A/N: Here we are. A special chapter. More or less, the same as a regular chapter but it gives me an excuse to name it.

We have hit 100 faves! Thanks! It is really nice to see that big number there.

I may be posting this to AO3 in the future (My invite came in today) so if you prefer to read in the Epub format (which AO3 allows you to download a fic in) then head over there when It's released. I'll post it soon.

For readers of my other fic, which also now has 100 faves, Chapter 3 is coming soon. I migrated the project to a writing software called bibisco and am working on it there now. It is coming.

Other than that, enjoy!

"Lilika!"

I ran towards the girl with the blue ribbons in her hair. She ran towards me. We collided into a hug. Her arms around my stomach, mine around hers.

"Ariete! I thought you died in the wave!" Lilika said into my cloak. I shuffled us into an alley.

"I thought I did too, Lilika." She let out a short laugh. We separated. She then looked at me up and down. "Aren't we the same age?" Lilika said. "I'm a companion of one of the heroes. Levelling does make you grow…"

"Whaaat!?" Lilika dropped her jaw. I nodded. "Yep, Shieldy, me and Raphtalia."

"Wait, Shield?" I nodded again. "Yeah, the Shield Hero." She looked at me with surprise, then confusion.

"I thought you said you were the companion of a hero."

"I am."

"The Shield? Him a hero?"

"Yes. We've saved villages, y'know."

"Didn't he rape a girl?"

"Not true."

"Huh."

Lilika looked at the ground, then studied my face. She then shook her head and sighed. "Are you sure?" I nodded. "I'm going to believe you, just once." She shook her head again and muttered something under her breath. I didn't catch it.

"Hm? Did you say something?"

"It's nothing."

I looked at her. She was similar in age to Melty and me, and still the thin, brown-haired writer I had always known. I noticed the crowds in the street had split to the sides of the street. Was there a parade? I glanced out.

"I am here to deliver God's judgement upon the evil lord of this town!" Wait, no. No, no, no, No! A fat man was standing atop a carriage The demihumans looked at him with contempt, but none made a move. I looked into the covered part of the carriage.

"I must present my brother to you all! Meet Zekiral! He gestured his hands to the carriage and a thin man stepped out. It's him. Even with a hood on, I can tell it's him.

"Lilika, sorry about this, but you're going to need to hold on. She opened her mouth to say something, but she was already over my shoulder and yelling by the time sound could make it out. I dashed between buildings and up staircases. A leap took me onto a rooftop.

"Ariete! Put me down!" I ignored Lilika's words and jumped to another roof. She yelped as we went over the open air. I slid down the saltbox house and onto a garden. I complied with Lilika's request and set her down against the roof. I could see stars floating around her head.

"Don't…. go…. so…. fast…." She mumbled. I let her rest for a few minutes before she started yelling. "Next time, don't try to kill me! What was all that for!?"

"Lilika, your father has about an 80% chance of dying within the next hour." She stopped and paled. "W-What?"

"That thin man we saw go down the street, he… he is what I call the worst of the worst in hell." I rubbed my mouth. Should I tell her? I can't. She won't…

"What do you mean?" Lilika asked. Her chestnut hair swung in the breeze. "He killed my friends, made me fight against people from my village and he… he…" I can't say it. No. Not now. "He's done some bad things, okay? And his brother… well ask Raphtalia about that." I shuddered at the memory. Naofumi said cruel and unusual punishment was illegal in his world? That'd be nice here. I would have had to watch him torture my own si-

"I… don't know what to say." Lilika looked down. She hasn't really been exposed to loss and death before. I guess maybe being separated from me counts, but…

"We need to go now. Fancy a flying trick?" I could see the question mark appear above Lilika's head. I slung her over my shoulder again and let out my two daggers.

"Kantan, Katai! Double time it to the castle!" I placed my feet on the both of them and we raised about a foot into the air. "Hold on, Lilika!"

"W-Wait! Wha-" Her voice was cut off by the whoosh of air. We shot out of the alleyway into a conveniently empty street. The shops blurred as we flew past. "Faster, you two!"

"Yes, Master!" Kantan said. Katai made a grunt of acknowledgement. I used my mana to boost the speed of the two. Our height got lower as I bent my knees. We were now on the main street. The carriage holding the two slave abusers were in front of us. "Lilika, hope you aren't motion sick!" We sped forwards through the parted crowd. They stared as we flew past. A fat guy stepped off the carriage and looked behind himself.

"What in god's name is-" He didn't finish as I jumped. Me and Lilika flew over the carriage. It then turned to splinters. I skidded to a stop on the street as my daggers returned to their sheaths. I heard something from Kantan, but couldn't make it out from all the other noise. "Good work you two."

The only remaining trace of the carriage was the two horses (which somehow escaped unscathed) a few very battered artifacts and a single wooden wheel missing all but one of its spokes. Fat man made a few unintelligible noises.

"You've grown, Ariete." I whipped my head around.

"So have you, Master," I said. I set the dazed Lilika on the ground. This is between me and him. "I assume you're here to rejoin our cause?" He said. He set his hand on his whip.

"Hah, like I'd ever do that. I escaped for a reason. Excuse my language, but there's no way I'm going back to that hellhole." He frowned.

"Ah, that's too bad. We could have made great partners. Fellas, c'mon up here." He snapped his fingers. Ten slaves holding various weapons filed out from behind him. They had the same dead, lifeless expression I had when I decided to escape. I readied my stance.

"To quote a certain shield user, come at me, Bitch."

Raphtalia, wake up!" I yell-whispered. Tonight was the night. She should've stayed up. I shook her. "Fue?" She shot up. "Careful! It's me." She looked around then locked eyes with me. She had a question mark come out of her mouth, but then her face twisted in fear. "W-What are you doing here! We could be killed for-" I slapped my head over her mouth. "Stop yelling! Do you want them to find us?! We need to go now. No questions."

She nodded. I held her hand and we sneaked into the hallway. It was dark. I could hear the nighttime gladiators fighting above. Torches on the walls lit the dim hall. We crept along the wall.

"Ariete, are you sure about this?" Raphtalia asked. Her hand was shaking in mine. I looked back. Her entire body was trembling like it was exposed to winter air. Her hand was trying to crush mine.

"We'll be fine as soon as we get out of here," I said. We made it further along the hall to a set of doors. I inched them open and took a peek.

"We can monopolize by using both of them. The first is strong enough to win practically every fight, and they're twins. They both should be capable, right?" I ducked my head back and closed the door as quickly and quietly as possible. "Raphtalia, we need to go. Now." She nodded and we continued to sneak down the hall.

I heard a door open. I ducked behind a pillar and pulled Raphtalia with me. "It has been a nice night, brother. I'll see you tomorrow. Bring the girl over to my side of the place." The light around me became brighter as my eyes widened. Not Raphtalia. She can't handle it. No.

I heard footsteps approaching us. If we ran, Raphtalia wouldn't keep up with her malnourished muscles. I could carry her, but we would be too slow and be caught by him. Hiding here isn't gonna work either. Unless…

"Raphtalia, take this." I ripped a piece of my ragged shirt off and told her to put it over her nose and mouth. I stepped out of the pillar.

"Ah, what are you doing out so late, my darling warrior?" He asked. His eyes had a red glint to them. "Being out past bedtime calls for punishment." He slid his whip from his hip. I pulled a bottle out of my shirt. It hung on my neck with a little string.

"This is goodbye, Master." I poured the water down my shirt. It soaked through the rags and touched my crest. I winced as it dissolved into the air. A bit painful. I started chanting. He slung his whip out. I ducked and the leather passed over me. It slashed against the pillar Raphtalia was near and cut it. The pillar slid to the floor and the balcony it held up groaned. Raphtalia yelped as the pillar broke into pieces.

"Ah, is Zervite's toy here? Good! Let's have a versus match, shall we? " He snapped his fingers and a fat man came through the same door he did.

"Oh, the demi-human twins are both here? Do they need a good old beating?" The fat man wore a sadistically goofy smile. My chant finished. "Dreifach Hellfire!" Rather than a ball, a hose of flames appeared in my hands. I twisted the end and rather than water, flames came out of the end. I ignited the carpet and the wooden ceiling. The two sadists shouted something. I sensed something coming for me. I rolled to the side and kept my hose aimed towards the two. The room began to fill with smoke and flames. The spell ended, leaving me drained and the hose vanishing. A barrier of flaming pieces separated me and Raphtalia from the other two. I took her hand and started to run. We burst out of the front door and ran into the forest. I looked back only once to see the palace completely up in flames. For the first time since I was enslaved, I smiled.

The first slave to charge me was a young boy. He had a spear in his hands. I dodged his thrust and cut the wood right where his hand ended. He was left with a dowel in his hands. I kicked him back. The next two were another boy and a girl. Both had daggers. The first slashed downwards. I shifted to the side and watched the blade pass harmlessly in front of me. I kicked the boy in the behind and he collapsed onto the ground. The other girl shouted. "Don't touch HIM!" She threw her dagger at me. It was misaimed and hit the ground to my left. She charged me. I jumped, but she caught my foot. "Raaaagh!"

She twisted and I went spinning in the air. I hit the ground with an 'oof' sound. She picked her dagger back up and charged. I sent Kantan out. I knocked the dagger back out of her hands using Kantan. Experiment time. "Katai! Release!" I threw him out. He shined mid-air and then slid onto the ground as a tanned boy dressed in blue clothes. I didn't get to study their clothing or looks before. He had a blue tunic on top and a skirt-like leather armorpiece running down his legs. His arms were covered in orange bandages. His sword also had an orange hilt.

My mana had drained only halfway. "Katai, I order you to disable, not kill the attacking slaves." He nods briefly. "They're not the problem. He is." I said. I escaped you 2 years ago. I may have still ended up a slave again, but not yours. "It is time, for the student to best the Master," I recalled Kantan as Katai held off the rest of the slaves.

The thin man laughed. "You've declared independence, so I shall tell you my name. I am Zekrial. Call me Zek. You've done well, Ariete. It's a shame your life will be ending soon." He slid a whip off his belt with his left hand and a shortsword with his right. "So, surrender now and I'll take your head off quickly. Otherwise, a whipping is due for disrespect."

"You said your name was Zek, Right? Well, I'll be sure to make you wish you were never born with that name." He laughed and cracked his whip.

He was the first to move, sweeping out with his whip. I ducked. I looked at the whip as it passed over me. Leather, right? Kantan's sharp blade should be able to cut it. I moved in closer. He spun around and pulled the whip back. This time, I jumped and held my knife downwards. The whip should be severed after this. I waited. And waited again. The whip made contact with the dagger. Nothing.

Then, sparks exploded. My ears rang as the loud crack reached them.

"Dragon Leather. One of the finest and most painful of whip types. Made from the skin of a dragon slain by the Sword Hero himself. Enchanted to drain the mana of my enemies." He said. He spread his arms out mockingly. I checked my mana. Still okay, but lower than before.

"Now, Ariete. Punishment time!" He cackled and raised his whip. It came down and I stepped aside. I blocked stones from the street from flying into my face. I rushed in and thrust, but he parried with his shortsword. He tried to shove me back, but I dashed out of the range of his arm. I crouched and went for his legs. He stepped aside. I dodged his sword and his following whip. Katai seemed to have finished dealing with the children and was coming towards the fight.

"Katai, do NOT get involved! This is personal!" I went back in and stabbed. He dodged again and brought his sword up. I dashed backwards as it slammed onto the ground. He was overextended. I took the opportunity to go at his arm.

My dagger head closer to his skin. Closer… Closer… Milliseconds away from sweet, sweet revenge. Just need to make those few extra centimetres…

Wait, why is it getting farther away? Why's there red on my side? Why am I on the ground? What!?

"Sorry, Ariete. Seems you have a lot to learn from Master. Too bad you won't be alive to be taught."

I watched as his sword plunged for my heart.

A/N: Hoo, boy this was a good one. Lots of action, backstory and badass Ariete.

This SP chapter has three parts. Past, Present and Future. Mostly so I could have cool names for the chapters. This does mark the beginning of the climax of the story. I don't know how the pope fight will go, but oh well.

Azentra: I did skip over a small talk bit between the end of Chapter 21 and the beginning of chapter 22. It wasn't very important, so it's been cut.

Next time, Present. Including Badass Ariete and Badass Raphtalia and Badass Filo...