AN: For those asking what does Chad Hestia look like? Same as canon, but with aviator glasses.
CHAD HESTIA (DanMachi - Hestia SI Chapter 2)
Bell dashed forward, faster than the goblin could react. A single strike, single slash and the monster was slain.
It was easy. Far too easy, than he usually had to deal with when he and the other villagers had to deal with a monster that wandered into their village.
Alone, he had already taken down thirteen of them. He had ventured into the dark forest, the one next to their village that held plenty of prey animals for them to hunt and trade, yet was filled with monsters.
It was also the area between their village and the next one over. Adults would usually act as guards for trade caravans, that pass by, traveling between villages.
Bell had only just got his falna yesterday, yet he felt like he could take on the world.
The sword he had admittedly was a bit old. It belonged to old man Dunkin. He used to have it when he travelled a long before settling down. Hestia asked Bell if she can sell a few things to get money for their familia's operation. The barn thankfully didn't burn down, as Hestia and Bell got to the fire before it really got going after all.
Bell had some reluctance to sell stuff from his home but agreed. He was already planning on leaving anyways. Surprisingly, his goddess only sold thing that he had no sentimental value towards. It's like she knew which items just weren't important to him. The sword was pretty good so far. Against all the monsters he faced so far, it seemed to work pretty well.
There was also the villagers reaction to Hestia's arrival. Some were ecstatic, others were wary of dealing with a deity. But Hestia never seem flaunt her status, or act unreasonably from what he hear some gods do. Although in those stories, those gods had their familias' backing their actions.
Bell looked around as five more goblins appeared. He ran forward, remember Hestia's words.
"Always be on the move, even while standing in place, bounce on your feet, ready to jump in any direction at any moment."
He stabbed one and moved to the next. Bell felt stuck. His sword was too deep into the monster.
The other monsters didn't wait for him to get free and rushed him. Bell kept pulling on the sword and the closest jumped at him.
Bell just swung the blade with everything he had, smashing the airborne goblin with the stabbed dead one. The hit slammed into the goblin breaking their nose and bruising their body. The hit also made the monster corpse finally fall off.
Yet Bell was too slow as one of the goblins jumped on his leg and claws and bit his thigh.
Bell cried out in pain, smashed his fist down at the goblin. it shouted in pain but didn't dislodge. Another one jumped at him from the side. Bell saw his death coming, in being overwhelmed, but he couldn't stop.
Bell slashed to the side, getting that one in the neck. He heard the last one running at him from behind.
"Also make damn sure that you're never surrounded and know where every enemy is at all times."
"Really wish I remembered that earlier. Sorry, goddess!" Bell cried out and ran away, goblin still holding onto him.
The goblin shouldn't have let go. It stubbornly held onto the white haired human with claw and teeth that it never saw Bell running toward a tree.
Bell rammed side first into the tree, breaking the goblins teeth and hold on him. He quickly turned around to see the other goblin coming at him from the side he held his sword in. Bell didn't have time to swing, so he reacted on instinct and punched the goblin in the pain.
It cried in pain as it was launched back. Bell's knuckles hurt but he easily kept going.
He stabbed the goblin that had bitten him through the had, then went to the one he punched and quickly slashed its head in half, before it can get its bearings.
Bell panted as the forest was quieter again, in that no movement was happening around him.
He heard a rustle, and saw the earlier goblin he smashed with the body of the dead one was still alive. It was bruised and it's arm and feet seemed broken. Bell ended that one quickly.
He then took out his hunting knife to take out their magic stones. It was a bit of gross work, but at least taking out the magic stones mean there would be no bodies around, as they turn to dust upon the stone's extraction. Shame that the blood and smell stays for longer.
The magic stone look like a purple crystal with a oddly luminescent core in the middle. He had seen some before, but it was the first time he harvested them himself.
He was so giddy he didn't hear the kobold arrived till it growled at him.
Bell pocketed the stones, and stood up quickly, ready for another fight. He felt a bit drained after the adrenaline of the goblin fight left him, but he should be able to do this.
A loud horn echoed out at the edge of the forest from the village's direction.
"If you hear this horn then come back. I don't care if you're in the middle of a fight. Find a way to escape and safely run away. Yes, make sure the monster can't follow you, but more importantly, you hear me blowing this, you come back."
Bell ran away. The kobold chased after him, yet after circling around a bit, he was able to lose the monster, then get out of the forest to make his way to the village, back home. He felt something in the shadows watching him at time, but nothing seemed there so far. So all's well in the end, as he escaped.
Today had been another good day. He won and survived once again, like a hero of legend. Nothing could dampen his mood.
"You're an idiot." Hestia said bluntly as she bandaged his legs. Bell pouted, his mood dimmed. "Thankfully their teeth didn't dig deep into your leg. This is mostly a surface wound for the most part. Just skin damage, but you could have been poisoned or infected. You don't know where those goblin claws have been, or how dirty their mouths and salivas are."
Bell grimaced in disgust, seeing the goddess's point.
His face was still mostly red from how Hestia's hands was on his legs, wrapping bandages, after disinfecting the bite wound. Her hand was close to his underwear covered crotch.
When she told him to strip so she can clean his wound, he tried to protest, but the goddess had this presence when she ordered someone to do something, while sounding on the edge of angry, that made the hair on the back of his neck stand. Like saying "no" at that moment would have been a very bad idea.
"I'm sorry for worrying you, goddess—"
"Hes. Ti. A." She said back with a pout.
"L-Lady Hestia—Aaak." Bell squeaked as the goddess pinched his side, making his flinch from her sorta tickling him.
"It, it is inappropriate." He tried to argue.
"I determine what's appropriate. So sayeth me!" She said again, as she finished tying up the bandage. "Don't put pressure on it or do any strenuous running for four days at minimum. When you go monster hunting again, use the fact that you can't run, to be more observant." Hestia stood up and sat on a chair. "You can put your pants back on."
"Y-Yes! Thank you." He called out as he did that, wincing once while bending his knee to put them on. "Um, Laa," Glare. "Um, Hestia, can't you update my Falna at least now? Higher stats means quicker recovery, or something? I heard stronger adventurers can heal faster than normal people."
"True, higher Endurance or a strong Skill can do that. But no, until we leave vanquish the dark forest, I'm not updating your stats." She shook her head.
"Um... okay." Bell wanted to say something, but held back, as he lightly bit his lower lip and looked away, not wanting to offend his goddess with his questing.
"Bell," Hestia voice drew him again to her. He could see her eyes again, as she raised her aviator above her head. Her eyes shines as always a warm sunlight color, looking calmer now. "If you want to ask something you can ask. I'm your goddess, and you're my child. I'm the one person you should be able to talk to about anything."
"Ah, I'm just..." Bell pouted a bit.
"How cute~." Hestia smiled.
"Eeeh?" Bell looked up to see Hestia's teasing grin. "Goddess?" Did she just call him cute?
"Hestia." She said again.
"Hestia," A man shouldn't be called 'cute'. He pouted once more, before coughing into a fist and facing his goddess again. "I... was kind of excited to see how much I've grown. I know you said that saving updating for later would have better results, but I've heard about how much stronger adventurers become once they gain a Falna and being blessed by their god. So, I though..." He looked down. "I wanna experience that too."
His goddess's giggled reached him, then he felt arms circle around his head, as he was pulled into a hug.
"Heh, sorry. I was so focused on my plan for how to raise and level you up, that I didn't tell you anything beyond the basics." Hestia said in a much more gentle voice, as she pulled back, so Bell could look at her. "Seriously, this is the most important thing for a family. If something bothers or confuses you, talk to me. Sometimes I might tell you something to protect you, but I think for the most part that would be very rare."
"I see. Thank you, goddess!" Bell said in excitement.
Hestia frowned.
Hestia pulled his head back into her boobs.
Bell's face was lit aflame.
"Hes. Ti. A." She said firmly once more as she muffled Bell's panicked screams.
"HMMMM! HMMMPH!"
Finally after a minute or so, Bell was freed. He gasping for air, while trying not to think about how pleasant his goddess smiled.
"I think I saw my grandpa." He muttered to himself.
"Pfft, yeah he would be in pervert heaven alright." Hestia snorted and muttered.
"Huh?" Bell looked back, as he didn't hear what she said. Something about "heaven"? His grandpa being there would be good.
"Never mind." She waved him off, as she dragged her chair to right in front of him, and sat on it, with her legs cross under her. Bell blushed and looked up as stare at her panties. "So!" Hestia grinned. "Adventuring 101, Falna and You." She began and Bell listen with rapt attention. "As you know, through fighting monsters and completing tough tasks causes you to gain excelia, or experience. EXP if you want to shorten it. It is potential you gain through your endeavors, and which in turn when I update your Falna I am realizing into strength based on your experience. Here, using the word as in the events or challenges you went through." Bell made an "ah" sound as he nodded in understanding. "Now the thing is, technically anything can grant you excelia if its a challenging experience you went through. The important thing is, it is an experience that pushed you, or forced you to put in effort to complete. To try and overcome and be better and more than you currently are. Following me so far?"
"Yes, teacher!" Bell said enthusiastically. He practically had stars in his eyes.
"Good boy~." Hestia patted his head.
"Hehe," Bell smiled in elation at the compliment and headpat affection.
"Now tell me, how difficult is it usually to fight monsters before, and how is it now that you gained a Falna?" She asked.
"Ah, usually it would take Grandpa and me to take down one. Sometimes it would be me and four others to make sure our group could deal with any of the monster that would get bold enough to come towards our village." Bell said, holding his chin in though, while looking to the side in though. "Now though," he faced Hestia with an excited smile. "I was able to take down a group of three without breaking a sweat. Four was a bit tougher, and I managed five today... although not that well." He said the last part in a bit of a shy tone.
"And that's what updating the Falna would be like gradually. The five you fought that were dangerous, would quickly be a normal challenge that you would be capable of handling without much issue. That's how it works, the bigger the challenge, the more excelia you gain." Hestia said. "You see the problem then?"
"Eh?"
"When something is challenging you get a lot of excelia and your stats improve. But then what was once challenging will gradually stops being so." The goddess explained, as Bells eyes slowly widened in understanding. "And that would lead to..."
"Less excelia?" Bell answered.
"Exactly!" Hestia smiled and nodded. "So the reason why I don't want to update your Falna for now, is to keep you facing that same level of difficulty. Which means, you'll also need to improve your combat awareness and experience rather than depending on just physically overpowering the monsters." She explained. "The excelia you gain will keep being of a greater quality, and they would stockpile. Meaning that when I update you, rather than a gradual increase, it will become a massive one!" She ended her explanation with a mad grin.
"Ooooh! That's amazing, goddess!" Bell clapped as he cheered.
"Hestia! Hehe, and yeah, I'm a genius." She said with a mock-haughty smile while looking up, before staring back at him, her face serious again. "While this a good training method, you need to take every fight seriously. Never assume a monster is easy or beaten until its dead and its magic stone taken. So you need to train your body everyday and your reflexes."
"Um..." Bell began to say. Hestia gestured for him to go ahead. "What's the point of training my body if we're not going to update my Falna, god—Hestia?"
"While the Falna dictates the most you can do with your body, you still need to train yourself to be able to have full use of your body's abilities. Those goblins shouldn't have even gotten the drop on you." She said.
"Ah, I'm sorry." Bell looked down.
"No, no, don't apologize. You're learning. Mistakes are a given. What's important is that you return home at the end of the day." Hestia said.
"Right!" Bell smiled brightly once more, his confidence reignited. "So, what we were talking about, I can still improve without you updating the Falna?"
"When you first started farm work, or hunting, was it easy?" Hestia asked, making Bell blink at the non-sequitur.
"Well, no."
"But it got easier over time. You were able to move more easily without tiring. Your fingers gain calluses from using tools and weapons, right?"
"Yeah," Bell nodded. "Carrying all the game we captured for the day with Grandpa, was heavy and tiring at first. But I got used to it, and started to carry more loads as I grew older."
"The body is pretty adaptable to the activity you put it through." Hestia nodded. "That's why as you train everyday, and move and fight monsters, your body will bulk up and build muscles." She then gained a mischievous look. "Of course, if you did like some adventurers do, where they coast on their stats, while eating food with lots of fats or a lot of desserts, and you'll end up fat. A big bellied chucky adventurer Bell." She said, making with her arms as if having a large belly.
Bell's face dropped as he imagined such future.
"No! Absolutely not!" He cried out.
"Hahahahaha!" Hestia laughed.
A beat, and then Bell found himself laughing too.
The two calmed down, and Bell let out a sigh of relief, as he had his concerns addressed.
"You know what? Let's update your Falna." Hestia suddenly said.
"Really!?" Bell's eyes widened.
"Yeah. That way you can find out what it's normally like to increase your stats, versus what it will be like by the end of this training arc." She said. "Not interested?"
"I'm interested! I'm interested!
Bell Cranel
LV. 1
Strength: I0 — I9
Endurance: I0 — I13
Dexterity: I0 — I11
Agility: I0 — I17
Magic: I0
Development Ability:
Skills:
Magic:
"Oooooh!" Bell shouted in excitement as he held the status paper up in the air. "So that's what it's like. So starting from zero, huh."
"That's right. Your stat increase are pretty uniform so far, but you'll start to notice where your talent lies over time. Although, I personally think you should train all stats equally. There's literally no reason why you can't improve in everything to gain the most out of your Falna. You never know when you might need to take a hit that you can't dodge, or need to overpower an enemy's defense, where multiple faster but weaker attacks won't do."
"Hmm, I'm not really sure if I really do feel stronger, or I just think it. Watching the number go up is a nice feeling too." He said to himself. "Lady Hestia?"
"Hmm," Hestia let it go this time, due to the childish excitement in his voice, but grunted at him.
"Can I go test out my improved abilities? Is this stat increase a lot for an adventurer?" Bell asked.
"Hmm, I'd say this would be the normal amount, based on starting out from zero. The first updates are usually the ones with the biggest gains, until you face greater challenges." She explained. "And no." Hestia shut him down, making Bell pout. "You're done for the day. Now, its time to sell the pelts we got and buy groceries. Then training." She nodded to herself. "And while training, remember—No. In everything you do, remember the most important lesson for how to cheat and win with the Falna." She said with a wide grin.
"Cheat?" Bell blinked.
"If you're not cheating, you're not winning. Or if 'cheating' is too much of a bad connotation, think of it like the secret gaining the most out of the Falna."
"Secret?" Bell leaned in, very intrigued and interested.
"That's right, the secret to how to gain even greater excelia, how to get a Skill and even Magic." Hestia said in a lower tone, smiling widely.
"R-Really?" Bell gulped. His goddess was sharing a divine secret with him after all.
"That's right. I call it... The Three Es." Hestia said.
And as she proceeded to explain that concept to Bell, his eyes widened as he felt like he was gaining forbidden knowledge.
"...And that's it. Come on, let's go to the market. And remember, talk to me and ask about whatever you want next time, okay? Otherwise I'll put you in the Marshmallows Hell again."
"Eeep!" Bell jumped in surprise at his goddess's words.
Although, it's more like heaven.
Of course, he didn't voice that thought out loud.
"The First E: Effort. When you want gain something or improve something, you need to put in the work. Through effort, your excelia will be gain aimed toward that goal till its achieved. The goal being a Skill to help in a certain way, or improve a specific stat. Or Magic. Which you really need to work on, because I will not have my first child and Familia Captain not be a maxed out OP protag in all stats!"
Bell Cranel's days gained a much more different routine than it once was.
In the mornings, he would go help out old farmer Himmel. He was someone that was as old as his grandpa, who was married to an elf, and tended to his farm with his five children. Bell would help but carrying the heavy bags or, at his goddess insistence and explanation to Old Himmel, full on crates to and from the farm.
It was tiring near back breaking labor every time. But Bell pulled through it as he was looking forward to the reward of lots of excelia for massive stat numbers, by the end of the month.
"Hmm? No, I'm not waiting a month for you to train using the forest, so then begin our journey to Orario. I'm waiting a month, because I think that's enough time for you to empty that forest of all monsters, and all monster nests."
That his goddess had that much faith in him, kept the fires of Bell's resolve constantly ignited.
Hestia throughout the day would either skin the animals he had hunted to make pelts. Or as she built a reputation in the village, would babysit for some of the families with lots of children. Which were a lot.
After helping out Old Himmel, Bell would go to his home's barn where Hestia had carved from wood a training machine. Of sorts.
She made a large disk made to dangle from one of the roof beams, with three pulley ropes. One rope makes the disk spin clockwise, one makes the disk counterclockwise and one moves the whole disk left and right. The most important thing are all the dangling wood plates from the disk.
"Ow! Ooh! Dodged that one—Ack!"
The training is for Bell to stand under the disk, blindfolded and try to dodge the swinging wood plates, as Hestia moves them. The training is to improve his senses, so he would be harder to hit or ambush, even if a monster attacks him from behind.
His goddess... might enjoy this training a bit too much. She seemed to have a lot of fun putting him through it.
After that, Bell would head to the dark forest to cull the monsters, till sunset, or till Hestia called him home.
"The Second E: Experience. You need to accumulate time putting in the work. For example, you want a Skill to make you faster? Then keep imagining what it is like, and then keep running full sprint everywhere you go. Keep working those legs imaging what gaining the Skill will feel like one day. You need to have the experiences of what it was like striving for that Skill or goal. Work on the things that would lead to that goal manifesting. With magic you'll need to meditate and envision what its like. Sorry, I'm no expert in magic, but the Falna can grant spells, even if they are limited usually to three. The point is, dedicated time to a goal with a constant of affirming it with a strong desire will lead to that being manifested by the Falna. If you work for it, the Falna will eventually grant it."
Bell gritted his teeth, as he was a whirlwind of blades, having gained a short sword to his repertoire that his goddess had purchased for him.
Over the days he had steadily and persistently culled the monster population, at the side of the forest facing his village, and working his way in. Goblins and kobolds were a plenty. There was even one frog shooter living there as well.
Bell sensed something above him.
"You sense something above you? You fucking jump! You don't even think about it. Dodge then see what it was!"
It was a dungeon lizard. Bell was surprised that he found one in the forest so far. They always try to jump him from the top of the tree, so he never saw any on the ground.
Can it even be called a Dungeon Lizard, when it's not living in the Dungeon? No. Focus!
He jumped back at the lizard that just crashed to the ground, and stabbed it in its brain.
Then Bell had to dodge as another imp tried to jump him, only land near a trio of goblins.
Short sword throw at one. Hunting knife in the other. Both bullseye. Run and stab the last one in the chest.
Spin and throw the goblin off his blade, at the imp thinking it was smart and sneaky, coming at his back.
Bell Cranel had ventured too deep in the forest, while exploring its outer layer, till he found himself in a monster nest.
A lot of goblins and imps lived here, with some mix of other monsters. There were too many, yet as he remembered his goddess's words on keeping a cool head, and his training for his senses, he persevered.
Like Hestia said, If he can beat one group of monsters without breaking a sweat. He can beat waves of them. He just needs to out last them. There's a finite number of monsters in the forest. He doesn't need to rush, he just needs to keep a steady head, conserve his energy to slay them in as little time and effort as possible, rest when he can, and keep going.
The monsters were wary, giving him time retrieve his short sword.
Bell heard the horn. Hestia was calling him back.
He looked at the hunting knife stuck in the goblin. He'll need to leave it. He wants to get it back, but he doesn't have time.
"If you lose something in the forest, lose it. Better you lose equipment, weapons or what have you, than your life."
Bell looked at where the monster lines were they were thinnest.
The kobold charged at him. Bell surprised it by rushing forward, then stabbing it from below, from its mouth up through its brain.
Time to go back home.
Bell knocked his head back as he drank the potion, feeling it's cold taste go down his throat. His body felt sore, but rather than aches as he usually felt at the end of the day of training and monster fighting, it was the pleasant kind of sore.
"I can't believe you managed to acquire five potions, Hestia." Bell said in joyful surprise.
"All the odd jobs you and I did built up a hefty sum, so it was fine to get some." Hestia said.
"But, our savings..." Bell frowned, feeling guilty that he would get injured enough to need a potion. Well, not too injured that he can't fight, but while his recovery was faster with the falna than it normally was, the small cuts and bruises would build up over time. Thus he would usually take a rest day just to let his body heal, but with Hestia procuring them a potion, he just needs a night's rest and he would be back to fighting shape the next morning.
"It's good fortune that merchants deliver potions and the like all the way to this village. Even if the apothecary sells them for a lot, it's still worth it." Hestia smiled.
Normal medicine was pricy but manageable in the village. But actual alchemical-made potions like those of Orario that can cure all wounds, or normal illnesses, those could be worth their weight in gold. It says a lot about the amount of money Bell and Hestia manage to save, that they could get half a set of potion. Ten being a full set.
"But still—"
"Bell, if it's something that will keep my child safe, then it's worth it. Money comes and goes anyways, but your life is priceless."
Bell blushed and sputtered at the reply, as his goddess laughed and went to prepare lunch.
Bell really didn't like how Hestia would tease him at time... Well, maybe a little.
His goddess was too free with her affection, Bell can't help but thank the heaven for how luck he is, that he was delivered such a kind goddess.
As the two sat down to eat the late lunch, with red beams of sunset lights shining from the windows, the conversation turn to one Bell felt a little embarrassed by.
"Eh, my dream? Ah, well..." Bell chuckled and looked to the side a bit shy. "I guess, um, to be great a famous adventurers, whom people can admire and look up to."
"Ah, fame and fortune. A classic." A foxy grin grew on Hestia's face. "And of course, the trifecta, women. Do you want to get admired by a lot of ladies, my cute Bell?"
"E-Eeeeh! H-Hestia!" Bell cried out scandalized, because, well, his goddess wasn't exactly wrong.
"Hahaha, I see. I guess Bell is at that age." Hestia steeped her fingers and rested her chin on them like weight on a suspension bridge. "So, what type of love do you want to have? Just lots of fan who are oh so eager for their celebrity's attention. A simple quiet courtship? A crazy romance with lots of drama that stories are written about? Or..." She wiggled her eyebrows. "Maybe a harem of beautiful and varied women, like every man dreams of but rarely succeeds in." She wiggled her eyebrows.
"Eeep! N-No!" Bell was red-faced imagining that.
"Hmm, let's see, there would some Humans, obviously Elves," Hestia jokingly started counting on her fingers. "Chienthropes, Cat people, definitely must have a Cow girl, Hume Bunny, basically one of every Demi Human, Pallum, Oh! And goddesses." She grinned. "Why maybe even a love goddess?"
"Stooop!" Bell whined covering his face with his hands.
"Not a love goddess? Gasp! Does my son mayhap lust over... me? Oh my~ my innocent body is in danger." Hestia sighed dramatically resting the back of her hand over her forehead.
"Lady Goddess Hestia!" Bell whined with a mighty pout.
Hestia laughed for a while, before finally waving him off.
"Okay, okay, I jest, I jest." She said with a chuckle. "Besides while I may joke, harems are hard work. Not only do you have to get all the girls to agree to it, or they come to that conclusion on their own. Then you need to organize times, schedule dates, separate activity for each girl, and one collectively for all of them so they feel like family with you and each other. Sometimes you might need to have combo dates with two girls at once, so they also come to like spending time with each other. Racial difference must also be remembered like how Elves don't like to be touched, unless they let you. Or how Hume Bunnies need hugs every one in a while, or they get depressed. Don't joke about a Pallum's height unless you're close. And as for goddesses—Wait, you're writing all of this down?" Hestia raised an amused eyebrow.
"N-Not that I want a harem or anything!" Bell said quickly holding the notebook and pencil close to his chest. "Just seemed like important information to know. That's all."
"Well, that's fine. Just in case." Hestia smirked and Bell's ears turned red. "Now, as for goddess..."
"Um, Lady Hestia?" Bell politely interrupted.
"Hmm?"
"I don't think I need to know that one." Bell chuckled and shook his head. Hestia didn't smile or laugh back, but raised her eyebrows, and tilted her head. The curious intrigue in her posture obvious. "I don't think... mortals should love gods in that way."
"That feels like discrimination!"
"I-It's not!" Bell cried out, between a laugh and an panicked cry.
He and Hestia laughed for a while, before things turned quiet.
"...Sounds like a story." Hestia finally said, pulling her aviators back to rest on her head. Her beautiful sun colored eyes visible again, rather than teased every once in a while behind those dark sunglasses. She rested her head on her palm and she waited for him to elaborate.
"Not really." Bell shrugged. "It's just that..." A somber look came to the white haired teen. "You gods are immortal, right?" He asked. Hestia nodded. "And well, for use mortal, our time among the living is limited. We never know when we may die and be gone forever. Death and loss always brings sadness. Once someone is gone, they're gone for good. Will we meet them again in the afterlife? In another life? Is the chance of that even possible? We'll never know. To inflict that pain on someone who is immortal?" Bell met Hestia's eyes, red against gold. "That is far too cruel, Hestia."
For a while silence fell on the dining table. Bell wondered if he might have offended his goddess, but she didn't seem mad. He didn't want her to be mad at him, but he felt like he must tell her this, in this serious topic. Gods can tell when mortals lie, so he should be honest.
"Bell..." Hestia began with a much kinder and softer voice than he had ever heard from her before. "That's kinda selfish of you."
"Eh!?" Bell was startled.
"Cowardly too, in that you won't face a goddess's love head on." Hestia said. There wasn't any condemnation in her tone. She just said it in the same way as if stating a fact.
"Why would you say that, Hestia?" Bell asked, a little hurt but also seeking answers.
"In life, just as you can't decide other people's feelings for you; whether they like you, dislike you, are afraid of you, envious of you, or pity you, you can't decide whether someone loves you or not." Hestia sat up as she spoke. "That belief? You sidestep their emotions all together. You don't confront it head on and tell them you don't like them or can't accept their love because, you're not compatible, or you are in love with someone else, or that you see them as a friend and don't see them that way. You simply push aside their declaration of love with one solid excuse." Hestia said. Bell went to argue that it wasn't an excuse, when she continued. "What if you end up falling in love with a goddess? Will you ignore this rule? Or will you bury your own emotions down? Then you're not being cruel to just one person."
"I..." Bell was lost in though. "I never considered that." He said, as this grandpa's words clashed against his goddess's words. "But even so... my pain isn't—"
"But! Above all else." Hestia spoke with more passion in her voice. "That a goddess wouldn't know that they are inviting inevitable pain into their heart. That we wouldn't make that choice knowingly. That for us, the future pain is nothing to the joy and happiness we'd feel from love reciprocated. Better the pain that comes after love, than twice the pain that comes from summary rejection and loss." Bell's eyes widened as a new perspective came to his worldview. "Bell, when I inevtiably fall in love with someone, then I want them to leave a scar on my soul."
"What!?" Bell shouted as he stood up.
"I want to feel it all, Bell. I want to feel all the joy, all sorrows, all the frustrations. And all the love that would come from that bond, even the sorrow that would come from that separation by death." Hestia closed her eyes and placed a hand over her heart. "Let them be remembered vividly and fiercely than just as a shallow memory." She opened her eyes, and met his gaze. Bell felt transfixed. His goddess's stare was mesmerizing, yet overpowering. It felt like he was in those monumental moment in a heroes story, where they learn a life lesson that alters the whole path of their life going forward. "Tell me, Bell, when does a man die?"
"...Huh?" Bell blinked as he was completely thrown off by the seemingly random question.
"Is it when they are struck down by a blade?" Hestia shook her head. "No."
Bell's heart sudden felt strong in his chest.
"Is it when they drink poison? No."
The hair along his arms stood up.
"Is it when they fall to disease? To old age? No!" Hestia cried out.
Bell felt an strong rush of emotions. Like he wanted to move. To run. To do something.
"When does a man die?! When they are forgotten!" Hestia stood up. "And I swear to you, Bell, to you and to every single child I welcome into my family upon this earth; No matter what, no matter how much time passes, tomorrow, next year, next decade, next century, any day, or every day or any day in a million days, or even when eons and ages pass, when time finally ends. No matter what, I will never forget you."
Hestia smile seemed to freeze the world.
Bell Cranel felt like the world came to a standstill. His heartbeat was the only sound he could hear, and something in his knew, that this moment was one he also would never forget.
Hestia's smile was the most beautiful thing in the world.
"So in that case, make your life as strong burning blaze as the sun. So that after a long, long time when we finally say "goodbye", when even ten thousand or a million years have passed, my memories of you would still be something I lovingly, joyously come back to. So that even when I meet you in your next life, I'd say 'hello again, my child'."
Bell felt tears fall down his face. He wasn't sad. He didn't understand why he was crying, yet also why he was smiling.
"Hestia..." The words came out of his mouth before he could think them. "Why... do you believe in me so much? I am no one. I haven't done anything worthy of this faith."
"Maybe it was destiny that I fell on your barn?" Hestia smirked. "Maybe I heard you, and wanted to meet the boy who shouted about wanting to be a hero?"
"EH!?" Bell shouted, embarrassed.
"Truthfully?" Hestia continued, keeping his attention. "That's just how I am. If I'm going to have a child, I'm going to put all my faith in them." She shook her head, before, looking at him with a confident grin. "And it's fine if you don't believe in yourself. As the Great Kamina said, if you don't believe in yourself, believe in the me who believes in you!"
"OOOOOH! I'll write that down! I'll write that down!" Bell shouted in excitement.
"Hahahahahaha!" Hestia had her hand on her hips and head threw back, as she laughed haughtily and proudfully.
"And finally, the Third E: EMOOOOTION!"
It wasn't something Bell expected.
Three weeks went by since Bell had met Hestia, and in that time, bit by bit and with his goddess's guidance, Bell learned how monster acted. How they moved, how they fought, their consistent habits and what to expect if they change them up. Monsters weren't like people, Hestia would tell him. He should expect them to be more like violent golems acting on instinct for the most part.
It made them predictable. Made them eventually easy to slay, even if he had to push his body so that he doesn't give them the chance, or a lucky hit to take him down.
One by one, the monsters nests through out the forest near his village was withered and drained.
Soon, the forest that took his grandpa from him won't bring harm to anyone again.
Or so Bell thought.
As his goddess would say, he should never tempt fate. Never taunt the almighty Murphy.
Bell clashed with the shadowy arms of the Enhanced War Shadow. The Greater Monster that laid in the depth of the forest. It was larger than a normal War Shadow, having four arms rather than two, and seemed to move faster. It didn't seem to have legs as its lower half melded with the shadows on the ground, making it difficult to know when it would move.
A beast that had awakened in response to Bell's culling of the monsters within the forest.
And with the enhanced monster not finding prey in the men nor monsters to feast, it began heading towards the Bell's home village.
Bell kept trying to fight it, clashing, deflecting and parrying its sharp limbs.
The Hestia Familia only member had already used all his potions. He had cut off one of the Enhanced War Shadow's arms, leaving it with three. Bell had numerous scratches along his body and limbs. A bruise on his face. Thankfully not a claw scratch, but an injury from when the monster surprised him with a backhand, rather than focus on slashes. There were also bruised on his ribs and sides, but he could still fight.
Yet even with the injuries the enhanced monster accumulated as well, Bell noticed how its march wasn't impended too much. Bit by bit they were getting closer to the village. Bell could see the tree line about to end, to show his village.
Another flurry of slashes from the Enhanced War Shadow, and Bell jumped aside, followed by a deflection and then...
There!
Bell slashed upward, faster than the monster brought down its third arm.
It screeched as it lost that arm.
Rather than jump back in pain or retreat, the Enhanced War Shadow lunged forward trying to overtake Bell.
Bell clashed with it with both swords, locking into a stalemate.
He gritted his teeth as he felt himself being pushed back. In pure strength, the Enhanced War Shadow was too much.
Bell tried to think on how to move, or counterattack. He tried to think on how the monster would react, and he started to worry as he couldn't think he could react faster than the enhanced monster this close.
"Bell Cranel!" Hestia shouted to him.
"Eh, goddess?!" Bell almost stumbled.
"Don't look back!" She called out, just as an arrows flew and hit the Enhanced War Shadow in the back.
The monster stumbled from the arrow hits, making Bell able to pushed it back now.
"Boy! Are you gonna give up now?" Old Himmel called out to him.
"Eh, Old Himmel?" Bell said.
"That's right boy, you're not alone."
"Go, Bell!"
"You're not gonna give up are you boy!"
Bell glanced behind him, to see all the villagers had come up to support him. The adults had their weapons with them. Some of the guys his age were also there to support their fathers and elders.
Yet Bell's chest was filled with fear and worry. Because he knew that his monster could easily kill them all. He wasn't sure if he could win either.
"BELL!" Hestia shouted once more. Her voice taking out everything. His worries, the shouts and cheers of the villagers, and even the growls of the monster in his face. "AHEAD OF YOU LIES A THREAT TO ALL YOU HOLD DEAR!" She called out. "BEHIND YOU LIES EVERYTHING YOU WISH TO PROTECT! WHEN FACED WITH OVERWHELMING DANGER SURVIVAL MIGHT BE ALL THAT MATTERS, FOR WHEN YOU'RE DEAD YOUR STORY IS OVER! HOWEVER!" Bell felt an energy course through him. A power born of a wish, a desire he wanted to fulfill for this very moment. The shadow monster let out a confused growl as it started to get pushed back. "THERE WILL COME A DAY WERE YOU CAN'T AFFORD TO RETREAT! A DAY WERE RUNNING AWAY MEANS THE VERY LOSS OF YOUR SPIRIT AND ALL YOU LOVE!"
Bell roared as he pushed enhanced monster back into the forest, even with it digging its mass into the ground, leaving a gorge in the dirt behind it.
"SO PUT ALL YOUR WILL INTO YOUR BLOWS! WHEN YOU COUNTER, YOU DON'T LET THEM CUT YOU!"
Bell finally broke the stalemate as he slammed the monsters arms back.
The Enhanced War Shadow slashed forward putting all its speed into its dash.
"WHEN YOU ATTACK, YOU KILL THEM!"
Bell dashed into the enhanced monster's guard, shocking it. A blade went through its chest, followed by multiple slashes to their body. Torso, arms, shadowy leg. Faster and faster the hits were coming.
The tried to defend, bringing its remaining arms to shield its core.
"AND WHEN YOU PROTECT SOMEONE!" Hestia continued, her voice reverberating throughout Bell's being. "YOU DON'T LET THEM DIE!"
Bell roared and slashed forward.
Crack!
The short sword broke.
The Enhanced War Shadow moved forward, seeing it's chance as it thrust its arm at Bell.
Hestia's lessons echoed in Bell's mind once more.
"Effort and Experience are all good. They're important of course. But what matter most, what brings them to life, is passion! Your very soul. If you don't let your desire roar in your heartbeat then all your actions might as well be of a lifeless automaton. So shouted it. Roar it out! What's your dream!"
"I WILL!" Bell dashed forward, remaining sword held tightly with both hands.
The Enhanced War Shadow anticipated this by using one arm to defend and one to attack.
Bell dodged the outreaching arm. It curved to come at his back. Seemingly about to end him.
And yet.
"BECOME A HERO!"
Bell slashed forward, a gong rang out as his falna shined.
His blade cut through both arm, torso and finally through the enhanced monster's magic stone itself.
The Enhanced War Shadow burst into dust, leaving behind a split magic stone and a large dagger finger that seemed to absorb light.
I did it.
Bell smiled as exhaustion finally crashed into him, and everything turned black.
Bell Cranel
LV. 1
Strength: I9 — C610
Endurance: I13 — C688
Dexterity: I11 — B712
Agility: I17 — C635
Magic: I0
Development Ability:
[-]
Skills:
Liaris Freese: Fast growth as long as both parties reciprocate their emotions. The strength of the effects corresponds with the level of both party's feelings. As a side effect it makes the user immune to charms
Argus Ennoia: Senses extend in all direction, allowing one to feel the movement of all objects in a ten meter radius. Also senses and warns any ill intent.
Magic:
Vesta Strike: Quick cast magic. No chant. Fire engulfs the users weapon for a devastating strike. The flames contain a purifying quality.
AN: Edit. I switch DEX with AGI. I feel he would be more accurate than fast here.