A/N: Okay! Another chapter out. This one is way longer than the others. There is a rather large amount of lore explanation and information in this chapter. It does take care of the whole powers fading thing in a way that I hope makes sense. I know some people were confused about it but hopefully this chapter clears things up. I know I'm messing with the lore of both worlds a little, but I don't think it's too much.
There isn't a lot of action in this chapter but lots of lore and plot development. Maybe even a little foreshadowing? You'll have to read it. For those of you who want to see more action, I promise there will be combat in the next chapter.
Next chapter will have them go into the dungeon, so fighting is guaranteed. Plus, the actual plot of Danmachi can now begin. At least, my version of it. If you didn't read the last note, I will be fucking with the timeline a bit.
Hearthfire
Chapter 4
Bell
Bell sighed as he sat dejectedly against a random brick wall in some back alley. He'd been rejected again! He had been so excited when he and Mr. Torrhen had first arrived in the city two weeks ago. Mr. Torrhen was even paying for a really nice room for the two of them at an inn near the market square.
Flashback:
"Alright Bell," Mr. Torrhen had said as he set his pack down on one of the beds. "This is the deal. I'll pay for our rooms, but it's up to you to find a Familia for us to join."
"Us?" Bell had asked. Confused but slightly hopeful.
Mr. Torrhen had grinned. "Yeah, us. I've been teaching you for almost two months now and to be honest, I've grown rather fond of you. That makes you my student and I'm not in the habit of abandoning my students. I'll join whatever Familia you do, but it's up to you to find one that will accept you."
Bell had been ecstatic! Mr. Torrhen was really nice and had been teaching him a ton about being an adventurer. He'd been worried that Mr. Torrhen wouldn't keep teaching him after they'd arrived in the city. To find out that he wanted to join the same Familia as Bell? That was wonderful!
"Don't you worry Mr. Torrhen!" Bell had said, happily. "I'll find us a Familia in no time!"
Flashback End:
Bell scoffed at the memory. '"No time', yeah right." He thought, miserably. He'd run right out of the inn with a list of Familia's and their locations. He'd tried Freya, Loki, Ganesha, Apollo, Soma, and half a dozen others. Even merchant ones like Dian Cecht and Hephaestus! They had all rejected him. He hadn't even met with a single god yet! He kept getting turned away at the gates, or at least kicked out by the door guards. With each day of rejection behind him, he'd miserably wandered back to the inn and told Mr. Torrhen about his failure.
Mr. Torrhen had event tried to cheer him up! "It's not that big of a surprise that you're having trouble. You've got lots of potential but to most you look like you're just a kid. Don't give up though," he'd said. "You'll find a Familia eventually. Even if it's small, you'll find one that'll accept you for who you are." That had helped a little, but it didn't really make him feel any better.
Mr. Torrhen had been spending his days in the library doing research. When Bell had asked what he was researching, he'd said "mostly just basic information. Important laws, how policing works, that kind of thing. I don't want to get in trouble because I didn't know I was breaking the law. Ignorance of the law usually doesn't hold up in court."
That had been a bit confusing but not breaking the law sounded like a good thing, so he supposed it was important. Mr. Torrhen had even told him about some of the things he'd found so he wouldn't accidentally get in trouble. Like how the Ganesha Familia oversaw public safety and policing but the Guild was the organization that actually creates and enforces the laws.
Bell's head dropped into his hands as he tried not to cry. Mr. Torrhen had been so nice and so patient, but all Bell had done was go from one failure to the next. Just as he was about to descend into another fit of despair, a voice spoke up.
"Excuse me?" The voice said. "Are you alright?"
Bell looked up. Standing in front of him was a short, beautiful woman with twin ponytails wearing a white dress and an apron. He sat up, wiping his eyes, and tried to sound positive. "Yeah, I'm alright." He wasn't very convincing. The woman sat down next to him.
"Do you want to talk about it?" She asked.
"I..." Bell gave up and started crying. "I'm sorry. It's just that I've been trying to join a Familia for almost two weeks, but they won't even let me in the door." The woman put a hand on his shoulder.
"You want to be an adventurer?" She asked, softly.
"Ever since I was little," Bell said. "My teacher even said he'd join the same Familia as me if I found one, but I've been at it for two weeks and still nothing." Bell's head dropped as he tried to hold back a sob. Everything was quiet for a moment.
"Well…" The woman said softly, "What about mine?"
Bell's head jerked up as he stared at the woman. "What?" He asked, his breath catching in his throat.
The woman put her head down. "I..I'm sorry," she said, shyly, "it's just that I've been in the lower world for 6 months and I haven't found anyone willing to join my Familia. You'd be the only member, but you said you wanted to join one, so I thought…" She trailed off into silence.
Bell was astonished. "Y..You're a goddess?" He asked, hopefully, "a..and you want me to join your Familia?"
"Well… yes. If you want to." The goddess said, smiling.
Bell couldn't help himself. He hugged her. "Thank you," he sobbed into her shoulder. "Thank you." He felt her hug him back.
They separated and the goddess stood up. "Let me introduce myself properly," she said. "My name is Hestia of the Olympian Pantheon. I am the goddess of Hearth and Home and I would like you to join my Familia." She reached out her hand towards him.
Bell stood and shakily took her hand. "My name is Bell Cranel," he said happily, "and I would be thrilled to join your Familia, Goddess Hestia."
Hestia
Hestia was ecstatic as she let Bell drag her into an inn just off of the market square. She had finally found a mortal child who was willing to join her Familia! One that was, in her own opinion, absolutely adorable. Hestia was one of the few gods who could truly see the color of a mortal soul. Her new child's soul was so pure, it shone like a beacon. Not only that, but he had a teacher! An experienced adventurer who was willing to join any Familia that would accept Bell.
Hestia could not have been more thrilled. Two children, with one able to teach the other how not to get killed? What could be better? At least, that is what she thought until Bell threw open the door to his room and she got a good look at his teacher. She didn't even register what Bell was babbling about. She just stopped and stared.
On the surface he looked like an ordinary human. Deep black hair that went to his shoulders with a close-cropped beard. Both of which were starting to go grey. Silver eyes that looked out of tanned skin that was showing the barest hints of aging. Physically, he looked like a normal human adventurer. His aura though? His soul? This man was beyond powerful, this man was beyond dangerous, this man was…. Wrong.
Torrhen. Earlier.
Torrhen let out a small sigh as he flipped through one of the books he had bought from a store down the street. It was a ponderous read, all about the laws of Orario. Important but boring. He needed to know the laws of this city so that he could avoid breaking them or, rather, so that he knew how best to avoid getting caught and what laws he should never even contemplate breaking.
He leaned back in his chair. It might surprise anyone who knew his past that a former master assassin and master thief would be worried about the law but back in Tamriel, there had been a few laws that even the Brotherhood and the Thieves guild would never dare break. It was the same here. He'd already come across a few laws that he would not dare break. Like the one he had just read about killing a god's mortal form.
Apparently, the gods of this world took on physical, mortal forms when they descended into the mortal plane. While in the mortal world, they were forbidden from using their arcanum without permission from an assembly of gods. There were a few things they could do without permission, and he was sure there were a few things they could get away with without being detected but overall, it was pretty strict. As were the laws about killing their mortal form. Since the gods of this world couldn't use their powers, they weren't that hard to kill but, when they died, they were sent back to the heavens in a giant pillar of golden light. Not exactly stealthy.
According to this book, no god had ever been killed without the culprit being caught with overwhelming evidence. And the punishment? Yikes. If a mortal killed a god, their punishment was for the other gods to essentially erase the mortal's soul from existence one atom at a time. It sounded excruciating and apparently took days. Even gods weren't exempt from that law. If a god killed another god, their punishment was losing all their money, losing their Familia, and being sent back to heaven permanently.
Torrhen looked up from his book to stare at the door. Bell was later getting back than usual. On most days, by this time, he'd have dragged himself inside and flopped down on his bed. Torrhen would spend the next hour or so consoling him before they had dinner and went to bed.
Bell's resolve the last two weeks had been impressive, but he could see it starting to crack. He'd been unfortunately right about the Familia's of Orario judging potential new members on appearance instead of potential. Bell still hadn't been able to even meet with a god. He kept getting turned away by the guards.
Torrhen sighed again. He'd wait another week and if Bell still hadn't found a Familia, then Torrhen would go with him to one of the larger Familia's. Probably Loki. If they judged by appearance, he knew they wouldn't reject him. He'd just insist they let the kid in too. He could be persuasive when he wanted to be.
Torrhen was torn from his thoughts by the sound of pounding feet on the stairs, followed by the door being blown open by a frantic Bell, who appeared to be dragging a girl behind him.
"Mr. Torrhen!" Bell exclaimed, happily. "I did it! I found a Familia to join!"
Torrhen smiled as he stood. "Well done, Bell. Though, maybe you should introduce your friend first?" Torrhen looked at the woman in the white dress. No, he realized suddenly. This was no woman. She was a goddess, and she was staring at him with a mix of wonder and horror. That was…interesting.
Oblivious to the thoughts of both Torrhen and the goddess, Bell continued on. "Right, sorry." He gestured to the goddess. "This is goddess Hestia. She hasn't been in the lower word long and is looking to start a Familia and asked if I'd like to be the first member. I told her about you and brought her here to meet you."
"Well now," Torrhen thought. "Starting a brand-new Familia? If nothing else, it'll be interesting. Though I am concerned about the way she is looking at me. Just what is she seeing?" Torrhen smiled. "Congratulations Bell. I'm glad you found someone." He turned to the goddess. "My name is Torrhen. I'd introduce myself properly, but it seems like you have questions."
She stared at him for a moment before saying, "Your soul…it shouldn't exist. A soul like yours does not belong in this plane. You…what are you?"
Bell's head swiveled as he looked between them, confused.
"Ah," Torrhen said. He'd been afraid something like this might happen. "That requires an explanation that should not be overheard. Do you know somewhere quiet we could go to have that conversation?"
Hestia nodded. "My home. It's an abandoned church. It may not look like much, but it is quiet."
"Lead the way," Torrhen said, seriously. "This is a talk that should be had in private."
Hestia.
At Hestia's Church
Hestia led Bell and…Torrhen into the basement of her church. They'd both been quiet during the walk over. The more she looked at Torrhen, the more familiar he felt. She looked past the simple fact that his soul did not belong. Why did it not belong? Despite its wrongness, why did it feel so familiar? "I'll have my answers soon enough," she thought, as she sat down on her bed.
Bell and Torrhen sat down on the couch. Torrhen seemed to think for a second before saying, "Is there any specific question you would like to ask? Somewhere I should start?"
Hestia paused, before saying, "I can feel divine energy flowing through you. It's not a Falna. It's literally part of you. Your soul seems to be closer to that of a Spirit than a mortal. Almost as though you were created by a god directly. The energy is familiar, but I can't place it. Whose energy is that? Which god created you?"
Torrhen smiled. "You are not wrong to say that I was created by a god. Although I was unaware of it for years, I did not have mortal parents. Just like my winged brothers, all that I am, my soul and my physical form, was created directly by a god. We call him Bormahu. Father. Most mortals though, refer to him as Akatosh. At his bidding, I saved my world from countless horrors. Coming here is supposed to be my retirement."
Hestia's eyes were so wide they could be mistaken for dinner plates. "Akatosh! That's why it felt so familiar!" She hadn't felt Akatosh's energy in millennia. Not since he and the others began the creation of Mundus. She and the other gods had modeled their own world after the one Akatosh and Lorkhan had created. Unlike them, however, she and her compatriots had been extremely careful not to allow their divine essence to become bound to their creation.
That was why he felt so wrong! When she and the other gods had began to create mortal souls, they had never created one like his. He was Dragonborn! Her friend, Meridia had mentioned them, the last time she visited Tenkai, before Hestia descended. He literally had a Dragon's soul.
Hestia sighed. "That explains a great deal. You are Dragonborn, right?" He nodded. This would take some explaining. "Akatosh and the others are bound to Mundus. Their essences literally cannot leave. Neither can their direct creations because they are, technically, still a part of them. Akatosh created the Dragons of your world. They are similar to the Great Spirits of our world, only far more powerful."
Torrhen was listening intently as she leaned back. "The reason you seem to be so…wrong, is that in this world, dragons do not have souls and are far less powerful. They are monsters. Barely more intelligent than most animals and purely driven by instinct. In this world, Dragon Souls don't exist. They were not created by any gods, and they have not evolved naturally. They literally break the rules we set when we made this world."
The man leaned forward, elbows on his knees. "Bormahu said that if I did not join a Familia within a year, that my powers would begin to fade. Is this what he meant?"
Hestia nodded. "Yes. Without the Divine Laws of this world accepting you as you are, your essence would begin to change to fit within the rules of this world. While you would likely not become any weaker physically, or magically, you would begin to change. Any powers that are a part of your soul would eventually vanish or change as your soul adapted to this world."
He stared at her, intensely. "Is there any way to fix it? Without the use of a Falna? I am Dovahkiin. It is who I am, and I do not wish to change. I am not averse to joining a Familia if it means keeping my powers, but I need to know my options."
Hestia thought for a moment. "It is possible to add to the rules of this world through the use of Arcanum, however, that would require permission, and it is far easier to do it through a Falna. Especially if I do it."
"Why you specifically?"
Hestia smiled. "Like the gods of your world, we each have our own spheres that we govern. I am the Goddess of Hearth and Home. Home is where all are accepted. Giving you a Falna means accepting you into my home. My world. By doing so, even should you somehow lose your Falna, the world has already accepted your soul and your connection to Akatosh. Few, if any, of my brethren will even notice your acceptance if I am the one who does this. Your soul will never be at risk again."
Hestia observed Torrhen as he sat back. He seemed to be deep in thought. After a minute, he leaned forward. "I have a few more questions," he said. "Bell mentioned a monster. A large Black Dragon with one eye. From the descriptions, it sounds like it is nearly as powerful as the Dovah of my world. If it does not have a soul, how is it so powerful?"
That stumped Hestia for a second. She had never personally encountered or observed the Black Dragon. "The Black Dragon is an enigma," she said, looking down at her hands "Even to the gods, the dungeon is not an open book. Only Uranus, our Chief, knows what lies at the bottom. That was by design. In the beginning, we craved entertainment above all else. What is more entertaining than something that is a mystery even to the gods themselves? What is more enticing than the trill of discovery? All we truly know is that if we do not send adventurers into the Dungeon, the Dungeon itself will attack the surface."
She looked up again and crossed her legs. "The Three Great Beasts escaped the dungeon before most of us had even descended. We don't know why there were so powerful. We know that the Dragon is the strongest by far, but not why. However, most of us don't think they were meant to be more than a distraction. Extremely dangerous, yes, but not a true threat to the existence of our world. The 'Doom' of our world, as Akatosh would say, is whatever unleashed the Great Beasts, and that, lies at the bottom of the Dungeon."
Torrhen
Torrhen sat back to consider what Hestia had said. Glancing at Bell, he could see that the boy was a little nervous but seemed to be following along alright. He was sure that this was a lot of information to dump on him at once. After a moment, he asked his next question.
"If we do this," he said, "if you accept me into your home and stabilize my soul, will there be any repercussions? Any side effects that we don't know about?" He did not want to cause problems for this world, just because he didn't want to change.
Hestia considered the question. Finally, she answered. "No, I do not believe there will be any problems. You are and would still be the only Dragon Soul that exists in this world. It will reopen your connection with Akatosh, but he is unable to leave his realm. He couldn't come here even if he wanted to. As for the dragons in the dungeon, even if by some miracle they developed a soul, it would not be the same. They have no connection to Akatosh. You would still be unique, but there would be no serious issues to come from this."
That was a relief. He did not want to be the cause of any problems. He considered the One-Eyed Black Dragon again. From what Hestia had said, it had come from the Dungeon and there was no record of it speaking or using any powers that resembled the Thu'um. Perhaps his fears were unfounded, and the Black Dragon was not a reborn Alduin? He certainly hoped so.
Decision made; he asked his last question. "Are you willing to do this? To accept my existence by the rules of this world?"
Hestia stared at him for a moment before smiling. "Yes," she said. "From what I know of Dragonborn, your life has been one trial after another. Further, there is not a single god of this world who thinks badly of Akatosh. You deserve to rest. I will gladly accept you into my Home, my World, and my Familia."
Torrhen smiled, tiredly. "Thank you, Goddess Hestia," he said before turning to Bell. "I'm sorry I didn't say anything about this to you, Bell, but I needed to speak to a god before I was comfortable with talking about it. Do you have any questions?"
Bell stared for a moment. "I think I followed what you were talking about pretty well. You were a hero in your world and came here to retire," he seemed excited by that, "but you aren't totally human, and your type of soul doesn't exist here, so you need Hestia to help make sure your soul doesn't change? Do I have that right?"
Torrhen chuckled. "Yeah, that's the gist of it. Do you have any problems with that?"
Bell suddenly seemed full of energy. "Are you kidding? I get to learn from a real-life Hero? That's amazing!"
"Thank you, Bell." Torrhen said gratefully. "Well now," he nodded to Hestia, "should we get this done? Bell's waited a long time to get a Falna, so I think he should go first."
Hestia stood up. "I agree," she said, and moved to the side before suddenly blushing. "I'm sorry, Bell, but I need you to take your shirt off and lay down. I need access to your back to give you a Falna."
Bell's face turned the color of a ripe tomato, but he nodded and pulled off his shirt and jacket. He quickly laid down on the bed and hid his face in the pillow. After a moment, Torrhen heard a muffled, "I'm ready, Goddess Hestia."
Still a bit red, Hestia straddled Bell's back. Taking a needle and chanting softly, she pricked one of her fingers and let the blood drop onto Bell's back. It was fascinating to watch as strange symbols and numbers started to float over Bell's back. Hestia seemed to manipulate them for a moment before pushing them down into Bell's back.
Bell's body now sported what looked like a tattoo of a brazier with words and symbols inked around it. Hestia took a piece of paper and copied the information onto the sheet.
"And that's it." She said, moving to get off of Bell. Torrhen was curious though.
"Is there no way to hide his Status? Or can it only be read by a Divine?"
Hestia seemed startled, then suddenly flushed with embarrassment. "I'm sorry," she said. "I totally forgot I could lock his Status." Grabbing her needle again, placed another drop of blood on Bell's back and his Status slowly disappeared. Moving off of Bell, she looked at the sheet again. "You've been training Bell, right?" She asked Torrhen.
"That's right." He said as Bell sat up, eagerly. "For about two months now."
"Then I guess it makes sense," she said, handing the sheet to Bell. "It's rare for an adventurer to start with stats above 0 but not unheard of. They are a bit higher than usual, though."
Bell stared at the sheet with wonder, his hands trembling. "I did it," he whispered, "I have a Falna. I'm finally an adventurer."
"That you are, Bell" Hestia said with a huge smile. "Congratulations."
"Congratulations indeed, kid" Torrhen said as he moved to Bell's side. Looking down at the sheet, he read Bell's Status over his shoulder.
Bell Cranel
Race: Human
LEVEL: 1
STR: I-77
VIT: I-13
DEX: I-93
AGI: H-148
MAG: I-0
TOTAL = 331
SKILLS: NONE
MAGIC: NONE
Torrhen clapped Bell on the shoulder. "Well done, kid," he said, happily. "Those look pretty good for a beginner."
"Now we just have to do yours, Torrhen, and we can go register you at the guild." Hestia said.
Nodding, Torrhen removed his tunic and laid face first on the bed. He could feel Hestia sitting on top of him. "This may feel a bit strange, but it shouldn't hurt," she said. He felt a drop hit his back, and something in his soul shifted.
Unaware of the world around him, Torrhen was suddenly focused inward. His connection to Akatosh had come rushing back in like a flood the second Hestia's blood had hit his skin. He hadn't realized how muted it had become in just 2 short months. It felt like that first breath of fresh air after nearly drowning in the sea. He basked in the feeling for a moment before refocusing on the world around him.
Hestia was still sitting on his back, and he could now feel a connection to her in his mind. She slowly slid off his back, staring at his sheet looking gob smacked. "Is there something wrong?" he asked.
Hestia looked up, startled. "No, no!" She exclaimed. Everything went perfectly. It's just that your stats are insane. Theres never been an adventurer this strong before."
He took the sheet from her and, gazing down at it, asked "I don't suppose there's any way we can hide this, is there? It's bound to cause a lot of trouble."
Hestia went to answer before pausing, her hand on her chin. Finally, she answered. "I have no idea. That's something we should talk to the Guild about."
Glancing out the small window at the setting sun Torrhen said, "that'll probably have to wait for tomorrow then." He looked back down at his sheet and let out a low whistle. He had to admit, he was impressed with himself.
Torrhen
Race: Nord Dragonborn
LEVEL: 10
STR: S-999
VIT: S-999
DEX: S-995
AGI: S-993
MAG: S-992
TOTAL = 4,987
RACIAL ABILIES:
Dragon Soul: The bearer has the soul of a dragon. With each true Dragon killed, the bearer absorbs the slain Dragon's soul and steals their power. Allows the use of Dragon Shouts. (Error: Dragons are non-sentient monsters. Non-sentient monsters do not have true souls in Genkai) (Error Resolved: True Dragon Souls allowed existence by Goddess Hestia. May have unintended consequences. Skill will work as stated.)
Dragon Blood: The bearer has the blood of a dragon. Resist Fire: 25%. Resist Frost 25%. Resist Magic 20%. (Note: Magic resistance does not apply to Dragon Shouts.)
Resist Frost: Grants 50% resistance to cold, frost spells, and frost abilities. (Stacks with Dragon Blood Effect. Frost Resistance is 75%).
Battle Cry: Causes all targets 3 or more levels below the caster to flee. Less effective against sentient enemies. Can be resisted by willpower if the target is strong enough.
SKILLS:
Master Assassin: You are the night. Silent and unseen, the bearer cannot be seen, heard, or smelled unless they choose to be.
Master Thief: Locks and attentive guards do not bother you. The riches of the world are yours for the taking.
Master Warrior: You are a human weapon. You cannot feel the weight of your armor. Your weapons are a part of your body.
Archmage: The universe is your plaything. Your mind is safe from illusion and control. The minds of your enemies are an open book. Destruction is your friend. Death is reversable. The physical world is altered at your whims. The summoned creatures of the world are at your beck and call.
Master Alchemist: Be it poison or medicine, you are the master of its creation.
Master Blacksmith: The elements of the world are putty in your hands.
Master Enchanter: The magic of the world bends to your desires.
Divine Craftsman (Master Blacksmith and Master Enchanter Combined): Combined effect. Your creations through forge and magic are able to rival the works of the gods.
Experienced Teacher: All those you consider to be your students receive an increase to experience gain.
MAGIC:
Tamrielic Magic:
Schools:
Destruction 100
Restoration 100
Alteration 100
Illusion 100
Conjuration 100
Dragon Shouts
Within Babel
Uranus opened his eyes slowly. "Something new has been added." His voice was somber.
The black robed figure standing beside his throne looked up. "Will it affect our plans?" The eerie voice asked.
"No," Uranus said. Turning his attention back to the Dungoen. "For now, it is unimportant."
Unknown Regions
The creature stirred. It's eye opened, slowly. Something was different. Something had changed. It could not smell anything nearby. What had…Like the rush of a wave, the information flooded back in. Bormahu. Keizaal. His kingdom. The Traitor. Human pests. The Kel. Drifting. Return. Resurrections. Dovahkiin. Pain. The Traitors lifeblood on his teeth. Retreat. Feasting. Dovahkiin. His eye. Nothingness. A strange place. His mind slipping. Escape. Rage. The world was suddenly spinning faster and faster.
"NIID!"
Reality snapped back into place. He remembered himself again. He was Al-Du-In. Mulaag In Zok Lot. He did not know how, but his mind had returned. He could feel Bormahu again. He sniffed the air and growled, deeply. He did not know where he was, but it would be his. Or he would burn it to ashes and feast on its bones.
A/N: And that's it! Did it make sense? Please tell me it made sense! Leave a review if you have any comments or questions. Oh, and in case you didn't notice. In the eyes of the gods in the Danmachi world, Alduin is not the big bad buy. They may not know he's Alduin but they're still worried about something worse. Like Akatosh said in the first chapter. The fate of
Genkai does not rest on the Dragonborn's shoulders. Who's does it rest on? What's at the bottom of the dungeon? We'll see.
Translation: Bormahu (Father) Keizaal (Skyrim) Kel (Elder Scroll) Dovahkiin (Dragonborn. Dragon Hunter Child) Niid (No) Al-Du-In (Alduin. Destroyer Devour Master.) Mulaag In Zok Lot (Strongest Master Highest Greatest)