United in Life and Death
The group had established camp at a place recommended by Riveria
"This is one of the closest places to the pantry," she had said, adding that it was a more comfortable camping ground than the labyrinth because of the presence of a source of fresh water. "Even if an Irregular, or worse, Medusa's underlings, appears, we will have an easy escape route."
But the comfort and calm of the campsite were not enough to overcome Bell's worries for his companions, so he could only toss an turn. He looked to Riveria Ljos Alf for reassurance, the renowned Nine Hell and commander of their party, slumbering serenely beside him. Bell's gaze was captivated by her startling grace and exquisite beauty. Even in sleep, the high elf's jade hair radiated a halo of emerald lustre around her, the form of her ample breasts and dainty shoulders beneath her undershirt clearly visible. Her verdant evergreen tresses were unbound, pooling over her sleeping mat, and her countenance radiated an ethereal elegance and celestial sophistication.
"Bell... Cranel...." she murmured in her sleep.
"!!" Bell twitched, his body shivering in surprise.
He gulped as he leaned in closer to try to hear what she was saying.
"Bell Cranel... you mustn't... tempt me... an elf cannot behave in this shameless fashion..."
"?!" Bell's eyes widened.
"J-just this once is... fine..." she whispered in a sultry voice.
"...Eh?"
Riveria's body snuggled against Bell, bringing him close to her chest.
"Bell...! "...A-ah...!""
"...T-that's too much!"
Bell felt the heat rush to his cheeks. He was so flustered he didn't know where to look, but he couldn't help but become entranced by Riveria's bewitching sleeping face.
"Riveria-sama.... please let me go..."
"Bell Cranel.... don't go.... I'm sorry... I'm sorry I didn't look after you..."
"...Uuuugh... Riveria-sama... It's fine, just..."
"Haunghh...!"
Bell attempted to free himself from her embrace but her grip on him was much stronger than he expected. It was obviously futile to resist Riveria's loving, mothering embrace, so he tried a different approach: he wrapped his arms around her lithe, elegant body and held her tight.
"Nnnnh...!"
Riveria's voluptuous breasts, covered only by a thin undershirt and sports bra, squeezed tightly against Bell's chest. He could feel the softness of her full breasts, along with her delicate frame. She ran her fingers through Bell's silver-white hair, and lightly kissed the nape of his neck.
"Riveria-sama has such beautiful breasts," Bell sighed contentedly. "And they're so big. Wait - w-what did I just say? I'm turning into Grandpa! I'm sorry, Riveria-sama, I'm sooooooooo sorry!!!!"
"Bell Cranel... your lovely white hair... is all matted... honestly, you're hopeless... let me comb it..."
"Ehhhh? I'm hopeless...?" Bell whimpered as he clung to her, breathing in the scent of her body.
"Teehee... you're too cute, Bell Cranel..." Riveria smiled in her sleep, unable to stop herself from touching Bell's cheek. "Now I know why they call you a cutie... stay with me... Don't ever leave me..."
"...Riveria-sama," Bell looked upon her as the sensation of her gentle, dainty hand touching his face tickled. "I'll never leave you, I promise."
But this peaceful moment was about to have a very rude interruption. The tranquil scene was suddenly shattered by an unexpected and jarring disturbance that would abruptly end the serene atmosphere. Little did they know that their blissful reverie would be harshly disrupted, as an unwelcome intrusion loomed on the horizon, threatening to destroy the calm and quiet that had settled over them.
A bone-chilling, sinister laugh reverberated through the camp, startling Bell awake. Bell jolted up, his hand instinctively reaching for his dagger as he scanned the darkness for the source of the disturbance.
Emerging from the shadows like a phantom, a figure appeared before him. As the moonlight illuminated her features, Bell's eyes widened in recognition. It was the same beautiful woman he had encountered in the market, the one who had charmed him with her alluring smile and captivating eyes.
"You...!" Bell gasped, his voice trembling with a mixture of shock and fear.
The woman's lips curled into a wicked smile, her eyes glinting with malice.
"If I didn't know any better, I'd say the two of you are in love." She said seductively, but with a twinge of spite and envy.
"Medusa...." Bell said, recognizing his nemesis's human form.
"Why, hello there, Bell." She said with a certain satisfaction. "We are reunited at long last. I've been so looking forward to it."
"?!"
"Can't sleep? Then let's have a little chinwag between just you and me: true lovers. I hear you've taken on the title 'Perseus' now. How unfortunate. That makes us the most bitter of foes. I killed the last Perseus. Breaks my heart that now I'll have to destroy you too."
"Why... why.... why did you kill Asfi?"
Medusa smiled like a tyrant empress.
"All those that bear the title of 'Perseus' are enemies of Medusa, and will be shown no mercy. Not even cute little white bunnies."
"She... she didn't deserve that! Asfi didn't deserve to die!" Bell retorted back, his body quivering with emotion.
"You know so little, it's tragic."
"B-Bell...?" Riveria's voice caught their attention. She was still sound asleep and the name "Bell Cranel" was still coming out of her mouth.
Medusa knelt beside Riveria, still in deep sleep.
"So, she really is as beautiful as they say. A striking resemblance to the legendary high elf queen Celdia, another old 'friend' of mine from one of my past lives."
She placed her hand on Riveria's neck.
"Perhaps I should preserve her beauty for all eternity, by turning her to stone."
"S-stop! Stop!" Bell begged.
"Of course, if I used my powers of petrification, it would provoke the wrath of the Gods. So I have other plans for your precious elf queen."
"P-plans? What do you mean?"
Medusa leaned in close to Bell's ear and whispered.
"I want you to listen closely, Bell. If my theory is correct, she is the reborn Lady Celdia. I have been waiting so many lifetimes to exact my revenge on her."
"...Revenge?! R-revenge... why?!"
"Why? You really are clueless, aren't you boy? Back in the day, she dispatched a certain hero, one whom briefly took on the title 'Perseus', to murder me."
"..."
"Rumor has it that she fell in love with this Perseus, a human hero. Now Ljos Alf has fallen for you, another hero bestowed with the title of 'Perseus'. How history repeats itself."
"D-don't touch Riveria-sama! Get away from her!" Bell shouted out, reaching for the knife at his waist.
But his hand stopped midway when he saw the ominous grin appear on Medusa's face.
"Do not be alarmed, my love. I'm actually not physically here right now. You're the only one who can see or hear me right now."
Bell couldn't hide the panic on his face, but he quickly steeled himself. "How... how are you doing this?"
"You're pretty quick on the uptake." Medusa's gaze was fixed on Riveria's neck, still not moving her hand away from it. "A tiny residue of my venom remains within you. And that's all I need to get inside your mind. Not enough to control you, but enough for my voice to find you again."
"That's.... creepy."
Medusa smiled. "This is just the start of our marriage in darkness. We will never be apart from now on. Even if we are physically far away, we will still be together."
"J-Just what do you want from me?"
"Many things," Medusa grinned, not bothering to hide her sinister smile. "I want to eat you, I want to torture you, I want to kill you, I want to have my way with you and make you mine."
"..."
"Of course, I'm saving the most fun parts for later."
Bell didn't have anything to say to that. His shoulders and body trembled not out of fear but anger and frustration.
"By the way, do you know what happened to the legendary High Elf Lady Celdia in the end? What actually happened to her? I looked into it and found out the truth: she burnt up and died using the Light Bond Shield."
"!!"
"And now, I presume, you plan to sacrifice Riveria Ljos Alf, the reborn Celdia, in the same manner, all just to defeat little old me. I'm so flattered." Medusa said as she lightly chuckled.
Bell was petrified with fear.
"As I said before, history repeats itself, a high elf queen being sacrificed at the behest of a human man whom she loved more than her own life."
"....."
"And like in the legend, I am the gorgon that needs to be beheaded."
Medusa removed her hand from Riveria's neck and stood up.
"Someday soon, you and I will be united, in life and in death, together for all eternity. And this sanctimonious little elf queen will be remembered as nothing more than a melancholy fairy tale, a pitiful figure dying from the toxic, malign love of the boy that seduced her." Medusa simply shook her head in pity. "How tragic indeed. But in the end, Celdia will once again perish, and you, Bell Cranel, will be the one to end her."
Bell had no reply.
"Don't you know the saddest thing about all this? The part that's most heartbreaking?" Medusa asked, looking Bell straight in the eye. "It's the fact that Nine Hell has no idea that Lady Celdia met the exact same sad fate as she will. It is inevitable."
"...!!"
"She knows nothing of her past life, so she has no way of knowing that she is destined to repeat the tragedy of her past."
"N-no... no, you're lying! You're lying!!" Bell screamed back, refusing to believe the witch's words.
Medusa smiled. "It's true, my love. This pretty, perfect fairy queen will fade forever from this world. And you will be the reason why."
Bell was absolutely speechless, he couldn't refute anything Medusa said. His worst nightmare was coming true right in front of his eyes, and all he could do was watch helplessly.
Medusa chuckled, finally taking her hand off Riveria's neck. "Wherever you go, you bring nothing but death and pain to everyone around you. They'd be better off if you were gone."
"..."
"The same fate awaits you as the the former Perseus. The same fate awaits Nine Hell as did Lady Celdia. The only future for you both is death. Unless, of course, you will be mine. I will be the only one to accept you."
"...Shut up! Just shut up already!" Bell finally found his voice. "I-I'll never be yours!!! I deny you!!!! I'll save Riveria-sama, no matter what! I deny you!!!"
Medusa's face twisted in anger. "Oh? How are you going to do that, my love, when you couldn't even protect the weaker members of your party?"
Medusa's words struck Bell like a poison knife to his chest.
"Yes, my sweet little babies took a bite out of your poor friends. Tell me, how does it feel knowing your weakness, cowardice and ineptitude resulted in your beloved, delectable familia members being dined on by my voracious little minions? Oh, the anguish." Medusa made a sad face that was completely at odds with the glee in her eyes.
"...Lily... Haruhime...." Bell whispered as tears began to well up in his eyes.
"Some hero you turned out to be. What a disappointment." Medusa sighed, shaking her head in false pity. "But your friends are just be the first of millions of prey for my children."
"J-Just what are those creatures, Medusa?"
"A very special creation of mine, capturing my gorgeous visage for all to see before they die." Medusa answered without hesitation. "I suppose you can think of them as my children. I named them the Gorgoneions, and they are ever ravenous for the flesh of my enemies."
Bell's whole body shivered in absolute horror at what Medusa was saying.
"How could you make something so hideous?" Bell's voice trembled in disbelief. "They are not even monsters. They don't belong in Orario at all, not even in the Dungeon."
"You don't belong in Orario nor the dungeon, either. You'd be better off being a villain, like me."
Medusa's words were too much for Bell to bear. Tears flowed freely down his face. He couldn't stop himself from sobbing. "....D-damn you!" Bell wailed.
"I will break you pitiful spirit and make you mine, Bell Cranel!" Medusa vowed. "You belong to me and only me!"
"...No.... no!... Riveria-sama... Help me...." Bell wept as he collapsed beside Riveria.
"...Bell... Cranel..." Riveria stirred, still sound asleep.
"Riveria-sama!" Bell cried out in joy and relief.
"...I'm here, Bell."
"Riveria-sama..."
"...never give in Bell."
Medusa's face soured with rage, as though she had just been slapped by Riveria herself.
Bell had suddenly rediscovered his courage and resolve, embracing the unconscious Riveria with all his might. He looked straight at Medusa, his eyes ablaze with determination. Medusa glared at him with a mixture of hatred and longing.
"I... I won't let you win, Medusa," Bell declared through gritted teeth. "I'll find a way to save everyone, including Riveria-sama. I won't let history repeat itself!"
Medusa threw back her head and laughed, a chilling sound that sent shivers down Bell's spine. "Your idealistic hypocrisy makes me sick, Bell Cranel. I look forward to humiliating you in front of your concubines and obliterating those misplaced delusions of yours."
She leaned in close, her breath hot against Bell's ear. "I'll break you, Bell Cranel, in both body and spirit, just as I've done to countless others before you. And when I'm done, you'll beg me to have my way with you."
Bell flinched away from her touch, his heart pounding in his chest. But even as fear threatened to overwhelm him, he clung desperately to the hope that he could still find a way to overcome this nightmare.
Suddenly, Riveria stirred in her sleep, mumbling something incoherent. Bell's gaze snapped back to her, his eyes wide with panic. If Medusa's words were true, then Riveria's fate was inextricably linked to his own - and he couldn't bear the thought of losing her.
"Riveria-sama," he whispered, his voice hoarse with emotion. "I won't let anything happen to you. I promise."
Medusa scoffed at his declaration. "This elf is doomed to the same fate as Celdia. It is inevitable. This little quest of yours is doomed to failure. You're all doomed. You will watch powerlessly as each one of your women dies one after the other, their final thoughts ruing the day they ever met you. I'm saving the best for last - for Nine Hell."
Bell's hands clenched into fists at his sides. "Never...!" He said through gritted teeth. "You're wrong! Riveria-sama's not doomed! I'll protect her! I won't let the same fate that befell Celdia befall Riveria-sama!"
"You will lose everything in this fight You can't escape your fate, Bell Cranel. You are bound to me by destiny, whether you like it or not."
"The hell I am! I'll keep fighting! I'll never stop fighting!"
The tyrant empress's eyes narrowed dangerously. "We'll see about that, won't we? Prepare yourself, Bell Cranel - the true nightmare is only just beginning."
With those ominous words, Medusa vanished as suddenly as she had appeared, leaving Bell alone with his racing thoughts and the sleeping form of Riveria beside him. He knew that the road ahead would be fraught with peril and heartache - but he also knew that he couldn't afford to lose hope, not when so much was at stake.
Slowly, Bell reached out and brushed a stray lock of hair from Riveria's face, his touch gentle and reverent. "I'll protect you, Riveria-sama," he murmured. "No matter what happens, I won't let Medusa hurt you. I promise."
Riveria stirred from her slumber, her eyes fluttering open to find Bell kneeling beside her, his face etched with worry and fear. She sat up slowly, her gaze searching his.
"Bell? What's wrong? Who were you talking to just now?" she asked, her voice thick with sleep but laced with concern.
Bell hesitated, his mind reeling from the encounter with Medusa. Part of him wondered if he was losing his grip on reality, if the stress and pressure of their mission had finally gotten to him. But the memory of Medusa's words, the venom in her voice, was all too real to dismiss as a mere hallucination.
"I... I saw Medusa," he said at last, his voice barely above a whisper. "She appeared to me just now, while you were sleeping."
Riveria's eyes widened in shock, her body tensing as she sat up straighter. "What? How is that possible? Are you sure it wasn't just a dream?"
Bell shook his head, his expression grim. "No, it was real. She said... she said that she had left a residue of her venom in me, and that it allowed her to enter my mind, to speak to me even when we're far apart."
Riveria's face paled at his words, her hand reaching out instinctively to grasp his. "What did she say to you, Bell? What does she want?"
Bell swallowed hard, his eyes dropping to the ground as he struggled to find the words. "She... she threatened you, Riveria-sama. She said that you were the reincarnation of Lady Celdia, and that you were destined to meet the same fate as her - to die using the Light Bond Shield."
Riveria's grip on his hand tightened, her breath catching in her throat. "Lady Celdia died using the Light Bond Shield? I've heard of no such thing. Medusa is a creature of deceit, Bell Cranel. It would be wise to take her words with a very heavy grain of salt."
Bell shook his head helplessly. "I don't know. But she seemed certain of it. And she said... she said that I would be the one to cause your death, just as a human hero caused Celdia's."
Riveria was silent for a long moment, her gaze distant as she processed his words. When she finally spoke, her voice was soft but resolute. "Bell, listen to me. Whatever Medusa said to you, whatever threats she made - they are just that, threats. She is trying to break your spirit, to make you doubt yourself and our mission. But you cannot let her succeed."
Bell looked up at her then, his eyes shining with unshed tears. "But what if she's right, Riveria-sama? What if I am destined to cause your death? I... I couldn't bear it if something happened to you because of me."
Riveria reached out and cupped his face in her hands, her touch gentle but firm. "Bell Cranel, you are not defined by some supposed destiny or fate. You are defined by your choices, by your actions. And I choose to stand by your side, no matter what may come. I believe in you, Bell - and I believe that together, we can overcome anything Medusa throws at us."
Her words filled Bell with a renewed sense of determination and hope. "Riveria-sama..." he whispered, his voice thick with emotion.
Riveria smiled at him, her eyes filled with affection and resolve. "Remember this, Bell - no matter what happens, no matter what obstacles we face, we will face them together. I will not let Medusa break you - I will not let her win. So have faith in me, Bell Cranel. Have faith in us."
Bell nodded, his expression mirroring hers. "I will, Riveria-sama - I have faith in us. Together, we can defeat Medusa. We can save Orario - we can save everyone."
Riveria smiled at him and then pulled him into an embrace. "That's the spirit, Bell Cranel. Now get some sleep - we have a long day ahead of us tomorrow."
And as Bell lay down next to Riveria, his arms wrapped around her waist as he breathed in her comforting scent, he felt a sense of peace and resolve settle over him.
Bell took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing heart. He knew that Riveria was right - they couldn't afford to let Medusa's words get to them, not when so much was at stake. But even as he tried to push the dark thoughts from his mind, he couldn't shake the feeling of unease that had settled over him like a heavy cloak.
"Rest assured, my love. Your elf queen will meet her end at your hands," Medusa's voice echoed in Bell's mind. "Celdia perished in the flames of the Light Bond Shield. Soon Riveria Ljos Alf will suffer the same fate, consumed by your desire to be my vanquisher."
Bell's heart pounded in his chest as he stared up at the Dungeon ceiling, wondering what the future held for him and Riveria. Only time would tell.
.....
As Bell Cranel prepared for the next day's expedition, Riveria was in deep contemplation, pondering the strange revelation made by Medusa.
"If Medusa's claims are true, then I may be the reincarnation of a legendary high elf queen known as Lady Celdia," Riveria thought.
But no matter how many times she tried to wrap her mind around this astounding possibility, she could not believe it to be true. It seemed too far-fetched, too incredible to be real. And yet, there was a nagging voice in the back of her mind that kept insisting it was true — that she was somehow connected to this ancient legend that had been passed down through the generations.
Riveria took a deep breath and shook her head, trying to clear away these troubling thoughts. She had more important things to focus on right now, like helping Bell defeat Medusa and save Orario from certain destruction.
"Nine Hell, we must prepare to leave at once. This could be our only chance to find her." Aisha's voice interrupted Riveria's train of thought.
"Indeed." Riveria replied. "Let us make haste."
But even as they set off on their journey to find Medusa, Riveria's mind remained preoccupied with thoughts of the past — and what the future might hold for her and Bell Cranel.
"Is Lady Celdia really my past incarnation?" Riveria wondered. "And if so, what does that mean for my fate now?"
As she followed Aisha and the rest of the adventurers through the Dungeon, Riveria couldn't help but feel a sense of foreboding — as if something terrible was lurking just around the corner, waiting to strike.
Bell was also very uneasy and couldn't help but glance over his shoulder, half-expecting to see Medusa's sinister form lurking in the shadows. But there was nothing there - just the endless expanse of stone and shadow that stretched out before them.
Hours passed as they delved deeper into the dungeon, their footsteps echoing off the walls in a haunting rhythm. The air grew colder and damper with each passing level, and soon they found themselves shivering despite the exertion of their journey.
It was Bete who first noticed the change in the atmosphere - a subtle shift in the air that set his hackles rising. "Hey, old hag, something's not right," he growled, his hand tightening on the hilt of his sword. "Can you feel it?"
Lefiya glanced at him, her eyes wide with worry. "I can," she said softly, her voice tinged with fear. "It feels like... like there are eyes watching us, waiting for the right moment to strike."
Aiz nodded, her eyes narrowing as she scanned the shadows around them. "I sense it too. A presence, watching us from the darkness."
Bell felt a chill run down his spine at their words, his own senses straining to pick up on whatever it was that had put his companions on edge. But try as he might, he could detect nothing out of the ordinary - just the same oppressive silence that had dogged their steps since they first entered the dungeon.
"We should keep moving," Riveria said calmly, her hand resting on the shaft of her silvery staff. "The closer we get to Medusa's lair, the more likely it is that we'll encounter resistance from her forces."
But even as they quickened their pace, Bell couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched - that somewhere in the darkness, Medusa's malevolent gaze was fixed upon them, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.