Latest Update:December 1, 2022
Summary: As the fate wove a tapestry to tell of a new hero for the age, so would the ancient vow be kept. Born of a human father and elven mother a year before the hero himself was a child in the Forest of Wishe. Though she would not bear the memories of her past, her heartfelt plea would transcend the ages. And through hardships and the Falna manifest, a new tale would be penned in Orario.
Link: https://m.fanfiction.net/s/13900288/0/
Word count:196k
Chapters:34
[Chapter 1 - The Start Of A New Tale]
Few knew the "true" tale of Argonaut. For the one who was heralded as the "hero of the dawn" was a jester who wished for his tale to be a foolish comedy without tragedy. But, as his next great adventure took his life, there was one who stood by his side and made a solemn pledge:
To my dearest and beloved brother, Argonaut, I make to you this pledge.
Even though we part in this life, I will await you in the next.
May we be reborn as true siblings, so I can remain by your side.
And I vow as your sister to see the next chapter of your story be written…
As a heroic tale without a tragic end.
—Fina, Beloved Sister of a True Hero.
As the fate wove a tapestry to tell of a new hero for the age, so would the ancient vow be kept. Born of a human father and elven mother a year before the hero himself was a child in the Forest of Wishe. Though she would not bear the memories of her past, her heartfelt plea would transcend the ages. And through hardships and the Falna manifest, a new tale would be written in Orario…
Of brother and sister.
Bell and Lefiya.
[-The 18th Floor-]
There were two things that Lefiya Viridis hoped would remain buried in her past.
The first was that she was born sullied. She was dirty by the distinction of her blood not being of two that heralded from the Wishe Forest. It was a rich paradise of greenery, where magic was woven into the very roots as rites and rituals from before the age of the gods were recorded and preserved. But beneath the veneer of its glamour laid an undeniable truth that was abundant to her from the first day she had been old enough to recognize the look that others cast upon her was one of scorn.
She, as a half-elf, was not welcomed. Born to a society that represented elegance and grace, one born between a non-elven father and an elven mother was not seen as an equal. That was something she had to live with as long as she called that forest her home.
There was little wonder why she set out for Orario and never looked back.
The second, however, chased her all the way there.
His name was Bell Cranel.
And he was her younger brother.
She hadn't known about him until she was around four years old. It was only because she lived on the outskirts of the forest that such a meeting was even possible—that her birth was possible, for that matter. Their home claimed not to be as restrictive of visitors as that of the Alf's Royal Forest, but few who were not of pure elven linage could claim to have laid eyes on the heart of the forest.
Travelers never made it past the edge of the forest. The outpost was where her mother worked, and it was through there she had met her father. It was a union that never should have happened, but it did and she had been born to an unwed mother.
That day there had been an old man waiting for them. Her mother recognized him. They talked alone for some time in a room as she sat outside with a little boy that looked like a small rabbit. He had a bed of white hair that looked soft like a cloud and spotless eyes that were as beautiful as rubies—and, with two little words, he made her heart flutter.
"You're pwetty."
It was the first time someone had told her that. Not that she was sullied. Not that she was different. She was left with her cheeks flushed the color of a rose as she couldn't meet his innocent gaze.
But then her mother came outside and told her. She told him that his name was Bell Cranel. She told him that his father was her father.
That he was her younger brother.
Then… she didn't see him as the little boy that looked like an innocent rabbit, his round eyes widening with joy at having a sibling. She saw him as the sum of every problem she had. Her absentee father had left her mother alone, only to have a son with someone else. It stoked in her anger that she never knew she had as the man wanted her to take him in so that he would have a family.
"I never want to see you again."
Those words came out on their own before she ran off and hid until he and the older man were gone. The sight of his eyes watering lingered in the back of her mind for years to come afterward.
She threw herself into her studies as she got older. Every second put forth to excel. To prove her worth. But even when she demonstrated talent befitting one of the Wishe Forest, it was seen as being despite her heritage. The lineage of her elven ancestors compensated for her human flaws, from her appearance to her magic.
Then she left the home and came to Orario. She managed to join one of the most prestigious Familia there. She managed to become the student of Elven Royalty, where others who were pure could only dream.
That was when she met Bell again.
He had come to Orario now that his grandfather had died and he was alone again. He wanted to join her Familia to be with her, because they were family, despite never seeing one another since that day. But once more words came out of her mouth before she could stop herself.
"You aren't good enough to join this Familia. So go back to your farm."
It was cold. But it was true. She had studied to get this far and went through hardships he hadn't. Countless others wanted to join as well, so why should she use the fact that they shared a father to give him an easy ride?
"Then, if I get strong enough will you accept me?"
"If you can get as high of a Level as Miss Aiz, maybe I will."
It was nothing more than to humor him. The Sword Princess had become Level 6. It would be impossible for him to reach that level, so he should just go back to where he belonged.
But that was when the rumors started. Each one telling stories of the boy with white hair and red eyes. Each one telling how he was risking his life in ways that should have killed him over and over again.
And each one stirred different emotions within her.
The first threaded her chest with tension due to a Minotaur appearing on the upper floors, followed by relief when the white-haired boy had been saved by Aiz. She hoped he'd take it as a lesson and quit going into the Dungeon, to go back and live a safe life somewhere else. But she felt more grateful to Aiz than usual since that day.
Then was the fear and doubt upon hearing of the boy who fought the Silverback on Daedelus Street having silver hair and red eyes. That couldn't possibly be him given that was a monster that upper-tier 1st Level Adventurers struggled with and he hadn't been there for more than a few weeks.
It must've been someone else. But she felt that maybe she should make sure he isn't getting in over his head before brushing it off. It wasn't her fault if he did something stupid in the end.
Then bewilderment upon hearing that he was the one who beat Aiz's record as the fastest to reach Level 2. It was insane. She struggled so hard to reach Level 2 and clawed her way up to Level 3. Yet here he was already and suddenly his words resonated in her chest.
The third time they saw each other was on the 18th Floor. She had heard the commotion and came out to learn that a party had come down from the 17th Floor, having been attacked by the Goliath. And one of those was a boy with white hair and red eyes who had no right being there.
There were no words to describe the feeling of pain in her chest when she opened the tent to see him lying there. She volunteered to watch over him until he woke up. No sooner did the flaps of the tent close did she curl into a ball as her mind flashed back to every time they had seen each other before then.
"You're pwetty."
"I never want to see you again."
"You aren't good enough to join this familia."
"Then, if I get strong enough will you accept me?"
"If you can get as high of a Level as Miss Aiz, maybe I will."
Now, as she looked over his sleeping face, she pictured what their fourth time meeting would be. It would be her standing there and looking over a gravestone with his name on it. All because he was getting himself into so much trouble trying to catch up to her. All because he was putting himself in danger just for her approval.
It was so stupid. So suicidal. So why…
Why couldn't she stop herself from crying when she thought about that?
Link: https://m.fanfiction.net/s/13900288/0/