"Now, just how did you get in here," Freya asked, her small smile turning into a playful one on her beautiful face.
"I fell," Bell responded, feeling a pain shoot through his side.
He winced, putting a hand to where the pain was. Nothing was broken, but he still had cuts and bruises everywhere.
Freya took slow and sultry steps toward him. Bell responded by pulling out his 1911 and aiming it at her.
"You a part of Evilus," Bell asked, a noticeable edge in his voice.
Freya stopped her walk and smiled at Bell.
"No, I'm not. I've actually been looking for you, Bell, your friend Syr has been absolutely distraught," Freya cooed.
Bell lowered his gun slightly. "How do you know Syr? She's never mentioned knowing a goddess of beauty. Let alone knowing Orario's top goddess."
Freya giggled slightly as she took a seat on her bed, crossing her legs as she did so.
"I'm guessing Syr hasn't told you about me then. Yes, I quite enjoy her company, so we're sort of friends."
Bell narrowed his eyes in suspicion. Yes, Syr was still mysterious to him even after all the years he had known her. But he never thought she'd keep a secret like this.
"Would you like to see her?" Freya asked.
Bell's attention snapped back to Freya, who still sat with her legs crossed on her bed. Bell swallowed a lump in his throat before answering.
"Can I? Or is there some catch to this"
Freya smiled as she uncrossed her legs and stood up. "No catch. I wouldn't hold Syr's dear friend away from her after looking. That just wouldn't be fair now, would it"
Bell kept his gun aimed at her for a moment. However, Freya showed no fear as she continued to smile at him.
"Where is she," Bell asked, lowering his gun.
"Quick and to the point, I like that. Now if you'd put that crude, whatever it is, away, I can have one of my handmaidens fetch her," Freya said.
She walked to the door, making sure her hips were swaying as she did so. Bell didn't pay her any mind, however, as he put away his 1911.
Freya didn't mean any harm to him, and she was letting him see Syr.
Bell let out a grunt of pain and held his side. He was feeling dizzy, so he put his hand on the chair to stable himself. His breathing was heavy, as well as his eyes.
It seems his body was more affected by the torture than he first believed.
His body was covered in cuts, bruises, and burns. Sometimes they'd cut him open, pour salt in the wound and take a burning blade to the wound.
Error Error
System...hole...opened
Error Error
OTHERS ArrIveD
Bell's legs gave up from under him, knocking the chair over as he fell to the ground. His head was spinning, and his stomach grumbled.
When was the last time he ate? The last time he slept?
He couldn't remember, but it was taking a toll on his body. His breathing was heavier, almost as if he couldn't get enough air into his lungs.
Bell let out a coughing fit, feeling pain shoot through his chest as he did. He kept coughing and coughing until he finally passed out.
Leaving a worried Freya and terrified Syr.
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Bell awoke to the sound of a gentle hum. He felt a hand moving through his head as the soft humming stopped once he opened his eyes.
Above him was Syr, with tears in her eyes and a smile on her face. She had bags under her eyes, and they were red and puffy from crying so much.
"Did you lose weight?" Bell asked, trying to sit up.
She looked skinnier than the last time he saw her.
He was stopped by Syr as she put his head back into her lap. He didn't even know he was there.
"Really? That's the first thing you say to me," Syr asked, sniffling.
"Sorry, that was a shitty thing to say," Bell replied.
"How did you get in here? I mean, it's not every day someone appears in Lady Freya's room," Syr asked, running her hand through his hair again.
"I'm a magician, you know. Pick a card," Bell joked. He wasn't going to tell her the truth.
He wouldn't get her involved in the situation he was stuck in.
Syr sniffled as she giggled. "You look like shit."
Bell gave a smile of his own. "I know, feel like it too"
Syr stopped running her hand through his hair before grabbing his hand and holding it.
"I'm afraid to ask what happened," Syr nervously said.
Bell was quiet for a minute as he thought back on the torture.
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Bell's hands were tied above his head by a rope attached to the ceiling. Revis was standing in front of him with a pipe.
"How do you know my name" she coldly asked.
Bell's body was covered in welts and bruises from the pipe. However, he still took the chance to taunt her.
"What's your name again? Revan? Regis?"
Revis smashed the pipe against his side, causing a rib to break. Bell let out a groan of pain as he swung side to side.
"I'll ask you again. How do you know my name? Who are you?"
Bell let out a cough before answering. "You know I can't be the only one that feels this weird sexual tension between us."
Revis slammed the pipe against his side again. All Bell did was laugh as he felt the pain spread throughout his body.
"That one was weaker. You can feel the tension, too," he taunted.
Revis smashed the pipe into Bell's knee. He held back a scream of pain before letting out a shaky exhale.
"That one almost hit my dick. Careful where you aim, unless you were aiming there to cop a feel."
"Enough of you incessant rambling. Take him back to his cell. I'm done with him for now," Revis said.
The door to the room opened, and two lackeys cut Bell down before dragging him back to his room.
"Your boss hits like a bitch"
The two lackeys threw Bell back into his cell before locking the door behind him.
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"It was nothing pleasant," Bell replied, answering Syr.
Syr nodded her head. It was obvious Bell didn't want to talk about it, so she wouldn't pry.
"Heith healed you as best she could. You're still covered in cuts and bruises, however," Syr explained.
Bell nodded as he tried to sit up. He felt his body protest causing him to wince.
But the pain was good. Pain meant he was still alive.
When Bell was able to sit up, he turned his attention back to Syr and saw her holding a plate of food.
"Heith also said you hadn't eaten in days. So I had someone bring this," Syr said, handing him the plate.
It was an assortment of foods ranging from meats and vegetables to some chips and chocolates.
"I didn't know what you would want when you woke up. So I asked for a little of everything," Syr explained.
Bell slowly nodded his head as he picked up a fork and knife and cut a piece of meat off. He stabbed it with the fork and ate it, feeling the delicious flavor spread throughout his mouth.
He quickly began cutting off more pieces and shoving them into his mouth. After a minute, the steak was gone, and Bell moved on to the vegetables.
"Slow down, Bell, you'll get sick if you don't," Syr urged.
Bell swallowed the tomato before doing what she asked. He didn't want to get sick right after escaping.
He finished the rest of the plate after eating slowly. It was his first meal, in he didn't know how many days.
He felt his eyes grow heavy once again and yawned. When was the last time he was able to sleep properly?
Syr noticing this put a hand on his shoulder. But she was careful about how hard she touched him.
"You look tired. Why don't you get some sleep" Syr said.
Bell yawned again. "Yeah, I am, but the orphanage is on the other side of the city."
"Well, why don't you just sleep with me? At least for today," Syr offered.
Bell felt his heart beat faster as a faint blush appeared on his cheeks. "I-I uh don't think um I."
Syr gave him a small pout. "Please, Bell. I didn't know if I lost you. So just for tonight, can you stay? So I know you're really here."
Bell went to say a rebuttal, but nothing came to mind.
"Ok, just for tonight," he agreed.
The two crawled into Syr's bed. It was then Bell realized he still didn't have a shirt, and Syr was in a white nightgown.
"It's just for tonight, just for tonight. Don't focus on the fact her boobs are visible and bigger than you thought. Damnit, I thought about it."
"Bell," Syr'a voice cut Bell out of his thoughts. "Can you hold me?" she asked.
Bell swallowed a lump in his throat. "A-are you sure."
"Please," Syr quietly asked.
It caught Bell off guard as he had never heard Syr sound so…small.
He was used to her optimistic and happy personality. But that wasn't the girl who laid in front of him right now.
No, the girl in front of him was just scared. Scared that she had almost lost a dear friend.
So without any more hesitation, Bell wrapped his arms around Syr's waist, hearing her let out a content sigh as he held her.
"Hey, Bell," Syr said.
"Y-yeah"
"When you hold a girl like this. You make sure to get nice and close. Like this"
Syr scooted closer to Bell until their bodies were touching. Bell's face turned bright red as he felt Syr's butt pressing into his crotch.
Bell could feel every curve of her body. He didn't know what to do. Did he just keep holding her? Or did Syr want something more?
His train of thought was cut short, however, as he heard soft snores coming from Syr.
"Well, I better get some sleep," Bell thought, feeling himself doze off.
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Syr awoke early in the morning. She smiled as she remembered Bell was back and that he was safe. Yet she didn't feel his arms around her.
Getting up with a sense of worry, she looked around her room to see if she could find Bell. But he wasn't there.
Syr began to panic. Was it all a dream? Was Bell still being tortured, and she just dreamed he came back? Was he already dead?
All these questions ran through her mind, until she saw a letter on her desk. Syr got out of her bed and walked over to the letter.
She picked it up and read it, and tears streamed down her cheeks as she finished it.
Dear Syr
This is not how I wanted to do this, but it's something I had to do. I realized last night that no one's safe if I'm around. Evilus is after me, and I can't put you, Elfy, or the orphanage at risk. As it stands right now, I'm too weak to protect anyone.
But the one thing I can do is hide, make Evilus go on a wild goose chase while I get stronger. I didn't tell them about any of you, Evilus didn't break me, and they were nowhere close to breaking me. But they know about my relationship with Elfy, and that could trickle down to the rest of you. I won't take that chance. So you won't see me for a while. You can hate me for this if you want; I would deserve it. But just know I'm doing this because I care for you like I do for everyone else.
This isn't a goodbye, as I don't believe in those. But I'll see you around one day.
Yours truly
Bell
Syr just fell to her knees as tears streamed down her face, and her body racked with sobs. The door to her room flew open, and Ottar was standing there.
"Lady Freya, are you alright," her captain asked.
Freya said nothing but handed him the letter. Ottar quickly read over it, and while he thought the boy was brave to say goodbye to everything he held dear. He also thought the boy was incredibly stupid for leaving everything behind.
"Do you want us to look for him, lady Freya?" Ottar asked as he set the letter down.
Freya wiped her eyes and turned to face Ottar. "It wouldn't matter. Bell knows this city like the back of his hand. If he doesn't want to be found, you won't find him."
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Elfy opened her eyes, seeing the early morning rays of the sun shining through the window. She didn't want to get out of bed today, but she had to.
With a sigh, she got up, her hair a mess and her eyes red and puffy like Syr's. She was wearing purple pajamas with stripes on her pants.
Her roommate Lefiya was gone, no doubt to search for Bell, knowing how much it meant to Elfy. Before she could walk to the women's bath and clean herself up, she heard a knocking at her window.
Quickly turning around, she saw a small bird pecking at the glass with a piece of paper attached to its legs. Elfy walked to the window and opened it taking the letter off the bird as watched it fly away.
She closed the window before opening the letter. Tears of joy then turned to tears of sorrow as Elfy rushed to Loki's office to inform her of Bell's status.
After that, she cleaned herself up and headed to the orphanage to show Maria the letter as well.
Dear Elfy
It's me, Bell. I escaped from Evilus, so there's no need for you to worry about that anymore. I stumbled upon Syr after my escape and stayed with her for the night. Did you know that she knew Freya? Anyway, I'm getting off track. I'm writing this to you to let you know I won't be back for a while. Evilus is hunting me and knows about our relationship. I can't risk them going after you, so I'll make a lot of noise in the underworld to keep them on my trail. Don't look for me, as you won't find me. But don't worry. I will see you again one day as there's so much I want to tell you. I just don't know how to put it in words. But once I see you again, I'll let my actions speak for me.
Love
Bell
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You sure you want to do this, kid
"No, but this way, it's guaranteed that they're safe."
Alright, but others are here now. You need to get stronger fast as they won't be cakewalks
"You're right, so let's get going."
Dungeon found, Transporting player
C-rank dungeon:
Kneeoil's labyrinth
Well, I'm gonna end it here, and yes, the next dungeon is a jab at KneeOil , as he's a buddy of mine.
But I hope you enjoyed this chapter as Bell continues his quest to get stronger. Also, others have appeared and will cause Bell problems in the future.
So sit back, grab some popcorn, and settle in for the ride.
