The Fallen Argonaut
Rated; M (Blood/Gore)
Disclaimer; I do not own Danmachi or anything created by the author Fujino Ōmori, all rights go to him.
Authors: Eli-er01 & ViceroyChalister
Patreon: Elier01
Chapters 76 (Bad Omens) and Chapter 77 (Sparks and Inklings) are already available on my Patreon
Summary: The will of a hero is strong, yet unwavering but all good things must come to an end, even at the cost of one's Heroic Will. Imprisoned and blamed for a crime he hadn't committed, Bell seeks a way out of his predicament so that he can live without fear of being hunted by the people he once looked up to.
75: The Star Maiden
=Orario, Western Gate, Morning=
The guards once more stood on guard, expecting another quiet day. Having had the empress of the Far East visit three days prior was… unexpected, and definitely out of the ordinary, but so far, they'd had two people arriving and it was closing in on Noon, around an hour before midday.
'Yep' One of the guards thought lazily as he leaned back in one of the chairs, putting his arms behind his head as his partner for the day was already dozing off to the side.
They'd received news on the current progress of the war from a direct call by Braver this morning. They'd successfully captured one stronghold and were soon ready for Orario to send resupplies of potions and other materials and food they'd stockpiled for the war effort. As for the other fronts, the central one was on good time towards their first objective, but the southern had experienced difficulties with an ambush but was otherwise near their own objective.
In short, things were going well, with a few hiccups, not that they were truly nervous. Both the Loki Familia and Freya familia were taking part, alongside Vergeina of the Themis Familia.
The guard just did not see how they could lose, even if Kaius, the last living member (former) of the legendary Zeus familia was with the empire. Hadn't they already defeated those odds before during the dark times with Zald and Alfia?
With a shiver running down his spine at the memory, he peeked open one eye as he saw two people approaching on the road. From the distance, it was hard to make out, but one was definitely a demi-human, chienthrope by the looks of it, but the other looked human. Both are women… and both are definitely beautiful.
Shaking his head from those thoughts, he nudged his partner who gave a half mix between a groan and a grunt as he simply tried to shrug off the disturbance.
'God, this moron' The guard thought, before roughly hitting his partner over the top of the head.
"W-wha-?! What was that for, Vaylin?"
"The hell do you think? We got incoming"
Vaylin got a couple of blinks in response before his gaze shifted towards the road where the two approaching people were much closer this time as a small grin appeared on the guard's face.
Frowning, Vaylin turned and looked back at the approaching woman was approaching, eyes momentarily widening as he laid eyes on the human-looking one.
As a member of Ganesha Familia, Vaylin had been in the familia for nearly three and a half decades, he'd lived through the fall of the Zeus familia, as well as the dark age.
He didn't have the constitution to be a first-class adventurer, but he'd been dutiful and managed to reach level four, which he knew to be his limit. His dominant stat, that being dexterity, would not go over F in rank, even after an entire decade of being a level four.
It was frustrating, yes, but that was life, so he simply accepted it.
But having been a part of Orario's defense force for all that time, he had met every god and goddess of all prominent familias that had existed since… Zeus, Hera, Loki, Freya… and Astraea.
The moment he saw that long walnut brown hair, blue eyes, and a soft smile on her lips. The elegance and grace with each step and the kindness and peacefulness in her gaze as she talked with her companion, she knew exactly who she was.
"Yasin… get Shakti, now" Vaylin ordered his companion whose grin and appreciative gaze wavered, shifting towards the man.
"What? Why? Get her yourself, I'll happily welcome them into Orario" He stated as Vaylin felt like he was about to blow a gasket. Why did they even recruit this guy if he can't keep his own desires to himself?
"I am ordering you as your superior to get Shakti, now! That is goddess Astraea, of the Astraea familia!" It took a moment for the information to settle before Yasin seemingly paled as he realized who he'd been having those thoughts about.
With a small sound of an attempted rebuke, he caved in at the deadly glare that was thrown his way before he darted off. It wouldn't take more than a few minutes. Shakti should be arriving for her midday check-in right about now.
"Excuse me?" Vaylin instantly stood up straight as he turned around, meeting the chienthropes gaze and smile.
"Yes, welcome to Orario. What is your purpose of visit?" He asked, both going by protocol, but fishing for information he knew Shakti would want. The chienthrope on the other hand did not answer as the goddess, Astraea stepped forward, smiling softly at him.
"Vaylin, it has been a while, has it not?" She greeted as he blinked.
"You… remember me?" He asked, flabbergasted. He'd expected her not to, he'd only been standing to the side and not uttered a word that time he had been present when Shakti and Ganesha had been discussing details about their potential counterattack against Evilus alongside the then captain of Astraea Familia, Alise Lovell.
"Of course. Though we have not had any meaningful interactions, I take pride in never forgetting a face" he… he was honestly honored before he mentally shook him out of the shock.
"I am honored, but as I asked, what is the purpose of your visit? Are you here to reinstate your familia as active?" Astraea responded with a simple shake of her head.
"No, unfortunately not. This is a visit to see an old friend who… recently descended, as well as visiting a mortal dear to me" She answered. Perhaps one day, she'd return, but the pain was still too raw to move back to Orario. She still remembers the days he felt all of their connections cut, one by one before leaving only one.
"That is unfortunate… and your companion, is she a member of your familia?"
"Indeed she is, her name is Selna, an executive of my familia" She introduced as the chienthrope bowed slightly in a polite manner.
"A pleasure" Vaylin nodded slowly before he let a small smile play on his lips.
"Likewise… now-"
"Astraea?" All eyes turned towards the gate where a certain blue-haired captain was walking towards them, a gobsmacked expression on her face as she stared straight into Astraea's blue eyes.
"Shakti, it is really good to see you again" Astraea smiled brightly as the woman remained stupefied.
"I-..." Shakti was lost for words before she finally managed to get control of her internal brain functions "Yes, it is good to see you. I gather you're here to visit Lion" Astraea nodded before she looked in the direction she felt the connection. She couldn't tell the difference, but it was heading behind the walls of the city so… her best guess was that she was still in the city.
"Indeed, it is something which has been left unattended for far too long. Though, I am also here to visit Themis. He is an old friend, and it would be a delight to engage in conversations once more. I'd love to get his input on… our last conversation" Astraea answered, speaking half-truths, not knowing who knew and seeing that he wasn't causing harm, wanted to find out herself exactly what he was scheming.
"If that is the case, I do not see any reason to keep you. After everything you, Alise, and everyone have done for Orario, you are welcome anytime" Shakti smiled before glancing at Selna.
"Apologies, I am Shakti Varma, captain of the Ganesha Familia. You are?" Shakti greeted, holding out her hand.
"Selna, Executive of the Astraea familia. A pleasure" Selna introduced herself again as the two nodded at one another, shaking hands.
"Now, welcome back to Orario, hope you have a pleasurable stay" Shakti stepped to the side with a smile, allowing the two to walk into the city.
Now… they just had to find out where the 'Archian Manor' was. Shouldn't be too hard… so getting started on finding their way, they headed to ask the nearest person.
It would take them an hour to reach the manor, much to their own frustration.
=Edge of Ardian Forest, thirty minutes prior=
Bell sat there, biting off a piece of meat jerky as he glanced at Ryuu, still sleeping peacefully. She has to have been very tired, given she'd slept for over seven hours. For a second-class adventurer, that was quite the nap, given they could recuperate from a normal day in less than five with ease.
Had she pushed herself that hard to try to stop him…? Was it that important to her that she'd push herself like this?
Looking down at the campfire, he thought long and hard about that. He knew she'd go to great lengths to right any injustice she saw in front of her, as proven during that time after he'd met her at the casino, amongst all the other occasions she'd helped him.
But… if that was all it was, wouldn't her attempts to stop him be different than what she'd shown? She hadn't tried to force him to stop, but instead talked to him, trying to reason with him.
Almost as if-
Bell almost groaned as he pieced it together. He felt stupid- no, he felt like he was a true idiot. Ryuu herself had done virtually what he was doing now after her familia had been killed, she'd admitted to that down on the eighteenth. He'd even thrown it back at her at the mention of her familia back at the information post.
She was doing this because she did not want him to make the same mistakes as her.
It was so simple… and… honestly, he was touched. He looked up at her again, noting how her breaths were short, but full, the soft rise and fall of her chest as her head was turned slightly to the side as she leaned back against the tree.
Maybe… he should apologize. He'd been cold and indifferent to her at the fort, despite not having wanted to act the way he did…
Turning his gaze to Orario, the sun having risen three-fourths of the way to the center of the sky, he sighed out.
He'd apologize when all this was over, if she'd allow him to that is. Once more, that desire to just… stop came back, his soul clashing with the black flame in a losing battle, but while he did not realize it, it was stronger than before.
But alas, it was still not enough, even with so many cracks in that shell the black flame had created, but that conversation with Ryuu the night before had revealed further fractures in it.
Getting up and walking over to the edge of the cliff, he looked back for a moment, the fire still burning as he decided to leave it for Ryuu to wake up to if it did not burn out before then.
Then he let himself drop, falling as he felt the wind and watched the rapidly approaching ground.
Impacting it with a loud thud, his eyes momentarily widened just a tiny fraction as he heard Ryuu's yelp from above. Should have expected that, the impact would have made enough noise to alert a level-four elf.
Better move…
Shooting forward, he blasted out scourge at full intensity, knowing that Ryuu would notice him gone anyway, and he needed to lose her as fast as possible.
Within seconds, he was out of the forest, having already been by the edge of it, before he was darting across the open grass fields that surrounded Orario at supersonic speeds.
Idly thinking on it, he didn't actually know exactly how fast he was, only that he was fast enough that even Ottar looked slow to him. In fact, it had almost been like watching a snail move when they'd clashed back in Folksvangr.
He had to at least be twice as fast as the speed of sound, if not multiple times faster given that he had broken the sound barrier back as a level six.
Continuing on musing on it, he eventually arrived by the wall, avoiding the gate before leaping over it.
It was honestly a bit worrying that it was so easy to breach the city's defenses. The walls were only so tall, and a level two would have enough strength in their legs to leap and grab onto the ledge of it. Just approach a part of it far away from prying eyes and they were golden.
Shooting across the rooftops, he eventually arrived at his destination. He hadn't sent a letter this time, this being a more… spontaneous visit, given that he had not only lost Nakul, but had to abandon getting more information out of Narvi as well.
No, he had also probably gotten some more Excelia, even if it was just a tiny bit, and every tiny bit mattered.
Landing in front of the doors to the manor, frowning at the carriages outside before he deftly ignored it and walked into the manor, heading towards where he sensed Erebus to be.
As he walked upstairs, he blinked as he noticed a third presence in the manor. One that didn't have a falna.
Strange… but it was with Fina, so he ignored it for now and headed down the hall, straight towards where Erebus was.
Should he be surprised that the god was in the library? Yeah, no, he shouldn't, and he wasn't.
Entering, his eyes instantly met Erebus' who was standing by a bookshelf, his head had turned up at the sound of the door opening.
"Bell? I wasn't expecting you" The god questioned as his child walked inside, closing the door behind him.
"Yes, it was spontaneous, but I need another status update" He answered, the god of malevolence nodding slowly, understanding that it had been a few days. Motioning for Bell to take a seat, the god grabbed a piece of parchment, having recently filled the stack they keep in here for noting down information, or status updates since Erebus was in here quite a lot.
Placing on a chair next to where Bell was sitting and leaning forward, the god got to work, biting his finger and unlocking the status.
"Hmm… quite a bit more excelia here than normal… and your endurance is going up a fair amount" Erebus commented idly as he worked.
"Not surprising. I took Ais' strongest attack to my shoulder. Did a fair bit of damage, but nothing a potion wouldn't heal" Erebus nodded at the words before he moved down. Magic, the same as usual, nothing surprising…-!
A soft gasp escaped the god's lips as he watched the first skill slot, Bell quirking an eyebrow in interest but otherwise not saying anything.
Cooling his expression, Erebus finalized the update before swiftly copying it onto a sheet of paper and handing it to Bell.
Name: Bell Cranel
Lv 8
Status:
{STR} I-49 - H-100
{VIT} I-1 - H-101
{DEX} I-40 - H-105
{AGI} H-101 - H-164
{MAG} I-21 - I-76
Magic:
Firebolt: Swift-strike magic. Casts a bolt of fire and electricity on command that explodes on impact upon contacting any surface.
Legacy's Rebirth: Catalyst Magic. Generates a shroud of lightning around the user that interacts with the body, strengthening it and protecting it from outside dangers. May also be used offensively as magic but takes a strong toll on the body if doing so.
Requires a Storm Crystal as a catalyst to activate.
Skills:
Liaris Freeze: Precocious Maturation. The effect is maintained so long as the user maintains their feelings, and the effect is heightened depending on how strong these feelings are (Current Bonus: 329% - 699%)
Argonaut: Heroic strike, the possibility of turning any situation around with an overwhelming amount of force. Able to be dual-charged but drains massive amounts of mind power.
Scourge: Raises the power of the user exponentially depending on the amount of Malice the user lets out
Blade Master: When the user uses a bladed weapon, increases proficiency of the weapon and technique that is currently used
Dragon's Bane: Dramatically increases all basic abilities when fighting draconic-type monsters. (1000 to all stats)
Vesta: As long as the user's desire to protect something remains, regenerate wounds and fatigue at an increased pace. Heightens defense against any flame or heat by a large margin. All fire-based attacks have increased effects.
The strength of the effect is based on the strength of the user's desire to protect.
Development Abilities:
Luck: S
Abnormal Resistance: A
Psych: B
Intuition: B
Strong Body: E
Mystery: G
Supreme Vigor: I
Bell blinked at the massive change in his status for his efforts, endurance being far more considerable in its rise. Why had he sudden- no, thinking about it, it made sense. He'd had a short scuffle with Ottar, which had admittedly challenged him a bit. So the rise made far more sense… it would be considered high quality as well as it had meant a lot to him, given that at the time, he was fighting for the dignity of his aunt.
"Bell…" Erebus called out to him as he turned, meeting the gaze as he instantly paid attention to him. That look… it was clear something else had happened.
"Did something else happen with Ais?" He asked with no accusation in his voice, but simply a mix between interest and curiosity.
"No, we had a small scuffle as she tried to stop me after she…" He stopped, thinking back on her words.
'And I understand that it is not possible, but I need you to know how important you are to me. Bell, I really, really care about you'
"So something did happen…" Erebus gave a soft smile before he nodded, content with the knowledge.
"Yeah, guess so… why so interested?"
"Well, you know how I don't want to keep any secrets about your status…" He paused before continuing "Liaris Freeze got stronger… much stronger" Bell blinked as he realized the connection.
At that time… those words had given him pause… the words that confirmed her own emotions for him, and the sincerity in her voice and actions. It had moved him…
Enough to make his skill stronger.
"How much…?" He asked, voice shaking slightly as he thought of Elora… and for a moment, he wanted to berate himself, before he remembered both Erebus' and Elora's words.
You can't control who you love, only what you do with it.
"Around double the strength. It's quite a large change… at this point, you-"
"I know…" Bell sighed out. At this point… he knew… when he really dug deep, and he allowed himself to accept it, he knew.
He… loved her.
Admitting that hurt… it hurt knowing that he loved another woman, and it made him hate himself a bit, even though he knew that he could not control those feelings.
But he would control what he did with them.
He wouldn't betray Elora, he just… he couldn't. It wasn't in something he was capable of, nor wanted to be capable of.
So instead, he decided that the only thing he'd do with it is to use that love he felt, to power his skill… no, that was wrong too. To love someone for a skill.
He would not act on the love, no, he'd just let it sit. Perhaps eventually burning away once more… hopefully.
"Alright then… at least it's good for your growth-"
"Erebus, please" Bell begged as the god laughed good-naturedly as he let Bell get up before he set his status shee down. The god glanced over at it, his eyes softening into wonder as his smile dimmed down into a similar softness as his eyes.
"To think, that even with the skill, you'd be able to grow like this as a level eight…" He muttered, catching Bell's attention again.
"It shows that what matters is not talent, or one's constitution… it's one's soul which is that deciding factor"
…
Bell blinked, and then blinked again. This was something he had never heard Erebus state before, and it sort of went against what is the major belief of the public.
"What do you mean?" Bell's question was met with a quick glance before the gaze of the deity fell back to the status sheet, his fingers dropping down as they traced the basic abilities section.
"Constitution and talent only help the base… but the quality of the soul defines the growth and potential of the status itself" Okay… Erebus was clearly in his philosophical mentality right now…
"And the fact that you can grow this much in a single status update even at level six and a growth skill that multiplies your excelia depending on your emotions, it shows that your soul holds the quality to grow far beyond the norm" Erebus finished before looking up at Bell with a smile as the white-haired man couldn't help but return it.
The moment was broken as the door opened to the room and Bell's head snapped back over his shoulder.
"Erebus, I was wondering-" The voice of the person stopped as Bell met their eyes as they widened.
"B-bell?" She whispered as her long black hair which flowed down her back tilted to the side, a part of it hanging down as she was unable to tear her gaze away.
"Asuka!? W-what are you doing here!?" For that moment, Bell momentarily forgot about wanting to come here and leave quickly. He hadn't seen Asuka in so long, that seeing her once more, in Orario as well made him happy, despite the horrible circumstances at the moment.
"To help you! But you weren't here!" She answered, complaining at his lack of presence, but he could tell there was understanding beneath it too.
'So she knows…' He thought before detaching himself from the hug, and looking at her.
"Yeah… A lot has happened- also, not to be rude but… what were you supposed to help me with?" He asked, tilting his head as Asuka shot him a glare.
"Really? I left as soon as I heard you had gone to Orario, I thought you would need some political expertise…" She answered, feeling a bit insulted, but understanding his point of view.
"Ah- I suppose that would have been nice at the time. Took longer than I'd like to get cleared" He chuckled slightly as Erebus moved around the room without a word.
"But I don't really think that's necessary-"
"No, it might be quite the boon" Erebus interrupted, holding out a letter in Bell's direction "I forgot to mention this last time, but an emissary from Einhente arrived with this" Bell stared at the letter, ignoring the question that Asuka voiced, not being informed of the country beyond the Valley of Dragons.
Reaching and taking it, he slowly unfolded the letter and read it. As his eyes swiftly and efficiently took in the words, a small frown took its form before his gaze turned back up at the deity.
"Alliance…?" He asked slowly. Erebus could do nothing but nod.
"That is what it appears to be. An invitation for talks of a potential alliance between you and her… but if I can give you a piece of advice" Erebus' gaze turned serious as Bell waited for the god to speak.
"Accept it. You should know how dangerous the Vouivre is, and an Alliance with her would make what's to come far easier on you and the world" Bell blinked at his words as Asuka finally managed to snatch the letter out of Bell's hands who didn't really mind.
The way Erebus was talking…
"Erebus… Is Oldurin…?" He asked, letting the question hang in the air, unspoken as the god nodded.
"Yes. That is the name given to the one-eyed black dragon by its siblings" Bell's jaw clenched at the mention of the dragon, his mind flashing back to his brief encounter with it all those years ago.
"I see…" He muttered.
"This does sound like a delicate situation" Asuka piped in, her eyes still fixated on the letter "And one that is formal as well. This Dhiaga Mahal Kita, seems shrewd given her way of conversing if her wording of the letter speaks for itself. I cannot tell you her actual reasoning for seeking an alliance, and can only speculate given my experiences with the nobility and affluential aristocrats of other countries, but it appears she desires to use you" Bell did not like that, and was about to retort only for Asuka to hold up her hand, giving him a look that told him to let her finish.
"On the other hand, the way she worded it. 'I merely wish for further discussion and potential talks of an alliance in the coming conflict'. It sounds almost as if she views this as mutually beneficial" She spoke, tilting her head as she tried to decipher more.
Bell blinked as he pondered Asuka's words. What could be beneficially mutual for her…?
"I can only see one reason apart from your abnormal strength that could potentially interest her" Erebus stated, staring at Bell… or more accurately, at a certain weapon on his back.
Reaching back and letting his fingers trace the metal of the weapon, his mouth opened and closed in understanding.
"The Spear of Orion…" He whispered, remembering its most unique feature…
"Indeed… she most likely is seeking to make use of that weapon, to kill…" Erebus stopped, shaking his head.
"Kill what?" Asuka too was as intrigued as Bell, staring at the god.
"I'm sorry, I can't say. It's part of the pact of us gods. We can't give you any information on… well, what I nearly blurted out" Erebus answered, honestly looking apologetic. Bell let out a sigh, as he honestly understood. They had all agreed and sealed away most of their power when descending, whatever that pact was, it must have been pretty important.
"Though, I can advise you towards a path that would give you the answers you want" Bell perked up at that.
"Accept the invitation, that Vouivre has lived far longer than any other mortal being here in Gekai, predating the age of the gods, so she is bound to have more information than anyone else"
…
"How do you even know this?" Bell asked after a moment. Since he'd met Kita, it'd been next to impossible to find any information on her. All he knew was what she'd told him, that she was supposedly a queen of a country beyond the valley of dragons called Einhente, and that she was an intelligent monster with monstrous power.
That was it.
"Did you think I've been reading novels this entire time? There are plenty of books that detail a fourth great disaster, though it had always been pushed to the back, only being mentioned briefly, but the earliest mention was in… I think a book from near the end of the age of heroes" Okay, when he was done with making sure to burn the empire to the ground alongside Kaius, he needed to read up on those damn books…
Though to be fair, they did have quite a large collection of exotic, one-of-a-kind books…
"... but as you have said before, Ouranos probably knows far more than I do if your word is to be trusted" Bell simply stared for a moment before humming.
"Ouranos?" Asuka piped in, shooting questioning glances at the two as she looked up from analyzing every word of the parchment. Was she really trying to read that deep into it?
'Guess she's taking it seriously'
"He seemed to know her when I mentioned her back when I first returned" Bell answered quickly as she nodded, content with the short explanation.
"Well… I'll think about it. For now, I need to focus on burning Kaius' world to the ground" Bell growled out the last part as Asuka got a glimpse of the impotent rage and black flame within, momentarily widening her eyes before schooling her features.
Erebus on his part was silent, his expression not even shifting slightly.
"Well, at I suppose that's good enou-" He began but was interrupted as the door to the study opened. As if in slow motion, Bell turned, eyes meeting blue eyes that he recognized from all those years ago… and next to her, a familiar blonde chienthrope…
"Selna?" He asked, blinking to make sure it was who he thought it was. She looked… so much better than the last time he saw her, though given the circumstances back then… it wasn't exactly a surprise.
"Y-you recognize me?" The chienthrope stuttered out, clearly flabbergasted at the fact.
"Yeah, of course, I do" Bell answered with a soft smile, all the malice in his voice completely gone from before they arrived. Selna on the other hand blushed scarlet, now truly taking in his face for the first time. All she'd seen before was a mask, and she'd figured he was attractive but…
No one told her he was hot!
It took her a moment after that thought, to remember he had a wife and instantly deflate before shaking her head mentally, composing herself.
While all this was going on, Erebus was staring at one person, who in part was staring right back.
"It has been quite a while, has it not… 'Themis'" The way she spoke the name said everything one needed to know. Her eyes too, seemed to pierce through him as Erebus sighed.
"It has, hasn't it, Astraea? The last time we spoke, it was twenty-one years ago" Erebus answered back, not even trying to hide in the slightest.
"Good, it seems we won't have to play that particular game, Erebus" She spoke, eyes hardening slightly as the god of Malevolence met hers with impassive gaze.
"No, and I never intended to play that game with you if we ever met again" Bell looked between the two of them, having completely shifted his attention as the mortals in the room, including Fina who had walked in, glancing at Bell but not speaking, were waiting where this would lead.
"Why are you here, Erebus?" That question, was more loaded than most would believe.
"To help Bell and his family grow and achieve their goals" Was his answer, only eliciting Astraea to lean forward, narrowing her eyes while glancing at Bell.
"You do realize how this looks. You once more, bring two level sevens to Orario, this time with a level six as well…" She stated as the god in question sighed.
"I understand your skepticism Astraea, but I promise and swear on the pact of gods that I am here, not as a bringer of chaos and evil, but as a patron god seeking the growth and fulfillment of his familia" That instantly shot whatever thoughts had been swirling inside the goddess' mind straight out of it as she stared on in shock.
To swear on that particular pact was… there was no more important pact in existence, one that overturned even the oath they made when descending to Gekai. Swearing on it, was akin to swearing on their entire being, their existence end reason for it in the first place…
"You…" She uttered slowly as Erebus opened his eyes and looked deep into her own.
"I mean it. Giving my familia the opportunity to grow is the most important concept for me at the moment…" Erebus turned towards Bell.
"Especially his growth" He nodded towards him as Bell blinked.
"Mine?" Astraea quirked an eyebrow, giving him a small smile as an askance for forgiveness for not greeting him, as the captain of the familia whose home she was in. Turning back to Erebus, she moved to satisfy her curiosity.
"How so? Given those words, you are scheming something, aren't you?"
"Scheming isn't really the right word. More hoping. I have never seen a mortal with a higher potential for growth than him. It is to the point, that he even surpasses Alfia in raw potential… in fact, he already has surpassed her"
Instantly, Astraea's gaze shot towards Bell's in alarm. Even if Alfia had been a level seven, and they now had Ottar as a level eight, everyone who had known Alfia and her might would know without a doubt, that she would have been stronger than Ottar is now. If he had surpassed Alfia… that meant that without a doubt, he was the strongest mortal in all of Gekai.
Bell simply stared back, his expression neutral as it was something he had already known.
Then it struck her.
"You…-! You think he can-!?" She asked, becoming lost for words as her fellow god nodded.
"I do" Was all he responded with as the room fell into silence… then Astraea let out a sigh of relief before finally taking a look at everyone present in the room. Asuka was glancing between the three contributors of the conversation while Selna had done the same alongside Fina.
Turning towards Bell and putting on a more formal stance, she tilted her head downwards slightly as she spoke.
"Apologies, Apollyon. I understand it is quite rude to intrude on someone's home without properly greeting them" Bell snorted as he shook his head.
"Where is this attitude coming from…? Who are you, and where did Astraea go?" Bell joked as Astraea blinked, her mouth opening slightly in confusion as she let out a soft confused sound.
…
A snort was followed by a giggle from the side as Selna covered her mouth, much to Bell's amusement.
"Mou… Don't laugh at me, Selna" The goddess of Justice pouted, placing her hands on her hip as Fina's tail started wagging at the happier attitude.
"Sorry Astraea-sama… but I have never seen- haha- never seen you look so surprised"
"That's Bell-sama for you" Fina commented as Asuka was laughing. Erebus simply shook his head with a soft chuckle at how easily Bell had defused Astraea's polite and formal behavior.
"But really, please don't act so formal, Astraea. If not for us already technically having met, but for a mutual friend of ours"
"Mutual frien-?!" She stopped as her eyes widened.
"You know Ryuu!?" He simply nodded in confirmation.
"Of course I know her, when I first started out, she saved me multiple times. It's not a stretch to say that out of everyone outside my family in Orario, she is the one I trust the most" Astraea couldn't help but smile softly as the way he spoke showed that he cared for her deeply. In what way, she did not know, but it was clear they were close.
"Is that so? Do you happen to know where she is?" Bell's eyes shifted to the side, looking straight into the wall as the goddess followed his eyes in confusion.
"Closer than you think… in fact, she might just come to you if you wait for a bit"
"How do you know?"
"I can sense her. We had quite a deep conversation last night and I did leave abruptly to come here. I guess she realized from the direction I headed that Orario was my destination… and only one place in Orario would make sense for me to go so…" He trailed off as he allowed her to fill in the blanks.
"Really Bell? How deep?" Erebus chimed in, throwing him a deadpan" The snow-white hair of the man waved a bit as he shrugged.
"Mostly about family and me clearing her debt when we first arrived" Bell stated nonchalantly, not dissimilar to how he did last night to the elf in question.
"Ah, so that's why you headed to the guild that day" Erebus' statement was followed by a nod.
"You…" Astraea spoke softly in disbelief. She had known how high Ryuu's bounty had added up to in the end. A hundred million valis were nothing to scoff at… and he spent that amount of money… for the freedom of Ryuu?
"Thank you…" She finally settled on.
"As I said… That's Bell-sama for you" Fina piped in once more with a giggle. As Asuka rolled her eyes.
"You're going to make that anyway with the payment we give you for being a royal executioner" The black-haired empress chuckled.
"Ah, you're Asuka Yume?" Astraea's question was met with a nod.
"Yes, though I have temporarily handed the position of empress to my mother for the duration of my stay here" She stated quickly, not wanting any formal treatment.
"I see…"
…
Everyone was silent before Erebus, in his usual sarcastic demeanor slapped his hands together with a smile.
"Now, if we are done with the long overdrawn introductions, perhaps we can interest our esteemed guests in some food?"
As no one saw anything wrong with the suggestion, despite the sarcastic and mocking way he said it, everyone agreed.
Bell could only wonder how long it would take for Ryuu to show herself. He just hoped she'd gain the courage to do so.
She deserved some peace.
=North East of Orario=
Hermes silently moved towards the house that stood alone next to the forest, completely unassuming, but if only people knew who it was that resided within.
Tipping his hat softly as the wind blew it slightly, he walked up to the front door, knocking twice before pausing momentarily, then repeating the action once more with four knocks.
It was a silent simplistic sequence for his old friend to know it was him.
As the door opened, Hermes moved his lips to greet the old man as he usually does, but instantly stopped. His letter had held the same jovial tone at the start that he was known for, but the bags under the god of lightning's eyes, the haunted look… it all spoke volumes of how he felt.
"Zeus…" He spoke in a surprised tone.
"Come in, Hermes. The situation is quite bad and there is much I haven't been able to tell you in something as unsafe as a letter"
'Something more important than Oldurin fully recovering?' Hermes thought in horror as with trepidation, he stepped inside the modest home of the former top dog of Orario.
For a house that was located away from any nearby civilization, it wasn't as sparse as one would expect, the god did have his preferences after all, but he was definitely more modest than most.
Zeus was by no means poor, while his familia was banished from the guild, he still had access to all the combined coffers of his familia from any branch office in any town… in other words.
In layman's terms, he was filthy rich to the point that it'd put Bell to shame.
The Zeus familia, while active had lived extravagantly and had spent fortunes on their equipment as necessary for such powerful people, they'd also had a habit of saving a small percentage of all their profits in their coffers for an emergency.
That might not add up to an impressive amount in a few months or even a year, but when it had reached centuries of cumulative additions, the amount became staggering, especially as they got stronger and earned even more.
For such a rich man to live in a modest home alongside furniture that could be found in most medium-sized familias, it showed that despite Zeus' personality, he was not one to be frivolous in that specific regard.
Of course, when it came to women, he could be a bit… unhinged.
"Here, sit. I'll prepare something to drink" Zeus disappeared into the kitchen as the god of messengers sat down and waited. When his fellow deity returned, he handed him some wine… perfected soma wine…
Hermes' eyes widened to saucers as he saw it and smelled the aroma. How the hell had Zeus even managed to get his hands on this?
Glancing up at the god who, despite his raggedy appearance, smirked.
"Do not think I don't still have tricks up my sleeve… but that's beside the point. By the end of this, that is the only reason you will not be put in a full-blown panic" Hermes frowned at those words before putting the wine back down on the table and pressed his hands together as he looked at the god.
"Zeus, how could Oldurin have already recovered? Weren't your attack on-"
"Yes, it was supposed to…" Zeus sighed as Hermes froze at the anger and regret in his tone.
"-but… we miscalculated. With Zald and Alfia not having been present or due to being incapacitated from the previous battles, the effectiveness dropped significantly. It's the only explanation. Those two were our jewels, the peak of what we had accomplished alongside Maxim and Arya" Zeus began as he let out a deep sigh.
"Then-"
"Yes, with the effect not being as prevalent as we'd have planned for, Oldurin is once more in the skies, and heading due east. I fear his first target is the Far East" Hermes paled at those words, leaning forward, sweat dripping from his forehead.
"We need to do something about it. We can't let him rampage like he did before" He stated slowly as Zeus shook his head.
"That is good and well enough, old friend, but what can we do? Who can we send? Whoever goes is essentially committing suicide" Zeus spoke harshly as Hermes mind trailed towards one potential person, but hesitated. He was not ready… but… the situation was dire… no-
"What of Bell?" He spoke without thinking as Zeus instantly glared daggers at him.
"No, he may have exceeded my expectations, but he is far too weak" He spoke as Hermes frowned. Too weak? If anything, Bell was closing in on being truly ready if not for the current circumstances.
"Weak? Zeus, my old friend, have you gone senile? He's as powerful, if not more so than Zald and Alfia were"
Whatever anger had been present was instantly washed away by the wave of confusion that took its place.
"What…?" The god of lightning asked, having a hard time placing that innocent boy he'd raised in the image of a powerful adventurer.
"He's level seven, and stronger than he should be… just like them"
A myriad of emotions colored Zeus' face, cycling back and forth over and over as he tried to digest that piece of information. Confusion, pride, and disbelief among many others.
"He…?" Zeus asked slowly, a tiny hint of hope sparking up in his voice.
"Yes, but he still needs more time. Not much… he's close but- Kaius…" Zeus almost scoffed at the mention of the man. He did not regret his familia, but he regretted ever giving that man his falna.
"What did that bastard do now?" The god of thunder spat almost in exasperation.
"He… almost killed Bell-kuns wife" Zeus eyes bulged at the mention of a wife, then hardened once the words truly sunk in.
"He… did what? To my grandchilds…" For a split moment, Hermes' heart froze as a small piece of the superior gods' arcanum leaked out before quickly receding.
"I'll kill him" Was the response Zeus settled with as he grumbled silently.
"I think Bell-kun will get to him before you. He's…" He trailed off as Zeus peeked at Hermes who looked troubled and miffed. A smirk slowly trailed onto the god of lightning's mouth as he couldn't help but mull over how Hermes was probably annoyed mostly because his plans for Bell were going a bit haywire.
While Zeus himself wasn't happy with the idea of what Hermes was implying Bell was doing, he couldn't say that he had any right to tell him otherwise. This was Bell's story, and no one, god or mortal had any right to dictate its path.
In a way, it made him glad and a bit embarrassed that the boy he had abandoned had gone so far despite him losing faith.
Level seven… to reach such heights showed the potential that he had failed to see… perhaps he would climb higher. His own perception of the boy was, now man, was clearly not to be trusted.
Turning and looking out the window, he silently wondered, that if Bell was as strong as Hermes had stated, then perhaps… if they could buy just a few months more… then he'd be the one to end that beast.
'Meteria… I failed you, but your boy… he has made you, and everyone proud, and perhaps… he will achieve the height which Alfia and Zald failed to inspire in others...' Zeus thought with closed eyes before turning back towards Hermes.
"Unfortunately, there is not much we can do about Oldurin. Even if what you say is true, we have no way of knowing just how much his capture of Aria has strengthened him"
Hermes' words clogged in his throat at the reminder. Yet another reason they'd attacked while Oldurin was recovering. A monster like that, forcefully using the power of a great spirit… was terrifying.
It was dubious, even to the gods, just how powerful the dragon truly was, but without a doubt, it was powerful enough to destroy the world on its own.
Why it hasn't already, was a mystery to even the deities. Only 'they' knew.
Leaning forward into one of his hands, the god of messengers groaned.
"Dear Gaia, we are running out of time… the Promised time is too close to fruition, and if we don't do someth-"
"Have you forgotten the agreement?" Zeus glared as Hermes instantly paled. "We are allowed to guide our children, but we are not allowed to act. This is not our story, Hermes. We are merely spectators" The god of lightning stated matter of factly.
"And I am honestly tired…" He sighed after a moment letting his head fall.
"For nearly a thousand years, Hera and I led Orario and discovered everything we know, trying to find a way to end this… but recently, I've just…" The god stopped as Hermes stared in absolute confusion as his fellow god looked up at him, the rings under his eyes far more prevalent all of a sudden.
"I have been far too active in the choices of Mortals… I should have allowed my familia to choose, instead of saddling them with that suicide mission…"
"Zeus… what are you saying?"
…
He was silent for a long moment, looking down into his hands as he inspected them with fervor… before finally gazing back at his old friend.
"It's about time I stopped… I failed my familia… and I failed Meteria. All I have done is fail and fail, so perhaps, I should do the one thing I should have done from the beginning"
All of a sudden, Zeus stood up, thinking back on those letters the first few months after he had left that village on that day.
The visit from Hermes that had him stumped, but still skeptical…
"You're giving up…!?" Hermes practically roared in confusion as the god shook his head.
"No… just changing perspectives…" He walked up to the window, leaning out and looking at the large open field of grass towards the road in the distance, his eyes softening as he relaxed.
"What do-"
"I'm going to Orario" Instantly, Hermes was at a loss for words. Contrary to popular belief, Zeus and Hera weren't actually officially banished, only forced out of the city by Freya and Loki. Ouranos and the guild never actually signed the papers on the banishment.
In other words, if the god actually wanted, he could return any time he wished… even if it'd be a bit turbulent with Loki and Freya.
Before Hermes could question it, Zeus spoke again.
"Maybe, I should trust in him… if what you say is true, then a deity's perception of Bell is not to be trusted… and maybe, before I return to Tenkai to see my children once more before they pass on to the next life, I should visit my grandson one last time" He sounded so somber and tired. Zeus knew that Hera had given up long ago to find him and had returned to Tenkai, probably waiting for him with a bat.
"How isn't that giving up Zeus!? We can't-"
"Hermes…" Zeus spoke softly, almost in a chastising way while shaking his head, not even looking away from the scenery.
"My new perspective is to let the mortals choose their own path without my interference whatsoever. Clearly, that worked for Bell… and maybe, in the end, that is what is needed for this to end… for us gods, to let our children make their own choice"
'After all, that is what brought forth the age of heroes…' Zeus thought idly, the image of the clown hero, who because he chose to save the princess, began an epic tale of adventure and heroics.
'This isn't the tale of the gods, but the tale of the mortal's infinite possibilities… and their unbending will. It is time for me to do what a god should do… and watch as the mortals make their choice'
=Orario=
Ryuu walked at a below-average pace as she began nearing the Archian Manor. When she'd woken up earlier due to the noise Bell had made when he left, she'd been confused for but a moment before she'd realized what had happened.
At first, she'd felt a bit insulted that he'd just up and left without so much as a word, but had quickly squashed them as soon as they'd appeared. He may have dropped his guard last night, but he was still seeking revenge…
So… she'd followed him, tracing that feeling of a powerful person heading in a direction. A straight path towards the dungeon city of Orario.
It had not taken a genius to figure out that was where he was headed. His goal, his vengeance was imminently located to the west, and he was heading east.
'He's going home'
That had been her deduction with only a moment of thinking on it, and she'd wasted no time, quickly extinguishing the fire before departing as well, heading straight for Orario.
It was close enough that she'd make it there quickly. He'd definitely reach it before her, but she could only hope that she'd manage to get there before he left…
That led her to now, walking towards the Archian manor, certain that he was still there due to her sensing that imposing aura of his.
But… something else was amiss. She could not quite place her finger on it, but it was there… something familiar.
She did not have much time to think about it as she turned the corner and met the sight of the gates to the manor.
While most familias always had guards at the gate, Themis was different due to them only having six members… well, seven members if one includes the chienthrope non-combatant she'd met… Fina, she believed her name was.
Taking a breath and making sure her expression gave away nothing, she walked through the walkway, walking around the fountain before standing still in front of the door for a long moment… then she knocked.
…
Silence.
That was what she was met with for a while, and just as she was about to knock once more, she heard the click of the door as she met the eyes of the same chienthrope she'd met last time.
"Hello there Lyon-san. Bell-san mentioned you would arrive sooner or later" The girl invited her in with a smile and Ryuu realized that Bell had noticed her following him.
'To be expected I suppose…' She idly thought as she allowed the girl to guide her through the manor. While she'd been here once before, she was not used to the home even with its simple design.
That and it was impolite to wander into someone else's home without permission when one is a guest.
At first, she had expected to head upstairs as she had last time, but instead, they entered through the hallways on the lower level before quickly turning left as she opened a pair of double doors.
Before they even opened, Ryuu knew Bell was inside as the presence was impossible not to notice.
The moment she saw the interior, she blinked as she laid eyes on the man she'd talked to just last night standing by the counter, cutting up vegetables at in inhuman speeds as he moved about in the kitchen.
"So she finally arrived huh?" He spoke without looking behind him, right as he walked over to a bowl and began stirring.
Only then, did his eyes shift to hers, calm and with a small smile on his lips.
"Sorry for leaving you so suddenly Ryuu. I… was a bit conflicted to be honest" He continued on as she slowly nodded.
"It is alright, Cranel-san. Do try not to do it again. Many will find it rude and unbecoming" She stated with an even voice and perfect poker face, if not for the slight curve of her lips.
Bell chuckled, rolling his eyes as he gave her an amused glare.
"Noted, Milady. I shall take your sage-like advice into consideration" He gave a mock bow after putting the bowl down as the elf stifled a giggle that she felt would be highly inappropriate but was unable to stop the slight blush that tinted her cheeks.
Once more, it felt like she was talking to Bell… the real Bell and not the vengeance-consumed one.
"You two seem close" Ryuu stiffened at the all too-recognizable voice, the tone and teasing tint to it engraved into her memory from religious reminiscences over the years.
She practically spun around quickly enough to cause a small gust around the room as her eyes were filled with fear, nervousness, and shock mixed with happiness, hope, and recognition.
"A-astraea-sama!?" She squeaked out as Bell almost burst out laughing at the woman's reaction, but refrained, understanding what this moment would mean to Ryuu.
In front of her, stood the goddess she had abandoned, and who she believed had abandoned her. The goddess of the very thing she had thrown away for her vengeance all those years ago…
"Ryuu…" The goddess who was leaning on the doorframe that connected the kitchen to the dining room breathed out, taking a step forward "You look… mature"
Astraea herself almost cringed at the words, finding no better one to describe her child in front of her. She by no means looked okay, clearly having been worrying for a while now and it had taken a toll on her.
She glanced at Bell for a moment, knowing it must have been him that worry had been for, but returned her focus to the child whom she wanted to reconnect with.
"I- Astraea-sama… I failed you…" Bell simply looked between the two, stopping at Ryuu after those words exited her lips, but let the goddess take point.
"No… Ryuu, if anyone failed the other, it was me. I should not have left when you told me to but stayed instead. You needed me, and I abandoned you due to being consumed by grief for the others… in that sense, I failed not only you but myself as well" The goddess shook her head, and he saw Ryuu's head snap up at her, clearly not agreeing. In the corner of his eye, he noticed Selna wanting to jump in, but he simply shook his head at her, and thankfully she saw that and returned to simply watching.
"W-what, no! I abandoned the justice I swore to uphold. I committed such horrible acts in the name of vengeance…" Ryuu stopped for a moment, gathering her words as he signaled Astraea to let her talk.
He had not intended to be a mediator but… he knew that she needed to get this out… and for Astraea to hear it. That was a given, and for a moment, the goddess seemed like she was going to go against what he had suggested but Ryuu beat her to it.
"I killed so many people… even if they were evil, my acts were just as vile. Poison, traps, assassination… I did everything possible to destroy them…"
Bell saw how Astraea's eyes widened marginally, clearly unaware of the exact details, but she kept listening as Ryuu seemed to keep pouring out her emotions.
"I killed them in their sleep, burned their homes… even those loosely related… I… I showed no mercy" Her voice quivered. "I fear… that some of those I-" once more, the quiver came in, this time clogging her throat as she shook her head, trying to dispel it, only for tears to prick at the edge of her vision.
Astraea could take it no longer and practically launched herself at Ryuu, enveloping her in a hug. The elven woman seemed stumped for a moment, as the emotions raged in her heart.
Bell slowly moved towards the dining room, pushing Selna and Fina through the doorway before looking back, just in time to see Ryuu's expression morph back and forth before breaking out into a full-blow cry as she finally let the emotions go.
If he wanted to, he could have listened to what Astraea was whispering to her, but he held back. He should not have even tried to mediate… hell, none of them should have even been in the room.
The food he had been preparing was in the oven and nothing was going to burn or get ruined if he gave them thirty minutes… so with a soft click, he closed to door.
"Bell-san, why-"
"Let's give them some time. Ryuu needs this, and it is something that is private… so let's give them some privacy" Bell stated with no room for argument as Selna nodded slowly in acceptance.
"I gather things went swimmingly?" Erebus chimed in as Bell rolled his eyes, just like he did earlier with Ryuu.
"Well, it could have gone worse. Only time will tell…"
…
"What about you?" Bell blinked right after he turned towards the girl that spoke, Asuka looking at the door before her gaze shifted towards him.
"What ar-"
"From where I am standing, you too need someone to talk to Bell" Erebus instantly took a step back as he shook his head.
"I don't see why I'd need-"
"Your wife is in a coma, and from where I am standing, you are doing the same thing the elf did" Instantly, Bell's expression hardened as he glared at her.
"You have-"
"No! Erebus told me not to, but honestly, I can't! From what I heard, the elf went on a rampage for vengeance after her familia was slaughtered. What is so different with what she did, compared to what you are doing that it makes it right?" Bell stopped, gritting his teeth as his mind was brought back to him screaming at Ryuu back at the information post.
He felt like a hypocrite, and a part of him knew he was a hypocrite… but sometimes, one needed to be a hypocrite… a fool, to move forward, to accomplish one's own goal.
Sure, those words were taken and modified from what Fels had told him fifteen years ago, but they still applied.
"I never said it was right" He growled out as Asuka didn't so much as flinch at his hard glare.
For a non-blessed woman, she sure had a hell of a lot of courage.
"Then stop acting like it. Honestly, if it weren't for the fact that you've essentially alienated your entire family for your vengeance, I wouldn't have said anything, but I can't just sit and do nothing, while you hurt the others" She spoke clearly and with conviction as Bell grumbled and moved to walk away, but Fina placed herself in his way as he stopped, staring down at her.
"Fina… what are you doing?" He asked with a dangerous tint to his tone as she shook her head.
"I'm sorry, Bell-sama, but… I agree with her" Bell for a moment was at a loss for words as the normally timid Fina who abhorred dangerous situations and always did everything to avoid a potential confrontation, stood her ground with defiance.
"You… you all just don't get it…" He growled as he placed his hand on the chienthropes shoulder and pushed her to the side as she yelped, unable to keep herself in place at the vastly superior strength that pushed against her.
"Then explain it!" Asuka exploded, screaming at the top of her lungs as the noise from the kitchen died down, probably from shock at the sudden noise.
Bell was silent, staring at her and not moving an inch.
"Kaius… needs to burn. My wife, most likely will never wake, and even if she does, she is almost guaranteed to have permanent amnesia and gods know what other lingering side-effects" He spoke, voice quivering with repressed rage… but beneath it all, Asuka, the intelligent and socially adept woman she was, noticed it like a bloodhound on a trail.
'Grief and Misery'
"I can't let the people behind it remain alive… they have to pay for it" He growled out as the empress of the Far East stood up and walked up to him with slow, methodical steps as his eyes followed her movements before she was right in front of him.
"Then I will ask a question, I am sure you are familiar with. Will it be worth it, if when you return, the family you have left is gone?" She spoke as Bell flinched before he could do anything about it.
He knew the answer, and he had been asked the question before… but why… why did it hit him harder than before… why…? Why!?
But in the end, he was unable to deny the answer he knew was the truth.
"No…"
"Then stop, please. For your family and the people that care for you. Let them in and grieve. Orario is already at war with the Empire. You could join them and help, the result would be the same, only you would not alienate your family"
Oh, it was tempting, so, so very tempting… and he thought on it so hard, he did not even notice Ryuu and Astraea walking back into the room, looking at him questionably, the former with clear concern…
"I'm sorry…" He spoke, before he walked past her, closing the door right in Asuka's face as she attempted to follow.
"..." She was silent, matching the atmosphere of the room before she began shaking-
"Nghh…Arghhhh!" She let out a guttural scream of frustration "Why is he so dimwitted!? I swear, when I get my hands on him later, I'll…" She finished with a growl before taking a deep breath, followed by a sigh.
Well, he at least seemed conflicted… that was something she supposed
It was a start… so deciding to at least eat something first, she turned around and put on a smile, as she met the gaze of the others.
Bell had already prepared most of the food on the table… so with a quick trip to the kitchen and taking the main dish out of the oven, she placed it on the dining table as everyone dug in.
The mood remained somber and a bit stilted, but in the end, they still managed to laugh and joke.
In the end, Asuka was unable to get Bell out of her mind, hoping to all gods that something would bring him back.
That's chapter 75! Hope you enjoy it, and don't worry, that isn't all there is to Astraea and Ryuu's reunion. There are still some talks to have, and confessions to be made. But that is for later. Next chapter, we move back to the war with two more sieges!
Sadly, I didn't manage to get four chapters out in August as I'd hoped, but thankfully, it does not affect my plans for the story and can be amended with time. Now, one more thing I wanted to state if you missed it above, chapters 76 and 77 are already available on my Patreon named at the top of the chapter.
Now with that out of the way, let's get straight into the reviews.
fallendemon248: Damn, I was so ready for anything but not that ending, Bell telling Ryuu about his family that he never met and incidentally 'Hey guess what? It's because she and the others killed them'. Even if he assured her that it was what Zald and Alfia wanted, it hurts knowing that you're part of the reason someone grew up without their family. I really want you to hurry and finish this arc. I'm so curious to see what you have planned and how everything ties into the message Bell found back in the ruined city where the statues were and they named him as the Argonaut. By mest guess is that Bell ended up in the past at some point and becomes the Argonaut only to eventually disappear because he came back to the future.
Author: Yeah, it definitely affected Ryuu in a way, and it will play a small role later in a bit of character development, but how I cannot say. Now, I am working as fast as I can. Writing isn't easy, and definitely not fast. If you think about it, me and Chalister am writing what is equivalent to an Essay in length every chapter with them ending up between 20-30 A4 pages after 11k words. Anyhow, I will definitely strive to get quality chapters out in good time.
DimensionalReapers: You know, in the future, if Narvi is taken from Freya and prosecuted by an Orarian Court, that would be a good place for Narvi to try to defend her actions and scare the population with her knowledge about Bell's origins as a child of monsters from the Hera and Zeus families being thrown out there for the public to know. That in turn would cause tensions to rise around Bell, who (in a hopefully positive state) would deflate and counter-argue, and instead of making people scared of him, making him a symbol against the Black dragon that basically destroyed his possible future with the family (Zeus and Hera Familias) that could have raised him in peace that his dead parents and aunt could have had with him.
Author: Hmm, it's not a bad idea. Quite good actually... won't say if it'll make it in as most of the future parts of the story are still in their skeleton phase, or pillar phase if you might. We know what we want, but not the details on how to get there. We're just starting to plan out the events of the next arc, following the general idea of it and its purpose. Thanks for the possible idea thought!
Ninjafang1331: Awesome work and I also like the conversation between Ryuu and Bell.
Author: Thanks, I liked it too when I wrote it!
BlakeT1996: Good chapter, keep it up!
Author: Will do!
Stevenpiskunov2: I like how we are seeing Bell very slowly but surely start becoming calmer again. He still needs that final push that Freya mentioned so hopefully he doesn't do anything stupid.
Also, I do wonder if Bell doesn't find it from the Freya or Zeus Familia. Or even the gods themselves. I wonder how that conversation will go lol.
Author: I know I just asked earlier in a PM, but find out what? I'm a bit confused xD
That's it for the reviews, and while there isn't much more to say, I will wish you all happy readings, and to see you next time!