Chapter 37:

Bell did not know how long it took him, just that his trip had seemed to take all day. Still, he had found his way to the graveyard. He ducked through the bushes and found the three unmarked graves. The next hour was him talking to the headstones. It started quietly as he tried to keep his composure. But then his volume picked up, and he just got angrier and angrier. His conversation carried on and on. And after a while, he could see the logic to it. Hestia, as always, was trying to protect him. He got that part, but the sting didn't go away. And as far as he saw it, the second Freya started threatening his life, the secret should have been up anyway.

Honestly, though, that was not the part that had him the most concerned. It was about where the skill came from. His desire to be as strong as Ais had led him to this path of incredible growth. But that begged the question, what did he really want from that? Did he want to be like Ais? Was that all that really mattered to him? Did he love Ais, or was that just a little crush? But if it was just a little crush, how did it lead to something so extreme as Liaris Freese? The very thought of it all made Bell's head hurt and his heart ache. So, he continued to rant and rave. As he did so, he failed to hear the sound of footsteps approaching.

"Bell?"

With a sense of horror, Bell Cranel turned to find Ais standing, watching curiously. Her head was ever so slightly tilted to the side, and she seemed to be a little nervous for whatever reason. Slowly, she walked into the clearing. Her eyes darted from the graves up to Bell and then back down to the graves.

"Is this where Alfia is?" she asked. She seemed so unsure of herself.

Her hands were wringing, and she looked ready to bolt at any moment. It was as if she recognized that she was intruding on something important, but she cared enough about Bell to risk his irritation anyway. The action made Bell's heart stutter. Looking at her like this, vulnerable and confused, Bell realized that he loved her once upon a time and had possibly fell for her again. That was the truth. Now, he had to figure out if it happened because of the skill.

At some point, Bell realized that he had been staring at her silence. He knew this because Ais was slowly turning a charming shade of pink. She had looked away, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"I can leave…if you want?"

There was no accusation in her tone. All she had was uncertainty and sadness. From the way she was pouting, though, Bell knew that she didn't actually want to leave. She was just being polite. He could see the way her eyes would dart over to the gravestones. The sight almost made Bell smile. Despite whatever his problems were, the world went on. Ais wanted to know who he was. Sure, she wasn't doing an excellent job of understanding his mental state at the moment. But that was just how she was.

"No, Ais, I want you to stay. I mean…if you want!" Bell added at the end, waving his hands frantically.

The girl smiled at his acceptance and strolled up to the three headstones. She let her gaze fall to the one in the middle and turned her head to Bell.

"Is that one Alfia's?" she asked.

Bell nodded. He watched her crouched down and wave to the tombstone.

"Hello, Alfia."

She fell silent then. Bell thought she was contemplative, but then he saw how her lips were puckered. The girl started rubbing her chin. After a minute of frantic movements, she looked towards Bell.

"What else do I say?"

She seemed sincerely concerned with this question. Her eyes, while still cautious, were also determined. Bell had to smile at her efforts, which made her pout even more.

"I'm being serious!" she said.

Maybe it was a tight feeling in Bell's chest, but the laughter came easily to him. He started chuckling. He had to stop, though, when he felt a flick against his forehead. He opened his eyes to find Ais standing in front of him. And by that, he meant right in front of him. She was maybe an inch away. Bell tried to stumble away, but with every foot he took backwards, she took one forwards.

"Don't laugh at me," said Ais, her cheek puffed out.

"I'm not!" exclaimed Bell, his face gradually getting warmer.

"Then why are you running away?"

"Ais! You're standing too close!"

That statement made Ais blink. She looked at the space between them and took a step back. Curiously, her face also turned a light shade of red.

They stood there in silence, and Bell could feel the awkwardness press down on his shoulders. He let it, though. It was better to feel like this than trying to work through whatever he had felt about his Familia and their lies. Just the thought of it made Bell's face scrunch up in pain.

As he did, Ais stepped forward. Without thinking, she stepped up and cupped Bell's face in her hands. They felt surprisingly warm.

"What's wrong, Bell?"

Bell held it in for all of a second before he deflated like a balloon.

"Can we go and talk somewhere private?" he asked.

With the Goddess:

Back at the Hearth Manor, Hestia had gathered Lili and the rest of her Familia and told them the news. There was a range of reactions. Some nodded in approval, like Ryuu and Welf. Others almost seemed hurt, like Mikoto, Haruhime, and Elwin. They were bracing for the eventual talk with their Captain and the consequences they knew they deserved.

"Good, it's about time he knew," said Otohime. She had been against the secret-keeping the second she knew it was happening. "Still, though, I wish he hadn't run off. I was hoping to talk to him about it."

Hestia nodded; her eyes trained on the ground. After telling her story, she had seemed content to sit and listen to what the others had to say. However, the most frustrated was Lili. Her anger wasn't at her Goddess, Bell, or anyone else in her Familia. The Dauntless was simply raging against fate and its incessant path. Things never went easily. Instead, it was a constant stream of challenges. Every time she thought she had beaten one down, two more popped up.

'Oh? And what is whining like a little child going to do?' asked the voice of her mentor Athena.

'Absolutely nothing,' replied Lili.

The prum looked to her Goddess and quickly realized that Hestia was in no shape to help with anything. As much as Lili wanted her Goddess present and acting, she understood that the tiny being would need a minute. After all, Hestia was more empathetic than most deities, and she loved Bell more than anyone else in the world.

"Well, there is nothing else for us to do until Master Bell gets back," declared Lili.

Welf smirked from his spot on the couch. "Oh, and what do you want us to do about it, Commander?"

Lili narrowed her eyes at the smith. She pointed in the direction of the forge. "You get back outside! Who said you could leave your forge?"

Instead of responding, Welf just laughed. He stood up and started walking away. Lili watched him leave before turning to Ura and Oto.

"And you two! Mister Ura, we still need you making new items from your garden! And Lady Otohime, you need to start looking over Lili's proposed strategies. If Lili is to bring them before Mister Finn, then they need to be at their absolute peak."

Still, in a bit of a daze, Ura allowed himself to get led out of the room. Oto, who was pulling him, waved as she left. The former Princess was more than happy to leave the decision-making in someone else's hands.

After that, all it took was a glare from the Dauntless at Mikoto, Haru, and Elwin. The three took off with various excuses.

"Ah, I must be tending to my weapons!" shouted the Black Crow.

"Oh, dear! When did this house get so dusty?" asked the renard to no one.

"Huh, what was that, Filvis? Some ghost business? Well, alright then!" said Elwin.

Lili shook her head. She turned to the remaining occupants. Her Vice-Captain was quietly rubbing Hestia's shoulders. The elf offered small words of encouragement.

"He'll be alright. I'm sure Bell will come back soon, and you two can sit down and have a nice long talk," said the elf. "In the meantime, I'm sure there's something else you can do to keep busy, right?"

Hestia nodded. Her blue shawl hung limply around her shoulders. She pulled it closer as she lifted her head to look Lili in the eye.

"Well, let's hear it. You think I was stupid or something, right?" asked Hestia.

The Goddess's eyes nearly popped out of her eyeballs when the prum shook her head.

"Goddess Hestia did what she thought was right. In the end, it was your decision." Lili pouted. "That said, Lili wanted to be there to dammit!"

Ryuu chuckled. "Yes, I as well." She looked at Hestia. "Why did you choose now?"

Hestia sighed. "With all the secrets Bell was telling us, it only seemed fair that we come clean to him about what we were hiding. I mean, otherwise, we would just be a bunch of hypocrites, right?"

Lili nodded along. "Lili's supposes the Goddess is correct. And now we must live with the consequences of Hestia's actions." The prum shrugged. "In any case, there are more pressing matters to attend to. Lili has already scheduled a meeting with the Braver to go over our next steps regarding this supposed war with the Xenos."

"Supposed?" Ryuu's eyes narrowed inquisitively.

Lili sighed. "Is it really right to call this a war? I know these Xenos want to kill us all, but wouldn't the majority of adventurers do the same to them?"

Ryuu frowned. "Maybe so, but that doesn't stop this from being a war. We are trying to put them down, and they are trying to put us down. I sympathize with them, but I will not let them hurt my family. Anyone who tries is my enemy."

Hestia sat there in silence, still looking all forlorn. So, Lili gave her a nudge with her little foot. The Goddess raised her head.

"What are you going to do now?" asked Lili.

Hestia closed her eyes and took a deep breath. This was followed by three more deep breaths. She stopped, and Lili and Ryuu braced themselves for the divine proclamation. Instead, Hestia stood back up. She planted her feet and placed her hands on her hips.

"I'm going to do whatever I can to support Bell right now." She turned to her supporter. "So, that means that I'm coming with you to Loki Familia." She faced her Vice-Captain. "And you are staying here for when Bell comes home to us." She gave Ryuu a small smile. "He'll probably be the least angry with you anyway." She looked over at Lili. "And for all we know, he's at the Twilight Manor with Ais Wallenstein."

With the boy and the girl:

Bell Cranel was not at the Twilight Manor. Instead, he was sitting on top of the wall surrounding Orario. After finding him, Ais insisted that they head somewhere else to clear his head and talk. She thought that her spot for quiet might be the right place for Bell to clear his head.

And it had helped. Without worrying about anyone else listening, Bell was able to unload everything that had happened to him in the short span of the day. Ais listened intently and sat in absolute silence. For Bell, it was honestly a little unnerving. Eventually, when he was done, Ais Wallenstein leaned forward in close.

"So, you're saying that you loved me?"

Of all the things she would've asked, Bell was not expecting that. He blinked a couple times and was acutely aware of just how close Ais had brought her face to his. She was close enough that Bell could see the individual flecks and shades of gold of her irises. He saw the dimples on her cheeks and the lightest dusting of freckles on her supposedly flawless skin.

"Well…I suppose so…." Replied Bell.

Ais pouted. "But you don't anymore?"

Bell looked away, and Ais felt some kind of new pain blossom in her chest. It was sharp, but there was also something unsettling deep in her stomach. Honestly, she almost felt something that hadn't happened to her in years. She felt the beginning of tears.

"I don't know, Ais. But it wouldn't matter, right? I mean, you would never feel the same way…."

Ais heard those words, and it all hurt even more. She felt like she should say something. In fact, the Sword Princess knew that saying something was what was supposed to happen. Instead, she sat there in silence. The Little Ais in her head was already bawling its eyes out.

Across from her, Bell was kicking himself. Why in the world had he said those things? Was he so desperate for some form of love and connection? He tucked his knees under his chin and pulled at his hair. There was nothing for him to say. He didn't trust himself to speak, lest he just makes things even worse. When his vision started getting blurry, he let the tears sit there. He deserved them. All of his strength was fake, after all. He didn't put in the same work everyone else did. And he most certainly hadn't lived through the same hardships as other first-class adventurers. As his thoughts spiralled downwards, something cleared the tears from his face.

He looked up to find Ais rubbing at his face. Ais was staring at him, all of him. Before, whenever Ais would look at him, there was always a disconnect. Some part of the girl called the 'Sword Princess' was hidden behind a thick wall. Now, though, Bell felt her full attention. The entirety of Ais was looking at him now.

"I don't know," she said. "But I want to work hard and find out."

It took Bell a minute to realize what she was talking about. He had to replay their conversation in his head to remember that they were talking about his former love for her.

"You loved me once, right?" asked Ais.

Bell nodded slowly, totally out of sync about what was supposed to happen next.

"Then, maybe you can love me again." Ais tilted her head, her face clouded with worry. "Is that alright?"

Bell sat there in silence. He had no idea what to say right now. He struggled to find an answer. Everyone kept telling him that he didn't have to forgive anyone. Bell could be angry and move on with his life, he could bury his pain and let it all go, or he could sit here in confusion. These were all only a small selection of things the boy named Bell Cranel could do.

At some point, Ais had stood back up. She had stood up to burn her nervous energy, trying to find something to do with all these newfound emotions. Now, though, she looked down at Bell. From his position on the floor, he looked up at her face. A memory jolted itself from the back of his brain.

A young, fresh adventurer had gone to the fifth floor when he wasn't supposed to. At the same moment, an irregular minotaur had found its way past one of the strongest Familia in Orario. Their fastest members had been sent to chase the horned beasts down before they killed anyone unprepared.

The young one had been caught unawares and sent running. Still a level one, though, he had been easily caught. His back to the wall, he had almost died. Then, a gust of wind blew by and saved his life.

"Are you alright?"

Looking up at Ais now, Bell remembered the scene in perfect detail. From that moment came his burning ambition. To be as strong as the fabled Sword Princess. He had strived towards that goal with unrelenting passion. The boy had worked his way up through the ranks and found a family he would die for in the process. And he did it all for her, the Sword Princess. Then, she betrayed his trust, and he had to run from one of the only homes he had ever known. In the time in-between, he had learned only the most minor bits of who she was. Then, he came home. He reconnected with her and learned more about her.

But that wasn't all. He did it because he was a weakling, and he had been called it for it. Because Bell wanted to be stronger, so that no one could call him weak, and that no one would have to risk themselves to save him. Bell had wanted to save himself.

Staring at her now, Bell remembered all these things. And his back began to burn. It was almost searing with how intense it was. Strangely enough, though, there was no pain. There was just the heat. An intense pressure built throughout his body.

"Are you alright?" asked Ais, looking down at him.

The heat kept coursing, though. It lit a long dormant fire in his core. In a span of a second, Bell came to a startling realization. He wasn't alright. No matter how much he tried to think that his situation could be worse and that others had a more challenging life, he realized that his life could be better as well. Not just for his family, but for himself too. And he wanted to change that. He wanted to be better, not because of Ais or Hestia. For the first time in his life, Bell truly wanted something for himself. Not because of what his grandfather said. He wanted to be stronger because he didn't want to be pushed around anymore. He wanted to be an adventurer…well because it sounded cool!

His mother and father had told him to be whatever he wanted to. That he shouldn't let anyone push him down a path into something he didn't want. Well, they had explicitly mentioned Hermes and Zeus, but that was a question for later. Right now, what mattered to Bell was Bell. It was time to be just a little bit selfish…if that would be ok with everyone else. The heat began to calm, but it had burned away the last of his doubt. It sat, like a forge fire, waiting for its chance to shine. War was coming, and there was still much to do, including about what he felt with his Goddess, but he felt like the first step had been taken.

In the Tower of Babel, a Goddess felt a spasm of ecstasy wrack her body. Her Odr was on his way.

Meanwhile, Ais was just left standing there. She watched the gamut of emotions that ran across Bell's face. Anger, sadness, joy, fear, and finally a bit of hope flitted through his eyes. She was then taken by surprise as Bell leapt into the air. For the first time all day, he looked Ais properly in the face.

"Ais, I don't love you," he said. Unlike before, though, when Ais felt pain in her chest, there was a calming feeling rushing through her body. "But I think I might be ready too soon. I think…when I do end up loving again, I want it to be you. Right now, though, I have to be stronger."

"For who?" asked Ais.

If this was for her again, she'd feel bad. Ais refused to put on another layer of pressure to her precious bunny.

"For me. Because I want to choose what I do with my life."

Ais pouted. That sounded vague and like there was still a lot of time before he'd be ready. She'd wait, but she didn't know if she'd enjoy it. Patience was not the Sword Princess's strong suit.

"Before any of that, though, I need to stop Freya."

Ais nodded. That made sense. Freya would always be in their way otherwise. She looked Bell up and down. He seemed different now but also much the same. He was growing, and Ais didn't want to get left behind.

"So, where do you want to go now?" asked Ais.

That brought Bell up short. Apparently, he hadn't thought that far ahead. He looked left and right until his eyes settled on the girl standing in front of him. Ais suddenly felt self-conscious about how she looked and how Bell saw her. For some reason, she was suddenly worried about how her hair looked. It was so strange.

Tione's voice rang through her head.

"The more you get involved with this boy, the more you'll care about his opinion of you," said the amazon. "It's the curse of putting yourself out there."

In reality, Bell turned to look out over the city.

"Let's go to the Twilight Manor. I want to talk to Finn."

With the Scoundrel:

In Rivira, Bors stood watch outside of Wily's Inn. The people were all clamouring to get a peek inside, but he wasn't going to let them in. The ruffian leader was a man who understood debts and value. People who owed him something always paid it back in full and vice versa. Which is why he remembered an incident from a year ago when a stranger in a cloak saved his life. He hadn't seen much, but he knew that whoever it was had most certainly not been human. Bors wasn't stupid, so he did some digging and asked some questions. The person who saved his life was a talking monster creature called a Xenos. Her name was Wiene, and she saved Bors's life.

So, the moment he saw her hurt and unconscious, he made it his personal mission to take care of her. The grizzled veteran had placed her in a special bunk secluded from everyone else. Bors had also used his valis to buy her medicine and had sent a runner to the Guild to tell them what was happening. And finally, he had forbidden everyone else from coming anywhere near her location. Just in case, he had taken up a position as a guard outside her door.

That was why he knew that something big was happening when a runner came to get him. One of his fellow ruffians came running. They were out of breath and needed a minute.

Bors sat the man down. "What is it? Did you hear something from the Guild or not?"

He nodded.

"The half-elf lady, she took me into a side-room. Then, she came in with a message from up top." He looked up, and the fear in his eyes shook Bors to his core. "We need to get the little miss out of here. Someone will be sent down soon to pick her up. And apparently, they want us ready for an attack."

Bors growled. "What in the world does that mean? They do realize that this place is made of wood?"

The runner shrugged.

Bors sighed. "Well, hopefully, they send someone soon." He peered inside, where the little dragon girl was snoring. "I don't know how much longer the little lass can stay secret."

His companion peered over his shoulder. "This don't seem right, Bors. Something's just wrong about harbouring a monster like this."

Bors looked over with his good eye. "Stuff it. Saying anything else will just cause problems, got it? And the last thing we need is more problems."

The other adventurer sighed. "Yeah, alright then. How about you take a break, and I'll keep watch?"

Bors looked the man up and down before grunting. He had things to do, and apparently, he had to ready the defences.

With the Goddesses:

In the Twilight Manor, at its top office, Loki sat in silence. Her eyes were fully open, and she considered the itty-bitty Goddess in front of her. She held a glass of red wine loosely in one hand.

"You'd really do that?" asked Loki, all mocking tone gone from her voice. "Damn, I don't think I've ever heard you so beaten up." She looked away. "Kind of makes me feel bad."

"Whatever, Loki, would you do it?" Hestia pressed the question as far as she could

The crimson-haired Goddess nodded.

"Sure, I would. I still plan on confronting Freya anyway." She placed her glass on the table. "But I don't think I'll have to. I know that boy of yours. He's loyal to a fault. I doubt he'll be giving up on you anytime soon."

Hestia sighed. "I hope so too. But just in case, I need to secure his happiness for the future."

Loki nodded, the two enjoying a comfortable silence.

A little bit away, Lili was talking with Finn and the top brass of Loki Familia. Tione also sat in attendance, not for one second wishing to leave her Captain alone with her self-proclaimed love rival.

"You'll think we'll need a full-scale expedition?" asked Riveria.

Lili nodded. "Lyd said that these Sun Seekers were running their operation deep within the Dungeon. At least as far as floor fifty. If they decide to set up every safe point like floor thirty-four, turning it into a large battleground…."

"…then we'll have quite the horde to deal with." Finn rubbed his chin deep in thought. "In many ways, this is like an extermination quest from the Guild."

Riveria and Gareth nodded along, but Lili slammed her fist into the desk. With her level three strength, even holding back left a significant indent.

"If Mister Finn thinks like that, we're all going to die," said the Dauntless.

"Oh, and what do you mean by that little lass?" asked Gareth, stroking his beard.

Lili looked over at the dwarf. "Have you forgotten that Lili has fought the Sun Seekers before? These are not mindless creatures. They will outsmart you if you underestimate them." She grit her teeth. "Do not forget, we are in their home."

Finn smiled. "You're right. Honestly, many of my original plans for this war were drawn up in arrogance." He laid his palms out on the table. "What do you suggest then?"

The two pallums began to work out the details and kinks of their long campaign. All the while, Riveria and Gareth chimed in with their knowledge of logistics and numbers. There was a lot to organize, especially considering that they'd be working with Ganesha Familia, Hephaestus Familia, and several other small Familias that had volunteered their people. Dian Cecht's children would be there for medical support and so on and so forth with the various trades and tools needed.

"It'll be best if we send everyone down in teams," said Lili. "And we'll need to make some specialized units. A scouting one, for example."

Finn nodded along. "Riveria's Fairy Force will also be expanded to a full mage brigade. We will also bring together some other specialty units. Perhaps a smithing one. Any ideas for who should go where?"

Lili did have ideas, a lot of them, in fact. Some Finn shot down, but others he quickly added to his repertoire.

"Now, I take it you'll be needing to be my second in command?" asked Finn.

Lili shook her head. "If Lili was to suddenly rise through the ranks like this, many other Familias and adventurers would be displeased, to say the least."

Riveria nodded. "True enough, we are a proud and stubborn lot after all."

Lili shrugged. "It's not a major issue. Lili can simply be Mister Finn's adjutant or aide."

"The heck is an adjutant?" asked Gareth.

"It's a strategic term," explained Lili. "I will be Mister Finn's aide, administrative officer and etc. This way, Lili can still help with the team strategy without being in charge."

The Braver grinned. "I like it. I take it you learned this while under the mentorship of Lady Athena?"

The Dauntless smiled in agreement while also laying out some other ideas she had prepped and ready. The four adventurers went back and forth for a while, with Tione left to scratch her head at the various implications they were tossing out.

"You want to mix the teams?" asked Riveria, eyebrow raised.

Lili, who had taken to standing, placed her hands on the desk.

"Yes," she began. "At least until we get to the deep floors. We need to build a level of trust between the different Familias so that they aren't left out in the dust." She pulled out some paper from a back pocket. "Lili has already taken the liberty to write out some ideas for how to split the groups."

The first to read was Gareth, who agreed with the formations. The special squads would be mixed, of course, and broken down based on Familia talents. The main forces each had a Captain, a seasoned first-class adventurer, and a lieutenant, a second-class adventurer. There would be waves of entry and so on and so forth. Things were proceeding smoothly until there was a knock at the door.

Tione went to open it and found Bell Cranel standing there, Ais Wallenstein standing close behind him. Lili balled her fist upon her thighs.

"Lili," said Bell, slightly surprised but distant. "Is Goddess Hestia here?"

The prum, still facing forward, nodded. Her scruffy hair bobbed up and down.

"Can you get her for me, please?"

Lili darted out of the room, barely leaving a trace behind. As she left, Finn and the others looked at the boy standing in front of them. Simply by the way he held himself, they knew that something was different. This was not the same adventurer from even this morning.

"Hello, Bell Cranel, I'm guessing you're here about the coming battle? Would you like some dinner?"

Bell looked out the window and was surprised to find the sun starting to set. He looked back to Finn.

"No, I think I'm ok. And I think I need to get home." Bell walked inside, and Ais followed in behind. "I have a lot of conversations coming with my Familia."

"Care to explain?" asked Riveria.

"No, I'm sorry, but this is a Familia matter," replied Bell.

Gareth let out a chuckle.

"But Mister Finn, I want it made clear, my Familia will help, but our help is based on the Xenos being kept safe. That is one of my highest priorities." Bell's voice was steady, and even though his knees were shaking, he stood his ground. "I am sorry if this inconveniences you."

Finn shook his head. "Every Familia has demands that they need to make. I'd be surprised if you had nothing to say."

Bell smiled and looked like he was going to say more when Hestia showed up. The small Goddess was standing, but she refused to say anything first. This was Bell's chance to talk.

"Is there a private room somewhere?" asked Bell.

Riveria nodded and led the two off somewhere. Ais made to follow, but the high elf gave her a look that told her to sit back down. Ais didn't like it, but she listened. She sat in a chair near the door, ready to run off the second Bell needed her.

With the Boy and his Goddess:

With Bell and Hestia, the two had been led to a small private office. They sat across from each other and took the time to get comfortable. The first to speak was Bell.

"You really hurt me, Goddess Hestia," began Bell. "You hid a big secret for over a year from me but then asked that I tell you all of mine. It all seems…so unfair."

Hestia nodded in silence. "If you hate me, I get that. If you don't trust me, I understand." She looked up. "I don't know if this is something you want, but if you want to convert Familias, the option is open." Bell's mouth fell open, but Hestia kept talking. "We'll still be there to help you, and Loki will still fight Freya, but if you don't want to trust me with your falna, I understand."

"I…I would never…Goddess Hestia…I…." Bell stopped. He took a deep breath. "I don't trust you anymore, but I would never abandon you." The boy looked his Goddess in the eye. "You've never turned your back on me, and I won't do that to you."

Hestia gave him a sad smile. "But you won't be trusting me near your status for a while, huh?"

Bell frowned. "I'll need to get my status updated to get stronger, but I want to see every sheet. If I think there's even the slightest thing wrong, I'll be sorely...angry."

Hestia nodded. "I promise, Bell."

In his eyes, Hestia still saw distrust. It would be a while before they could be child and Goddess like they had once been.

"You know what?" asked Hestia. "It's been a while since we've actually done an update. How about we do one now?"

Bell sat in silence. There was a minute of contemplation, but he eventually nodded. He moved to the ground, kneeling, while he took off his shirt and presented his backside. Hestia took a pin from the desk in the Loki Familia office and pricked her finger. She got down behind Bell and let the blood drop onto his back. Slowly, she updated his numbers and took a look at his skills and magic. When she got to the bottom, there was something new there. The cocoon had been broken.

"Ummm…Bell…so, I just made the promise to tell you about what's on your status…do you want to see what else is going on?"

Bell seemed to consider it for a second before slowly nodding. So, Hestia wrote down what was there and handed over the piece of paper.

Bell Cranel:

Level Five

Status:

Strength: F 359 Endurance: G 278 Dexterity: F 388 Agility: E 431 Magic: F 333

Luck: F

Abnormal Resistance: F

Escape: H

Knife Fighter: H

Magic:

Firebolt: Swift Strike Magic

Skills:

Argonaut: Allows a charge for a counterattack. It requires four minutes (formerly three) for a full charge and can either sound like a small chime or a grand bell depending on the power needed. It can be used for any type of attack, but the effects will dissipate when the user is attacked or they lose focus.

Ox Slayer: Heavily increases all abilities when fighting raging bull type monsters, potentially making the user stronger than their actual level when fighting them.

Neo-Liaris Freese: Fast growth as long as ideals last. The strength of the effects corresponds with how tested the user is in their beliefs.

Plíroma you Herroa: For those who share the users' beliefs, fast growth is extended to a lesser degree.

Bell read the paper. This last one, what in the world did it mean? Apparently, his face must have looked funny because Hestia chuckled.

"That last one is in the language of my old place of worship. It means 'Crew of the Hero' and must mean the people in our Familia. If you can find a way to trust them, and if they fight for the same things you do, then they'll grow along with you." Hestia looked back at the paper. "If my intuition is right, it's because no matter what, you still want to fight with your Family." She looked back at her beloved child with a loving smile. "You care about people. That will always be your greatest strength."

She was going to say more, but there was a knock at the window. They turned and had to rub their eyes in surprise. Staring at them, flying in the sky, was Mikoto. Her black wings let her hover in place, and she was holding a piece of Guild paper. Hestia opened the window, and the Black Crow swept in.

"I'm sorry for the intrusion! But Sir Fels stopped by with an important mission! We are needed in Rivira! The others are already on their way." She looked to her Captain. "Sir Bell, will you be joining us?"

Bell nodded quickly. He put back on his shirt and checked to ensure that his knife was still strapped to his back. Mikoto told him that Welf would be at Babel with his armour and side weapons. The two took off, and Ais quickly followed, with a quick stop to pick up Lili. When asked why the Sword Princess was going, she just said she needed to keep an eye on her man. Tione gave her the thumbs up.

The new hero Bell Cranel took off. His friends needed help, and he wasn't going to let anyone else stand in his way. Hestia watched him run, a smile on her face. She had been blessed with the most wonderful children.

Now thats a doozy! A lot going on here, I know, but this is not the end, only the first step of this new journey. When I first set out and had ideas for this fic, Bell Cranel factored in very little. He was a side character in this story. The only problem was that any story that involved a time skip had to have a reason for leaving, and Bell Cranel was the best option. So, he had to become more important, but the first parts without him had already been planned. So, Bell had to be shoehorned in and get his moments elsewhere because hey, he wasn't what I wanted to talk about. But here we are with a full Bell chapter! Enjoy!

Review Responses:

Voidborne II: She's ok...for now...

Tranadar: Some of the big parts have now been hit, but Freya's plan is something will be coming together much later

BChuggs: Lets go!