My Odr

by Ventanus

When the black dragon is finally dead and the dungeon conquered, everything will become good, right?...Right?... This is my Bell x Freya story, where I asked myself, what comes after the dragon and the dungeon?

1. Chapter 1

Author´s Note: This is the intro to my Bell x Freya story. The first part would basically be "Are you my Odr?", but with Bell falling completely in love with Freya and all she is, not only Syr. There are a few parts in this chapter out of the story. But I didn´t want to re upload all the chapters here again. So the best would be to read "Are you my Odr?" First, since this here is a What If of that story.

It´s only the intro chapter, the real story starts when I get to do chapter 2.

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Life could be good, life could be wonderful, life could sometimes be just fantastic!

Especially if your day started in the way it did for Bell Cranel. Like nearly every day started for Bell Cranel for a while now! Being greeted by the sight of the most beautiful woman in existence, at least in his eyes. Well many people would agree with him, but for him she was special.

No matter if he was the first one to be awake or if her smiling face looked at him when he opened the eyes, Bell was just happy. On this morning, she was awake before he woke up, so when he opened his eyes, her beautiful purple eyes looked at him, filled with love.

"Good morning, Bell...my Odr."

"Good morning, Freya...my love."

Her eyes lit up, as usual. Freya couldn´t contain her love and happiness when Bell called her like that. Whenever they were alone she could let her true feelings and nature out, because Bell was immune to her. The first skill he ever got after receiving a blessing, her blessing, made him immune against the nature of a Deity of Love. Which made the fact that Bell still fell in love with her even more precious.
So whenever they were alone and Freya became really happy, her eyes glew. When it was deep at night, this sometimes looked so funny that Bell couldn´t help but chuckle or laugh. Which made Freya a bit embarrassed and sometimes upset, so much that she even pouted. One time Bell couldn´t help himself and asked her if she could read like that at night. This actually let a small vein at Freya´s forehead twitch, telling him he got really daring to make fun of her like that.

At the same time she loved it, the way he treated her was so normal, so careless.

The good morning kiss always felt nice, the first kiss of the day was special. And by far not their last one! When Freya leaned forward to deepen the loving kiss, her eyes fell for a second on Bell´s hand and her love skyrocketed again. She saw the ring he was wearing, the exact copy of the one she was wearing. A symbol of their eternal, sworn love.

Yes...Freya and Bell had married a while ago.

The Goddess of Love had sworn an oath to belong only to Bell. No other men would ever see her bare skin again, only Bell. He was her beloved, her one and only, her Odr.

Freya rememberred pretty well how it all started and she loved to do that.

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"Woah...so big..."

A boy...or maybe already a young man of sixteen years of age gaped at the titanic tower in front of him. This was truly the center of the world, the labyrinth city Orario with the tower Babel in the middle of the city.

The true center of the world.

Bell Cranel had finally made his way to Orario. After losing his grandfather and having nothing left in the village, he went on his way. His dream was to become an adventurer, a hero.

And to have a faithfull encounter, preferably in the dungeon.

But at first he had to find a familia, there were many in Orario, but that doesn´t mean that one of them would take him in.

Eight main streets went away from the main plaza, the question was now which street to take and search for a familia.

Bell Cranel couldn´t know that this simple decision would change his fate in one direction of the other.

One direction would lead him to wander around and not find a familia that would take him in, until he met a very small goddess with an enormous rack.

If he would go west, he would maybe find the blue pharmacy and end up in the Miach familia, Bell would become happy there and find many friends.

Taking the north east main and he would by chance meet the Takemikazuchi familia, he would fall heads over heels for the black haired beauty, that was a ninja and a samurai at the same time.

If he would take the south west main, he would wander from one familia to the next, not finding one that let him join, until someone else found him instead, someone that wasn´t a deity. It would lead him to one of two possible fates. In one of them he would fall in love with a very unusual woman, a woman with wings instead of arms. In the other he would meet a beautiful half elf and fall for her.

If he would go to the east, he would arrive at the colloseum. He would then be so amazed by this place, that he would wander around until he noticed a small event that was held there, by a blue haired goddess.

If he would go north west, Bell would get caught in an accident, he would be seriously hurt and would be close do dying. A living saint would appear before his eyes...and steal his heart forever.

Whatever direction Bell Cranel took, it would lead him to a different fate.

But not only the choice of the street could change his fate, but also when he would choose this street.

Since he came from the north of Orario, Bell decided to go into the south first. He had heard about a mansion from a pretty big familia there, maybe he was lucky.

Choosing this street directly would change everything for Bell Cranel.

Since a certain someone would still be at her home then.

And out of pure coincidence, today...was friday.

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"Hmmmm~Hmmmm~Hmmmm~. What a lovely weather, I´m sure it will become a great day."

The goddess Freya had slept in her room in Folkvangr for once, she got a bit tired from sleeping in Babel all the time. And she had to show her love for her cute children.

"Hah...I´m glad that you enjoy the day...mylady..."

"Oh my, Heith, you look so tired, are you resting well?"

"Not really, how could I when the others insist of nearly killing each other all the time?"

"You have to take care of yourself, my dear."

Freya smiled and put a hand on Heith´s head, which let the young woman twitch for a moment and smile in bliss.

"But you are doing a really good job, I´m proud of you."

"Haaaah~~~."

It was rare to see the healer of the Freya familia smile like that, it looked like she was filled with energy.

"You should take the evening off. Why don´t you go to the pub for once? Mia really makes the best food."

"But the others need me here."

Freya smiled in a really special way. It could be a sympathetic smile, maybe a slightly sad one...or maybe even a very, very slightly desperate one.

"Only doing your duty all the time and don´t taking time for what you want to do isn´t good. This can destroy you...Heith."

Heith looked at her goddess, a bit surprised about the advice.

Freya smiled in her normal way and gently touched Heith´s right cheek. "A good rest will also keep you pretty."

"But I..."

"Do you intend to go against lady Freya´s advice?"

A giant shadow loomed over Freya and Heith, but the healer didn´t shrink away one bit.

"You can try to intimidate me all you want, Ottar. It won´t work."

Freya giggled. "I think Ottar didn´t mean it that way, or do you, Ottar?"

"I don´t, lady Freya."

Heith looked up to the captain of her familia. "Why are you even here? Isn´t this the time were you all punch each other nearly to death?"

"I accompany lady Freya until she leaves our home."

"Ah, hm."

"Don´t be so harsh with Ottar, he is doing his best. Now Heith, promise me that you will take the evening off and go to the pub, to enjoy yourself a bit."

"I will, mylady."

"Hehe, such a good child."

Freya patted Heith´s head again, which let the young woman blush and smile. Now she was bursting with energy.

And of course...

"Heeeeith! Heeeeeith! We need you here!"

"*sigh* Coming! Please excuse me, lady Freya. And have a save trip."

Freya smiled shortly before she went in the direction of the exit.

"Shall I accompany you towards Babel, mylady?"

"That won´t be necessary."

"But the people..."

Freya flashed him a mischievous smile. "I will use a disguise."

With disguise, Freya meant her travel coat with the big hood. Ottar didn't have the heart to tell her that you could recognize her in it when you got close. After all, Freya was so proud of her "disguise". Ottar was one of the few people that know that his goddess had a really playfull side in her.

Especially a very special side in her was very playfull.

A few minutes later they had arrived at the entrance to Folkvangr. The giant mansion was built a bit like a northern style temple, fitting for a goddess like her.

"So Ottar, I will go then, make sure that Heith keeps her promise and don´t work her to the bone."

"As you wish, lady Freya."

Freya smiled again, it looked a lot like her usual smile, but there was something special in it, something meant for Ottar. Since Ottar was special and Freya was very special for Ottar. She was his everything, she had given him his current life and a purpose.
For him...Freya was in many ways like his mother. That was why his love for Freya was different than the love of other familia members for her.

And that was why no one would ever live long after insulting or harming Freya.

Freya hummed while she put on her coat, pulled the hood up and went on her way.

There were two possible ways to arrive at the entrance to Folkvangr. Taking the street to the left and then turn north. Or to go a bit north at first, then turn left and then north again. Freya changed the street she took every time, so it wouldn´t become boring.
Today she went west at first, like that she didn´t see a certain, white haired boy coming from north.

Freya didn´t see him, but she heard Ottar´s voice behind her.

"What do you want here?"

"Ah...ahm...I...ahm...I am...l-looking for a f-f-familia."

She heard no reply, but judging by the voice, it was a young man in his puberty. Freya knew all too well how Ottar lookd like for someone like that.

Hm?

Freya turned around...exactly in that moment when the young man got frightened by Ottar´s appearance and turned around, ran to flee.

Today was friday, it wasn´t a special day for most people, but for the Freya familia. In the northern territory, from where Freya´s part of the mythology came, came the origin of the name friday.

In the north this day was called "Freytag" or "Freya´s day", later shortened to "Freyday", which was then changed to friday.

It wasn't exactly a holiday, but some believed that the day always held something special for Freya. Many of her followers believed that good things happened to her that day, or at least should happen, she deserved it in their eyes.

And this friday, indeed had something special.

Freya just wanted to turn around and look at the person that stood in front of Ottar. But what she saw then, shook her very core. The first thing she always saw in a mortal, was the light of the soul. Ottar´s soul had a brown color, a natural color that suit him quite well. Since Ottar was built like a brick wall...his soul was also like that.
Many people had various colors in their souls. Heith´s soul color was a mixture of red and white, red probably not because of her haircolor, but because she was most of the time so angry at her familia members.

But the person that tried to flee from Ottar had a soul color that Freya had never seen before.

It was colorless.

Wha...

Every mortal had a soul color, every mortal she had seen so far, but not this one.

His soul was pure, not even white, but like a crystal.

Freya was so fascinated, that she didn´t react in time when the frightened boy turned into her direction and tried to make a quick step forward. Her coat wasn´t closed, so her usual, deep cleavage was open to the air. Her purple eyes met the red ones of the boy, who had less than a second to realize that a person was standing in the direction he was trying to run.

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Squish!

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"Mufu!"

"Oh?"

Freya looked down, the boy had stumbled...and dived head first into her bosom. Her truly divine and heavenly mounds cushioned his fall and stopped him. Many men would´ve paid a lot or even considered to die for this chance.

But after a second, Bell Cranel´s brain understood what he was just doing and he staggered back hastily.

"S-S-S-S-Soooooorryyyyy!"

Bell tried to dash off, like a frightened rabbit, but he was stopped. Not by Ottar, but by Freya´s hand. As a goddess, she was easily stronger than a mortal boy without a blessing. And even more, since she was a goddess that had experience with fighting.

"Wait."

"S-Sorry! Please forgive me! It wasn´t on purpose! I swear!"

Ottar wanted to make a step forward, but Freya glanced into his direction and slightly shook her head.

"Calm down, young man. You won´t be punished."

Bell struggled for a short moment, but Freya wouldn´t let go of him.

"I will only let you go when you calm down and we had a talk."

"Uuuuuuhh."

Something squeezed Freya´s heart for a moment when she saw his teary eyes. He looked like a sad rabbit, it awakened the wish in her to comfort him. Freya liked rabbits, they were her special animals in the mythology after all.

He looks so cute.

The goddess smiled gently to calm him down. "Don´t you want to talk to me, young man? I would really love to talk to you."

Freya blinked sensually one time, at least he calmed down a little bit.

Strange.

This wasn´t the reaction that Freya expected, most mortals reacted in a different way when she blinked like that.

"I´m sorry..."

"Ehehe. I forgive you, would you tell me your name?"

"Bell Cranel."

"Bell Cranel...that is a nice name. So, what brings you here?"

"I ahm...I..."

Freya leaned a bit closer. "I won´t bite you, don´t worry. And Ottar over there didn´t mean to scare you."

"I want to become an adventurer."

"And so you came here?"

"Yes, I thought I had to start somewhere and I heard that a big familia is living here."

"This is correct, my familia lives here."

"Your...you are a..."

"Oh my, didn´t you realize that I am a goddess?"

"I didn´t! I´m sorry, lady goddess!"

It was highly unsual for Ottar to be so surprised, but his eyes widened a bit. Freya´s beauty was divine, literally, but the boy didn´t notice that she was a deity? One look at Freya would charm most mortals, men and women alike.

And Freya giggled...then she laughed.

"Ehehe...ehehehehe...Ahahahaha! Now this is truly unusual."

"I´m really sorry for not noticing."

"Ehehehe, don´t worry, I´m not mad. Why exactly did you come here to my familia?"

"I just heard it is a big familia."

Freya raised an eyebrow, even that looked elegant. "So it has nothing to do with the fact that my familia is one of the two leading familias of Orario?"

"What?! You are one of the strongest?!"

"Yes we are, my dear Ottar here is even the strongest adventurer in Orario, maybe the whole world."

Bell glanced to the side, Ottar returned his gaze, it looked like Bell would faint any moment. So Freya moved her body a bit and made sure he looked at her face again.

"You really didn´t know that my familia is the strongest and came out of that reason here?"

"No, lady goddess."

Freya saw no lie in Bell´s eyes.

"Do you even know which familia this is?"

"I´m sorry...I just arrived in Orario today..."

A pleased smile appeared on Freya´s lips. Was it just a coincidence? That this unique boy came straight to her as soon as he entered Orario?

"So you are looking for a familia that lets you join."

"Yes, I´m sorry that I don´t have much to offer. But I really...really!...want to become an adventurer."

Freya saw fire in his eyes, many people were determined to become adventurers, but she had the feeling that he had a different reason than the other people had. His determination looked similar to Ottar´s, even when their goals might be different ones.

She was fascinated by him, especially by his soul.

"Hm...hmmmmmmm."

"Milady goddess?"

Freya smiled, a beautiful smile that would win nearly everyone over. "Then I will fulfill your wish, Bell."

"Huh?"

She let go of his wrist and held her hand out to him.

"I will let you join my familia, will you come to me?"

The formerly sad and frightened bunny´s expression exploded into a bright, happy, pure smile.

"Thank you! Thank you so much, Lady Goddess!"

"Ehehe, Freya is fine."

"Thank you, Goddess Freya!"

"Mh, a little too formal."

"Thank you...Goddess?"

That sounds very different from how the others address me.

"Hm, I like that."

Bell´s smile widened a bit, Freya´s heart felt warm from his gaze.

"Then follow me, Bell. I will give you my blessing."

"Yes!"

"Ottar, can you send Horn a message that I will come a bit later?"

"As you wish, Lady Freya."

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"Ahm..."

"Bell, you need to take your shirt off, otherwise I can´t give you my blessing."

"Y-Yes...but...please don´t stare."

Oh my, he is really as pure as snow.

It had been a long time until Freya was so...amused?...about a new familia member.

After Bell took off his shirt and sat down on the chair, Freya performed the ritual. After it was done, she handed him the paper.

"So, Bell, welcome to my familia."

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Bell Cranel

Belongs to: Freya familia

Level: 1

Strength: I 0

Endurance: I 0

Dexterity: I 0

Agility: I 0

Magic: I 0 .

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Bell beamed all over his face. "A blessing! I have a blessing! Thank you so much, goddess!"

"Hehe, I´m glad you like it."

"Of course I d-Eeek!"

Bell startled when Freya leaned forward and gently kissed his forehead, he got as red as a tomato after that.

"G-G-G-Goddess?!"

"This is my welcome to you in my familia, Bell."

"Mmmmmmh!"

Oh my, he reacts like that to a simple kiss on the forehead? Ehehehe, how cute.

Bell Cranel´s dream became true, he was an adventurer now. So of course he would soon go into the dungeon and have adventures!

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"Hehe~~~"

"Freya?"

"I just rememberred how we met for the first time."

Now when Freya updated Bell´s status, it wasn´t written anymore that he belonged to Freya familia. Now it said he just belonged to Freya.

She sat up in bed and stretched her arms, wearing her favorite piece of cloth. Bell´s shirt. Freya loved to wear Bell´s shirt, one time she told him in a flirting way his shirt on her body was like putting his flag on a fortress he conquered. And he had conquered her, her heart. Forever.

Bell chuckled. "It was a bit embarrassing."

Freya raised an eyebrow. "Most men and women would´ve died happily if they had landed with their nose in my bosom."

"I´m not like most men and women."

"No you´re not, you´re special, Bell."

Freya called Bell in various ways. By his name, my love, Odr, my beloved and others. As did Bell with her. Both were so in love, could so be into each other, flirting many times, that it got a bit embarrassing for others. Especially for Heith and Horn.

And of course for Ryu.

Not that Freya flirted with Bell as Freya in front of her, but as Syr. When it came to the common knowledge in Orario, Bell had two lovers. Syr and Freya. Only a few people knew that they were one and the same. Yet a bit different. Freya let out her playful side as Syr, in her real body she only did that when she was alone with Bell. At least most of the times. Bell had changed Freya, a lot.

Since Freya liked to play games where her godly powers were useless, Bell had gifted her a few board games where she had to use dice. So at some nights in Folkvangr, they sat in their personal rooms, since Bell had moved in with Freya, together with Horn and Heith and plaid a game.

Like "God, don´t get angry" or others. Whenever a merchant brought a boardgame to Orario that was still unknown in the city, Bell bought it. He did many things to make Freya happy and prevent her from getting bored. But with him, Freya was never bored! She showed her happiness openly and also her frustration without holding back.

Heith and Horn couldn´t believe their eyes when Freya got upset like a child and pouted when the dice were against her again. To see their beloved goddess act like this increased their feelings for Bell again. They didn´t love Bell in a romantic way, but both liked him a lot, because he made Freya happy. And he had saved the life of both women, plus he changed the Freya familia. The changes in the familia were immense and especially Heith was glad of that. She looked less exhausted and more relaxed these days.

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"You know, I will never get tired of this sight, you wearing my shirt."

"Hehe~~ Do you like it that much?"

Freya raised the shirt with a flirting smile enough to reveal her thighs to Bell, as usual she left half of the buttons at the front open, to give him a glimpse at her valley. Plus closing all the buttons was a bit tight with her chest size. But Freya didn´t raise the shirt too far, since it was the only piece of cloth she wore at the moment.

"Of course I do."

"Or is it just because I´m only wearing your shirt? Hm then again you also liked it when I´m only wearing your shorts."

"I also like it when you wear both at the same time. Or your normal underwear."

"Hm, then I will wear it for you, my love. But I don´t ever want to see you wearing one of my outfits..."

"That won´t happen, my Queen."

They shared a loving kiss again, then Freya went to take a shower.

"Do you want to join me, Bell?"

"I´m sorry, we don´t have time for that."

"Really?"

He looked into her direction, Freya had pulled up the shirt far enough to reveal her naked rear to his eyes, shaking her butt a little, she knew he was weak to that.

"Last chance~~~"

He smiled while he shook his head. "I would love nothing more, but we would take too long."

She let go of the shirt, shrugged her shoulders and went to the shower, while sticking out her tongue to Bell. He took care of the bed, hanging up the blankets and pillows. While he heard the shower running, Bell rememberred something from the past too, a precious moment. .

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After he became a member of the Freya familia, Bell was of course part of the baptism and it didn´t go well for him.

"Bell?"

Freya opened the door to the small hospital, since she got no reaction when she opened the door. She noticed him sitting in the bed, looking with empty eyes out of the window. His eyes were always red, but it looked like he had cried...a lot.

She didn´t need to ask if something was wrong, his soul orb was completely dull. Before it had shone like a crystal, so bright and pretty like a diamond. Now the edges became gray and it was dull, something serious had changed inside of Bell.

"Bell?..."

His eyes turned slightly into her direction.

"Goddess...morning..."

What did they do to him...

Freya went inside and closed the door. Slowly she approached the bed and sat down on the edge.

"Bell, is everything okay?"

"Mmmh..."

She noticed that his lower lip quivered, the expression in his eyes was without any kind of hope or joy.

They went too far with him.

"Bell, come here."

"Goddess...I...I...*Hic*"

Seeing Bell like that hurt Freya, she wondered why she felt so special about him. She turned towards him more, leaned forward and pulled him slowly and gently towards her, to her chest. As soon as Bell´s face went there, he suddenly hugged her and started to cry. His whole body shivered as all of his emotions burst out of him. She looked surprised, then she gently hugged him and let him cry his heart out.

How strange...

Freya had never done this for any of her children. While she was a goddess of love, it wasn´t in her nature to comfort someone like that. At least not like that. But there was something special about Bell, about his soul, that fascinated her.

Did it just take one week here to break him?

"Bell, will you tell me what happened?"

"Goddess..I..."

"Is the training too hard?"

Bell finally looked up to her. "Is being an adventurer like this? Was I wrong all my life?"

"What do you mean?"

"All that fighting, all that beating. All they do is hit me, cut me, hurt me. *Sniff*"

Freya had to remind herself that Bell only came to Orario a week ago. He grew up in a nameless village in the north, so he never fought before in his life. And Freya knew that her followers were very hard to each other. It was probably too much for him.

Even if he had said nothing, Freya saw in his soul how he felt. To see such a pretty soul ruined like this in just one week wasn´t something she wouldn´t allow. Bell was now one of her followers, so he belonged to her. She wanted to see how pretty his soul could become one day, for that he had to bloom in his own way.

"The training here doesn´t bring you joy, it isn´t fun for you, correct? You want to go into the dungeon instead, right?"

"Yes...I´m sorry, maybe I was a bad choice after all."

Freya´s hands twitched for a second. "No, no you are not."

"Goddess?"

Freya gently patted Bell´s head. "I will talk to Ottar, rest now, Bell. You won´t fight here anymore, but go to the dungeon and do it your own way, okay?"

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Crack. Crack. Crack.

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When Bell´s expression brightened a bit, Freya saw the cracks that went through his soul. The dull cloudiness got cracks and she saw the shine she had seen before through them. So the pure boy was still inside him.

I can´t lose something that precious, I want to see how beautiful you become, Bell.

Bell went to the dungeon for the first time this day. He wore a simple armor that he got from his familia and a pair of two knives. Bell couldn´t use the left one like he wanted to, his right hand was his main hand. It would take a while to learn how to fight with two weapons.

When he entered the dungeon, his mood got much better, finally he was in the dungeon and would have the chance to fight monsters!

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About twenty minutes later, Bell ran through the gates of Folkvangr again, he knew where Freya´s room was. He knocked loud and waited for an answer.

"Come in, Bell."

He opened the door and went inside.

"Goddess, how do you know that it was me?"

"Ehehe, no one knocks so loud on my door."

"S-Sorry."

"So, Bell. I thought you wanted to go into the dungeon?"

"I was!"

"Did something happen?"

"I did it, goddess! I slew my first monster!"

"Oh?"

"It was a goblin! A goblin, goddess!"

"So?..."

"Eh?"

"Isn´t a goblin like the weakest of all monsters? Is that really an achievement?"

"Eh..."

"Bell?"

"*Hic*"

"Bell?!"

"Wääääh! Goddess, you meanie!"

Bell ran crying out of the door and back to the dungeon.

"Eh?! B-Bell!"

Freya was at a loss for words...this was something she never experienced before. Bell was completely different from all of her other children.

Hah...Bell, what is this feeling in my heart when I look at you? You are so cute...yet so...determined.

He reminded her a lot of Ottar when he was young.

I just have to make sure he doesn´t turn out like Ottar in the end...

Freya shivered when she imagined Bell being as tall and buffed as Ottar, locking arms with her captain, while flexing his muscles.

She could hear Bell with a deeper voice in her head, growling. "Muscles are righteousness!"

Freya shivered again. I can never allow that!

Thankfully it never happened. While Bell got of course muscular from his training and the dungeon, he never bulked like Ottar. .

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Freya returned from her shower, humming.

"Hmm~~ A shame that you didn´t join me, Bell."

He chuckled. "We would get distracted and need longer in the shower...again."

"You never complained about that before."

"I have much to do today."

"Oh? So you already grew tired of me? That you prefer to do something else? Or someone?"

Bell walked to Freya and slowly put his arms around her, her eyes lit up again, filled with love for him.

"I will never grow tired of you...or your body. But I have to confess something to you, my Queen. I actually fell in love with someone else...a typical, lovely townsgirl from next door."

She squeaked slightly when she felt one of his hands gently groping her butt. No, her Odr would never grow tired of her. But he was right, showering together was nice but took way too long.

Bell chuckled. "When you squeak like that you sound like her. Her name is Syr."

"I do?"

"Oh yes."

"Hmm~~~"

Freya showed a bit more playfulness. "Mr. Bell, are you heading to the dungeon again?"

Her appearance remained the same, but her voice was Syr´s.

"You´re really talented, my love."

"Only for you, Bell. Or...is it...no good?..."

It sounded really cute when she talked like that and sighed really happy afterwards when he kissed her.

Both now rememberred the moment he met Syr for the first time.

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Mmmh, I´m a bit tired.

He sighed to himself as the brisk morning air chilled his skin. The south main in the morning was very different from how it was in the afternoon. The streets felt much wider at sunrise, without all the people and noises. All of the shops were still closed, the sky in the east got brighter, Bell liked this time of the day. He saw only a few people, a few prums setting up their store, a group of dwarven adventurers that returned from the dungeon, he wondered why they did it in the early morning.

"*Growl*"

Mmmh, I maybe should´ve eaten more.

He was too excited to go into the dungeon again, so Bell only ate a single apple. Bell only noticed now just how hungry he was, would this become a problem in the dungeon?

Huh?

Bell looked over his shoulder, he had the feeling that something was right behind him, but there was nothing. But he seriously felt the eyes of a predator on him, something or someone was definetely staring at him before!

He continued to walk towards Babel, maybe he could find a shop that had opened early, to buy a piece of bread or something like that. Bell was so hungry that he didn´t pay attention to the female figure that walked past him, coming from Babel.

"Um, excuse me..."

Bell spun around quickly, the person was much closer than he had noticed.

"Kya!"

It was a girl, a human girl, maybe one or two years older than him. She wore a white blouse with a light green knee-length skirt. On top of that came a salon apron. Her simple blue-gray hair was tied into a tight bun on the back of her head, but a cute ponytail stuck out from the center of it. The eyes had the same color as her hair, looking innocent and very cute. Bell had never seen such smooth, milky skin before at a mortal woman.

Bang!

Bell felt his heart throb, never before in his life did he see such a beautiful girl.

"Woah..."

"Ahm, Mr. adventurer?"

"Huh? Oh, sorry. Y-Yes, can I help you?"

Bell only noticed now that this girl carried a giant backpack, not as big as the ones that supporter adventurer used, but pretty big. Much bigger than he would´ve thought she would be able to carry.

"Oh...yes. Here, you dropped this."

The girl raised her hand and showed Bell a bluish purple crystal.

"Huh, a magic stone? I thought I sold all of them yesterday."

"It fell to the floor when you walked past me."

"Oh, thank you! This is really kind of you!"

"No, it wasn´t much."

And then...she smiled. Bell felt his heart throb again, he would never forget this moment. Even his goddess didn´t have a smile that beautiful. His face got a bit red when he returned her smile shyly, why did he feel so weird when he looked at her? She chuckled slightly when she saw his face.

"Are you already heading to the Dungeon this early?"

"Yes, I think it is better to start to work early. The home of my familia becomes pretty loud in the morning."

Their conversation stopped, the silence was a bit awkward. Bell would love nothing more than to say something, but he didn´t know what.

To his luck...or bad luck...he didn´t have to come up with something.

His stomach did it for him.

"*GROOOOOOOOOOWL*"

"Mmmmmh!"

Bell went bright red.

"..."

As her eyes went wide, Bell wanted to sink into the ground and vanish.

At first there was a chuckle, then a giggle, then a little laugh. His face felt hot enough to cook eggs on it, but to see her laugh was really precious. Bell didn´t knwo if he blushed because he was embarrassed of his growling stomach or because of her.

"Ehehe. Are you hungry by chance?"

"Ahm...yeah."

"Didn´t you have breakfast?"

"Only a small apple. I went so early that the kitchen was still closed."

It was just too awkward, he couldn´t look into her eyes.

"Hehe, here."

"Huh?"

The girl put down the big backpack and opened it. On top of the stuff inside was a small box. Bell could smell bread, cheese and some sausage.

"I made a few sandwiches if you want."

"But isn´t this your breakfast?"

"It is okay, the café slash pub that I work at isn´t open yet, so I can only offer you my breakfast."

"Eeh?! No, no, no. That´s your breakfast?! I can´t accept it!"

And then she did something that Bell immediatelly fell for. She looked a bit shy to the side and bit her lower lip slightly. Her beauty wasn´t something divine like his goddess´, this girl had a lot of inner beauty. Yet she looked cuter the longer Bell talked to her.

He wondered if the strange feeling in his stomach was hunger or butterflies.

"I can´t leave you hungry like this, it would make me sad and it can be dangerous in the dungeon, I think. So please, Mr. Adventurer, accept it, okay?"

"But I..."

She glanced shyly up to him. "Is it...no good?"

Hnnnnngh!

Bell´s heart got squeezed by a minotaur´s fist when she looked at him like that. The girl closed her eyes for a moment, while Bell was busy thinking of a reply. When she opened them, a mishievous smile crept over her face, she leaned forward until her face was just centimeters away from Bell´s.

For him it looked like her eyes flickered into a purple color.

T-Too close...!

"Mr. Adventurer, I´m making this sacrifice for you, so in exchange..."

"In exchange?"

"You have to eat dinner tonight at the bar I work at."

Bell didn´t know how to react, the girl didn´t just crack the ice between them, she obliterated it! It was the first time they met, yet she laughed and smiled as if they knew each other already. It was a smile that made it impossible for Bell to say no...

"You´re...not playing fair, do you..?"

"Tee-hee. No. Here you go, don´t worry about me, I will get something to eat once the bar opens. So please come this evening and spend a lot of money! I have the early shift, then free over the afternoon and start working in the evening again."

He couldn´t say no to such a happy grin...

"Ahm, well..."

"Hmmmmmmm?"

"Th-Thank you...I´ll be seeing you tonight."

"Hehe, I´ll be waiting!"

As he left, she giggled slightly and turned around to walk into a different direction. Maybe he should feel manipulated, but Bell felt something completely different.

He had the feeling that he just met the one. The one and only.

Before he went into Babel, Bell rememberred something important. He turned around and took a deep breath.

"I...I´m Bell Cranel, what is your name?"

She slowly turns her head around, his heart was beating like a jackhammer.

She smiled...and her eyes flickered into the purple color again for a moment.

"I´m Syr Flover, Bell."

He just stood there and looked at her for a few moments.

"Bell, is something wrong?"

Bell didn´t know from where it came, but...he thought he saw her eyes flicker again purple for a second, then they remained in that color. A color that he already knew from someone else.

"Goddess? Is that you?"

"Bell? What are you saying? Calling me a goddess is a bit much."

She giggled.

Giggled exactly like Freya had done in his presence.

"Goddess, I know that giggle and your eye color."

Syr´s expression slipped for a second, her eyes widened in shock. She quickly took a small mirror out of her pocket, but her eyes looked the same as usual. Yet of course this behaviour told Bell everything.

Somehow, however that was possible, Bell saw through Freya´s disguise immediatelly. With surprising strength, Syr had then pulled Bell into a side alley, telling him not to say a word. Syr would be late for work on this morning, but she explained in secret to Bell what exactly happened here and why she did what she did.

Bell could understand his goddess, but he couldn´t hold back from saying something.

"This..."

"This?"

"This is pretty cute...and adorable...Goddess."

"Nah!"

Syr...Freya...went bright red when Bell called her that. It was the first time that Bell managed to make her flustered.

.

.

.

Freya closed one of the buckles of Bell´s armor for him, she always helped him with that.

"You were really cruel back then, to see through my disguise so easily."

"I didn´t do it on purpose."

Freya kissed his cheek from behind when he turned his head to the side. "But I guess it showed that we were meant for each other, my love."

"I think so too. And I´m happy to share all these precious memories with you."

Freya´s eyes lit up again. Oh how much fun did she have introducing Bell to her friends at the pub, they were extremely protective of Syr. When Freya´s feelings started to bloom for Bell and she fell genuienly in love with him, Ryu supported her the most. Always talking about a future partnership, set in stone.

After Freya was done with Bell´s armor, she looked up and down at him. "Hmmm~~~ Perfect."

"Thank you for your help."

"And my payment?"

Bell put his hands on Freya´s hip, suddenly pulled her close and kissed her stormily. She returned the kiss all too willingly. Afterwards she smiled at him, filled with all the love she felt for him.

"Hehe~~~ Do your best today, my Odr."

"I will."

Bell left the room while Freya remained there, on his way out he greeted to women waiting outside.

"Good morning, Horn, Heith."

Horn nodded in an elegant way. "Good morning, Bell."

Heith winked slightly. "Morning."

Both had changed a lot due to Bell being part of the familia, as did the whole Freya familia. While he went away, Horn and Heith entered the room, they would help Freya with her dress and making her hair.

There was also a different reason why Freya didn´t go out at the same time with Bell. He was heading towards the trainings grounds of Folkvangr and for some reason, Freya refused to see the start of the daily training. It was something her heart couldn´t bear.

The Einherjar and high executives were already preparing for the training when Bell arrived. He wore his white armor, the purple cape that looked exactly like Freya´s eyecolor and his three weapons. Two were long daggers, the "Rabbit Fangs", a gift from Freya shortly after he joined the familia.

His third weapon was a sword, with the perfect length to use it with one hand, wielding one of the Rabbit Fangs in his other hand. This sword was also a gift from Freya, it was her personal sword. Since Freya was also a Goddess of War, she had a private armory, two sets of armor and a few weapons. Her favorite ones were a special spear, a round shield and this sword. But when a certain event had happened, where Freya got her heart broken and became so desperate that she got close to leaving the mortal world...all due to an enormous misunderstanding, Bell had to fight his way into Folkvangr to get to her.

The whole familia, except for Hedin, had been his opponent. He had help in the beginning, the whole staff of the pub, except for Mia, had charged the gates of Folkvangr with him, helping him to fight the Einherjar and Andrimnir, the healers. Before that, the Gulliver brothers had attacked him and the pub, due to making Freya suffer.

Bell fought his way through Folkvangr, while Ryu and the others took care of the knocked out Einherjar. Bell defeated Allen, then Hogni in a truly epic duel, which led to Hedin who watched it, not wanting to talk to Bell for a while.

His last opponent had been Ottar, who demanded a fight among warriors. Ottar´s Hildis Vini smashed into Bell´s fully charged "Ambrosia", his fire magic which had been completely powered up by Argonaut, his charging skill.

When Bell had defeated Ottar, at least as much as someone could defeat Ottar, he went to Freya. Bell had apologized and explained to her what really happened, Freya saw how much she misunderstood him.

On that day, Bell got so much Excelia and did a great deed, that he was able to level up to seven later.

And he became Freya´s champion and lover...again. So she had gifted him this sword, a sign of their eternal union.

But something about this sword was special. It belonged whoever was the current champion of Freya.

The Einherjar and high executives waited for Bell.

He showed them a smile like a true warrior.

"Good morning, everyone."

He raised the sword in it´s scabbard.

"The same deal as every morning, whoever defeats me will get this sword and Freya´s affection."

While Freya only loved one man, whoever defeated Bell would at least get a kiss on the cheek from her. And to wield her personal sword was something every warrior of Folkvangr wanted!

Except for Ottar...and Hogni...and Hedin...and Allen.

All of them had defeated him at one point, but they never took the sword away from him. Just because it didn´t suit their fighting styles. Plus they knew that Freya would secretely be a bit upset if someone managed to take the sword away from Bell.

In the familia, Bell had a special position, not only because he was Freya´s spouse. Bell wasn´t a high executive. He stood outside of the inner circle, his job was something different.

He was focussed on fighting, getting stronger and also managed relationships with other familias. Despite being a member of the Freya familia, Bell had managed to find friends in other places and later other familias. The first place had been the pub, he ate there every morning, was a bit embarrassed at first that it was his goddess in disguise who made breakfast for him, but it also made him really happy, especially when his feelings for her started. One by one the staff members got convinced that Bell was a nice guy, Ryu was the first who started to trust him.

Ahnya had been a bit troubled due to her past, but Bell also won her over with his friendliness and lots of snacks. The others got worried at first when Bell had walked Syr home one evening, but they had decided to trust him. Freya, as Syr, told Bell how much she loved to work at the pub and how much her friends meant to her. And how glad she was that Bell was there and helped Ahnya with her trauma. That she hoped one day she and Ahnya would have a better relationship.

Later, despite being in rival familias, Bell had become friends with Tiona, due to shared hobbies. The elf Lefiya had been the most wary of him, but things got better. So the first of the Loki familia he had contact with were Tiona, Tione, Lefiya and Ais. The high exeuctives were interested in that starting contact, wanting to know if Bell was maybe a spy of Freya. But they quickly got that Bell wasn´t able to lie in any way, Loki could even confirm by asking him some "innocent" questions, that he was genuienly a nice guy.

Other people followed. Without knowing or noticing it, Bell slowly started to forge a kind of alliance among various familias and started to close the rift between Loki and Freya.

This all made Freya happy later, for a different reason.

.

.

.

The first one to challenge Bell was Hogni, as usual. It was also the reason why Freya refused to come out of her room for now, because Bell and Hogni always started their fight in the same way.

"My pupil, I demand thee to fight!"

Hogni threw his cape backwards in a dramatic way, revealing the hilt of his sword.

"My name is Hogni Ragnar! He who wields the Cursed Sword and master of personality magic! First and Foremost among the swordsmen of the Freya Familia! Former King of the Dark Elves and eternal Rival of Hedin Selland!"

Hogni ended with his left hand in front of his face, the fingers spread and he looked at Bell. His eyes said all that was necessary...give it your all, my pupil.

Bell also had to do something flashy.

He activated his magic on his feet and hands.

"My name is Bell Cranel! Master of the white flames of love! Star Pupil of Hogni Ragnar! Wielder of the Rabbit Fangs! Champion of the Goddess of Love! Second fastest among all adventurers in Orario! He who rose to level six faster than anyone else before! Beloved of the Goddess of Love and lovely townsgirl!"

In the end, Bell let his white flames explode behind him like a big cape.

Hogni laughed and showed Bell a thumbs up.

Wonderful! Wonderful, my pupil!

Thank you, Master!

Then Hogni became serious again.

Due to his level ups, Bell had received skills, his magic had changed a bit but he never got a second spell.

One of his skills was for some reason called "Blood of Zeus", Freya couldn´t explain to him why he would have something like that.

This skill allowed him to add lightning elemental energy to his attacks or magic. And he was able to do something else...something that let Freya cringe from embarrassement, but Bell loved it.

She had begged him to never use this skill when she could see him. Otherwise she would probably return to heaven, not able to bear with the shame.

Lightning started to crackle around Bell as he activated his magic again.

Everyone in Folkvangr, including Freya in her room, heard the ringing of little bells, the white flames on Bell´s arms crawled to his left hand, particles of light and white fire gathered there, lightning crackled all around his body.

This wasn´t what made Freya cringe...it was what happened next.

A magic circle appeared under Hogni´s feet, since Bell pointed his magic at him. A second appeared above Hogni´s head, they couldn´t see it but another appeared above and another...and another...

Ten magic circles appeared above each other, forming a sort of tower.

Ten magic circles would mean that this would be the strongest magic spell in history!

But...

These circles were just decoration...they didn´t do anything else than "looking cool"...at least in Bell´s eyes. He remeberred that Freya had nearly cried when she saw that for the first time, Syr had praised him for something so amazing...even when he now got aware of the slight pain in her eyes.

Apparently, magic and skills were a reflection of the person´s soul, that something in Bell longed to put on a show and look amazing. He didn´t dream about a title like "Burning Fighting Fighter" for nothing...

And even when his magic didn´t need a magic circle or chant...Bell still did it sometimes.

.

"The sparks of Genesis."

Fire and Lightning flew from Bell´s hand to the tower of magic circles.

"The embers of Oblivion."

Freya wished she were somewhere else right now or at least couldn´t hear Bell...

"Past, Present and Future, a forbidden force that subsumes all creation."

Hogni grinned filled with excitement.

"My name is Flame. I am become destruction, without mercy."

The goddess felt a shiver running down her spine...and it wasn´t the good kind!

"By my blood, by my flesh, the commandments set by the gods are now shattered."

"I am called Bell Cranel. Foremost prodigy of Hogni Ragnar and master of the Firebolt."

Bell started to shout.

"Heavens! Earth! You will never forget my name! Let the storm blow! Let the flames roar!"

Not even Hedin produced so much lightning with his magic...he was more humble.

"Behold my power!"

.

.
"FIIIIIIIREBOOOOOOOOOOLT!"

.

When his flames of love burned, Bell could use this trigger word to fire a part of his magic. The other way would be to shout "Ambrosia" to let it explode around him. He didn´t defeat Hogni with this spell, it was just the start of their fight.

They did that each day when they fought.

Every.

Single.

Time.

And Bell had thirteen different introductions so that things wouldn´t get boring.

This was the reason why Freya remained inside until the fight really started. Because seeing her beloved act like that let her cringe. Horn and Heith couldn´t help but smile abashed inside Freya´s room when they saw how embarrassing it was for Freya to even hear Bell like that. The goddess slumped to her knees and hit her face behind her hands, her ears were red.

As much as she loved Bell, Freya was unable to bear this shame. And normally Freya absolutely knew no shame when it came to Bell! Whatever they did together, she loved it! Even when both explored their naughtiest fantasies together...and Bell had these too!

.

Bell´s cast was the signal to start the big brawler fight. The baptism of Folkvangr wasn´t the same as in the past. When Bell became Freya´s champion, he slowly got along better afterwards with some members. One of Freya´s big surprises was when Bell talked with the Gulliver brothers. Bell admired them, he truly, honestly did. He told them how cool and amazing it looked how they worked together. That it seemes like each of them were fighting on their own, yet had perfect teamwork and blocked for each other and so on. Alfrikk and the others were a bit sceptical, but Freya whispered into his ear that Bell was completely honest.

In Bell´s eyes they were one of the greatest warriors he knew. This flattered the four prums, even more after Bell said he wished that the tactics in Folkvangr would go more like the four prums fought. That they reminded him of the golden guardians he read about. The Gullivers got interested when Bell told them about it. The famous guard of an old king, each of them fought in a golden armor, using the weapon that was perfect for them. While each for more like a lion on his own, instead of a pack of wolves together, they were trained and experienced enough to block for each other or even use openings that others created.

Since Bell wanted to change something with the baptism, and Freya did too, he asked her for permission for something. This was the start when Bell offered the sword to whoever might beat him. So sometimes he fought against all the Einherjar at once, they got into trouble with each other and never managed to overpower Bell. For three weeks he beat them, until even the last one got they couldn´t win. The high executives had just watched what Bell did and why. Then Bell fought with his full strength against the Gullivers and they got really close to beat him, with just four of them. Slowly, instead of only fighting by themself, the Einherjar learned how important teamwork could be.

Due to that the Freya familia got even stronger. And Freya heavily encouraged them to do that. When the new form of baptism went, by teams fighting together, Freya promised a kiss on the cheek or forehead for each member of the winning team. Also, it was forbidden to fight too hard, bringing each other to the brink of death.

And like that, the burden on the Andrimnir got lighter, which improved their mood very much, especially Heith´s.

Bell was well liked in his familia, some liked him more than others. But even Allen started to like Bell at some point and even thanked him from the bottom of his heart for something.

It had been one year ago, at that time Bell had been Freya´s champion and spouse for two years, he was four years in Orario at that point.

When the One Eyed Black Dragon returned.

It was the fight of the century...no...the millenium.

And in the end it was Bell who dealt the killing blow, destroying the cursed monster. In the moment that this happened, Allen finally knew that his little sister would be safe. For some adventurers this day turned everything around or changed everything.

The third great quest had been beaten.

For someone like Ais Wallenstein, this had made her happy and devastated her at the same time. Her goal in life was gone. It was the same for Allen. But unlike Ais, Allen had something to look forward to. Not only was his little sister safe, she was about to become a mother! And he an uncle!

Some people thought all would be over now that the One Eyed Black Dragon was dead.

But it wasn´t the end.

The dungeon was still there. The deepest floors had to get explored, so that something like the three great monsters would never appear again. Due to Bell´s influence and the change in Freya, Loki´s and her familia started to work together. The giant expedition easily went deeper and further than just the Loki familia.

.

.

.

Two years went by like this. Bell and Freya got happier with each other each day. After Bell encouraged her to dare it, Freya even finally confessed to the pub staff about Syr. It was a long, complicated talk, Anya had her small daughter with her, who fell asleep at some point. Chloe had been a heavily pregnant cat at that time!

In the end, they accepted Freya, but never called her by that name. For them, she would always be Syr, their good friend. Freya had never before cried so much on that day.

So Bell´s help had made her even happier.

Nothing could destroy their happiness, that´s what Freya told herself.

It had been better if she hadn´t done that.

Seven years after Bell came to Orario, a lucky number, the giant Expedition, with help of Haruhime and her unique magic, she belonged to the Takemikazuchi familia, they went to go to the last floor. To see what was there.

And maybe...to beat the dungeon.

Bell and Freya shared the longest kiss of their life before the Expedition went to the dungeon. She wanted his promise to return to her, no matter what. Bell didn´t swear an oath on his life, he did it on his soul.

The one thing Bell wanted more than anything else was to return to his love. And bring his friends back alive.

.

.
"Bell, go! We will keep them at bay!"

"But...captain...I..."

"Go!"

"Go you useless rabbit!"

"End it!"

The Loki and Freya familia shouted in unison while they fought the strongest, weirdest monster that the dungeon had ever given birth to. They were down on the last floor, the only thing left to see, where the core of the dungeon had to be, was a dark cave behind them.

Bell had lost one of the Rabbit Fangs, he only had one left and the sword. It had to be enough.

So Bell turned to the cave and moved, while the others protected and held the position.

What would await him?

.

The entrance to the cave was dark, behind that was light. The dungeon was always brighter than it usually should be. It was quiet here, he didn´t hear any noises from the outside.

.
So you finally arrived here.

"Huh?"

Bell held his weapons ready and slowly walked forward. The cave didn´t seem to be anything special, a few green crystals grew here and there, but he saw nothing that looked dangerous. Yet he heard a voice in his head. A female voice.

.
Foolish mortal child, whatever you want to achieve here, it won´t work.

Bell looked around, he heard a voice but saw no one that it belonged to.

"Who´s there? Where are you?!"

.
Over here.

Light flashed for a moment, Bell blinked, then he saw it...saw her.

At the end of the cave was a big rock pillar. And in front of it, with closed eyes, hang or was a naked woman. She was halfway merged with the stone, it almost looked like her skin was also stone. Her eyes were closed and her chest didn´t move, as if she didn´t need to breath.

"What is this?! Who´re you?!"

.
The puny gods above call me...Gaia

"Gaia? I never heard this name before."

"Of course not. You aren´t allowed to know it. I am the primordial Goddess of Life and the Earth. I am Gaia. I am the dungeon."

"WHAT?! The dungeon is a goddess?!"

"Primordial Goddess. I stand so far above mere gods as they stand above you. I am the earth, I am eternal, immortal."

"All the gods are immortal."

Bell saw Gaia´s lips curling up. "Not like me."

She never opened her eyes.

"You give birth to the monsters?"

"They are my children, they deserve to have the surface. Not like you imposters, created by the jealous gods, jealous of my creation!"

"I don´t understand."

"You don´t need to, you will fail, you will die."

"Why do you cr-"

"Silence, worm. You have no right to talk to me. Get lost, your friends out there will soon die. You can´t beat me. I AM ETERNAL!"

Bell gripped his sword and dagger.

"You are the source of all evil?"

"Call it that, worm. I don´t care. If you try to strike me down, you will regret it. Go outside and die with your friends. Last warning."

"Will you stop spawning monsters?"

"Never. Why should I?"

Bell thought for moments that seemed to have no end.

"You let people suffer, you ruin their lives. I can´t let that go."

Gaia seemed to lean forward, presenting him her chest. "If you dare to strike me down, you will suffer. Take this as my last warning."

Bell wasn´t sure if he should really strike down a goddess, but what choice did he have?

He was able to finally free the whole world from the dungeon!

So in the end...

.

"Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"

.

Bell made the decision. He jumped forward and thrusted his sword and dagger at the same time in Gaia´s chest.

A screech like no one had ever heard before echoed through the dungeon. Bell made a step back as Gaia´s body shook heavily, throwing herself left and right, screaming with that unworldly voice.

Eventually her body slumped down, still held up by the rock since she was half merged with it.

For a second her eyes opened before they got closed again.

.

You were warned...

.
Bell heard a loud crash behind him. He whirled around and saw a massive rock sliding into the doorway, blocking the exit out of the cave.

"What?!"

He immediatelly ran towards the rock and tried to move it, but nothing happened.

Bell hammered with his fist against the rock.

"Hey! Heeeeeeey!"

Bell heard nothing, no reaction. He looked back at Gaia, but her lifeless body just hang there, dead. Bell wouldn´t give up, he hammered against the rock, fired his magic against it.

Nothing.

Bell went as far as to go to Gaia´s corpse, ripping his sword out of her chest. The dagger wouldn´t move.

He attacked the rock with his sword, but nothing happened. Neither did the rock break, nor did his sword get destroyed. Bell pressed his ear against the rock but he heard nothing, absolutely nothing.

"What do I do...I´ll have to wait."

Since he couldn´t move or destroy the rock, maybe the giant party on the outside could manage to do it.

So Bell waited...until he got desperate again and attacked the rock anew after nothing happened.

At some point Bell fell asleep from exhaustion.

.

One day went by.

Two days.

.

A week.

It was weird, no one opened or broke the rock. The cave was sealed, yet Bell didn´t suffocate nor did he feel hungry. He screamed again and again, hammering all he had against the rock.

Nothing happened.

.

Two weeks passed.

Nothing...

.

Bell cried, he got really desperate and wanted nothing more than to get out of here. To go back to his friends and his love.

Freya waited for him.

.

The first month passed.

Nothing changed.

Gaia´s corpse didn´t rot, nor did she stink. Bell had taken off his clothes since they smelled from the sweat and attacked the rock whenever he could. With every bit of his strength. He never heard a noise from the outside.

Weren´t the others trying to free him? Did something happen? Were they...dead?

Did they have to retreat?

This had to be it, they probably went back to the surface to heal and come back down immediatelly. Bell calculated, they had to get back down here every day now!

.

After the third month passed...Bell started to lose all hope.

He cried.

"Please...let me go...let me go...out of here..."

He knelt in front of the rock, which looked the same as before. Crying like a small child, Bell just wanted to get out of here, go back to see the sun.

.

After the fourth month passed, the light in the cave mostly vanished. Only the crystal glew very slightly.

Bell had stopped to scream, stopped to cry...it changed nothing. He could only try his best on the rock.

.

.

After...one year had passed...Bell only lay on the ground, he had lost all hope. He wouldn´t get out of here. Never. Bell neither ate nor drank anything for a year now, yet he didn´t die.

How?

Even gods who didn´t do that would dwindle and get catapulted back to heaven. Bell had tried his best to get his dagger out of Gaia´s chest, but it didn´t move. In his desperation he even tried to destroy her corpse with his magic and sword, nothing happened.

.

"*hic* *hic* *hic* Freya..."

Bell just lay there and cried.

.
One and a half years had passed...nothing changed.

Bell didn´t know if he had gone mad or insane, his mind was filled with images of Freya. How she had smiled at him, how she laughed, how they had kissed.

He closed his eyes...there was nothing he could do. He couldn´t die, couldn´t get out.

It was just eternal torture. For raising his hand against a primordial being.

.

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Bell didn´t know how much time had passed...two years? Three? Five? Time had lost all meaning for him.

But...he heard a noise. A scraping noise.

Bell slowly got up to his feet, he didn´t know when he spoke a word for the last time. A light rumble filled the cave.

"Ah.."

The rock...moved.

With a small rumble and a scraping noise, the rock moved to the side again.

"Ah!..."

Tears ran down Bell´s cheeks.

Finally!

He didn´t know when or how, but he put his clothes back on, his body was dirty from spending so much time naked and trying to break out of the cave. With Freya´s sword in hand, he stumbled out of the cave, not even looking back at Gaia a last time.

It was quiet on the floor, nothing seemed to move. And it was dark, only a few crystals here and there glew, barely enough to see.

"Haaa..."

Bell couldn´t speak, he wasn´t able to bring a word out, he could only croak slightly.

But he stumbled forward. And for the first time since he was in the cave, Bell felt thirsty. With now suddenly weak feeling legs, he stumbled forward.

Time lost all meaning again for Bell. Everything lost meaning. All he could think of was getting out of here. His head turned left and right, there were no monsters here.

No matter how far he moved, there weren´t monsters anywhere.

The dungeon felt empty.

It weren´t only the monsters, when he moved out of the lower hell into the glacial territory...nothing was there. Only a tiny bit of water where in the past had been a titanic, frozen river. There was no snow, no ice, no frozen trees. It was just a hollow cave.

In his hazy mind, Bell moved forward. The water tasted disgusting, but his status made it able for him to drink a tiny bit. It tasted just how he expected water in a cave deep under the surface to taste.

Bell moved forward.

Every single floor that normally had a special look, looked the same now, empty caves. When he arrived at the 37th floor, the mighty walls that separated the five areas...were gone. Crumbled down and reduced to rubble and dust...

Bell moved further.

The great falls were dry. The forest labyrinth gone.

The 18th floor was just an empty cave with a few broken crystals in the ceiling.

He moved further.

10th floor.

5th floor.

1st floor.

Bell tried to run but he was exhausted to no end. He was now so exhausted that he had fallen down on various floors and slept for a while. When he arrived at the stairway that led down to the dungeon...it was broken and mostly destroyed.

And Bell saw daylight from above, not very bright so it was maybe early morning.

He shouldn´t be able to see daylight from here. When he climbed the broken stairways up...Bell stopped.

There was nothing above...he couldn´t see Babel. The tower was gone.

When he stumbled a few steps forward, Bell noticed a titanic shadow next to him. His eyes turned wide but he couldn´t believe what he saw. Babel was still there, around him. But the tower had broken down. Maybe the first ten floors were still above him, but it was hollow. The rest of the tower lay on it´s side, Babel...had broken down.

"Ah..."

No one was here, the hall was empty and dusty.

Bell staggered out of one of the broken gates.

He sank down to his knees.

Orario...was a ruin.

Wind and dust moved through the empty streets.

All buildings were abandoned and destroyed. Not by some force, it looked as if...as if it had been time. All the buildings looked old...really old. Like...ancient ruins.

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Just how much time had actually passed?