The ash travels on... [stopped]

Promises and a Sword(Chap.2)

Helenia PoV:

I was back at the church sitting on the couch watching Hestia as she was pacing around in front of the door which lead upstairs to the main room of the church. She was worried and I could understand why. After I beat up wolf-boy I returned to the church to look for Bell but he wasn't there. Hestia asked me what happened and I told her everything which lead to our situation right now.

Suddenly I picked up a sound...someone was coming down the stairs. Seconds later the door opened and there stood Bell .... covered from head to toe in wounds with his clothes shredded in many places.

"What happened to you?!" Hestia approached him startled at how he looked. Ignoring it for now she supported him. "I went to the dungeon..." came his response in an emotionless voice.

At that I stood up and went over to them to stop before Bell. He looked up at me and as soon as I was sure that I got his full attention I raised my hand...and flicked his forehead. Because of my strength his head snapped back and he let out a small sound of surprise.

"Getting embarrassed is no reason to get yourself hurt!" I looked into his eyes. "But that doesn't matter right now...please hold still for a moment."

Thinking about my skills I remembered [Requirement less caster]. "Well time to test it now..." shot through my head and without hesitation I started. "<<Great Heal>>" and it worked. Bell's wounds closed almost instantly which...surprised me a bit. "Seems like receiving Falna even reinforced my miracles...probably my sorcery and pyromancy too."

Getting out of my thoughts I noticed Bell and Hestia's stares of wonder. "That's some amazing magic you got there Helenia. It's very powerful...no wonder with your stats!" came from Hestia whose eyes where shining with excitement.

Bell on the other side suddenly seemed very focused. "Goddess...Helenia...I want to...no I have to get stronger!" Hestia sighed "I know Bell...I know..." She seemed a bit downcast.

"Well good for you! But right now you got to rest! Even if I healed your body, you still need to sleep to regain your energy. So everyone to bed!"

(Next day)

I was, once again, sitting on the couch, this time to wait until Hestia updated Bell's status. Looking closely I noticed that Hestia seemed...rigid. As soon as she finished updating she got of Bell's back and sat down next to him. "You're growing at an frightful speed..."

What followed was Hestia telling Bell, and me cause I was listening, how he was outpacing all the other level 1 adventurers. As Bell told us that he went to the sixth floor last night Hestia got worried again.

"I won't get in the way of your wish to become stronger Bell but please promise that you won't overdo it !" she turned to me with a pleading look in her eyes "And you promise me something too Helenia: Watch over Bell and yourself! I don't want to lose any one of you two!"

Bell gave her a small smile. "I promise that I won't overdo it Goddess." I gave her a nod "You got my promise as well." Our words made her smile brighten. Then she stood up. 

"Well you two since you promised me it seems like I got nothing to worry about." she pulled out something that looked like an invitation. "I'll be gone for some days. There is a party for gods and I wanted to meet some old friends. So take care you two..." with that she left.

I looked at Bell and raised an eyebrow. He looked at me "Is there something Helenia?" I gave him a small smirk "Well...you seem to have forgotten but there is this establishment you ran from yesterday without paying...I told them that you would come today to pay for it since I got no money." I don't know why but I enjoyed seeing his face go white as he remembered....

(Some time later)

Right now Bell and I where on the 4th floor. All the fighting was done by Bell cause testing my strength at the monsters we came to the conclusion that I would only step in if something would happen what Bell couldn't handle.

Bell finished of the three goblins he was fighting against. As I was approaching him he picked up the cores and put them into his backpack. "You seem to have no problem going against more than one monster." He looked up at me and seemed to think about something. 

"Well...goblins weren't too hard to begin with...but I can feel that it got easier to defeat them." he answered. "You probably got a good bit stronger with your stats growing like that... anyways we should probably head back up. If my feeling is right it's getting dark outside right now. And since I got no lunch made by a cute waitress I'm a bit hungry."

I couldn't keep in my quiet chuckles as I saw him going red at my teasing. But that made me wonder "Seems like such a small amount of time in this world already changed me..." Thinking about it I couldn't remember any time before meeting Bell and Hestia were I...felt so much. The first real feeling I can remember having in Lothric was the pure relief after defeating the Soul of Cinder.

Looking at the small, rabbit-like boy who was walking in front of me I couldn't help but feel a deep urge to protect...not only him but also Hestia and anyone who might join our Familia in the future. "As long as I'm here I will keep everyone close to me alive...." looking at Bell even closer I was happy that he didn't hear my little oath.

After walking some time we finally got out of the dungeon. It was pretty filled even in the evening. Bell and I noticed something what looked like pretty big boxes. It sounded like there were monsters inside them. As Bell and I went over to those boxes I felt something....some sort of pulling. It was as if something wanted me to come it.

Having made a decision i spoke up "Bell...I gotta do something. Let's meet at the church later!" Without letting him time to react I rushed out of Babel and followed the feeling. It lead me through streets and alleys and got stronger the closer I got. Turning left one last time I recognized the alley I went into.

It was the same one where I woke up and now leaning against the wall in the exact same spot was a bonfire sword (Akuma: Didn't know how I should call it but everyone who played dark souls should know what I mean). At that moment only one question shot through my head. "How did it get here?" As much as I know the Firekeeper researched some old ritual to send me here... so maybe it was some sort of last present present from her? Then some other questions where shooting through my head but deciding to ignore them I picked up the sword and stored it away in the bottomless box.

With that I turned around and went back to the church....