freya sighed as her children howled around her. They were acting like actual children instead of the most dangerous familia in Orario. They screamed for blood, so engrossed in their anger they hadn't noticed the smile that graced Freya's lips as she told them what had occurred. So dramatic, I haven't felt this alive in centuries.
The rush of battle, the sight of the blade flying towards her face certain death until Bell pushed her aside. Well, not certain death. I did spin the blade around, she corrected herself. All it took was a smidge of her goddess power. A broken nose was undoubtedly preferable to the alternative.
"Enough," Ottar spoke the massive Boaz towering above his goddess. The single word enough to quite the arguing familia members instantly. "What would you have us do?" He asked, looking down at her.
"Nothing for now. Hestia is forbidden to return," the sight of Bell holding his bloody nose made it's way back into her head. "Though maybe a few accidents for her children would be prudent," she reconsidered.
Smirks crossed several of her children's faces.
"Mistress, if it would please you, I believe it would be wise for one of us to be nearby when you are working," Ottarl spoke.
"No." She replied, patting the Boaz on his tree trunk-sized biceps. She didn't need anyone asking questions about why Freya's familia was watching a random Inn. An Inn that a former captain of her familia ran. That brat Loki would surely start investigating, and it wouldn't take long before Freya's alter identity as Syr came out.
Freya dismissed her familia before making her way up to her tower. She stared out of the glass wall that occupied most of the room. The twinkle of souls illuminated the city below her. She sought a single pure white soul that shone brighter than the rest. She frowned, another thought popping into her head as she stared at the hostess who had spoken to him earlier? She had seen it, his soul flashing the gold only gods had. The type of connection required to touch a mortal's soul took years to form. Who else is after my Odr?