Hello everyone and welcome back. Whelp, the Horn of the Black Dragon is destroyed and things are looking up for everyone. But will things remain that way now that everyone is returning to the surface? Perhaps they will, but…perhaps they won't. It's time to find out.
Oh, but before we do, if you guys like my work and would like to support me, I'd REALLY appreciate it if you checked out my book, Consuls & Slaves which you can find on Amazon under Benton Walters. You can get it electronically, in paperback, and hardcover. You can also support me on Subscribestar where I am TiberiusGalerius. I know these shpeals are annoying, but it's something I feel I've got to do if I ever want to get off the ground as a writer, so I hope you'll forgive me.
Now, on with the show!
I do not own Danmachi
Creaking black bones and a horrifying hiss echoed across the 60th floor as the terrible beast's red eyes looked at the carnage that was its home.
Never before had such destruction been inflicted on the Dungeon. Whole floors obliterated, forcing the great labyrinth to consume huge sums of its power to slowly heal itself. It was infuriating and that fury and empowered the creature as never before. It felt like it could consume the very greatest of adventurers. And it would.
"REEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAH!"
Your rage is understandable, child. And justified.
The monster froze.
Masters?
Yes, child. We are here and we feel your pain.
I will destroy those who did this! I will massacre all the adventurers in this Dungeon and in the world above!
No.
The beast froze.
But…why?
You are not strong enough to defeat the one who did this yet.
You know who is responsible?
Yes, but he is very strong and important to us.
How can the one who did this be important to you, Masters?!
Because he is the key to our liberation. As such, you cannot kill him, under any circumstance.
The monster wanted to argue, but their masters' words were law and so it bowed the long head.
That is not the same as not punishing him though, the voices continued, he has much to answer for and you will be allowed to torment him when the time comes. But, for now, you must get stronger. Typhon is even more powerful than you are now, so you must hunt and consume and kill until you are strong enough to overcome him and bring him to us.
Typhon, the beast repeated the name with hatred. Then I shall get stronger and bring him to you, mutilated, but alive.
Good, child. Now go. Feast upon your siblings and on the adventurers until your power rivals even Chaos.
Yes, my masters.
The Juggernaut turned its hideous head to the Dungeon above then began to climb.
"Alright, we'll be heading out now," Finn declared as he stood before the Expedition and citizens of Rivira.
The 'we' in this situation was: himself, Bete, Uriel, Asfi, Argana, and Sif. Each had been assigned to one or more familias to inform them of the Expedition's return and alleviate their worry. However, they were also sent to prepare their familias for the losses and, in Finn's case, return something.
"Are you sure you want to go alone?" Gareth asked as he and the Loki familia looked at their captain with worried eyes.
"I was the leader of this expedition, if any one should inform Freya of the loss of her vice-captain, it should be me. Besides, if she really decides to be vengeful, it would be best if only one of us is there to suffer her ire."
"Finn," Tione reached out to him.
He smiled at her and took her hand to kiss it.
"I don't like to worry you, Tione, but I won't lie to you either. Even if I was so incline, you would just call me out on it anyway," his smile dropped. "I don't know how Freya will react. A year ago I could make a reasonable guess and would only dare to go with Loki, but with Bell's influence in play, I can't say."
"Will you tell her…?" Riveria inquired.
"I will do everything I can to not mention Bell's role in Allen's death, but Freya will want answers and, as a goddess, she'll know a lie. More importantly," his eyes turned to a distant catgirl, "even if I don't tell her, she'll know soon enough."
The others nodded.
"Then good luck, captain," Raul said.
"Thanks Raul. Stay safe everyone. You can handle the top floors, but that doesn't mean you should completely let your guard down. You're still tired and many of us are still recovering from injuries."
"We'll be safe," Tione vowed.
He turned to her and they both managed to smile at each other.
"Good."
Finn joined the other messengers and, a moment later, they were off, leaving the Expedition behind to return to the world above.
The messengers ran all the way back to the top of the Dungeon, easily dispatching any monsters they came across until, at last, the light of the sun reached their eyes.
"Shiiiit! It feels like forever since I've felt this warmth on my fur," Bete groaned in appreciation as they emerged back onto the mortal plane.
"It does feel like a lifetime ago," Uriel agreed.
"Finn!"
The prum captain turned and found Shakti and what seemed like half the Ganesha familia rushing towards them.
"Hi Shakti. What's all this?" he asked once she was before him.
"Ouranos-sama ordered the Dungeon closed a few days ago. We weren't sure as to why, but we figured it had something to do with all the earthquakes we were feeling."
"Not to mention the smoke," a Ganesha member added.
"Smoke?" Finn questioned.
"A blast of smoke shot from the Dungeon after a particularly powerful earthquake, which, if memory serves, also happened to be the last," Shakti informed him. She paused for a moment before asking, "can you tell me what caused that?"
I can guess, he thought as his mind pictured the giant hole in the middle of the lower floors.
The mix of emotions was enough for Shakti to understand not to press further.
"Perhaps it's best I don't know."
He nodded.
"We're on our way to inform our familias about our return as well as…prepare them for the casualties."
This time, it was the Ankusha who nodded.
"You have my deepest sympathies."
"Thank you. I won't lie to you, Shakti, this was the hardest fight I've ever had. That any of us have had outside of maybe Achilles, and I know he does not wish for a repeat of what we faced. We-" he fist tightened as his missing thumb throbbed, "were so close to annihilation."
Icy fear flowed down the spines of the Ganesha familia, Shakti very much included.
"What…what did you face down there?" she asked, unable to stop herself.
"An army of nightmares that I do not wish anyone, even my cruelest, most vile enemies to face," he answered as his companions all nodded. "However," he quickly added, "I will not allow the fate of my familia or Orario to be placed in such a dangerous position again, I promise you that. I will get stronger and protect everything I care for with my own…well, my own, one hand," he smiled as he held up his remaining limb.
Though the Ganesha familia was a bit unnerved by seeing the Braver so injured, both the messengers and Shakti smiled and nodded.
"I shall join you in your vow, Finn Deimne. I will not stand by while the dark forces of the world move against all that I care for."
"Neither will we," Uriel seconded.
"Hell nah!" Sif joined boisterously.
Asfi nodded though her own eyes burned with determination under her glasses.
"Then it looks like we all have work to do. Firstly though, you must get word to your familias. I can handle informing the Guild of your return if you like," Shakti offered.
"Asfi was assigned the Guild, but that will give her the opportunity to head straight for her own familia," Finn replied, turning to the Perseus.
"I suspect Hermes is at the Guild, likely waiting for news, so I shall join you, Shakti," the aquamarine lady stated.
"I will be glad to have you," the azure captain replied.
With that, they broke off in separate directions. Argana and Sif headed off to the Kali and Thor familias, respectively, while Bete did the same for the Loki. Uriel turned towards the Hearthfire Manor where her own god, as well as most of the other deities that were awaiting news, were sure to be. Finn, meanwhile, took a deep breath and turned towards Folkvangr, his hand tightening around the bundle he held.
"Still as impressive and intimidating as ever," Finn said to himself as he eyed the Freya familia home.
He approached as stopped before the gates where two guards blocked his path.
"Good morning," he greeted them.
"What are you doing here, Finn Deimne?" one of the guards demanded.
"I'm here to inform Freya-sama of the Expedition's return," he replied.
"And why isn't Allen-sama the one informing our lady?" the second guard questioned.
Finn's hand tightened.
"I shall be happy to explain that to Freya-sama herself."
The two guards looked at each other. They didn't like the non-answer from the captain of what, even now, remained their rival familia. However, Freya had stated that she wanted news of the Expedition as soon as possible, and they also knew that they were no match for the Loki captain if he decided to force his way through.
"Wait here," the first said before heading inside.
Finn waited patiently, steading his breath for what was to come.
Soon enough, a familia stoic boaz appeared and headed straight for the Braver.
"Finn," Ottar greeted.
"Ottar," he returned.
"Come, my lady is anxious for news."
Finn followed Ottar inside and through the halls of Folkvangr, which were currently filled with what appeared to be every member of the Freya familia, who all eyed him with suspicion, contempt, curiosity, confusion, and, for a select few who noted his missing hand, dread.
Finally, they arrived at the throne room where Ottar opened the door.
"Welcome, Finn Deimne," Freya called, her voice subdued, but hopeful as she sat on her throne while her children stood around her.
"Good morning, Freya-sama," Finn greeted before he and Ottar made their way over to her, the Loki captain making sure to keep his eyes down the whole way.
They reached her throne and Ottar took his place behind his lady while Finn bowed.
"I am glad to see you made it back," Freya began honestly, "Events in recent days have made me worry a great deal for all your sakes. That said, it is clear that it came at a cost," she said, her eyes falling on his missing hand.
"Thank you, Freya-sama, and yes, unfortunately it did. Fully half of the Expedition fell in the battles with the Evilus and not a single person was uninjured, myself very much included. Three of our number remain in comas, despite our own healers and mages work and in spite of the healing potions we have given them."
"Is Allen one of those in a coma?" Freya asked.
He bit his lip but managed to shake his head.
"No. The three are Naaza of the Miach familia, Ouka of the Takemikazuchi familia, and Imilce of the Hera familia."
"Imilce? I am surprised by that, but I will not be so cruel as to say I am glad that Allen was not amongst their ranks. Still, if he's not one of those in a coma, then where is my vice-captain?"
Finn's bones creaked as his fist tightened further.
She can't even comprehend the idea that he fell. It simply isn't even in the realm of possibility, he realized as his dread deepened.
"Our lady asked you a question," Hedin pointed out.
A few more tense seconds passed before, finally, Finn placed the bundle in his hand down before them and unwrapped it.
Some of the Freya familia gasped, others simply stared in disbelief.
Before them was the broken spear of Allen Fromel, the Vana Freya and vice-captain of the Freya familia.
"That's…" Freya tried to say, but could not finish.
"Yes," Finn confirmed. "Allen Fromel fell in battle against the Evilus. I am so sorry," he bowed deeply.
Time passed in terrible silence as Freya stared at the broken spear. Her children suffered around her, some barely held in sobs, some growls of rage at the Loki captain for failing their commander, others simply waited for their goddess to speak.
"How?"
There it was. The one question he did not and perhaps could not answer.
"In the final battle with the Evilus. We faced a huge horde of monsters, including new, specialized monsters with great power," he answered.
"That's not a real answer, Finn Deimne," the goddess stated, rising from her throne and taking a step towards him. "How did my vice-captain, my Allen, die?"
"I…I have told you, Freya-sama. It was-" suddenly his head was forced up and he looked into the glowing eyes of the goddess of love.
"You will tell me the truth, Finn Deimne, or I will Charm you and make you tell me," she swore.
He cursed to himself before surrendering.
"Dionysus…"
"Dionysus?"
"He was Enyo, the Evilus god behind everything."
Freya's frown deepened as anger mixed with misery, but she pressed on.
"And what did Dionysus do?"
"He…he used a special crown to take control of Bell's mind," Finn finally admitted.
Freya's heart stopped.
"W-What?"
"Dionysus took control of Bell's mind and…forced him to activate his Wrath of the Dragon skill, only…it was much worse and far more powerful this time. We…were forced to fight Bell."
"What are you saying?" Freya said as her body began to shake.
"Eventually…Bell…no, the White Dragon under Dionysus's control," the Braver switched, hoping it would make things easier for both of them, "targeted Allen and…"
Freya was shaking as her glassy eyes bore down upon the adventurer commanding him, simultaneously, to both finish and to silence himself.
"Killed him," he finished.
Freya's hand dropped as her heart shattered.
"No," she whispered as Ottar rushed to her side and pulled her into his arms.
"Go, Finn," Ottar commanded, not cruelly, but he would not have anyone but his familia see what happened next.
Finn nodded and quickly departed after one final, regretful look to the goddess and her familia.
Bell…killed…Allen.
"My love killed my child," she said, her voice quiet as her very life seemed to drain from her.
That sentence, that terrible confession, finally broke what was left of her restraint and Freya wailed in pain as tears flowed down her cheeks. Her familia rushed to her side and surrounded her, desperate to ease the pain they knew they could not ease even as their own tears slid down their cheeks.
Uriel landed at the doorstep of the Hearthfire Manor, relief and worry mixing in her heart as she pushed open the door.
"Hades-sama? Everyone?" she called.
She barely had time to register the sound of movement before her beloved god came rushing from the adjacent room and took her into his arms.
"Thank Heaven," Hades said as he hugged his lover.
Uriel smiled and hugged him back.
"I missed you too, beloved," she cooed.
The sound and sight of the other deities entering the entryway caught the succubus's attention and she and her god slowly pulled apart.
"It's such a relief to see you again, Uriel," Mania greeted, smiling at the Hades captain.
"That it is, but where are the others?" Hephaestus asked, looking around.
"They're still coming up from the Dungeon. Finn thought it would be wise if a few of us sent word ahead of the main party's return," Uriel informed them.
"That was wise. That will allow us time to prepare a welcome for them," Miach smiled.
"Indeed. They all deserve a proper greeting," Take agreed.
Uriel's joy at returning to her god dried up as she eyed the two gods and her mind filled with images of their comatose captains.
Hades did not fail to notice the shift in mood and his own smile dropped, but before he could inquire, a certain goddess of the hearth stepped forward.
"A-And…what about Bell?" Hestia asked. "Is my B-Bell-kun safe?"
The entryway fell silent as everyone turned to Uriel.
"Bell has been successfully rescued," she revealed.
Immediately tears of relief and joy filled Hestia and Mania's eyes and everyone was quick to congratulate the goddesses with warm hugs and words. Everyone, that is, but Uriel and Hades.
I shouldn't ruin this. To tell them of what happened, what Bell suffered, what he…considered doing, would destroy all this and break their hearts, she thought.
"Uriel."
She turned to her god while the others, noting his tone, stopped their merrymaking and turned to them.
"There's more, isn't there?" Hades asked her.
She froze. She knew she could never lie to him, but she wished desperately now that she could. She wanted to spare him, spare all of them, from the painful truth.
"You aren't just here to tell us the Expedition is returning, are you, my love?" Hades pressed.
Her wings and head fell as she finally nodded.
"We should…all sit down," she said.
The others, after sharing quick, worried looks, silently agreed.
They all sat down, with Hades sitting next to Uriel and taking her hand to ease her as much as he could.
"Tell us, my dear, what is it that has you making such sad eyes now?" the god of the underworld inquired.
She took a deep breath then answered.
"The expedition to defeat the Evilus was successful on all counts, but…it came at a terrible cost. Half of the Expedition was lost." The deities gasped. "And we were all injured. I myself nearly lost my wings," she lifted her wings to punctuate this before turning her eyes to Miach and Take. "I am so sorry, Miach-sama, Takemikazuchi-sama, but Naaza and Ouka have both fallen into comas after suffering grievous injuries."
The two gods would have collapsed had they not been seated.
"Naaza?" Miach replied, his voice weak as his heart clenched.
"Nothing…nothing's been able to awaken them?" Take asked.
"Nothing we have tried. Our healers and mages have tried, but Ouka-san lost a great deal of blood, and Naaza, the poor girl lost a limb and had a very severe reaction," Uriel informed them.
"She would," Miach stated, wishing desperately he could be with his captain at that moment.
"The healers were able to reattach the limb, luckily, but she remains, unfortunately, unconscious," Uriel added, getting a nod from Miach.
"Has anyone else fallen into a coma?" Hephaestus asked, worried for her own captain and lover.
"Imilce-san has as well, unfortunately. She used up every last drop of her mana defending us from a terrible attack. No amount of potions has even stirred her."
The deities fell silent again, taking in all this terrible news, but Hades knew there was more.
"What else, Uriel?"
She turned to him and shook her head.
"I…I don't think now is the proper time, Hades-sama. You all are already processing so much."
"If we don't hear it now we shall stew in our dread," Mania countered. "Please, tell us."
Uriel still wanted to deny them, at least for a little longer, but seeing the pleading eyes of Hestia broke the last of her resistance.
"Enyo was Dionysus," she began. They were all surprised, but did not stop her. "He had a machine in his possession. Something called the Imperator Monstrorum."
That shocked them and they all shared stunned looks.
"How?" Mania asked.
"I thought that was destroyed long ago," Take added.
"No, it was merely hidden, but how it came to the Dungeon and how Dionysus found it, I would very much like to know," Hades replied darkly, before turning back to his captain. "Continue, Uriel."
She nodded and did so.
"Dionysus, apparently, used this machine on Bell." Hestia and Mania gasped as the others eyes widened to insane size.
"He did…what?" Hades asked darkly.
Uriel had seen her beloved god angry many times before, but it was always terrifying to behold. Seeing her fear, Hades closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
"That…bastard," he cursed before gently placing his hand on Uriel's and signaling he was alright.
"Dionysus…revealed that he had used it on Bell," she repeated, "worse even than that, Dionysus, that curr, used a mind-controlling crown to force Bell to fight us in his draconic form. I…cannot deny that fighting Bell, in that form, was the hardest battle I have ever fought and," her eyes turned to the glassy gaze of Hestia, "forgive me, Hestia-sama, but I never wish to fight him again, even in a spar. He…he almost destroyed us all."
The room fell silent as the suffocating air became too much for Uriel, for any of them, to continue. All the gods were horrified to their cores by all these revelations. Dionysus being Enyo. The Imperator Monstrorum. Bell brainwashed and turned into a monster of wrath that nearly annihilated the greatest adventurers in Orario. It was all so much to take in. And yet, Hades knew it still wasn't over.
"What else?" he asked, forcing his way through his own tight throat.
"Hades-sama…please," Uriel begged.
"What else?" Hestia questioned, her sapphire eyes shining with tears.
Uriel bit her lip but soon gave in under the weight of all their gazes.
"During the fight…young Bell killed Allen Fromel of the Freya familia."
Jaws dropped and hearts broke, but none were as shattered as Hestia and Mania.
"T-That can't be true," Mania pleaded.
"It wasn't his fault!" Uriel cried. "He was under control of Dionysus."
"That's right! Dionysus is to blame, not Bell," Take agreed.
"He won't see it that way." They all turned to Hestia whose eyes now had a look of utter dread. "He'll place all the blame on himself, Dionysus or not."
Hestia's dread was joined by Uriel's, whose hands tightened around her skirt as guilt began pulsating from her.
"Uriel?" Hades called, his heart squeezing in anxiety.
She turned away from him.
"Uriel."
She refused to meet his eyes.
"Why are you turning away?"
She tried to turn further.
"What don't we know?"
"Please. Not now my love. Not now," she begged.
"Uriel," Hestia called, forcing the succubus to turn to her with the sound of her own pleading. "What don't we know?"
Uriel's eyes squeezed shut as she couldn't bear to meet their gazes when she answered them.
"The guilt of killing Allen Fromel, the torture he suffered, and the knowledge of how dangerous he is has…had a severe negative impact on young Bell's mind," she told them.
That hung over them all like an executioner's ax.
"How severe?" Hades asked her.
She did not answer. She could not answer.
"How. Severe?" Mania repeated.
Still she refused.
"Uriel," Hestia's shaky voice reached out and grabbed Uriel's heart, "what's happening to my Bell-kun?"
Uriel, tears of guilt and second-hand pain forcing their way through her clenched eyes, answered.
"On the night of Bell's awakening following the battle with the Evilus, we all heard a roar from the Dungeon. Not long after, Achilles returned with Bell in his arms and, after putting him to bed, he requested to Finn Deimne that Bell…be put under suicide watch."
"Noooooo!" Mania wailed as she slid from the couch.
Hestia was no better. Her body seemed to collapse on herself as her eyes darkened and tears streamed down her face.
The others quickly rushed to their sides, doing all they could to reassure the goddesses and help them through this latest terrible news.
Hades watched all this in silent torment while one icy tear and one boiling tear slid down his cheek.
Uriel, unable to bear the pain she was seeing, finally remembered something desperately important.
"But he's better now!"
All the gods turned to her and even Hestia's dead eyes managed to regain some of their light.
"Wiene…the Xenos girl…she helped Bell! Pulled him from his pain, at least…somewhat," the Hades captain bit her lip. "He still needs our help, I won't deny that, but he was smiling again and then, one day, he seemed so much better. I'm not sure what happened, but I remember seeing Achilles and a small group heading somewhere on the 18th floor. I was curious, but did not intrude. Wherever they went and whatever happened, Bell seemed much better afterwards. Almost his old self again! I swear!"
"Almost?" Mania questioned, her eyes still red and glassy.
"As…as I said, he'll still need help. He was so…broken before. Guilt and self-loathing were eating at his heart, but there is hope. I promise. Wiene is proof of that. If she can pull him from his pain enough to smile, I'm sure you all, together, can do even more."
A moment of silence passed and then Hestia, the life in her eyes fully restored and her reddened eyes shining with conviction, stood up.
"You're right, Uriel. We will help Bell-kun through this and bring light back to his life," she vowed.
"Yes we will," Mania agreed.
"Yes we will," the others quickly agreed.
"Yes. Yes we most certainly will," Hades vowed.
In one of the many taverns hidden in the crevices of Orario, the people were chatting away about the newest whispers that had come crawling along the vine.
"Did you hear the news?"
"Yeah, the Expedition's finally coming back."
"So they won?"
"Barely from what I hear. Half of them are dead."
"I heard only a tenth made it back."
"That many?!"
"It's probably just a rumor."
"But what if it's not?"
"Shit, I don't want to think about that."
"It's worse than that."
All eyes turned to this voice.
"I heard they succeeded in saving the monster."
Eyes widened in shock and teeth bared in anger.
"They actually saved that…freak?!"
"Why didn't they just leave him to die?"
"He's not worth a single drop of adventurer blood, let alone the lives of 100 of us!"
"It can't be true!"
"But what if it is?!"
"Then we need to do something!"
"That's right." Silence immediately fell on the tavern. "We need to do something. And I say," dark eyes passed over the crowd, "we give that creature, that freak, that monster adventurer Bell Cranel, no, the White Dragon, a proper welcome!"
The tavern cheered in vile contempt and began planning.
And so, word passed through the veins of Orario and soon the city echoed with the same, contemptuous song.
"We're almost there," Welf stated with a smile.
"Thank the gods! I've missed the sun on my skin," Aisha declared as she stretched, smiling brightly.
"We're almost back, Bell-sama," Lili beamed, her bright chestnut eyes meeting his ruby orbs.
"I'm…I'm glad," he replied. And he was. From the depths of his heart he was practically crying in joy at finally returning to the surface, for though he swore to Dionysus he would escape, at his darkest moments, he wasn't sure he ever would return to the world above or worse, that he shouldn't return. Now that it was here, he was barely stopping himself from laughing and letting out a waterfall of relieved tears. The only thing that was holding him back was the terrible anxiety eating at his heart.
What if Hestia doesn't want me back after…? His hand moved to his eyes. And…what…what will she say when she learns what I did to-?
He couldn't finish that thought as nausea overcame him and the darkness in his heart began to reappear, ready to whisper hateful words into his mind.
And then, that darkness was gone. Burned or perhaps, blown away by the presence at Bell's side that gently took his hand.
"It will be alright," Ais soothed, her lovely golden eyes boring into his soul and filling him with warmth and adoration.
"Ais…" tears pricked at his eyes and he smiled before lifting her hand to his lips and pressing a kiss to her knuckles. "Thank you."
Eyes shining, Ais stopped them so she could lean forward and kiss his cheek before gently placing her forehead against his.
"I will always be here for you, Bell. I promise."
She sealed this promise with a kiss, which Bell deepened before finally pulling away, his spirit renewed and his heart full.
"I love you," he whispered.
"I love you too."
The two continued on with the others and finally returned to the world above.
Bell squinted as the first light of day hit his eyes, but after a few moments, the world cleared and he was greeted by the wonderful sight of Orario.
I'm back. I made it.
He squeezed Ais's hand and she happily squeezed it back.
"Looks like we have a welcoming committee," Ajax stated.
Bell moved his gaze and was surprised to see a crowd before them, with smiling Shakti and the messengers they had sent ahead in the lead.
They approached and Shakti bowed.
"Welcome back, brave heroes," she began. "Though I know you have suffered much in your battle against evil, I and my familia would like to thank you all, from the bottom of our hearts, for all you have done."
She and the entire Ganesha familia bowed this time, stunning the Expedition for a few moments, before a few of them smiled bashfully, others beamed, some laughed, while a few pairs of them clapped each other on the back looking like they were on top of the world.
"And a special welcome back to you, Bell Cranel," Shakti added after she straightened herself. "I am glad to see you again."
"You…you are?"
"I am," she assured him.
That reassurance, small though it may appear, meant a great deal to him and smiled and bowed his head.
"Thank you, Shakti-san."
"I'm not entirely sure what you're thanking me for beyond perhaps manners, but you are welcome," she returned with a smile, "but now, there are a few people who are exceedingly eager to see you again."
There was no doubt who that was and Bell's heart began to thunder as he slowly turned and found his goddess waiting for him.
Slowly, he approached as the others watched on, knowing there was far more going on than a mere reunion.
"I-I'm back, H-Hestia-sama," he said, his voice shaking with joy, anxiety, relief, and outright fear.
"Welcome back, Bell-kun," she replied, her voice barely more than a whisper.
"I-I…I'm s-so…so…" he tried to apologize for his failure to protect himself, for worrying her, for putting the others in danger in order to rescue him, for those that died, for killing again, for everything, but he couldn't. He choked on the words as he desperately tried to beg her forgiveness and tears appeared in his eyes as his failure overwhelmed him.
Suddenly, Hestia grabbed him and pulled him down into a hug.
"It's alright Bell. You don't have anything to apologize for," she gently assured him.
"B-But I-I…"
"I know."
He froze.
"Y-Y-You…k-know?"
"I do. Everything. And I don't blame you, Bell. Not for a second, and I will not allow you to blame yourself," she pulled back and cupped his cheeks as her sapphires stared into his rubies. "Do you hear me, Bell? I will not allow you to blame yourself for what happened. You did nothing wrong."
"I-I can't believe that H-Hestia-sama."
"Then I will do whatever I need to convince you and to remove that darkness from your heart," she placed her hand on his chest. "I will personally ensure you live the happiest, most wonderful life that anyone ever has, because that is what you deserve."
His tears descended down his cheeks as he fell back into her arms and hugged her as tightly as he could.
"T-Thank you. Thank you."
She smiled as she stroked his hair.
"Silly boy, you don't need to thank me for this."
Hestia turned her eyes to the others around them and with a small nod, the others joined in, hugging the pair and silently reminding Bell of all the love he created and inspired.
The hug lasted more than a few minutes, but when it finally broke apart, Bell was smiling again, though his cheeks were quite red as he stared at the ground in embarrassment.
"There's my Bell-kun," Hestia stated before taking his hand and beginning the journey back to the Hearthfire Manor.
The Expedition trek along the streets of Orario with carefree smiles on their faces.
"Loki and I are planning the biggest party ever to welcome you all back!" Hestia declared. "It's going to be spectacular!"
"You bet it is!" Loki joined. "I've already gotten into contact with all the best restaurants, taverns, and bars in the city, besides your place, Mama," she quickly added.
Mia smiled.
"I'll be happy to help out as well. I've got a few dishes that I'm sure will knock your socks off."
"Oh no you don't!" Hestia cut in. "This party is as much for you and your girls as it is for my and Loki's familias."
"Well who am I to argue with a goddess?" the matron replied.
The happy chatter continued on and Bell listened on in silence, but also in joy.
I'm so happy to be back.
Then what's that fire and ice crawling up my spine? His dark voice asked.
Slowly, Bell turned and discovered that the streets were even busier than normal and, more oddly, many people were watching the Expedition pass from their windows and even from the roofs of buildings.
Are they here to welcome us back?
If that was the case they would be cheering.
Then why are they all looking at us?
They aren't. They're looking at me.
His dark voice was right, all eyes seemed to be focused on him and none of them were friendly.
He turned his eyes away.
It's okay. Just ignore them until we get home. Just ignore them. Just-
"Hey! Monster!"
Bell and the entire Expedition froze.
"You think you can just crawl back from the Dungeon and return to your little hidey hole like nothing happened? Like people didn't die because of you?!"
Bell's eyes widened.
Do they know?
"Hey, shut your damn mouth!" Bete spat.
"Why?! He shouldn't be here!" another voice cried, pointing an accusatory finger at Bell.
"The only one who shouldn't be here is you and your band of idiotic cowards!" Achilles bellowed.
"We didn't nearly destroy the city!"
"Twice!"
"We didn't cause the death of dozens of adventurers!"
"We didn't kill a god!"
Bell's fingernails, which had elongated into talons due to stress and self-loathing, began tearing at the skin of his forearm, causing droplets of his blood to crash into the ground below.
"Bell," Ais and Hestia quickly tried to stop him, soon joined by Haruhime and Riveria, but the vile had not stopped.
"There were more than a hundred of you at the beginning, now there's less than 60!"
"Why should so many adventurers die for him?! He's a monster!"
Bell grabbed his head and his talons began to tear at his scalp, forcing Achilles, Ajax, and Gareth to intervene to pull his hand away.
"These disgusting-" Alfia hissed, preparing to make every single person spouting off regretted their very births, only to be stopped by Dido grabbing her arm.
"Don't. Unless you want to reveal your existence to everyone," the Hera captain snarled.
"I will not allow them to degrade and torment my nephew!"
"And if he loses you, do you think that will improve his mental state?!" Dido shot back. In truth, she didn't care what happened to Bell, but she didn't want to lose the newly returned member of her familia.
Alfia froze and turned her fearful eyes to Bell who was now dragging his talons against his neck in an effort to both drown out the voices around him and punish himself.
"He's a monster!"
"He's not human!"
"Get rid of him!"
"Banish him!"
"Kill him!"
"Kill the White Dragon!"
Bell's heart stopped as he heard that name.
White Dragon.
That's right. The White Dragon. That's what I am. What I really am, deep down.
"Papa!" Wiene's smiling face appeared in his mind as though, even now, she was trying to fight back against his darkness and internal hatred. For one moment, wonderful moment, he felt his hope return. Then that moment passed, and, to his horror, the image of Wiene's smiling face began to burn away before him.
No.
It burned further until her smile and eyes began to turn to ash.
NO!
The very moment the image of his precious dragongirl disappeared, a brick crashed against his head, sending the unprepared Bell to the ground.
"Bell!" those around him cried.
Achilles, his eyes filled with fatherly fury, turned and found the source of the brick on a roof above and appeared before the attacker an instance later. He grabbed the thrower by the neck and smashed them onto the roof, breaking half their ribs and possibly even paralyzing them, not that Achilles cared. However, his retaliation proved ineffective if the former captain meant to stop further violence for the brick had broken the dam and the crowd began throwing everything they could get their hands on at the Expedition, with particular emphasis on Bell.
"Bastards!" Gareth roared as he raised his shields to cover Bell who had remained unmoving on the ground since the brick had struck him.
"Bell! Bell, talk to me!" Hestia pleaded.
"We need to get to the Hearthfire Manor!" Finn cried.
"Ganesha familia, clear a path!" Shakti ordered.
The Ganesha familia began to push throw the crowd, aided by numerous members of the Expedition who had no qualms about forcing the rioters aside.
"Achilles!" Finn cried.
The Father On High turned and, seeing Bell still on the ground, rushed back and lifted his boy onto his back.
"Go!" the ex-captain demanded.
The Expedition began to run, dodging countless projectiles and occasionally retaliating until the Hearthfire Manor came into view.
"There it is!" Mikoto cried.
They picked up the pace, only to be almost immediately blocked by what seemed like a horde of rioters, many of whom were armed adventurers.
"He doesn't belong here!" one of those adventurers screamed.
"He's a danger to us all!" another added.
"It will bring nothing but pain and destruction to Orario!"
It, Bell thought.
It, his darkness repeated.
"Get out of the way!" Finn ordered.
"No! Not until the White Dragon is gone!"
As this argument continued and intensified, an archer moved into place on the roofs behind the Expedition.
The archer pulled a bolt from her quiver and placed it into her crossbow then took aim.
Die you beast, she thought as she pulled the trigger.
The bolt whistled in the air and, for a moment, the assassin thought she would succeed, only to stare in shock as a pale hand caught the bolt right before it entered Bell's heart.
The hand was connected to a person hidden under a cloak, who turned towards the assassin and whose gray and green eyes froze the would-be killer in place.
DIE! The cloaked woman's eyes roared.
Before the assassin could run, Ais, her golden eyes aflame, appeared behind the assassin and tore her back open with Desperate.
"Ah!"
The assassin fell to the ground, but her suffering wasn't over as Ais plunged her sword into the adventurer's shoulder.
"The only reason I'm not killing you is because Bell wouldn't want me staining my hands with your worthless blood. That said," Ais twisted the blade, making the woman cry out, "if you ever try that again, if I ever see you again, I will finish you off," she vowed.
She pulled her sword out before turning her scornful eyes towards the other rioters and adventurers on the roofs around her. In a flash, she had knocked out or knocked down all of them, before appearing before the adventurers blocking the Expedition's path.
"Get. Out. Of. The. Way. Now."
The adventurers tried to remain courageous in the face of Ais's hateful glare, but once it was reinforced by the wrathful eyes of Achilles, Alfia, Bete, Aisha, Bache, Tiona, Ryuu, and perhaps most terrifying of all, Haruhime, they retreated.
"Let's get inside," Finn stated, giving the crowd one final glare as they all rushed inside the Hestia home.
Once inside, many of the Expedition collapsed.
"What the…fuck was that?!" Raul cried, Ana coming up to hug him in an effort to calm him.
"Idiocy. Pure, limitless idiocy," Alfia hissed.
"Mixed with fear and hatred," Galadriel added.
"Shit, I want to go back out there and tear those people a new asshole! And not in the fun way!" Aisha roared.
Many looked ready to agree to that, but Hestia and the other gods stepped forward.
"No. I understand how you all feel, I really really do, but that won't do any good, not in the long run at least," the hearth goddess pointed out.
Aisha and a few others sighed, knowing she was right, but also acknowledging to themselves that didn't help with their boiling blood.
"I will speak with both Ganesha-sama and Ouranos-sama about this incident, assuming they don't both already know. They will, undoubtedly, set up some sort of protection for you," Shakti offered.
"Thank you, Shakti-kun. But, let's not let this ruin our celebration. We still have so much to be thankful for!"
The mood had been thoroughly thrashed by the riot, but none had the heart to tell the goddess no after all she'd been through. Besides, food and drink would likely improve their moods. Especially the alcohol.
"It might be hard to get our orders with that crowd, but I think Ais-tan and the others can manage, assuming none of us mind if our orders are a little messed-up," Loki offered.
"I'm sure we'll all manage. Isn't that right, Bell-kun?"
Silence.
"Bell?"
Everyone began looking for the boy as he had somehow left Achilles's back with even his father failing to notice.
Finally, they all turned, as if pulled by a magnet, to the stairs where Bell was slowly ascending.
"Where are you going, Bell?" Hestia asked.
He stopped, but did not turn to them.
"To my room."
"Don't you want to celebrate with us?" Mania asked, her voice shaking with fear and pain.
Silence ensued and for a few, terrible moments, it looked like he wouldn't respond at all. It would have been better had he not.
"They're right, you know," he finally said, his voice devoid of all hope, joy, and life. "All of them. I am a monster and I should have died down there. I wish I had. That would have been better for everyone."
He continued up the stairs and disappeared down the hall as every heart in the manor shattered into a million pieces.
End.
Well, unfortunately, no happy ending this time around. Even the love of a daughter, a lover, and a family can fail against the scorn of what seems like the whole world, at least for a time. Not only that, but, yes, the Juggernaut has been born and has been greatly empowered by the sheer scale of the destruction within the Dungeon, making it a Super Juggernaut which Bell and the others will, in time, be forced to face.
Yet, just as despair is never far away for those who suffer in silence, so too is hope not far away either. Light is no more easily overcome than darkness and unlike the dark, one does not fight desperately against the light and goodness of the world, but embraces it like an old friend.
With that message in mind, I bid you all the finest of farewells and, for my American brethren, a very Happy Thanksgiving. Enjoy good food, good company, and some family time, you deserve it. Until next time, my lovely readers, bye for now.