So This is going to be a brief transition chapter. I will be plan to edit and re-work some of the chapter over December based on some of the feedback I have received.

This chapter WILL get longer after the re-write but for now I want to get to the last chapter of this act/arc before I take a break. I need to get the last chapter done in the first week of December.

This event is really the only thing significant plot-wise that is going to happen this chapter.

Even with the re-write nothing really significant plot wise will really are looking at some bonding time between Auntie and her niece and nephew. As well as a little training. Mostly this will end up being a slice of life chapter.

I picked this status for a reason and lets just says that it will make sense after the next chapter.

Please don't hate me for what is coming. We are in a dark world after all.

Next Chapter: Encroaching Darkness

The moon hung low in the ink-black sky, casting long shadows that danced across the streets of the quiet village. As the days passed since the assault on Bell and Alice by the village children, Alfia's stern discipline had silenced the tormentors. However, it had did little to thaw the isolation that had settled around the twins in the aftermath.

Her gaze alone sent shivers down the spines of any malicious onlookers, causing them to flee in terror. Despite Alfia's vigilance, the twins couldn't escape the palpable loneliness that clung to them. The townspeople, who were once indifferent to the twins' plight, now recoiled in trepidation from Alfia's presence. Fearful whispers whispered through the air whenever the trio passed, and curious eyes quickly averted to avoid incurring Alfia's wrath for the slightest misstep.

In the days that followed, Bell and Alice found themselves more isolated than ever. Even the sanctuary of their own play couldn't banish the heavy weight of solitude that pressed upon them. Even the sanctuary of their shared moments, playing games together, the weight of their isolation pressed on their shoulders. Their laughter, once vibrant, had dulled into mere echoes.

A week after the incident, in the dim candlelight of their shared room, Bell and Alice prepared for bed. Their steps were slow, as if each movement required extra effort. While Alfia's imposing presence had succeeded in quelling the torment from the village children, in its place was ever deepening isolation.

The adults, sensing the twins' distress, gathered to deliberate the best course of action in the living room.

"I don't really see any alternative except leaving the village," Zues voiced the prevailing concern, his brows furrowed in worry.

Hera nodded before speaking "We have Alfia and Zald now. With them, we can move more freely. Odin and Frigg's domain of Asgard, should suit the twins well."

Alfia, simmering with barely contained rage, cuts in; "I don't care where we go, but I refuse to let the twins stay here any longer than necessary. We should prepare to leave immediately. Those worthless scum are lucky that I didn't massacre them all."

Zald added his voice. "Asgard will be good, even with its proximity to Drogon Valley. The Odin and Frigg Familias have been holding the dragons back for nearly a millennium."

The weight of the decision bore down on them and Zues emphasized, "Now we just have to see what Bell and Alice want to do. I doubt they will want to stay, but…"

The room fell into a tense silence, disrupted only by the creak of the hallway floor. Alfia and Zald, being level 7 turned their heads in unison towards the source.

"You can come out now," Alfia's voice, a low command, sliced through the quiet, beckoning the hidden figures to reveal themselves.

From the hallway emerged Bell and Alice, clad in pajamas, their small hands tightly intertwined. Their eyes, a blend of trepidation and determination, met those of the adults. The unspoken communication between the twins resonated in the room.

"We want to leave after the Spring Festival," Bell declared, while Alice nodded along.

Zeus, raised an intrigued brow, a smirk dancing on his lips as he pieced together the puzzle. Hera merely sighed as she had could tell what the reason would be and what Alfia's reaction is going to be.

"Why do you want to wait? That festival is nearly a month away," Alfia inquired, her gaze unwavering.

"Aki's coming back. She is our only friend, and we would like to see her again and let her know where we will be," Bell explained, the sincerity in his voice mingling with the vulnerability that lingered in the room.

"She? I take it this Aki person is a girl?" Alfia's eyes narrowed, suspicion casting a shadow over her features as she honed on the name of this unfamiliar female hovering around her nephew.

Hera, interjected her tone calm and soothing. "Alfia, you need to relax. Aki is a wonderful and gentle child. She is also one of the few people that is kind to Bell and Alice."

"Uhmp. Fine, but I will be meeting this Aki," Alfia declared

Side story Start:

In a still distant city, Aki, who had been looking forward to seeing Bell and Alice again, feels an inexplicable shiver run down her spine as all her fur stands on end. As if she was being eyed by a great predatory monster. Aki lets out a startled noise:

"Meow!"

Side Story End

Normal Story Resumes

"Aki is our friend, Auntie, please be nice to her," Alice pouts, her eyes wide and pleading, her voice soft and vulnerable

Alfia, immediately softened, yielding in face of Alice's pout; "Fine. I will give her a fair chance."

With the impending issues addressed, Zeus spoke: "Well, now that is settled, we can start making preparations. We can tell Aki where you two will be. Asgard is a huge city. I am sure her family will make stops there. If I recall, after taking out Orario, it is one of the 10 largest cities on the continent. Should be a lot like Orario. Asgard is also on the northern coast, so you will both be able to visit the ocean. I am sure you will like it."

Alice and Bell, hopeful yet uncertain, exchange glances. Their nod reflects a shared determination, the weight of their decision settling on their young shoulders.

"Lord Zeus. Lady Hera. We wish to receive your falna," Bell speaks, his voice carrying a mixture of formality and respect, something that they almost never did when talking to their grandparents.

Silence envelops the room. The air seems to thicken as the words linger. The stillness, punctuated only by the soft rustle of fabric as the twins adjust their posture. Zeus and Hera, exchange a glance that speaks of understanding and responsibility.

"Absolutely not. You are too young," Alfia's immediate response cut through the charged atmosphere, her protective instinct flaring.

"They are not. They are both 8. That is old enough to receive a falna," Zeus countered with firm conviction.

"Zeus, they are children," Alfia's objection persisted, a maternal concern etched into her voice.

"Alfia, quiet for a minute. Bell. Alice. Why do you want a falna?" Hera interjected

"I want to protect my twin," they responded in unison, their eyes locked onto Alfia. Alfia's expression softened, her resistance yielding to the determination in their eyes and understanding their desire. All the fight has gone but before yielding she issues one last warning:

"If you all go done this path. I will not be letting you rest on your status. I will be training you to be the best. It will be an incredibly harsh path."

"We understand." They respond while looking at Alfia, who merely nods and waves at Zeus and Hera

"All right. So be it. So, should we do it like we did in Orario, Hera? Boys in my familia. Girls in yours?" Zeus suggested.

"Yes, I believe that would work. But if you teach Bell anything perverted, I am taking him," Hera asserted,

"Alright, Bell and Alice, get a seat, turn around. Then take off your shirts. We will give you a falna," Zeus commanded, his voice a blend of authority and warmth.

The mood of the room shifted, the twins complying with the divine directive. As they turned their backs, a sense of ceremony settled over the space. Zeus and Hera pricked their fingers, the sacred offering of blood marking the beginning of a new chapter for Bell and Alice. The ritual began, the deities inscribing the children's backs with their blessings, a fusion of mortal and divine in a moment that transcended the boundaries of both realms.

Bell Cranel

Human
Lvl 1
Strength: I-0
Endurance: I-0
Dexterity: I-0
Agility: I-0
Magic: I-0

Magic:

Skills:

[Twin's Bond]

(Godly Explanation: The deep love and devotion to alleviate their twin's pain has resulted in the manifestation of the following skill. Mutual devotion and love are necessary.)

Grants the user the ability to utilize the same skill and abilities as their sibling to a lesser extent. If both twins activate the same skills increases the effectiveness of the skill. Negative effects can be mitigated through this ability.

Alice Cranel

Human
Lvl 1
Strength: I-0
Endurance: I-0
Dexterity: I-0
Agility: I-0
Magic: I-0

Magic:

Skills:

[Twin's Bond]

(Godly Explanation: The deep love and devotion to alleviate their twin's pain has resulted in the manifestation of the following skill. Mutual devotion and love are necessary.)

Grants the user the ability to utilize the same skill and abilities as their sibling to a lesser extent. If both twins activate the same skills increases the effectiveness of the skill. Negative effects can be mitigated through this ability.