Sword Astraea

An unexpcted visitor

Bell sat at the dinner table with a paintbrush in his hand. He did calm and careful strokes over his bright silver armor to match his pure black chestplate.

Astraea sat at the end of the table, enjoying her dinner and watching Bell paint. She was amazed at how concentrated he was. Next to her was her giant teddy bear in a chair and all.

Bell finished painting his shoulder guard before setting it on a white cloth for it to dry. He grabbed his shin guards next and began the process all over again.

"Bell, why don't you eat something? Your dinner is getting cold." Astraea said.

Bell blinked and broke his concentration before turning to Astraea. "Hmm, alright, just let me finish up this last piece, and I'll eat."

Astraea smiled and nodded while Bell went back to painting. After a few more minutes, Bell was done, and he put his paint supplies as well as the shinguards on the white cloth.

"So, what are your plans for tomorrow, Astraea?" Bell asked, digging into his mashed potatoes.

"Tend to my flowers and visit Ryu, she's grown so much since I last saw her," Astraea answered, feeling slightly guilty for leaving her.

Bell picked up on it but didn't say anything. She and Ryu had already dealt with that together. "Well, I know she'll be glad to see you. What are you going to do about her bounty?"

Astraea frowned slightly at the word bounty. "I'll ask Ouranus to waive it. Or figure out some way to make a deal with him. Hopefully, my connection to him and the service Ryu did to this city will sway him."

Bell nodded before moving on to the ham. "Well, if you need something to offer up, you can offer me. I have knowledge about floors the guild doesn't know about."

Astraea felt a pang of worry at what Bell said. "But that would paint a huge target on your back, Bell. It could possibly get you killed."

Bell furrowed his brow in confusion at Astraea's words. "Killed? What do you mean by killed? I have information that wasn't shared with the guild. Why would I be killed for that if it better prepares adventurers for the depths of the dungeon?"

A realization crossed Astraea's face as she reached over and grabbed Bell's hand. Bell was even more confused, but Astraea spoke before he could ask what she was doing.

"Bell, I want you to listen to me and try and remain calm. Can you do that for me?" Astraea softly asked.

Bell began to grow worried, but he nodded all the same. Astraea took a hesitant breath before speaking once more.

"Did your Grandpa ever tell you why the Zeus and Hera familia left Orario? Or what they did afterward?" Astraea asked.

Bell shook his head. "No, he just said that they had to leave after most of them died to the OEBD. Said the houses were too quiet, and they just couldn't deal with the silence."

Astraea felt a pang of fear in her chest at the word Silence. Nevertheless, she pushed on.

Clearing her throat, she began to tell Bell the real reason. "Bell the Zeus and Hera familia didn't exactly pack up and leave. They were banished, and a few years later, those remnants returned and plunged Orario into the Dark Age."

Bell's eyes narrowed as his hand turned into a fist. His nails digging into his skin as his heart rate increased. Astraea noticed this but continued speaking. She knew he deserved to know the truth.

"For seven years, they terrorized the city, thousands dead within the first week with many more on the way. It was a terrible time for the city. Caused by its once protectors that were thrown out by the very people they kept safe for thousands of years." Astraea calmly explained. But if one listened close could hear a small tremor in her voice.