No one's POV
After Sora, Bell, and Mikoto had been captured by the Ishtar Familia, Sora finally started to stir awake, and saw that he was stripped of his gear and swords, and saw that he was in a torture chamber, and saw that he was chained on his arm and legs.
Phryne: You're awake, huh?
Sora looked in front of him and saw Phryne with a smug look on her face.
Sora: Oh, the ugly bitch!
(Elsewhere)
Aisha had a very pissed looked that Phryne took Sora and Bell and ordered the rest of her Familia member to look for them.
Aisha: Find that toad! She intends to devour the Lightning Flash herself! If that happens, she'll break him! If you find him, tell me!
Haruhime who was listening, run to one of the cell room that Mikoto was in and gave her a key for her to escaped. And back with Sora and Phryne, Phryne looked at Sora furious that he called her an ugly bitch.
Phryne: What did you say about my beauty?!
Sora: Beauty? I don't see no beauty here? All I see here is an ugly toad!!
Phryne then looked at Sora furious, before having a smirk at her face and walked towards him, with saliva all drooling over her face and Phryne grabbed Sora's face.
Phryne: Just like I thought... You look delicious! Even better than the Little Rookie!
Phryne then licked Sora on the face, but Sora shows no emotion at all.
Phryne: Now, then... Where should we start? You can struggle all you like, but no one other than me who knows about this little love nest.
Sora: Are you blind? I'm not even trying, to break free... Well I guess you are, because no monster toad could ever understand true beauty!!!
Phryne then looked at Sora completely furious and Sora just smirk at her, before, Phryne grabbed Sora's private part, but Sora didn't showed any reaction and continued to smirk at her, and she looked at him unamused.
Phryne: Useless. Well, I think I should have a little snack before I start the main course. I'm going to take some drugs. After you drank that, you'll be to obsess by my beauty, and won't be able to keep yourself off me.
Sora: Sorry to say, but I'm already taken by someone who is even more beautiful than you!!!
Phryne: Hmph! We'll see... But I'll be having my fun with my Little Rabbit snack first!!!
Phryne then left the room and Sora just sighed before pulling his hand and feet off the chain and freeing himself.
Sora: Did she honestly think that these chains can hold me off?! She must be dumber than I thought...
Sora then grabbed his gear and walked over to the door and saw that it was locked, before curling his hand into a fist and punch the door and destroying it.
Sora: Alright! Now, time to find Bell and Mikoto, rescue Haruhime, and find the Daedalus Orb!
???: Sora?
Sora looked over and saw Haruhime looking at him worried and he smiled at her.
Sora: I'm fine, Haruhime! She didn't do anything to me! But, so you know, where Bell might be?
Haruhime sighed in relieve, before nodding her head, and Sora followed her direction, and saw another cell and saw that Bell was inside.
Haruhime: Mr Cranel?
Sora: Bell, you alright?
Bell looked at Sora and Haruhime shocked and started panicking.
Bell: Soraaaaa! Haruhimeeee!
Haruhime: S-Shh! Shh, Mr Cranel!
Sora: Calm down, Bell!
Haruhime then walked towards Bell, and started unlocking his chains.
Haruhime: You're free now.
Suddenly, Bell tackle both Sora and Haruhime into the ground and hugged them tightly and started crying.
Bell: I was so scared!
Haruhime started blushing and Sora just sighed.
Haruhime: Mr Cranel, um...
Sora: Bell, your hugging us to tight!
Bell continued to cry and hugged them tightly and Sora just rubbed his head, while Haruhime wrapped her tail around Bell.
(Timeskip)
Every member of the Ishtar Familia was currently looking for Phryne, Mikoto who had free herself thanks to the key that Haruhime gave her, and she started chanting some spell, that allows her to search for Bell and Sora.
Mikoto: Not in range, huh? Where did they go?
Mikoto then heard some Ishtar Familia members walking in on her, so she started hiding. Back with Phryne, she was completely furious when she saw both Sora and Bell had escaped her chains.
Phryne: HARUHIME!!!!
(Elsewhere)
Sora and Bell were currently being guided by Haruhime to escaped the Ishtar Familia Home using a secret passage.
Bell: This is a secret passage, huh?
Haruhime: Yes. It will take you to the Entertainment District without being found.
Sora: You sure know your way around...
Bell: And thank you... for saving me. But Mikoto is still...
Haruhime: I gave her the key. She'll be able to escape.
Bell and Sora sighed in relieve and Bell looked at Haruhime concerned.
Bell: But will you be okay? If they find out you did this...
Haruhime: I'm sure Phryne already knows...
Bell: Huh?
Sora: You're the only one who knows about that room, don't you?
Bell looked at Sora surprised and Haruhime just nodded her head.
Bell: But... You'll be in danger!
Haruhime just smile at them, but Sora knew that it was only a tried hard smile.
Haruhime: I've made my peace with this.
Bell looked confused and Sora just looked at her concern.
Bell: You've made your peace?
Haruhime: Don't worry about it. Letting you two go will be the last thing I ever do for myself. I'm sure Aisha and the others will forgive me.
Sora: Are you giving up, just like that?
Haruhime then looked at Sora confused and both Sora and Bell stopped walking.
Haruhime: What's wrong?
Bell: I heard what you said about Heroes from Sora. But, we're actually thinking of buying you.
Haruhime looked at them surprised and Sora nodded his head.
Sora: We've talked about it. And the others agreed to it as well. After we get out from the dungeon just now, I was planning to head over here to purchase you. Because we want to help you!
Haruhime started crying and Bell looked confused and Sora just stare at her.
Bell: Haruhime...
Haruhime: I... I'm so happy... That the both of you, and Mikoto cared about me so much... After hearing that, I have no regret left.
Sora:...
Bell looked at her confused and Haruhime smiled towards them.
Haruhime: Let us go, Sora... Mr Cranel.
Haruhime then started walking again and Bell followed her and Sora continued to look at her concern.
Sora(mind): Are you really going to give up just like that, Haruhime? Do you truly believe that a prostitute couldn't stand next to a Hero?
(Elsewhere)
At the Hestia Familia Home, Hestia along with Takemikazuchi and the rest of their Familia members along with Muller were discussing the recent event.
Takemikazuchi: I see. So we're up against the Ishtar Familia, huh?
Rin: Yes. I saw several fleeing Amazons at the spot where Sora, Bell, and Mikoto were kidnapped. Sora could easily beat them all, if he didn't carried both Bell and Mikoto while fighting them.
Lili: And there is also several of them I'd seen in the Entertainment District.
Hestia: But we don't know why. Why those three?
Chigusa: U-Um... Maybe it was Haruhime? They wanted to stop us from buying her?
Muller: Please hang on for a moment. I can't imagine a Familia of that size being so intent on protecting a minor member.
Lili: Yes. Renard may be rare race, but it's still hard to imagine.
Ouka: But if Haruhime isn't involved, then why would they...
Muller: That renard that you told us about, might have some secret that the Ishtar Familia knows that we don't.
Hestia: Actually, Bell was saying something about Ishtar. Something about Hermes bringing her an item...
Lili: I remember that.
Hestia: What was it, again? The something stone?
Takemikazuchi and Muller looked at Hestia completely shocked.
Muller: Don't tell me...
Takemikazuchi: A Killing Stone?
Hestia: Yeah. That's it.
Takemikazuchi then grabbed Hestia's shoulder and she looked at him confused.
Takemikazuchi: You're sure?! You're sure he mentioned the Killing Stone?!
Hestia: Y-Yes... that's what Bell told me when he, Sora and Mikoto talked with Hermes.
Muller: Wait, your telling me that Sora kept this a secret from you guys, Lady Hestia?
Rin: You mean, Sora knows what a Killing Stone is?
Muller only nodded her head.
Chigusa: Um... What is a Killing Stone?
Takemikazuchi: The Killing Stone is a forbidden magic item, which seals away the soul of a renard.
Hestia: A soul? Why would you want that?
Muller: Essentially, having the stone gives you access to powerful renard magic, known as youjutsu.
Lili: So like a magic generator?
Muller: Yes.
Welf: Like a Magic Swords.
Muller: No, it may be more powerful than that. Even a single fragment of the Killing Stone has power.
Hestia: A single fragment?
Takemikazuchi: Yes. It can be spit into tiny fragments, each of which gives the power to use youjutsu.
Everyone looked surprised and both Takemikazuchi and Muller continued to explain them.
Takemikazuchi: So after a soul is sealed into a Killing Stone, you shatter it.
Chigusa: W-Wait! You shatter it? Then what happens to the soul inside? What happens to the renard's soul?
Both Takemikazuchi and Muller close their eyes.
Muller: After the stone is shattered... It cannot be restored. In the same way, when the soul is shattered, it can never be...
Everyone then looked completely shocked at the amount of information that they just discovered.
Chigusa: Haruhime...
Hestia: They got kidnapped because they got involved with her?
Rin: That idiot! Why would he keep something so important from us?!
Muller: Probably like usual! He doesn't want any of us involve! He probably want to rescue that renard on his own! That's why, he didn't tell us anything!
Rin: Sora...
Everyone then looked down and Hestia saw that Takemikazuchi is looking at the window.
Hestia: Take?
Takemikazuchi: A ritual is needed to move the renard's soul to the Killing Stone.
Takemikazuchi then stood up and walked over to the window and looked outside.
Takemikazuchi: The ritual must be held on the night of the full moon.
Ouka: Then...
Takemikazuchi: Yes. That's tonight.
(Elsewhere)
Haruhime, Sora, and Bell finally managed to find their way out of the Ishtar Familia Home through the secret passage.
Bell: It leads out here?
Haruhime: Sora... Mr Cranel...
Sora and Bell looked at her and she smiled at them.
Haruhime: Please hurry away from here.
Sora: Your coming with us.
Bell and Haruhime looked at Sora surprised.
Sora: I won't let you stay in such a dangerous area. I know that you know what I meant, Haruhime...
Haruhime just looked down saddened and touched the collar that was placed on her neck.
Haruhime: Sora, this choker is a magic item that tells them where I am. Lady Ishtar always knows where I am. This is as far as I can go.
Sora: Then let me destroy it! I won't let you-
Before Sora could finished his sentence, Mikoto landed behind them and looked at Haruhime.
Mikoto: Haruhime!
Everyone looked back and saw Mikoto panting and walked over to Haruhime.
Mikoto: Haruhime, there's something I need to ask you.
Haruhime: What is it?
Mikoto: Do you know about the Killing Stone?
Haruhime eye's widened and looked down saddened.
Mikoto: You fool! Tell me it's not true! You can't sacrifice yourself!
Bell eyes widened completely and utterly shocked and looked at Sora.
Bell: Sacrifice... Don't tell me, you knew about this, Sora?
Sora: That's why... I won't let you die, Haruhime!
Aisha: So I was right.
Aisha then snatch Haruhime away and landed to one of the roof and everyone looked completely shocked.
Haruhime: Aisha!
Aisha: I'm glad you weren't eaten by the toad. But don't make my life harder.
Sora: Hand her over, Aisha!
Mikoto: And what are you after?!
Aisha then pointed her swords at them.
Aisha: A war!
Everyone then looked completely shocked.
Aisha: We're going to crush the Freya Familia. Thus has our Goddess ordered.
Bell: Y-You can't...
Sora: I could easily obliterate you all just by myself! So how do you think fighting against the strongest Familia when you can't even hold a candle against me?!
Aisha: You think we can't? Sure, they're the strongest Familia in Orario. But we have her.
Bell: What's that got to do with Haruhime?!
Sora: It's her power isn't it?! The reason why that toad was able to beat me! Her power is Level Boost! Am I right?!
Aisha: Indeed! That's her Youjutsu. She'll be sacrificed tonight to give us power.
Bell: Wait... Wait! What are you talking about? What's all this about sacrifices? It's like you're saying she's going to die!
Aisha: She is! Tonight, she's going to die. It was decided a long time ago.
Sora: That's wrong! How can you just talk about taking life so easily?! Are you seriously sacrificing your own Familia member just to achieve some stupid goals?!
Aisha: You think so, huh? Don't act so high and mighty! Haven't you killed a fair share of enemies yourself?! That swords of yours, Kanshou and Bakuya, "They who slashes the souls". I'm sure that over million souls have been slashed by that blade! So what give you the right to question our motive?!
Sora: That's the more reason why I can't let her die! I've made many mistake my whole life! And I won't let Haruhime's fate end the same as the people who were killed by this blade! She's supposed to be your Familia member! Your family! And you just treat her like some tool! I don't care if she may be a disposable weapon for you! I will treat her the way she was meant to be treated!
Everyone looked at Sora surprised by her words and Haruhime let down a drop of tear after hearing his words, knowing that there is someone that care about her so much and Aisha smirked.
Aisha: Such a passionate speech! You want to try and take her? Then we'll have a war with your Familia, too!
Aisha then looked at the sun and saw that it was about to set and looked back at Sora and Bell.
Aisha: I'll tell you a story about a certain prostitute. There was someone she just hated. A renard child who'd come from the Far East. Some thug somewhere had deceived and sold her, and she'd ended up here. No matter what the prostitute did for that renard, she just smiled like she'd given up on everything. She never tried to make friends. Never learned about the world. She didn't even cry. The prostitute hated her so much... that one day, she did something stupid. She destroyed a precious stone that had been brought into the home to vent her frustrations.
Sora looked into Aisha's eyes and knew that she was talking about herself.
Aisha: Of course, what she'd done was found out. A disgusting toad beat her half to death. And then... She was charmed by her Goddess until she went mad. Ever since then, she's been unable to disobey her Goddess's orders. That's how this Familia works.
Everyone was completely shocked by her story and Bell was completely speechless, but Sora spoke up.
Sora: So what your saying is that you've just given up to your Goddess's will. I can tell just by looking at your eyes that you don't want to go through this just as much as we do! But you instead follow your Goddess's orders without thinking on what is truly right!
Aisha: Well then Lightning Flash! What will you do?
Sora: I'm still going to save her!
Sora without any hesitation gave her answer towards Aisha and everyone looked at him surprised.
Aisha: Even if going war against us?! Will you choose to destroy your Familia reputation, and might be exiled from ever coming to Orario ever again! Will you still save her?! Will you give up everything just to save someone like her?
Sora: Yeah! But your mistaking one thing! I will take Haruhime with me! And I won't bring my Familia to ruin! I will protect her and the Familia all at once! I won't make the same mistake like I did before!
(Flashback)
Uncle: Please protect my daughter.
Sora: I will, you can count on it... on me...
Aunt: Good. I'm counting on you, Sora...
(Flashback)
It was after Bell had went to Orario, Sora met up with Zeus.
Sora: So why do you decided to fake your own death, gramps?!
Zeus:...
Zeus didn't say anything and Sora looked confused and Zeus spoke up.
Zeus: Just protect your brother, Sora! Even if he doesn't remember you after all this time! Even if he's not your blood related brother! He needs his Hero to stand beside him! Watching him from the shadow! And guided him to the path of a True Hero! I'm sure his aunt Alfia and his mother Meteria and even Hera would want you to do the same!
Sora:...
(Present)
Sora didn't hesitate and gave Aisha his answer and Aisha look at Bell.
Aisha: Well, what about you, Little Rookie?! What will you do?
Everyone then looked at Bell and he looked down unable to answer.
Aisha: You won't come to take her?
Bell just looked at her unable to answer.
Aisha: Why not? Why do you hesitate? Are you afraid to bet everything on the line?! Unlike, the Lightning Flash here who didn't hesitate at all!
Sora: Bell...
Bell: Because...
Aisha: In the end, you just felt pity for her?
Bell: No!
Aisha: Then why don't you move? Are you worried about your Familia? Why should you be afraid when you have someone as strong as the Lightning Flash?! His power might even surpasses the Loki Familia and the Freya Familia! Are you afraid of starting a war, unlike the Lightning Flash? Can you save her like that?
Bell just looked down saddened unable to answer.
Sora: Bell! Why do you hesitate?! I thought you said that you wanted to be her Hero?!
Aisha: I knew you were worthless, Bell Cranel. You are not worthy to be a Hero, unlike Sora Yatagami. I won't lend you Haruhime. You don't have the face of a Hero. You have the face of a cowardly, indecisive child. You can't give up everything to save her. And you, Sora Yatagami, I'll be waiting!!!
Sora gritted his teeth and suddenly, multiple of the Ishtar Familia members appeared right next to Aisha.
Lena: Aisha! You found the Lightning Flash and the Little Rookie! Why don't you grab him?
Aisha: Are you fools?! We won't stand a chance against the Lightning Flash!
Haruhime then hugged Aisha tightly, preventing her from moving and shout out to Sora, Bell, and Mikoto.
Haruhime: Please flee!
Sora: Bell!
Mikoto: Bell! Bell!
Bell didn't say anything and continued to look down and Sora gritted his teeth and looked at Haruhime.
Sora: Wait for me, Haruhime! I promise you, that I will save you! And be your Hero!
Sora then grabbed both Bell and Mikoto's hand and started running away.
Lena: Huh? He's running! You're not going after him? Then I will!
Every member of the Ishtar Familia other than Aisha and Haruhime started chasing them and Aisha broke the hug and slapped her head.
Aisha: Give it up, dummy. That Hero of yours will come.
Haruhime looked at Aisha surprised and saw that Aisha just smile at her and looked at the direction that Sora, Bell and Mikoto ran off.
Aisha(mind): I expect great things from you, Sora Yatagami.