Three days later. Bell's birthday had passed as the day was going on normal in the Cranel's Home.

Well, mostly normal for Meteria and Zagreus but not their son who is having a complicated expression while in the middle of harvesting the crops produced in their field.

Bell carried up a straw basket filled with many assortments of vegetables covered in some dirt, he looks at them as he had a very deep in thought look on his face.

"thinking about what your father told you the days before?" a voice called out as Bell made a noise and turns to see Helios standing by, the man doing a two finger salute to his nephew. "yo."

"Uncle Helios…" Bell muttered out.

A few seconds later, Bell with Helios got back inside the cabin as Zagreus and the others have temporarily left the home for some errands, leaving only the young man with the white haired half elf.

Currently, Bell with Helios are in the kitchen as the young man is cleaning the harvested vegetables while the white haired man is standing nearby with his back leaned against a wall and his arms crossed on his chest.

"don't hate your father for his rash action, Bell." Helios said with a small smile to his nephew. "back at Orario, before you were born. He was the paranoid type of guy." he then close his eyes and shrug his shoulders once. "always was and always is."

"i see…" Bell replied in understanding a bit of the reason behind his father's sudden wish to his choice of path. He then stops cleaning the vegetables and turns to look at Helios. "um…dad…what was he like as a Kaiser at Orario?"

Helios made a noise while looking at Bell for a moment, he then sighs with a smile while looking down.

"now that you mention it.." Helios looks up to the ceiling as he gets old memories returning to his mind. "back then, Zagreus was by far the most capable person who is truly worthy to be called a real Kaiser."

"a real Kaiser?" Bell asked Helios who nods while looking at the young boy.

"you know that we are the descendants of the real one, right?" Helios told Bell. "well, even if we are descendants of those great heroes, we aren't likely to be worthy to be called Kaisers cause we are lacking in the skills that our ancestors had."

"lacking?" Bell muttered. "lacking of what?"

"true leadership." Helios stated with a smile. "you may have never seen it on your father these days, but back then; he was someone who has incredible leadership." He chuckles while scratching the side of his cheek a few times. "I'm embarrassed to say that I'm a little jealous that my little brother could have such an incredible talent for leadership and I'm disappointed at myself to be such a weight on him." He chuckles and smiles a bit more. "you can't believe the number of times Orario was saved thanks to his way of seeing things in a more broader vision. He had the knack of seeing things in a way that no one could even see" he then closed his eyes and smiles even more when a flashback of himself talking to Zagreus at a balcony on a mansion appear. The twins were in a conversation as the half elf turns and smiles with happiness when he sees Meteria coming as she is in the state of a 3 months pregnancy. The half elf went to her and the white haired man sees such happiness enveloping the expecting parents that made him smile in return. "to think that he would leave everything just for one woman who had given him so much happiness….so poetic and ironic."

"Uncle Helios?" Bell calls out to his uncle who looks to be in his thoughts.

"ah?" Helios looks at Bell before he chuckles and shakes his head. "sorry, I was reliving some old memories." He waves a hand up and down in a carefree manner. "Just talking about your father got me to remember the times he helped me and the others in protecting Orario, and also the many times he made so much trouble for us."

"trouble?" Bell asked while blinking his eyes a few times. "what trouble?"

"hey, don't you realize that if someone like Zagreus who revoked his lineage in becoming a king would give a lot of trouble for me and the others?" Helios asked while waving a hand to the side before he crossed his arms. "well, I was supposed to be king since I was the oldest twin, but many view Zagreus to be the more capable one. Therefore he was chosen to become King," he then sighs while looking a bit annoyed. "but even after all the studying and practice to become one, he suddenly revoked his lineage and left Orario in my hands." He sighs again and looks a bit tired and frustrated. "ahhhh~! Just remembering that time gives me such a damn headache~!" he closed his eyes and tilts his head to the side while grumbling. "The amount of stuffs that I had to do to ensure that I was good enough to be a king and everything was such a hassle~!"

"so…you're happy that dad didn't become king?" Bell asks with a slightly awkward smiling face.

"yeah and no." Helios replied as he looks to the side for a moment before to Bell. "I admit that it was a damn pain of a trouble he gave me when he left the city in my hands…" he then chuckles and looks to the ceiling. "but I had to admit that it was a good enough trouble cause it was the first time did I see Zagreus mature with a free will."

"eh?" Bell made a confused noise to Helios who walked by him and went to sit down by the dining table. "what does that mean?"

"you don't know this, Bell. but your father was someone who had the lack of will for things." Helios said as he placed an arm to the table and leans his cheek against the raised hand. "he didn't have a care for things like any normal people had." He closed his eyes and had a flashback of himself talking to Zagreus who looks rather emotionless in the conversation that ended with the half elf just leaving with a non-caring look on his face that made the white haired man look a bit worried. "he accepts anything given to him but shows a lack of gratitude for it, he does his tasks without a care of the consequences it might give to other people, and he has the lack of care for other people's feelings." Another flashback shows Zagreus being approached by a woman who looks to be blushing with nervous and happiness to the half elf who looks at her with no emotion. The scene soon shows the woman running away in tears while the black haired half elven man didn't look to care any much. The white haired man sighs with a small smile. "you have no idea how many woman approached him and asked him out, Bell."

"Dad was like that?" Bell asked with a rather surprised face as he soon blinks twice. "but he's not like that anymore cause…?"

"Meteria." Helios state with a nod as he leans away from his hand and looks at his nephew. "Zagreus changed into the person he is now thanks to his encounter with Meteria who gave him the one thing he had been lacking for years." He then taps a finger to the left side of his chest. "she gave him love and it wasn't any ordinary love. It was a type of love that was so strong that it changed Zagreus for the better good." the white haired man soon chuckles while leaning back against his seat. "you won't believe how much of a shocker it was when Zagreus suddenly came to Alfia one day and asked her for permission to date Meteria and then marry her." he tilts his head up and smiles. "it took him nearly 5 years to earn Alfia's trust before getting to marry your mother." He chuckles for a moment and then sighs. "those were the good old days…"

Bell looks at his uncle and could tell that there was happiness that occurred in the past between his parents and their family.

"Uncle Helios, was dad happy with his decision to leave being King?" Bell asked Helios who nods.

"he got to be with the woman he truly loves, and had a child together." Helios replied while raising his hands. "if that doesn't make him happy, he wouldn't be called a man at all."

Bell nods a bit in understanding before he returns to cleaning the vegetables.

Helios watches his nephew do his work before he closed his eyes and sighs with a smile.

"Bell, just choose the path that you wish to take." Helios said as Bell stops and glance at his uncle who peeks an eye towards him. "you are very troubled with the choices that he gave you. Right?"

Bell looks a bit surprised for a moment before he frowns and continues to clean the vegetables.

"I'm just….confused." Bell said in a small voice. "I mean…I was just told that I'm the descendant of heroes from a story and that I was told to choose whether or not I want to become like them." He frowns even more while looking down. "it's just…too sudden."

Helios looks at Bell and sighs a bit from hearing his reply.

"it was the same with me." Helios said as Bell turns to look at him, the white haired half elf leaning against his chair while having his arms crossed. He looks up and closed his eyes. "you know that your father suddenly revoked his lineage into becoming King, right?" he tilts his head to the side and smiles. "but what you don't know is that he did it just a day before the coronation. He left just before he could become king and then asked me to become King in his place all the sudden." He chuckles and then shrugs his shoulders. "in fairness, I was the one who was in bigger dilemma than you, Bell." he looks at Bell with a smile. "but I learn to deal with it not by myself. But with the help of the other Kaisers."

The half elf's nephew looks at him standing up and going near him, he placed a hand to his shoulder and tensed his grip once.

"Bell, fate has a funny way of making up our lives. But it is important to do it by paving your own path to go with it." Helios said as he taps a finger to Bell's chest. "it is important to choose your own path with your heart. Don't let others decide for you, you decide on your own by listening to your heart. Only with that will you be able to reach a path that is suited for you." He smiles and did a thumbs up towards his face. "choose the decision that is of your own path, not any others. Got it?"

Bell looks at Helios who patted his head before walking.

"don't take my word for this, okay?" Helios said to his nephew as he glanced at him from the doorway. "talk to your mother and the others to ask for advises before the time you choose." He smiles and smirks a bit. "you are you. You're not Zagreus, you're just Bell. that's who you are."

Bell watches Helios who did a two finger salute before he leaves.

"I'm….who I am?" Bell muttered out loud as he thought of his uncle's words for a moment before he returns to cleaning the vegetables while pondering. "choose my own path…"


Time passes on as Bell spends his entire day just doing his usual chores while sometimes having talks with his other family members who came back. he seeks advises from them and also learn some a good amount of history that his father and mother had at Orario.

Currently, it is almost in the evening. Bell is walking in his home's hallway as he went straight for his parent's room.

Bell knocks on the door twice and slowly opens it to see his mother in the middle of folding his father's clothing to a closet.

"ah, Bell." Meteria greeted her child with a smile. "you need something from me?"

"um…kinda?" Bell replied while scratching the back of his head. "I just…"

"what's wrong?" Meteria asked her son while holding a black sweater which is her husband that she flips around once then proceeds to fold it neatly. She place it away and looks to Bell. "something the matter?"

"i…um…" Bell scratches his cheeks. "I just…want to ask you…..if I should become like what dad and the others are?"

Hearing Bell's reply made Meteria stop doing her actions in tidying the clothes, she turns and looks at her son who is looking very awkward and nervous.

"why you ask that?" Meteria asks while going near her son.

"it's…um…." Bell muttered out before Meteria held his hand and lead him to the bed where he was sat down. "i…"

"calm down, Bell." Meteria said as she sat down beside her son. "just tell me what is wrong."

Bell looks at his mother for a moment before he looks down with a frown, he grasped his pants by the knees as he looks tense.

"I don't know if I want to choose at all, mom." Bell spoke out while frowning even more. "I don't want to choose anything."

"What do you mean?" Meteria asked with a bit of a worried face.

"it's…" Bell spoke out as he begins to explain to his mother about the dilemma that he has been having for the past few days. He didn't know which choice to pick and he didn't get any good help from the rest of the family whose support just ends with them being happy with what choices he picked. "I don't know what to do at all.."

Meteria looks at Bell with a small frown as the mother could tell how much of a dilemma that he is in.

"Bell, your decision for this choice of yours should not trouble you at all." Meteria spoke out while holding her son's hands. "you should choose with what your heart tells you."

"but…I just don't know if I can even choose with its help." Bell muttered out while frowning even more. "I mean, I was happy to know that I am the descendants of heroes, but I don't think I want to become a Kaiser at all. I just…." He then glance with sad eyes to his mother. "I just want things to stay as they are."

"you are happy with how we are living right now, aren't you?" Meteria asked and Bell nods.

"I think it's because this place is nice, peaceful, and safe." Bell said as he reminiscences his childhood in growing up. The young man remembering his child self who wakes up from bed, gets a yummy breakfast of a meal from his mother who gives him love and care along with his father who plays with him at times. "and…filled with lots of memories."

Meteria looks at Bell for a moment before she sighs with a smile.

"Bell." Meteria gently calls out her son's name as he turns and sees her patting her lap. "here."

Bell looks a bit confused at first, but he soon moves and laid his head on his mother's lap.

"Bell, listen to me carefully." Meteria said in a gentle yet loving voice as she caresses and strokes her son's head. "I admit that your father had gone too far in giving you such a dilemma, but he did so to see if you have the will."

"the will?" Bell asked with a glance to his mother who nodded.

"the Will of the Kaisers." Meteria stated as in the back of her mind appears the image of Orario that is surrounded by 8 silhouetted figures glowing in 8 colors. "the Will that always manifests itself to the descendants of the Kaisers. The Will to do what is necessary for the sake of others." She close her eyes while continuing to give strokes and caresses to her son's head. "in simple terms, it's like the will of a person to be a hero."

"hero…." Bell whispers.

"Bell, you can choose whatever you wish to do." Meteria stated with a smile. "whether you want to go to Orario and become an adventurer or a Kaiser, or you want to stay here with me. it's alright which choice you choose, I'm fine with any either." She caresses his head and tilts her head a bit to the side. "go and be whatever you want to be, ok?"

"b-but…if I leave…mom…" Bell frowns before he gets a peck on the forehead by Meteria who smiles with a giggle.

"I'll be alright." Meteria told her son. "you don't need to worry about me." she caress his head and then stroke his hair. "it's a parent's job to support their children's actions in life. So don't worry about Mama. I'll be fine, I promise."

Bell looks at his mother for a moment before he leans and snuggles to her lap while closing his eyes.

Meteria smiles as she strokes her son's head, knowing he wants to be comforted so that he can be at ease in his decision making by the end of the week.

As Meteria gives affection to her son, Zagreus is standing outside. The black haired half elf is leaning near the wall by the door as he had listened to everything on his wife and son's conversation.

"be whatever you want….huh?" Zagreus whispers softly as he glanced towards the door to the room before he turns and walks away in silence. "such sentence could be uttered only by you, Meteria."


Time passes as the days went by to the end of the week.

Zagreus along with the rest of his siblings along with the rest of their family members have gathered in the living room in discussion about something.

"well?" Polemos spoke out as he had his arms crossed on his chest and is standing behind a chair that is sat by Alfia who is drinking tea. "has Bell made his decision?"

"no." Zagreus replied as he leans against the wall by an opened window, the half elf looking to the forest nearby. "not yet."

"he must still be in a dilemma considering the options you gave him." said Hephaestus as she sat on a couch with Helios and Makaria. The red haired woman sighs while shaking her head once and then show a very disapproving look on her face. "Seriously, what were you thinking in pressuring your own son like that? There's no way he can be calm when you do such a thing, you know? I mean, you pressured him on the day of his own birthday for crying out loud."

"Calm down, Hephaestus." Makaria called out to the red haired woman while leaning against the couch. "You should know better that Zagreus did it for a very good reason."

"I know that he did so with a good intention and all." said Hephaestus while looking at Makaria before she looks at Zagreus. "but has he have any idea how different the world that Bell has been living compared to us? He's still a child who is oblivious to the world around him."

"we know he is, but we can't actually just keep seeing him like one." Ploutos stated as he is sitting by the fireplace with Baku. "he has the same lineage as Zagreus who is alike with us." He raise his hands to his side. "it's okay if he wants to deny it like his father, but will it be alright for him to not accept what he really is?"

"I believe we should just consider the possibility of Bell wanting to stay here with his mother." Sotares stated as he walks behind the couch where Hephaestus and the others. The purple haired half elf went and sat by the couch's armrest. "we've all seen how he has been growing up for the past few years. I for one don't believe he'll be able to adjust living in Orario."

"Considering what is going on in the city." Said Polemos while shrugging his shoulders once. "I can't say that I don't agree."

"but Bell is alike with me, right?" Baku asked while pointing a thumb at himself, he is grinning with a rather determined face. "he's a Kaiser in blood and name, I'm sure he'll be able to be one if he do comes to Orario."

"that is considering the fact that you were raised there instead of here, Baku." Thalia told her son after sighing, she then looks at the others. "still, I have to agree with Sotares. I think it'd be better if Bell stays here with Meteria." She crosses her arms under her chest. "there are dozens of problems in Orario that we haven't finished solving. a number of those problems might affect Bell if he wants to start being an adventurer first."

"don't talk about those problems for now, will ya?" Helios asked with a rather annoyed expression on his face. "I was up all night just trying to think on how to solve them after we go back."

"I told you to think of solving them three months ago." Said Hephaestus with a scolding tone to her husband who grumbles a bit in response.

"enough chattering." Alfia spoke out loud as everyone looks at the white haired goth woman who placed her cup of tea down to her lap. She has her eyes closed and her posture straight. "where is Meteria? Is she fetching her child or is she staying after knowing that child's decision is to stay behind?"

"she's with Bell at the moment." Zagreus stated to Alfia as he glance at her and then to the woods outside. "I asked her to be with Bell to assure him of the decision he wish to take."

"are you saying that you had my little sister go and try to influence your own child's mind so that he will decide to stay here?" Alfia said as she slightly open her eyes to glance at Zagreus. "you are really set on your mind to make him stay here, aren't you?"

Zagreus glance at his sister in law for a second before looking back outside.

"say what you wish, Alfia." Zagreus stated. "you can say that I am a worthless figure of a father who would use his own wife to gain what he desires." He soon hardens his gaze when he sees a butterfly flying pass and gets stuck in a spider's web by on a flower by the ground. "I will do whatever it takes to ensure that both Meteria and Bell will stay here where it is safe."

Alfia looks at Zagreus for a moment before she closed her eyes and let out a small sigh.

"do as you wish." Alfia stated as she raised her cup of tea and took a sip.

The others look at her and then to Zagreus as there were certain that both were thinking well for the welfare of both Meteria and Bell.

Sotares watches both Alfia and Zagreus for a moment before she made a noise and turns to the side.

"they're coming." Sotares called out as everyone looks at her and then to the entrance to the living room where Meteria came walking in and was followed by Bell.

"Everyone, Bell has made his decision." Meteria called out to the group as she smiles towards Bell who went and got into everyone's sight.

"i…um…i…" Bell mumbled out while grasping his hands to his pants, he looks very nervous and flustered.

"hey, Bell. just relax and tell us." Baku told his cousin with a supportive smile and a thumbs up. "whatever decision you choose, we will support and accept it. so just relax and tell us."

Bell nodded with a firming voice as he gulped once and looks at everyone with a determined looking voice.

"i…I have decided!" Bell said with a slightly loud voice. "i…I want to become an adventurer!"

With Bell's decision spoken out loud, everyone looks at Bell and then to each other for a moment.

"t-that's great.." said Makaria with a smile. "then you're prepared for everything, right?"

"yeah. Becoming a Kaiser won't be an easy path." Thalia added in.

"no, I don't want to become a Kaiser." Bell stated while shaking his head as this made everyone look at him rather confused.

"wait a minute, you want to become an adventurer yet you don't want to become a Kaiser?" Ploutos asked with a raised eyebrow. "Bell, I don't think you get it. but if you become an adventurer, you have to be trained and soon enough you'll be known as a Kaiser considering your lineage that will give fruit to a lot of potential dormant in you."

"I understand, Uncle Ploutos." Bell nodded. "but I am staying with what I have stated before. I will become an adventurer, but I won't become a Kaiser." He then raised his right hand and formed a clenched hard fist. "Instead, I will become an adventurer who surpasses that of a Kaiser."

"just what are you saying?" Hephaestus asked completely confused.

"what he means is that he wishes to become something that is not a Kaiser." Sotares stated with a keen gaze at Bell. "in simple term, he's going on a path that diverges against his fate and lineage as a Kaiser."

"that's easy to understand." Said Polemos with a sigh before he looks at Bell. "but you sure that you want to go with this path, Bell?" he raise a hand to the side. "we have you know that Orario isn't such a peaceful and grand city that the stories you've been reading, have been telling you. It's a city littered with problematic adventurers and there's a lot of trouble going on in there." He lowers his hand and raised an eyebrow. "the only way for you to live a bit of a better life is if you stay with your Kaiser name. if you don't, you'll learn the cruel reality of things outside of your home."

"that is what makes me want to go on this path, Uncle Polemos." Bell stated. "I know that the world isn't all nice and peaceful like the stories, I know that there is always suffering everywhere where there is life." He then held up a hand and grasped it into a fist. "but I want to become something that will reduce that suffering. I want to become.."

"a hero." Zagreus spoke out in cutting off his son's sentence. Everyone looks at the half elf who is looking upon Bell. "you wish to become a hero who fights against the injustice of suffering….is that it?"

Bell looks at his father for a moment before he nods his head with a serious look on his face.

"I want to become a hero" Bell stated. "a hero who is always there for those who are in need of help."

Zagreus looks at his son before to Meteria who nodded with a smile.

He saw her action and closed his eyes while tilting his head down to sigh.

"Helios." Zagreus called out to his twin who made a noise while raising an eyebrow in response. "do you believe you can manage Orario without my assistance for a month or so?"

"I believe I can." Helios replied while crossing his arms and lean against the couch. "What you plan to do for a month?"

"I will be training Bell." Zagreus stated as he looks at his son. "I'll train and prepare him for Orario." He then turns to look at Alfia. "while I do so. please look after Meteria in my stead, Alfia."

"you didn't have any need to ask such an obvious request." Alfia stated as she sips her tea and placed the cup to her lap before glancing with a small smile to Zagreus. "ensure that your child is well prepared, understand?"

Zagreus nods back before he looks at Helios and the other Kaisers.

"you all know what to do." Zagreus said as they nodded back in unison.

"best we begin to prepare now." Ploutos stated while getting off the floor and going out of the living room with the other Kaisers following.

"Baku, you stay where you are." Zagreus said to Baku who made a noise while facing the half elf. "I will be needing your presence to help with Bell's training."

"you need me as his sparring partner or something?" Baku asked while pointing at himself.

"yes." Zagreus said as he turns to his son. "prepare yourself, Bell." the half elf's face soon turns very serious and stern while his eyes were glowing very menacing. "you have made your decision to become a hero, therefore I will train you without mercy to properly prepare yourself for Orario." his hair flutters and reveal the scar under his right glowing blue eye. "once the training begins, there is no retreat to this life."

Bell looks a bit nervous and scared to his father's glowing gaze as this was the first time in his life that he has ever seen him in such a tense situation.

"i-I got it." Bell nods slowly while a bead of sweat slides down the side of his head.

Zagreus looks at his son before he closed his eyes and began to walk towards the door. The half elf went near the doorway but stops when Meteria came near him.

"be sure to take care of yourselves, ok?" Meteria told Zagreus with a smile as the half elf nodded before getting a peck on the cheek by her. "promise me that you won't overdo it?"

"I promise." Zagreus said with a small smile on his lips. "don't worry." He then looks at Bell. "come, Bell. start prepping yourself for your training tomorrow." He then turns towards Baku. "you too, Baku."

"got it." Baku nods with a grin before he looks at Bell and slaps his back once. "looks like you're in for a big challenge tomorrow, Bell!"

"y-yes.." Bell replied a bit uneasy after the slap to the back.

"seems that things are about to change for the better or bad in Orario…" said Hephaestus as she and Alfia watch the entire scene unfold from their seats.

"perhaps." Alfia replied as she sips her tea and finished it to the last drop.


Time passes as the day turns into night. the forest around the wooden cabin became silent as it was peaceful and serene.

in the home and in the room of both Zagreus and Meteria, the half elf can be found packing up some of his belongings into a sack bag as he takes some shirts and sweaters from a nearby wooden drawer and then rolled them into one before putting them into his bag.

Afterwards, he went to a closet and opens the door to pick out some more clothing but he stopped when he finds a jet black domino mask with a draconic like design lying upon folded black leather clothing under it.

Zagreus picks up the mask and holds it up. He traces a finger to the forehead area as there is a diamond shaped red gem that glows a bit to his touch.

The half elf looks at the mask and sees a flashback of a man wearing the mask while wearing a suit of armor with a cape fluttering on one side of the shoulder. The figure stands on the rooftop of a broken house while surrounded by flames that rages and burn everything in his sight.

Zagreus looks at the mask as he traces a finger to its design before a feminine hand came and place itself on top of his own hand. He looks at the hand and then to the owner who he sees is Meteria.

"back then….you wore this when you were a Kaiser at Orario." Meteria said with a nostalgic smile. "I remember how you always wear it to ensure that none knew your true identity after you revoked your lineage." She frowns a bit and leans close to her husband. "I'm really sorry that you had to sacrifice so much because of me. if I wasn't so weak, I could've…"

"you have nothing to apologize." Zagreus said as he looks at Meteria and then to the mask in his grasp. "I wanted to revoke my lineage not because of my wish to be with you, but my wish to leave things in my brother's capable hands." He traces a finger to the gem and then looks back to his wife. "so don't apologize, there is nothing for you to apologize for."

Meteria looks at Zagreus for a moment before she smiles and then leans closer to him.

"thank you." Meteria whispers as Zagreus nods while gently placing the mask back into the closet.

Afterwards, Zagreus raises his right hand, and it suddenly ignites in blue flames. The half elf raises the flaming hand and combs his hair with it. his long hair gets burned and becomes short yet there are a few parts that remains long.

"you should go and check on Bell with his packing." Zagreus said as he picks up a few more of his clothes from the closet and into his bag. "this one month of training will be the harshest part of his life after all."

"I know, but Bell had already finished" Meteria said before smiling. "hey, Zagreus." The half elf turns towards his wife who points at his head. "how about I take care of that instead?"

Zagreus raises an eyebrow and a minute later, he finds himself sitting on the bed with his back facing Meteria who is behind and is in the middle of combing and styling her husband's hair.

"remember when Bell's hair got as long as yours when he was ten?" Meteria asks with a smile as she combs and then parts a part of her husband's hair to the side. "I had so much fun styling him."

"you also scared him from how you want him to wear a girl's outfit." Zagreus stated as he remembers a time in the past when Bell who was only 7 just comes running for his help because Meteria is chasing him while holding up a frilly girl outfit. "that was the first time, he got scared of his own mother."

"but I really wanted to see him wear it just once~!" Meteria said while puffing her cheeks a bit. "my baby boy is so adorable that he could pass being both girl and boy!"

"even so, that doesn't give you the right to do such a thing to your own son." Zagreus said as he sees part of his hair is styled to the front as a long bang covers the right side of his face. "you traumatized him after that incident."

"I just wanted him to try it just once…." Meteria pouted while continuing to comb her husband's hair.

After a minute or so, Meteria was done.

"there." Meteria said as she gave Zagreus a small hand mirror that he held and looks upon his reflection to see the hairstyle that his wife had given him. "perfect, isn't it?"

Zagreus sees his new hair style as Meteria had made his hair combed back yet a few parts are left to be wild, and one part of his hair is left as a long bang that shadows his right blue eye and the scar below it.

"this is the same as the hairstyle I always had back at Orario." Zagreus said as he softens his gaze a bit when he remembers himself looking to his own reflection of a window, the half elf seeing himself with the hairstyle that seems a bit wilder yet compose in the same way. "the very same one."

"yes." Meteria said as she went and hugged her husband from the back while leaning to his right shoulder with a smile. "the very same one that you look good in."

Zagreus looks at his reflection as he tilts his head and turns it side to side while checking his hair to see how perfectly combed they are.

Meteria looks at what her husband is doing as she smiles even more before she close her eyes and leans closer to him while hugging his waist with both hands.

"don't worry, Zagreus" Meteria whispers as she leans closer to Zagreus by his neck. "I'll be alright when you and Bell leave for Orario. I promise you that I'll be fine on my own, so don't worry."

"I know, but i…" Zagreus whispers while slightly squinting his eyes as he placed the hand mirror to the side. "I wished that he had chosen a different path."

Meteria listens to Zagreus and sighs a bit with a smile as she separates and looks at her husband who turns to face her. She reaches out and placed a hand to his right cheek then gently caress the half elf's scar.

"I know that you just want to protect us, but you can't chain Bell down." Meteria said in a gentle and loving voice. "he's a child who is growing up and is soon about to leave for the world." She smiles and leans close to her husband while lowering her hand that she placed to his chest. "I feel sad that he chose to become an adventurer, but I also feel proud that he wishes to become a hero for the people in need." She closes her eyes and let out a soft sigh. "As his mother, I wish for him to be safe, but I also wish for him to grow up into a fine young man who is as kind and gentle as his own father." She then giggles before tilting her head to the side and leans against her husband's chest. "so let's be supportive for him, alright?"

Zagreus looks at Meteria as he gently takes his wife's hand on his chest, he raise it and placed a kiss on the knuckles.

Both gaze into each other's eyes as they stared into one another's soul with gaze filled with kindness and love.

Before anyone could even blink, Zagreus and Meteria leans close and shared a kiss with each other.

Both held each other as Zagreus tilts his head to the side to deepen the kiss with his wife who moans a bit.

Seconds later, both falls on the bed with Zagreus being on top of Meteria.

Both separated from their kiss as they look deeply at each other's eyes in a close distance.

"I promise you that Bell will be alright at my side." Zagreus said in a whisper. "so promise me that you'll be alright."

"I promise." Meteria replied while circling her hands around her husband's neck. "I promise you, Zagreus."

The husband and wife continue staring at each other before both leaned close and shared another kiss that is deep and passionate.

Zagreus tilts his head to the side to deepen the kiss while his hands slowly but surely began to undress his wife from the back. the same was for Meteria who is pulling up her husband's shirt from below.

Both went to ravage each other as the door to their room was closed and locked from the outside by Helios and Melinoe.

"he just had to do it with her before tomorrow, huh?" Helios chuckles while leaning against a wall. He sighs and looks up. "well, I would do it with Hephie too if I was in the same situation."

"yeah, right." Melinoe said as she went and walk pass him. "you will do it with her on every chance you can get."

"harsh." Helios said while acting as if he was hurt, he then chuckles before following Melinoe.


On the next day, Zagreus along with Bell and Baku are standing in front of the wooden cabin where Meteria and the others stand nearby.

"we'll be going now, Mom, everyone." Bell said as he carried a sack bag over his shoulder while doing a bow to his family members because he was about to leave.

"have a safe trip." Meteria said with a smile to her son as she went and give him a kiss on the forehead. "take care of yourself, Bell. ok?"

Bell nods in reply and Meteria nodded back before going to her husband who is wearing an all black shirt, jeans, and boots, but with the addition of a greyish black leather overcoat that is left unbuttoned. His new appearance surprised his son but the others weren't so surprised.

"have a safe trip, Zagreus." Meteria said as she slightly adjusts the man's coat and buttons up some holes before giving him a peck on the cheek. "be sure to take care of our child and yourself, ok?"

"I promise." Zagreus said before he leans down and gives a peck on Meteria's forehead then leans close to her. "be well for me, Meteria."

Meteria nods before both shared a kiss then leans away.

"Baku, take care of yourself and be well, alright?" Meteria said to Baku who nods with a big grin.

"you got it, Meteria-san!" Baku said all loudly as Meteria giggles in reply before she backs away.

"you guys ready?" Helios asked and Zagreus and the others nodded to answer. "alrighty then."

Helios and the other Kaisers stepped forward and raise their right hand forward, sparkles appear and gather around their outstretched hands then form gold and silver swords that they wield upon their grasps that has different colored gems upon the hilt.

"was that magic?" Bell asked with a rather surprised face.

"it was." Baku said with a nod while grinning. "but that ain't something to be surprised yet, Bell."

Helios and the other Kaisers wielded their swords that they soon raised and pointed towards each other, causing Bell to make a surprised noise cause it was the same stance of the original 8 Kaisers in the story book of the Kaisers.

The swords gathered their blades together and soon creates a ball of golden light that floats and flew near Zagreus and the others then created a large swirling black portal.

"let's go." Zagreus said as he hoisted his hold on his bag and began to walk towards the portal.

"eh? We're going in there?" Bell asked surprised.

"yeah." Baku told Bell with a nod. "it's a portal that'll take us to our training place." He then motions for his cousin to follow. "come and see it. you'll be in for a big surprise."

Bell looks at Baku a bit confused, he sees the big man grinning before he walked towards the portal and disappeared into it. the young man looks surprised as he turns to his father who stands near the object and looks to be waiting for him to do the same.

"come, Bell." Zagreus said as Bell looks at him before he nods slowly and walked towards the portal.

Bell looks a bit hesitant to the portal for a moment as he turns towards his mother who is nodding to him with a smile and then waved her right hand side to side in goodbye.

The young boy looks at her and smiles then nod before waving his hand in return.

Bell walks into the portal and disappears. Zagreus went near and looks at Meteria who he smiles to.

"we'll be going." Zagreus said before he walks into the portal and disappears with it.

"have a safe trip." Meteria said while smiling.


Upon a world that is entirely white, a black swirling portal appears as Baku followed by Bell and Zagreus came walking out.

"w-where are we?" Bell asked in surprise as he sees that everything is white.

"we're in the Kronos Stasis." Baku replied in answering Bell's question as he began to walk with Zagreus. "a world where time and space flux and bends like it's a different dimension."

"we're in the what!?" Bell said as he quickly followed his father and cousin.

"we're in a world that is different from ours." Zagreus stated to make his son understand. "this world's name is the Kronos Stasis. A world where time and space bends and mix together." He then glance at Bell. "Stay close to us or you'll be lost in this world."

"o-okay!" Bell replied as he got closer to his father and continues to follow him.

The trio walked in the world of white as they just walked straight with no path or anything to guide them.

Bell looks around as he couldn't see anything but white.

"just…where are we going to?" Bell asked as he looks unnerved.

"to your training ground, of course." Baku replied with an obvious tone as he soon pointed forward. "look, we're almost there."

Bell follows Baku's direction and his eyes soon widens as he stops walking because he and the others arrived upon a large and ancient looking stone temple that has 8 statues of 4 men and 4 women surrounding it.

"w-what is this place?" Bell asks in a bewildered tone.

"this temple is called Amaravarti." Baku answered Bell while Zagreus is walking up the stairs to the temple in the background. "it's a temple built by the original 8 Kaisers as it was made to train their descendants." He then turns and began to walk towards the stairs. "I also once trained in this place years back and it's how I got this big body of mine."

"is this w-where I'm going to be trained at!?" Bell asked in a hurry as he is following Baku and his father.

"of course!" Baku said with a grin. "even if you don't want to become a Kaiser, you can only be training in the ways of the Kaisers."

The three arrives to the top of the stairs as they see an entrance which they walked and entered the temple where inside they find a large round stone stadium that is decorated with small stone statues of mythical animals like dragons, gryphons, chimeras, and etc.

"we're here." Zagreus said as he walks into the stadium and entered the ring. He then turns to look at Bell while dropping his bag to his side "Bell, wear the training outfit your mother gave to you." He turns towards Baku. "warm yourself up and prepare to spar with Bell, Baku."

"got it!" the big man replied to his uncle as he drops his bag and began to rummage its content. He soon pulls out a blue judogi. He then looks at Bell. "better hurry and get ready, Bell. this training will be a tough one for ya."

"r-right.." Bell replied as he drops his bag to the floor and began to rummage its content for his training outfit.

After a few minutes, both Bell and Baku stand upon the arena together while facing Zagreus.

Bell wore a white long sleeved shirt, black shorts, and boots while Baku wore his blue judogi with his rock hard abs exposed.

"you two had done your warm ups?" Zagreus said to the two who nods in unison. "good." he then raise his right hand and did a loud finger snaps that cause the ring to rumble for a moment and then expand itself. "for the first part of your training, Bell. we will begin with the training of your own high capability." The ring soon had small trap doors opening around and from each one came out a rock pillar. "agility."

The ring is now filled with rock pillars that are everywhere.

"this is.." Bell looks around the ring before he was presented with a white headband from his father. "this?"

"wear it anywhere you want." Zagreus said to Bell before he looks at Baku. "do not hold back, Baku. This is to train Bell of his agility, understand?"

"I got it." Baku nods with a grin and a thumbs up.

Zagreus looks at Bell as he had tied the head band around his head.

"Bell, the training of your agility will be done in a game of tag." Zagreus stated as he soon points a finger at the rock pillars in their surroundings. "run around this entire ring while using the rock pillars for cover against Baku who will try to catch you and take your headband." He then looks back at his son. "since this is the first start of your training, we will go with an easy task." He turns and walks away. "Baku, give Bell some time before the training begins, understand?"

"alright!" Baku said as he grins towards Bell. "better get ready for this game of tag, Bell."

"r-right…" Bell replied a bit awkwardly as he felt like this isn't training since they're playing a game of tag.

"are you ready?" Zagreus called out as he is sitting by the edge a stone seat upon the coliseum's spectator seat. To his reply, he sees both Bell and Baku nodding in unison as this made the half elf raise his right hand. "this training will be over in 5 minutes. Ensure that you keep your headband on you and not let Baku take it, Bell. if you fail, you will repeat this training until you are too tired to continue." He snaps his fingers and a glowing image of a timer appears above the half elf. "begin."

"start running, Bell." Baku said as he did some quick warmups with his hands and then legs. "don't let me catch you, got it?"

"right…" Bell replied before he runs to a rock pillar nearby and hides behind it. he glance at Baku who is still doing his warm up. "I should be okay if I just do.." he was cut off short when he sees his cousin finishing his warmup and had disappeared. "eh!? Where did he..!?"

"hey, Bell." Baku's voice called out nearby as Bell turns and his eyes widen to see a big hand coming at his face.

BANG!

The hand went right through a rock pillar that was broken into two as it is Baku who had a hand outstretched.

"not bad" Baku said with a grin as he looks down at Bell who is on his bottom, the young boy's eyes were wide cause he sees his own cousin breaking a thick rock pillar with just a hand. "Uncle Zagreus wasn't joking when he said that your agility is the best skill you got." He then pulls his hand back and got into a stance. "come on, Bell. keep on moving if you don't want me to get you."

"w-wait! Baku! Wait!" Bell cried out but Baku didn't listen, he just thrusts a hand towards the headband that escaped his grasp when his cousin ducks and this made his limb go straight to what was left of the previous rock pillar that is now destroyed completely.

Bell looks wide eyes to what Baku just did as he was sure that if that had hit him, his head would be completely off.

"p-please…wait.." Bell muttered out before he squeaks and quickly rolled away when Baku swung his hand to grab his headband but failed again, his hand going straight to the arena and made a crack of a hole upon it.

Bell looks terrified of his cousin's overly powerful strength as he got up and quickly made a run for shelter behind a rock pillar far from him.

"d-dad! Is this even training!?" Bell cried out to his father who is just sitting while watching. "this isn't a game of tag at all!"

"who said that this is a game?" Zagreus said as he glanced at his son. "your decision to go to Orario is what resulted in this training to happen. do not whine." He then looks away. "There can be no turning back now."

"b-but!" Bell cried out before he quickly ducks when the rock pillar he is hiding behind, suddenly breaks into two when Baku's hand came right through it. "B-Baku!"

"you're really getting the hang of this, Bell." Baku said with a grin. "let's get more serious!"

Bell screams as he runs away from Baku who keeps on thrusting his hand to try and grab the headband, but the force of his power keeps on destroying the rock pillars and the arena's field each time he missed.

"AAAAHH!" Bell screams as he jumps away from behind a rock pillar that was destroyed into pieces when Baku came crashing down upon it.

Bell huffs his breathing as he looks at Baku's direction and sees the big man's shadow behind a mist of dust, his eyes were glowing red behind it.

"d-dad!" Bell cried out to his father who did nothing but watch. "dad!"

"are you going to cry to him, Bell?" Baku asked as he came out of the dust and looks rather serious to his cousin. "we've just begun your training and you're complaining about it?"

"but this isn't training at all!" Bell cried out with fear in his shaking eyes. "I thought when Dad said that I have to be trained, I thought he would train me by teaching me things like with books and stuff! Not like this!"

"we're doing things first like this cause you need to strengthen your physique before your mental capabilities." Baku said while pointing a finger at the side of his head and then going into a stance. "you got the gift to learn things well, but your body ain't that strongly built. This is the main reason for this training."

"still!" Bell cried out while getting up and backing away from his cousin.

"do you plan to give up?" Zagreus called out as Bell looks at his father who looks down at his son with an emotionless look. "if you wish to give up now, then give up." He then close his eyes and turns his head to the side. "I suppose I should tell your mother who will be ashamed for having such a quitter for a child."

"d-dad?" Bell muttered out with a rather surprised face.

"you promised your mother that you'll be alright in your decision of becoming a hero." Zagreus said as he crosses his arms and legs while opening his eyes to look at his son. "do you intend to break that promise so early? How shameful of you to do that to your own mother."

Bell looks a bit wide eyes to his father before he looks down with a frown on his face.

"if you wish to give up then so be it." Zagreus said as he closed his eyes and raise a hand. "just stay where you are and say that you surrender." He lowers his hand and tilts his head down. "afterwards, I'll send you back to our home. understand?"

Zagreus opens his eyes and looks at Bell who is frowning but his hands formed hard clenched fists.

"what will it be, Bell?" Zagreus asked as his eyes glows a bit menacingly. "do you give up?"

"no…" Bell muttered out as he clenched his fists harder and looks up with a determined yet tearful face. "NO! I don't want to give up! I DON'T WANT TO!" he got into a stance against Baku who looks a bit surprised to his cousin's outburst. "I don't want to give up! I don't want to go home just yet! I promise Mom! I promise I will do my best! I won't give up! Never!" he sends a determined gaze at his large cousin who sees that the young man's ruby eyes were glowing a bit. "I won't give up!"

"Bell…" Baku muttered out as he took a quick glance at Zagreus who watches Bell before he nods and the large man turns and grins to his little cousin. "alrighty then! get ready, Bell!"

"come! Baku!" Bell replied as he soon jumps back to dodge a hand strike from Baku who chased after him.

Bell began to run around while dodging Baku who chased after him no matter where he go or where he hides.

Zagreus watched them as he followed their every movement, so did a floating blue orb that appears beside him.


In the Cranel's Home, Meteria along with Helios and the others look upon a large mirror that shows the training that Bell is going through with Baku's help.

"that guy sure knows how to encourage his own son…" Helios said with a smile and a sarcastic tone.

"this is Zagreus, what do you expect?" said Polemos while walking away. "I'll be heading back to Orario first, okay?"

"yeah." Makaria replied as they continue to watch the mirror showing Bell's training. "for crying out loud, is it even a good idea to go all out on a rookie's training?" she made a comment after seeing how her two nephews were chasing each other in a cat and mouse chase. "Bell is still undeveloped in so many areas."

"he is, but at least he is developed in his area of speed." said Thalia as she sees Bell jumping over Baku who tried to grab him. "his time becoming a hunter in the forest blessed him with fast legs."

"does he plan to train Bell to escape dangerous situations alike with this one?" Sotares asked after seeing how Bell ducks so fast to dodge Baku's hands that tried to grab his headband.

"possibly." Melinoe stated with a nod as she watch the screen before she looks at Meteria who is watching as well but she has her hands clasped together tight on her lap. The elf turns towards the mother with a small smile. "feeling worried?"

"a bit.." Meteria replied as she watch how Bell runs to a rock pillar and then jumps to the side when Baku charges in and destroys it. "I know I promised to not worry in his training, but I still can't help but worry for his safety.."

"you're his mother." Hephaestus told Meteria with a smile. "it's alright to feel that way no matter what." she went and placed a hand to the white haired mother's right shoulder. "relax. I am sure that Bell will be doing well in his training. I just know it."

Meteria looks at Hephaestus and smiles a bit in return.

"retiring to your room so soon?" Ploutos spoke out as Alfia was leaving the room quietly. "aren't you a bit worried for your young nephew in his training?"

"he will do fine as Hephaestus has stated" Alfia said while standing near the doorway, she glanced at Ploutos with her green right eye and showed an expressionless face to him. "besides, it has only been the first day of his training. There is nothing to be worried about at all."

Alfia soon left as she went straight for her room.

"you two are really opposites of each other, aren't you?" Helios said to Meteria, in referring to how different the two twin sisters are in personalities. "just like me and Zagreus, isn't it?"

"like heck you two are different." Melinoe said as she walks straight out of the room. "both of you are still alike no matter how many years had passed."

"true with that." Makaria stated in agreement as she left with Thalia and Sotares who nodded to her words.

"those two are alike even if they have different lives than each other." Said Ploutos while following after the triplets.

"it's so damn harsh having siblings like you guys…" Helios chuckles with a smirk as he stands up from his seat and walks out. "..i guess this is why having a wife is better, huh?"

all the Kaisers left the room as the only ones who are left is just Meteria and Hephaestus.

"we sure married troublesome men, didn't we?" said Hephaestus with a sighing smile while Meteria giggled in response.

The two then watch the screen and continues to see the training that Bell is enduring with Baku which continues on in a fast onslaught.


That's a wrap!

Bye bye