Orario's twilight cast long shadows over the Hestia Familia's church, the city's bustle a distant hum. Bell Cranel sat on the church steps, the Hestia Knife in his lap, its runes glowing faintly under the fading light. The violet etchings pulsed like a heartbeat, their rhythm both familiar and unsettling. Since sealing the Dungeon's breach on the twenty-fifth floor, Bell had mastered the runes' power—or so he thought. His Firebolt burned with Lordran's chaotic intensity, and Ember of Resolve fueled his growth alongside Liaris Freese, pushing his stats beyond a Level 4's limits. Yet the whispers persisted, faint but insistent, echoing Anastacia's voice: The Dark Soul endures, Bell Cranel. Its call cannot be silenced.
Inside, his Familia prepared for another expedition. Lili sorted supplies, her sharp eyes darting to Bell. "Master Bell, you're brooding again. Lili doesn't trust those runes. They're trouble."
Welf, hammering a new dagger at his forge, chuckled. "Give the kid a break, Lili. He's handling it. Those runes make him a beast in the Dungeon."
Haruhime's fox ears twitched, her voice soft. "Lord Bell, your strength inspires us, but… are you sure you're safe? The Dungeon hasn't been the same since you returned."
Bell forced a smile, his ruby eyes meeting hers. "I'm fine, Haruhime. The runes are under control. We'll keep Orario safe." But doubt gnawed at him. The Darkwraiths, Black Knights, and Chaos Eaters that had invaded the Dungeon were gone, but the Hestia Knife's runes felt alive, as if Lordran's cycle was watching.
Hestia emerged from the church, her divine aura warm but tinged with worry. "Bell, I've been talking to Loki and Freya. The Guild's on edge—those monsters you fought aren't normal. They think it's tied to your knife."
Bell's grip tightened on the blade. "I know, Goddess. But I can't get rid of it—it's your blessing. And… it's part of me now."
Hestia's blue eyes softened, but before she could reply, a tremor shook the ground. The air grew heavy, the scent of ash and decay wafting from the city's center. Bell's runes flared, and a whisper—harsher than Anastacia's—hissed in his mind: The Dark Soul hungers, Chosen Undead. Answer its call.
"Bell!" Hestia grabbed his arm. "What's happening?"
He stood, heart racing. "It's Lordran. Something's coming."
---
The source was Babel Tower, Orario's gateway to the Dungeon. Adventurers gathered, their voices tense as violet cracks split the plaza's stone, leaking mist and the stench of Lordran. Bell, his Familia, and Loki Familia—led by Finn, Ais, and Tiona—arrived to find Freya Familia's Ottar and Allen Fromel already there, their weapons drawn. The Guild's Fels, the skeletal mage, floated nearby, their voice grim. "Bell Cranel, the Dungeon's reacting to your blade. These cracks—they're portals to another world."
Bell's stomach twisted. "Like the one that took me to Lordran?"
Fels nodded. "But stronger. Something's forcing its way through."
A crack widened, and a figure emerged—a Dark Sun Gwyndolin, its serpentine lower body coiling, its golden mask gleaming with malice. Its staff glowed, summoning orbs of dark sorcery that pulsed with the Dark Soul's power. Behind it, Darkwraiths and Hollow Knights poured forth, their blades radiating the same violet energy as Bell's runes.
"Everyone, get ready!" Finn shouted, his spear flashing. The plaza erupted into chaos, adventurers clashing with Lordran's invaders. Bell's instincts, honed in the Kiln, kicked in. He cast Firebolt, its flames burning with chaotic intensity, staggering a Darkwraith. The Hestia Knife's runes flared, amplifying his strikes as he carved through hollows, their forms dissolving into ash.
Ais fought beside him, her Ariel spell weaving wind around her saber. "Bell, these are your monsters, aren't they?" she asked, parrying a knight's blade.
"Yeah," Bell panted, dodging Gwyndolin's sorcery. "From Lordran. The Dark Soul—it's trying to break through."
Ottar's greatsword cleaved a Darkwraith in half, his voice a low growl. "Cranel, your blade's the source. End this, or Freya will."
Hestia bristled, stepping forward. "Don't threaten my Bell! We'll fix this!"
Bell's mind raced, Anastacia's voice whispering: The Dark Soul seeks thee, Bell Cranel. Face its champion, or both worlds will fall. He focused on Gwyndolin, its sorcery a storm of dark orbs. "Ais, cover me!" he shouted, charging the serpent-like deity.
Ais nodded, her wind deflecting orbs as Bell closed the distance. His Ember of Resolve burned, channeling Lordran's trials—Solaire's courage, Siegmeyer's persistence, Anastacia's calm. He dodged Gwyndolin's spells, his movements sharper than ever, and struck with the Hestia Knife, its runes blazing. The blade cut deep, but Gwyndolin teleported, its laughter echoing. "Thou art the Chosen Undead," it hissed. "The Dark Soul claims thee."
Bell's heart pounded, but Liaris Freese surged, fueled by his desire to protect Orario. He cast Firebolt, its chaotic flames staggering Gwyndolin, and followed with a flurry of knife strikes. Ais joined him, her saber slicing through the deity's defenses, and Finn's spear pierced its core. Gwyndolin collapsed, its form dissolving, but the cracks remained, pulsing stronger.
Fels's voice cut through the chaos. "Bell, the runes are the key! They're anchoring the Dark Soul to this world. You must sever or master them—now!"
---
Bell retreated to the church with his Familia, Hestia, and Ais, the cracks in Babel Plaza sealed but threatening to reopen. Hestia examined the Hestia Knife, her divine senses probing the runes. "They're alive, Bell," she said, her voice trembling. "Like a falna, but tied to that Dark Soul. If you keep them, you'll have to control their power. If you sever them, you might lose Ember of Resolve—and part of my blessing."
Bell's chest tightened. The knife was Hestia's gift, his link to her. But the Dark Soul's influence threatened Orario. "What do I do, Goddess?"
Before Hestia could answer, a new crack split the church floor, violet light blinding. From it emerged a Primordial Serpent—not Kaathe or Frampt, but a new one, its scales black as the Abyss. "Bell Cranel," it hissed, "the Dark Soul chose thee. Thy world resists, but it cannot deny its power. Join us, or Orario falls."
Bell raised the Hestia Knife, its runes flaring. "I'm an adventurer. I protect my home, not destroy it."
The serpent laughed, its coils tightening. "Then face the Abyss. Prove thy will."
The crack widened, pulling Bell alone into a void. He landed in a dark expanse, not Lordran but a shadow of it—the Abyss, where the Dark Soul thrived. A figure awaited: Manus, Father of the Abyss, its twisted form radiating primal power. Its eyes locked on Bell, and the runes burned, as if resonating with its essence.
Bell fought, his *Firebolt* and knife strikes amplified by the runes. *Ember of Resolve* burned, his soul channeling Lordran's lessons. He dodged Manus's dark sorceries, their tendrils like the Dungeon's worst traps. Anastacia's voice whispered: Thy fire is enough, Bell Cranel. Trust it. He imagined Hestia's smile, Ais's strength, his Familia's trust. With a final Firebolt, he staggered Manus, plunging the Hestia Knife into its core. The Abyss trembled, and Manus dissolved, its soul merging with the runes.
The void faded, and Bell stood in the church, the crack gone. The runes glowed softly, now under his control, their power stabilized. Hestia tackled him, tears streaming. "Bell! You're safe!"
Ais, waiting nearby, offered a rare smile. "You did it, Bell. You're stronger than ever."
---
Back in Orario, the Guild declared the crisis over, but Freya's gaze lingered on Bell, her interest undimmed. Bell trained harder, his Ember of Resolve and Liaris Freese pushing him toward Level 5. The runes remained, a bridge to Lordran's power, but Bell wielded them with purpose, protecting Orario as its hero.
---