"Hm... What is wrong, Bell?" Goddess Artemis asked, her voice laced with curiosity as she watched Bell's face drain of color in an instant.
He frantically shook his head. He had to be hallucinating. Yes... that had to be it.
"It's nothing, Goddess Artemis. I was just reminded of some unpleasant things." Bell said, trying to reassure both her and himself as he forced his focus back to the present.
"I see. You wished to learn archery, correct? Come here and show me how you aim." Artemis said, choosing not to pry further. Her divine intuition confirmed his honesty, so she let the matter drop.
Bell grabbed a wooden bow from Lante nearby and nocked a wooden arrow. He drew the string back, aiming toward a distant tree.
[Instinct] whirred to emergence across his awareness. The world was drowned in golden strings inside his vision.
He could aim at those strings. And the arrow would never miss.
But.
He was here to learn true archery... not cheat his way through.
Bell ignored the golden threads, relying solely on his own eyes. He pulled his hand back and released the arrow.
Swoosh.
It missed the tree by a wide margin.
Bell lowered the bow, glancing back at Goddess Artemis.
She remained silent, simply gesturing for him to nock another arrow.
He complied, fitting a fresh arrow to the string.
The Goddess stepped behind him, placing a hand on his spine to straighten his posture. She then moved to his left, adjusting his elbow to perfect his aim.
"Try... now." she murmured, her voice composed yet encouraging as she signaled for him to loose the arrow once more.
Bell loosed the arrow.
It sailed through the air, lodging itself into the tree just inches from its center.
With only slight guidance from Goddess Artemis, he had gone from an absolute novice to someone who at least possessed an inkling of the posture required to fire.
"Good. Again." Goddess Artemis said with an approving nod. Internally, however, she was surprised; his posture hadn't collapsed upon releasing the string. A common mistake for beginners.
Bell complied, nocking another arrow. He aimed for the very center of the tree. Just as he was about to release, a wild, intoxicating scent of flowers brushed against his nose.
Goddess Artemis had leaned in closer. Her body pressed lightly against his back as her hands wound around his own, tightening his grip on the bow and steadying his aim.
"Stay focused... and do not shake."
Bell felt goosebumps rise across his body as her voice tickled his ear.
He aimed with her help, held his breath, and released.
Whoosh.
Bullseye.
...
..
.
Goddess Artemis kept her gaze fixed on Bell as he practiced archery alone, nocking and releasing arrow after arrow in a rhythmic cycle.
His proficiency increased visibly with every failure and mistake.
This was the terrifying nature of Bell's natural talent.
And then, there was the wheel.
With each arrow Bell released and each mistake he made...
Clunk.
The sound of a turning wheel resonated solely within his ears.
Adaptation had already begun.
His posture was slightly off.
Clunk.
It became impeccable.
His breathing was off-beat.
Clunk.
It smoothed out.
His focus was flickering.
Clunk.
It sharpened into a piercing gaze.
But what Goddess Artemis witnessed was merely the surface.
To her eyes, Bell's proficiency in archery was increasing by leaps and bounds. It was as if he had been born to hold the bow, destined to bring down the very stars.
...Just like her.
...
..
.
Night.
Goddess Artemis watched Bell share his extra portion of roasted meat with her Familia members. They surrounded him, chatting endlessly with easy camaraderie.
She had considered parting ways after Bell woke from his coma. However, seeing how well he integrated with her children, combined with his terrifying talent for archery and his honest nature, Artemis felt a hint of reluctance.
She made a decision after some internal struggle... He would stay with them, at least until he became proficient with the bow.
Their upcoming mission involved culling surface monsters and investigating the condition of a specific set of ancient ruins. The risk was minimal, so it would be fine to bring Bell along.
...
..
.
Deep night.
The sky stretched overhead like a dark canvas, speckled with stars that shone like luminescent pearls. It was a moonlit night, a sphere of silver suspended high above.
The members of the Artemis Familia were already asleep in their tents, leaving Goddess Artemis to keep watch for the first half of the night.
Bell lay on a branch of a nearby tree, his back resting against the rough bark. His gaze was pointed towards the sky, yet his eyes were unfocused.
His thoughts were on Goddess Astraea and Hestia back in Orario.
Were they still worrying about me?
Had they eaten well? Were they taking care of themselves?
He did not know.
And he didn't like that uncertainty one bit.
Unbeknownst to him, the Falna on his back—a symbol of twin scales with flames burning within—lit up for a single moment... before going dormant once more.
...
..
.
Orario.
Deep night.
Simultaneously.
The same sky domed over the city. Stars shone like flickering lights, the moon a silent witness to the world below.
"Astraea... Do you think Bell is alright?" Goddess Hestia asked, worry lacing her voice as she looked up at the same sky Bell was gazing at.
"Do you not feel our Falna on him? He is safe... our connection confirms he is currently outside of Orario." Goddess Astraea spoke gently, her own gaze fixed on the heavens.
Yet, behind her gentle demeanor, her eyes were blank. It was the same hollow look Goddess Artemis had worn in Bell's vision.
Bell... Next time, let me see how you try to run when I chain you in my basement.
Goddess Hestia felt a chilling presence radiate from beside her. She rubbed her eyes, blinking rapidly, and the sensation vanished as quickly as it had appeared.
Haah... I really need to sleep. Or I'll keep hallucinating more.
...
..
.
Bell didn't know when sleep finally claimed him. His eyes drifted shut, his mind falling silent, while his body remained still upon the tree branch.
Ten minutes later.
Goddess Artemis approached to check on him, only to find him fast asleep in his precarious perch.
She gave a soft, exasperated sigh and nimbly climbed the tree. Gathering the sleeping boy into her arms, she brought him down to the ground.
Afterwards, she carried him into an empty tent and tucked him in as if he were an unruly child.
"You really are such a child, Bell..."
...
..
.
***
[300 Power Stones = 1 Bonus Chapter]
[8 chapters ahead on P@tr3on = [email protected]/Not_Aaryan]
...
[Author's Thoughts]
This is the last chapter with fluff. Things are about to get intense from here on out.