Bell sat with his back pressed against his mother's headstone. A cool summer breeze blew in the air while Bell lamented over what had happened.

"So...things have happened since our last talk. I lost a hand...and used the Dark Side. You'd probably be disappointed in me if you were here. I'm disappointed in myself."

Bell paused and silence filled the air. He sighed and looked down at the dirt below him. The ground where his mother had been buried.

"I don't like what I became. Replaying the moment in my head...I feel like I'm looking through a different person's eyes. But I'm not, I'm looking through mine."

Bell stopped again as he started to choke up. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Part of him wished his mother was still alive so he could feel her warmth.

"But I had to save Alise. I know that's an excuse but she would've died if I didn't. Maybe this is why the code teaches us to not grow attached? Because things like that happen."

"..."

"But I still don't understand that. I don't understand why I can't love or grow attached to people. If we throw away the love we have for those around us how does that make us better than the Sith? How does being emotionless and apathetic make us better?"

"..."

Bell sighed again and closed his eyes. Another breeze blew past causing his hair to float. He had so many questions. About himself, the Jedi, everything.

Part of him wondered if he was even cut out to be one.

"I doubt you'd know the answer. I doubt Alfia or Zald know either. Maybe that's why they abandoned the old code? I still think it's stupid but maybe it had some wisdom to it."

"..."

"In other news, I made a new friend. His name is Welf and he's a blacksmith. Zald and Alfia rescued him so that's why I was alone when fighting the Sith Lord. Oh yeah, that's why I lost my hand. But he's nice and offered to make me a new hand. He knows how to because he's had to make hundreds before because of Rakia waging war."

Bell smiled and opened his eyes. The sun was hidden behind the gray storm clouds. It would rain soon.

"Well looks like it's about to rain. Oh, Alise is fine by the way. She's still lost her voice but she's alive and, well breathing. Haruhime and Ardee are doing alright as well. They have spirit contracts now along with the rest of the Astraea familia minus Alise. Oh yeah, I nearly forgot to mention Aria. Dad saved her from the giant lizard so now she's sticking around to pay him back. You'd like her, she's the reason the Sith Lord didn't kidnap me."

A rumble of thunder in the distance alerted Bell he needed to hurry up.

"Well, I have to get going now. I'll try and visit you again soon. Even if I don't have many exciting stories to tell I like keeping you updated on my life. Love you, Mom."

Bell then stood up and began jogging back to the Wheat Manor as it started to rain. The raindrops pelted the headstone giving it the look of it crying.

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Bell arrived back at the Wheat Manor before the rain got too heavy. He ran his hand through his hair to get it out of his face before looking around.

The front of the house was empty. But further inside he could sense Demeter in the common room. He made his way there before hearing a soft sniffling.

Bell picked up the pace slightly and made his way inside the living room. When he arrived he saw Demeter hunched over in her chair covering her mouth. Her body was shaking and Bell knew she was crying.

With a small sigh, he walked into the living room and used the force to pull a chair to him. He placed it next to Demeter who jumped at his presence.

Demeter wiped her eyes. "Oh Bell...what can I help you with?" She asked. Her lip trembled but she tried to put on a brave face.

"I uh...I heard you crying. What's wrong?" Bell asked. He noticed Demeter looking at his right hand before quickly looking away.

She sniffled before letting out a sigh. "I was just a little overwhelmed I guess. Things like that happen sometimes."

Bell frowned and looked down. "Were you crying because of me?"

Demeter looked at Bell and placed her hand on his shoulder. "Not entirely, but what happened to you does make me sad. My heart breaks a little knowing you had to go through that."

Bell sighed and looked at his stump. He had been having trouble sleeping lately. All he sees is Maul cutting off his hand when he tries to sleep.

"You don't have to feel sad for me. Welf's making me a new one." Bell said doing his best attempt at comforting her.

"I feel sad for you because you're just a boy. Monsterphelia was supposed to be a day where you had fun. Instead, it turned into a day full of tragedy."

Bell sighed again and looked toward the fireplace. It was empty and cold. No fire burned in it.

"Yeah, I guess you're right. But you don't need to cry about that. In the end, I came out alright." Bell muttered, his eyes didn't leave the fireplace.

Demeter pulled him closer and rested his head against her chest. Bell relaxed a little feeling the warmth from her bosom. "I cry because I've known you since you were a baby. I cry because your mother entrusted me with your safety. I feel like I've failed her now."

"You didn't fail her. If anything I did, I let Maul get in my head and do what he wanted. I let him lead me away, I let him goad me into using the Dark Side. Everything that happened to me was my fault. So if she was going to be disappointed in someone it'd be me."

Demeter wrapped her hands around his head and kissed the top of it. "Then I guess we can both share some of the blame then."

Bell let out a relaxing sigh as he let himself sink further into her bosom. "I guess we can."

Bell remained in Demeter's embrace for a while. The two just sat in silence as the rain pelted the windows around them. Bell knew Demeter was missing Lunoire terribly.

He did too, she just up and vanished without a trace. Only leaving a simple letter telling them not to look for her and that she was doing this to keep them safe.

"Demeter...do you think Lunoire is happy where she is?" Bell asked. He remembered that her room hadn't been touched since she left. Sometimes Demeter would go in there and just sit on the floor. Just to feel a little bit closer to her.

"I hope so...she deserves to be happy. After all she's gone through she deserves to be happy." Demeter softly responded.

At this point, Bell felt a teardrop hit the top of his head. But he pretended he didn't so to give Demeter that privilege.

He looked down to his stump again. Looking at where his hand used to be with a sense of longing.

"Well since I have some free time. Maybe it's time I searched for her?" Bell thought to himself.

It was against Lunoire's wishes. But he didn't care at this point. He hated seeing Demeter sad like this. Lunoire's leaving had hurt her deeply and she still hadn't really recovered from it.

"Yeah, it's time I start looking for her."

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The next morning Bell was standing at the entrance to the Wheat manor. In front of him were Alfia, Ardee, Haruhime, and Aria.

The four were heading into the dungeon as they had been requested by the guild. Monsters from the 19th floor were spilling out on the 18th and they along with the Astraea and Loki familia had to figure out why.

Alise of course would not be joining them. With her lightsaber broken and lack of a voice, she wouldn't be able to communicate well or fight well until her lightsaber was fixed.

"Are you sure you're alright with us leaving? We don't have to you know." Alfia said, the last time she had left Bell he lost a hand. What would happen if she left again?

"You do." Bell simply stated. "Whatever is sending those monsters up to the 18th floor is probably pretty nasty. This is also a good opportunity for Haruime, Ardee, and the others to test out their spirit contracts with Aria watching over them."

He made good points and that's what Alfia hated. Bell was being reasonable despite what had just happened to him.

With a huff, Alfia agreed. "Fine, but we'll make sure to finish quickly and hurry back."

"Don't rush, you could make a mistake." Bell reminded her. Alfia sighed in annoyance before hugging her nephew.

"Fine, but don't do anything until we get back. And I mean anything, you are to remain here and help out around the house." Alfia ordered, she would not have a repeat of last time.

"I'll be fine, Zald's staying to teach me how to fight better with my left hand. I'll need to learn how in case things go wrong."

Alfia grimaced before letting Bell go. He then turned his attention to Haruhime and Ardee. His two best friends that had been by his side through thick and thin. Though it was more thick these days.

"You two be safe, stick close to Alfia and Aria. They'll keep you safe." Bell warned. The two girls could see in his eyes that he wanted to go with them. But as of right now, he couldn't.

"We'll be fine Bell. It's just monsters from the 19th floor. Haruhime can shoot them from the entrance of the floor if needed." Ardee joked.

Haruhime just nodded her head in agreement. Whatever it was sending those monsters up there could easily be taken care of by any of the executives in the Loki familia or Alfia herself.

Bell let out a heavy sigh before walking forward and grabbing the two with his arms. He pulled them closer to him to where their heads were resting on his shoulders.

"I'm serious, no heroics! You stay by Alfia or Aria's side no matter what. If you have to run away then do that! And don't leave each other's side. No matter what." Bell nearly yelled. Had this been any other type of situation both girls would be blushing scarlet red.

But with Bell's tone of voice and just his general attitude, they weren't. He was worried about them. Scared for them even.

So the two responded by hugging him back. "We'll be careful Bell, promise." They both said.

Bell held onto them a second longer before letting go. The two girls pulled back and Bell looked at Aria. Not a single word was said between the two of them.

Just a simple nod and she knew the message.

After their goodbyes were done the four made their way inside the city. Leaving Bell at the manor. He raised his right arm to look at his stump.

And felt more alone than ever.

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"You doing alright buddy?" Zald asked. He was waiting for Bell in the training field.

"Just wish I could've gone with them. But I'm no use to anyone since I lost my sword hand." Bell muttered.

Zald nodded before unclipping his lightsaber from his belt. "Then that'll give you more motivation in learning how to fight with your left."

Bell didn't respond as he unclipped his lightsaber as well. The two ignited their blades before facing off against each other.

The hums of the blade brought Bell back to his fight with Maul but he pushed those memories away.

Bell narrowed his eyes as he attacked. Everything felt wrong holding his lightsaber with his left. His instincts were off and he could swear his wrist was bending in an unusual way.

But he had to push all that aside to fight Zald.

The man raised his blade and slashed down. Bell moved his to block but the heavy strike forced it down. Bell stumbled back and parried Zald's saber before the man kicked Bell's feet out from under him.

The boy's back slammed into the ground and he had to quickly raise his saber up. Zald's clashed into it before batting it away and pointing the tip of his blade at Bell's throat.

Bell looked up at his uncle who turned off his blade and offered his hand to Bell. The boy took it and let his uncle pull him to his feet. Then used the force to call back his lightsaber.

"You have your work cut out for you." Zald lamented, his hand resting on Bell's shoulder.

The boy just sighed and clipped his lightsaber to his belt. "I hate this, everything with my left-hand feels off, unnatural. I don't even like how it feels to hold it, let alone swing it."

Zald patted his nephew on the shoulder. "Well if you're having this much trouble then you have a decision to make."

"I'm not going to quit being a Jedi." Bell quickly replied.

"I wasn't going to say that. But it's either you learn to fight with your left hand. Because if you lose your prosthetic that's what it will come down to. Or you ditch your dreams of going to the front entirely."

Bell's breath caught in his throat. He wasn't angry at Zald because he knew he was right. If he didn't learn how to fight again, he'd just be some cripple with the force.

What use would a cripple have against Dark Jedi and Sith Lords?

With a deep breath, Bell took his lightsaber off his belt and stared at Zald directly in the eyes. "Let's go again."

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Hours later Bell and Zald sat on the stairs that led up to the back porch of the Wheat Manor. Bell was all sweaty and bruised while Zald looked absolutely fine. The sun was setting and the two were just relaxing after a long day of training.

"Well, as things stand right now. You're absolutely useless in a fight. You'd be the first one to die if one broke out." Zald lectured.

Bell sighed as he rested his eyes. "I know...but I want to be better."

"Good, keep up that attitude and you might see the front yet."

Bell opened his eyes and turned to his uncle. "Uncle Zald, can I talk to you about something?"

The man turned his head and nodded. "Of course, you can always talk to me."

Bell sat up straighter. "I killed a man, during Monsterphelia. It was one of Maul's disciples? Dark Jedi? Whoever it was I had to kill them."

Zald nodded and he put his hand around Bell's shoulder and pulled him close. "And how did that make you feel?"

Bell gulped as he leaned into the touch. "Scared? Sad? I don't really know how to think. I just slashed him across the chest...and he just dropped. Just like a bag of rocks, it was so easy."

Zald nodded and rubbed circles on Bell's shoulder. "That's the part the stories don't tell you. How easy it is to take a life, how feeble our bodies really are. They don't tell the true horrors of fighting another person. So I'll ask you again, now knowing what you know. Do you still want to go to the front?"

Bell was silent for a moment. He again looked to his stump and his memory filled with images of Maul and the fight.

"I don't know anymore. If the front is anything like what happened with Maul...I'm not sure what I want to do."

Zald quirked an eyebrow. "So then why did you practice so hard during training today? Why try so hard if you don't know you want to fight anymore?"

"Because I want to protect." Bell softly responded. "I want to protect Ardee and Haruhime. I want to protect Demeter and look for Lunoire. I can't do any of that if I can't take care of myself."

Zald processed Bell's words, and was relieved. Bell had been wanting to go fight in a war all his life. Alfia and Zald tried to dissuade him at first. But they soon realized it was useless. He wanted to fight and his mind was made up.

But now, now Bell was hesitating. The boy didn't know what he wanted to do. Well, he had some things he wanted to do but those were small solutions to a much bigger problem.

"Well, I can't fault you for that. But Alfia and I don't make that list?" Zald teased.

Bell smirked. "You two can take care of yourselves. You don't need some scrappy 14-year-old cripple to protect you."

Zald ruffled Bell's hair. "You're not going to be that scrappy old cripple forever." Zald quickly looked around before looking back to Bell. "As much as I hate to admit this, one-day Alfia and I will be old. I'm already getting there and we won't be as quick or as strong as we used to be."

Bell clicked his tongue. "Pssh don't talk like that."

"I'm serious Bell, I'm 52 and I'm not getting older. Alfia's 34 and she's not getting any younger either. One day you'll be gone and it will be up to you to nurture the younger generation while taking care of yourself."

Bell rolled his head and shoulders. "And why are you telling me this? You're talking to me like you're about to have a heart attack and drop dead."

Zald chuckled. "Because I'm treating you like an adult for the first time in your life. You've already gotten a taste of how cruel and unforgiving the world can be. And if you do decide to march off to war, I don't want you having any false notions that we'll be safe. Alfia and I could die at the drop of a hat. Alfia and I are not invincible, there's people far stronger than even us."

Bell closed his eyes and dropped his head. "And who are these people? How many of them are there?"

Zald pondered the question for a minute. "Well off the top of my head at least five. The Emperor is one of them. You don't rule an empire of all these Sith and Dark Jedi without having serious power to back it up. Next is the scientist, yes I know very original but he imbues his creations with dark magic and the force."

"His creations? What does he create exactly?" Bell asked, slightly afraid of the answer.

"Monsters, and I'm talking about horrible creatures, worse than anything the dungeon can produce. The old Sith used to do this all the time to combat the Jedi tens of thousands of years ago."

"Those weren't in the history lessons you taught me."

"Because we had other things to focus on. You were all hyperactive to go to war so we had to teach you how to act in said war."

"And you didn't think the monsters made by dark magic and the force wouldn't be important?"

"That would've come before we really headed to the front. We would've given you and anyone who decided to come with us a full rundown on who and what to expect when we arrived."

Bell nodded. "I see, still think you should've put the whole Sith monster things in the history lessons."

Zald just sighed and rolled his eyes. "Alright moving on, after that the assassin. There's only been one survivor of her attacks and what he describes is quite frankly horrific. She can manipulate the force around her to make her nearly invisible to the naked eye. Couple that with force speed and she's like a ghost."

"So how did the guy survive?" Bell asked.

"Pure dumb luck," Zald answered.

"That's it, he just got lucky?"

Zald nodded. "Yup, happens more often than you think. She tried to kill him but slipped on a scroll that was lying on the ground. Had that not been there, well you can guess what would've happened."

Bell gulped and nodded. "So there's two others that can kill you two? What are their monikers?"

"Well, next you have the butcher. Known for his scare tactics and brutality. Some have claimed to kill him only for him to rise back up from the dead and still fight."

"He does what?!"

"Relax Bell, they're merely rumors to lower morale. If it were true he'd one, be in a lot of pain and two the Empire would've won the war by this point. I mean an unkillable soldier is a valuable asset."

"Wait you've fought him?"

"Only once, but before any real damage could be done a retreat was sounded. That was actually my last battle."

"Wait so you fought this guy and then came here?"

Zald nodded. "Yup, now I've been raising you for the past 14 years."

Bell smirked before shaking his head. "And who's this last one that can kill you and Alfia?"

At this Zald's face seemed to drop. His eyes hardened and his fists clenched. "He's fairly new from what I've heard. He appeared around the same time you were born. They call him the Regent, because his word is the Emperor's. He's the second in command and probably the most dangerous next to the Emperor. I've never fought him, nor even laid eyes on him. But the stories I've heard."

Zald then grabbed Bell's shoulders and forced the boy to look at him. "If you ever encounter him, if your luck somehow was so terrible you ran into him. Run. Don't even try to fight because you will lose. Just run."

Bell felt a chill go down his spine. Zald sounded like he was begging. Bell had never heard Zald beg before, let alone sound nervous or troubled.

Was the Regent really that dangerous?

"O-ok, I'll run." Bell shakily answered.

Zald's shoulders seemed to sag in relief. "Good, that's good." Zald took a deep breath and let go of Bell. "Well there's your answers, the five people that Alfia and I know that can kill us. There could be more and there could not. I simply don't know."

Bell felt a pit of uneasiness in his stomach. His whole life he had seen Alfia and Zald as invincible. But if he did decide to go to war, there was a chance the two of them could die.

Bell didn't know what to think or how to react. But he did know one thing he was certain of doing.

"I want to start searching for Lunoire."

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The next day arrived and Bell was sitting in the common room. Across from him was a red-headed young man named Welf.

The boy was tall and stocky with light blue eyes closer to gray in color. His outfit was a simple blue tunic with black pants.

Bell could see the obvious signs of exhaustion on Welf's face. The boy had been using the Hephaestus familia forges. The goddess of that familia was letting him use it as a favor to Demeter.

"Well, it took me a little longer than I thought it would. Had to get some help from Lady Hephaestus herself since your new hand has some Orichalcum in it along with adamantite. If one thing is for certain your aunt really loves you." Welf explained.

The materials Welf had used were given to him from Alfia's vault in the guild. The woman spared no expense in making her nephew a new hand.

"You have no idea, but are you feeling alright? You look like you've barely slept." Bell asked.

Welf smiled and waved him off. "Yeah I'm fine, I just wanted to finish this quickly so you could have a hand back. Then I took it to the Dea Saint to do whatever it is she does with her prosthetics that allow people to still wiggle their fingers. Now that cost a lot of valis, but it was already paid for by your aunt. Here try it on."

Welf unwrapped the cloth surrounding the hand and Bell took his first look at it. It was a shining black with golden fingers and knuckles. Yet it didn't feel heavy despite being made out of nearly indestructible material.

"It's lighter than I thought it would be," Bell muttered.

"Yeah, I thought the same as well. Do you need any help putting it on?" Welf asked.

Bell shook his head. "I think I've got it."

Bell focused and used the force to lift the hand in the air. It floated effortlessly as Bell lowered it onto his stump and locked it into place.

The two boys waited with bated breath as Bell then tried to wiggle his fingers. Nothing happened for a second and Welf grew worried he did something wrong.

Only for Bell's fingers to start moving erratically. "Woah! I can actually move my fingers again!" Bell laughed.

It had been nearly three weeks since Bell had lost his hand. So the erratic movement was his brain registering he now had a magic prosthetic.

"Well, how does it feel?" Welf asked, the boy feeling less nervous now that it worked.

"It feels weird and good at the same time. Now I can really start to learn how to fight again. Thanks, Welf, I mean it."

The blacksmith just smiled and then yawned. "You're welcome Bell, now if you'll excuse me I'm gonna get some sleep."

Bell bid his goodbye and with that, Welf stood up and went to the room provided to him by Demeter.

Bell stayed in the common room, messing with his new hand and getting used to having a right one again.

Now that he could hold his lightsaber with two hands again it would be much easier learning with his left. And after he relearned how to fight he could then start his search for Lunoire.

For the first time in nearly a month, Bell felt something akin to excitement.

"Yeah, yeah I'm going to find her. I'm going to find her and bring her back home. Then Demeter won't be as sad." Bell thought to himself.

But there was one thing he failed to account for. One thing that never entered his mind, and that was if Lunoire didn't want to come back.

That simple thought never entered his mind. Too caught up in the excitement of having a new hand and the prospects it could lead to.

Well, this one is a little shorter than the others but it mainly served as exposition for more dangerous Sith and to explore more of Bell's mentality.

More of that will be happening as the story goes on as Bell continues his inner battle between light and darkness.

So anyway I hope you enjoyed and I'll catch you all later.