Erst der Letzt

Phase II: Royal Guard

Sander is well-known in Fluone Continent as the City of Sand. Wind blows with such strong force, forming hurricanes across the desert. Dried dust flying in the air makes it hard to breathe properly. The unstable temperature also poses risk for those who aren't adapted in such environment.

For the tribe people who have been accustomed to the desert, it is not a problem. However, for the Red Knights, it spells trouble. Chung hopes that the demons are also having the same disadvantage as them. Defending Sander will be difficult, but he will never give up.

"My Lord, the scouts have returned," a messenger comes to Chung. "The demons have been gaining control over Sander main gate. A detached troop appears to be heading this way. What should we do?"

Chung rises on his feet, his hand pulling his trustful weapon with ease. Behind him, the Red Knights are prepared to fight and follow their king's command.

One by one, demons begin emerging from mountain of dust that conceals their presence. With a cry, Chung leads his army to fight the demons.

# # #

Meanwhile, whirlwind and sandstorm starts to shape across the Sander desert. The demons have taken control of the main gate, and are guarding the place from outsider.

Atop the main gate, Ciel stands by himself. The contract between him and Lu pulsates roughly in, and he unconsciously put his hand on it. Images from when they invaded Sander flicker inside his mind. It bothers him, to be honest, but he doesn't know what to think about it.

Before he can contemplate further about them, a demon comes to him. "The lure has been taken. It is just as you said, the Red Knights from Hamel is coming."

Ciel nods in acknowledgement.

"Then it is our time to move. Leave several troops here, and get the rest. Commence the assault at once."

"With pleasure~" the demon smirks in delight, and then takes his way outside to inform the other demons.

Without a second thought, Ciel jumps down from the top of the gate to desert below. Desert winds stack the dust into the air, creating small sandstorms in its wake. It's hard to see anything behind the veil of thick dust, but it poses no problem for the demon butler.

As the hordes of demon begin their assault, Ciel takes a different route. He takes out his cross-shaped rifle from his back, attempting to snipe the Red Knights. Using his skill as a former mercenary assassin, Ciel manages to kill several knights at once.

Until fired blast from hidden cannon demolish heap of rocks behind him.

A figure emerges from behind the raging storm of dust. Clad in white armor and with the legendary Destroyer he carries, Ciel knows whom exactly he is currently facing.

"Why did you attack Sander?" Chung asks. His freiturnier armor causes his voice to sound deeper and louder than normal.

Ciel frowns. "You are not of Sander. There is no need for you to fret about this village."

"Sanderian or not, they are humans like us Hamelian as well,"Chung activates his Destroyer, ready to strike."I will not let you continue to wreak havoc in this land any longer."

"There is no war without casualties."

"But you didn't have to kill them!"

Silence befalls them for a few seconds, until Ciel finally opens his mouth.

"It was an order from my master. I… have no right to defy her."

Chung reloads his weapon after he heard the answer. Ciel takes it as a declaration of duel between them.

"It seems my thoughts cannot reach you," the young leader of the Red Knights laments. "Raise your weapon, demon. Words pale before the demonstration of what I speak of."

Ciel does it, wordlessly.

#

Dueling against Chung turns out to be more strenuous than what Ciel expected. The Iron Paladin has long shed his freiturnier, but to Ciel it was like he has inane amount of stamina to fight.

Both fighters battle with vicious power. Barrage of bullets and explosions fills up giant half of their battle. Since both of them specialize in range-type attacks, their skills are equally tied.

The sun has burned atop of their heads since hours ago. All the other demons and the knights have long since fallen. Desert sandstorms and whirlwinds further decreasing their aptitude for fighting.

In the deserted battlefield, both of them are the last ones standing.

Ciel can feel his own endurance has begun to drop steadily. He will not last if the duel drags on. He has to flee, but because his opponent is Chung, it is something near impossible to pull. Using the thick layer of sand to hide his presence, Ciel raises his weapon, aiming it at the unaware Iron Paladin.

He'll have to stake everything on his last bullet.

# # #

After Chung had left Hamel three days ago, Penensio takes charge of the remaining knights to guard Hamel. Stray demons that come attacking begin to increase in number. Several knights patrol around the capital city more often than before.

In the deepest part of Halls of Water, Ain can feel the uneasiness of every citizen in Hamel hanging in the atmosphere. Being a celestial, he can sense whenever a demon invades the capital city. It stirs something akin to itchiness on his skin, which irks him greatly.

Deciding that the demons are starting to annoy him by every ticking second, Ain sets his way out from the empty place. His mission may to restore the El, but any demon dares to roam Elrios will sully the Goddess' land. He will obliterate every demon pitiful enough to come across his path.

When he reaches the front area of the Hall, Ain sees two knights are busy fighting some flying demons. The very sight of those vile creatures irritates him, and the knights are terrible at their job. His pendulum shatters into specks of light as he prepares himself for combat.

Mustering his mana, Ain raises his arm, beckoning several enchanted circle to form—of which projectile daggers manifest in a large number—and fires them toward the demons. They discharge with full force, easily killing each one of the winged demons.

The knights who have just witnessed it can't help but to gawk at the stranger clad in white with shock and awe. They didn't expect someone would come out from the Halls of Water and defeat so many demons effortlessly.

"I… uh, I mean, t-thank you," one of them stutters out. "…for helping us in dealing with the demons just now."

"Yeah, we're so grateful for your help," the other knight adds. "Anyway, it's dangerous right around here. You should go to a safe place before more demons—"

Ain throws a nasty glare to him, cutting the rest of his words off.

"I will exterminate each and every one of them myself. You humans are unreliable enough as it is." His cold tone stunned the knights into silence. "Don't get in my way."

Without waiting for an answer, Ain turns around and walks off.

The more he strides outside, Ain can clearly feel demon presences everywhere. His skin itches even more than it already has. Whenever Ain catches sight of demons, he immediately goes after them.

After so many slaughters of demons later, a pair of armored demons then appears in front of him. Another one with a huge shield shows up before long.

The demons mumble out incomprehensible words when they laid their eyes on him, which to Ain sounds like gibberish banter. He doesn't waste time to manifest a giant projectile spear in his hand and aiming it to the demons.

"Brocken…" he holds the spear for two seconds, charging its power. "—Phantasm!"

Ain throws the spear at them with full force. The projectile weapon shoots through the air like a flash, detonating itself when it pierces the demons. However, their defense capabilities prove true when Ain watches as they stand back on their feet.

He notices other knights running around fighting stray demons in the distance, but pays them no mind. Summoning a projected sword, Ain slashes through the demons, and then finishes it by firing multiple daggers at their faces.

But he doesn't expect for the shield carrier to rush forward, violently drives its shield at him. Ain flinches at the sudden attack, but quickly recovers and thrusts his sword toward the demon. He slashes it some more before stabbing his sword and shattering it. The demon cries and tumbles backward, losing its life.

As Ain tries to regain back his lost mana, a powerful demon presence assaults his senses without warning.

"This considerable amount of demonic power…" he mutters out while attempting to locate the source, "…it must be their leader."

Hastily, Ain sprints his way to follow trails of the unknown demonic aura. It leads him to a cavern. A knight who guards the place notices his arrival and walks forward to stop Ain.

"Hark! This Magmanta's Cave is deemed to be not safe to visit."

Ain glowers at him. "Step aside. I have no time to waste on you."

"I'm sorry, but you had better go before something awful happens."

Losing his patience, Ain uses his power to warp behind the guard and far into the cave. Of course, the guard doesn't notice this and thinks that Ain suddenly vanishes without trace.

# # #

Ciel stumbles his way inside the cave. It has been a day since he fought Chung in the desert, and now he needs to recovers a huge chunk of his power that he had used in that duel. He has regained some power and used it to summons many demons across Hamel in order to distract the knights.

Most of his powers have been recovered, but the duel against Chung doesn't let him left the battlefield unscathed. Ciel will have to repair the damage done to his weapon soon, along with his tattered coat. It was a miracle that he somehow escaped.

A weird sensation tickles his senses and Ciel instantly on guard. It doesn't feel like another demon's, but isn't entirely a human's either.

Something bright comes his way in full speed. Ciel steps aside in time to avoid a spear from lodging itself in his head.

A figure clad in white robe and golden linings shows up. "So it was you, the root of all evils and the cause of those wretched demons trying to invade Hamel."

The dim light of the place makes it hard for Ciel to clearly see this man. But he notices his light-blue colored hair and eyes. For a male, he has a rather stunning appearance, almost ethereal.

But his cold tone makes Ciel wonder if the person standing in front of him is human at all.

"Your statement proves true," he replies in a smooth voice. "I will not deny it."

"You reek of demon, yet also human simultaneously," the man in white speaks. "Two things I most despise in this world."

A projected sword manifests itself in the stranger's hand. Ciel takes a deep breath and slowly readies his cross-shaped rifle for combat. He has a feeling that he's going to die.

"Let the battle begins."

# # #