Eight years ago, after the Zeus and Hera Familia failed to kill the Black Dragon.

Zeus was walking through the Hera Familia home.

"…" He looked around to see empty room after empty room.

The nice fragrance of the home was accompanied by a feeling of desolation.

Tap!

Tap!

Tap!

Zeus looks up the stairs to see the vice-captain of the Hera Familia, Malion Dökk Nida.

Before, she would wear rather revealing clothing, but this time she wore more conservative clothing that covered her body from shoulder to toe. Those once dim yet bright golden eyes were now as hollow as her raven hair was messy.

"Zeus." She said lowly, walking past him with a tear-stained face. "She is not in a good state."

The high dark elf and god stood still.

"... Where are you headed?" He asked not to get with her but to help as much as he can. The battle with the Black Dragon left a deep scar on Zeus' soul, the deaths of his sons and daughters hurt him deeply. "I have some money so—"

"That is none of your concern." Malion responded. "I appreciate this rare occasion if you helping a woman out genuinely but... I will get through this my self. I have some things to take care of and sell. Goodbye."

He turned to see her carrying nothing but a large bag filled with all that she owns that can be sold. She walked out the door and stops for a moment. She places her hand on the empty building that was her home for years and walks away.

Zeus returns his gaze forwards.

"... Good luck, Galatea."

Zeus walked up the stairs and headed to Hera’s room. He gently, slowly, and carefully opened the door to Hera's room. How fortunate that no door within the Hera Familia ever squeaked.

Bottle after bottle of wine. That was all Zeus could see as the closer he approached her room, the more and denser the sight of wine bottles become.

He put his ear to the door and listened carefully.

"Hic! Hic! Hic!" He could hear her softly crying.

"…Dammit." He said it so softly and full of pain that it nearly brought a tear to his eye.

"That is rare?" said Alfia coming up to Zeus.

Zeus turned his head back to where the voice came from.

"Shhh!" He shushed Alfia. "What if she—"

"She won't hear us. Her mind is elsewhere."

"Oh..." Zeus' heart felt a pang of grief. "Hm... So, Alfia." He walked up to her. "Malion just—"

"I know. She left her bow with Hera and left the city, or well eventually. I can’t say that about the rest of my Familia."

"You… how are you doing so well? Your sister has—"

"I know." She nods. "But I have a request for you. A request that Hera doesn’t need to know."

Zeus returned his gaze to Hera's door. As much as he wished to help he fears what she will do to him in her state.

"…She will be fine." He looked back at Alfia. "What is the request?"

"Follow me."

 

West of Orario, the two snuck their way to a church.

"What are we doing here in a church?" asked Zeus.

"We are here for someone. Hey! Come on out!!"

From the back, the wall opened up. Out came Zald, carrying a baby.

"D-did you two have a—Gah!!"

Alfia punched him in the shoulder.

"No, you womanizer, the child belongs to Meteria and that stupid, pathetic, worthless piece of shit of a child of yours, Aegeus Cranel." She said it with venom in her words.

"Zald?"

"It is true." He walked up to him and showed him the child. He hands him the child, and Zeus holds him dearly.

"Ah…I’m…I’m a grandfather…"

The child opens their eyes to show a gentle ruby.

"His name is Bell," Zald said. "That was what the priest said what Meteria called him before the disease finally took her at her most vulnerable."

"…This was your rock? Wasn’t it Alfia?" Zeus turned to her.

"…Yes. But I am not… fit." She said with an uncomfortable tone of voice.

"…You want me to raise him? But you despise me?"

Zeus knows full well how much of a piece of shit he is and so does Alfia which makes her request surprising.

"I do but… you are a good storyteller. So I want you, as his grandfather, to take care of him. Hera must never, and I mean NEVER, know. Understand?"

"Fully. But we should go now. Hera is drinking herself so much she isn’t so sharp now!"

"Not gonna help you quote: "Wife?", are you Zeus." Zald said raising an eyebrow.

"She's strong." he nods. "I know she will bounce back. Me leaving will surly light a fire in her to track me down."

"Sounds about right." Alfia nodded. "So where are we headed?"

"Your coming with me?"

"The both of us." Zald spoke up. "We will make sure that you and Bell are somewhere safe and well off. After that... well we will see."

"Hmm..." Zeus scratched his beard. "I know a place."

 

Present day.

Waking up, Zeus sits up from his bed. He looked to the couch with his one good eye to see sleeping on the couch was Cirrus. He looked at Bell sleeping with Nox in his arms hugging her like a plushie.

‘…I do not regret choosing you but... I do regret leaving her when she was at her lowest point with no one there for her, but she is strong! She will be fine without someone there for her. Ugh.' He gently touched his right eye. 'She has a mean right hook like Nyx!'