Danmachi: Embers (Reboot)

Chapter 13: Truths and Secrets Part 2

The other Bell, Albert, Masako and Hermes returned to the living room with everyone else. 

Hestia: Oh, you're back. All done with your talk? 

Bell(Urano): Not quite, but we figured everyone should be here to listen to this part. Namely, why these kids have come here in the first place. 

Albert and the children got together in a group as everyone sat down. Before he started, Bell and Welf returned.

Bell: Um, did we walk in on something?

Hermes: Pretty much. Come here and sit.

They did so and the boy continued. 

Albert: Now that everyone is here, I guess we should start with why we came to the past in the first place. You see, that's mainly because of him. *Pointing to Bell* 

Bell: Me?

Albert: Yes, you. Mm... how do I put this?

Eileen: You see, Dad, you... aren't alive in our time anymore.

Bell: What?!

Hestia: He's dead?!

Lili: That can't be right!!

Hermes: She's telling the truth! You mean Bell died?!

Ais: *Shocked* (Bell?)

Ryuu: Stop spouting nonsense!!

Loki: Hey, let them finish!!

Hearing her shout that made most calm down, but many were still rightly shocked and angered.

Albert: Thanks. Like Eileen said, Father isn't alive. By our present, he's been dead for 8 years now.

Bell: 8 years...

Tiona: D-Do you at least know how he died?

Artemis: Perhaps we can change that!

Xena: *Sigh* Sorry, but we have no idea.

Welf: What?!

Xena: It happened when we were still small kids. Most of our siblings hardly remember Dad because of how young they were.

Ardee(Future): *Dejected* All we know is Dad suddenly started getting really sick. He was already a retired adventurer but he just kept getting worse until one day he was gone.

The kids were trying their best not to cry from the memory but the others there were in shock at how Bell was supposedly taken away in the future. Even the alternate Bell was shocked to hear about another fate of his, though, his face hid it.

Albert: That was why we came to this time. We're here to stop that from happening. I've seen enough tears from my family. 

Loki: So keeping rabbit boy alive is your main goal then.

Albert: Yes, but you should know of our others too.

Loki: Yeah, keeping our kids in one piece too.

Finn: Wait, you knew?

Loki: Yeah. For a while now. Lanette said she would keep an eye out for us and bail everyone out if things got too rough.

Gareth: Then that raid on Knossos-

Lanette: *Looking down* That was supposed to end differently. Dad and Uncle Finn would talk about it sometimes, but the losses were supposed to be much steeper than what happened.

Bete: Then what happened with he group you covered...

Lanette: Yeah, they weren't supposed to make it.