Ishtar motioned for her maids to leave, leaving only Aisha, Bell, and herself in the room. She sat down on her couch, an amused smile playing on her lips.
"Before you receive my blessing, there is one thing you must understand, Bell. Belonging to my Familia is not simply receiving my power. It is being bound to me, body and soul."
Bell stared at the goddess, his intense gaze not wavering.
"I understand, goddess. But I am not here to submit. I want to serve you, but I also want to become stronger."
Ishtar's smile widened, a mischievous glint in her eyes.
"Oh? You think you can resist my charms, little lamb?"
Aisha, who had been watching the scene in silence, crossed her arms. She knew this game. Ishtar loved testing her new servants, especially those who seemed to have a strong will.
The goddess approached Bell, her slender fingers brushing his chin.
"So prove to me your will. Show me that you are willing to sacrifice everything for me."
Bell stood still, his heart beating wildly. But he didn't give in.
"If I fall under your spell, I will be nothing but a broken tool. I want to be a sharpened weapon. You will have my body and my loyalty, but my mind will remain my own."
A heavy silence fell over the room. Aisha's eyes widened slightly, surprised by the boy's audacity. Ishtar, for her part, burst out laughing, a melodious but dangerous laugh.
"Interesting… Very interesting. You are bold, Bell Cranel. But I will accept this challenge."
She placed her hand on his chest, and a golden glow filled the room. Bell felt warmth flood his body as he received Ishtar's blessing. A thin, elegant mark appeared on his back, a symbol of his membership in the Familia.
"There," Ishtar murmured, a satisfied smile on her lips. "Now you are mine. But remember… If you betray me, you will never find peace."
Bell tilted his head slightly.
"I will not break my promise, goddess."
Later that night, Bell joined Aisha in the Familia's training yard. The place was deserted, lit only by the light of torches. Aisha leaned against a wall, watching Bell with a mixture of amusement and curiosity.
"So, is that it? You're officially a lapdog of Ishtar?" she said jokingly.
Bell shrugged, a smirk on his face.
"If being a puppy makes me stronger, then yes. But you know as well as I do that I'm not going to stop there."
Aisha narrowed her eyes, intrigued by this remark.
"You really have something on your mind, don't you?"
Bell grabbed a practice dagger and spun it between his fingers with surprising precision.
"Maybe. But for now, I want you to help me. I can't survive here without getting stronger. And you're the strongest I know."
Aisha burst out laughing.
"Flatterer, go. Alright, kid. If you want me to train you, prepare to suffer."
The next few hours were a mix of brutal beatings, blunt advice, and curt encouragement. Aisha didn't spare Bell, forcing him to push his limits.
But between movements, Bell kept a focused, almost cold expression. In his mind, he didn't see this training as a mere means of survival. He saw a future where he would control his destiny, where he would crush those who had humiliated him, and where even the gods would respect him.
As dawn approached, Bell collapsed to the ground, covered in sweat and bruises. Aisha sat down next to him, wiping her forehead with a cloth.
"Not bad for a beginner," she said with a smile. "You're holding up better than I thought."
Bell turned his head towards her, a tired smile on his lips.
"Thank you, Aisha. I couldn't have done it without you."
She looked at him silently for a moment, then leaned slightly towards him.
"So, that promise you made… Are you really going to keep it?"
Bell blushed slightly, looking away.
"I never make empty promises. But… I want this to be special. Not just a payment."
Aisha stared at him, surprised by his answer. Then she smiled, a sweet, genuine smile.
"You're really different, kid. Okay. We'll see when you're ready."
A few days later, Ishtar summoned Bell to her private quarters. She seemed in good spirits, but her smile still hid an element of danger.
"Bell, I have a new task for you," she said, standing gracefully. "An enemy Familia is seeking to encroach on my territory. I want you to send them a message."
Bell nodded, but he couldn't help but ask a question.
"And what kind of message do you want to send them, goddess?"
Ishtar approached him, placing a light hand on his shoulder.
"A message they will never forget."
Bell clenched his fists. He knew this mission would be different, more dangerous. But he was ready. In his mind, he saw each mission as one step closer to his ultimate goal.
He left Ishtar's quarters with renewed determination. Aisha was waiting for him at the exit, a mocking smile on her lips.
"So, ready for your next madness, kid?"
Bell smiled, his gaze shining with an almost disturbing intensity.
"More than ever."
Chapter 8: Forgotten Legacy
The mission Ishtar gave him was simple on the surface: to confront a renegade group of Ganesha's Familia, known for infiltrating Ishtar's territories. But for Bell, this was more than just an order. It was an opportunity to prove his worth, not only to the Familia, but to himself as well.
In the room he temporarily shared with Aisha, he prepared for the mission, adjusting his light armor and checking the blades borrowed from the Familia. Aisha, leaning against the wall, watched him silently.
"So, kid, ready to get your hands dirty?" she asked, a hint of mockery in her voice.
Bell nodded without hesitation.
"It's not a question of wanting. It's a necessity."
Aisha raised an eyebrow, surprised by the sudden maturity in his tone. She stepped closer, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Listen to me, Bell. You want to impress Ishtar, and I can understand that. But don't get lost along the way."
Bell looked up at her, and for the first time, Aisha noticed something unsettling in his gaze: a cold, calculating determination that contrasted with the naivety he usually showed with her.
"Don't worry," he replied calmly. "I know what I'm doing."
The mission took them to a dark alley on the outskirts of Orario, where a small group of Ganesha's Familia had set up an outpost. Bell, led by Aisha and a handful of Amazons, attacked with methodical precision, proving that he was no longer the naive boy he had been when he first arrived in Orario.
After the confrontation, Bell found himself alone in a room filled with stolen documents. As he searched through them, his eyes fell upon an old leather-bound notebook hidden among blueprints and maps. He opened it, and his eyes widened as he saw the photo and name on the first page:
Zeus. "My grandfather was Zeus" he thought.
Bell felt his heart stop for a moment. He quickly flipped through the pages, discovering notes written in his grandfather's hand, talking about alliances, ancient conflicts, and even mentions of Ishtar and several other deities.
One sentence in particular caught his attention:
"If Bell ever discovers the truth, he will have to choose between light and dark. But no matter what, he will become a hero."
Bell clutched the notebook to his chest, his mind filled with a mixture of confusion, anger, and determination.
Back at the Familia, Bell hid the notebook among his things, even hiding it from Aisha. He couldn't share this discovery, not yet.
That night, alone in his quarters, he opened the notebook again. Zeus's words spoke of divine plots, power struggles, and even secrets about the dungeon itself. Bell understood that his grandfather had been more than just an eccentric old man.
But one question burned in his mind: why had Zeus left Orario? Why had he abandoned his Familia?
The answers, Bell knew, lay somewhere in this city.
The next day, Bell found an excuse to slip out of Ishtar's quarters. He headed to the Guild, hoping to find information on Zeus's old Familia.
Upon his arrival, he was greeted by Eina, who looked at him with a mixture of surprise and worry.
"Bell? What are you doing here?"
Bell gave an innocent smile, returning to his usual mask.
"I just need some information about… the old Familia. Can you help me?"
Eina narrowed her eyes, suspicious.
"The old Familia? Why the sudden interest?"
"Oh, it's just personal curiosity," Bell replied, feigning innocence.
Despite his reluctance, Eina eventually directed him to the Guild archives. There, Bell spent hours searching, until he came across a document mentioning Zeus and Hera, two gods who once led the greatest Familia in Orario.
What he read troubled him deeply. Zeus and Hera had been banished from Orario after a terrible defeat against the One-Eyed Black Dragon, the most powerful monster known. This humiliation had shattered their Familia and their reputation.
Bell clenched his fists. Everything his grandfather had told him was only part of the truth.
Back at Ishtar's, Bell ran into Aisha, who immediately noticed his thoughtful expression.
"Did you find anything, kid?" she asked, wary.
Bell smiled, turning back into the sincere young man she knew.
"Nothing important. Just a little history."
But deep down, Bell knew that what he had discovered changed everything. If Zeus had been cast out of Orario, then his own dream of becoming a hero took on new meaning. It was no longer just a matter of proving his worth. It was a matter of restoring his grandfather's honor and revealing the true nature of the gods who ruled this city.
And to do that, Bell had to play a dangerous game, mixing manipulation, strategy and a burning desire for revenge.
To be continued