Hello good people. Welcome back. Things are progressing along with our story. Cassandra has bestowed us a new prophecy and our couples are getting closer. However, challenges remain for our four lovebirds and Athens, it seems, will bring more challenges than initially believed, and as you will soon discover, it is not only Athens, Rakia, or the High Elves that our heroes need to worry about, but that's enough teasing, let's get to it.
I do not own Danmachi
Seeing that Cassandra was truly asleep now, Bell smiled and slowly got up and made his way out of her room.
He closed the door as silently as possible and took a deep breath before letting out a content sigh.
She'll be alright.
"Bell?"
He turned and discovered Aiz a little ways down the hall.
"Aiz, what are you doing here?" he asked.
"I woke up when I didn't feel you beside me and decided to come look for you," she answered as she approached him. Her eyes then turned to the door. "What were you doing in there?"
"Oh, I couldn't sleep so I went for a walk. As I was walking I heard a scream in here and rushed in. Cassandra had a nightmare, so I helped calm her down and get her back to sleep.," he explained.
"Cassandra?" she asked as her eyes narrowed.
Bell noticed this almost immediately and his own eyes narrowed.
"You better not be thinking what I think you are."
Aiz pouted, giving him all he needed to know.
All of a sudden, Aiz found herself forced against the wall and her lips forcefully claimed.
"I told you earlier, Aiz," Bell said upon pulling back, his voice stern, but calm. "I'm not going to betray you. Ever. I'd also like to point out that you're not the only one who can get a bit possessive. Seeing that vice-captain flirt with you was hardly fun to watch, you know."
It took a moment for Aiz to get over her surprise, but once she did, she smiled softly and nodded.
"I'm sorry. I will remember this time. I promise."
Bell's stern attitude fell away as he smiled and kissed her.
"It's okay. A little possessiveness I don't think is a bad thing, as long as we trust each other."
She nodded again, and with one more kiss they parted from the wall, took each other's hand, and made their way back to their room.
Morning came not long after the two young lovers returned to bed, forcing them to reluctantly part as they got ready for the day. Upon completing that task, they exited their room, with the plan on joining the others for breakfast.
"I'm going to quickly check on Cassandra to make sure she's alright now," Bell said.
"Okay. I'll see you in the mess hall," Aiz responded.
The two gave each other a parting kiss before heading their separate ways.
Bell made the quick trip to Cassandra's door and knocked. Only a few moments later, Cassandra opened the door.
"Ye-...Bell!" she cried, her face instantly turning red.
Why is her face turning red? he wondered, before his mind quickly reminded him of recent revelations and his eyes widened. Don't tell me...Cassandra too!
For a moment the two were utterly silent as their mutual embarrassment made talking impossible. Finally though, Bell managed to shake himself loose of his embarrassment and proceed.
"S-So...um. How are you? Were you able to sleep well?"
It took a moment for the embarrassed girl to respond, but she finally managed a nod.
"Y-Yes. I had a v-very pleasant sleep...t-t-thanks to you," she said.
Bell smiled, unaware that the reason for her 'pleasant sleep' was actually two-fold. The first being his help in calming her, the second being his inclusion in her dreams. Not that she was about to tell him about the second reason.
"I'm glad. If you ever need to talk again or have any trouble with your nightmares, I'll be there," he said, giving her his dazzling smile.
"I-I…" she was utterly stunned by his wonderful smile and how it somehow made him even more handsome. "I'll do that."
"Great! Now, why don't we both get some breakfast?" he suggested.
She happily agreed and the two began to make their way towards the mess hall. Unfortunately, they would not make it there without incident.
"Typical man."
The two stopped and turned to find Agrippina glaring at Bell.
"One woman isn't enough for you, I see," she growled.
The hostility and accusation did not sit well with Bell at all and his eyes lowered into a glare.
"Cassandra is a friend," he responded curtly.
"Of course she is. Because men want nothing more than to be 'friends' with women," the vice-captain spat out.
"And why not? Have you never seen coed friendships?"
The three turned to see Patroclus approaching them.
"Men only want one thing," Agrippina growled at the new arrival.
Patroclus laughed.
"Really now? Funny, because last time I checked I've only ever had friendships with women given that I rather prefer the company of men," he said unabashedly.
That actually appeared to shock the vice-captain.
"And why wouldn't I? I mean, have you seen Achilles? That chiseled chin. Those electric eyes. Those ripely muscles. I'm practically tingling just thinking about all of it," he blinked, remembering where he was. "Oh, sorry Bell."
"No problem," Bell said, though he was a bit weirded out.
"Anyway, maybe you should get your head out of your ass, girly, and recognize that there are all kinds of men, just as there are all kinds of women. And some of us prefer the strong, rugged sex over the fair, soft one."
Her face curled into a snarl.
"Whatever," Agrippina growled, knowing she had lost and hating that idea with a passion.
She turned to leave, but Bell wasn't quite done.
"Wait!"
She turned, glaring at him once more.
"What do you want, lustful fiend?"
He strode up to her, his own glare overpowering hers.
"I love Aiz dearly and will never betray her. Also, if I find out that you're continuing to bother her or dare I say, ever touch her, you and I will have real problems."
She smirked.
"Afraid I'll take her away from you?"
"Not even a little bit," he responded instantly, stunning her. "In fact, I suspect that if you did dare to ever touch her, she'd cut off the hand that you used." The woman paled. "However, that should be of little concern to you, because I'll be dealing with whatever's left. Understood?"
For the briefest of moments, she thought she saw his eyes change into slits, but once she blinked, she found them to be normal, human eyes. Even so, she was thoroughly intimidated and simply fled.
Bell sighed as he let his anger ebb away.
Clapping caught his attention and he turned to find Patroclus applauding and smiling at him.
"Well done, Bell."
"Thank you," he said with a small blush. "But I don't think that was well done at all. I was just mad. I should have been calmer."
"Hey, she degraded you and was after your girl, it's completely alright to be upset. But enough of that stuck-up bitch, let's get some food. Nothing improves a mood like some food in the belly."
Bell nodded, but as Patroclus walked off, he turned to Cassandra.
"I'm sorry about that."
"N-No, it's fine! If anything, I wish I had the courage to say something to her as well, but...I'm too cowardly."
Not a second later, Cassandra found her hands wrapped up in Bell's.
"You're not a coward, Cassandra. I've seen first-hand how brave you are, as well as how kind. So please, don't insult or think negatively of yourself."
She gaped at him for a while, before managing a very small nod.
"Thank you. Now come on, let's get breakfast."
The three adventurers entered the mess hall and found that they were the last to arrive.
"We were wondering where you were, Bell-sama," Lili said.
"Sorry. We just got held up for a moment," Bell responded.
"Held up by what, if you don't mind me asking?" Achilles questioned, seeing the somewhat distressed look Bell had.
"By a snooty lesbian bitch," Patroclus said.
Everyone stopped eating.
"Explain," Achilles said, his eyes darting between the three.
"That Athena vice-captain was giving Bell some shit, but he handled it so she shouldn't be a problem anymore," Patroclus replied.
"Uh huh," the Father On High returned, his voice clearly revealing how he was prepared to ensure she didn't become a problem.
"It's okay, really," Bell said, waving his arms to try and dissuade any further action. "I think she's just jealous."
"Jealous of what?" his father inquired.
Bell smiled then made his way over to Aiz who cocked her head in confusion before Bell gently grabbed her face, leant down, and kissed her.
"Ah," Achilles and a few others said as understanding filled the room.
"Well then, if she's be handled, there's no reason for us to concern ourselves with her any longer," Riveria said.
"Agreed. No reason to ruin breakfast over some silly girl," Hestia said.
The matter settled, everyone went back to eating breakfast with the added addition of Aiz snuggling up to Bell.
And so breakfast continued with simple, care-free chatter and banter being shared along with the occasional story.
In time, the adventurers and deities began to finish their meals and pick themselves out of their seats. One by one they departed until the Hestia's familia's lovely renard decided it was her turn and gathered her plate and utensils.
"Excuse me everyone," she said with her usual gentle politeness.
Bell, who had been focused far more on snuggling with Aiz than on eating, was brought back to reality by her rising form.
I need to talk to her about Athens, he thought, remembering his concern from yesterday.
He turned and kissed Aiz's forehead, capturing her attention.
"I need to go talk to Haruhime about something, I'll be back soon," he said.
Aiz nodded and parted with him, but he could see her trying to restrain a pout. He smiled, then leant down to kiss her again, which did the trick and wiped away the pout, allowing him to part from his Sword Princess without guilt.
Haruhime had just left the mess hall when she heard her name being called.
"Bell-sama," she greeted. "How may I help you?"
"I wanted to talk to you about Athens," he began. "More accurately, I wanted to ask that you stick close to me while we're there," his voice darker than usual.
Haruhime heard this darkness and grew apprehensive as there were few things she hated more than seeing her shiny light so encompassed by shadow.
"Why, Bell-sama? What's wrong?" she asked, her gentle voice trying to reach out and pull him from whatever now troubled him.
"Because of what Rei said. Your magic is unique Haruhime, and if anyone finds out about it, you'll be in danger. I can't stand the idea of someone hurting you or taking you away from me. So please, keep close," he explained, his voice gaining a desperation to it by the end.
He's afraid, she thought as she stared into his desperate rubies. He's afraid for me.
Of course she did not want her beloved to be afraid, let alone because of her, but she could not help but be touched by his caring soul.
She smiled at him and took his hands hers.
"Thank you for your concern, Bell-sama, though I do not think you have anything to worry about. As Rei-sama pointed out, we are all quite capable and Mania-sama will also be watching over us. However, because you have asked and because I do not wish for you to worry, I promise I will keep close to you," she vowed.
Before she knew it, she was wrapped in a tight hug.
"Thank you, Haruhime," Bell said, relief pouring from his voice.
"O-O-Of course, B-Bell-sama," she replied, her shy nature making itself known once again.
Bell pulled back and smiled at her. Then, to her great shock, he brought a hand up and cupped her cheek as his forehead against hers.
"I'm sorry for being a pain. I just can't stand the idea of anything happening to you."
This time Haruhime could not respond at all, her face simply began to burn like an inferno.
It was because of this burning that Bell's mind began turning and finally he realized what he was doing and what it looked like.
His eyes now as wide as plates, Bell jumped back.
"S-Sorry about t-that, I-I'm just...really grateful you agreed! I mean, we're familia after all, we're supposed to look after each other!" he cried, his voice a rambling mess. "Anyway, I should get back to the mess hall. I'll talk to you later, Haruhime!"
He fled, that was the only way to describe. He fled with his little bunny tail between his legs as Haruhime silently reached out to him.
Bell-sama, her hand fell to her cheek before a radiant smile filled her features. Maybe...just maybe, I still have a chance.
Bell had not fled far, only to around the corner before he stopped and started berating himself.
I just told Aiz that I would never betray her, and here I am being all affectionate with Haruhime! he slammed his head against the wall, then slammed it again. You unfaithful bastard! You womanizing jerk! You love Aiz, don't you?! he slammed his head again, this time hard enough to cause real pain. Yes I do, he thought, absolutely no lie in his thoughts. But I could love Haruhime too. No, he shook his head as a part of him screamed to stop lying. I do love her. I love Aiz and Haruhime.
He felt terrible. He felt like the biggest ass the world had ever seen and just wanted to curl up in a ball and die.
At least then they wouldn't have to deal with someone as disgusting as me, he thought, his heart tearing itself apart as the thought of hurting either of the women he now knew he loved ate him alive.
What do I do? he asked, tears starting to leak at the corner of his eyes.
"Bell?"
He turned.
"Dad," he said, looking up at the older man, too out of it to even realize that his tears were now plain as day to see.
"Hey now," Achilles went up to him and wiped away his tears. "What's wrong?"
Bell shook his head.
"Nothing."
"That is the least convincing 'nothing' I've ever heard," Achilles stated, his voice stern, but filled with tenderness. "Come on Bell, you're supposed to tell me what's troubling you. Helping you is sort of my job."
"It's nothing really. Just some personal stuff I need to deal with."
"And I can't help you with that?" Achilles questioned.
"I'm not sure anyone can."
His eyes are filled with self-loathing, Achilles recognized as his frown deepened.
"Come on, we're getting some fresh air," he ordered, ready to pick up the young man if need be.
"I can't. I left Aiz in the mess hall," Bell replied a bit desperately.
"I'll tell her you and I are having a talk. Now get going."
"Dad-."
"Bell."
The force of the ex-captain's voice stopped him.
"Go up top. I'll be there in a moment."
Leaving no room for argument, Achilles turned and headed for the mess hall, leaving the young man to complete his instructions which, after a moment, the still stunned Bell did.
Bell stood on the deck, the sun and wind dancing along his skin.
"Now." He turned and found that his father was now beside him. "What's going on? And don't you dare try to get out of this. I'll sap you for every obvious lie or evasion you try," Achilles said holding up a sparking finger.
Bell sighed.
"I…" he choked. He took a couple of deep breaths. "I...love Haruhime...too."
Achilles had not expected that.
"Oh."
For a few moments the two were quiet, the sound of the wind and ocean filling the space between them.
"That's why you feel guilty. Because you think you're betraying Aiz," Achilles finally said.
Bell nodded.
"How am I not?" he asked.
"You mean besides in every manner outside your mind?"
Bell turned to him, confused.
"Bell, have you done anything with Haruhime?" Achilles asked.
"No. Nothing beyond hugging," Bell answered.
"Okay, so you haven't actually been unfaithful. Next question. Have your feelings for Aiz diminished at all? Do you love her any less now that Haruhime's in your heart as well?"
"No. Everyday it feels like I fall in love with her more," he replied honestly. "But-."
"But what?" Achilles cut in. "But you must love her less if your heart is split between her and Haruhime?"
After a moment, Bell nodded.
"Bell, I'm going to tell you about a discussion Riveria and I had a while back, and I want you to listen careful, alright?"
Wondering what this had to do with the current situation, Bell nonetheless nodded.
"So, Riveria and I have been in separate camps with regards to you for a while now. She wanted you to be with Aiz and I, as you know, want you to be with Haruhime." Bell nodded. "After the Phryne incident, her and I had a talk about our positions and during that conversation I joked that her and I wouldn't have to fight if you chose both girls."
Bell's eyes widened and a light blush dusted his cheeks.
"You want me to have a harem?"
Achilles laughed.
"Riveria asked the same question. My response was that I want you to be happy and being with both girls, I think, would make you the happiest you could be. Also, I pointed out one other thing to her, that being that, if anyone could pull off a 'harem', it would be you."
Bell's eyes somehow widened even more and his blush deepened.
"W-Why?"
"Because you have a big enough heart. Because you have enough love to not only give them both all the love they deserve, but to love them extra as appreciation for them allowing you to be loved so much."
"I-I'm not sure I understand," Bell replied.
"Then I'll explain," Achilles took out his pipe and lit it. After taking a breath he continued. "Harems are inherently unfair to all but the one at the center. Those connected to the center, in this case, Aiz and Haruhime, would normally receive less love by the simple rule of division. If you love two people you can only love them half as much as normal. At least that's the normal rule. However, you throw the rules right out the window," Achilles explained. "Bell, you are a truly unique person. You have so much goodness and love within you that you can love everyone as much as they deserve. Should you decide to pursue both Aiz and Haruhime there is no doubt in my mind that you would not only be able to give them all the love they deserve, but you would also be able to love them even more than you already do because they allowed you to find joy in the arms of more than one person. In short Bell, your heart does not get divided, but expands to allow for more love to be received and given. That's why I know you shouldn't worry that you're unfaithful or loving Aiz less, because that's effectively impossible for you."
Bell stared at him, slack jawed.
"I-I don't know what to say."
"You don't need to say anything. You're in an odd and admittedly difficult position. Even if you have the capacity to love them both, you still have to broach the topic with Aiz if you want to be able to love them both, which won't be easy given the possessiveness she's been displaying."
Guilt returned to Bell's eyes.
"Not only her. I've been possessive too. But what right do I have to be possessive when I'm looking at someone else?"
"Bell, I think for most people, there's a tad bit of possessiveness to their love. Now, it can be toxic if it goes too far like with Freya, but it's not inherently wrong, which is why I don't think you should feel guilty for being possessive of Aiz, even as you find yourself drawn to Haruhime."
"I'm not sure I agree with that," Bell said coldly.
Achilles nodded.
"That's fair. Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe I'm completely full of it, but there are a few things I do know. One, you do have a big heart. Bigger than anyone I've ever met. Even Briseis couldn't match you."
Bell looked up at him and, seeing his father smiling at him, managed a small smile.
"I also know that someone as good as you shouldn't feel guilty about something like this. You are not unfaithful, and you're certainly not a womanizer, you've just been drawn to someone who is lovely, kind, and beautiful in many different ways. That's not something to feel guilt over, if anything it proves you're not blind and have good taste."
"Dad," Bell whined as he punched his gut.
Achilles laughed.
"Sorry, sorry, but I maintain my point. Aiz is a wonderful person, and I fully understand why she makes you happy. If you want to be with her and only her, I completely understand and respect that. In time these feelings for Haruhime may fade. However, I do want you to think on this and figure out what you want to do. Don't just do what you think is proper or expected of you in this situation. Really think and find the best answer for you. You think you can do that for me for me, Bell?"
Bell's rubies met Achilles's sapphires and for the first time since his talk with Haruhime, his eyes filled with determination as he nodded.
"Good," Achilles said as he pulled his boy into a hug. "Now," he continued after pulling back. "Let's talk about something less serious."
"Yeah, let's," Bell readily agreed.
"I actually have been wanting to ask if you've been able to remember anything about your parents, specifically your father."
"You're my father," Bell responded immediately.
Achilles beamed and pulled his son back into a hug.
"Alright, then the man who sired you. Have you remembered anything since we last talked about him?"
Bell shook his head.
"No, nothing. I don't remember him being around much. I do know he was alive when Grandpa took me in."
"Hm, then maybe he's still out there. Though, if he wants you, he's going to have to fight me for you."
Bell laughed and the air around them became warm and comfortable, even with the ocean breeze whizzing around them.
"My mother I remember more. She had a lovely voice. I loved it when she read me stories and I always pictured her as one of the heroines in the story. She also had the most beautiful golden hair and blue eyes. Not like yours though. Hers were more like the sky," he said, looking up at the sky, his smile growing.
Achilles however was not smiling.
Those characteristics sound a bit too familiar, he thought as an uncomfortable tingle crept up his spine.
The sound of a ringing bell made them spin around and look up towards the top of the main mast.
"Monster off the starboard boy! Monster off starboard! It's the Kraken!"
Achilles's eyes widened as he spun back around just in in time to see a giant tentacle appear out of the water above him and Bell.
Both their eyes widened at its sudden appearance, but they had little time to think as the tentacle suddenly cast itself down, intending to crush them and the ship
Achilles roared and pulled out his sword, swinging it with all his might and severing the limb from its host.
A terrible roar was heard from beneath the ship and froze the nearby sailors.
Yeah, that's you alright, you disgusting squid. But what the hell is a Herald doing here? Almost no one's seen them since the Behemoth and Leviathan were killed. What, did it get hungry?
A new, but far worse tingle crept up his spine, telling him that this was not the case and that the reason was far worse.
Another shadow was cast upon him, this time from behind as a second tentacle appeared on the other side of the ship, looking like it wanted revenge for its fallen brother.
"Firebolt!"
Bell fired several blasts of his magic into the tentacle, stopping it and earning another roaring groan from the hidden beast.
Using the opportunity Bell had provided, Achilles charged the tentacle and impaled it with Dragonsbane.
"Let's see how you like this."
He poured his lightning into the tentacle, resulting in a horrible noise unlike anything the sailors or Bell had ever heard. A horrifying combination of a monster's roar and a scream as Achilles poured more and more of his power into the beast in an attempt to fry it.
The Kraken managed to pull its limb away, saving it from the torment. Achilles prepared to follow after and sever the tentacle, only to hear a cry and turn just in time to see yet another tentacle rushing towards him.
The tentacle was too fast for him to dodge with the little time he had, and soon, the Father On High was flying through the air, hundreds of feet away from the ship.
"Dad!" Bell cried, but he soon found any attempt to aid Achilles impossible as several more tentacles appeared around the ship, all of which seemed now keenly focused on him.
A monstrous growl filled the Red Dawn's throat as his hand took hold of the Hestia knife and his eyes turned to slits.
Achilles landed in the ocean with a great splash, his body quickly sinking below the waves.
Lucky shot you stupid slimy shit, he mentally growled.
His eyes opened and immediately found the Kraken.
It's main body was below the ship, its tentacles reaching up to attack those above. It was easily larger than the great ship and it did not seem impossible for it to shove the whole thing down its gullet.
Not that I'm about to let that happen.
Gathering up his strength, Achilles kicked off and rushed towards the monster.
Though the distance was great, it did not take him long to reach his foe. However, he did not slow as he approached the Herald. If anything he seemed to push himself hard to gain more speed as he aimed directly for its body.
Sword his hand, Achilles shot towards the Kraken and slammed into its main body.
The cry it gave was deafening, even under water, but he did not care. He simply pulled his blade out and stabbed it again, before giving it another round of shock treatment.
Now let's see what runs out first. Your blood or my breath.
He pulled back, preparing to inflict more wounds upon the beast, only to find himself grabbed by yet another tentacle and pulled away from the creature's body.
The tentacle flew through the water and into the open air, allowing Achilles to refill his lungs. He did not have long to enjoy that pleasure though as Kraken had not lifted him a good one hundred feet in the air to give him a nice view. Using all its terrible strength, the beast slammed him down upon the ship, smashing through two entire decks and cracking the third with his body.
Ow.
He was lifted again, this time even higher. It appeared the Kraken was going to use his body as an axe to cut the ship in half.
You piece of-.
The tentacle dropped again, aiming for the ship, but before it could slam into the vessel again, the tentacle was cleaved from its host.
A terrible cry went up as Achilles and the tentacle fell onto the ship.
Achilles groaned, but picked himself up quickly.
"Now I smell like squid."
"Get up Achilles, or do you intend to let your son do all the fighting?"
Achilles turned to see Ottar standing next to him, bloody sword in hand. He then turned and found Bell attacking one of the tentacles with the reckless abandon that only came when he used his skill.
"I do not," he snarled before rushing to Bell and engaging the foe alongside him.
"Good," Ottar said, before turning around and cleaving off another tentacle that had been aiming to squash him.
Sensing a third, he turned to meet the limb, only to find it already severe and mutilated by his familia.
"What took you three so long?" he asked.
"Some of us have more to put on than a muscle shirt, big guy," Gumi replied, smiling.
The boaz snorted, but let it be.
"Do what you must to kill this creature," he ordered.
Hedin, Hogni, and Gumi all nodded, then rushed off to rejoin the battle, leaving Ottar to do his part.
"Frozen Spears!"
"Arcs Ray!"
The two spells from the two elven ladies shot through the sky and slammed into two more tentacles, sending them tumbling into the sea as another monstrous cry of anguish reverberated through the water.
"There's no end to them," Aiz said as she slashed yet another appendage.
"The Kraken is sometimes called the beasts with one thousand limbs, so it's not surprising," Riveria replied. "To this day no one knows if it regenerates them or simply has so many tentacles."
"Well I say, keep them coming!" Tiona said as she ran at two more tentacles and began tearing them apart.
At least someone's having fun, Riveria said, unsure of what to make of her underling's excited.
Out of the corner of her eye she suddenly became aware of another tentacle racing towards the amazon.
"Tiona!"
The amazon turned to the elf only to suddenly find herself wrapped up in one of the Kraken's slimy arms.
"Woah!" the young woman cried as she was lifted into the air and left to daggle above the ocean. "Hey! Let me down, you smelly monster!"
She tried breaking free, but found she could barely squirm as the Kraken was stronger than even her mighty strength.
"Tiona!" Aiz cried as she rushed to save her friend. Lefiya and Riveria joined in her attack and began to chant, but all plans of rescue ended as another tentacle came sweeping in, leaving Aiz no time to do anything but bring up her sword in defense, before it slammed into her and sent her flying into the two elves.
"Guys!" Tiona cried as she watched her familia get knocked around.
Her troubles were however soon shifted and greatly exasperated as she watched the Kraken peak its main body out of the water just enough to open its mouth right beneath her.
"Oh hell no!" she cried as she began to struggle all the more.
"Raaa!"
Suddenly, Tiona found the tentacle loosening around her and her body dropping. She had little time to make sense of it as she caught sight of dazzling white pushing off one of the adjacent tentacles, and aiming right for her. Not a second later, she found her wrapped up in warmth she had never felt before as she and the dazzling white mass flew through the air and landed on the ship.
Blinking, Tiona looked up and found Bell staring down at her.
"Are you alright, Tiona?" he asked.
"Uh...yeah...I think so," she barely managed to say.
"Good," he said with evident relief as he put her down.
"You...you saved me," she said, as if not believing it.
"Of course. I couldn't let it hurt you," was his quick, if somewhat confused replied.
Tiona's eyes widened as her cheeks began to burn and her heart began to pound.
I got rescued. I got rescued by a man, she thought as her hand fell over her heart. So that's what that feels like.
"T-Thank yo-," she tried to say, but her gratitude would not reach Bell as at that moment, he suddenly found himself wrapped up in a tentacle and pulled away.
"Bell!" Aiz cried. However, before she or another else could attempt to free the young captain, the ship suddenly began to toss and turn as the Kraken pushed off it and began to swim away with its prize.
Achilles, whether by experience or by fatherly devotion, was the first to recover from the rocking ship and immediately set to pursue.
"Get back here with my son you stupid piece of calamar-!"
Yet another slimy limb suddenly burst from the sea and slammed into him from below, sending him flying over a hundred feet into the air, leaving the Herald to continue its retreat.
Bell struggled with all his might against the appendage, his attempts to free himself getting more and more desperate the smaller the ship became.
He managed to shift his arms enough to get the Hestia knife in position to stab the tentacle.
A small groan was heard beneath the water, but he knew he would have to do far more damage if he was going to free himself and so continued to stab and twist the knife in hopes of finally parting with the slimy creature.
Peace, young one.
He froze as a voice not his own spoke in his mind.
You are strong, but not yet capable of defeating me. But you will be, in time. Be patient.
His wide eyes turned to the sea where he found the Kraken staring back up at him.
Why-?
His question would forever go unfinished as the Kraken's eye turned and widened.
Bell turned and was nearly as shocked when he saw three figures rushing towards them.
Before the Kraken could react, Aiz, now surrounded by her wind, cut through the tentacle holding Bell, freeing him and taking him into her arms.
The monster cried out, but its pain was only about to get worse as Achilles and Ottar suddenly slammed into its main body, their blades sinking deep into its flesh.
"You two get back to the ship. I'll finish this!" Achilles roared, his murderous eyes staring down at the creature that had tried to take his son.
The two nodded and jumped away from the Kraken with speed and strength that Bell didn't know they possessed. It was only as they were flying through the air that he realized that it appeared that both of them were surrounded by Haruhime's magic.
But that's impossible. She can only give it to one person. Right?
Once his two fellow rescuers were well out of range, Achilles began to chant.
"Oh Jupiter Maximus, ye vengeful god on high, bestow onto me your rage."
The Kraken, which had been in shock at seeing its captive stolen from it, finally turned to the raging father with its own fury burning in its eyes.
"I call down your terrible power to smite my foes and leave their bodies and holds in ruin and ash."
The Kraken raised all its countless tentacles, preparing to tear Achilles apart.
"Bring me the wrath and destruction of wind and light."
The tentacles swung for him and he raised his hand to the sky.
"Thunderbolt!"
Suddenly a cloud as dark as night appeared above the man and monster and, in a show of blinding light, cast down a bolt of lightning more powerful than a hundred thunderstorms could muster. This bolt of raw and terrible power shot straight towards Achilles's outstretched hand and filled him with its might, which he then transferred into Dragonsbane which was still very much imbedded in the Herald of the oceans.
A cry more terrible and anguished than all the others combined roared through the air as the Kraken was met with the full might of Achilles's wrath. Countless volts rushed through its body, frying and cooking everything it touched.
The scene lasted only a few moments, but for the Kraken and Achilles it may as well have been hours as the father focused on pouring everything he had into the beast and the beast slowly began to realize it had reached its end.
This may be my end, but it is not the end.
This final message passed to Achilles, though he did not even hear it for he was too focused on staring into the eye of the creature that had tried to take his son from him.
With its final words said, the Kraken gave off its final breath and went limp.
Feeling its end, Achilles stopped his attack and his furious expression dropped.
"No one tries to take my boy," he said.
His foe defeated, but luckily not dispersing into ash, he turned back to the ship and waited for rescue.
It was some time later that he saw a small bit of red flowing through the air towards him.
Gleipnir, he thought with a smile.
He held out his hand and let the velvet-like ribbon take hold of his hand, he then grabbed his sword with his other hand and waited for them to begin pulling. A moment later, he felt what he guessed to be Ottar, given its strength, pulling him towards the ship.
Ottar pulled with all his strength, impressing and terrifying all around him as he brought Achilles and the fallen Kraken closer and closer, until finally Achilles was able to jump from the dead Herald back onto the ship.
"Thank you," he said to Ottar, before turning to Riveria and smiling. "And thank you," he said before kissing her.
"You're welcome," she said, smiling back.
Achilles then turned to Bell and quickly rushed over to him and wrapping him in a hug.
"I'm okay," Bell said. "Thank you for rescuing me."
"It's not like I was about to let it take you," Achilles said.
"Even so," Bell said as he pulled back. "But how did you guys do that? I know you're all powerful, but I didn't know you were that strong," he said, looking at his three saviors.
"That actually has more to do with our favorite renard," Achilles said.
Bell turned to Haruhime who blushed and played with her fingers.
"I...I learned a new spell. It's called Kokonoe. It allows me to multiple the effects of my magic. That's how I was able to give Achilles, Aiz-sama, and Ottar-sama level ups so that they could rescue you."
"Really?" Bell asked, a bit stunned. She nodded and a moment later found herself wrapped in a hug. "That's amazing, Haruhime!" he pulled back and smiled at her. "Thank you."
"I-It was nothing, Bell-sama, I...I just wanted to save you as much as the others."
The modesty and gentleness of her response caused his eyes to soften and he pulled her into another hug.
"You're amazing, Haruhime."
Her eyes widened and she looked ready to faint, but she managed to hold on to consciousness and return the hug.
Achilles, meanwhile, smiled inwardly.
I wonder where this will go.
"I beg your forgiveness for interrupting." Everyone turned and found the captain of the ship looking at them nervously. "While your victory is truly astounding and we managed to avoid any casualties, I must inform you all that the ship is in no condition to make it to Athens. We need to beach and disembark, then make our way to Athens on foot."
"You can't fix it?" Argana demanded.
Intimidated, the captain nonetheless shook his head.
"Not at sea. We're already taking on water and we're barely slowing it down. Even if we do, our masts are damaged and we'll be barely limping along in this state. At this point it will be faster to go by foot."
A few people nodded, their eyes scanning over the damage.
"We understand, captain. Do what you must, we shall take it in stride," Riveria said.
He bowed graciously then departed, leaving the others to discuss.
"What kind of captain can't fix his own ship?" Argana growled.
"The kind that wasn't expecting to have to deal with the Kraken, meaning most captains," Riveria told her off.
"We'll manage," Bell said calmly. "But does anyone know where we are and how far we are from Athens?"
Again, it was Riveria who answered.
"Yes I do, and unfortunately that's not going to make the rest of our trip any easier."
The ship had beached safely, if not gracefully, and everyone had gathered their things and were now on the beach.
"This is the forest of the High Elves," Riveria said to everyone. "High Elves do not take kindly to anyone in their forests, even guests they themselves have permitted inside. It is quite likely we will be attacked along the way by patrols. I'm sure we can all handle it, but we must be vigilant regardless."
Everyone nodded.
"With any luck we will be in Athens in between two and two and a half weeks," Rei said, stepping forward. "We'll have Riveria-san and Thranduil-sama at the head of the group with myself and Agrippina-san right behind them, in hopes that any High Elves we come across will see us and come to talk instead of attacking us."
More nods.
"Captain, are you sure you'll be alright here by yourselves?" Rei then asked, turning to the master of the ship.
"Don't worry about us, Rei, we're still technically outside the forest, so the High Elves, as uptight as they are should leave us alone. And if they don't, we've got a few experienced adventurers that can drive them off. Besides, we've been wanting to hang that beast's carcass from the Palace of Wisdom for years, we're not about to part with it," the captain joked, pointing to the beach Kraken.
Rei smiled and nodded.
"Just don't try and go taking credit for the kill," Achilles joked, earning him a laugh.
"No need. Just saying we were there will make us heroes!" the captain responded, getting a collection of laughs from all those around him.
"Then we'll see you and your men soon, captain," Achilles replied with a smile.
"See you soon, monster-slayer."
With their business now settled, everyone formed a line with Riveria and Thranduil at the front.
"Let's get moving," the High Elf princess called.
Thus, the Orario expeditionary forces began their trek overland to the City of Mages, each member hoping it would be an uneventful journey.
The High Elf warriors glared down on the group as it made its way into their forest.
"Trespassers," one growled.
"But there are two High Elves amongst them, along with a member of the Athena and Mania familia," a second said.
"Does it matter? Athena and Mania know not to enter our forest without permission. As for the two High Elves, they may have been captured and are being forced to show the intruders through the forest."
The surrounding High Elves growled and grew murderous looks in their eyes.
"Or it may be that they were forced to land because of their obviously damaged ship," a more rational voice spoke, pointing at the beach vessel. "Whatever the case is, we should just watch them for now. Attacking them without proper intelligence will only lead to unnecessary casualties."
While most did not seem keen on waiting, they knew this elf spoke the truth. They did not know this enemy or what they were capable of, so for now, they needed to wait. Wait, watch, and then strike done the trespassers.
And done. So, what did you guys think? Some interesting things happened didn't they? Bell's heart is opening up, the Kraken attacked, and now our heroes are in hostile territory. What's going to happen?
Well, unfortunately, you're going to have to wait to find out. Sorry. That said, I do want to hear back from you guys, so please, as always, share your thoughts with me.
With that said, it is time for us to part ways, so I will bid you all a fine farewell. Have an excellent day everyone, and I'll see you next time.