The Struggle
The man who called from behind was Dix himself. Bell met him for the first time. Dix asked about the information about the Xenos. Bell refused to share the information he wanted. Dix offer money for Bell, but he was too stubborn and he refused it.
Then their conversation become worse. Dix challenged Bell into a fight. Bell agreed to take it somewhere outside the pub. Both of them went to the Daedalus Street. It was already evening. Both of them faced each other. The people around saw this and quickly closed their doors and windows. It was just too of them.
Both of them get into brutal fight. Bell was able to hold on himself for sometime. Then their level difference came into action. Bell was beaten up pretty badly. Bell didn't gave up so easily. Bell continue to struggle with his opponent.
Bell managed to put a long cut in his cheeks. Dix got even more exited. He started to attack Bell so aggressively. Bell couldn't keep up him and finally he was been knocked out clean. Dix's men carry Bell to the made dungeon.
When Bell regained consciousness, he was been tied up in a metal column. Bell saw these structure for the first time. Then he saw some monsters which are kept in big cages, present in the room.
Dix and his men continue torturing Bell. They put out his nails, beat him with metal bars, poured boiling oil into his body. Bell screamed in pain. Bell didn't tried to charm them intentionally because he didn't want to expose himself and more importantly he thought that it might not work on Dix since he is a higher level adventurer. But even with all that he refused to say a single word. This triggered them to torture him more.
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Bell didn't reach home until next day. Hestia and others began to worry. Lili asked Aiz and Lefiya, but both of them have no idea where he went. All of them began their search. They searched for him in all places where he could have gone. They even went to the dungeon, but they couldn't find him.
Hestia filed a quest in the guild for finding Bell. Lefiya and Aisha become suspicious of Dix. But they are not sure about it. Bell has made so may enemies ever since he came to Orario. Lefiya and Elfy thought of saying the truth to Miss Aiz. But after thinking about how she is going to react, they decided not to tell her.
Aiz was worried about Bell as well. She had started to miss him.
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One week passed.
They have almost half killed Bell. They didn't gave him food or water for the entire week. Bell's body become really weak. His clothes were stained in blood. It become really hard to breathe.
Then an unexpected thing happened. Dix had captured Wiene. Bell was unconscious when she was brought in.
Then one of Dix's man, throw a bucket of water over his head. Our Bell is awake now. When he opened his eyes he saw Wiene. She was crying and was screaming at Bell to wake him up.
Dix asked Wiene to tell him more about the hideouts and activities of Xenos. But she refused. Dix become more angry & frustrated.
Wiene was put in chains. He started to pull out the sharp nails from her hands one by one. She screamed in pain. Bell pleaded them to stop. But he continued to do so.
He then ripped off her wings from her back. This made Wiene to scream load in pain. Bell thought wiene is about to vanish in front of him. Just then Dix poured a high healing portion on her. All her wounds are gone now.
Both of them are given a short break. Bell had no more strength in his body. He was starting to think about the end.
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Hestia become more depressed and afraid. Bell didn't come home yet. Aiz didn't know what to do. Lefiya started to think that she is the reason for his missing.
Finn had thorough investigation about this matter. Then suddenly Lili came running to health mansion and inform her other Familia members that Bell had a fight with Dix last week and he has been kidnapped by him.
None of them were shocked. They were expecting that. Hestia and Hermes decided to meet Ikelos.
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The torturing continued. Dix asked both of them for the last time. Both of them stood to the ground. Dix ordered his men to have some fun with Wiene.
Bell didn't want to do this to his enemies. But he have no other option but to charm those men. Bell made then fight each other. Dix was surprised to see that Bell made his men fight each other. Dix tried to stop them but they didn't listen to him. Some of them attacked Dix. But Dix was able to easily handle them but couldn't wake them from the charm. Some of them even got killed by their own combrates.
Dix thought that the only way to stop them was to kill Bell.
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Dix decided to kill Bell. Wiene cried and pleaded him to stop. He pierced his cursed spear into his heart. He made sure that he is not breathing.
Wiene had the greatest despair going through her mind.
Then his men finally came back to their senses. They were surprised to know that they killed some of their own combrates.
They then put Bell inside a bag and decided to dispose him in a waste bin on the surface.
It was night time. Dix's men carried Bell's corpse, without getting anyone suspicious, to the surfaces. They made sure no one is watching them. They dumped the bag in the garbage kept in a passage way.
But none of them noticed that Bell's wound in his chest had healed completely. They left him in the garbage all along. Then after some time it started to rain heavily.
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Hestia and Hermes met with Ikelos. They enquired about Dix and his member's business. Ikelos remarked that Dix and others have changed recently. They decide and do whatever they want. He also mentioned that even if he release them from his falna, they will get another one from another God and would continue to do the same.
Hestia warned Ikelos that if anything happen to Bell, she will kill all his children by herself, even if she is forced to go back to Tenkei.
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Certain bag in the garbage began to get wet in the heavy rain. It continue to get wet for half an hour. Then Bell tear off the sag with his bare hands. Finally he is free. He struggled just to get out of the garbage bin.
It's still raining. All his body is in severe pain. He just fall down to the ground. He laid flat facing the sky letting himself wet in the rain.
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All of the Hestia Familia was going through depression. Lili called herself weak and hate it. Aisha was really depressed. Hestia was so sad that she didn't even taste her food. All others praying for their captain. They don't know what to do or where to search.
Lefiya and Elfy didn't know how to face Hestia. Lefiya was crying in her bed, thinking that it all her fault to involve Bell into all this.
Aiz didn't know what to do. It's been a weak she trained with her subordinates. She wanted to teach them more and make them strong. She questioned herself how she will achieve her dream if she can't even protect her pupils. She called herself a complete disappointment while looking herself in the mirror.
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It was late night and it is still raining. Hestia was looking outside through the window. It was really breezing cold. But that didn't affect her at all. She was lost in thought. She was remembering her memories with Bell. She began to tear up when she remember more of him. She then wished Bell to be with her from the bottom of her heart. Susan came to comfort her as well.
Then they suddenly noticed someone struggling to walk towards the gate. He almost fall himself to the gate causing it to produce the resisting sound of metal. They didn't know who it was. It was completely dark outside. So they couldn't see who it was. Then Hestia go to the door and opened it very carefully, Susan just brought a torch and lighted it in the direction of that person. Suddenly Hestia sensed the presence of her own blessing.
He then somehow managed to unlock the gate and move 3 steps forward. Both of his legs shaking, yet he try to move forward. No, no more , his legs give up. He fell to his knees. Their eyes widened.
Hestia and Susan came running through the rain and grabbed him and supported him when he about to fall completely into the mud.
Hestia looking shocked at the beaten up Bell " B-Bell, "
Bell with a small smile " I am home, my Goddess"
Hestia tearing up, but they were washed away by the rain. By returning the smile back to him " Welcome home, Bell kun."