Prologue
The Queen's Blade, a ritual formed by the gods to decide the strongest and most beautiful Queen. The one who is worthy to be Queen. The one who is worthy to rule over the country of Gainos mustn't be decided with words but action. Many who seek the title of queen strive for Honor, Fame and Wealth. These motives are what drive many warriors from young to old, to participate in this battle to determine the strongest Queen to rule ALL!
Near the border of the Vance Territory; scaling up the mountain wall beside the road, was a young man with the intent to find any leads pointing towards a certain "target" he was searching for.
"OH MY GOD!" Shouted the young man as he pulls himself onto the ledge with a shaky hand. He looked to be about the age of 19 and was in a tired dirtied state.
"I…I m-made IT!" The young man breathed out in exhaustion.
"What took you so long?"
"W-Wait, you…I…ergh! Just shut up…!" The young man tiredly looks up in the air to see his levitating companion lazily sit back on his levitating pillow.
The levitating young man looked to be about 18 years old with brown hair, purple eyes and light airy orange robes which belonged on a wizard except for its iron shoulder pads and chest plate. He also wore light brown boots and black gloves. The young man gave his companion a lazy wave,
"Yo."
"Don't you "Yo" me, Jean." The man spat.
"What, you mad? Mad that I was able to beat you up here?" Jean raised an eyebrow.
"No, it's because you didn't bother to remind me that you can, well, I don't know use teleportation magic!"
"You keep forgetting to ask, so I never saw the reason to bother bringing it up when we arrived." Jean shrugged.
"Fair point, but you could have tried to at least make my climb up here faster!"
"Oh, really? How do you suppose I do that?"
"By using your magic to levitate me to the top!"
"I can only make one object float with me at a time." Jean yawned to recline on his floating pillow.
"So what? You couldn't put your weapon away for a few minutes to bring me up here!?" Michael pointed towards the pillow/weapon (?).
"Exactly, I needed my rest for climbing such a huge Cliffside, so I guess you can say I weighed my options pretty well." Jean hugged his pillow and rocked back and forth in the air, "But it would be more of a chore to try and explain something so complex to you."
"So that pillow has more value than me!?"
"*YAWN!* Well, it seems I was wrong. You did translate what I mean…" Jean rubbed his tired eyes.
Looking at his partner with a dirty glare Michael sighed and laid back down, "You know what? Forget it. I'm just going to freaking lay here, and take a break before we handle that reported demon in the area."
"Are you sure you want to do that? It could find us before we get to it?"
"Yup, we were able conceal ourselves the moment we got here, so it will take a while for the demon to find us up here." Michael lazily waved his hand back and forth.
"True..." Jean yawned, but then noticed a malicious aura unmask its presence,
"Hm? Devil Eyes!"
Jean looked over the cliff to observe the demon's location, his eyes shined as he casted a spell to scope out any demonic activity in the area, and after seeing visible traces of dark aura filling the aura he could tell they were right on the money for arriving to this location.
"So, what are we going to do when you're ready?"
"Hm?"
"Your plan. Do you have one?"
"Of course I have a plan."
"And it is?"
"I jump off the cliff, and cut the son of a bitch down in cold blood! Then catch them by surprise and get information from her about the Swamp Witch and then BAM! Mission accomplished."
Jean facepalmed after hearing that plan, "You realize if you jumped off this cliff you would miss the road entirely and fall off the mountain."
"Jean…"
"Yeah?" Jean looked back towards his companion, who sat back up with a serious look on his face.
'Could he have a plan for not missing the road?' Jean was impressed.
"Just leave it…" Michael crossed his arms.
"…!" Jean was surprised feeling some maturity from Michael for the first time in a while however he became disappointed because the man wasn't done.
"To luck."
*SMACK!*
"And here I was thinking you would think this through." Jean face palmed one more time.
"Huh, who said I wasn't?" Michael tilts his head.
"Oh, dear god…" Jean pinched his temples.
Hearing footsteps, Jean notices a cloaked traveler making their way towards the border to the Queen's Country, Gainos. From the looks of their clean white robe he could only suggest they were of a noble family or a new adventurer.
Sadly for them, they were about to encounter a creature that could end their adventure before it even begins.
Forming from out of nowhere a pile of pink slime forms a well-endowed woman's body with a pink outward appearance and pink hair. Its eyes were blue with the pupils shaped like clovers. It wore a scantily pink transparent jacket with the hair of its bangs framing down over its breasts as hands to cover her fully exposed chest.
"Uh…Michael, I think I found our target."
"Cool, now we just take a breather and get the sucker for some answers!" Michael kicked back and relaxed.
"Actually that should be the last thing on our list."
"Huh? Why?"
"Because it's fighting a traveler." Jean said nonchalantly.
"Aw, come on!" Michael immediately rushes towards the ledge and see the traveler engaging the Pink Slime Demon.
The traveler seemed a bit inexperienced with a blade so they began to leave themselves wide open to the pink demon's attacks. The Slime created a sword from their hand to counter the traveler's attacks and allowed its opponents weapon to go through it before regenerating itself back to normal.
"Wow, this guy really sucks at fighting." Michael whistled.
"Shouldn't we do something about this?" Jean followed the battle's turnout closely as Michael sighed with shut eyes.
"Nah, if we interrupted a man's fight against a demon then what would we call ourselves?"
"Men?"
"No, Glory Hogs! And I will not break the pride of a man even if it means he will die by that monst-!"
"The adventurer is a female."
"Say what?"
"Look." Michael followed Jean's finger to the fight to see the cloaked traveler unveiled to be a blonde long haired woman with blue eyes as he clothing was now in tatters.
"O-Okay, things just got a little serious, but according to the rumors the demon is only taking out participants of the Queens Blade, right?"
"That was what the innkeeper told us."
"Good, and considering her poor skills in combat, she won't even make it, so it will be a good bet that she'll run away in fear once the demon loses interest. We just have to hope that she doesn't provoke it." Michael crossed his arms.
Looking at the fight once more, Jean notices the demon's change in expression as it turned violent and effortlessly grabbed the woman by the neck and started to strangle her.
"Michael…"
"She provoked it didn't she?"
"Yup."
"Son of a bitch!" Michael growled as he stomps on the ledge and reaches back for the hilt of his sword.
"Hey, wait a minute don't forget, you'll fall off the mountainside if you're not careful." Jean warned with a tired look.
"Jean…just remember…" Michael whispered, "Leave it to…Luuuuuuuuuuuck~!"
Jean kicked Michael off the edge.
"Yehaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaw~!" Michael laughed as he spiraled off the cliff.
"Just handle the demon, you idiot…" Jean went back to laying down on his pillow (?) in peace.
"So you two are here, too?" Stepping up behind the lazy Jean was someone familiar to him.
"Oh, it's you." Jean yawned, but looked generally surprised.
The pink slime woman who strangled her opponent said with a sadistic smile, "You just called me a monster, didn't you? No one who's ever said that has lived long enough to regret it. Are you scared? You should be because killing you will save me any future trouble!"
Struggling for air, the blonde girl's eyes started to roll back as any air she could manage was slowly getting crushed out of her neck. The fear of death was so much for her that she was about to wet herself out of fear.
"Bye-Bye~!" The Pink Slime decided to crush the girl's windpipe had it not been interrupted by a black blade cutting its hand off.
"W-What!?" The slime monster staggered back as it saw the appearance of Michael getting between it and the gasping Blonde Woman.
"…E...er…?"
"High leveled Demons should know that picking on a newbie adventurer isn't fair."
Catching the woman with a single arm, Michael starts to point his Jet-Black long sword at the creature before him and gathered around the tip of the blade a black aura with a red tint around it in the shape of a sphere.
"Who the hell are you!?" The pink slime demanded as it held its handless arm as it tries to avoid the incoming attack. But it was too slow.
Grinning Michael responds with, "Michael, nice to meet you. Now if you don't mind please disappear, Onyx Blast!" Shooting itself out of sphere form the concentrated aura shaped itself into a large blast of energy that went through the Pink Slime creature's chest with enough force to knock it off the side of the cliff.
A few moments before it realizes it was falling off the cliff the creature looked at the black long sword the man had and gasped, 'Wasn't that a… Devils Arm? How can a human be able to?'
The Pink Slime Monster fell off the side of the mountain as it works to regenerate itself, the blast wasn't concentrated enough to hurt it mentally, so it decided to heal itself and retreat, knowing that anymore involvement could get it seriously hurt.
"Damn, it's still not enough to wound it." Michael was about to put down the girl and leap after the creature, but still could hear the sound of choking coming from her.
'Shoot that demon is still choking her with its detached hand!' Michael placed the girl down and saw the shaking hand wringing the life out of her.
"Gu…." The woman gasps for air which couldn't get through her shut throat.
"Don't worry. Just relax." Michael covers his right hand with black aura and dispels the Pink Slime's active hand which melts off and follows after its main body.
Regaining her breath the woman catches one more glance at Michael before passing out from her near fatal experience.
"Whew…" Michael wiped his forehead, "That was a close one."
"It sure was…"
"Huh? Jean when did you get here?" Michael gasped to see his companion kneeling right beside him.
Putting a finger to Michael's lips, Jean shushed, "Magic…"
"Riiiiiight." Michael trailed off with a confused expression on his face.
"So did you manage to get any information from that Slime Demon about the Swamp Witch?"
"No, I was too busy dispelling that thing's hand from choking this girl." Michael continued to look at the half naked blonde woman, "She's fine for now. Just needs to catch her breath and relax."
"Great… That just means we're going to have to find another lead then." Jean stood up.
"Yup." Michael groaned and sat down.
"What should we do with the girl?"
"Probably hand her over to someone."
"Like who?"
"I don't freaking know. You think we can just drop her off at some random person's home wrapped up in a bow like this?" Michael asked.
"No." Jean deadpanned.
"Yeah…where are we even going to find a human sized bow at this time of day…" Michael rubbed his chin as Jean facepalmed.
Realizing someone important, Jean looked back to Michael and said, "Oh, that's right. You jumped off the cliff before you noticed her."
"Jean, who are you talking abo-Boogeh!" Thrown at the back of Michael's head was a mace which had enough impact to make his forehead bleed. Raising his head and screaming in frustration Michael cries out, "Who the hell threw that!?"
"Her." Jean points out the culprit.
"Why you... I ou-outta!" Michael stops dead in his tracks as he looks to find a towering woman about 5'10 standing tall over him.
It was a very beautiful women who wore her bright red hair long. With a red headband adorned on her head, an ornate tight jacket as her top, with a detailed piece going around her neck. She wears black thong panties and a detailed red belt over them. On her arms, she has armguards high up on her arms, with feathers protruding from them. She also as a thigh-length tattoo on her right leg, and sandals. She held a shield in one hand as her mace was right beside her feet.
"R-Risty?" Michael gulped.
"Ought to what?" The woman shot Michael a dirty glare.
"You know what, I'll just take back that comment." Michael crawled himself away from the woman by crawling back.
"Is that any way to treat an old friend of yours, Michael?" Jean teased as he folded his arms behind his back like gentlemen.
"You stay out of this!" Michael hissed.
"I would have to agree with Jean, Michael, is that any way to treat an old "friend"?" Risty walked up and grabbed the man by the collar and lifted him up, face to face.
Michael blinked for a moment then coughed, "Well, um, you're particularly more brash looking than usual…?"
"Is that supposed to be a compliment?" Jean asked.
"Y-Yeah." Michael was thrown to the ground, "Ouch!"
"Look, I didn't come here to see you. I came for her." Risty walks over to the unconscious woman.
"Wait, why?" Michael immediately recovers to separate the two.
"Because she's a wanted woman."
"Really? She doesn't seem to be the criminal type to me. Her swordsmanship seems rather pathetic." Jean said.
"She's not wanted in that kind of way. She's wanted because she's the daughter of Count Vance, Leina Vance, young sister to Claudette Vance, the "Thundercloud General." Risty's revelation shocked both Michael and Jean.
"Wait, so you mean this girl right here is wanted by her father to return home?" Michael looked back to the girl, and rubbed his chin.
"That's what I just said, so allow me to take her off your hands." Risty reached out for the girl until Michael stops her.
"What now?"
Michael and Jean looked between each other and messily whispered incoherent words before turning back to her.
"Risty, we highly suggest you take us with you and split up the reward." Michael said, stoically.
"Excuse me, why would I do that?" Risty wasn't getting swayed.
"Because we're a little short on gold." Michael shrugged.
"And how is that my problem?" Risty's eyebrow raised.
"Come on, we're barely getting by, and Jean keeps eating all of the bread crusts whenever I'm not paying attention." Michael pointed at Jean accusingly.
"You can't prove that." Jean said.
"You're eating some right now!" Michael pointed at the bag of bread crusts in Jean's arm.
"This is worth any punishment that you can give me." Jean nonchalantly ate the breadcrusts.
Michael growled and sent his companion a glare, but Jean still continued eating, "We were pickpocketed by someone at the inn inside the border town."
"Really, you two were that gullible to get tricked by something so simple?" Risty laughed with an amused smile.
"Hey, we were attacked by a snake, okay. What would you do if it was about to bite your face off while you're eating!" Michael tried to justify their embarrassing moment.
"Obviously, I would kill the snake and add it as a side course for my meal." Risty smirked.
"So, are you going to let us come with you and split the gold or what?"
"Hmm…Let me give it some time to think, no." Risty rejected Michael's offer without hesitation and pushed him to the side.
Stepping up, Jean said, "Fine, what do you wish we trade to allow us to get half the reward?"
"A trade, huh?" Risty takes a quick glance at Michael before rushing over to Jean, "Okay, if you two want to join then make sure to…*Whisper! Whisper!*"
Stepping up, Risty whispered something into Jean's ear and pulls back with a serious look on her face.
"That's it? Nothing more?" Jean still had his lazy look on but he seemed a little surprised.
"Yes, that's all I want." Risty nodded.
"Fine, then I'll make sure we leave for there after we're done." Jean made the deal.
"Wait, so we can go with you?" Michael looked at Risty curiously.
"Yes, you can but you have to carry the girl until we reach a safe place to make camp." Risty advised.
"Alright, doesn't seem too hard." Michael walks over to the blonde woman then starts to sweatdrop and hesitate to touch her.
"What is it?" Jean asked as he saw the distressed Michael.
"She, uh…wet herself." Michael remembered how terrified the girl was when she fought that demon and forgot this could happen for any normal person afraid of meeting their untimely end.
"Not my problem. You wanted to tag along so make sure not to slow us down!" Risty raised a hand and walked ahead of the group.
Looking at ground and turning to Jean, Michael asks, "Say Jean if you could be so kind as to use your magic to levita-."
Snapping his fingers to summon his weapon (?) in the form of a pillow, Jean lays back on it and says, "The pillow always comes first, Michael, the pillow always comes first."
Jean floats after Risty as Michael resigns himself to his fate.
"Fine, I guess I'll be the one to do all the work!" Michael picks up the unconscious Leina onto his back and started walking in the direction Risty was leading them. Looking behind himself, Michael noticed a slight disturbance before choosing to ignore it for now. There was something following them.
'It looks like we'll be getting more than just our money's worth once we return this girl back.' Michael looked back to Leina before smiling, 'Anyways, at least things will get lively.'
Travelling to Count Vance's Castle Michael and his group intend to return the runaway daughter of Count Vance, Leina Vance.
Skit: Taking Responsibility!
Risty: It's almost dark, so we should camp out around this area.
Jean: I agree. I've been rather tired with how far we traveled down this road.
Michael: Yeah, it's understandable because you're not the one carrying an unconscious girl who just relieved herself the whole way here.
Risty: Quit your complaining, you were the one, who wanted to come for half of the reward, so just do your part. If you don't want the money, then you can just leave her with me.
Michael: Yeah, I know we can do that, but after I went out of my way to help her, I feel like I should at least take some responsibility and escort her back home.
Jean: So could that be your other reason for asking Risty to do this for us?
Michael: Probably, I mean I don't feel like letting someone I just met down.
Risty: …
Jean *Facepalms*: Michael…
Michael: What?
Risty: Responsibility for another person? That's strange hearing that come from you of all people. I thought your *duty* outweighed personal affairs? Whatever that duty was in the first place.
Michael *looking apologetic*: Risty, you know…I…
Risty: Forget it. Just put down the girl and start making camp.
*Risty leaves both Michael and Jean alone.*
Michael: Man, I need to know when to shut up.
Jean: That would have been wise considering your current situation with her. But don't worry, she'll understand soon enough.
Michael: It's been a year since that happened. I don't think she'll be lenient on me anymore. Not after what I did…
[SKIT END]
Next Chapter- Havoc ensues in the Vance Castle!
OC Main Character:
Name: Michael Chevalier
Age: 19
Alias: Master Swordsman, Black Steeled Devil
Appearance: Michael is a tall dark skinned young man with black spikey hair. In stature, he is about 6 feet 0 in height. He has silver eyes. He is well built for a young man his age and holds a muscular body from his past training with his father and Adoptive Mother. Michael wears a Dark Blue Coat, underneath it he has a black long-sleeved shirt with white outlines and a thin light steel chest plate crafted for him by his adoptive mother. He wears black worn out pants and brown boots with a few worn out straps.
Abilities/Weapons:
- Skilled in Swordplay
- Hand to Hand Combat Expert
- Intermediate Blacksmith
Weapon: [Onyx Blade]-
One of the 7 Devil Arms of the Underworld, it once was a Sacred Treasure of the Underworld public before Lloyd, Michael's father stole it and used it as a tool to slay the weapons on creators. The weapon is a Jet Black Long sword with 3 crimson gems near the hilt of the blade. Its ability is to unleash vast amounts of demon power sealed into it at the cost of the user's stamina.