Surprise!

They followed the river until finding a road and a bridge. It looked to be well-kept, which meant civilization couldn't have been far. The problem was they couldn't figure out if life was over the bridge or the other way. The sun had already set over the trees and it was getting colder by the second. His goddess would not survive unless they found help.

They were all exhausted. Bete and Aiz had raced towards him in what had taken half a day by carriage. And they had admitted to have done so after shortly facing against the remnants of the Cainhurst army. Aiz Wallenstein had defeated the High Chamberlain— the Bloody Crow. Bell still had mixed feelings about the man and didn't know what to think about him dying. He hated the man for killing Eileen in the Dream… but respected him for being the most loyal to Queen Annalise.

These were thoughts for another time. Right now he had to worry about his goddess. They had no supplies to set up a decent enough camp. Though the occasional monster such as the dire wolves or the harpies came their way, they were slaughtered. The monsters here were significantly weaker than their Dungeon counterparts. But it could not be excused; the adventurers could not waste any time on them.

They chose to cross the bridge and hope they were going the right way. There were no signs for them to follow. No tracks either. The only inclination there was civilization in the first place was the maintained road… and the collapsed shrines they passed every dozen or so meders.

"I smell something ahead," Bete said in a low voice. "Charcoal. And blood."

Bell had smelled it too. It was subtle at first and something he dismissed as natural wildlife. They were in the forest at the foot of the mountain, after all. But as they proceeded, the smell was more distinct. This wasn't the blood of wildlife. This was the blood of humans. He could practically hear the wailing of the Blood Echoes.

He had no weapon. He barely had any clothes as Ludwig's attack scorched his upper body black. It wouldn't be the first time he'd have to hunt with his bare hands.

"I'll scout ahead," he told them. Aiz gave him a sideways glance from where she hung around him. At first she had been using him to steady her walks. But as their march dragged on her fatigue was getting the better of her. He was practically carrying her at this point.

"You'll sit back is what you'll do," Bete growled at him. "Look at you. You're the worst out of all of us. I'll go and check it out."

Bell's eyes fell on the goddess in the lycan's arms. Hestia's breathing was heavy and her complexion was pale. She looked to be in pain. He wanted to take her from Bete's arms and hold her himself. He wanted to share his warmth with her if it would alleviate even a small portion of her pain.

"I'm going," Bell said with finality. "Watch over my goddess."

Bete was tired. There were signs of his fatigue even when he pulled off a strong front. He couldn't fully stand straight and his shoulders slouched. Not in the lax and disarming way he did for the public, but in the genuine lack of strength. He was also more irritable than the few times Bell spoke with him.

Bell wasn't any of these things. Roasted lightly, maybe, but he could carry all three of them on his back.

Aiz lifted herself off of him and untied her sword from her hip. She extended it to him and gave him a firm look. She said nothing but it was her gaze that told him everything. She was telling him to be careful… and that she wanted the sword back.

Bete spat a wad of muck into the dirt, growled something incoherent, but did nothing else.

"I'll be back quickly," Bell promised to his goddess more than to them. With Aiz's sheathed sword in his hand, he Quickened up the road.

He took in his surroundings with every step, materializing whole before becoming mist and ash with the next leep. More of those shrines lined the road, smashed by something large. He came across a ruined wagon; one of the wheels shattered and blood staining the driver's seat. The reins of the beast that drove it had been ripped apart. A trail of blood was led towards the forest.

It wasn't the source. He kept moving.

More blood stains appeared on the road. Some have stained the nearby trees. Now he could make out the signs of a struggle. Makeshift weapons such as pitchforks and shovels were scattered here and there. Deep gashes of claw marks tore apart the road and tree trunks. There were also the charred spots of some sort of quick incendiary.

Explosive rounds? No, something lighter. It was almost like a brand. Like a piece of hot iron being stabbed into these spots. He couldn't think what could have done this. He moved on.

He found a villa when the road widened. There was no gate or fence to ward off the monsters of the forest. The perimeter of the establishment had several of the same shrines on the road. And like those before, these had been destroyed. Whatever these shrines were, they were the things keeping the monsters at bay and something had them removed. The villa didn't have any other defense.

He could see it all play out in his mind as his eyes swept the area. Monsters had come from the trees, taking the inhabitants by surprise. There was hardly any time for the men to gather arms and defend themselves. Blood was everywhere. Baskets of harvest and laundry were discarded. Windows and doors to the houses were broken into. He saw no weapons; only woodworking and farming tools.

Some monsters were slain based on the lingering piles of ash here and there. But there was more blood than ash. The locals could not put up a good enough fight and tried to scatter and flee. Some got on wagons while others went on foot. Some dashed into the forest. The monsters went after them. He doubted any of them survived.

But what bothered him the most were the lack of remains. There weren't any corpses. No shattered bones or chunks of shredded meat. He doubted the monsters ate them whole. No, the bodies had been taken elsewhere.

He found trails of dried and faded blood. There had been a drizzle at some point— not enough to wash the bigger patches completely but enough to sweep aside the thinner and smaller parts. Regardless, they all led towards one of the buildings. It was a large shed made entirely out of wood.

His feet stopped at something resting outside the shed's doors. It had been placed here intentionally, as there were several others of its kind encircling the shed. The piece in front of him was a scale as large as his head, black and polished brightly, and had an unnatural presence about it. He could feel it vibrating at his feet. Something in the back of his mind was telling him to not touch it. That it was dangerous.

He only felt this sense of danger from the Old Ones. The Amygdala, Ebrietas, and… Flora.

He stepped around the scale, cautious to stay a few celches away than was necessary. He didn't know why he did it. The scale wasn't going to hurt him. It was a scale. Still, he could not ignore this instinct. He entered the shed with his attention still locked on the thing as if it were going to jump at him the moment he looked away.

Naturally, it didn't.

The stench of blood hit him as soon as he passed through the doorway. He didn't so much as blink as it enveloped him, wrapping itself around him like a familiar blanket. The door had creaked when he opened it, alerting anyone within his presence. He stepped further in, leaving the door open to let in what little light remained from the dusk.

He was met with the sound of slobbering and chewing. The shed was full of what remained of the villa inhabitants, their bodies piled on top of each other to make as much room as possible. He heard meat tear off of bone followed by the guttural gnawing of a starved man.

The man before him had half-turned to regard Bell, still crouched over the torn open corpse of a grown man. He continued to chew on the entrails like sausage links. He had no shirt, only tattered and weathered pants. Bandages wrapped around his hands, running up to his elbows. The upper half of his head was covered by bandage wraps, only leaving anything below his nose exposed. He looked thin… but not weak with the way his muscles bulged.

"...You want some?" the man asked, gesturing to the heeps of bodies surrounding him.

He knew this man. He met him once before under the same circumstances. He remained standing in place, neither giving the man any hostility nor friendliness.

"No? Suit yourself," the man shrugged and took another bite, splashing blood like juices of savory meat. He also talked with his mouth full. "Thought yous was like me. Lost in this strange land, nobody to help yas."

"You don't... remember me?" Bell asked slowly.

"Smell familiar," the man replied casually. Not enough to lower his guard and be friendly. He was still wary. "Smell like a chimney sweeper, is what you do. But I recognize that good ol' stench beneath the burnt bits. Blood soaks your skin. You're a Hunter, ain'tcha?"

Did Ludwig make him unrecognizable? He hadn't had a chance to look at himself yet, so he couldn't say. But perhaps burning the surface of his skin had hidden his scent to an extent. The man didn't know who he was.

"My goddess is injured," he returned, not stepping any closer and watching the man closely. "There are two others with me who are tired. We need help and this is the only place we know where there is shelter."

"Goddess, eh?" the man chewed with a strand of human meat dangling over his lips. "Strange folk, they is. Being near one makes me shiver in me pants. Say no more, I get ya. Whole place is vacant. Beasts done 'em in. None of them's gonna be botherin' you lot."

"The two I'm with won't agree with this," he said, making it a point to look around the shed. "I'll make sure they don't bother you."

"Much obliged, chap," the man nodded deeply before turning his back on him. He grabbed a leg and retched it off of the joint.

Bell left the man alone. He did not stop him from feasting on the victims. He did not ask if the man had anything to do with their deaths. There had been a time when he would have slain this man like the beast he was. He found he couldn't draw Aiz's sword and stab him in the back.

His only concern was his goddess. She needed a bed and treatment. He didn't care about anything else.

0-0-0

"Lord Ares, the men are tired and need rest," Prince Marius rode his horse up to his god's. "We've been marching since before dawn. It is now noon. Not all the men have horses."

"We press on," Ares said in a heavily irritated tone. It was hardly the first time Marius insisted this. "The men can have all the rest they want when we return to Rakia."

"Or when they drop dead," Marius bit back.

"Watch your tone, Marius," Ares hissed with fire in his eyes. "I have excused your insubordination thus far for bringing us Crozzo. But do not forget your place. Tell the men they are to keep up or be left behind."

Marius' grip on his reins tightened. He and the god's select few had snuck away under the cover of night while leaving their main army behind at the doorstep of Orario. And Ares insisted they reach Rakia before the next nightfall— a journey that would have taken two days by carriage. The men were tired, the horses were tired, he was tired. Only his status as a Level Four kept him sitting upright. He could only imagine how his men felt.

Behind him, surrounded by other cavalry, was Welf Crozzo. He slouched in the saddle of another horse with his wrists tied together. He hadn't lost the energy to keep glaring at the crown prince. Nor had he lost the spirit to try and escape. He was stronger than when he was in Rakia and only Marius could overpower him. And he believed the only reason was because he was armed while Welf wasn't.

"Why such the insistence, my lord?" Marius leaned towards his god and spoke in a low voice. "We are away from Orario with what we came for. The adventurers would be too busy dealing with Cainhurst to seek us out. What are we running from?"

"We must return to Rakia as swiftly as possible," Ares growled. He stared ahead as his eyes narrowed. "We must refill our armory with magic swords. One for every man, woman, and child in the kingdom. We must."

Marius stared at his god, brows furrowing in both perplexion and a tinge of fear. His god hadn't been the same ever since coming to these lands. This wasn't the god who spoke of honor and conquest. He wasn't talking about the glory of battle. He was talking about… survival.

"You think Cainhurst will win and come after us?" Marius scoffed. As… formidable as the monsters were, he doubted they could best Orario's adventurers.

"No, Marius, what I fear is something my domain has no power over. My arkanum will be of no use should I forgo Ouranus' game. Cainhurst will fall. Orario will fall. But Rakia will survive. We must. We must. We must."

Marius was quiet. One thing came to mind at his god's irrational behavior. It was something that had changed Ares' point of view of the war forever. It was something that forced him to meet with Queen Annalise in person, to kill the Vileblood with his own blade… and order Marius to kill his own men to keep what he knew a secret.

"Ares…" Marius spoke in a harsh whisper. "What is this Paleblood?"

He would never learn if Ares would answer him or not. A shadow swept over them. Marius looked up and saw a humanoid figure flying over them. It was donned in armor as red as blood and had flames of every color jetting out of its back. It was too high for any spell or arrow to reach.

It had also dropped something before hovering to watch.

Another figure landed at the head of the escort, crouching onto one knee. It was dressed in all black with a shredded cape liken to the wings of a crow. Its face was hidden behind a witchdoctor's mask.

"Ares of Rakia," the figure's voice was feminine, though muffled behind her mask. She lifted her head but did not rise to her feet just yet. "Warmonger. You have lost your way to bloodlust. I rid this world of you."

She drew a shortsword from behind her back. It snapped in two, splitting apart and becoming twin daggers. She rushed forward as swiftly as the wind.

"Protect Lord Ares!" Marius shouted as he drew his sword and kicked his heels at his horse. The mare charged without hesitation, having been trained all its life for combat. The assassin was faster, being able to cut down every man in her wake with the minimalist effort.

Marius met her, bringing his sword around to deflect her first, second, and third strike. She tried to get around him but he wouldn't let her. She tried to disarm him with the hook in her blade, but he saw through it and kept his distance. His horse whined as he gave it commands to keep moving in place.

She cut into the neck of his horse at their next exchange, making it buck in a dying panic before falling over. Marius could not get off quick enough as the beast fell on its side, pinning his leg under it. His high Level protected him from what should have shattered the limb. He needed only a moment to shove the creature off and return to the fight.

The assassin did not go after his moment of weakness. She disregarded him as she moved forward… disappearing in a puff of smoke and ash.

She reappeared in the air, both weapons crossed around the neck of Ares. The men encircling him were stunned at how she got through them. Ares' eyes widened in damnation as he knew what was going to happen. His mouth opened in a snarl to lay his last curse on the assassin.

It didn't happen as she sliced off his head and descended past him. She stood still, tall and imposing as Ares' head rolled onto the dirt. Her weapons fell to her side as she took no stance to defend herself.

Marius had seen gods die before. They do not truly die as they return to the heavens once their mortal vessels perish. They disintegrate, becoming divine radiance, and ascend up into the skies in a pillar of light.

It did not happen this time as Ares' body lay slouched on top of his horse.

Marius' hand slapped onto his breastplate as he felt an unbearable pain surge through his chest. His blood felt like it was on fire. He screamed. He was not the only one as the soldiers of Rakia wailed in agony. Some fell in swift unconsciousness, while others gripped their heads or chest.

He felt his strength leaving him as though his lifeblood poured out of an invisible wound. He was shivering. He hadn't the strength to scream as his head fell back onto the dirt. He was still trapped under his horse and hadn't the means to free himself. He couldn't avenge his god.

The screaming around him died out as men dropped like flies. He turned his head. Welf Crozzo was the only one immune to this ailment, eyes wide and frenzied in horror. The other, the assassin, was regarding Marius behind her mask. And for a moment… he could have sworn he felt guilt come from her. She was silently apologizing to him.

When gods die, when they return to the heavens, their divine grace leaves with them. The children they bless have their status locked, being returned to common mortals until being reinvigorated by another deity.

But this? This was something else.

Ares was dead. Truly dead. And he was taking all his men with him to the depths of the Underworld.

Marius felt his heart slow to a crawl. It stopped shortly after.

0-0-0

"What… the… fuck…" Welf didn't recognize his own voice as he sat still. He remembered when Phobos had died for him. He lived that moment every day as it was the cornerstone that made him into a Hunter. What he saw happen to Ares was nothing compared to that.

Ares was dead. The mortals he had blessed were dead with him. And if these men were dead, he knew the main army was dying at Orario's front yard.

...As well as those left in Rakia whom Ares didn't bring.

His head spun towards the Crow, who hadn't moved a celch since beheading the god of war. How many did she kill in one strike? Hundreds? Thousands? Tens of thousands? With one strike she ruined the entirety of the Rakian Kingdom.

Her head was bowed. The grip on the Blades of Mercy was tight, making them rattle with how hard that grip was shaking. She knew what she had done.

So… this was why the Blade of Mercy was deemed an illegal weapon. It didn't just kill the gods, it killed everyone in their familia too. He didn't know that part, no doubt thanks to the Guild.

He couldn't help but let loose a weak, strangled, terrified chuckle. He felt cold and miserable. A part of him thought this was his fault. The Crow had no reason to kill Ares. Warmongering? Bullshit. She could have gone for him whenever she wanted. But for her to come out of hiding as soon as he got himself captured?

He blamed himself further because she was here. Here instead of saving Bell from his execution. It was noon… which meant Bell would already be dead.

"Rolan-san says the windows are closed," another voice snapped him out of his delirium. Welf raised his head and saw a heavily armored man approach them. He was donned in crimson armor from head to toe with emeralds the size of a fist studded here and there. "Prom-chan deactivated that mirror spell of hers. The rest of Orario saw what happened. Bell should be cleared now."

"What are you talking about?" Welf asked, his voice cracked from a dry throat. "Who are you?"

The man crossed his arms and tilted his head in thought. "I… probably shouldn't say. I'm already getting more involved than I'm supposed to. I'm just the guy who was told to drop her off here."

He pointed a finger at the Crow.

"I still have questions of my own," the Crow turned to regard him. "But I will direct this at Hermes as it was his idea. I have one request to make to you."

The armored man tilted his head to the other side.

"Escort Mr Crozzo in my stead," she said. "I doubt he would welcome my company anyway. I have my own business to attend to."

"Hmm… I don't know…" the man lowered his head this time. He scratched the top of his helm as though it were his scalp. "I was just supposed to drop you off. We've already gotten in a lot of trouble for sticking our necks out when we shouldn't have. Doing anything more might make things worse. I'm actually not supposed to be here talking to you."

"...Very well," the Crow said after a brief moment. "I will free Mr Crozzo and give him what he needs to return to Orario."

"Hold on a minute!" Welf blurted out. "Just what is going on?! What was that part about Bell?"

Both figures turned their heads to look at him. He couldn't see their faces and made it impossible to judge what they were thinking.

"Bell…" the Crow began but paused. He also noticed how her tone became a tad softer. "I am not here to only return you to Orario, Mr Crozzo. I am here to prove the innocence of Mr Cranel. Another god lays dead by the Blade of Mercy while the Guild has a copy of their own in their vaults. Another adventuring party has been sent to retrieve him from Cainhurst hold. They will confirm his position and prove he was not here."

"Bell… escaped?" Welf could hardly believe it.

"Through the aid of Cainhurst infiltrators," the Crow explained curtly.

His eyes next fell to the Blades of Mercy still in her hands. She hadn't put them away when his gaze lingered on them. They being here meant…

"Did my goddess have anything to do with this?" he asked in a pained voice.

"...I am told Hermes forced her to release them in his care. He in turn gave them to me on the promise I would return them. Yet… he purposely left out when."

Forced? He couldn't imagine his goddess being forced to do anything. She was a stubborn bitch like that. He also knew even if Hermes had dirt on her that would ruin her familia she would still refuse. She knew what that Blade meant. And she knew giving them up would result in the death of a god.

So then… Why did she do it?

"I take it then you're going to find Bell?" he asked next.

"What I do is my business alone," the Crow returned sharply.

"I guess it would be," Welf sighed. "I'm not saying that because you got me out of this mess. I'm saying it because I trust you, waitress."

The Crow went still.

That mask muffled her voice but he recognized the tone after the conversation dragged on. There was also the way she carried herself and her choice of words. He had gotten into an argument with her public persona before and it left an impression on him. Her enemies probably never got the luxury of this prolonged interaction.

She gave a weary sigh. With a flick of her wrist (and in the exact same manner Bell would have), she linked the Blades together to form one and tuck them behind her cape. She then removed her mask, revealing green eyes and short blonde hair. Her face was reddened and glossy from being covered for so long.

"I won't tell anyone," he told her. "You have your reasons and, honestly, I don't want to get involved. Besides… Bell seems to trust you for whatever reason."

"...Thank you," she said just to be polite. She didn't mean it as she kept watching him. "I will untie you. I suggest you take what you need from the fallen and make your way back to Orario."

He grimaced at the thought. But he understood. He was out in the wilderness with nothing but his blacksmithing clothes. He needed a weapon and some rations. He'll also need to give the horse a break as it had been carrying him this entire time. Hell, he needed a nap after trying to escape a couple of times and getting knocked around.

"I don't suppose you can give me a lift?" he asked the man in the red armor.

"Sorry, what?" the man's head snapped up. He rubbed the spot where his ear should have been. "Ro— My partner was just yelling at me. Actually… I should go before he gets more mad. Take care you two."

He bent his knees. Radiant wings blazed out of his back. He leapt into the air and was gone in a flash. He didn't so much as disturb the dirt around him on that takeoff.

"...I take it that's a no," Welf groaned. He extended his bindings at the Crow. "Do me a favor and tell Bell to come back soon. There's some business in Orario we need to take care of."

"I'll be sure to tell him," she said as she pulled out a plain knife from somewhere within her robes.

0-0-0

"What do you mean 'don't go in the shed'?" Bete asked as he patted his hands clean. He had just gotten a fire going in one of the cottages. The building was smaller than the Twilight Manor's common room. There was a square table fit for a family of four, a couple wooden chairs, wolf pelts as carpeting, and a hearth for cooking and warming the entire house. There were stairs that led to two bedrooms above.

It was the cleanest place out of the bunch. The residents hadn't been inside when it had been sacked by monsters. There wasn't any blood and all their corners were covered. No broken glass from the windows and the door could be shut and bolted.

"Well…" Bell tied the strips of cloth tight around his arm. He used them as makeshift bandages to cover his burnt hands and arms. He'll figure out the rest another time. "That's where we put the bodies of the townsfolk in."

"...We?" Bete narrowed his eyes at him.

"There's another person here," Bell said as he looked over the set of knives hanging on a rack. "He's just here for shelter, like us. He promised to leave us alone if we do the same for him."

Bete stood straight and went for the wall on the other side. He leaned against it while crossing his arms, never once looking away from Bell. "And you don't think that's suspicious at all? Some guy happens to be here when the rest of the town is dead?"

"We're here, aren't we?" Bell shot him a wide-eyed glance. The kind from a person who couldn't suspect another person of doing anything wrong. Bete growled under his breath and pinched his nose. "I'm sure he has his reasons. Besides, I don't plan on staying here for very long. It's not safe for my goddess. I'm sure he'll move on too."

The two didn't say another word as Bell gathered what ingredients he could find and started to make a stew. The only sound being made was the chopping of vegetables. The only time he spoke was to ask Bete to place the cauldron over the hearth fire. After that, it was silence once more.

The sound of creaking wood disturbed the monotone atmosphere. Bell was idly stirring the cauldron when his eyes loomed over to the stairs. Aiz walked down with a bundle of his goddess' clothes in her arms.

"Aiz," Bell turned to her. His heart pounded with worry, "How is my goddess?"

"She is resting," Aiz replied in her usually quiet tone. Her brows were crinkled slightly, however. "She suffered a head injury during the fall. I've dried her off and put her to bed."

"D-Do you think we should have brought her here?" Bell asked, glancing at the fire before returning to her. "What if she gets sick from this? What if the bed isn't warm enough? Should I put a heated cast iron under her sheets? What if—"

"Bell," Aiz's voice was sharp. "It's okay."

"...Right," Bell said even when he didn't believe it. But it was Aiz who said it, so it must be true. Everything had to be okay. It had to be. "Right. Yes. Right. Um… we should find something to hang those over the fire."

He went back to stirring the pot. He knew Aiz and Bete were exchanging glances and a silent conversation. He ignored them as his mind fretted over the health of his goddess. The darkest thoughts plagued his mind, refusing to go away no matter how badly he wanted to believe in Aiz Wallenstein.

"Bell," Aiz spoke up. She had moved beside him, making him jump. When had she moved this close? He should have sensed her. Her eyes were full of concern, "We should… treat your wounds."

"I'm fine," he gave her his best smile. It felt heavy on his face.

She looked him over, seeing things about him he hadn't a chance to look at yet. He didn't know how badly his face was burnt. He didn't even know if he had hair. He at least had the decency to wash his hands and cover them for cooking.

This time, he heard Bete approaching. His footsteps were heavy as a sign of his exhaustion compared to his nearly silent steps despite those heavy greaves. Bell's eyes snapped towards him and watched him closely. Instinct rushed through him as his hand went for a weapon that wasn't there. Bete noticed and didn't react other than a raised brow.

"Take a seat," he said as he took the ladle from Bell's hand. "I can at least stir while Aiz treats you. You can act tough all ya want. But even the best of us can fall from infection. And I don't want any of your scabs fallin' in the dish."

Bell only listened when Aiz led him by the arm. She placed her hands on his shoulders and gently (firmly if he wasn't a Hunter) into one of the kitchen table seats.

"Wait here," she said, giving him a stern look and a raised finger. He watched her rummage through the family's belongings, opening cupboards and drawers. She even looked under the table and behind the curtains. Her eyes widened with insight and she went back up the stairs. He heard the sound of rummaging over his head.

Eventually, Aiz came back with a glass jar full of some sort of salve and another set of sheets. The sheets she placed on the table to tear up later while she held the jar. It wasn't any bigger than her palm and the green gunk inside couldn't possibly be enough to cover all of his wounds. Aiz realized this, tilted her head one way, tilted it the other, and gave a heavy frown. She couldn't figure out where to start.

"There's rags over there," he pointed at one of the drawers. "Soak them in water and put the salve on it. Ah, be sure to rub it all over so the salve doesn't stick to one spot."

"But that'll dilute it," she muttered.

"It'll have to do," he breathed out.

She listened and followed his instructions. She practically turned the rag into a washcloth as she ran it across his back. He felt slimy at having the green liquid sit on his skin. He also felt uncomfortable as the prickling medicine made him itch. But Miach once told him that's how he knew it was working. He couldn't stop his knee from bouncing up and down from irritation, however. He tried to scratch but Aiz slapped his hand aside.

At another time, he would have been swooning over having her take care of him like this. Someone he deeply admired was nursing him. No, he wouldn't be able to tolerate this much. He'd have made a fool of himself and be reduced to a blubbering, blushing mesh.

His mind and heart told him Aiz Wallenstein was touching him. But, for some reason, he couldn't bother himself to care enough. He only sat there, still, listening to her when she told him to lift his arms, turn his head, or close his eyes.

After that, she tore the sheets into strips and wrapped them around his torso. The watered-down salve had dried just in time for her to do so. Bell was mummified by the time she was done, even going as far as to cover most of his face.

He told her to cover his eyes as well. She looked at him strangely. She left his sight be.

"Think it's ready," Bete said. There was a soft smell of cooked meat in the air. Bell went over to the cauldron and judged for himself.

A moment later were they seated at the table, hunched over bowls of soup. Had Bell not found the pig fat and the meal would have been nothing but hot water with vegetables and meat. It filled their stomachs and warmed them. None of them said a word the entire time.

"...You should eat," Aiz said once she had finished her third portion. She finally took note Bell had been lazily stirring his share. Bete had noticed but didn't comment.

Bell looked at the two adventurers. They were both watching him closely. Bete out of wariness and Aiz out of concern. He pushed his bowl aside and sat up straight. He gave them one more look.

"Why are you here?" he asked them.

Aiz tilted her head to the side, unsure of the intent of the question and how to answer it.

"We were ordered by the Guild to retrieve you," Bete answered in a firm voice.

It was a simple answer. And yet it meant so much to him. He was, after all, a criminal to the people. A very powerful one according to the hieroglyphs on his back. The only ones who could force him to come back were the top familias. Either Freya Familia or Loki Familia.

He understood they could not ignore a Guild decree. But a part of him had hoped they had. He understood them. But he felt betrayed.

Why… Why did Aiz have to be the one to come for him?

"I see…" he said in a small voice. He couldn't look at them.

There was more silence between them. He felt Bete's irritation. He felt Aiz's gaze. He had to shut his eyes and close himself off from the world. He didn't want to be here, in the moment.

"We came to save you."

Aiz's words forced his eyes to open. His gaze focused on her, searching for the intent of those words. They were sincere and innocent. They had meant to comfort him.

"Save me?" he whispered.

She nodded, her expression as stoic as a doll's but something flashed in her eyes. Hope. Reassurance. She was trying to reach him.

"...I didn't need saving," he couldn't bear to look at her any longer. His hand curled into a fist as he stared down at the table. "I left with Queen Annalise willingly."

She shifted in her seat. He could feel her confusion like body heat. She spoke quietly, if not harshly, "Why?"

"Why did you attack us?!" he snapped, fury rising out from his chest. The outburst made her flinch and eyes widen in shock. Bete places his hands on the table's edge, ready to defend her if things turned hostile. "My goddess and I were going to seek refuge in Cainhurst! Queen Annalise was only trying to help us! Why… Why did you have to fight? Why did you bring Ludwig with you?"

"The Guild ordered us to bring you back by any means necessary," Bete spoke in his own heated voice. "Cainhurst attacked us first. And those Hunters followed us."

"...She'd still be alive if you didn't come," Bell gritted his teeth as his frustrations rose. He was shaking where he sat. "And my goddess wouldn't be in harm's way. Can't you see we were trying to get away from that?"

"Finn said he would protect you," Aiz blurted out, a hint of desperation slipping out of her normally quiet and impassive tone. "Our familia would have protected you from the Guild."

He thought about it for a moment, a second or two at most. Loki Familia would have made themselves enemies of all of Orario if they had openly sided with the man accused of being the Crow. The fact they would have gone to such lengths should have spoken to him.

However… he didn't know Finn. He knew the prum was a Hunter one way or another but he didn't know the man's allegiance. He didn't know if he was an adventurer captured in the Dream like Bell or if he was a Hunter who had found his way into Orario like Lady Maria. He didn't know if Finn was a member of Gehrman's Hunters, the Old Hunters, the Healing Church, or even a Vileblood. The fact he had Simon's Bow Blade told him nothing. He could have gotten it from the Healing Church's top assassin or found Simon's corpse outside of the Nightmare.

"If he wanted to help us, he should have let us go," Bell said as his strength left him. "He should have told you to go elsewhere. Lose our tracks. Call the mission a failure. I don't believe you, Aiz."

Slowly, he got out of his seat and moved away from the table. Bete watched him as though he were a wild animal ready to lunge at them. He had every right to. Aiz, however, remained where she was. She was no longer looking at him. He felt chaos inside her as his words rattled her to her core.

"I'm going to check on my goddess," he told them.

"And the knife?" Bete asked aloud.

Bell didn't hide his actions. He had reached for one of the knives hanging on the rack on his way to the stairs. He answered plainly as he climbed the steps, "Just in case."

The two adventurers didn't say anything or stop him.

He found his goddess in the master bedroom. She was sleeping on one side of a bed fit for two grown adults. It was three times the size of the one they had in the church basement and she looked so small on it. So vulnerable. Her clammy skin and the bandages wrapped around her head enforced this.

Bell sat at her side. The thick blankets had been pulled up to her chest; he couldn't reach for the hand he desperately wanted to hold. Instead, he brushed some of the hair out of her face. Doing so made him realize her hair had been undone. The twin ribbons with bell ornaments, gifts he had given her out of his first paycheck as an adventurer, lay on a nightstand at the bedside.

He didn't just blame Aiz and Bete for her state. He didn't just blame Ludwig and the other Hunters who wanted him. He blamed himself. He blamed himself the most.

He had failed to protect her. He wasn't there for her when she needed him the most. Instead, he had given in to the temptation of bloodlust and went after the Hunter who attacked them. That Hunter, Alfred, had been nothing but a distraction for Ludwig to kill the queen.

Never again. He would not give in to his bloodlust ever again. He will protect his goddess no matter what.

Bell closed himself off from the world around him. He undid a piece of cloth around his arm and tied it over his eyes. He didn't want to see his goddess in this state. He didn't want to see the ugly world for what it was.

Blissful darkness shielded him. The soothing sound of his goddess' breathing eased his heart. She was sleeping, resting, healing. She was at peace.

He remained at her side until the birds sang at dawn.

0-0-0

He was no fool. He knew exactly who the Good Hunter was.

That particular stench was unforgettable. And it had gotten more potent since the last time they met. The boy had become a man… who had then become a beast. He knew the beast with the deceptively innocent gaut would gut him before he could fully transform. His instincts told him he was standing before a predator who ate other predators.

He hadn't felt this much bloodlust oozing out anyone before. Man, beast, Hunter, and all others in between. This was a monster on a whole 'nother level.

He was suspicious when the Good Hunter let him go. The man watched his back always, spied on the compatriots of the Good Hunter, and gathered there had been some truth in the deal. Still, he would not try his luck and be gutted by this monster.

He fled as soon as he could. He had filled his belly enough to last a few days on the road. He could feed on the unfortunate traveler or a few monster stones if he had to. Right now, he had to get as far away from the Good Hunter as possible.

He was making a mad dash through the trees when something heavy landed on his back. The air was forced out of his lungs as two points stabbed deep into him and out through his chest. He fell to the ground, panicking as something he couldn't detect had ambushed him. The Good Hunter? Impossible. He would have picked up its rotting stench miles away and the thing on his back gave nothing away.

The sharp pain increased as the thing twisted the blades in his back. He couldn't even transform as both lungs were pierced and his heart lacerated.

"Honestly… that boy," came the muffled voice of his killer. "Letting something like you live. What has become of him?"

The blades were retched out, leaving his wounds open and blood pouring out quickly. He felt cold consume him like a madness. He tried to draw on any strength to save him. He couldn't even curl his fingers as he heard the figure walk away from him.

0-0-0

He recognized the steps as Bete's. He didn't acknowledge the lycan's approach as he placed another piece of wood on the chopping block and brought the axe down. The wood split without any objection and he tossed them into the slowly rising pile before grabbing another piece.

"I've looked in the shed," Bete said behind him. He was standing three meders away and he had recovered enough after only a few hours of sleep. He knew Bete and Aiz had taken shifts to keep watch. Aiz was still sleeping in the house.

"I don't know why," Bell responded as he worked. Another chop and the wood split. "There's nothing we can do about them. It'll take forever to bury everyone and making a pyre will more than likely set the forest on fire. Maybe the Guild can come with more people to put them to rest."

Bete studied him briefly. "Y'know, they were all torn up when I looked at them."

"They were attacked by monsters," Bell pointed out as he placed another block of wood.

"Yeah. They were torn apart after the monsters. They were also organized into separate piles based on how much meat they had left."

The wood didn't fully split this time. He had to pull them in half by his own hands. They split like paper by his strength.

"The guy you mentioned is also missing," Bete added.

Bell placed another block down but didn't bother chopping it. He stood straight while keeping a firm grip on the axe. He couldn't smell the Beggar anywhere. If Bete said he wasn't in the shed then he wouldn't be in the villa at all. If that was the case, there was no point in trying to hide the man's secret any longer. Besides, Bete was already accusing him enough.

"That man would have killed you, Aiz, and my goddess if he was threatened in any way," he explained calmly. "My goddess needed treatment right away. Fighting him would have prolonged that. Fighting him after could get her caught in it while she recovered. I decided it was best to leave him be."

"Then you knew," Bete growled, baring his teeth behind his back. "You knew that guy was tearing open those people in the shed. You knew he killed all these people!"

"I don't know what happened here," Bell turned his head so his voice could be carried over his shoulder. He still had the bandages over his eyes and couldn't see Bete's expression. "Maybe he did. Maybe it was monsters. All I know is I didn't want to expose my goddess to any danger."

"So you let a madman go."

"Yes. You should report it to the Guild. He's as strong as a Level Five adventurer. Maybe a Level Six by now."

"You know who he is," Bete stated. It wasn't a question. "Then you can tell the Guild everything you know."

"But I'm telling you."

"Yeah, well, I'm not the guy who knows him!" Bete threw up his hands. "The Guild is going to want to know everything about him when they hear about this. Or you can tell the captain and he'll report it to the Guild."

He wanted to tell Bete what he thought about the Guild and Loki Familia's captain. But… his attention went towards the cabin they occupied. His goddess was still inside, still sleeping off her injury. He couldn't afford to fight Bete on this.

Bell tilted his head as something else got his attention. Bete's ears twitched as he craned his neck to look over his shoulder. Aiz was approaching them.

"Bete," her voice was sharp and she had no shame. "I'm hungry."

"Hah?" Bete gawked at her.

Bell knew her gaze had shifted towards him and lingered. She thought he couldn't see with the bandages. She questioned it momentarily before returning to her previous tone. Her eyes never left Bell as she said, "Bete, I'm hungry."

"There's plenty of food you can eat!" Bete argued. "Bread and cheese! Ya don't need me to cook for you, woman!"

"I'll make something," Bell said, his voice weary. He stepped up to them and handed Bete the axe. "I need enough for the whole day. I don't know how long I'll be here until my goddess can move."

He stepped around them and headed back towards the cabin. Aiz didn't follow him as she remained with Bete. They spoke quietly to each other behind his back. A combination of his adventurer's stats as well as his skills as a Hunter allowed him to hear the gist of it.

"You shouldn't coddle him," said Bete. "Remember he's a prisoner too."

"Riveria said he's not the Crow."

"Yeah but he ain't innocent either. Ever question why he had that weapon in the first place? Or why he's as skilled as the best of us?"

"You heard Finn's story."

"I heard about the Dream. I don't know shit about what he's been up to after."

"...I believe in him."

"Aiz. You know just as well as I do he's been looking for a way to kill us since last night. I can feel his killing intent like a furnace. The only reason why he hasn't is because of his goddess. Speaking of… I found something while looking around the place."

The rest of the conversation was beyond him as he stepped inside the cabin and got to work on breakfast. He didn't need to hear anything to know what they were talking about.

0-0-0

Night had fallen again. His goddess still slept. He had changed her bandages and examined the wound. He considered pouring some of his own blood onto it to heal her like he had with Eina. But… he wasn't sure how well his blood and hers would mix. He chose to let her heal naturally.

He also changed his own bandages. His burns had shrunk to the size of coin-sized blemishes. He looked silly and hid them with a spare tunic he found in the master bedroom. It was a size too big but was suitable if he rolled the sleeves. He also kept the bandages over his eyes.

Breakfast, lunch, and dinner was a silent affair. Both adventurers watched him closely; Bete out of caution and Aiz… he could hardly understand the look Aiz gave him. Searching? Doubt? Concern? She had a lot of different emotions throughout the day. Either way, they hadn't said a word to him and spoke to themselves whenever he wasn't in the same room.

Most of his time was spent at his goddess' side, such as right now.

The blankets shifted. His goddess groaned in her sleep before her eyes fluttered open.

"Bell…?" her groggy voice called out to him. She barely made out his figure through cloudy eyes.

"Goddess," he gasped, his voice light but filled with so much relief.

"What… What hit me?" she groaned again and sat up. He scooted closer to her side and helped her up with a hand on each shoulder. The blankets had fallen, revealing her bare chest. He didn't care about her state of dress, too happy to see she was alive and well. She winced and put a hand to the side of her head.

"It's alright," he told her. "A lot happened, goddess. But it's alright now. You're safe."

"N-Never mind me!" she raised her voice with worry. "Bell! What happened to you! Are you hurt? Can you see?!"

She reached up with her other hand to check the bandages over his eyes. He found himself leaning into her open palm. Raw emotion shook him, making him take in a shuddering breath of air. He began to openly cry as she held that hand against his cheek. Hestia reached out for him and took him into her embrace. He held her tightly, never wanting to let go.

"Oh Bell…" she whispered. "It's alright. I'm okay. A little banged up but just peachy. It's you I'm worried about. You can see, can't you? Why did you cover your eyes like that?"

"Because… I can't anymore…" he confessed. "I just… can't anymore, Hestia."

She said nothing. He felt her understanding and sorrow. She held him a little tighter, running the back of his head with her hand. She knew exactly what he meant— she would more than anyone else. They remained like this until she complained about how heavy he was, making him laugh and pull himself away.

They continued to hold another's hand.

"How are you feeling?" Bell asked.

"A little dizzy," Hestia admitted as she rubbed at the side of her head. She touched a tender spot and made her curse and flinch. "And starving. I feel like I could eat a thousand potato puffs. And I'm sick of them!"

He laughed again, "We just had dinner. There should be some left. I'll bring you some."

"We?" Hestia's eyes narrowed slightly. "No, wait. Tell me about it later. I'll listen to whatever you have to say while I eat."

He nodded and rose up. His hand lingered in hers, drawing her arm up as he stood. He didn't want to let go but forced himself to. She would still be here when he came back. His attention remained on her until the door closed behind him.

"Is Lady Hestia awake?" Aiz spoke up once he stepped downstairs.

"She is and she's hungry," Bell replied before fetching a plate and filling it with the remains of their dinner. He wasn't sure how much to give her. He knew her eating habits well but wasn't sure if it was wise to give her the usual amount. Was more or less better?

"Good," Bete said sharply. "Then we can figure out where to go from here."

More. Definitely more was better. Especially with what Bete said. He grabbed a second plate and began to fill it up.

"What do you mean?" Bell asked, trying to keep his voice even.

"Whether she's able to make the journey back to Orario or not," Bete gave him an annoyed tone. His eyes then went to the food in Bell's arms. "Isn't that a bit much for her?"

"I'm eating again," he explained. "We always eat together. I'll see how she's feeling and let you know after."

Bete shrugged it off. Aiz kept her eyes on him and said nothing. They let him go as he climbed back up the stairs and back into the bedroom. Hestia was still sitting on the bed, flustered as she clutched the blankets over her chest. She relaxed when she saw it was only him… but then grew concerned by the way he carried himself. She knew something was wrong.

"Hestia, I need you to listen carefully," Bell said as he moved to her side. He spoke so quietly she had to strain herself to hear. "Eat as much as you can. The rest we'll have to take with us. Loki Familia is here to take us back to Orario."

Her eyes widened as she tensed. She knew exactly where he was going with this. Her face hardened as she gave a subtle nod. She took slices of meat and bread, making them into a sandwich, and ate quietly. She was hungry but did not rush.

He moved quietly in the meantime. He opened drawers with enough care to not make a noise. He found women's clothes— all of which were sizes too big for her but they would have to do. He couldn't afford to search the opposite children's room without arousing suspicion from downstairs. The woman's boots were also too big… but they were better than nothing.

The rest of the food Hestia left behind was tossed into a pillowcase while she dressed. It was the only thing he could find to carry it all. When she was ready, he told her to get on his back and wrap the fur blanket around them. She did, wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist.

The only weapon he had was the kitchen knife he refused to leave. He wished he had time to fetch the hatchet but couldn't afford to make noise and alert them. He had to forgo it and take what he could in the room. A blanket… and a mesh of food in a sack.

He opened the bedroom window as meticulously slow as he had with the drawers. Not a sound was made and the cold wind of a dying winter hit them. He ducked low, making sure Hestia didn't hit her head on the frame. He put one foot on the sill and began to climb out.

...Until he saw Bete Loga staring up at them from the outside.

"I heard everything," he growled through narrowed eyes. He pointed up at his twitching dog ears.

They had been caught before any escape could be made. Bell cursed himself. There was no point in subtlety anymore.

He Quickened to the roof of the nearest cabin, nearly missing it as he fumbled in his landing. Hestia also wasn't ready for the launch and nearly fell off of him. The only thing saving her were the legs wrapped around him. Her arms went flailing before she threw her body back onto him.

They had lost the blanket. It drifted towards the ground between the cabins.

Bell had no choice but to leave it. He held onto Hestia's legs and kicked off again with another Quickening. They flew several meders above ground and towards the forest surrounding the villa. He crossed his arms over his face as branches and twigs smacked him. He heard Hestia's cries as the bark scratched at their skin.

The landing was rough but not as terrible as it should have been. He kept his feet moving, stumbling in the landing but remaining upright. Hestia groaned but held on tight. He dashed forward, leaping over fallen trees and roots. He Quickened whenever he could for however short of a distance was available. The sea of trees wouldn't let him make a straight dash.

He knew Bete and Aiz were right behind him. Bete was leading her as he had a means of tracking them. Was it due to an adventurer's skill or some innate ability as a lycan? He didn't know. He had to lose him somehow.

He cursed to himself and tossed the sack of food to the side, leaving it behind. If Bete could smell the food then he'll never lose them. He kept running.

He counted the seconds. The adventurers had ignored the food and kept after him. Bete had a different means of tracking them.

Bell tried serpentining around the trees, trying to make his route as confusing as possible. But still the adventurers pursued. And they were gaining. Bete was faster with Aiz lagging behind. He was better suited for forest travel than she was.

Just the same, Bell wasn't suited for the forest. The Dream had him hunting through the cobbled streets of Yarnham, the swampy outskirts, and the dead forests beyond. But there was always a road for him to follow. Rarely did he have to go off of it. And rarely did he need to run.

Running got his peers killed. He was forced to kill the thing chasing him if he wanted to survive.

He could not do that here with Hestia on his back. He also couldn't go his top speed due to the terrain and her injury. He was already pushing her by doing this much.

He dodged to the left as instinct overtook him. The tree he was coming up on exploded as Bete kicked into it. The lycan had leapt and aimed his heel at the back of Bell's head. Bark exploded everywhere.

"You're not getting away!" Bete snarled as he put his foot on the remains of the tree trunk.

"Let us leave," Bell demanded. "I'm not the Crow!"

"No," Bete agreed with a slight dip of his head. But his eyes narrowed with distaste. "But you are a deserter and a traitor. You left with Cainhurst. Do you know how many of my familia members died to her thrall? Do you even know what she did to the prisoners? Adventurers died because of you! They were eaten because of you! You don't get to just walk away from this!"

He made no excuse. He knew Annalise had left the best of her army behind to give them time. It had failed. Her army fell to the adventurer's. But that didn't mean they didn't take as many as they could with them. Annalise had ordered her men to die, to kill as many adventurers as possible, all for Bell's sake.

The time he wasted listening to Bete was enough for Aiz to catch up to them. She took Bell's flank. One hand was on her weapon but she didn't draw it out yet.

"...I don't want to fight either of you," Bell told them both.

"You don't get a say in it," Bete hissed.

"Bete," Aiz spoke up. She gave him a pointed look before her gaze shifted to Bell. "Please. You don't have to do this. Come back with us."

"Miss Wallenstein," Hestia spoke, raising herself up as high as she could from Bell's back. She looked directly at Aiz while using her actual name. It was enough to make the blonde adventurer listen well. "My Bell is not the Crow. I can tell you know this. But the Guild and Gathering of Gods have already decided he's guilty. No evidence will change their minds.

"What the dumb dog says is also true. We've both decided to leave Orario behind. We chose to side with that homewrecker because no one else was able to help us. No one! Even when they all knew he was innocent! And now the only person who extended a hand to Bell is gone. Now you're here.

"You can stop this. You can go back to Orario and leave us be. They will separate us again if you don't. They will put Bell to the chopping block and I will return to Tenkai. All I want… is to stay with Bell. Please."

Everyone was quiet as they waited for Aiz's response. Hestia pleaded with the girl through her eyes. But Bell and Bete remained on edge, waiting for either one to make the first move. Aiz, however, lowered her gaze as confliction waged war inside her. She brought a fist to her chest as her brows furrowed.

"Bell…" she spoke softly, never raising her head. "Won't you come back? Even if I promise to protect you?"

It was Bell's turn to fall into silence. Yet… it only lasted a fragment of the time.

"I don't believe you can. Not just from the Guild… but from the Hunters who want me dead too. I'm sorry, Aiz. I can't be an adventurer. I accepted that the moment I left with Annalise."

He felt the hurt and betrayal from Aiz. They had trained together; she was the one to ask him. He had idolized her in what felt like an eternity ago. He wanted to be by her side as they go on an adventure together. A part of him still wanted that.

It hurt when he heard the sound of cold steel being dragged out of a sheath. She pointed the tip of her blade at him, the tip wavering as her resolve struggled. She had to put a hand on her arm to steady her grip.

"Then…" she spoke quietly, but with more passion than he'd ever heard from her. "I will get stronger. To defeat her. To reach your level. I can't reach my goal until I can keep up with you."

For a moment, he was stunned. She had wanted to stand at his side. He felt the fool for wanting the same dream. The moment passed.

He shrugged Hestia off; the goddess slid off of him and took a few steps back. He spread his legs and put a hand on the kitchen knife on his belt. It was nothing compared to the high-grade weapon of a top-tier adventurer. It'll probably shatter if he missed their neck or eyes. It meant he only had one chance to kill either of them.

"I will protect my goddess, Aiz," he said as his last warning.

Her resolve wavered as she felt his killing intent. It hardened. Her blade no longer swayed. "Yes. And I will bring you back."

While he and Aiz remained still, gauging each other, Bete started to circle around. The moment one of them moved would the other flank him. He had one improvised weapon and one chance to use it. He also had to consider Hestia's position. He will have to kill one of them in the first strike or the escalated battle thereafter will drown her.

The question was… which one should he kill first? Bete he knew well since they fought before. He was confident he could handle him just as easily as he could shove the knife into his eye socket. But Aiz was unknown. They had trained together but never had they gone all out. He never fought her as he would have against Lady Maria… and he knew she hadn't either.

They all moved at once. The distance between all three disappeared in a blink. Aiz's blade went for his chest while Bete aimed to kick off his head.

Bell dove for Aiz, grabbing the edge of her blade and forcing it away from him. He felt the wind of Bete's kick wiz past him. He refused to let go of Aiz's sword, who tried to pull it free and gain distance. She refused to let go of her weapon as well, pinning herself in place.

Her eyes widened as she saw the knife coming for her. She turned her head in an attempt to dodge. But it was coming too fast and her reaction had been too slow.

It pierced through her eye… but snapped in two when she fully turned. The blade hadn't gone in deep enough to reach her brain.

"Ariel!" she shouted in pain.

He was blown off of his feet by an invisible force. His back hit a tree and he forced himself to remain alert. Leaves and twigs blew everywhere with Aiz being at the center of the tempest. She hunched over with her offhand covering her wounded eye. Blood slipped between her fingers.

His only weapon was gone and Aiz had revealed her trump card to him.

...He also had Bete to deal with, who kicked him in the chest and through the tree before he could recover.

"Aiz! You alright?" Bete called to her without looking away from Bell.

"...I'm fine," she said through pain and hesitation. She hadn't moved from her spot as blood continued to drip from her.

"Fucking bastard!" Bete howled and charged at Bell. He had to Quicken while on the floor to dodge the next stomp. Bete followed and was upon him the moment he rematerialized. He sent a flurry of sweeps at him, to which he dodged or used the trees as a shield. Bete tore through the trees without losing power in his strikes.

He retaliated when he could, getting jabs when Bete overextended. But he was nowhere near skilled in unarmed combat than he was with a weapon. Still, his raw stats as a much higher adventurer made Bete buckle. He knew he at least bruised the ribs and broke his nose.

He was struck on the side by what felt like a hammer. He rolled, dragging his hands and heels into the dirt to stop his acceleration. He looked up to see Aiz reaching Bete's side. The cycloning of wind now circled around her blade. One of her eyes was shut tight while the other one stared down at him impassively.

He Quickened at her… and was blown back by the wind exploding onto his chest. He knew he was bleeding when he crashed onto the ground.

"That's enough," Aiz said firmly.

"Aiz… he tried to kill you," Bete said in a low voice. "We can't trust him. Knock him out and we'll chain him up."

"...Okay," she said with bitterness. Her remaining eye sharpened as she approached him warily, her blade pointed at him with every step.

He rose up to one knee and tried to think of his options. He had no protections. He had no weapon. She could smack him even in his Quickening form. And her last blow had been powerful enough to kill weaker adventurers. He could survive two, maybe three more direct attacks. They could catch him if he ran. He couldn't fight back without a Trick Weapon.

He also couldn't surrender.

But there was nothing he could do.

He let out a Beast Roar. A shockwave boomed out of his throat. It pushed Aiz back half a step… and did nothing else. She pointed the blade at his head from where she stood and waited for him to make another move. He didn't.

"I'm sorry," he heard her whisper before bringing the sword around.

The sound of blades clashing was heard within the explosive storm around him. The wind blew past him, blocked by something that had appeared before him to block Aiz's strike. It was a figure no taller than him. Whatever it was… it made Bete take a step back and Aiz be struck with fear.

"Bell! Go now!" a muffled voice of his defender called out to him. A voice he knew all too well.

"...Thank you," he said before Quickening around them.

Aiz tried to intercept him, but her blade was locked in place by the hooks of the new assailant. Her winds danced around her and tried to force the attacker off… but her mystic wind could not touch the blades keeping her in place. Bete did not move, though he did glower at Bell. There was fear in the lycan's heart. He would not leave Aiz alone to deal with this new threat alone.

"Bell! What's going on?" Hestia said as he returned to the original spot.

"No time," he said as he scooped her up into his arms and Quickened away in a new direction. He had no idea where he was heading towards. All he knew was he had to make as much distance as possible.

Behind him, the ringing of steel and the hammering of winds echoed throughout the forest. Trees were uprooted and leaves exploded. Magic hummed in the air as the two adventurers faced off against a Hunter of the Dream.

0-0-0

They found a cave at the edge of the forest. It had once housed a bugbear and rose to defend its territory. But it died instantly when Bell had decided he was going to kill it. It died out of pure fear. The monsters on the surface were nothing compared to those in the Dungeon.

A small fire was started so as to not suffocate them with smoke and to not give away their position with the light. He ran for as long as he could before the trip had exhausted his goddess. He wished to give her more comfort as she lay on the cold, hard floor. All he could do was offer his lap as a pillow. He stayed awake, too afraid of being found by Aiz and Bete again.

He felt the presence before hearing its steps. His hand reached for a large rock before listening again. He let it fall out of his hand as he waited.

"...Are you really Eileen?" he asked.

The Crow ducked her head under the cave entrance as she stepped inside. The ceiling widened the further they went and she was able to stand at her full height a meder away from him. She looked down at him through her crow's mask, judging him. He felt her frustrations, her disappointment, and, strongest out of all of them, her relief.

"You've covered your sight," her voice sounded distant due to the beak. He could recognize her blunt tone anywhere. "I see this is the path you've chosen. You ought to recognize me, Mr Cranel. It's strange… being on this side for once. Usually you're the one who meddles in my affairs."

She shrugged off one flap of her cape to reveal a leather sack. She dropped it at her feet. He heard the sound of metal within. He smelled dried meats and cheese.

"Did you kill them?" he asked next.

"No," she said simply. "They had no conviction. They were exhausted. And they were intimidated by my legend. Had I been lacking in any of these and the battle would have been lost. I've merely forced them to flee… to which I cannot say the same for you. I saw what you did to Ms Wallenstein. And I saw you let that beast out of your grasp."

He hadn't detected her presence the entire time. Not when he arrived at the villa, his stay there, or when she had saved him against Aiz. Only now did he, and more than likely due to a willingness on her part.

"I have no right to scold you," she said suddenly. "You've gone down a path I could not follow. You've done more than what any other Hunter could have. I will not stop you from leaving. There are tools and supplies in this bag. Use it to get as far from Orario as you can. Start a new life. Make peace with yourself, Mr Cranel."

"What about you?"

"I've business to finish in the city," she shook her head. "Ah yes. Your friend, the Powder Keg, tells you to return to finish your own business. He did not tell me what it meant."

"I wouldn't know," Bell found himself shaking his head either. "Does this mean you're going to be killing more people?"

"...Yes," she spoke flatly. "I might not hunt beasts and maddened Hunters, but there is a new evil that must be quelled."

"Why?" he asked, pain rising out of him. "You're really her. You're really Eileen. Then you remember everything you went through in Yarnham. You remember the decades you spent on the Hunt. You have to remember dying on those steps. So why? Why would you continue on that path, Lyu?"

She went still. Then… she let out a sigh full of frustration. "I see. So that's what you meant in your first question. How much Insight have you acquired, I wonder? Enough to perceive the world through those blinds, it seems."

He couldn't see her. She stepped further into the cave and sat across from him. She lifted the mask of her face to look directly at him. She questioned him, "What gave it away?"

"We've talked a couple of times at the Benevolent Mistress," he answered honestly and in a simple tone. "The mask doesn't hide your voice as much as you think. You've given me a lot of advice on being a Hunter. Plus you've spoken on Eileen's behalf as if you knew her well. And you're the only person I know who calls me 'Mr Cranel'."

It was strange feeling her blink.

"I… see…" she said slowly as she berated herself on her mistakes. "I usually do not speak to my enemies."

"I meant it, Lyu," he spoke up to regain her attention. "That life should be left behind. It wasn't our life. I was Nameless Hunter-G. Welf was D. Can I assume you were E? We've all done our duties as Hunters. But we're not in Yarnham anymore. We're not trapped in the Dream. We can be whatever we want."

"And you're assuming my dreams and the duties as Eileen the Crow do not intertwine?" she countered with a raised brow. "That's rather presumptuous of you, Mr Cranel. What would you do if I said my dream is to continue my duty as the Hunter of Hunters? There is no Beast Scourge, but Orario is not without its criminals and madmen."

His attention fell to his sleeping goddess. He stroked her hair, his fingers lingering near the wound. "I wanted to be an adventurer. I wanted to go on quests, slay monsters, and save the girl. I wanted to be like the heroes in Dungeon Oratoria. I tried being that once I returned from the Dream. But I could not adjust to that life. I've killed… so many people. Not as an adventurer but as a Hunter."

"...The blood you've shed is a fault of my negligence," she said while looking away in shame. "Perhaps I should have revealed myself sooner. Perhaps I should have been more direct with you. But what has happened these past few days is due to my own faults. I heard the chime of the Beckoning Bell. I had feared the worst and took matters into my own hand. And now the crimes I have committed are blamed onto you."

"I've killed more than Apollo Familia," he told her. "I've given in to the bloodlust more times than I want to admit. If I didn't have my friends to stop me… so many more would have been dead. I can't do it anymore. I can't control it. I was never able to."

He was admitting to the Hunter of Hunters he was beyond salvation. He was the very thing she hunted down. And yet, she never batted an eye at this confession.

"I know… but I didn't want to admit it," she breathed out.

"I can't undo it," he continued to stroke his goddess' hair. "But I'm leaving it all behind. I'm going back to my home village. I am no longer an adventurer or a Hunter. I am going to live a quiet life with my goddess."

"For what it's worth…" Lyu began, paused in consideration, and resumed in a softer tone. "You did everything. You went on an adventure. You slayed beasts. And you saved more than some damsel in distress. You saved all of us. I would be dead if not for you. Mr Cranel, you've become more than just some hero in a storybook."

He took a deep breath. Her words meant so much to him. It wasn't the first time he had heard this before. But it meant the world to him when it came from her. He had thought he had failed her when he found her bleeding out on the Grand Cathedral steps. But upon ending the Dream… he had given her a second chance. He had saved her in the end.

"Lyu, come with me."

"...Do not confuse my praise as a confession," her tone fell into a sharp one. "And you've Syr to consider as well."

"I-I didn't mean it like that!" he blurted out. He couldn't stop the heat from rising to his cheeks. "I'm talking about what I said before. I want you to walk away from it all. From all the killing. I know you have your reasons for doing it. But the deeper you go down the hole do you start to become the thing you're fighting against. Lyu… I won't be there when you frenzy."

She fell into silence as her eyes bore into him. He couldn't comprehend what she was thinking as she remained as still as a statue. Her breathing was completely even. The only thing he felt from her was the occasional blink.

"Very well, I shall accompany you to your village," she said suddenly.

"You will?" he nearly gawked.

"Not for the reasons you are assuming," her tone and eyes became sharp. "I have no intentions of laying my weapons down until someone suitable can take my place. Due to your meddling in that other world, you are my successor. As such, it is my responsibility to see to it you are adequately up to par. You have lost your way and it falls on me to guide you back."

"...I'm not a Hunter anymore, Lyu."

"Do you honestly believe that, Mr Cranel? Waking up from the Dream has never changed any of us. Our hands are soaked in blood that will never wash away. It has become a part of us and we cannot discard it as easily as a cloak. I understand the need for rest. But you will find the call to hunt will be harder to elude as time presses on."

"I don't believe that. I only wanted to kill because there was something endangering those I cared about. That's why I'm getting away from all of it. No more Dungeon. No more Hunters. I believe it can be for you too, Lyu. Just stay with me for a short while. See how peaceful my village is. You might like it and decide it's best to leave it all behind."

"...I have already agreed to travel with you."

"Yes but I want you to go because you want to," he argued back sourly. "Not out of obligation or duty. I don't want you to feel responsible for me. I want you to come with me because I know it will make you happy."

"But I am responsible for you," she countered with an edge in her voice. "I laid a burden on you when I gave you the Blade of Mercy. Someone must keep the frenzied in check. It is not the most honorable path, but it is necessary."

"And I watched you die from following that kind of path," he bit back. He was on the verge of crying from that memory alone. "I respected you so much for following that path. I never saw what it did to you, how badly it beat you again and again. It sanded you down throughout the years until you couldn't fight anymore. I never realized the Hunter I idolized was so withered until… You died, Lyu. I don't want that to happen to you again."

She remembered too. He saw the way her hand started to reach for a wound that wasn't there. She pretended it was to move her hand onto her lap instead of her abdomen. He gave her a pointed look behind his bandages. He knew the message was received.

"You should rest," she said curtly, turning her head away from him. "I will keep watch. We can discuss this further in the morning."

"Will you… really be here when I wake up?" he asked, a mix of doubt and hope blending into one.

"I will, Mr Cranel," she said simply. "I will be by your side from now on. Your words have reached me… to an extent."

He didn't know what it meant. All he could do was let out a breath of air he didn't realize he was holding. All the tension in his body washed out along with it. Exhaustion swept through him next. The tension of the past few days drained him of his strength. His head bobbed before slumber consumed him.

"Bell, wake up! The waitress from the tavern is here and says she's coming with us!"

And come the next morning… Eileen— Lyu was still there.

Pat reon: Arrixam