"GRAAA!"
Taking my provocation as a challenge, the Kobold at the forefront leaped at me. Instead of drawing my sword, I punched it in the face. The moment the attack connected, the whole upper body of the monster was obliterated. Not wasting another moment, I kicked another Kobold in the side. The force behind the attack flung the monster into a tree as it exploded into a pile of ash.
It wasn't long before all the monsters were taken care of. After the last monster was defeated, I scanned the surroundings in search of any other monsters but found none.
"Wow, Mister, you are so strong!" As I scanned the surroundings, Bell spoke up from behind. Hearing his voice, I turned to face him. He was young, around thirteen or maybe fourteen? It was difficult to ascertain his age, mainly because of his androgynous features and baby face.
He appeared to be in his teens, which, considering his age in the canon, he should be even younger. He wore light armor similar to mine but with an added chest plate, along with a brown shirt, pants, and combat boots. A short sword hung at his hip, and he held a pair of knives. Not noticing my probing gaze, he continued talking, "Thank you so much for your help."
I nodded in response to his gratitude, "Don't worry about it, but why are you in this forest?" I asked the question that had been bugging me.
"Ah, I was training," he answered.
"Training?"
"Yes, I was luring those monsters into a trap I'd set up ahead," he said, his ruby eyes drifting toward the pile of ash and scattered magic stones. "...Though now it's kind of useless."
"Oh, should I not have intervened?" I asked, since even unintentionally, I rendered his hard work useless. At my words, he shook his head so fast I worried it might fall off.
"No! No! It's completely fine, I will just complete my quota another way." I was curious about what this 'quota' he was talking about, but I refrained from asking.
"Okay then, let's find a place to sit down and tend to your injuries," I said, looking at his battered state. His brown shirt was torn around his hands, blood seeping from scratches all over his body. He must have gotten hurt during his encounter with the Kobolds.
"Ah, you don't have to, I am fine—" he tried to refuse. I was adamant since it was a rare chance for me to talk with the real protagonist of this story, but most of all, I just couldn't leave an injured kid alone.
"Don't try to argue with me, I have made my decision," I asserted.
"You're just like Aunt Alfia…" he muttered. I raised an eyebrow as he changed his tune. "Then please follow me. I know a good place around here." He started walking. I followed closely behind.
"Are you alone?" I asked, as we made our way through the dense forest.
"No, I came here with my Aun-with my mother," he replied. mother? Is he talking about Materia? But wasn't she dead already? But he seemed hesitant to call her mother, so is it Alfia? All those thoughts rushed through my brain until Bell asked a question. "Are you an adventurer, Mister?"
"Yes, and my name is Arin Kael." When he heard my name, his whole body stiffened, his head turning like a machine that hasn't been oiled for ages, sweat dropping down his face. That's... quite the reaction. Am I that famous?
"Arin Kael… as in Astralis? …From Orario? The hero who brought an end to the dark age?!" he asked hesitantly. I nodded. "Ah, I-I see."
"I don't know about the hero part, but yes, I do have an alias, Astralis. What's your name?"
"Oh, sorry, I should've introduced myself earlier. I am Bell Cranel," he replied. There it was. Confirmation. Bell Cranel—the protagonist himself, standing right in front of me. Younger than the canon, but unmistakably him. "I've heard a lot of stories about you, so I was shocked to meet you in person."
"Stories?" I asked as we continued walking.
"Yes! About how you fought in the great conflict and helped defeat the Evilus. Everyone in the villages talks about the heroes of Orario." His eyes shone with admiration. "They say you're one of the strongest adventurers, that you never abandon your comrades, and that you fight to protect people even when it's dangerous."
His admiring gaze made me uncomfortable, so I decided to change the subject. "O-okay, and what about you? You said you were training, but from what I have observed, you don't seem to have any falna yet. Why is that?"
"That was my aunt-I mean, my mother's plan. She said I should first train my basic ability as much as possible. And get my falna when I start adventuring in Orario—ah, that's the place," he said as we arrived near a riverbed. He took a seat on a tree log. I brought out a potion and started treating the wounds on his hands, which he hesitantly brought forward.
"You know, this 'mother' of yours is not here right now, so you can freely call her aunt," I sprinkled the potion carefully on his wounds. In response, Bell gave a bitter smile and spoke.
"You are right, it's just Aunt Alfia gets really angry when I call her that."
"And is she here as well?" I inquired.
Bell nodded, "Um, but since it's our last day of training, she is waiting for me to complete the last round and leave. She said something ominous is happening in the Dragon Valley—" As if he had connected the dots, his eyes widened. "Wait, Mister Arin, if you are here, then that means…"
"Yes, I am here on the mission to take care of the stray dragon that escaped the seal with my friends here. All done," I said once his wound had healed completely. I released his hand.
"Wow, that's amazing!" he said, his ruby eyes shining. "You are like a real hero, fighting dragons and everything."
I laughed, hearing his words, "hero, huh? Bell, tell me something, do you have a goal?"
"Eh?' Bell looked surprised at the sudden question, but I wanted to know, maybe just maybe, he could help me understand what a hero is supposed to be. He hesitated but answered nonetheless. "I… I want to be a hero just like you. I want to be the last hero—for my mother, for Aunt Alfia, for Aunt Saphira. They've all sacrificed so much, suffered so much. I want to be strong enough that they never have to fight again, never have to suffer again. That they can finally rest and be happy."
The determination burning in his ruby eyes was almost painful to look at. Here was a kid, barely a teenager, already carrying the weight of such a heavy dream. "The last hero, huh?" I said softly, a smile tugging at my lips. "That's a heavy burden."
"I know," Bell admitted, looking down at his hands. "But I don't care. They deserve it. They deserve someone who will protect them, help them, for once, instead of always being the ones who have to be strong."
I was quiet for a moment, then let out a small laugh. What am I doing? I don't even know what being a hero means yet. But... maybe that's the point. Maybe you figure it out by doing it. "Well then, if you're going to be the last hero..." I met his surprised gaze with a grin, "...then I guess I'll have to settle for being the greatest hero of all time."
"Eh?" Bell's mouth fell open slightly.
"You heard me. If you're aiming to be the last one, someone has to set the bar high enough that you'll have something to aspire to, right? Can't have the last hero be mediocre. Ah, even better." I paused as an idea formed in my head, "Bell, you said you want to be strong, right?" he nodded, "Then how about becoming my disciple?" I offered, I didn't make this decision on the spot for no reason; there was no doubt Bell would become strong. His determination was that deep, and I needed all the help I could get against the Black Dragon, and even without that, I wanted to help him reach his dreams. This would also give Bell the best chance to become strong. A win-win for all of us.
"EH?! M-me? You disciple? T-The Astralis disciple?" He pointed at himself as if confirming my words, his mouth opening and closing like a fish gasping for air.
"Yes, you. So what's your answer? You know a hero shouldn't let an opportunity slip by when it comes knocking."
"Yes! Please, Mister—no, Master Arin. Please let me be your disciple!" He gave a deep bow.
"Just call me Arin, save the master until we start training officially." I replied, then remembered something I had been saving for this moment, "Here, keep this, it's a symbol of you being my first official disciple."
"A knife?" He said, scanning the black knife that was made with the spare material from my sword. He turned it over in his hands, and I saw the moment the weapon responded to him—a faint shimmer across the blade, like starlight caught in black glass. His eyes widened. "It's... warm. Like it's alive."
"Because it is," I confirmed, "it will grow stronger along with you, and once you use it, no one else can use it." I listed down all the features of the knife as his eyes widened every time. I had to suppress a smile.
"I-I can't possibly take something so precious!" He responded after I had explained everything, trying to hand the knife back to me.
"Just take it. It will be of more use to you than to me; besides, I have my trusty sword with me." I patted the hilt of my sword.
He remained silent for a while, observing the knife until finally he nodded, his eyes filled with determination. "Understood, I will try my best and prove that I am worthy of this knife."
I stepped forward, patting his head, ruffling his white hair roughly. "Don't worry about proving anything. Just live. Just be happy. That would be enough."
"Master… yes, and I am sorry I compared you to Aunt Alfia, you are far more kind than her!"
I laughed at those words, "Careful now, we wouldn't want her to hear that, would we?" Bell's face turned pale at the mere mention of that, making me laugh even harder. "Don't worry, now that you have become my disciple, it's my duty to keep you safe. Even if she comes, I will fight her." I said, puffing my chest with exaggerated movement.
Tears welled in his eyes, threatening to spill over. He blinked rapidly, trying to hold them back, "Thank you, master! I'll never forget this!" He replied with so much enthusiasm that I was taken aback for a moment. Good god, just how harsh is her training?!
"Right, of course." I shook off the disturbing mental image. "By the way, when are you planning to come to Orario?"
"Ah, that would either be in a few months or next year, most likely." That fast… is there a special reason, or just the butterfly effect? I wanted to ask him the reason, but decided to refrain since it's just our first meeting.
"Okay, when you arrive, find the Twilight Manor—that's where Loki Familia is based. Ask for me there. If I'm not around, ask for Riveria or Finn. Tell them I sent you." I paused, considering. "Actually, you should probably get a Familia first. Do you know which one you want to join?"
Bell shook his head. "Aunt Alfia said I should figure that out when I get there."
"That works perfectly. I will recommend you to a good familia when you arrive then." I already had the perfect familia in mind for him. "Now, you should probably head back to your aunt before she comes looking for you. Something tells me Alfia wouldn't be too happy to find you chatting with a stranger instead of completing your training."
Bell's face paled. "Oh no, you're right! She's going to be so mad!" He quickly gathered his weapons. "Um, thank you again, Arin! For the healing, for the offer, for everything!"
"Don't mention it. Just focus on your training until you reach Orario." I paused. "And Bell? That dream of yours—being the last hero for your family? It's a good dream. Hold onto it."
His face broke into the brightest smile I'd seen yet. "I will! I promise!" He started to run back toward wherever he'd come from, then stopped and turned back. "Arin! When I get to Orario, I'll show you! I'll show you I can become that hero!"
"I'm looking forward to it!" I called back.
I watched him disappear into the forest, his small form soon swallowed by the trees. A smile lingered on my face as I turned back toward where my own group was waiting.
The last hero and the greatest hero, huh? I thought, shaking my head with amusement. What a pair of impossible dreams. "The last and the greatest," I murmured to myself, starting my trek back. "Well, Bell Cranel, I guess we'll see if we can pull it off." The forest was quiet around me, but for once, that silence felt peaceful rather than ominous. Somewhere ahead, a dragon awaited. Behind me, a future hero was probably getting scolded by his aunt for taking too long.
And me? I was caught somewhere in between, still trying to figure out what it meant to be a hero while apparently taking on a disciple to teach about heroism.
The irony was almost poetic.
But as I made my way back to camp, I found I didn't mind it. If anything, meeting Bell had clarified something for me. I might not know what being a hero meant yet, but I knew one thing for certain—it started with choosing to help, to protect, to stand up even when you weren't sure you were qualified to do so.
The greatest hero of all time. I tested the words, then laughed. Well, if I were going to aim for something, I might as well aim impossibly high.
The trees rustled—wind, or maybe agreement.
Either way, I had a dragon to face and a disciple to train. Multiple promises to keep, impossible odds to face.
But then again, maybe that's what heroes did. Made impossible promises, then did everything in their power to keep them.
Even when they didn't quite know what they were doing yet.
Especially then.
Now I should get back before Riveria, and others start getting mad.