Hello everyone and welcome back. Well, as promised, we are now in the "Calm Before the Storm" section of the story which will be focused mostly on relationships and romance, though I have a few surprises and plots planned that I think you all will like as our characters are certainly not out of danger. That said, I've kept you all waiting for far too long, so let's get into the story.
I do not own Danmachi.
"You're all set, Bell," Miach announced with a smile as he put away the last of his instruments.
"Thank goodness," Mania sighed, receiving several rounds of agreement from those around her.
"So he's fully healed? No lasting damage or injuries?" Hestia questioned, her worried eyes moving between the god and her captain.
"No, there is no lasting damage, as shocking as that is given all he's been through. Bell is exceptionally resilient. I would suggest though that he tries to keep out of trouble, though I'm not sure that prescription will be filled," the deity joked, eying the young man as he bashfully scratched his chin.
"I'll try," he replied quietly.
"You'll do more than try!" Hestia declared, pointing a finger at him. "You're under house arrest for the next three days, mister! MINIMUM! You're not going to the Dungeon, the Coliseum, or anywhere else where you might somehow stumble upon trouble! And any guests that want to see you have to go through me first so I can make sure they're not going to challenge you, abscond with you, or declare some eternal vendetta because you stubbed their toe!"
Most laughed, though the members of the Zeus and Hera familias flinched as they all remembered their most recent curse-induced toe bashing.
"Hestia-" Bell tried.
"Oh no you don't!" she stopped him. "You are not…I repeat…NOT winning this one, Bell-kun. I don't care how sad your puppy-dog eyes are or how brightly you smile, you will NOT be going out for the next three days and if you complain, I will simply add more days!"
Bell sighed as his head dropped, though only for a moment as Ais suddenly strode forward.
"I'll make sure he doesn't leave anytime during his sentence," the Sword Princess vowed with utmost seriousness.
Hestia eyed the young woman for a moment, curious if the Loki member was playing at something. However, she quickly discovered this wasn't the case and, seeing the honesty and conviction in Ais's golden orbs, the loli goddess smiled.
"I'll probably never say this again so you'd best appreciate it, but I'll leave him in your hands, Ais Wallenstein," the goddess stated as she held out her hand.
Those around them were surprised by the reaction, none more so than the Hestia and Loki familias, but Ais merely smiled and shook Hestia's gloved hand.
"I won't let you down," she swore before suddenly turning around and grabbing Bell's wrist before pulling him out of the living room and towards the staircase, completely ignoring the dozens of gazes watching them depart.
"Should I be worried?" Achilles whispered to Riveria.
She smiled.
"Maybe a little."
Ais threw open the door to Bell's room, dragged him in, then slammed the door shut and locked it.
"Ais?"
Before he could blink, the young woman shot across the room and claimed his lips, ravishing his mouth as one hand cupped his cheek while the other entangled in his hair.
Bell was so stunned that he did not reply to her conquest of his mouth before she pulled back, her breath heavy and her eyes commanding.
"Strip."
He blinked.
"W-What?" he asked, his voice shaking a bit as the unusually assertive, yet oddly arousing voice she was using.
"Strip. Now," she repeated, her voice offering no room for argument. As such, Bell did what his princess commanded and began to remove his clothing.
Ais watched with ever-hungrier eyes as her lover removed his clothing, devouring the sight of his pale flesh and muscular body, and biting her bottom lip as his 'familia knife' was revealed in all its glory.
"W-What do you want me to do-?" Before the Hestia captain could finish, Ais pushed his naked form backwards onto the bed and climbed on top of him, her thighs pinning him to the bed.
"I have been worrying about you for weeks. Revis, Dionysus, Tiamat, Ottar, your own dark thoughts," she gently traced a finger across his cheek. "I have nearly lost you more times in the last month than any time before."
"I'm so sor-" She placed her finger on his lips.
"That's why I'm going to make up for lost time. No," her eyes grew darker as she placed her hands on either side of his head, her shining lockes flowing down around him like waterfalls of liquid gold. "That's why you're going to make it up to me."
Something about that triggered the draconic part of Bell's heart which heard a challenge in her words. A growl emitted from deep within his core and he rose to claim Ais's lips, only to be shoved back down onto the bed with enough force to make him blink in surprise once again and for the draconic side to evaporate from sheer shock.
"No," she stated firmly, "you don't get to be in control this time. You're just going to sit back and let me claim you until these last few weeks are nothing but a faint memory," she ordered before she pulled her top from her body revealing a crimson bra that just so happened to be the same color as Bell's eyes.
For his part, Bell simply watched in silence, partly due to being stunned by her so thoroughly shutting down his draconic side, but mostly due to the delightful sight of her body as she removed her own clothing.
Her skirt came next as the Sword Princess practically ripped it from her body, revealing her matching panties, which sent another wave of desire through Bell's hard form.
Ais's hand moved behind her back and she removed her bra, revealing her pale, shapely breasts for Bell's submissive, gluttonous eyes. He wanted so badly to take them in his hands, squeeze them, twist the nipples in the way he knew she loved, then suckle them until she was gasping above him, but he didn't and he wouldn't. Not until she gave him permission.
Finally, Ais's hands slipped down to the scarlet panties which she slipped down her beautiful backside and thighs until, at last, she was as naked as him and shined in the sunlight coming through the window.
"Now," she growled, looking down on her delicious prey while she grabbed his cock and moved it to her dripping opening, "you're going to erase every single worry, every single nightmare, and single hour you were gone. Am I clear?"
Bell, aching with desire at this new side to his lover, quickly nodded.
"Good boy."
She fell upon him, claiming his lips as her hot, wet, tight cunt engulfed him.
The two groaned into each other's lips, before their tongues began to dance while Ais began to bounce her hips on his.
Bell, unable to restrain his hands any longer, grabbed both cheeks of his lover's perfect ass and used his hold to better thrust up into her, making her moan into his lips again as her toes curled and her fingers tangled themselves in his hair.
Not about to let her control slip, even under Bell's delightful ministrations, Ais pulled her hands back so she could push off his chest. Once she was looking down at his splayed out form again she began to grind, gyrate, and bounce more erratically upon his dick.
"Ugh…Aaaais," Bell groaned as his head fell back into the bed, his eyes rolled back into his skull, and his hands tightened on her butt.
Smiling in triumph, Ais continued her domination of his body, only this time, making sure to squeeze his cock with her heated insides, knowing just how much that would drive him crazy.
Bell hissed as she tightened around him, loosening his grip, which Ais promptly took advantage of by grabbing both his wrists and bringing his hands up to her breasts. He immediately latched on to her warm, perky flesh possessively while his hips bucked up into her, more out of instinct then any conscience effort on his part as he was losing his mind to the pleasure she was inflicting upon him.
The Hestia captain tweaked and pinched her nipples, making the golden beauty above him moan and bite her lip as her gyrating became more uncontrolled as euphoria pumped through her veins.
But it's not enough. Not nearly enough.
Holding her lover's hands in place, Ais slumped down so that her face was just a few inches above Bell's.
"This isn't enough Bell. I need you to make me forget everything bad that's happened. I'm ordering you to make me forget."
Once more, the draconic side of Bell's personality roared in frustration at being commanded, but this time, Bell channeled it into fulfilling his Ais's orders.
Ais's only warning was the sudden increase in Bell's body temperature, something which she had only a split second to find odd, before Bell began to buck up into her like a wild stallion.
"Ah ah ah ah ah!" Ais cried as Bell's cock plundered her womb from below, ravaging her insides so thoroughly that her thighs tightened around Bell's hips and drool began to slip down her chin.
"BellBellBellBell…shiiiiiit!" she screamed as her head fell back, causing her hair to cascade behind her as her hands held onto his for dear life.
Needing to fulfill his lover's orders, Bell finally managed to flip them over so that he loomed over Ais, hands still latched to her breasts as he thrust into her soaked, eager core over and over and over again as a deep rumble echoed from his throat.
"Forget," he growled. "Forget. Forget. Forget forget forget forgetforgetforgetfor-!" he pulled their arms apart so that he could fall upon his lover and latch his lips to her neck.
"Aaaaah! Beeellll!" Ais screamed as she tried to wrap her arms around his back, but found them unable to escape his hold. Instead, her legs wrapped around his ass and pulled him as tightly into her as she could given his ceaseless barrage upon her pussy.
Bell pulled back from her neck, finding it suitably marked before crashing his lips against hers, battling her tongue as Ais's delightful moans echoed int his ears, further enflaming his blood. He did not kiss her for long though as he still had the other side of her neck to mark, which he promptly did with passionate abandon.
"B-Bell! I'm going to cum!"
"So am I! Together! Let's do it together!" he bellowed as his waist picked up the pace.
Ais gasped, moaned, and withered under his onslaught while Bell pushed himself as hard as he could, ignoring the sweat that dripped down his skin and the ache in his thighs and waist until, at last, they both smashed through their mutual climax.
"Aaaaaaaais!"
"Beeeeeeeell!"
Heat filled Ais's innards, sending waves of euphoria through her ignited veins as her lover fell onto her body, their sweating bodies instinctively wrapping around each other.
"I've…missed this," she whispered as she worked to catch her breath.
"So…have I," Bell replied before he slowly looked up into her eyes. "I've missed you."
Ais smiled at him then leant down and kissed him softly.
"You won't ever have to miss me again. I promise," she swore.
Bell smiled tiredly at her.
"I promise too."
"Good. However," Ais's legs wrapped around him as she suddenly flipped them back over so she loomed over him. "You haven't made me forget everything yet," she whispered into his ear as she began licking his earlobe, "and I know how much stamina you have so don't think you're getting off with only one time, Bell."
Bell growled as his hands cupped her ass.
"I wouldn't dream of it, princess."
Hades eyed the familia symbol with some trepidation as if the pomegranate and flowers were hissing or growling at him.
But this needs to be done.
He went up to the great ebony door, studded with sparkling emeralds and knocked. A moment later a small window opened up in the door and an eye locked on him.
"Who are you?" a feminine voice barked out, trying to sound tough, though it was clear that the sight of the tall god with his fire and ice eyes made her uneasy.
"I am Hades and I'd like to see my wife."
The eye widened before slamming the mini door shut.
He waited as the doorwoman no doubt ran deeper into the home to inform her lady of who was at the door. He then waited as his wife intentionally took as much time as possible to get prepared to see her unexpected guest before finally, the door reopened.
"Lady Persephone will see you now," the watcher, a short, bulky dwarf woman with arms thicker than most men's allowed him in.
Hades made his way into the familia home finding its walls covered in elaborate floral and vine paintings and its floors covered in dark, foreboding mosaics.
I wonder, is that merely to represent location or does she take pleasure in the idea of stomping on my domain? He thought. I suppose I can probably guess, he added with a heavy sigh before following after the dwarf.
His arrival had evidently been shared amongst the familia as well over a dozen mortals, mostly women, though a few handsome who looked distinctly not like Hades with their blonde hair and clean-shaven faces, watched him traverse through the home.
At last, he was brought to a large room. It was probably a dining room, but it had been set-up to appear like a throne room. Its curtains had been pulled back so that the room was flooded with light. Like the other rooms, every shade of green glowed upon the walls, along with bright yellows, pinks, and other warm colors, but the floor was pitch black, except for a scattering of crushed rubies that gleamed menacingly in the light.
"Husband."
Hades turned his immortal gaze upon his wife who sat at the end of the hall upon a chair that had been raised up like a throne so that she could look down upon her tall husband.
As beautiful as I remember.
Persephone took after her mother in many ways. She had the same honey colored hair and orange eyes, but wasn't quite as well-endowed as her mother. She was also shorter, but she more than made up for her stature with the unflinching gaze that bore into Hades.
"It's good to see you, Persephone," he greeted.
"Is it? Strange. You haven't visited me since I descended from Heaven, or should I say, ascended," she threw back.
"You made it clear you didn't want to see me, so I left you to your own desires."
"Funny, I don't remember you caring much for my wants and desires when you dragged me into your dark kingdom."
"I have apologized to you a thousand times for that Persephone. Loneliness and desire make even the gods do things they shouldn't."
"I suppose so," the goddess conceded, "though I also suppose you aren't lonely these days are you? From what I heard, you got yourself a rare albino succubus to take care of your desires."
Hades's fist tightened.
"You don't seem to be wanting for companionship either," he looked at a nearby young man, who quickly retreated under his withering gaze. "Did you choose them to hurt me or is there a part of you that still desires Apollo?"
"Don't speak to me of that perverted wretch, I was as glad as anyone that he was banished from Orario," she quickly declared.
"Then shall we move on to the purpose of my visit?" Hades suggested, though the force behind his voice did not leave much room for denial.
Persephone eyed him for a moment longer, hoping to make him uncomfortable, but seeing his steely gaze, she sighed and gestured for her familia to leave.
"My husband and I shall speak privately."
Her familia looked unsure, but after a moment, bowed and departed the room.
"Don't worry, there's no secret peepholes or ways to listen in," the goddess stated once everyone was gone.
"I know. You're an honest woman, Persephone. It's one of the things I love about you," Hades responded gently.
"Love? Not loved? As in past-tense?" she questioned.
"I still love you, Persephone. I probably always will. Though my method of acquiring you was brutal, I do not regret taking you as my wife, despite our difficulties," he answered, slowly approaching her.
She sighed and slumped in her chair.
"It wasn't all bad. In fact, it was mostly good, but I could never forgive you for kidnapping me."
"Would you have accepted my proposal otherwise?"
"Maybe?" she replied unsure, before her shoulders slumped and she shook her head. "No. Still…"
"Still."
The room was quiet for a time as both deities thought about the past before, at last, Persephone rose from her chair and made her way over to her husband.
"So why have you come? It would have to be important if you're willing to accept my snark and the awkward conversation."
"It is," he confirmed. "Do you still have that temple outside Orario? The one for pilgrims and wives fleeing their abusive spouses?"
"I do," she answered, eying him suspiciously. "Why? What could you possibly need it for?"
"Aria."
"Aria?" Persephone's eyes widened.
"And Zeus and Hera."
Persephone blinked.
"You are going to need to explain because those names raise a lot of questions, namely, why you want them so near to Orario."
"They're already near Orario. They were planning on returning, but I just barely managed to prevent them," Hades informed her.
"What? Why would Hera and Zeus risk that? Their banishments are still in place and if they return they'll risk being sent back to Heaven."
"Because of who is here," Hades answered, his voice turning so serious that his wife froze.
"Part of me thinks it would be very wise not to ask who you mean."
"It would be," Hades confirmed.
"But you and I both know I need to know everything if I'm to help you."
Hades stared into her orange eyes, silently pleading and commanding she not push the matter, but seeing her strong eyes staring unflinchingly back at him, he eventually closed his eyes and sighed once more.
"Bell Cranel."
"Bell Cranel? The captain of the Hestia familia?"
"He's the son of Aria and Chaos," Hades stated as bluntly as was immortally possible.
Persephone's jaw dropped and she actually staggered back from her husband like she'd been struck.
"T-The son…of Chaos?"
"Yes. Aria used her Soul Split ability to combine a piece of herself and Chaos into a child, birthing Bell."
"Why, in Creation's name would she do that?!" Persephone cried.
"I don't know," he conceded, "but it's done, and I fear that, should Bell learn the truth before he's ready, it will cause a break in his mind that will lead to catastrophe. That's why I prevented Aria and the others from coming to Orario."
"Medusa's tits! You should have dragged her here so that I could slap some sense into that madwoman! Chaos has a son! A child, Hades! And one with divine power in his soul! That means that-!"
"A key now exists, I know," Hades cut her off, his voice harsh, but still restrained.
Persephone growled and began to pace around the room.
"So the boy doesn't know?"
"He does not," Hades answered.
"Who does?"
"Besides us? Zeus, Hera, Dido, and Imilce of the Hera familia. Tiamat also assuredly knew before she was slain. Galadriel of the Hera familia knows that Aria is Bell's mother, but not who his father is. Achilles Caesar may also suspect something."
"What do you mean by that?" she questioned.
"From the information I've gathered, it appears that Achilles knows the truth about us, our parentage, and the Dungeon, so it's not out of the question that he may put the pieces of Bell's origins together as well."
"Wait wait wait! Achilles Caesar, former captain of the Zeus familia, member of the Hestia familia, knows the truth of our history and you haven't taken any action against him?!" Persephone bellowed.
"What would you have me do, Persephone? Kill him? Even if I was so inclined to butchery as that, I doubt it would work. Achilles, I have no doubt, has ensured that the knowledge he's gathered does not die with him. Indeed, if his first alias 'The Historian' is anything to go by, there are likely multiple copies of his knowledge amongst the world," Hades responded.
"You say that far too casually," his wife hissed. "If the truth of our past gets out, it will create anarchy throughout the world."
"Possibly, but that's not enough for me to kill a man I respect," her husband countered.
Persephone stared in disbelief at him for a moment before a sudden burst of laughter shot past her lips and she began shaking her head.
"Medusa's tits, why do you have to be so handsome when you're stern?"
He smiled at her.
"I can't remember the last time you called me handsome."
"It was the day I came to this world. I was trying to butter you up so you wouldn't be mad when I left."
"I wasn't angry, Persephone. I was heartbroken," he told her as he closed the distance and wrapped his arms around her waist. "You are my wife and I love you."
"More than your succubus?" she asked.
His head fell, but she quickly lifted his chin.
"I'm not asking you to leave her, Hades. I know how your heart works when it gets lonely. I learned that all the way back with the silly girl, Minthe."
"I told you-"
"I know," she placed a finger on his lips, "you weren't unfaithful, you just needed someone to talk to since I was in one of my foul moods, and for what it's worth, I'm sorry I turned her into a plant. Now," she backed away from him, "I'll help you with Aria. She and the others can go to my refuge so that they're nearby in case anything happens, however," she poked him in the chest, "if anything does happen, I'm placing all the responsibility on you. Aria, Chaos, Bell Cranel, Achilles, all of it is now your responsibility, so you'd better handle it or else we'll all suffer."
Hades nodded.
"I know."
Bell and Ais slowly descended the stairs as their bodies were sore and legs still felt like jelly after their marathon of love-making. Even so, both had wide grins on their faces as one would expect after such an event.
They waddled into the kitchen where they found Achilles making his sixth stack of chocolate chip pancakes.
"There you two are. You were at it for a long time," the elder adventurer commented as he casually flipped a pancake.
Bell and Ais's cheeks turned bright crimson in an instant.
"D-Dad!" Bell cried.
"Don't 'Dad!' me," Achilles threw back as he brought a plate of pancakes over to the table, "Ais dragged you off and no one saw either of you for the rest of the day. Also," he pointed at their necks, "you two have so many bruises on your necks, the only other explanation for your mysterious disappearance would be that you got into a huge fight."
The two grabbed their necks as their cheeks threatened to burst into flames.
"Oh, stop being so embarrassed, we all know you two have taken that step and it's part of a healthy relationship. Now cool those cheeks, grab a fork, and sit down to eat your breakfast. Everyone's already outside training and I don't want either of you fainting because you didn't fuel up when you had the chance."
The two young adventurers shared an embarrassed look before heading over to the table and began to chow down on the mountain of fluffy, chocolatey goodness before them.
"Good," Achilles declared once they were properly stuffed. "Now go back upstairs and grab your gear Bell. You won't need your armor as we're keeping things light today, but I want you helping out the lower levels today."
"Did you forget I'm the captain, Dad?" Bell joked.
"No, but given you still look thoroughly disheveled I figured it would help to have someone point you in the right direction since your mind is probably still halfway in that 'la la' stage one has after a lovely and...exhausting evening."
Bell and Ais blushed again, but the young man managed to nod and headed upstairs, leaving Achilles and Ais alone.
"Your familia brought over your sword, so you don't have to head back home if you want to join us for training," Achilles informed her as he began to clean up the kitchen.
Ais stood in place for a moment before calling out.
"Speaking of training…"
Achilles sighed as he put down the dishes.
"I'm willing to train you again, Ais, but I need you to be in the right mindset. As I said before, you're showing that old desperation again. I understand it, I do, but I don't want you becoming that obsessive, doll-like girl I saw when we first met."
"I'm not like that…not anymore," she finished quietly.
"I hope not, for your and Bell's sake," the ex-captain replied, eying her with understanding and concern. "Run along and grab your sword. Train with the others for a little while then you and I can go to that spot on the wall and continue later. Sound like a plan?"
She smiled half-heartedly and nodded.
"Yes."
"Alright, we'll head out once I'm done in here," he eyed the mess before him. "Seriously, everyone seems to underestimate how much trouble it is to clean up a kitchen after making a hundred pancakes."
Clang!
Clang!
"Your swordsmanship has improved a great deal, Welf," Marius commented.
"You say that like we've sparred recently, but the last time you and I trained together I was like…four," Welf pointed out, making the former prince laugh.
"True, and it's not like you could have gotten much worse. You could barely even hold up a sword back then."
"That sounds like a challenge to me," Welf shot back, his voice rough as if angry, but smiling like a young man playing with his older brother.
Marius smiled back and got into a ready position.
"You may certainly take it as such."
Bell watched happily as Welf and Marius sparred each other, listening to their familiar banter.
I'm glad Welf was able to accept him into our familia, his eyes turned, and it looks like everyone else has accepted him as well.
His eyes moved across the field. Lili was practicing her archery with Chigusa. Ryuu was battling with Alise, two big bright smiles plastered on their faces and a smaller, but equally happy one etched into Astraea's features. At the end of the field Aisha, Tiona, Tione, and Bache were all fighting each other in some sort of grand amazonian free-for-all.
I just hope they don't hurt each other, Bell thought as his eyes finally fell upon a certain pair of fluffy golden ears.
Haruhime was sitting next to Cassandra who were both looking up at Mania and Galadriel who appeared to be instructing them on something. Curious, Bell made his way over to them.
"The key is not to be overwhelmed by negative emotions, they will only exacerbate the curse and lower your defenses against it. You must learn to keep calm and channel the curse to your purpose. Point or guide it in the direction you want," Mania explained gently.
Cassandra nodded, though she looked nervous at the prospect of trying to 'channel' her visions.
"Magic isn't too dissimilar," Galadriel jumped in, her eyes pointing towards the renard before her. "In order to get the most out of your mana, you must channel it as efficiently as possible into your spell. Put in too much and, at best, you're wasting precious mana. The words of spells help you with that, but you can still improve upon your spells by restricting how much mana is being pulled into it."
Haruhime nodded, her emerald eyes staring unwaveringly up at the dark elf.
"Of course, you can also completely throw that sort of restraint and efficiently out the window if you're just trying to make a big boom, but that's a discussion for another time," Galadriel joked as Bell approached.
"Hello ladies," he greeted, earning warm smiles and greetings from all of them. "What are you all working on?"
"Galadriel-sama is helping me improve my magic," the fox girl answered.
"A-And Mania-sama is helping me with my…visions," Cassandra added, still uneasy to admit to her power.
"Really? That's great! I know you've been struggling with that for so long, Cassandra. I'm sure baa-chan will be able to help you!" he declared, giving her his million valis smile.
Cassandra's cheeks burned, but she smiled back, causing Mania and Galadriel to share a quick look before the goddess smiled brightly at her grandson.
"Of course I can help. I'm the goddess of curses after all, and while I don't think this particular power is a curse, at least not in the standard definition of it, I certainly can't stand by while a poor young woman suffers."
Bell's smile grew and he nodded.
"Then I'll let you get back to it. I look seeing the results for both of you," he stated before giving them all a wave and heading out to join the others.
Haruhime and Cassandra watched him go with soft, loving eyes until a loud clearing of the throat made them spin around.
"Shall we bring Aisha over here so we can give you two some lessons in seduction as well?" the dark elf asked, making the two girls blush brightly.
"Oh don't tease them, Galadriel, we've all felt young love before, or would you like me to tell them about that crush you had on Alfia when you were young?"
Somehow, Galadriel's dark cheeks began to glow as Haruhima and Cassandra leaned in with great interest.
Bell headed over to the amazons next, watching as the four powerful women beat the snot out of each other until, at last, Tiona noticed him and jumped from the fight.
"Argonaut-kun!" she declared with a big wave before running over to him.
"Hi Tiona. How's the training going?"
"Great! I've fought my sister a bunch, but I've never fought Aisha before. She's a lot of fun!"
"A lot of bruised fun," Aisha commented as she and the others joined the two young adventurers. "You all seem to forget I'm not a level six."
"You asked to join us," Bache pointed out.
"I didn't realize that you three were joining to try to kill each other and me in the process."
"Believe me, that's not us trying to kill each other," Tione informed her.
"Sheesh, then I think I'll tap out for now and fight someone a little more my speed. Why don't you jump in handsome? You're probably the only one here besides your father and scary aunt that has a chance against all three of them," Aisha suggested.
"Yeah, join us Bell!" Tiona begged loudly. "Please please please!"
"God you're annoying," Tione complained as she rubbed her temple.
"I certainly wouldn't be against a rematch," Bache added, though there was something in her voice that made Bell's spine tingle.
"Okay okay, I'll join you, but nothing too serious, just a friendly spar, okay?" Bell gently commanded, even as he eyed Bache.
"Yeah!" his amazonian companion cried before rushing back towards the open field, Bell, Tione, and Bache following after her.
"Come on! Let's get going already!" Tiona demanded.
"Gah, so impatient, but I guess I can understand as I'm curious to see what you can do against us, Bell-san. Don't hold back now," Tione ordered.
"Hey come on, I said this was just trai-" Bell wasn't allowed to finish as Tiona shot a kick straight at his head, followed quickly by Tione trying to bring both her fists down upon him like a warhammer.
Jumping back, Bell got himself some space from the sisters, only for Bache to appear behind him, ready to break his spine with her knee. He managed to avoid the strike by doing a jumping back flip, then raised his hand.
"Firebolt!"
The spell forced Bache to retreat, but didn't give Bell much breathing room besides that as Tione and Tiona were already rushing towards them.
Deciding to meet them head-on, Bell charged, his great speed startling them and allowing him to grab Tiona and throw her across the field, temporarily freeing him up to attack his other two opponents.
Tione came for him first, swinging a fist at him, but he managed to grab her wrist and flip her over his shoulder. He then kicked her in the back, sending her in the same direction as her sister just as Bache appeared and sent a flurry of jabs and kicks at him.
The Hestia captain managed to readily dodge her strikes and counter with a few of his own but since this wasn't a serious fight, the former Kali captain managed to evade as well.
"I'll never be able to thank you enough for what you've done, Bell," she said even as her fists kept flying.
"What do you mean?" he asked, his mind half preoccupied by the ongoing fight.
"My sister would have surely killed me one day, she swore as much on several occasions, so it's not at all unfair to say you saved my life."
"Bache."
The fight was forgotten at this point as the two stared at each other.
"As such," she continued, inching her way closer as she grabbed his shirt, "whenever you desire it, I'm yours. I will welcome you into my arms and into my bed and give you strong children the very moment you wish to bestow them on me. It will be my honor and my greatest pleasure to do so as the man who both bested and saved me."
Bell's jaw dropped open as his cheeks reddened, but before he or the primal urging in his gut could respond, a pale hand grabbed the amazon's throat as the air around them grew icy cold.
"I knew you amazons were promiscuous, but this sort of disregard is insulting even to watch," Alfia stated darkly as her hand tightened around Bache's throat. "My nephew is already in a relationship with the blonde young lady who, I will remind you, seductress, saved him from Dionysus's control. That has earned her an incalculable amount of my good will, meaning I will not hesitate to end you if you dare to continue down your current path of attempting to devour my nephew."
"A-Aunti Alfia! Please let her go! She understands!" Bell pleaded.
"Are you defending her, Bell?!" Alfia roared, causing everyone else to turn to the scene with alarm.
"Of course not! I love Ais, but-"
"But nothing! It appears a lesson in manners is sorely needed, and not just for this amazonian trollop. Indeed, I am well aware of several young women who have been eying you despite knowing you are in a committed relationship and you have done nothing to stop them! I suppose it is thus my duty to teach you all what respect is!" The white-haired Fury turned and pointed at Lili. "You! Prum! Get over here!" she commanded, not even waiting before turning on Ryuu. "You as well, elf! And you renard! And that little dark-haired friend of yours! And speaking of dark-hair. Hestia-sama! You are a goddess, but that only means you should know better! Get those ludicrous bags of fat over here and sit down! Now!"
Off to the side, the Loki familia and other company watched as Alfia snatched up one woman after another and sat them down, all while Bell tried desperately to calm his aunt.
I appreciate you standing up for Ais, Alfia, but I'm not sure terrifying half the female population of Orario is quite necessary, Riveria thought as she sighed and made her way over to help Bell try to restrain the raging sorceress.
Dido looked down at the mop of white hair with narrow, contemptuous eyes.
"Care to explain why you're back to glaring at the kid?"
Dido turned and found Patroclus and Ajax standing with their arms crossed just down the hall.
"That 'kid' is dangerous. You both saw what he's capable of. He took on Tiamat, single-handedly, and that was before he was a level seven. What will he be capable of now? Or when he's a level eight or nine? Gods, he'll be as strong as the damned One-Eyed Black Dragon then!"
"You say that like it's a bad thing. If he actually becomes as strong as the Dragon, we'll finally be able to put that accursed lizard down, avenging our familias and saving the world!" Patroclus declared.
"And leaving one giant threat still in it," Dido shot back.
"What is with you, Dido? You've had it out for Bell since the beginning, well before what we saw in the Dungeon. What do you know that we don't?" Ajax demanded.
She snarled then turned back to the window where she watched as Bell tried to calm the ladies around him.
"I simply recognize someone dangerous when I see them. The real question is why you two are defending him."
"I thought that was obvious. He's a good kid. Has a tendency of finding trouble, but then, who amongst our familias didn't?" Ajax asked with a small smile.
"'A good kid'? What about him is good, Ajax? The tournament. Athens. Ares. The Dungeon. His accursed power? Had it been anyone else you two would have absolutely no problem labeling that…thing as a threat; one as great as any Evilus familia. For Heaven's sake, not even they actually killed a god or nearly wiped out our familias. Only that fucking dragon managed that! Damn it all, Imilce is in a coma because of him!"
The two men fell silent, then shared a look with each other before finally turning back to her.
"You're probably right on that Dido. Had it been anyone else, we would view him as a threat or an outright villain and dealt with him accordingly. But he isn't anyone else. He's Bell," Ajax replied softly.
She growled.
"You're hopeless. Both of won't see the true danger he poses until he's burning this whole city to the ground, and by then it will be far too late!"
The Hera captain turned and stormed off. Patroclus was prepared to follow after her, but Ajax stopped him.
"Leave her be. She needs to figure this out on her own."
"She's not going to change her mind any time soon," the younger adventurer stated.
"No, but us trying to force her to change it will only make matters worse," Ajax replied.
"Even so…shouldn't we at least tell Achilles?"
"Not unless you want to watch him dismember her."
"He wouldn't go that far," Patroclus defended.
"I wouldn't be so sure. He's already suspicious and pissed at her. If he hears that she's calling his boy a threat and suggesting Bell needs to be dealt with, he'll go full, protective father mode. Believe me, I know."
Patroclus turned back down to the now empty hall.
"Then what do we do?"
"We keep an eye open and make sure that Dido doesn't do anything truly stupid."
Unbeknownst to them, it was already far too late for that.
If I can't depend on my familia, I'll have to look elsewhere, Dido thought as she departed the Hearthfire Manor.
End
Alright, well, once again, I am so sorry this took forever to get out everyone. I swear I'm ALMOST done with my book, which will free me up for other projects. I know I've said that the last, like, three chapters, but I swear, my goal is to have it fully published by mid October, if not earlier, so I'm almost there.
Anyway, I won't waste anymore of your time, so please, share your thoughts, whatever they are, and I will bid you all a fine farewell. Have a great day everyone.