The God of Cookery

by havok038

Running from suffering to chase a shared dream, embracing his new meaning in life through his mentor's words, "Food is the medicine of the soul". A decade later, a Gate would unravel a fated encounter beyond in the new world. Racing against time to save a kindred spirit from her preordained ruin and the haunt from beasts of his past. Hitoshi Furuta would succeed, if nothing else.

28. Chapter 27 - Envoy of the Fane Part 2

Author's notes:

Part two is done, now for part three. I hope it doesn't go over the usual word count. This one's reading at 36k words alone. So technically, two chapters worth of content for you guys.

---

A harsh glare of dawn luminated the gateway into the forbidden zone for all to see, to witness the smothering corpses and smoke billowing out of the fortifications' arrowslits. For those who dwell within the confines of the walled district, there was only one way in and out. Through a six-ton portcullis gate manned by members of the Elven Guard, the nations premier military force. But it was mostly for the Elven Guard to move around the district to enforce order than the inhabitants leaving. A mixed garrison force of High Elf and members of the Watch, forbidden zone inhabitants sworn in as deputized enforcers numbering at around a hundred, occupied the upper parts of the walls as a live-in barracks.

As such, there was not even the slightest possibility of anyone sneaking into the district or sneaking out of it. Thus, the last thing the garrison would expect would be an assault on their front door in the early hours before light which came from the inside.

But shakened from their sleep they were, by the thunderous report of lightning that echoed through their corridors as each of their officers' quarters were stormed and mercilessly butchered in their daze. Those that collectively died to the explosions within the shared quarters were among the luckier ones to have perished not knowing they had.

The ones that were awake or on sentry duty that night, were made to contend with unknown individuals wielding weaponry that outclassed their bows, swords and the skill to wield them even in the confines. The attack was loud enough to catch the attention of those residents outside the walls and easily audible to those dwelling within.

A hundred warriors became sixty desperately rallying their forces to wage pitiful resistance against a foe they couldn't properly identify. Until, one of the Watch enforcers matched one of the attackers' profile to the person he'd struck last night, right before having his brains splattered all over the wall from a 7.62mm projectile passing through.

Sixty became fourteen making a desperate last stand at the roof battlements. Bewildered by how their superior numbers had dwindled drastically at the hands of only three attackers. They were caught off guard when the last reinforced door was blasted open with such force that the splinters fragmented like shrapnel, killing half a dozen and maiming the other half.

Out of the burning smoke burst a figure that went straight for the heads of the remaining High Elves exclusively. The swip of a ceremonial kopis passing through an armoured body sent blood and gore, along with chunks of the wearer's torso and dented armour oozing out onto the battlements. Each blow carried the fury of one woman's grief for her kind, ensuring that those who tasted her blade weren't given very clear deaths.

At least, the human accompanying the Armour-cladded Warrior Bunny was more merciful in his quick dispensing of death by means of that loud projectile weapon.

But the worst among them was neither of these two aforementioned individuals, for there was a third among them. Who killed not for vengeance or out of necessity, but for sport and pleasure.

He had been there at the beginning, killing them slowly with his knife of ungodly sharpness that allowed no shield or blade to parry. Dodging arrows as if they were thrown ruffled paper, dispatching of demi-humans five times his total body mass with precise and fluid motions that countered and used their body weights against them with strange combat techniques. Then after clearing a room, he left one survivor to run to the next to warn of the carnage that awaited them, only to repeat the circle until there were nobody left.

The outcome brought them to the top of the wall over the gateway where the last remnants of the forces garrisoned in the High Walls surrounding the forbidden zone were cornered and putting up a hopeless resistance against a determined foe.

The grizzled volralden who had been one of the many Head Enforcers within the Watch unit had only a moment to reflect on how his meeting with the oddity that had been giving out free food to the people was the very same person who was about to take his life, if he didn't fight harder for it.

Swinging a great axe, he had acquired with the full force of the Volralden muscle power backing it, the blade met with the outworlder's blade but did not lock. Instead, the latter used his own momentum to deflect his own strike, leaving him open to an attack like the light grazes he received for failing to fully parry or dodge the chain attack. Open enough for the outworlder to finish him with that compact projectile weapon in his holster but had opted to stay with the knife instead. As if reminding him of all the openings he could had easily exploited and killed him for. It was here that the Volralden understood that he was being toyed with even in his last few moments, causing him to feel the despair and helplessness creep in.

A sensation he had forgotten after taking up that wretched badge of the Watch. How different he was from when he was first nominated, a young adult decades ago with willful dreams in his head. Of a life out of the district slums, no longer scavenging or begging for food for his clansmen. Finding a mate to settle with in a home outside of these oppressive walls as his long running goal. Or how that fantasy ended when he suppressed his first riot, inadvertently killing some of his brethren. An outcast on the outside city and on the inside as well. A person can only go so far without a purpose in their life. He lived but at the same time wasn't living. That youth had died to keep this grizzled veteran alive in this personal hell.

The flash of steel across his heels robbed him of his footing and on his knees at the mercy of his ironic killer. Looking down at him with cold indifferent eyes and something else behind them. No words could describe it other than a certain awareness that seemed to feel like whatever it fell upon, it would comprehend in an instant. Just like the pair that was accessing him to the point that the outworlder could probably read his life history. Maybe that's why there was a softening glow that could only be a sympathic look amixed.

-I don't need your pity.- The Enforcer Volralden presented his neck raised up whilst in his kneel, as if indicating to the outworlder what to do.

It thus casted a wry smile upon the face of his foreign slayer who seemed pleasantly amused by his show of embracing death. Without begging, without regrets. Perhaps there were some, but nothing could change what had already been done. The Volralden who became an enforcer for the Elven Guard had already made his bed with them, even after many years of opportunity to leave he stayed. Because he couldn't imagine a life beyond the wall or back in the streets, he was afraid to face life. His greatest tragedy in life. But this grim reaper's appearance was his windfall, the sweet release from internal suffering. He failed in life, however, he could at very least choose his own death.

"Do… it…" He said in rough words that matched the Imperial Tongue that the outworlder spoke, encouraging the latter to do what needed to be done.

"I'll gladly take it then." (swipe)

No sooner had he said that, did the knife pass between the shoulders and the head. The world around began to spin and then dim, closing the curtains to the life of Koribal, former blood pack member of Volralden Clan Caine. The lifeless body followed suit, collapsing as it leaked the lifeblood that painted the floor with its former owner's howls of torment.

The silent cries while Hitoshi had heard many times before, not limited to race or background. But casted no reaction on him personally aside for the soft glow on the adamantite knife.

More preferable to the shameful pleading by the last remaining High Elf who was the garrisons' commandant at the feet of someone whose mercy was shorter lived than Hitoshi's. Before she kicked him off the sixty-foot-high wall, plummeting down screaming to his death. Yet, it was far from sating Parna's anger but would have to suffice.

Not until her master's objectives were met, when the Apostle of Flare was beaten and King Alok Wa Tanithil was on his knees begging for forgiveness.

"Take it easy, Parna."

Kir, the most level-headed among their group was most anxious, since his fellow companions' aggressions weren't kept in check. The Warrior Bunny was easier to deal with through calm words and assurance. But how was he supposed to calm the other person? Whose nature was unpredictable as the fates that led them together out from the prison he crawled out from.

"What's agitating you?" It was obvious, to Kir. Everything about this place. The Elf Rangers distrupting their trip to Velduar, Granham's rudeness and challenge that would only lead to her folly, and the oppression of the races including one of their own elven Houses. And yet, not obvious.

His eyes fixated on the dark monolithic structure in the distance, his stare almost as if penetrating whatever stone was used in its ancient construction. But his ears were the most perceptive of his senses than what he saw. And what he heard…

…..

-Will you help us.-….-You must help.-…-Free us, son of Be-.-

…

The one who appeared hounded rubbed his eyebrows to dispell the headache he was having.

"Those voices won't stop…"

"Huh? Voices?" The look was clearly agitated, but not by what Kir had thought.

"It's nothing. Just the vertigo from behind up here, I'd rather be back down there with my feet planted in the ground." Peeling his eyes away, Hitoshi passed it off as just mild discomfort from altitude, but Kir thought otherwise despite not pursuing it.

His eyes met with the other long-eared companion who shared his concern with worried eyes. Because the God of Cookery was far too level-headed to be having episodes of hallicinations, especially since no such trick had ever affected him like the one casted by a certain lich.

"Looks like they're right on time." He brought their focus down below at a caravan of similar demi-humans as the one he recently decapitated. Clan Lupus led by Volcatts had finally arrived from setting their diversions up along the way, even making off with some loot taken from the sites that they razed.

"Kir, please welcome our guests while I coordinate with Lady Rayfael and the others on the next set of directives." While uneasy in his heart, he obliged to carry out his instructions. But not before passing a knowing look over to Parna, depending on her to watch out for their friend in his stead.

Although, even with Parna beside him. He couldn't do anything to erase that growing unease at the way he was having them conduct around this City that was becoming more and more radical and confusing. The truth was that he'd been hearing these voices inaudible to others since he first set foot outside of their City Gates. And the closer he was to the Ziggurat, the louder it became.

Until Silwyr and the Tovonún elf outcasts and their magic cancelling aura appeared before him, cutting it off entirely. Or rather, when he entered their proximity. Leaving him highly suspicious of the true identity of the voices, the extent of its power and what was its genuine intent in the grand scheme of things developing here.

-Who are you?... Where are you?...-

More worrying than clashing with Flare's Demi-God Apostle and the Elven Municipal Guard.

---

When the portcullis gate mechanism began its drive to lift the iron gate requiring ten-horses' worth of strength to raise. A total of sixty-eight mercenaries of Volralden descent walk or rided through the arch triumphantly with minor trinkets dangling from their pockets and carts to show. Spoils taken from the houses right before they were purposefully torched to insight confusion upon the High Elf Hierarchy. No deaths nor casualties had occurred amongst the civilians or the mercenaries themselves as few would bravely face with packs of armoured six to seven-foot-tall demi-humans who made battles their daily business. Much less from the City which knew no conflict, thus, leaving a traumatic effect upon both civilian and military to paralyze their efforts at apprehending them, or even putting out the fires in a coordinated effort.

To Clan Lupus, this was nothing more than business as usual. Except within the confines of home city and under the employ of a different patron. Whose decisive skirmish with several high-profile individuals would reinforce the illusion of invincibility that the Japanese forces held to the inhabitants of the Special Region. Even so, it was unnatural for them to turn their backs to the Amarite Monarchy and Ruling Houses who had been their contractors for almost four hundred years.

To Lupus Volcatts, it was only a matter of time for this hubris the Ruling Houses called peace. It was either him who turncoated or one of his descendants in the future. But couldn't they have chosen an alternate line of work like the other Volralden Clans after the Succession War? There never really was an option for them, between laying down their arms and being forced into servitude by the Ruling Houses or loaning their lives when it mattered to the Houses. Clan Lupus was one of two dozen Clans who had evacuated to Amarel after the Imperials invaded their ancestral grounds centuries ago.

Serving one of the Ruling houses as capable fighters for many generations, Clan Lupus was spared the fate that had befallen a majority of the other Clans living in what became the Forbidden Zone by the virtue of being under the employ of a Ruling House. Lupus Volcatts was the fifty-fourth Chieftain since the separation from their fellow kind. Even in the socially secure status he and many clansmen grew up in, they would constantly face discrimination as the worst kind of folk there was.

Regarded as traitors within the High Walls, and untrustworthy turncoats amongst the city dwellers. With each generation of Volralden that passed on their mantle, yet the High Elves longevity allowed the latter to hold onto past grudges despite the many generatiosn passed.

And how many of his forefathers had worked till blood poured from their blistered hands before at last, one of the preceeding chieftains had been recognised for deeds past, earning the rank of Shire Lord? An empty title but one of nobility, nonetheless, allowing succeeding Volralden Generations a chance to prosper further.

To finally earn their right to live as people in Amarel.

Was this the true wish of the Volralden Ancestors?

A small part of Volcatts never really believed it even though he had received the mandatory indoctrination from his time serving in the Elven Guard where he faced bigotry head on. Or when he inherited his father's position as Chieftain. Why was he fighting for Lords who would never allow his clan respite? Why was he dedicating generations of clansmens' lives for the sake of these people who stole the futures of other Volralden Clans?

His disciplined mind allowed him to overcome these wilful notions over time, as well as the reminders from his elders that this was the way things were.

The rule of the Tanithil Dynasty had enjoyed a full hundred years of peace, yet, Clan Lupus was set off the leash like attack dogs on wandering brigands and roaming apex predators. He was even merited for the brief clash and early warning notice given to the City to the arrival of the Imperial Legions three years ago before armistice was drawn.

Yet, none of his fallen brethren received the recognition they deserved for the guerrilla war they waged on the Legions' advanced scouts and forcing the Imperials to compromise with a truce. And thus, sowed the seeds of doubt in Clan Chieftain Volcatts for the years to come. If an opportunity arose, even a mere ember to spark a civil war onto the City of Peace. Volcatts wanted to be there fanning the flames as hard as he could, tearing down the cruel institution that the Ruling Houses built upon the suffering of others.

If it would take a hundred more years until that opportunity arose for his descendants, he would prepare them as best he could. Only…

He never expected it to happen so soon.

"You're here early." A cheerful voice saluted him after a day since they'd last met.

"There was little resistance that they could offer." Tearing his gaze from the severed head of a Volralden High Elf collaborator, the Chieftain of Clan Lupus acknowledged. But no doubt, carrying reservations about whether they'd have to fight other Volralden Clans, those within the Forbidden Zone and those still aligned to the Ruling Houses.

"Come, I have someone who you should meet." His new employer, Captain Hitoshi Furuta of the Jayesdeef beckoned him to follow him.

The Chieftain of Clan Lupus only looked back once, to his clansmen. A slither of worry that arose when he remembered that this was the first time, they entered the Forbidden Zone. To come into contact with the other Volralden Clans after four hundred years of separation. Would they be able to bear the grudge held against them? He knew that if their situation was reverse, he would've likely cursed them endlessly. It tore his heart to think of how the acts of the Ancient High Elves had split them apart with no possible way for reconciliation.

"I'll have Parna direct them to the assembly area where they'll be briefed in advance. But this meeting requires a little personal touch from you."

"…" Volcatts understood, in fact, he even knew who he was being led to meet with.

He was led through the dilapidated streets, as if given a tour on the full extent of the residents suffering. He had delivered food supplies to the outside Gateway before, but never allowed to enter. There were eyes that fell upon his unblemished fur, a quality impossible in this dirt ridden streets which meant that he was an outsider. Then, as if it hadn't been enough to torture his eyes, he caught sight of a body mound. Simply a corner of the alley where corpses of the deceased were stacked upon one another, awaiting clearance.

Because where else would they end up when they died, nothing more than rotting meat left for the strays to eat. Even he expected to be buried with proper burial rites when it was his time, but it appeared that the district had yet another luxury not afforded to them. Was this really the kind of system his Clan had been upholding?

"Do you feel sorry for them?" Hitoshi asked as they walked.

"…" It would be a lie at this point if he denied it, but what caught his notice more was how his employer said it almost without a care.

"Would you ever consider the possibility that they'd felt sorry for you instead?" His second question was more uncomprehensible.

"….. Why would they?"

"Here they're poor and oppressed. But nobody decides their fate except themselves, apart from this City, is there really a place where Demi-humans aren't free to live as they please?" For someone who travelled more than the average inhabitant of the Vorshant Forest, as far as Alnus, he could understand where his employer was going.

It wasn't as black and white as freedom beyond the high walls that protected Amarel, everything out there was Imperial Territory. It was common sense that anything that wasn't Human by descent from both mother and father was regarded as a second-class citizen, often a wandering slave if no employment was secured. The only exception was Alnus, but even that was relatively new, and it was unknown as to how long they could keep things as they were over there. True liberty was nothing more than a fantasy.

"There's a saying, "Freedom isn't free."."

"….." As much as Volcatts hated that reality, this was how things were. Although, his employer had a rather quantitative approach towards it. Making him immune to notions of guilt and pity but cold and calculative.

"This is their price for their iteration of freedom. What's yours?" Volcatts was left to ponder on his words as they arrived at an assembly area where there were hundreds gathered carrying an eager spirit with many more joining as they walked towards the outside of a water spring.

"Might I ask what Sir Furuta's is?"

Under normal circumstances with regular clients, this wouldn't been considered insolent behaviour from an employee. However, Hitoshi never sensed ill intent behind those words that weren't merely curious as to what were his standards himself.

"Eight Years of Service to the JSDF." Among other things, and a whole lot more than he would ever tell.

"We're here." He said as they stopped before several metal canisters which had silk-like cloth attached to strings laying about being disassembled by two Jayesdeef soldiers.

An elf in lilac skin walked through the curious crowds that had gathered around these drop canisters to greet them both.

"Lady Rayfael, I give you Chieftain Volcatts of Clan Lupus."

But before Silwyr even voiced her words of thanks for his aid, Lupus Volcatts was already on one knee, and presented his unsheathed sword with head held low.

"On behalf of Clan Lupus, I thank you and your House for its centuries of charity to our people."

The heir to House Rayfael stood surprised by this show of gratitude from a mercenary no less. But she was not oblivious to why he had done so. There were many onlookers among the district inhabitants as these developments seemed to affect them the most.

"….. Sir Furuta has shared much about you Chieftain Volcatts. I'm also grateful for your Clans' assistance in our difficult endeavours." Relying on etiquette, she carried herself in the way Volcatts would imagine a Founding House Lord would conduct themselves.

"I hope…." Taking hold of not his outreaching blade by his furry hands as the sword dropped to the floor as if unimportant to her in gaining their obedience.

"We can rely upon one another again, just as our Ancestors had centuries ago." It was Volcatts' turn to be amazed and bewildered at the same time.

Rely on them? Was it not because House Rayfael took the stand for them that they fell from grace as well, to be comdemned to the same pit of hell that those who started the uproar were imprisoned in? Volcatts felt robbed of all emotion to express his willingness to atone for horrible things his clan had done over the centuries with her forgiving words. Why couldn't she just be the stereotypical grudge holder like everyone else was?

"Look." Witnessing the conflict on his expressions, Silwyr had him look at his clansmen approach their muster grounds.

And who was there to greet them, but none other than what remained of the other Volralden Clans. Volcatts' heart was clenching with pain as they approached from both flanks of his Clansmen and pincered them in an intimidating encirclement.

The more veteran of Clan Lupus stood in the front, determined to protect the younger of their group as Volralden dwellers as many as eleven tribes approached them, one to each individual. But never would he have expected them to do as they did next.

But raising their hands out for the members of Clan Lupus to take hold of.

And they did. And with it, their sincerest of wishes to stand with them once more. Nothing harsh was said, no violence erupted. Only conversations that began with greetings and welcome, that ended with best wishes or blessings upon each other.

"Wha-…." Volcatts uttered confused and in disbelief.

"You may have grown distant over the ages, but blood binds you to them. And that is something not even a high wall can take away from you." Silwyr smiled as her hardwork at explaining to the existing Volralden Clans of their intentions and who was helping them. When Clan Lupus was mentioned, instead of ire and distrust, they gave her their approval of confidence. Not because she was the last scion of House Rayfael, but Clan Lupus had come to their rescue.

"Don't you think so too, Chieftain?"

Volcatts couldn't imagine such a fairy tale-like response from someone whom his clan had outright abandoned despite the shelter House Rayfael initially provided.

"… Yes."

Such welling emotions that he felt compelled to use his life as collateral for whatever certain death venture the allied God of Cookery had in mind against the God of the Sun.

---

It was during the further interactions between Silwyr of House Rayfael and the Chieftain of Clan Lupus that Hitoshi was pulled away by SFG Lancer to discuss something in private, away from listening ears. He also took the time to change out of his Ceremonial Hakama to a more appropriate dressing of Type III Camo Uniform and skeletal battle order. Such that even Lancer felt it strange to see him in the same attire despite being of similar background, Hitoshi had almost never seen in full Combat Uniform out in the field since his deployment to the Special Region. And never needed to, be it at the mess halls or undercover as Zorzal's chef.

"What is it, Sergeant?" Lancer looked around conscious of who might be listening in their empty alleyway before speaking.

"Sir, the High Elves are showing some weird movements from the pylon readings." He conveyed these ominous signs that they were up to something as Hitoshi received the touchpad back from Lancer's surveillance monitoring. The echo pylon activated in their palace suite was proving its effectiveness at providing them real-time tactical information that would have been otherwise difficult to obtain without ground radars, infrared sensors or satellite imagery.

Hitoshi browsed through the images captured by the motion sensors of the pylon and the integrated CPU and program ability to judge how many were moving at a time. With the program giving him an estimate of over one-and-a-half thousand in moving in the same direction from two directions apart from the rest that scattered about, which could be relative to the civilians in anarchy for the latter.

"That's seems to be about a regiments-worth looking to blockade the district." Hitoshi affirmed what he was looking at.

"That's what I'm finding strange, Sir." Lancer shared his suspicion softly as many inhabitants had better hearing that many gave credit for.

"Remember the last time they came to meet us from the first time, it was just around a Company-strength? Royal Guards understandably." Lancer swipped his finger on the screen showing him an image from five minutes ago as opposed to the half-an-hour-old image.

The image showed more echoes gathering from the random motion of where they were fighting the fires to gather with the mono-direction movement like a stream of water.

"But this time, they're mobilizing what appears to be a significant force to do something."

"What are you suggesting?" Hitoshi would hear him first before making his own assumptions.

"As you said, a regiments-worth seems a little too overkill even if they intend to capture or kill us. That and adding in the apostle whose backing them, right? I mean, you said they sent like that one Ranger elf just to stalk you and Miss Parna. And us? The Central Barracks garrison was so negligent even an elephant could waltz right in and still not ring any alarms." Lancer was trying to tell him something that didn't jump out to him too obvious at first sight.

"You're thinking they mean to do something else with that extra manpower." Lancer nodded his head when Hitoshi was seeing eye to eye with his assessment.

"Given the icky history they have in this place, it's probably something not nice." Hitoshi was starting to feel that welling in his stomach that told him that the High Elves, whether inclusive of Alok's executive decision or Granham's demands was likely not to apprehend or corner the Spirit Ten-Five Team exclusively.

Hitoshi pivoted his gaze towards the inhabitants that had gathered about around Silwyr's abode by the waterfalls, speaking to each other on high spirits. And between races that rarely got along with one another without discomforts seen in their body language, hence, their intentions were genuine.

"…."

History had a funny way of repeating itself in different forms and premises. But one fact remained true, which was that the winners would decide how things were written, no matter what the logic or illogic of those actions. Hitoshi, through his travels with the SR abrode had seen this first hand and been a part of it too.

"We're on the same page now, Sergeant. I think you and I both know even with the ordnance that the Colonel dropped, we can't prolong this."

"Permission to speak, Sir." Lancer never referred to him so formally before as he'd never asked that of him despite outranking him.

"You're not gonna suggest I let you roam around behind enemy lines on your own to sabotage their chain of command, are you? You'd only buy us minutes."

"….."

"I don't want you putting me in a situation where I'll have to explain to Saber about your actions either." Lancer wished he didn't have to mention that either.

"What would you like to suggest, Riku?" Hitoshi would lend an ear to Lancer for the moment before deciding whether it was worth undertaking.

As Lancer did just that and surprised him a little for it to be him who suggested such a thing.

"I never took you for that type of soldier, Riku. Wouldn't your Fuyuki boys be surprised?" Hitoshi said with a wry smile as Lancer had indeed suggested something along the lines of severing the head of a serpent. But not in the fashion that one would've expected from an SFG like him.

"Then, I'll just tell'em I rubbed off you." He even found his perfect excuse.

"Fair enough." He replied chuckling, Hitoshi wasn't going to question his choices further.

"Although…." What SFG Lancer suggested did raise some possibilities despite its most prominent flaws. Flaws which were obvious but manageable and beneficial to them.

"I'll give you the greenlight this time, Riku."

"Are you sure, Sir? I mean after-."

"I'm sure. In fact, it'll be better if Granham assumes command over the entirety of their forces." They were betting everything on a strategy that revolved around a single course of action their opponent would take, thus natural for there to be hesitation on Lancer's expression. Especially when the odds were weighed heavily against them.

"I didn't want to spoil the surprise but I do have a sure-proof way of dealing with that Apostle, Riku." Hitoshi addressed Lancer's worry with some news.

"How?" Lancer asked almost immediately to reinforce his own beliefs of this ragged operation succeeding.

"Rory let me in on something, back when 3rd Recon were still together." Back when Itami hadn't left, Takeo, Shino and Mari weren't posted to the Akusho outpost, while Hazama and his staff were still fiddling about with fortifications at Alnus.

"I'll give you the Greenlight this time, Riku."

"Are you sure, Sir? I mean after-."

"I'm sure. In fact, if their forces move more in concert with the Apostle, things will be easier to predict." Even so, Hitoshi could see distress on Lancer's expression. As it meant that Granham had more men who would follow her orders to the letter, and the ratio between them wasn't the fairest of odds to begin with. Covered the side of his mouth, and Lancer leaned in like a schoolboy listening in on a dirty secret. After whispering it into Lancer's ears, the latter recoiled with squinted eyes, half believing what he was being told to be true.

"That's-….. why would she even tell you something like that?" Hitoshi could only shrug his shoulders, it was not something that immediately became critical until recently nor something the Apostle thought disadvantageous to indulge back then.

In all honesty, Hitoshi didn't really care at the time. It was none of his business, but Rory couldn't keep her mouth shut in the kitchen. She had worked with him for a brief period, or rather, he was made to teach her a few recipes as well as that of chocolate sweets for Valentines day. Because she wanted to get that one-up that neither the Mage nor the High Elf companion of hers could do on their own yet.

She had heard from a certain someone in Medical who shouldn't have been giving love advice that the way into a lover's heart was their ability to cook. And thus, Mari had deliberately pushed the Demi-god Lolita into his care. Incidentally, Lelei had already bought a cookbook and planned to do it herself next to them. Albeit making a mess of the kitchens because she shortcutted with magic, leading to stains that took weeks to clean. The Mess Hall Warrant Officer's complaints to Brigade S1 made Itami lose his leave to stay back to clean up all of it.

In any case, Lancer wasn't going to pursue the question further as he had no intention of hearing more of that comical history between Avenger and Rory Mercury which was widely known in Alnus.

"Have Kir accompany you, he has a surprisingly good set of eyes." Hitoshi said as he relinquished his Parker Hale Rifle to Lancer for additional reach.

"Alright." Lancer accepted his terms.

"I'll leave the time when you wanna start to you, but be sure it's five minutes before they storm the gateway, and make sure both of you are back at the rendezvous point." Understanding the overall strategy, Lancer went on his way to make his preparations and to brief his temporary partner on their assignment.

Hitoshi returned to where he left Volcatts and Silwyr who were establishing their connections and sharing valuable information, of the outside and inside of the enclosed District. While the overall supporters of House Rayfael and the Volralden Clans had been sorting through the usable weapons and distributing the food supplies that Clan Lupus looted. He swore it was a scene almost worthy of an entire culture documentary, capturing the very essence of how the Volralden bonded and rekindled their relations. Aside from the Volraldens themselves, there were many Kobolds, Jagurites Leonoids and a couple of other minor rare species not often seen outside like the Medusae women.

These hastily called militia gathered as a crowd around one of the air-drop canisters as they received an indepth demonstration and technical handling lecture from a very enthusiastic Dwarf and the only other JSDF personnel who knew the mechanical aspects of these weapons from another world.

"Pull back on this lever like so and you've just chambered a bullet." Takeo demonstrated the barebone basics of how said firearm operated without getting too technical to the locals who were marvelled at even the simplest of mechanisms such as a water pump.

"There's no string on this crossbow, how does it shoot?" Like Silwyr advised him previously, many of the inhabitants she had gathered to fight were perplexed by the principle on which these weapons and their means of propelling their projectiles and why the arrows were so short. It was Takeo's fault for comparing it with a crossbow to begin with, but unfortunately, there was no other comparison to give than that.

"Pressurized fire sends the bullet at speeds that will easily pass through armour." Even with Takeo's explanation, they seemed unconvinced by the inert metal contraption that lay before them.

"Why's there no shaft for the arrowheads?"

"Um-…" He began to be overwhelmed by their queries.

"I pushed the button like you said but nothing happens."

"That's because-…"

"Can't you just give us an enchanted blade or something else?" And complaints.

Until Hitoshi changed that with a compelling mechanical reason.

(Babababababababababababaam)

A thunderous roar of 30-06 high velocity ammunition streaked by, annihilating shards of the granite wall near the waterfall. They covered their ears as all first timers were to the discharge of firearms like the machine gun being hefted by Hitoshi in a handheld position. Even then, he fired only a couple of shots while keeping a stable stance and was already beginning to spray the weapon some off-target. Yet, they all could imagine the firepower that this unassuming device held. As some were diggers before, they knew how much force and time was required to cut out the equivalent with hand tools.

And thus, his "live" demonstration got to the point faster.

"Browning M1919A4 Machine Gun, calibre .30. Squeeze the trigger, control the spray, and it kills whatever its being pointed at with the business end of two hundred and fifty rounds emptied in half a minute."

Hitoshi's rundown was short and brief, before he deposited the weapon he carried into the arms of the Volralden Chieftain of Clan Lupus. Surprised that he would be given such a deadly weapon. And as someone who has seen the battlefield many times as well as what nearly every Jayesdeef soldier carried. Volcatts realised he was in possession of a weapon that would potentially give him power to face a whole cohort of Legionairres, a squadron of cavalry or even challenge a proud wyvern rider.

"And an apostle?" Volcatts was the only one bold enough to even suggest that.

"Not the slightest, you'd only be courting your own death. But you're welcome to try." It was widely discussed in Alnus that there were three things that the Special Task Force units couldn't face off with directly without careful consideration. Flame Dragons regardless of how small, Sea Monsters and aquatic-based sentient life, and of course Apostles. A classified recording of the Hakone Incident was made available for eyes only to the officers of the Special Task Force. To at least try to understand that their powers weren't limited to immunity to poisons, curses, mental afflictions, small-arms weaponry, while bearing superhuman strength, mastery of magic, limitless mana and quite an uncompromising disposition with no sought of shared moral or empathy to the dwellers of Earth or the Special Region itself. Apostles were singularities that all were advised to never engage nor track unless they had a compelling argument to justify before the apostle why they were stalking them.

In the case of Rory Mercury, Apostle of Emroy. She was a special case treated as a special guest and had been granted unparallel diplomatic privileges.

'I'd like to make an announcement. This concerns everyone so please don't make me strain my voice to reach out to all of you." The crowd obediently lowered their volumes of excitement for him to speak. Naturally, Hitoshi cleared his throat before continuing.

"Ahem. I've just gotten word from my associate about the forces amassing outside the Walls, they're numbering at around two thousand and are likely increasing." This news was met with franticness in their eyes as he disclosed something that shouldn't be shared publicly. Even Silwyr eyed him as to why he didn't consult her discreetly first.

"From their movements, they should be besieging this place in an hour's time, give or take."

"Then we'd better hurry." Volcatts let his confidence assure the four hundred or so people who were willing to stand by House Rayfael and her newfound ally against the invading force.

"Yes, when we are, I'll have you raise the gate."

"You'll have him do what?!" Not just Silwyr who said it but everyone else was having hairs standing up just by Hitoshi saying such a foolish thing.

"Perhaps this is Sir Furuta's first walled defense, if we want to hold them off long enough, we should be fortifying the gate house and all other access points."

"No." Volcatts was verbally challenged straight in his face, making his employer seem very incompetent to the rest, though they weren't trained fighters.

"No?"

"That'll only delay the inevitable, and you'd be giving them the breathing space to wear us down slowly."

"…" Hitoshi approached the drawings on leather parchment that were used to strategise among the remaining Clan Chieftains, Silwyr and the representatives of the other races. He etched some additional markings onto the parchment that represented the entire district and explained his scribblings in detail.

"With the Gate open, they'll naturally funnel through regardless if there are traps or not, since it saves them days of breaching the walls." To beat the Elven Municipal Guard, they had to think like them. What was the intent of this thousand-men strong contingent entering the Forbidden Zone? Simply to suppress another uprising, or something else entirely?

"With the Gate open, they'll naturally funnel into the access point since it saves them time breaching the walls. You will cut off all alleyways, doors, anything that allows them to go any direction but straight ahead. Leading them here." Hitoshi marked out a point that seemed to be the main assembly square where food provisions were often distributed during and after excavation times.

"That's all I have to say. You do your parts while my group does theirs in confronting Granham and the Vanguard force." Hitoshi promptly sheathed his knife and prepared to make off for another arrangement that was simultaneously happening.

"If you're unsure of anything else, ask Lady Rayfael or Chieftain Volcatts for clarifications." The moment he ceased his announcement, the inhabitants entered heated discussions amongst themselves over the probability of success after the Men in Green had shed further light on the odds to them by virtue of the strength of the Elven Guard sent to squash their uprising. Even if the outworlder gave a guarantee to remove the Apostle from the equation, he was leaving them to deal with thousands of highly skilled High Elf sharpshooters and swordsmen. Even mercy, some dared to point out.

Volcatts was already imagining where these weapons of the Men in Green were most useful, in places where they could maximise the saturation of fire over by bringing their targets close together. However…..

"These Brownings weapons, will they be enough to hold out against the Guard?" Even Volcatts was no fool when it came to the limitations of logistics and how it applied heavily to a weapon that dedicated all its killing power to the bullets that were attached to their belt in limited quantities.

"In this kinda terrain, wielded by first-time shooters? No." And neither was Hitoshi.

"These implementations are just there to give the High Elves a harsh wakeup call to reality. Letting them know we possess dangerous weapons that can kill them quickly and without mercy." As such, the induction of fear they should capitalize upon their opponents wasn't the latters' inability to kill them. Rather, despite their certain victory, there was going to be tremendous unavoidable losses on their side if they wished to quell this uprising. In victory assured, the fear of death is stronger.

And yet the faces of fear seem to return to the hundreds gathered as well, although with Silwyr and Volcatts being the only exceptions. The fault lay entirely with Hitoshi for the way he disclosed information and gave hard facts without motivating speeches. As such, despite the power of these repeating firearms, they were still obvious to the fact that a few hundred against two thousand warriors of Amarel was suicide. Warriors of the Elven Guard who have likely waited for an opportunity like this to either exterminate them or raise their own glory of killing dissidents.

How easily they fell into uncertainty, and when the Elven Guard collide with their ranks, will there be disarray? Hitoshi understood that they were placing a lot of burden on a quick muster of many inexperienced dwellers who hadn't even picked up a weapon to use on another person in their entire lives, hardly even considered a proper militia.

"It'll take a hundred times more than what we are now!" A Leonoid Alpha expressed his shared beliefs of their impossible chances to turn these odds around in their favour.

"Or, we just need to make each and every one of you a hundred times stronger."

With calm and collected words forming that absurd sentence, a few hundred eyes faced his direction. Even though they knew it was impossible and some scoffed loudly for him to hear, his mirthful expression made their hearts quicken.

"Sir Furuta knows of a way to do that? Make us stronger than we are now?" Taking advantage of the ripples he had just made in convincing them with his words alone, by amplifying them into waves, Silwyr inquired.

"Certainly, I might not rouse you with inspiring motivational speeches to kill a hundred a person. Or bless you with the knowledge crucial in defeating the Elven Guard with the time we have. But I can at least whip up something with a little kick that'll make you tireless in your struggles, perceptive as a hawk and maybe for some….. even feel invincible enough to take on the whole army." These feats that he claimed were beyond ludacrious and nobody would've believed even a scrape of what he said until his next sentence.

"You're forgetting that you have the God of Cookery on your side."

His words carefully brought back their senses from internal conflict and hesitation. That's right, he was a God of Cookery, but a god nonetheless. And despite his mortal coil, one that all other Deities acknowledged for his reality bending techniques as the rumours confirmed.

"How is that going to help?" One of the locals still expressed their doubts and was backed by many others. What would he said next to change their thinking this time?

"It's simple."

With an unapologetic smile and unsheathed knife twirling in his fingers he said all he needed to say.

"One special fighting elixir recipe, coming right up!"

It was time to let his most familiar skills in cooking decide the fate of this coming battle.

---

"She wishes to speak to me?" Tyuule double confirmed what Kenzaki had come over to tell Yam, but since she was available during her consultation hours, she heard it directly.

"Has Miss Kurokawa given them her medical screening?" This was important to enforce for the sake of the settlement's health and safety.

"One moment, here it is…" Kenzaki brought out the clipboard that held three paper reports on these individuals and handed it over.

Tyuule breezed through the neatly written medical report that stated that all three individuals were all given a clean bill of health and were not down with any sort of minor infectious ailments, diseases, colds or flu.

"Right." Tyuule said as she passed the report back to him.

"Wh-…. You mean you'll see her?"

"Yes, now if you please." That left Kenzaki feeling a little suspicious about why Noriko had asked to speak directly to Iota. But even so, he gave a respectful nod and left to inform the eager petitioner of her fulfilled request.

"Yam, cancel all my upcoming appointments and move them to tomorrow."

"Um-… alright. Is something the matter?"

"Don't ask questions. Just do them." Sometimes she wondered what gave this Dragonoid woman the idea that she could be this informal to her client. Perhaps she was being too lenient on her with the responsibilities expected of this professional bodyguard and it was time to put her to the test soon.

"Uh- Yes, my lady!" Yam replied with urgency when reprimanded, shifting all previous appointments with the many settlement folk, Warrior Bunny and Tradesmen who wished to discuss points either related to their lifestyle or to their job.

It was not an easy feat, to listen to their voices even if some brought up nonsensical or outright ludacrious ideas. She constantly gained valuable insight towards their demands and needs, and perhaps most of them appreciated her not just for acknowledging their ideas but simply listening to them.

A by-product of her daily meetings with over fifty people a day meant that she could almost identify every individual by their names or household at least, even though the family registry had all the information she needed at hand. Face to face contact had created a familiarity between herself and the peoples which she was governing provisionally, thus earning their respect and trust easily.

Thus, despite the heavy work loads no different from in the office of Zorzal, she had always found her days to be not only productive but fulfilling.

Tyuule stretched her arms and feet out of the desk and walked over to her very special stash. A box no wider than a tray, but its contents while not trivial in expense were invaluable to her. Even in their dried state, there was a pleasant smell radiating from its preserved contents.

It was teatime.

Or should she call it, coffee time since they were freshly roasted coffee beans sent straight from the port city of Proptor from a penpal of hers there. Even though Tyuule had never intended it, her work in sourcing her own beans had inadvertently created a coffee drinking culture there after her method of processing had made its way there via a merchant guild. A bean that was next to worthless being used as poultry feed had evolved into a luxury item overnight. Thus, gaining her a few valuable contacts of influence in commerce due to the beverage she had introduced into their busy lives. Her penpal was constantly asking her of ways to augment the taste to become tastier with her giving a few pointers every now and then.

And her penpal by the pen name, Will-o'-the-wisp would tell her a little more about the port city in return. Her interest begun with Will o' mentioning meeting Adonis Tutulus at a party a week ago, thus, patronizing her pen pal to indulge more about the mysterious Governor-Admiral of Proptor. Although, it was more like she was being patronized instead, having a hearty conveyance of letters which made her curious as to how Will o' looked like, and was it a he or a she?

In any case, though much of the development had settled down affording her more time to relax, Tyuule never seemed to lack things to do or get bored. Even without Furuta around, although she missed not being surprised at mealtimes with the most astounding varieties of cuisine. She wasn't the only one who shared that sentiment apparently, many had personally come asking when the Steward was returning, having believed he had gone on a journey that would take months. While not every meal on the menu was the same everyday with Furuta, his meals always seemed perfect for the time of day, and in line with the appetite of the inhabitants. That was his quirk.

Tyuule huffed a sigh, while the public meals made by her own brethren who received some tutelary from Furuta were quite good and palatable to the Warrior Bunnies taste, it was missing that extra "touch" that didn't need explanation.

"Ma'am, I've brought Miss Mochizuki."

She barely had time to breath in after exhaling her exaspiration when Kenzaki returned with the intended guest in no time at all.

"Please bring her in then."

While Tyuule added the finishing touches to her two cup brews, she called answered.

"Um-… Miss Iota, it's Noriko Mochizuki." Noriko hovered outside the entrance sheets awaiting approval.

"Come in, please. And have a seat." This was her first time to Iota's place, yet it betrayed her expectations of the former's grandeur and position. She was a wealthy and powerful individual, yet she lived in a similar abode to all the other inhabitants. If there was one luxury she possessed alone was that the Protector of this realm had the Yurt all to herself.

That and the siphon coffee maker intricately made of glass vials and brass she was attending to. Noriko found a seat in the lounge that resembled a traditional middle eastern tent, but adopted a Seiza posture since she was hesitant to be too comfortable in someone else's home.

By the time she made up her mind, a tray with refreshments and ethnic biscuits glazed in honey were made to seem highly appetizing on two individual plates was placed on a low table in front of them.

"Have you and your associates adjusted into your accommodations yet?"

"Uh- Yes! They're very comfortable, we slept soundly last night!" Amongst the snoring of one very inconsiderate occupant, the ease of the surroundings help her close her eyes at least.

"That is good to hear." Tyuule lifted the cup off the tray and placed it in front of Noriko as she did herself, accompanied by a plate of biscuits.

"Thank you…."

"I'm afraid these are the only accommodations I can provide."

"You've done plenty, My Lady!" Noriko found it hard to keep up with how courteous and well-mannered she was. It was like her etiquette was a niche above the common folk such as herself. When in reality, the objectivity that Tyuule struggled to adopt to keep herself from falling awkward in Noriko's presence.

"Do you take coffee?"

"Yes, please!"

"Then perhaps you could do me the favour of giving pointers on where I'm lacking, is that alright with you?"

"O-Of course! I'd be happy to!" Noriko took a sip out of the coffee with heavy froth on top.

Her lips touched the coffee that was at just right temperatures that didn't burn her mouth, and drank the warm almost milky and prominent texture of the coffee bean itself that stimulated her senses five-fold. Making all her fatigue seemingly vanish.

"It's delicious….."

"It is a brew that Furuta calls Macchiato."

Tyuule casually mentions that person Furuta that Noriko had also been wondering about.

"This Captain Furuta also taught you how to make coffee?"

Tyuule gave her a nod.

"Indeed, he did. Although, I wonder sometimes. Will he like it now?" She seem to have wandered on her own thoughts with that sentence alone. Making Noriko wonder how the Warrior Bunny regarded this Officer of the Self-Defense Force.

"Mister Kenzaki said he was away on some kind of expedition for a few days."

"To the Volgia Grasslands."

"Ah-…" Although Tyuule had been too honest with herself, Noriko reflected on that place that she was told he was going.

"You….. have heard of this place?" Tyuule knowingly asked her still.

"Mn. I knew someone who used to share with me many things about this world." Noriko quietly contemplated on her meeting "that" person. Who was ironically the person seated next to her.

"I…. see…." Tyuule acknowledged rather slow-witted on her end too, as she was also lost in thought.

She began to wonder what she meant to Noriko all this time, even though such a wishful thought would do her no good. But Tyuule knew that she had no right to ask that question, after what she did to her. Tyuule was caught in this conflict of emotions by her own doing. Because it seemed that Noriko wasn't aware of who ordered the hit on her. She felt too ashamed to ask.

"On to business, it seems you were eager to speak to me about something. Yes?" Tyuule casted aside her unstable emotions that would only serve to hinder her future works.

"I….. wish to do a documentary on the matter subject being your settlement and it people."

Tyuule calmed her nerves with another drink eloquently behind her veil, while Noriko was given further time to elaborate her intentions.

"Perhaps spend a few days touring with one the families and get their personal opinion of their life here in the enclave."

"For what purpose?"

"Eh?"

"Why would you go out of your way to document articles that are of no concern to the Japanese people themselves?" Although, put harshly. Noriko understood why she was asking. History and events of a place were catalogued and recorded by their own people. The only exception would be military intelligence, which meant that they were gathering details to exploit their weaknesses when invading. Thus, it was Noriko that had spoken offensively.

"Uh.. begging your pardon! You see, in our world, information is quite readily available to the common masses that you don't even need books. But as it stands, the entire Japanese population knows almost nothing about this world. And I thought if they were to get it, maybe your enclave could be the first thing they learn about." Noriko explained.

"Without books?" This was what got Tyuule curious. Parchment was already difficult to come by, what else would the Japanese people use to learn?

"Well, books are still around and are just as available to everyone. It's just that we've recently made headway in the last few decades in computers." Noriko had to be creative with the way she explained it for her to understand because the Special Region hadn't exactly had any serious scientific breakthroughs with the conveniences of magic. Nonetheless, she'd piqued Tyuule's interest enough that she bothered to listen attentively about common sense on the other side of the Gate.

"Computers are like… automatons I guess."

"I thought your world had no magic." Without mana, how was an automaton to work?

"Yes. It doesn't, these computers run on fuel and electricity. They can be made in any shape and size. U-Unfortunately, I don't have one to show you right now." When passing through the Ginza checkpoint, all her electronic devices were confiscated for safekeeping until she returned to Tokyo.

"They can help us in many ways."

"Like what?" Tyuule had indeed been curious to learn about these devices.

"Calculate numbers in a blink of an eye, measure with precision beyond what the average person is capable of gauging. Plus, they can do these tasks consistently without mistakes." These were unfathomable feats that not even the most educated scholars or skilled craftsmen could do at times. Tyuule understood why it became very desirable to the Imperials to call for peace, especially in Princess Pina's case. Who had reportedly been the only one of two Imperial Bureaucrats through the Gate at Alnus as guests. Though Noriko didn't realise it, she was freely handing Tyuule intelligence about the Princess concerning her actual motivations. Which if Tyuule had to guess, was to lavish in the conveniences of the outer worlds' technologies, by exploiting her channels of commerce and good relations with the Japanese Senate. But she also saw something else concerning the Japanese people and their army included.

"Your world sounds very dependent on these technologies." As she'd seen the vehicles in the motorpool being serviced and the firearms managed by Quartmaster Sindri at the range. They were products of technology as well, there was no possible way a human craftsmen or blacksmith could replicate these designs to the closest measurements. And even if they did, it would probably take them a lifetime to complete, which was not very economical.

"… Yeah, I won't deny it. If the power went out one day without returning, we'd probably all return to the stone age." Thus, it was also impossible to replicate firearms in the Special Region. Their ammunition had to be exactly interchangeable with each round to their respective caliber weapons as Sindri had taught her so she wouldn't mix the wrong cartridge to her own firearm.

Perhaps, if they were to have some of those automatons Noriko spoke of shipped over here it would be a different story in having them catch up to the Japanese in their field of Technology. But it was unlikely they could get their hands on such a controlled item, given unclear relations and transparency yet to develop between their world and the Japanese world.

"I see." It suddenly clicked to her, the advantage of Noriko's request to document the life of the Restorationist Inhabitants. Transparency. By showing how straightforward and reliable they were, it would lower the guard of Japan. Allowing opportunities for commercial trade and a chance to build on trust. Then, importing such technologies like these automatons would be easy.

"What do you have particularly in mind, Miss Mochizuki?" Tyuule showed interest in her intentions to bring the existence of her Settlement and Restoration effort to light to the Japanese people. Perhaps, they might even surpass the Pro-peace faction Imperials in establishing good relations faster, that was hopeful optimism that wouldn't harm anyone. And with Noriko's dedication and the content which Tyuule chose to present, could be a big factor to how it succeeded.

"Uh-… you sure? I mean, I do have your consent?" The settlement was already enjoying certain benefits from technology that no one else in their world were enjoying. To have electric lamps light their dark nights, mill their staple grains, processing their timber supply and giving them access to medicine and wonderous equipment the Aesir Clan brought with them.

"Only if you can answer me this one thing?" Tyuule had settled on what was otherwise a reasonable deal that had no drawbacks beyond intervening herself.

"Of course, anything. Please ask away and I'll do my best to answer."

"What are your motivations, Noriko?" She spoke plainly yet it surprised the latter who was ill prepared to be questioned.

"Eh?"

"I have come to understand Mister Komurazaki and Miss Kuribayashi a little better through their….. outgoing personalities, we should say. Mister Komurazaki wishes to seek out details behind censorship. Thus, he seems driven to pursue possibilities that may have both positive and negative implications to his discoveries and exposures, but nonetheless, his ideal in believing the masses deserve to know what goes on within their state and under their government." Was that really what Komurazaki was like? Noriko didn't think Tyuule would psycho-analyse that annoying fellow to that degree.

"Miss Kuribayashi is very well liked by my brethren who have only said good things about her deeds. She had a shy but well-intentioned disposition and seems to like to mingle with the children." Tyuule chuckled behind her hand gracefully. For among the places she made her rounds to check and inspect, she had also dedicated a short amount of time to reading stories to the children around the evening after dinners. There were many Japanese children's books but no one could read them.

They were simple but well-crafted stories that even she found endearing when reading them to the children of various races under the clear moonlight every night. As for the person in question, Nanami Kuribayashi, whom the children affectionately referred to as "Big Boobs Sis" had done the opposite approach to what Noriko was doing. She played with them and introduced to them new games in order to get a better understanding of the population which would provide her the most honest answer. Was this just intelligence or simply her good nature being rewarded, Tyuule didn't know well enough but figured a guess it was the latter.

"Which leaves you, Noriko?"

"Me…." Noriko seemed distant in thought but still heard her well enough to respond.

"Ymir and Kenzaki tell me you were one of the civilians who had been abducted during the early days of the invasion into Japan." Of course, these two did tell her that. However, she already knew that.

"…"

"Then subjected to suffering which was considered inethical in your world."

"What is your point?!" Noriko, in a state of distressed thoughts shouted back through sudden reaction before realizing how could she have let her words go out of control.

"Why remain here, in our world which only give you suffering?"

"I-….."

Tyuule had been the one who was initially hesitant when facing Noriko, even in disguise. Whether by guilt for facing someone she tried kill or that Noriko herself wasn't aware of that fact. But upon seeing what had become of Noriko, instead of herself, it was her who she pitied. No person would willingly tread places of danger unless they were lost inside, just like she had, or by example, Hitoshi as well.

On that day, when Noriko was delivered to safety. Her body was saved, but perhaps her spirit hadn't.

"You've been through a lot, I can see. It must have been hard on you."

"Huh?..." Noriko turned her way with moisture forming in her eyes. These confirmed the state of this poor girl. And to think she wanted this person dead for something that didn't happen to her, Tyuule felt like punching her former self. Had Hitoshi not been there, she didn't know what she would become today. A monster hellbent on watching this world tear itself to shreds to satisfy a grievance that was nothing more than her ego and baseless pride being hurt.

Tyuule bent down and held her shoulders with both hands and gazed into her eyes through the thin veil, neglecting how easy it was at that distance to make out her features hidden beneath.

"I had lost my way too, Noriko. And not too long ago, if I might add. But someone found me in a state that I would never want to show to anyone again and gave me more than he'll ever know." Tyuule never specified who, but it didn't matter. Noriko had been empathized with rather than given sympathy which had more meaning to her.

"Maybe, I could do the same for you. I can't promise you a smooth journey, but at least I'll be here if you need me." Tyuule could never have expected the next thing to happen to her, even with her Warrior Bunny senses, as a pair of arms wrapped itself around her shoulders and buried a face into her chest as the recipient mourned her sorrows into her bosom.

Crying away her anxieties, her fears, her grief for the loss of her parents and her Hiroki whom no one had even bothered to acknowledge to her was dead. And neither did Tyuule reject her need to express her grief and need for emotional assurance, running a hand over Noriko's head to calm her. Just like Hitoshi had done for her in to express the power of trust through physical contact.

At long last, Tyuules last emotion of compromise had faded from her heart. Well, almost. There was still one last grievance that she would not let go before he died in despair. Tyuule lost all hate and fear of Noriko, if anything she still owed her an apology for sending people to kill her. But that could be done at a more appropriate time, when she no longer needed to hide behind a concealment.

"I don't know why-….." Noriko spoke so softly still latched on.

"Yes?"

"You remind me of someone who did the same when I was first taken." Tyuule was without a doubt who she referred to.

"…" Tyuule had vaguely remembered such was their first encounter but her reasons were more for her self-interests. Noriko was just a new girl who hadn't yet learnt about Tyuule's story to pass judgement on her. Even amongst slaves, there were such things as pride and hierarchy. She just wanted someone to talk to who wouldn't immediately cast a cold shoulder to her.

"She was a Warrior Bunny like you all. Ah-…." Noriko dried her tears and immediately jumped out of said person's embrace. She had said something that shouldn't be said, for Noriko was aware that the person she mentioned was not just a brethren to them, but once their former queen. How much had she already said? Noriko didn't want to say anymore for fear of what the other Warrior Bunnies would do when they learnt that the Former Queen was likely by the side of Prince Zorzal. Even if she knew because Tyuule had told her the whole story, others thought differently.

What did Lady Iota think about concerning Tyuule?

"If there is a Warrior Bunny enslaved where you came from, I'm sure our sources and parties will do their best to find her." Iota said out of courtesy, even though she knew that no matter how they searched, "Queen Tyuule of Volgia" would never reveal herself if she didn't want to.

"Mn." What she said, Noriko believed her. But also had concern regarding Tyuule's fate whom she was unsure of whether was still alive or not. If she was ever found when rescued, how would they react? Would she be treated as a comdemned criminal, nonetheless? Noriko couldn't stand the thought for someone who had in a sense given her a small semblance of hope in a living hell. She must do something to prevent that from ever happening.

"A-… As I requested, would you allow me this opportunity to document the inhabitants of your settlement? I believe it would do some good, maybe even go as far as acquiring a strong public support from the Japanese public!" When Tyuule heard this, she was surprised Noriko would go so far. Truly, public support in Japan was as powerful as they say. It could be the difference to having military assistance from the Japanese Soldiers and not at the behest of a popular public opinion that even the politicians would not miss the opportunity to raise their opinions of for their own appeal.

"Only if you are alright with it, Noriko." Tyuule's approval was met with elation and slight jublilation as Noriko shook her hand as thanks.

"I won't let you down, I promise." Another change that appeared was the return of fire in Noriko's eyes where it had been almost glassy before, even a warm smile to compliment it. For some reason, Tyuule's heart twisted with discomfort. It felt like she was manipulating her emotions to such a messed-up degree without telling her who she really was. But she couldn't, she knew what would happen the instant they knew, Tyuule was here in the settlement, without explanation or reason to dissuade them. Why was she so fearful of that now of all times?

-Ah.-

Furuta wasn't around. But did that always need be the case that she felt insecure without his presence? She had survived on her own before and now, she was surrounded by reliable people and needed by others all the same. Personally, she blamed the absence of her Dragonoid Bodyguard who was supposed to be at her side all the time, not at the pub all day round. Perhaps, she should stop being such a child and be like Noriko was. Seeking to prove herself.

"Ma'am, it's Kenzaki. Are you there?" With light taps against the supporting entrance frame, Kenzaki announced his presence outside her Yurt.

"Yes, I'm with Miss Mochizuki. Is something the matter?"

"There's a problem that requires your opinion on. Preferably in private." Kenzaki wished to speak without Noriko present.

"Come in." Kenzaki entered the Yurt to see that Noriko was indeed with Tyuule.

"Ma'am, I'm afraid that-."

"It's fine, I will allow it. Miss Mochizuki and I have come to a special agreement concerning the transparency of our Restoration efforts. Whatever problems concerning the Restoration, she will have permission to have first-hand knowledge of this events."

Kenzaki seemed a little hesitant to agree considering how Noriko first came here and what her intentions were besides her two compatriots.

"Or must you receive Furuta's permission also?" Kenzaki huffed a sigh, he'd already been left with managing the security of Helheim by Furuta, so technically he should be able to allow it himself.

"No. I'm fine."

"Then, what is the issue that must be brought to my attention as well, Mister Kenzaki?" Though not a military superior, Kenzaki stood to attention as he felt more comfortable doing so in her presence.

"It's about one of the Krueger household members who was reported missing two days ago, she appeared at the checkpoint just now. Babbling on about some sort of Imperial slave camp in the region. And-…. She claims she found members of her family amongst them. Reynela Krueger has been begging us to go rescue them by liberating the camp."

"I understand." Tyuule got up with her full attention given to Kenzaki.

"Please call for Mister Ymir to meet at the checkpoint. We will be there shortly." It was a delicate subject to discuss amongst her strongly resolute brethren, so the farthest they could be out of hearing range was the checkpoint in the Eastern forests.

Kenzaki nodded and went on his way to call for Ymir to discuss further actions and on how they wanted to approach this.

"Come, Noriko. Let's be on our way." Tyuule's outreached hand was held out to her.

"Yes, thank you for doing this." She accepted it and expressed her gratitude that Tyuule had included her in this surprisingly serious affair to bear witness.

"It's my pleasure."

"I can only hope for the best for the safety of the family members this woman speaks of." Noriko expressed her condolences and best wishes for the woman who had found her family enslaved and came back to request rescue.

That was also the focus of Tyuule's thoughts, although she wasn't just thinking about giving wishes. But potentially mounting a rescue party to save them. Even if it meant pleading on her knees or signing off certain favours to their superiors, it was a small price in comparison to the few more Warrior Bunnies she could save while the window to save them was still open.

Tyuule would not abandon them to their cruel fate, not this time.

---

He had minutes till the Elven Munipical Guard stormed the district through the High Walls, yet he was wandering around the ancient structures for the first time. Its steps reminded him of Meso-American structures, but the stone had a metallic finish despite being stone. And neither did they have any sort of erosion or decay which raised the question on how advanced was its material composition? The only damage visible were scratches and strike marks from where something dense cut into the stone, but he wasn't sure if it was the pickaxes and shovels that did it when they excavated this site.

He had left Volcatts in charge of seeing to it that the proper arrangements were done by the time things started. Silwyr would help by relaying and dispatching people where they were needed. Takeo and Kugel were the only ones who could teach the natives how to operate the sample machine guns in a two-man team. But they had more luck with instructing them on the simpler M26 grenades. Even so, much of the firepower would come from Spirit Ten-Five directly. And Parna, was allowed to act as she saw fit. In other words, rampant and unpredictable. Unlike everyone else, she had cause enough to do so as a member of the Volgia Bunny Kingdom and the Kopis Restoration as well. She was obligated to remind the High Elves the price for their theft, and Hitoshi wouldn't restrain her from wrecking havoc. Making her a more feared wildcard in the dialogue that would follow between himself and the High Elf Monarchs. The HG tracker which everyone was embedded with indicated that she was somewhere in the Trading District of negative elevation. A place that was underground which Hitoshi may or may not have told her contained several other artefacts stored in there under a commercial cargo firm. A company that Hitoshi had tracked via the Syndicate intel since he'd arrived here.

Hitoshi himself had only taken under thirty minutes to brew his "secret weapon elixir" thanks to the instant high temperature heat that Arpeggio instantly conjured with ease. Kept under a warm simmer in its cauldron for when it ready to distribute. Thus, his current sightseeing which was more of reconnoitering the local environment for his own benefit. But truth had been bugging him since the beginning of their arrival. At the City Gates, it was merely distant whispers in volume. At Alok's Palace, it was like it was voices next door. Within the Forbidden Zone district, it was as if someone was calling him directly from a several feet away.

And upon the ziggurat, it was someone whispering directly into his ear. Not one voice, but several with unease and discomfort in them.

Something was calling out to him from within.

He found himself at the peak of flat top ziggurat, under a shrine-like canopy occupied the top. Supported by pillars no different from the Altera temple and an inner support structure that was covered with ancient drawings of similar style to the Tapestry himself, Kir and Kugel had seen. It was here where he found himself staring at the depictions found on that wall. Not of Dragons and Men like at Altera, but of Elves.

Eight Elves with one endowed with a strange swirl of black light who stood prominently over the other seven. Standing in a row that circumference a depiction of the ziggurat itself with their swords all pointed downwards towards some kind of creature as if banishing it into the structure itself. Hazy in impression not because the hieroglyph was degrading over time, but because it seemed that those carving its likeness couldn't fully capture the full cast of how terrifying this creature was.

A dark crimson blob with spiny legs and hook-like talons and what counted for thick mandibles for one of the most grotesque depictions of a shroud monster only found in childrens' worst nightmares. He would blame it on his poor lighting though, provided by a single torch flame.

From what was interpreted by drawing alone and not the archaic writings that were clearly not elven were saying, appeared to be another side of the story that the Elves of Amarel told. It was obvious that these eight pointy-earred beings with long luscious hair were the founding ancestors of the Ancient High Elves. And the one with the weird dark light vortex powers was without a doubt the Rayfael Ancestor. The only difference between the legends told and carved into stone was who the real MVP was.

And that banished creature, was that the Demon that Silwyr spoke of?

It couldn't be, right? Sure, these carvings in stone might depict the heritage of the High Elves of Amarel to some accurate degree. But there was one thing that didn't sit well with the whole story.

It wasn't carved by the High Elves.

Kugel had coded the structure and runes in Altera to be at least three to four thousand years old. But the elves had only a history of around two thousand, according to Queen Elisen. It rung eerily within his mind that what was drawn there wasn't what had happened in the past but what was to happen. In other words, a prophetic message for its future inhabitants. He didn't like it, especially with the ambiguity of the High Elves' past origin.

Neither the fact that what he read so far was only three sides of a four-part wall to explain these things that had occurred, leaving one last corner to describe possibly what was yet to come. But it seemed that his luck had run out, or did it? Depending on how he viewed finding the last section of the wall completely defaced by deliberate cuts. So, he decided not to worry himself over nothing. Instead…

"Took you long enough." The person who he was referring to walked up cautiously with arms wrapping herself as if she were passing through haunted woods alone to get to him.

"Y-you got a problem? This place creeps me out!"

"Mimosa La Mer's only student, the Archmage La Mer whose been accredited for numerous historic excavations and archeological finds of the century. Is afraid of empty ancient ruins?" Even if her major wasn't anything to do with Philology like her mentor. Hitoshi expressed his disappointment in a colourful manner which only made Arpeggio more upset.

"I should be asking you what you're doing around here, lurking about on treasure finds instead of helping the rest." She pointed out with the unclear intentions of spite. Of course, she didn't actually know what he was here for.

"Ahem. So what do you need me for?" It was Arpeggio's indirect way of asking for things to do to prove herself. Since she'd been left in the sidelines all morning without any roles like the others.

"I'm giving you homework, Arpeggio."

"Tsk…." And she cringed at the mere mention of studies again, just how much did she skim during her years of tutelage? Hitoshi didn't want to peel away at Arpeggio's intellect just to find out how far she could be stretched only to find a peanut worth.

"Record these hieroglyphs. Find out what language closely derives with that." He pointed to the hieroglyphs, in case she missed what he was getting at. Given her lack of awareness sometimes.

"But, that's out of my area of expertise." He knew that it was out of her league and so too was he, but there was someone he knew that did. Even so, Hitoshi hadn't finished yet with his specifics.

"I also want you to determine the magic attribute coursing through this Fane." Hitoshi was seeing the same shade of emerald green as the City itself through his Essence Detection Magic, but a lot stronger than it. However, didn't appear that way from outside because the High Walls that so happen to conceal the district were made of Sorbuine Stone. That weird material Arpeggio introduced which had that strange property of absorbing mana the same way the descendants of House Rayfael could with their natural abilities. Hitoshi had numerous theories that he wished to ponder on by himself, but he wanted to wait for more solid evidence before making a conclusion.

"I have a hunch….. Well, that's all. I'll leave you to it then." Hitoshi was about to dismiss her when she asked another question that didn't seem interesting at first.

"Then. Once I've recorded it,…. C-can I leave this place?" Hitoshi sighed, how much of a scaredy cat was this unreliable bimbo mage?

"What, you scared you'll start hearing voices out of thin air?" He joked.

"Eekkk! Don't scare me like that!" But instead of shaking it off, her reaction was that of nervousness and paranoia. As if she really believed that something would come out and jump at her.

That's when Hitoshi realized….

"When?" Grabbing hold of her shoulders to steady her.

"Huh?"

"I said, when?! When did you start hearing those voices?" If she was afraid of the things she heard, Arpeggio became frightened instantly by the forcefulness in which he demanded it.

"Since the forest! The forest outskirts! At first, I thought they were mischievous sprites but then when we got closer to the City it started to sound like the rivers of the underworld!" Arpeggio exclaimed more afraid of him than what haunted her all this time.

Realising his mistake, he retracted his hands that imprinted a minor bruise mark on her fair skin from the amount of force applied and took a distance from her. He didn't bother with even reprimanding her for failing to report this because who in the right mind would take it on face value beyond mere hallicinations.

"Sorry." Arpeggio just nodded her head as she understood that he hadn't meant to hurt her intentionally.

"You-….. you hear it too?" Arpeggio asked sniffling at her end. "Why couldn't the others could hear it?" It appeared that she too had inquired from the others to no avail.

"….. That's because they weren't mages." He concluded like jigsaw pieces coming together.

The only trait they both had in common that the others didn't have was that they were attuned to the essence of mana itself to draw its power. Meaning that whatever was communicating to them was doing so from the very essence of their surroundings, nature.

"Arpeggio, I'm sorry but I'd like for you to keep this information between us."

"Huh?"

"Kir and Parna can't sense it but they've been looking at both of us like they're getting a read on something really bad going on here."

"An Apostle and an Elven army? What could possibly be worse than those things?" She didn't want to needlessly leave herself in the dark to the things that potentially could lunge out from the dark at her. But then, Hitoshi's response was a very grave and serious expression that he almost never gave at times.

"I don't know. That's why I need you to quickly record everything you can then we collapse this site." He wanted to remove this ancient Fane so that it was no longer pursued like Altera was.

"Why would you do that?" From her point of view, this was a heritage of the Elves. For being in their land and having incidentally skim read some of the drawings.

"….. Actually, there's something else I'd like to ask."

"Um-… yes?"

"When you were in Ascension, did you feel anything similar to this?"

Arpeggio said she heard the voices when they were still outside the Vorshant Forest, whilst he heard it only at the City gates. It was likely due to her more advanced magic and sensitivity to mana essence. But all she did was stare at him funny, why would he refer to the Warrior Bunnies Enclave at a time like this?

-Guess not.-

"Um-… Furuta, what's all this about?"

"Nothing you need to worry yourself over. Just do the things I ask and we'll be out of here by the day's end." Needlessly concerning themselves on something that'll remain buried, perhaps it was because he was influencing them with his unconscious thoughts looming onto the Fane itself longer than he normally would dwell on something.

But he felt compelled to do so, because something felt wrong.

Like he wasn't looking at the entire picture clearly because it had been shrouded in fog, partly the fault of the High Elves.

"Nothing? This was precisely the reason you were drawn here." A youthful and familiar voice caught them unawares for suddenly appearing out from the dark. And was met with a bluntless knife that was drawn at lightning speed and placed at her neck.

"Eeekkk!" Arpeggio had enough of jump scares as it was.

"How did you get here?" Hitoshi did not put away his knife, even as members of the Elven Rangers had their bows and swords drawn. Or with the persuasion of High Elf Faeye whom he'd last sent to deliver a message to the Queen, not the High Priestess.

"Don't you mean what, Hitoshi?" She asked cheerfully despite the unnerved atmosphere.

"I don't recall mentioning the Priestess being part of the arrangements, Piggy Faeye." He directed the focus to the middleman.

"She's outside waiting. And that's not my name, so quit calling me that!" Snapping with her jaws like some fierce dog would, Hitoshi was assured that they wouldn't do anything stupid on the account of Queen Elisen. So he retracted the knife and sheathed it.

Taking steps outside to meet with the person who would turn this situation around. He gave a knowing nod to Arpeggio to carry on as he had instructed and was accompanied by eleven Rangers. Some of them he couldn't bother to remember, but they did. After he kicked them about in the Quartz mine.

"You're going to make a deal with Queen Elisen, aren't you?" Gweyir asked whilst she pranced about jubilantly. She had figured it out herself and had come on her own accord, that told Hitoshi that beneath this girl's youthful exterior was nothing to be trifled with in terms of her intelligence. And in all honesty was making his negotiations with Elisen a lot harder.

"You say I am, so I must be." He commented no further.

"Muuuh! Hitoshi is giving me such a cold shoulder for no apparent reason." She danced around playfully while she spoke with cheek.

"Maybe because I see you for what you are behind those glassy eyes." He directed a piercing gaze into the pair of emerald orbs that served as her eyes but found no falter. Either she had no ill intent, or she was very good at hiding her emotions.

"Hehe…. A person of my caliber has to stay on top of her game if she wants to keep the Mother Wareharun relevant in the hearts of the people in the domain of others." She mused to the surprised of the guards at their conversations. But wasn't what Hitoshi had been referring to.

"Surely you understand-."

"-Couldn't care less about how you colluded to usurp Flare's control over the City for your Goddess."

"Heh!" Her delight was seen from how he had already figured out her motives. While she thought of their in-sync thoughts…

-This little bitch.- Hitoshi's was anything but. Because it meant that she was playing Granham like a fiddle despite the latter's genuine earnesty which even Hitoshi could see from a mile away from the way she looked at her. There was clearly history between them, something that Granham probably held with even greater esteem that perhaps her own piety.

"Hmmm… Hitoshi wasn't thinking of very nice things." She exclaimed with a pout, like she instantly read his thoughts despite his neutral expression the entire way.

"I'm just expressing my distaste for the way you go about stealing from Flare sorry on your Goddesses' behalf." And manipulating Granham with familiar ties. For Hitoshi now sensed a shift in the balance of power with Gweyir where he was. Because it meant that everyone else knew that she definitely wasn't in the City, and that wasn't limited to Granham either. Naturally, the first thing that blundering freight-train would think would be that Hitoshi kidnapped her. He would not be fooled by this girl's true agenda, she didn't want just the City back. She wanted the Fane as well. Incidentally, the only thing Flare was truly interested in within the City itself.

"How long did Wareharun feed off its power?" This query startled the young priestess for the first time.

"How did-."

"So, it's true." Then she realized, he had tricked her into answering for him. "Wareharun was born from the power of the Fane itself."

His words shocked his escorts who were totally oblivious to what was the real intention behind excavating the site for a structure which absolutely nobody knew was there. As Gweyir bore even more shock than the rest.

"Your Goddess is one of the youngest of the twelve. Its common knowledge around here that she was born from the collective spirit of the forest. But even then, how did she ascend on her own where countless other Demi-God Apostles failed even with guidance from their patron deities and her without?" This was the final reward for their centuries of service, a chance to try ascending to Godhood as a minor god. Rory too desired to take on this path in another lifetime. And by far, no past Apostle succeeded. It was a pretty steep slope to climb.

The answer, Wareharun was exposed to the ancient powers of the Fane in her Forest. The same way a certain hallowed child had been exposed to the raw untapped power of the Altera Temple by accident. Power that Flare thought to claim as his own once and failed when Dion fought back and killed his pawn. And then, Hitoshi killed Koschei who plotted to steal Dion's essence.

That's why Flare hated him so much, not because he killed the former Archmagi Koschei. What terrified Flare the most was to have him in a place like this at such a crucial time during their excavations.

The God of the Sun was afraid that Hitoshi would bring the Fane crumbling to the ground as he did to the Altera Temple. Hence, his proclamation of Hitoshi as the "profaner" via his Apostle. It was all too clear to him now. Flare would stop at nothing to gain this ancient power even if he had to cleanse this entire city of all life to get it. And why was a primary Deity so hell-bent on obtaining powers he almost certainly possessed? Hitoshi had an inkling it had to do with the widely known prophesy of the Apocryph; total planetary annihilation scheduled to happen in the distant future which spare no one, including the Gods. For some reason, Flare felt that this power that pre-dated even him was the solution to escaping his own oblivion. Imagine what the other Gods would think when they found out?

"Figures. If Granham wins, Flare gets what he wants, and your Goddess is doomed to die. But who's to say that if I win it'll be the opposite." He said as he left Gweyir in the dust to meet with the person he was supposed to, entering his view. Cladded in a similar Elven Armour and flanked by armed escorts as if she were heading into war herself. Queen Elisen clearly wasn't light-handed like her husband who had more of the virtues of a leader in peace time, but in times of conflict, it would be her that took the step forward. Seated under the shade of a hand-raised umbrella held by her attendants.

"You can hear her too, can't you!" Hitoshi did not stop for the young Priestess, shouting out for him to hear. Nor further indulging her means to interfere with the affairs of her Goddess.

"I wonder….."

It didn't matter to him, whether her Goddess had intentionally brought him to act as her champion. Or whether Flare still thought about him ruining his plans. He only wanted to deal with the mortal essence of these affairs. Once negotiations were over, he would leave this place with everyone that Amarel abandoned, some tribute and the High Elves would go about their business as usual.

But Amarel would however change forever, by being the first of whom to abandon their own Gods.

---

The strength of Founding Houses and source of emotional support to the King of Amarel was seated upon an ancient structure that was said to have pre-dated her ancestors. Escorted by her own trusted confidants and faction-aligned warriors, although the choice of coming in through a sewer was anything but pleasant even to them.

She was here because she had been sent for by something who was said to have an intertwining destiny with fates. The priests of the Pantheon had confirmed this from the shrines of three primary Gods. This person wasn't just a mere outworlder mortal who had the sights of the Gods set on him, he was someone just as terrifying as an Apostle or what counted for one on the other side of Holy Alnus.

"I was beginning to think you wouldn't come." He initiated the conversation with light chatter, whilst smiling at the Dark Elf Pryder who occupied the position of one of her advisors. Who in-turn was unsure of whether he was referring to him or his Queen.

"You said I would miss my chance, if I didn't appear. In these three years of rule alongside my husband, I have never been in a situation to lose such opportunities." So, she followed suit.

"I should think not." Hitoshi didn't personally know Elisen, but he always got a vibe that she had caught every opportunity to turn around a situation. Just as she had advised Alok Wa Tanithil discreetly the entire way from the City tour to the Tea Ceremony. Under normal circumstances, he might've missed it. But it was a bit too nostalgic to Hitoshi. It was almost like watching Tyuule manipulate Zorzal from the shadows again. The thought brought him a smile.

"Now, I'd like to hear what you have to discuss. You didn't threaten my personal aide with torture and interrogation for nothing, I'd assume." Hitoshi looked to where Pigtails Faeye was childishly sticking her tongue out at him for knowing that he couldn't hurt her now.

"Then, I'll be as blunt as possible." He said snatching a chair from the closest attendant and sat in a way that emulated arrogance.

"We're quite sick of the way you Elves play your facades and powerplays against one another, you're all sniveling spineless cowards who only know how to survive by depending on others and double-crossing them. Your kind should rightfully be rendered extinct." The words that came out of his mouth were as venomous as they were at rousing the infuriated hearts of the Rangers who raised their weapons. Only by virtue of Elisen's raised hand did they stay theirs.

As for the High Elf Queen herself, she maintained a perfect porcelain face of diplomacy in face of such a slander.

"Of all the Men in Green we would have liked to have visit our doorstep, fate has been unkind to have settled with you. Hitoshi Furuta. One who consorts with those furry-earred harlots over the other side of those mountains." Exhaling a breath,Elisen exchanged her own brand of poisonous words with him for good had come to a common understanding without false pretenses.

Which was that they both hated one another just as much.

"House Amarie sure knows a lot about Ascension Glades despite the tight lip I've maintained for the past month." But Hitoshi wasn't threatened by mere words, there were dozens of ways the High Elf Queen could've known about the settlement, like from the Forest spirits. As he also revealed the Queen's true heritage as the scion of Amarie, the First Founding Ancestor.

"Such coy behavior for a brat younger than us by a century. If I didn't know any better, your ambition can be seen clear as day through your so-called charity to those Warrior Bunnies. So forgive me for making you sound of a hypocrite." She scoffed with delight at her hurtful spite.

"You would know, Granny. Four Hundred Years of exploitation of other races is a pretty hard atrocity to cover up." Hitoshi smoothly reached into his pockets to light his habitual cigarette.

For the first time, a crack in Elisen's calm-like demenour became apparent. For Hitoshi held one key trump concerning their negotiations.

"Sure, the sins of your Ancestors don't pass on to you just like their Ancestors' supposed transgressions don't pass to them. But you still chose to subject them to that sort of environment solely because it was convenient for you. I'll be honest here, no country on the other side of the Gate would want to consort with the likes of such a savage race." Hitoshi spelt it out to her. Even if there was such a nation, the pressure that the international community would press upon that country for inethical practices would see to it that it should never exist.

"… Your world couldn't have possibly eradicated slavery. The very essence of one lording over another still remains, just like how you still report to a higher power." It was an intuitive guess but, not inaccurate.

"True. We just call it by other names." He said luring her with false pretense.

"Then-."

"Even so, why should I cover your scandalous affairs? What considerations would you possibly grant me to even think to hush it up?" And here came the devil for negotiations.

"…"

"A small price." No devil's demands were small, neither was his deceitful smile.

"What are your demands?" Glad he had finally come through, Hitoshi got up from the chair and squatted to eye contact before the Elven Queen.

"Just some reparations." He dropped a piece of paper into Pryder's hands who looked back with worry as he passed it to Elisen in turn.

She held it as her eyes darted over the lines before her hands began to shake.

"Such absurdity-… never!" Elisen's calm broke as she tossed her chair aside and waved the note. The light in Hitoshi's eyes did not change though.

"Then let me spell out the favours I'll be doing on your behalf, shall we?" Hitoshi flicked his bud of ash exclusively in Faeye's direction.

"You're not doing me any favours by having me spirit away thousands of witnesses and victims to the racial crimes you and your predecessors have been committing for over four hundred years. Even if we burn down the district, and you remove all traces from historic records, my superiors are quite nitpicky about the facts that I publish, so there's no guarantee they won't sent a second team to investigate for good measure." While not many reconnaissance groups had time to spare, there were technically some like the resource investigation teams which had no operating restrictions to venture far, approximately four others.

"Let's not forget the heavy lifting you've expecting me to do by gaining the wrath of Flare on top of what I've already garnered from most of your people. Along with the casualties sustained on both sides. The settlement charges, grievance fees and supplies for their deportation. They're not going from one town to another, they're travelling over the Mountain Range of Ice and Snow. So the least you could do out of any decency your race has would be to give them half of everything in your granary and treasury."

"Even so, we need resources to rebuild-!"

"None of my business, but let's agree to disagree. How much are does it cost to provide bare minimum for your people to eat, be clothed and have shelter? Or are you so presumptuous as to be calculating for the cost of bringing the City back to the same hubris before all this came down?" Hitoshi should've known better, Elisen was borderline just as petty over expenses.

"And then, there's the most important end of the deal which I'd be fulfilling for you."

"….."

The prime reason Elisen had even bothered to come before him making such underhanded dealings behind the back of her own husband, the King.

One that she didn't even need to affirm with him by verbal agreement. The City of Amarel could no longer support itself economically after the damages that Hitoshi and Clan Lupus had inflicted to their infrastructure and revenue sources. Furthermore, slave labour could not be called upon with the absence of the forbidden zone dwellers for quick and economic reconstruction efforts. The monarch had already lost its prestige and the trust of the Ruling Houses and its subjects for failing to apprehend Hitoshi and punish him. So, naturally they should be expected to take the fall for all that occurred. Or did they?

Because here was an opportunity that Elisen wa Tanithil née Amarie couldn't miss. The situation where she could rise over her husband by allowing him to solely take responsibility for the failures as she took charge over him.

A chance for the Elisen to gain true ruling power over the Nation not as Queen Consort, but Queen Regnant of Amarel. A Second Coming of the Amarie Dynasty, which would lead its people out of the ashes of destruction into a new beginning. While Alok and House Tanithil would officially shoulder the past blunders, she could write her name in the history books as the monarch who brought about a Golden Age for High Elf kind. Such ambitions required blood to be shed in the early stages of development. And Elisen very much desired for her hands to be as clean as possible. That's why she would be most willing to "outsource" these sorts of issues with someone such as Hitoshi Furuta who would take the role of crook. The question was, how much would she have to give in order for him to be satisfied? The list written on the note she received was almost enough to force her plans of quick revitalization into a standstill.

"Or how about we make a bet instead?"

"You're willing to make a wager with these stakes?" Elisen showed interest.

"I was asking, are you?" Since they couldn't come to compromise from both parties, Hitoshi suggested an alternative. That way, they could keep their steep terms.

As he asked this, the presence of another Founding House appeared before the steps making her way towards Hitoshi. Similarly, the Head Priestess of Wareharun stood by Queen Elisen's side.

"I wonder what Rayfael's blood would think of you gambling their lives over stakes which was not of their choice path?" Elisen attempted to dishearten Silwyr with the latest updates to their negotiations.

"Our choice was choosing the God of Cookery as our Champion. It is not as shallow as Her Majesty presumes." The Scion of House Rayfael responded with icy words.

"It was truly regrettable, how far House Rayfael had fallen on dark times. My deepest sympathies, Lady Silwyr." Elisen exchanged words of vicious intent with her own brethren, despite who was truly responsible for Rayfaels' fall.

"Even if Her Majesty says so. Thanks to that event, we have found other treasures that define our House traditions. Not the likes of empty jewels that occupy households with nothing but vanity as its only redeeming virtue." Silwyr returned with words without spite and maintained politeness but still had their effect on Elisen's ego and perhaps the pride of her lineage.

"Tsk. Your terms, Furuta." The Queen showed her impatience, and no longer focused on Silwyr but on her wager. Incidentally, Hitoshi was staring at Gweyir, who for some reason looked highly agitated by the presence of the lilac-skinned elf.

As the Priestess was highly Essence sensitive, while Silwyr carried her Ancestors' genetic trait of Anti-Magic attributes. It caused minor discomforts for someone as poorly attributed as Hitoshi, was likely agonizing for almost all the other High Elves and Gweyir especially.

Hitoshi enjoyed their discomforted expressions, but he also enjoyed the silence obtained from her presence as well. Mutting all those whispering voices that plagued his mind.

"Let's say that Granham succeeded. Your parameter for winning."

"Then?"He had her attention, after all.

"I'll order a priority airstrike on her. Ten thousand pounds of explosive firepower, the type that was used to vanquish the Flame Dragons. Not even an Apostle would survive."

"But neither will most of the Forbidden Zone, correct?" Elisen too had heard tales of how the Men in Green had dealt with both the Flame Dragon and its offspring accompanied by an Apostle of Hardy. Powerful fire so intense that not even Dragon Scale could withstand.

"No." Hitoshi affirmed her guess, but it didn't matter. Because the airstrike would also erase all traces of their inethical practices upon the Forbidden Zone dwellers. Thus, Elisen didn't need to deal with the Apostle if he failed to defeat her and neither did she have to address the problems of their exploitations of the Forbidden Zone. Alnus would assume that Hitoshi had engaged in an unwarranted engagement and personally apologise to the leading monarch of Amarel, which was her. For something they were completely oblivious to.

"And you have nothing to say to this?" Elisen turned her head towards Silwyr since he was virtually volunteering to clear them out if he lost.

"If that is the price for failing, so be it." Silwyr had put much at stake for an empty assurance that Hitoshi had given. But this was very much her gamble on him as it was for Hitoshi with Elisen. Thus, attributing a certain bravery to her behavior that even the Elisen's Rangers weren't blind to. If only she knew that Granham would not spare any of the inhabitants regardless.

"And what if you win?" It was uncustomary for Elisen to ask what happened if her opponent won, but she did.

"You make your due reparations with House Rayfael and the inhabitant races you imprisoned, or I'll order that same airstrike on the Palace."

"Anything else?" That was what was in the interest of Silwyr and her people. But what about Hitoshi's interests?

"You'll issue an indefinite ban on the Faith of Flare…. And Wareharun." Hitoshi intended to starve these Gods. "No one will worship either in this City ever again."

"What?! NOOO!" It was obvious who screamed at those words. Betrayed of her expectations on him, Hitoshi had decided to take the other route in lieu of asking for support from one God against another.

"As for any existing shrines or temples. Tear them down." Even Elisen shuddered to think of such a request that easily incurred divine wrath.

"Why?! For Lord Flare, I understand your contempt. But why does the Mother Wareharun deserve it too?!" No one, not even the Rangers or Elisen had ever seen the High Priestess of Wareharun so unnerved before. She was either playing mischievous tricks or roaming around eccentricity, but at the terrifying demands of the God of Cookery, she had turned white as a sheet.

"For any existing Clergy, exile them from the City."

"Why?! How could you deny her plea?!" At that moment, Gweyir broke down in tears. But no one came to console her, not even Silwyr who had more compassion than most. She had priority to her own people as did Elisen, if either could help it.

"Why you ask? Isn't that what your God asked you to do?" Hitoshi stared down deeply into the eyes of the Priestess like he was looking for some sort of reaction.

"I didn't ask to come here meddling with your affairs. If your Goddess read my mind, she should know that as well. But you insinuate that I should be helping you just because I have a moral boundary. You aren't the real victim here."

"But you'd help those abandoned by the City!" Gweyir looked in the direction of Silwyr, as if hinting for her to say something to support her.

"Sounds ridiculous, doesn't it? A God is asking for my help to fight another God on her behalf." He sneered.

"Lemme tell you something about us mortals on the other side of the Gate. Humanity didn't need the help of any Gods to advance, so we killed them." The mere immersion of such a reality was unfathomable to those who heard it.

"The Gods here see Humans and other sentient races as nothing more than livestock and weeds to be culled when they grew too much. To prevent them from finding their own way of living and finding meaning to their own existences to become independent." Hitoshi now gazed with fierce eyes upon the High Priestess.

"You tell me, in the thousand years of Amarel. Has your Goddess ever looked on all her children equally with love?"

"Yes! Of course!" She answered without thinking about the contradiction that stood right in front of her.

"Then would you care to explain why such a place as where you're standing exists?"

"Uh-." Realising the hypocrisy of her words in the very place that showed that such familiar love was subjective.

"Her love is not as unconditional as you think." Hitoshi exchanged eye contact with the Queen.

"…"

"Even now, people are going to die here. Because of something the Gods want from this place. Tell me, Your Majesty. Should the fate of Amarel be the decision of its primary ruler or on the whim of your Gods? Is your own destiny and ambition yours alone or yet another entertaining distraction for them?" These words hit deeply with Elisen, even though she knew he was merely manipulating words to sound convenient, he wasn't wrong either.

"Guards…" She called out to the Rangers, including Pryder and Faeye who stepped forwards at her command.

"Arrest the High Priestess." Colour faded from the young priestess as she couldn't believe the betrayal that was happening before her.

"Find a suitable place and keep her under house arrest."

"How can you do this, Elisen!?" The High Elf Priestess rushed the Queen in her calm demeanour, only to be caught by the Rangers' highest authorities and restricted.

"After all the blessings you and your kin received over centuries!"

"And they were good while they lasted. But I'm incline to agree with Furuta." The Queen delivered this chilling line to the priestess.

"In the end, what good are these two Gods who only seek to live off our daily prayers?" Hearing this, Gweyir lost all feeling in her struggle as she grit her teeth. The Rangers were inwardly just as terrified, for their liege had just discarded their patron deities as if they were excess baggage. How will they live their lives without the Gods to guide them in their ways. Of course, it wasn't the Religion of all Gods she would forbid, just the two which had caused the major disturbance. One of which whose Apostle had just hijacked the entire municipal guard to do her Lord's work.

Of course, to the priestess who was being sent away, this was sacrilege that she would never have imagined Elisen of all people to commit. How would she manage to tame the people's mood without the emotional and spiritual support that Wareharun provided to the High Elves in particular?

"Affairs among mortals?" Hitoshi gave a nod in response to the common ground that they'd established with her considerations she'd made through her compromise.

"Then let me do something for you as well. By the time Amarel is yours, I'll deliver the head of the one responsible for the disturbances in Amarel." Whatever the case, it was already assumed that he had kidnapped the priestess anyway.

"I don't need you to remove my husband, Furuta. You may not be fond his weak heartedness as I am, but he still has a passion I won't refute." Hitoshi cocked his head wondering what this woman was talking about. She was usurping her own husband, yet still loved him? Her way of showing affection was weird and illogical. Or was her ambition simply in conflict with her actual emotions and duties.

"Well, I guess every sovereign still needs a consort." Seeing that he wasn't going to fight her on this, Elisen made a visible sigh of relief that he would string Alok up on the walls as an example.

"But I wasn't referring to Alok." This surprised Elisen indeed.

"You imply another source of disturbance?"

"I did light up your Northern and Eastern districts as a diversion, but from what I hear, the fires are raging beyond their intended function with some people injured and even burnt alive." Someone else was deliberately adding fuel to his fires to turn a minor disturbance into a full-blown disaster, taking advantage of the chaos and anarchy to perhaps plunder and steal.

Whether Elisen believed him or not didn't matter.

"Incidentally, I heard you had a bandit problem that recently surfaced a couple of months ago. Stealing supplies and tradeable commodity meant for some of the other Cities over the Mountain Range." That was where the Elven Rangers came in, however, it proved to be too big an issue for their limited numbers.

"You heard correct. So, you mean to say they are the ones responsible?"

"It's a little more complicated than that. I belief you're quite familiar with current events concerning the Imperials, right?"

"Two factions, a prince and a princess. The latter of which I believe has the support of your Government. What's this got to do with these occurrences here?" Elisen didn't know everything after all. And from this, Hitoshi knew that. But it appeared that the effects of Imperial Civil War could surprisingly be found even here.

"Maybe I'll explain after things settle." A conspiracy that was about to unfold.

"You should do it now, you might not get the chance to later." She was greatly concerned by this info that he shared concerning an ill case that had been prevailing without a solution. If he were to lose their bet, there was no way she could solve it either.

"… No. I'll do it later." He affirmed whilst he checked his watch. "I'll be down there playing my part, the two of you can spectate, I guess." He said indicating Elisen and Silwyr in an odd combination for spectators over the overall battle to take place.

"Sir Furuta!" Silwyr called out as he neared the steps, which he turned around knowing what she was expecting.

"I made a promise, didn't I? I'll keep it." He waved his assurance as he went down the steps of the ziggurat with a determined resolve.

In the distance, a distinct sound of a firearm discharge gave him the indication of where things were at. And what stage of their plans were to come next.

Granham and the Municipal Guard had arrived.

He knew that even after everything that these factions orchestrated from afar or before they came, it was he who set these events in motion. He was responsible for the chaos that erupted in a city which knew nothing but peace for centuries, the innocent were dying because he chose to uproot these parties and force them out of hiding into plainsight. He was using the outcasts of the Forbidden Zone against the City, turning its Queen against their King. Amarel was burning thanks to him, thanks to his manipulation of parties. And he did it as if it were second nature, because it was. The more he dove deeper into these sorts of affairs centred around blood being spilt, the farther he felt from that dream of his. As if it was nothing more than a willful fantasy. He tried to remain lowkey, but it seemed that the world didn't want him to, both worlds. They wanted the person he buried within him three years ago with his own bloodsoaked hands. The last Bushi of Orochi.

So he'll give them what they wanted. And he won't retract even if they wanted him to.

Not even the illusion of the boy in the surgical gown on his way down could dissuade him otherwise. He knew that contending with the Apostle was only half of the battle here. There was something else, something here far more terrifying. His instinctual alarms were sounding louder than it had ever been. Hitoshi wasn't sure if it was sign that the God of the Sun making a descent upon the mortal realm to take matters into his own hands or that conspiracy, he had chosen to keep the Queen waiting on.

For the latter had the familiar stench of the Haryo about it.

And then, the invisible noise returned. Almost making it difficult to concentrate, his distance from Silwyr's proximity had allowed it to return. The sound that no one else could hear but him, many whispers, many voices all calling out to him for the same thing.

…

-Help us.-….-Free us.-…..-Release us.-…

…

"In your dreams."

---

(Bang) Before that strange clap of thunder echoed into the air, the Captain of the Guard fell to the floor splurting red fluids from his cranium or what remained in his helmet covered in wet paste.

His armoured body hit the hardened stone floor before the entire assembly of troops. And in the midst of a rousing speech that they had the Justice of a God on their side. Instantly robbed their feelings of invincibility, replacing it with cold hard reality.

There was no sight of lurking assassins in the proximity, the security of their highest-ranking commander was the safest among them. And yet, he died in front of them with the report of some sort of weapon used on him. Their shakened hearts had no time to settle as the Vice-Commander fell to an invisible force in the same manner.

(Bang) Then the report followed.

It established the power their opponent had to take their life without even being seen and at the simple pull of a trigger. And falter they did, without even being given the opportunity to feel grief or develop rage for the deaths of their commanders.

"Stand firm, do not forget who they stand to face!"

With quick timing, her words had managed to save the entire Municipal Guard which had assembled before the Forbidden Zone to cull its inhabitants as her Lord commanded it.

Following on with her rally, the senior Captains gave order for their respective contingents to carry out particular roles in the extermination. Since they were already given the layout of the streets, it would be carried out swiftly and effectively.

Pouring through the Portcullis Gate were the lighter infantry units who were followed in force march by the heavier Paladins who were frequently seen on horseback but left their mounts due to the likeliness of street combat. Granham was close behind, with the various command groups hovering near her proximity.

"Your Holiness!" One of the members of the Command Party pointed his finger to a post with its paint still fresh. A sign of warning as it was coloured in outstanding red colour.

In familiar Elven letters it read, "Provisional Territory of Furuta. All Trespassers will be promptly given no quarter, survivors will be made deader." The next-in Command after the death of the Captain of the Guard and his adjutant scoffed after reading such a poor tasting boast and taunt in the face of such overwhelming odds.

Standing in the empty streets that should be full was instead one recently abandoned, surveying the quickest route to the centre where the Fane lay. The windows and doors of the crude hovels seemed bolted shut as its residents had done before vacating their homes. The alleyways were barricaded with all sorts of rubbish, making crossings from one street over to another difficult. Clearly their presence outside the High Walls had been detected. Had this been done deliberately to slow whatever they thought would come through the Gate, or had it always been this way? If none of the inhabitants were in their homes, they were certainly somewhere.

The apostle mused to herself what a cinch the foolish profaner had actually done to make her job easier. It was likely that they had all taken refuge in a single place so as to avoid collateral damage, just as her Lord had informed her. The Men in Green were a different breed of soldier that valued the very concept of life beyond their own. It was their innovations that allowed them to be so complacent in the very realm of close quarter combat. She had heard that their weapons allowed them to engage others in relative safety of incredible distances to make up for their apparent inability to measure up to even the lowliess of hired swords. An area which herself and eleven others were unmatched in this world alone. Hence, these streets were in fact in the Municipal Guard and her favour for depriving that distance for those projectile weapons to fully utilize.

"There's something attached below it." One of the Command Staff took a closer look at the sign and reported.

"What's it say?" The staff member swallowed his saliva and made no attempt to respond beyond, "Your Holiness…."

Indicating that it was meant for her. The elf officer was pushed aside by the Apostle who walked up to the signpost and saw it up close. Swiping her finger over the wet paint and placing it into her mouth in an almost candy fashion.

"Blood. High Elf. An hour fresh." That's when the staff officer began to experience the chill of what was to come.

Then, she noticed what the staff officer had been pointing out. At the bottom left hand corner of the sign was an envelope with her name on it. She tore it and pulled out its parchment which likely contained another form of taunt the fool prepared for her again. As she read it, it said….

-A give you very warm welcome to what I like to call scandaland, Errand boy of Flare. I'll be straight to the point. I mean to crush you and the spirit of the monarchy in one fell swope.-

Granham scoffed at the notion but had expected this much from someone who had gone out of his way to offend Lord Flare. She continued reading.

-No doubt, Flare told you to secure the Fane. As for Alok's forces amassed outside, I'm guessing they're meant to do something to the inhabitants. Most likely to remove the magic cancelling presence that these Tovonún elves have been all the fuss about.-

He knew to that extent? No wonder Lord Flare had cautioned her.

-You won't find them in the Fane, and neither will I. I'll be in the assembly square at the base, waiting for you. But you better hurry, in thirty minutes from when you breach the Gate, I'll be demolishing the Fane.-

That was enough press for concern for her had it not continue to elaborate in the letter.

-I've always wondered if Apostles truly have their own free will to decide their choices in life or not. That's why you're going to be involved in one of my experiments right now.-

The human intended to toy with her in such a way despite the overall disadvantages he held here.

-Back in the palace, someone stopped you from carrying out your duties to confront me. Right now, could you do the same again for that person?-

(BANG)

With a swing of her Claymore, she annihilated the signpost, and the building directly behind it. Fueling this stroke of pure adrenaline was a newfounded vexation and turbulence that had risen out from her that she'd never truly known since her days as an Apostle. As the envelope carried more than just a letter, but a coloured rag.

One with embroidery she was familiar with, because she had made it for that someone the profaner was referring to. And as the letter referenced to the time she barged into a poorman's tea ceremony, Gweyir had used that same piece of cloth that had once been a handkerchief to wipe the spill that she caused. Beyond that, her contempt for the profaner grew beyond her initial disdain.

Being held to an unfamiliar silence emaculating from her, the Command High Elves were uncertain whether to approach her with the developments that had occurred with their frontline forces encountering armed resistance.

That solace ended with a murderous cackle of an unsurmountable fury mixed with insanity, as the Apostle of Flare had worryingly lost her wits in their eyes. When her laughter ended, all that remained was a murderous glint that stayed in her eyes.

"If this the game you want to play, then I'll make you lose everything in turn."

The envelope caught fire, burn by the brilliance of the light aura that radiated from her very being. She had never intended to offer him any mercy, but now she wouldn't even let him leave a corpse.

Her aura could be seen from nearly every angle of the district by both parties, Municipal Guard and the Inhabitant defenders themselves. Including the one who waited for her in the district assembly square, where he'd previously served a few hundred-night meals and was now serving out portions of a concoction that had a mysterious effect of revitalising the fighters' spirits.

Although, it was more of Kugel and Takeo serving it while he was meditating to himself.

"Why do we have to be the one's serving?" The latter complained as he handed the fiftieth fighter his cup of "elixir".

"You'd rather be in the action, but this is a bit too dangerous for the likes of us. Besides, I'm a diligent craftsman, not a fighter." Kugel replied as he poured the precise amounts of ingredients to top off the cauldron of its portion, while also pulling out his not-a-fighter immunity card out.

"A dwarf like you who craves for adventure and constantly telling us you're waiting for the chance to bash in the elves' heads?" His hypocrisy was pointed out that he was merely afraid to go up against two thousand with the numbers on hand fighting for their very lives.

"Yeah well, one of them's a demi-god currently on the loose. Because someone HAD to provoke her!" He shouted in the direction of the person meditating.

"…" Even Takeo felt hesitant at the mention of going up against an Apostle, the mere mention of such a being reminded him of his own personal witnessing of Rory Mercury goring the battlefield, and slaying monsters with relative ease.

And what did Hitoshi have to say for this? A good learning opportunity! Even inviting him to partake, but he was just too stupefied to answer at the time. The whole premise behind his willingness to do what Alnus had specified them all not to do was to experiment what he coined as Anti-Apostle Tactics. There were twelve Apostles on the Continent of Falmart alone, what other kinds of Gods inhabited other Continents of this world. One might be on friendly terms, but who could speak for the other eleven, including Granham? Would the Jietai be ready if they were to come up against a unified effort from the remaining Apostles? Takeo was just bewildered, to even come up with an excuse that sounded justifiable on that level. Certainly, the data he could amass from even surviving an encounter would be worth its weight in Gold to Alnus Command.

"Still, to partake now would only hinder those three." For some reason, Takeo knew who Kugel was referring to. There was a strange connection between Hitoshi, the Imperial named Kir and Warrior Bunny Parna. As if they'd stumbled upon something related to the Apostle's god before and offended it.

"Altera…." The name that those three had said didn't ring any bells when Takeo looked at the map. It couldn't be that they faced a similar kind of monstrosity before, right?

Takeo snuck a glance at his friend who remained stationary in his meditative posture, even despite all that was happening now. The sound of gunfire echoing from the M1A1 Thompson submachine guns they distributed to the mercenaries was relatively close, but due to the maze-like arrangement of the district, prevented direct access. He was certainly preparing for something, that being the Apostle.

Everything else, he'd either prepared before hand or left in someone else's hands after giving instructions. Volcatts was putting up stiff resistance to amass the invading Guard before withdrawing to a better tactical position where machine gun killzones had been set up prior. Was this still the same person who befriended in Omiya base? Takeo became distraughted by the history of the simple man the SF soldiers in Helheim recognised as their former leader. Why did a Naval Intelligence Lieutenant give up his position to become an Army Cook? In his shoes, Takeo would never even think up such a scenario. But most of all. There were times when he honestly felt that the person he presumed to know never existed. Leaving him with complex emotions with who he was speaking to at times, Captain Furuta or Hitoshi.

"The place where our feud with Flare began." Takeo lunged back in surprise as Kir and Lancer returned from their cold-blooded assassination of the leading members of the Municipal Guard. Now the elven forces answered entirely to Granham and would plunge into the abyss along with her.

"What?" Takeo didn't realise he murmured that name unconsciously while he thought it.

"Altera was once a castle that stood where we built Ascension Glade." A castle? There was no such a structure there as he recalled the scenic backdrop of the mountain tops.

"It was inhabited by a lich, a former acolyte of Flare. And we killed it." Lich? Clergy of Flare? Even with the Imperial man speaking in honesty, Takeo found it hard to understand where he was going with this, or what was his motive in telling him this?

"Tell us the story from the beginning." Lancer urged, as he too wanted to know why there was such abysmal relations between their Captain and the Apostle before having even met face to face. It would also be a story worth reporting back to Kenzaki.

Kir gave a nod and did so. And thus, he told them of what he himself would consider the hallmark of his life. The epic of the Hallowed Child. The tragedy of a boy and the struggle of an old soldier's ability to come to terms with what he'd done in the past.

And the more he told about the story that binded the three of them closer than anything else, the more those listening couldn't come to terms with the fact that the peaceful patch of earth they called home for weeks was that very same nightmarish marshland over blue mountains.

But they'd also been exposed to the touch of cruelty that a God as seemingly benevolent as Flare could do. And how the one they doubted had chosen to strike back at that divine reach. Takeo was dazed, Lancer had his mouth gaping at how it ended, Kugel seemed the most normal amongst them, who simply mirthed at how the Lich met his end.

"So….. This Flare God wants what Altera gave to this child, that very same power that in that structure now?" Having recovered after the story for a few minutes, Lancer had narrowed down the most important point of the story.

"I think so."

"Jeez….. No wonder you three were so on edge with that Apostle." Lancer scratched his head instead of dispute their actions, in a similar instance, he might've done the same or worse.

"He probably doesn't care about Flare taking the Fane." Kir expressed his thoughts as he looked at the one who helped him slay his illusions. "Just that nobody else becomes a victim to the whims of the Gods and that one in particular."

"In such a heavyhanded way?" Lancer questioned Hitoshi's approach among the more civil approaches they could've taken without realising that he had caused Kir's anger to flare up. Lancer looked perplexed why he was being glared at in such a way before he was being explained to.

"Master Lancer has never had experienced the feeling of doing honest good for simple folks…. and then being told that they never existed. Separated by the span of eighty years for you to make any difference. No descendants, no legacy. Not even a wish of hope or happiness remaining. Just taken away, because some God wasn't already satisfied with the power he wielded." The very essence of his vexations was read by Lancer who now understood how he had wronged Kir.

"Forgive me for taking out my frustrations on you, Sir." Kir apologised.

"No-… it's alright."

"….. But I will say this to all of you now." Kir addressed the rest of them.

"What happened at Altera won't happen here. Not while there're actual living people here. Not while we stand between Flare's avarice and these peoples' freedom." It was often difficult to remember that Kir had once been a commander of a battalion, rousing speeches of inspiration were his forte. And it did so strengthen their hearts against the overwhelming advantage the Apostle held.

The sounds of battle became even closer, as the reports of the issued submachine guns were within two block distance. There were suddenly more returning fighters demanding their issue of the "elixir". A concoction they witnessed the God of Cookery brew up close with the ingredients that he had on hand and those pilfered by the Clan Lupus from a spice store.

Which had been reported to have the following symptoms besides stimulating those who drank its creamy soup-like consistency. Such as heightened senses, dulling of pain, and a sensation that was described as their heart being set aflame. Lancer and Kir had taken the elixir as well on Hitoshi's orders to assert its effectiveness. The former described it as if he was being supercharged and suspected the use of local psychedelic herbs or substances.

With Kir and Lancer back, rearming and relocating the remaining ordnance and weapons they had at hand to a better position. Kugel, giving out the last of the "elixir" to those returned or wounded fighters to continue the resistance. Takeo was left wandering towards the only other person in their party that seemed in idle. And yet, the one who orchestrated these events to act in this way. The worst possible outcome.

Hitoshi sat in a seiza meditative posture with eyes closed, a combat revolver lay to his left hand, a strange single-edged knife with a blackened finish to his right. He wasn't seriously thinking of fighting the Apostle one-on-one right?

This person who he knew for three years, though with similar appearance seemed less and less like the person he recalled.

"Was the friend I knew just your illusion?" He murmured the growing distance that separated them as best friends. All this time, he thought he knew something about Hitoshi but was in truth not even close. Not his service in Naval Intelligence, not even the war-centric fraternity that Mari had often sprouted drunk at night.

"That's up to you to decide, Takeo." He received an answer for his own question.

"For me, there's only been one truth. You'll always be the only true friend I had in Omiya."

"….. What would Mari say?" Remembering that he was posted together with her from Yokosuka.

"I'm nothing more than a minion to her, even you know that."

"….." Even Takeo couldn't deny at times the way she drove others like slaves except for those outranking her. Although, he always felt Mari saw him differently from the others she truly regarded as her workers.

Hitoshi opened his eyes but remained in a rested position.

"Shouldn't you be helping now?"

"I already have, what's needed to be done will be done by the right people. I'm simply waiting for Granham."

"H-How do you know she'll be coming for you?"

"I taunted her." He said with a light smile for a not-so light move on her.

The sound of buildings collapsing despite the limit of firearms to structure increased in volume, as if there was a bulldozer bashing through the clay walls to make a path of its own.

"And she apparently took the bait." Hitoshi got up to his feet with both armaments in each hand.

"Her holiness has made a path for us!" A frontline officer of the Guard shouted to the other contingents as their group followed behind the Apostle who smashed through the houses and walls. Ignoring the barricades and crisscrossing nature of the labyrinth-like streets, the ambushes that lay ahead at every cross intersection were now rendered useless. Nothing could hold the Apostle back as the Municipal Guard streamed in after her searching for Tovonún to cleanse. Because of the spearhead, many of the Volralden and district fighters had been cut off from their escape or supply routes.

These Men in Green weapons were quite fearsome implementations which the High Elf Guards paid dearly for in their confrontations. Their thickest armour could not withstand the penetrating power that even enchanted arrows could not pierce. Thus, leading to casualties the likes of which they'd never imagined possible in their era of tranquillity, today the Municipal Guard paid a heavy price. Thankfully, these gun-armed fighters didn't stay around long and only fired a barrage before retreating. But the conflict was about to end with them surrounding the place leaving no place left for them to escape to.

Or so they thought.

The fighters and mercenaries in the assembly square around them made themselves scarce, withdrawing to their previously agreed positions for the next phase of their counterattack. Leaving just Hitoshi, Kir and Takeo remaining in the centre of the empty square.

(BANG)

The last house wall between the Elven Army and the profaner was demolished, giving the Apostle clear sight to her target and the Fane beyond him.

Hitoshi let out a wry smile when their eyes met. She had the opportunity to go straight for the Fane, but she still prioritized him over her Lord's orders. The Guard poured in after her through the breach and assembled themselves in the wide open space in a more flexible formation.

"You should go where Kugel is." The shelter of Silwyr's home used to house all of the inhabitants that had willingly left their homes to seek protection. Unfortunately, some refused to leave and with the Municipal Guard roaming about, it was unlikely they would survive. As the screams echoed throughout the streets.

Takeo's expression was one of anxiousness and worry. The Apostle had already made her way through all the known defences they'd erected, wasn't this the time to escape more than anything else?

"I won't run, Takeo. I said it before."

"E-Even if running means, you'll live?"

"Heh…." Hitoshi let out smirk.

"I'm being serious here, you should run! We should get out now while the Colonel can still exfil us!" Takeo seemed to get the idea that Hitoshi's planning had failed, since Granham was already a hundred feet from them.

"Tsh-…. I'll buy as much time as I can." His next sentence was a surprise to Hitoshi who lost all his smirk, replaced with torment. To think that Takeo would be willing to give himself up to allow him to escape this sort of responsibility, even at the cost of his own dreams.

What a fool he was?

-What a fool I am.-

"Even if you have to report your failings to Alnus-."

"That won't be necessary." A weightly hand rested on Takeo as he stepped in front of him to confront both the Municipal Guard and Granham herself.

"Are you insa-!"

"Takeo." He interrupted with neither a loud nor soft voice, but one that Takeo could hear clearly.

"I don't intend to die today. But still, I can't tell you how much your words mean to me. But no, I will not run." Hitoshi's will was as determined as the FN battle rifle he unslung.

"My reason for facing Granham wasn't because of the Tovonún. It's something I can't simply forgive her for doing." Indeed, the Tovonún elves were an after thought, if not, he would never have ventured into the Forbidden zone for nothing.

"What could-… no….." Takeo had initially wondered why Hitoshi had gone out of his way to make life difficult of both Granham and Alok with these plans of treachery and deceit. Something that didn't align with Hitoshi M.O. even in the settlement. He didn't go looking for trouble unless trouble found him. Just like the trouble Granham had caused in the tea ceremony.

Up until that point, Hitoshi had been graceful and courteous. Even towards the likes of the Apostle, even when the latter insulted and belittled him, tossing his stuff and smashing them. Until she did one thing that even Takeo had almost forgotten.

"She pointed her blade at my friend."

(Pofff)

Inserting a 40mm grenade into his underslung launcher, he fired its cartridge vertically. Releasing a bright luminous star that attracted everyones' attention on both sides, but more specifically to indicate phase two of the plan those bearing privy knowledge.

"Fire! Fire!" The Elven Guard with Granham began noticing the embers of lumination from a distance with one being at the portcullis gate as well.

"Go." Hitoshi told Takeo to leave which he did with complex emotions, albeit touched but frightened.

"Playing the same arsonistic trick twice won't save you." In response to Granham's arrogance, he laughed.

"It's like I suspected."

The Apostle was left wondering what he meant.

"Flare has been giving you active real-time insight on the surrounding battlefield." Apostles may be the single most powerful entities to walk the earth, but that didn't mean they were aware of their surroundings to a supernatural degree, nor would they function effectively as commanders of military forces. Yet, she moved as if she could see every trap that lay ahead as reported by the returning fighters, cut down the obstacles like she was unafraid of any traps that lay hidden not for her but the Municipal Guard forces.

Almost like she was in possession of her own tactical satellite. Or a God looking down onto the earth.

Granham's pupils widened in disbelief.

"How- no, impossible!" She feared he possessed the same abilities.

"You're right. I don't have those powers." He assured her despite their opposition.

"But that doesn't mean I don't have countermeasures."

He threw a lit flare at his feet igniting combustible fluids that ran in a trail along the outer rim of the Assembly Square and continued to feed the flames as they erected a wall of fire that surrounded the apostle and those with her. Cutting her off from the remainder of the Municipal Forces which were trapped by the flame and would withdraw in the direction that was safe. And right into an awaiting killzone. They could already hear the desperate screams and shouting to find refuge in a place where mercy was not found.

The profaner had tricked her Lord's foresight over the battlefield by allowing Flare to observe his actions and act predictably to counteract the immediate threat without considering whether there were other uses for the traps that they lay.

The smile that he wore now only described how naïve she was and how foolish Flare was to put his hopes on his Apostle alone to finish the job that others couldn't.

"I want to play another game with you, Granham."

As he said this, he was joined by two familiar figures moving to join beside him. A forgotten imperial hero holding one solution to an Apostle in .50 caliber and the sword of the restoration cladded in ancient armour.

Biting her lip in annoyance, her only response in return from here on out would come out from the claymore she wielded. Releasing her light-attribute aura from her body only to have it distort and glitch out on her, the proximity of the Tovonún was playing its part in limiting her magic powers. Causing her another reason for worry.

As for those in the Municipal Guard trapped with her within the ring of fire, they were terrified beyond belief, more so than they had ever been. As the man who they hunted alongside the Tovonún had proven not the hare but the tiger. He reached out in an almost gentlemanly manner despite the revolver in the other hand and asked…

"Will you have this dance with us?"

---

How quickly events had made a turn for the better or worst, depending on which side they were on.

When the Municipal Guard quickly swept through the streets in an en masse spearhead under the guidance of Granham. They thought, where were Furuta's strategies and were they nothing but hot air? Elisen was disappointed and Silwyr only imagined the struggle that would ensue for Furuta and the fighters. But it quickly turned from the hunter becoming the hunted. The labyrinth streets built at deterring invaders was merely a ruse, meant to lure the Apostle led army straight for the prize. Any competent commander would've thought twice and reinforced his corridors to ensure that reinforcements could be given to any unit. But no such members remained after SFG Lancer drop them from five hundred yards with the M82 Parker Hale.

As such, no one could tell Granham that she was waltzing right into a trap layered within an obvious one. Not even the all-knowing Deity of the Sun, who knew no true military strategies but only how to intimidate or oppress his followers and their enemies with awesome shows of might. Today, the other Gods would ridicule the prideful him for being outwitted by the God of Cookery.

Though limited in ammunition provided, the fighters and mercenaries who had been given these guns had been able to efficiently deal with the Municipal Guard in a way that ensured total victory and crushing defeat of the latter. Thompson submachine gun wielding fireteams flushed the spreadout parties into herds while the bigger Browning Machine guns finished off the bunched-up groups. The district fighters and mercenaries had only been given a minimal rundown on how to operate the weapons, but the veteran knowledge of the Clan Lupus mercenaries allowed these fearsome weapons to be employed to greater effect. If the tale of how three hundred militia defeated a two thousand strong regular army got out, the high elves would be a laughingstock of the continent as well as more likely in danger of attack due to reevaluations of their actual deterrence. But then, who would believe such a tale?

High upon the Fane. These developments were spectated by two "Queens" of their respective enclaves. Queen Consort Elisen wa Tanithil née Amarie, and Lady Silwyr wa Rayfael. As if watching a horse racing match, the slightly faster Furuta horse was gaining the lead for now.

"(Sigh)…. Wasteful." Elisen commented loudly, expecting her company to remark on it.

"Does Her Majesty lament the loss of Amarels' warriors or their immediate value?"

"It's a pity really." She replied even though her disinterested expression said otherwise. "I wish I could've come to better terms for our wager, but I hate to be overcome by greed."

Silwyr never thought she would be so heartless as to not even consider their sacrifice a loss. How did the Ruling Houses and this monarch become so disconnected to its peoples? Then again, she did just renounce the faith of Wareharun before all of them, thus changing her name to Elisen Amarie without the Goddesses' suffix.

"But I am curious, why does Lady Rayfael put so much faith in this man who calls himself the God of Cookery?" Elisen changed subjects.

"It certainly can't be that her ladyship believes in those wishful tales of how he beguiled Mistress Hardy with culinary taste or secretly manipulates the Imperial Crown Prince from afar? That idiotic prince's picture, I'll admit does reflect a more bite-sized intellect to be fooled by the likes of him. But do you really think a Goddess like Hardy would move for a mere snack?" Only knowing him for a day and already trying to discredit Furuta. Silwyr could only guess why she was being told this while said person was currently preoccupied and not here to clash with Elisen's own sharp tongue.

"Before the term of my rule, I hope to let all…. past mistakes be resolved." It was as Silwyr guessed, she wished to quickly resolve this issue of House Rayfael on her own.

"I will not presume to think that the Ancestors thought wrong in what they did to your House during the rebellion. However, I would simply like to express in all honesty that they were perhaps too overzealous in their actions to eradicate notions of strife. To the point that hard decisions were made to enforce motions and limit liberties." Even when she bargained, there was hardly an apology in it as she maintained her dignity.

"House Rayfael has beared the blame for too long and it is within our shared vested interests to restore her Ladyship's house to its rightful place among our kind."

"…" But then again, why should she be so surprised.

"Does her ladyship share the same sentiment as I? I'm sure your loyal subjects would most certainly be elate with joy to hear of your return to power."

"And does Her Majesty absolve the transgressions of her most loyal subjects?" Elisen smiled for her success in getting through.

"Of course." Elisen had thought she meant only the Tovonún elves who were of their kin by the blood of Rayfael.

"And am I presuming too much that Her Majesty also counts the other honourary races as among her peerage?" Elisen lost her smile in an instant, replaced with a look of false regret.

"Surely your Ladyship does not think that these refuge-seeking dregs are among one's equals?" Elisen laughed as she said that, but Silwyr wasn't too amused nor respond in kind with the same dry tasteless humor.

"I wish to share a teaching my mother passed onto me with her successorship, Your Majesty?"

"Please, indulge me."

"She said, "We of Rayfael had once thought the greatest treasure lay within our Great Halls as the envy of the other Founding House. When it was that very precious and priceless treasure that came to us instead, seeking our help and our protection. And giving us in return, true happiness that no jewel could match in lustre."." Silwyr had made her resolve despite the temptations before her as Elisen had also intercepted quickly.

"I see, a pity. She could not live long enough to enjoy it." For no offense, Elisen had given her back two in return by insulting the grave of her mother.

"The one you should pity is yourself." And so, Silwyr proved that her tongue also had an edge to it as she left all the illusion of pleasantries behind in her sentences to follow.

"Insolent-." A Ranger bust out without consent only to be stopped by Elisen herself.

"Your words have held nothing but arrogance and a false sense of self-assurance that everything will go your way. And it probably will. But you'll suffer the greatest tragedy that there ever was to suffer, more so that our solitude behind these walls. You'll get what you want, and you will come to regret it."

"No, I won't." Elisen replied calmly but got out of her seat and rested her hand exceedingly close to Silwyr.

"Because whatever the end result, there'll be no place for you or your outcasts here or anywhere else in this world, while I will host the return of the Amarie Dynasty. And then we'll see whether how well your so-called precious treasures can help you find your way in a world where you don't belong." Elisen's sentence were full of barbs that were meant to wound and weaken her pride and resolve, but even Silwyr knew that they were nothing more than harmless spite to her.

"You don't believe in the God of Cookery. Yet you depend on his actions to shift your fate. You don't believe a mere mortal man is capable of the things these rumours say about him and yet they exist. Well, I believe that he did shift the Goddess of the Underworlds' hand, I do believe that he has actively confronted Lord Flare and Mother Wareharun. If not, your soldiers would not be here. That Apostle won't be seeking to stop him by any means necessary." Elisen didn't like the way it was said, but she didn't refute it.

"When Lord Furuta beats Her Holiness, we will give unto him our most precious treasure as well."

For a split second, Elisen lost her cool and almost lashed out with the back of her palm before a stubby hand latched on to it just inches from Silwyr's smooth face.

"I don't know what's going on between you lasses but try to be civil here. This is me, a Dwarf reminding you pointy-earred lot." He said before returning her hand by releasing it.

"Unhand her majesty, filthy miner!"

His actions had already earned him the ire of the Rangers for his insolent actions of holding the Queen. But his response to them actively entering his personal space was an oversized gun with six chambers pointed at them. And they'd just witnessed down below what a smaller sized one could do to even Armored Paladin squadrons.

"You'll pay for your impudence, Squatling!"

"I pay my dues in hard currency, but certainly not to you leaf-munching pansies!" He shouted back whilst pointing the threatening firearm in their direction with a few pokes outward to scare them.

"Are you alright, milady?" Kugel asked the unescorted Lady.

"Y-Yes, Master Dwarf. Thank You."

"Don't mention it, keeping an eye on these High elf twigs seems to be a growing hobby of mine since coming here. Say, what makes you lot "High" elves anyway? You don't hear us Dwarves calling ourselves High Dwarves either, right? So who the hell gave you the gall to proclaim yourselves superior to all the other pointy-earred folk, huh?"

The response that Kugel received were glares and empty threats on occasion, but nothing to physically harm Silwyr or himself. Not while he had an M32 Grenade Launcher presented their way and him hurling all manner of insults back their way. Elisen no longer approached Silwyr since there was no point in pursuing an empty venture which the scion of House Rayfael had already refused to accept. She might not have a place in Amarel with her kin, but that was no longer a concern of Elisen's.

Some distractions were best suited to these two parties. And one such distraction burst out of the Fane shouting, "I've got it! I've got it!"

Waving about a journal with unintelligible scribblings that was her handwriting, Arpeggio sought to find Hitoshi immediately to give her study results in order to avoid a very tiresome homework.

"Got what, lass?" Kugel was among the only one of her companions nearby to ask.

"What this place is, what it serves as!" The female Mage shouted excitedly.

"Serves?"

"Yeah, at first I thought those hieroglyphs were a derivative of an ancient tongue like what my mentor was studying but turns out each character is representative of a single word, action or vowel, similar to the Japanese way of writing but in backwards."

"Speak plainly, lass." Kugel wasn't too fond of technical jargon out of his expertise.

"Ahem, anyway. I've managed to decipher the first words in what seems to be a psalm." Arpeggio declared with pride.

"Well?"

"Hang on, lemme get to the page, Kugel! Ah-ha! Here we are! Imprison-… sorry, Entombed within black stone, quiet calls of yearning. Light liberates the dark- something something. Then something about Seven stars- or maybe its supernovas being the ones to defeat the Envoy of the Great Devourer."

Hearing this sounded familiar to Silwyr as it recounted the true origin tale of the Elves of Amarel in their vanquishing of the aforementioned "Demon" which devoured all things around it. Seven was the number of Founding Elven ancestors, except it wasn't.

"Madam Mage!"

"Hyie!" Arpeggio got caught by surprise but a purple hand touching her shoulder blade.

"Forgive me, but did you say there were seven of these stars, not eight?"

"What's the matter, does Lady Rayfael wonder why her Founding Ancestor is not mentioned?" Listening in on these conversations, Elisen made it her business to go out of her way to hold Silwyr in contempt.

"As a matter a fact, yes. Thought falsely propagated, it was those hierogylphs that our heritage and our ancestors' prophesized succession was foretold." Even Elisen knew that, the true history of Amarel. So why was she so fixated on this fact even if they never were able to decipher the meaning to the language used that this bubbly mage seemed to crack in less time than it took the Municipal Guard to fall into Furuta's trap?

"Unless… Those seven stars aren't referring to the Foundering Ancestors." She murmured her epiphany aloud.

"What are you implying, Rayfael?" Elisen had done away with all cordial addressing of title and name.

"Madam mage, this is very important." As Silwyr held her restraint as well.

"Uh- yes?"

"There are four verses with their own paintings. Which one did you decipher?" It was important to Silwyr. Because it was written from left to right with the depiction of the Founders' success at the beginning, followed by the city flourishing over the millenia.

"Why from the beginning, of course!" Silwyr almost sighed in relief when Arpeggio had to correct and important point she failed to cover within a single breath.

"You elves read from right to left, right?" Silwyr's heart stopped.

"The picture-… the picture that these verses were written on, what did it look like?!" Arpeggio was shook harder and harder until she answered.

"It doesn't have any picture! It was defaced remember?!"

"What's this about, Rayfael? Surely it doesn't matter since the prophesy of our Ancestors' success was written." Elisen clarified with her on this.

"No-….. you don't understand." The graveness on her counterpart's face caused a certain fear to rise in Elisen. Fear of something that neither of them fully understood, nor even the likes of Furuta or Flare could. Therefore, an anomaly that was unavoidable in its turmoiled nature.

"The depiction of the Founders' victory was only the first part of the psalm. Her translations were of a prophesy that has yet to take place, or maybe…. Happening as we speak." Silwyr's words gave a sudden chill to freeze over any calm the Queen had left in her, for it was as she said.

When they were young, each of them were given the true origin story of the Elves of Amarel. With one slight twist, being the entity that was banished. For Elisen was taught that the "Demon" was vanquished, whilst Silwyr was told it had merely been defeated. Two words with similar outlook but with very different outcomes.

"… What did you say this buildings purpose was, lass?" All faces naturally pivoted towards the hollow entrance into the Fane where its eerie presence only served to spook Arpeggio even with the presence of Silwyr near her.

"… To imprison."

---

There was no civility left in their second encounter, no second thoughts to their approach. Just the sound of gunfire, swords clashing and shields bashing.

Granham didn't understand how this was possible, she was being assailed by three mortal beings like she was merely a dangerous wild game to be hunted. Only, weren't in it for her meat.

(Bang) "Guurgh"

Her momentum was instantly killed by the large recoiling firearm the Imperial wielded, carrying enough force to shatter a man's torso and kill him instantly. The only reason she still stood was because of her identity as a demi-god apostle.

The profaner gave her no moments respite as he pushed her with a barrage of 7.62mm rounds which she was force to block before lunging at her with his knife, which she had made the fatal error in thinking it was ordinary. Then it passed through her wrist under her counter swing and caused an immediate bursting of blood.

"Adamantite!"

It wasn't the only artefact they had of this material, as the Warrior Bunny struck into her shield first into her head with the superhuman reflex and muscle fibers she had. Concussing her for only a moment, but enough for them to exploit again.

By the time she swung to make the Warrior Bunny into paste, she was already backed off. (Bang)

Then they repeated the circle, much to her disconcerting anxieties. Her light-attribute magic constantly failed either mid-chant or at critical moments, even though there were no Tovonún in the nearby proximity.

"Why?!-" None of them responded aside from physical retaliation.

(Clang) The Exarch of the Restoration didn't even give her the liberty to think.

Even though the Warrior Bunny could never match up to her in a straight on sword fight, why did her blows suddenly feel so heavy? Almost like she was being battered around by another Apostle.

"You insect!" She parried the next blow that the profaner came to her with and raised her claymore in high guard as she narrowed down the Warrior Bunny with an offensive swing to meet the latter's one.

Even then, there was no hesitation before metting her strike as she powered towards her with every stride poised to gain a stronger footing and higher momentum.

(Clang) Even as the surrounding ground was distorted by the pressure of their swings. Her claymore was actually being crossed by a mere one-handed short sword. Then she realised, the profaner hadn't merely been grazing her at every opportunity for something that could recover in seconds, but weakening her subsequent counters. A cut to the wrist meant losing the strength of two-handed swings and jabs. A graze to her heel meant losing her footing and her stability to receive another blow.

And everytime he did something, he'd indicate by hand signal where Granham had been compromised. Anytime they'd missed a step, Kir shot her with the Barrett rifle using Mk 211 anti-material rounds, enough power to take her arm off and severely compromise her ability to fight back due to losing a limb. Of course, she never let that happen. With her claymore successfully deflecting a few shots. But her focus on his weapon made it difficult to deal with the other two in front of her.

"That's just not possible!"

Granham roared at the top of her lungs, she would never have guessed that these three who offended her Lord so greatly actually had some weight to their infamy. But Granham also made a single important conclusion in the midst of her struggle. The Warrior Bunny and the Imperial weren't always this strong.

Her eyes locked on to the profaner himself, Hitoshi Furuta.

The irregularity that had made these ordinary rabble into fearless and cautious warriors not through the armaments that he bestowed or the techniques that he taught them. But by the idea that he planted into their heads, that they were stronger than they made themselves believe. A cult of self-acknowledgement and recognizing worth. A religion of no-Gods.

The very ideology frightened Granham, and the evidence was standing before her. Fighting her despite all the godly power she was bestowed.

"Mortals can't kill Gods!"

Hearing all she said, observing all her struggle. The fraction Municipal Guard trapped on her side of the Ring of Fire were stupefied, when these profaners challenged the Apostle to combat alone. Flabbergasted when they actually held their own against her without sustaining injuries. Petrified by the sight of an Apostle struggling against them.

(Bang) Slamming her Claymore into the ground to uproot its loose slabs to giving her space and buy time to find a way out of this predicament. A stout bundle of canisters was flung her way as they took steps back.

(BOOM) Detonating in front of her face with the force of a single of Lelei's explosion spells.

A silhouette of a figure ragdolled into a nearby house wall, toppelling it over and burying her under loose brick.

The faces of all who saw the fight were silent in their disbelief. As it was for those on top of the Fane.

"H-… Her Holiness has been defeated!" Elisen left her chair and gazed with widened eyes not believing that mortals had defeated an apostle.

The fighting through the district stopped almost voluntarily after the sentence shouted was repeated by every single party. The Municipal Guard stopped their confrontations and the fighters and mercenaries lowered their weapons.

Then, the profaner stood before the High Elf Guard who had just stood by watching and said whilst pointing his knife to them.

"Who's next?"

(Clang) A spear fell out of a Guard's hands followed by his shield. Then others accompanied him in laying down their weapons. Even as their superiors shouted for them to pick it up, they too were left with adjutants and close staff officers relinquishing their swords as well.

"On my authority as God of Cookery, I end this conflict. Surrender now and not a hair shall be harmed off your head nor any of your men!" Hitoshi faced the Field Commander who remained the last to have not relinquished his weapon.

"….." The elven Commander looked towards the rubble where Granham was last seem flying into, had not recovered her consciousness yet, then back to his anxious men.

He gave a nod to a bowman who fired off a whistling signal arrow in the direction of each contingent to signal the ceasing of all combat. In Hitoshi's opinion, had they been operating under the command of a competent military officer, this fighting would still have been going on and the district fighters and mercenaries would be facing annihilation. Luckily, SFG Lancer had killed off their most important strategic officers in a classic long distance assassination.

The elven commander walked up to him and presented his sword to him with both hands outreached. The appearance of Queen Elisen walking down the Fane with her escort had been a big impact on the Commander's decision to submit.

"I only request is that you honour those words… Lord Furuta." The Elf bowed his head in humility, surprising given their attitude with him the other day even when learning about the title he was supposedly given.

But Hitoshi didn't let his head grow big from this experience and instead accepted the sword graciously.

"I won't repay your loyalty to this city without giving mercy, Commander. Have your units stand down and form up for processing." In accordance with the rules of war concerning military capitulation he would have them disarmed and stand down.

The elf commander bowed and went to have the rest of the municipal guard assemble before them. Even when they had basically surrendered the city over these foreigners, this was the first time in the history of Falmart its attackers hadn't robbed or pillaged their homes at free will. It was unheard of until now, particularly for the High elves.

When Elisen approached Hitoshi, the Elf Commander gave his salute to her as well.

When face to face, she scoffed without hiding a hint of her grief and handed out a bejewelled sceptre. The sign of her administrative power over the city of the High Elves that Alok had left to her. Leaving Hitoshi to wonder why she was surrendering her power as well, perhaps she felt that there was no way in hell he would've managed to pull it off without at least being grieviously injured and have her warriors finish him off. But then, the entire Municipal Guard was brought to a halt and fearful of how he, Kir and Parna converged upon the Apostle like Hyenas on a lone Lion. They had thoroughly robbed any hope of winning from the Elves, including Elisen.

"That's not part of the terms of our agreement. Pay your dues to those that we agreed upon."

Even with such magnamity, Elisen could not remove the look of defeat from her face. As if this was the first time, she'd ever lost at something, or at least that which he knew of.

"Life is like that sometimes, some days it gives bounties, sometimes you fall on hard days. Get used to it, Queen Elisen Amarie." The Queen looked bewildered in her expression when he said this and had no time to respond when he held the end of her sceptre and raised it about her head with her own hand still attached to it.

"Hear me, City of Amarel!" And all those who did faced him with full attention.

"Mercy is given at a whim. But salvation lies within those who have the strength to rule with grace."

Hitoshi astonished the inhabitants by his deep but simple words that all could comprehend.

"Such quality, I, Hitoshi Furuta, God of Cookery find in Elisen of Amarie. Wisdom to seek alternative. Temperance to endure calamity. Is there no one more qualified to dispute her right to regality?"

It was then that they realised what he was doing before the defeated Municipal Guard once loyal to Alok. By installing Elisen as the new head of state for her deeds at supposedly negotiating their terms of surrender to such a fair state despite defeat.

"If there is anyone who wishes to dispute her claim to rule Amarel in fairness and equality, speak up now! Or forever hold your peace!" His words resounded with a power over their shakened spirits in a manner that they only experienced in the presence of demi-gods. Thus, it looked as if by divine providence, Elisen was chosen to lead.

"Tsk…." The Queen quietly bit her lip in frustration, as it wasn't as simple as one guessed. Hitoshi was helping make aware of her ascension to the throne by succession to the populace easier. But at the same time, it would be recognised in the annals of history that it was the God of Cookery that bestowed her that right. Of course, Hitoshi too knew this.

There was no way to subjugate Elisen's spirit like blemishing her desired destiny. She wished to be the one in control of her own fate, that was why she willingly casted out Wareharun's influence through Gweyir. It didn't matter if Hitoshi made her pay him annual tributes to the Restoration effort. These monetary and material items were of no consequence to the Queen of the High Elves, it was her unquestioned right to rule. Her pride was her weakness, and he'd exploited it well.

No one voiced their refusal, no one challenged her claim. Even though there was an existing King of the High Elves, her husband still alive and well. He had taken advantage of the disorder and confusion to install her into Regality at the expense of Alok's reputation and trust. It wasn't that he hated the elven King or had a grudge against him, but any Kingdom that ruled couldn't be manned with such weak handedness as he had. To simply let Granham run wild with the Municipal Guard or let his Queen deal with these situations in her limited capacity. Elisen and Alok would simply switch places and he'd wash his hands off them.

"Then you and I stand as witnesses, give her your due acknowledgement. All hail Elisen Amarie of Amarel! Long live the Queen!"

"""All hail Queen Elisen Amarie! Long Live the Queen!""" What remained of the Municipal Guard raised their clenched hands and declared their newfounded fealty to the next monarch of their City.

There was celebration about what should have been a grim day. The Guard celebrated a resolve to the conflicts that would never wish upon Amarel again. And the inhabitants of the Forbidden Zone had won their freedom as did the Volralden Clans.

Kir approached Hitoshi helping Parna on one arm after she sustained internal injuries from meeting the Apostle's blade head on while the other arm used his M82 Barrett as a crutch.

"So we won, yet you look a little dissatisfied." Kir easily spotted the mood he took despite the momentum he pushed the people around him to move.

"That's because it felt too easy." Parna commented even though she took most of the blunt of Granham's force.

"Better that then what could've been worst." Even though he was inclined to agree with Parna, he simply accepted the fortune he struck where everything that was planned worked out perfectly well. Diplomacy with Elisen and her subjects, crushing the Municipal Guards' spirit to fight, and defeating Granham.

"We should only be so lucky she was relatively inexperienced." Among other factors that were force mulitiplied to weaken every advantage she had. Terrain, fighting them alone, distractions, her magic disrupted and her relatively few centuries of seeing combat. Hitoshi used literally anything and everything against her without holding back, and he did so swiftly. Ending it with a satchel charge to her face. Granham certainly won't die from that, but by the time she recovered, she would have no allies left in Amarel. Granham was still considered young and easily controlled by her surroundings due to the lack of discipline she had. If it had been against any other Apostle, without mentioning a certain few, there was no chance in hell he was even thinking of escaping.

Which reminded him, Hitoshi turned to face where the Apostle had just had her ass whooped.

"Better get the Elves to incarcerate her for the time being."

He waved for the same elven commander to come over, which the latter did to receive another set of instructions.

"Lord Furuta?"

"You have a busy schedule ahead of you, Queen and all. But I'd have you attend to the wounded on both parties." That way, Elisen could be regarded for her magnanimous gestures in public.

"Yes, Milord!" Even this elf quickly understood these sorts of plays which was quite refreshing for Hitoshi that he didn't need to explain it.

"Also, find a place to put put her away until one of Flare's clergy demands her release."

"Her holiness, milord? I mean-."

"I understand there's some anxieties about offending or being cursed by her God, so give whoevers' doing the deed this." Hitoshi held out a bone.

"Milord, if I may?-…. What is that?" He wasn't sure if Hitoshi was pulling his leg because it looked like an ordinary bone to him.

"Oh, these? They're remains of a Tovonún elf." The elf commander almost puked but held back his bowel movements in front of him.

"Granham can't wield magic while this is near her. I just tested it out back there, so its safe." Hitoshi had little time to prepare but he did carry out certain experiments concerning the powers of the Tovonún and found that he didn't really need them to stay close to him while he confronted the apostle or any other magic users among the municipal guard. The remains of the deceased Tovonún elves could be found behind every few street alleyways, dead either from despair or starvation. He used the remains on himself to test how it would influence him and found that it did, leaving a theory behind the residue magic that saturated the Tovonún elves down to their bones.

When their anti-magic wasn't actually the reverse of magic, but something else entirely. Something much more powerful, but these lilac coloured elves were too ignorant of the truth. But now he had every opportunity to explore these powers of theres thanks to his deal with Elisen. The Tovonún were coming with him, as would every other race that inhabited the former forbidden zone. A mass exodus of sorts to a "promise land" over the mountains, where a magnanimous and wise leader of a Warrior Bunny Enclave would welcome them with open arms as equals.

He could already see Volcatts approaching Silwyr to express his congratulations to her whilst he was tackled down by the embrace of his fellow Clan mates. In a series of playful bites. His eyes met with Silwyr by coincidence who gave a bow to him to express her gratitude to him, but there was much to discuss on the road ahead.

Yes, they had won. Hitoshi was ready to leave as much as they were, and the High Elves to see them gone. So why?...

Why did he feel that this wasn't over yet?

(Flash) A powerful ray of light pierced the cloudy sky and shone down upon the rubble of a ruined house.

The celebrations stopped as all were bedazzled by the unnatural aura of light that shone unnaturally upon where a certain someone had lay unconscious this entire time. This aura of light and "that" person had an symbiotic relationship with one another. Wherever Granham went, the light must follow. Wherever the light shone, Granham must go.

Hitoshi's essence detection skill was suddenly feeling a spike in pure mana which saturate the surroundings coming from none other than the divine light itself.

[Your right? You have no rights.] A voice that was next to them and yet everywhere at the same time invaded their heads.

[You came into my arms seeking salvation, I gave it to you all. And yet, you express your contempt for my charity.] No one had heard this voice before, yet, deep down they instantly had a feeling of who was expressing its grievance to their actions.

[He may have led you astray, but you allowed yourself to be tempted. I understand now that Amarel is now truly beyond saving.]

The pillar of light had ceased its descent upon the unconscious Apostle as her surroundings glowed orange-red from the very ground being sheared hot with rays. But the body of the Apostle remained unharmed, despite the charred burns inflicted by the satchel charge of C4. The body of Granham rose up eerily like a marionette suspended by strings and flashed open its eyes of light that gazed in the direction of he who had ruined his plans.

Hitoshi raised his battle rifle at the ready and took a step forwards, while everyone was looking to find a place to hide. Of course, it wouldn't be that simple, he thought. Granham was told that it was paramount that she secured the Fane and she not only failed her Lord by not following his orders but failing to beat him. How could "he" stand for her incompetence, Hitoshi certainly wouldn't in "his" shoes?

(Thung) With a hand raised out, the fallen claymore shot towards the body like it was being attracted by an unknown force defyinh gravity itself. Entering the hand of the body belonging to the Apostle, and yet, not currently occupied by her. But by something else entirely on a different level.

Hitoshi knew who, he could feel his skin crawl with the very fibres of hate this entity had for him to its very core. But he never would've guessed that "he" would personally descend into the body of "his" devotee and possess it with "his" very being or at least a fragment of it. As Hitoshi had learnt from Cato, Gods were forbidden from interfering with affairs of the mortal realm. That's why the Apostles existed for that very reason. But it seemed that "he" was not satisfied with leaving things as they were. It didn't matter if "he" was condemned by the other Gods or that "his" influence would never return from the worship of the mortals. It was simply too important he have what was inside the Fane.

The entity cladded in the very aura of light itself pointed the claymore towards him in the same way he did to Granham in a bid to challenge her.

[And I will do what I must to cleanse this taint before it spreads.]

Well, now the God of the Sun, the living incarnate of Flare was challenging him to personal combat.

"Shit." Hitoshi cursed his own thoughts that jinxed it.

---

(BOOM) Before anyone had time to react, a beam of light no different from the one he'd seen a certain Lich use, struck the ground beneath him and sent a mushroom cloud of dirt and dust among the slabs of stone that came raining down after.

"Master!" having witness him being blasted away by something larger than anything she'd ever seen, Parna's heart was wracked with tightness.

"We need to leave now!" Kir was the only one with his sense about him. Since Parna was in no condition to fight, and he didn't have the reactive speed to dodge that, he had to get them out to a safe distance. As for Hitoshi, that wasn't the end, right? He didn't stop there to confirm as the dust settled but noticed that Parna wasn't carrying his shield with her.

His sensibility was unfortunately not shared by any of the inhabitants that lived in Amarel. The District fighter, the mercenaries, and of course the Municipal Guard forces. All of them were afflicted with a very unfamiliar sensation that robbed them of their strength to move themselves or at least away from this place.

Fear.

But not just any fear, it was God-fearing fright. In their toasting and jubilation to the end of hostilities, they had been marked by the very God they'd been sworn into, to be condemned. There was no cure for the bitter pill that they'd consumed, no way of expressing their regrets further. For the first time in two thousand years, a God had come down from his divine realm through a spiritual descent. Not unlike the one Hardy performed on occasion to nourish herself with earthly cuisines. However, she was simply do so to obtain the pleasures of drink and flesh. Flare's iteration violated their treaty through sending down a fragment of himself. An avatar of his divine will and might. The likes of which Demi-Gods were to them as heaven was to earth.

But to Flare his problems were caused by a "God" incarnate, Hitoshi Furuta. Therefore, it ironically required a God to handle a God, since Granham showed how inadequate she was despite her overwhelming strength.

The avatar of Flare exasperated a sigh at the sight of the terror he witnessed from the High Elves and assorted races alike.

[Your false idol is no more. So now, you must decide-.] (Bang)

A discharge of a firearm interrupted him and sent a projectile flying straight for the avatar, which was promptly deflected by light given physical form. Resounding like shattered glass.

"Don't you go simply writing me off like that." The dust settled and standing unscathed was his target who had been protected by the very blessings from Altera. Giving of a soft blue hue glow of runic patterns that encompassed a circumference of the apparatus that proected him. A shield made of pure adamantite alloy, nye indestructible, and unbreakable to all including the power of the Gods.

[You survived. How unexpected.] When he smiled through Granham's face, it carried an ominous dread with it.

"Yo. Seems this is the first time we've met face to face." Hitoshi engaged in petty talk with the Avatar which only left the inhabitants in disbelief after what they'd just witnessed.

[So it would seem. Although, it would also be considered your last.]

"(Sigh) Still keeping up that façade, huh?" Hitoshi said with a look of exasperation than worry or fear like the others.

[The one with the act is you!]

"Really, then why are you here? Why are you seeing to this affair yourself than in Granham's care? I don't recall the Deities of Falmart ever descending for anything other than snacks and the occasional sensation of the flesh. Why are you really here, Flare? I want you to tell'em. Or should I be the one to tesayll them what a petty lying son of a bitch you really are?" Hitoshi once again challenged the avatar with his words first, just like he did of Granham. As the avatar looked mildly discomforted.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, that's what Flare was after all along." Hitoshi pointed up to the structure that lay behind the avatar.

"He's been keeping it a secret from everyone. Including the other Gods. Especially them."

"Furuta, what are you saying?" It appeared that Silwyr was the only one who mustered the courage to ask.

"You remember three years ago, an Imperial Army suddenly showed up at your doorstep? Then somehow Flare's sudden appearance and subsequent intervention veered them away in the direction of the Warrior Bunny Kingdom. But of a strange coincidence, don't you think?"

"Huh….?" When these words reached Parna's ears, she was frozen like an icicle.

"Then, it was Alok who declared the faith of Flare, the new state religion? It's got me thinking, what if the Imperial Legions weren't deployed by chance? What if this bastard had deliberately orchestrated things such that our timid Elven King would willingly submit his kingdom to him for a way to send the Imperials away. Which I might add, were once devotees to Flare himself. And he had Alok force all of you to work to your deaths to excavate this site for him."

Stares of disbelief came not just from the district inhabitants, but Elisen as well.

"Lord Flare, is this true?"

The avatar looked more bored than he was minutes before.

[And what if it is?] Their hearts dropped like anchors into the watery abyss.

[What right do you have to question my judgement upon this earth that I own? The land that you so eagerly donated to my cause. It is why you have always received my blessings of light and peace upon this city as your just rewards.]

"Your cause?" Elisen didn't know what sort of motives the God of the Sun could have. Until, Hitoshi answered it.

"He thinks there's a power in that structure that'll help him escape oblivion from the coming Apocryph."

"That legend, but isn't that tens of thousands of years too soon?"

[A hundred years is but a blink to us Gods. A thousand is just a thought away.]

"So you admit it, then?" Hitoshi asked.

[I am the Sun. I have nothing to hide, outworlder.] The sun could be as arrogant as it wanted, because without it, no life could exist. The inhabitants of Amarel before him all felt dishearted, until they heard a laugh from none other than the only person that would dare to.

"I wasn't talking about what you've done. I meant about you being a coward, after all." The air turned icy quickly even though the heat radiating from the avatar was intensifying.

[Choose your next words wisely.] He was cautioned, but Hitoshi just threw his advice out the window.

"Oh. I will. Seriously, I wonder why they even consider you a God anymore." The very ground was growing tenser by the second as the people bearing witness to this unbelievable line of events were sensing a maelstrom was about to form where they were and if they didn't leave, they would be caught in it.

[Human outworlder-.]

"The folks call you Gods 'cause they didn't know any better. But what you really are is just a construct that wasn't born but built to sustain this worlds cycle of life. You probably can't even remember the origins of your birth or why you were made." Hitoshi's laugh only fed fuel to the volcano that was about to erupt.

[I've warned you.-] Strike three, and he was getting no more chances.

"You may have fooled everyone into believing you've backed me into a corner, but the one that's backed is you. It's your fault for treating the people of this world like tools, and for that, they'll leave you behind for good. After today, no one will recognise Flare as a God anymore."

(BANG) After he declaration, the avatar no longer responded with words and assaulted him with a barrage of light which was promptly deflected by the adamantite shield.

"Enough talk, huh? Alright. Fine, let me prove it to all of you, instead."

"I, God of Cookery, Hitoshi Furuta. Challenge Flare, God of the Sun, a trial by combat. For ownership of the Fane!" He declared as he lobbed a 40mm grenade into the avatar's direction.

(BOOM) which was swiftly struck by his claymore and caused no damaged thanks to the force field of defensive magic, a supercharged iteration no doubt. Behind it, its wielder leaked a smile off its borrowed face and responded with…

[Accepted!] As he lunged to meet his contender with speeds exceeding that of the original body's host.

(Babababaaam) Vaulting out of the way as he emptied a magazine, the avatar missed his target by a mere inch and caused a crater in where he had halted.

(crack)(crack)(crack)

The sound of the bullets ricocheting off his passively active defensive magic brought a smile upon its face.

[You bested by finest champions, Hitoshi Furuta. Granham for strength, Koschei in magic. But you can only go so far in your mortal coil! I am what that brings light to your times of dark, I-am-the-day!]

"No, you're not!" The lone defier replied back with words and another 40mm grenade that detonated upon the shield of magic and did nothing again. Where even the lich couldn't withstand the bullets with his defensive magic aura, it was a different case when a God inhabited a Demi-God's body.

(Poof) A smoke grenade came between them and released a cloud of concealment.

(vrrrrrrrmmmm) Then the sound of something mechanical dominated the cover as a strange shadow burst out of the smoke.

A figure of two men riding on a mechanical horse contraption.

"I've got your back, Hitoshi!" Adding acceleration to his limited options was always welcoming.

[My, God of Cookery depending on a mere meek mortal.] The avatar mocked as he chased after them by leaping in strides of ten yards a foot. If Hitoshi would give him the pleasure of hunting down his adversary, who was Flare to refuse him.

"Hit the gas!" Takeo did that without needing to be asked.

"You've got a plan to defeat him, right?!" Takeo asked even though it was almost impossible to hear in the wind and noise created by the motorcycle and by the avatar's strides.

"…. I've got one….. but you're not gonna like it." Hitoshi wasn't sure himself, but his hesitant answer was better than silence.

"Fine by me. Where to then?" Hitoshi looked around at the sights that would give them a terrain advantage.

"Back up the Fane."

"What?!"

"Turn around now!" (Screech) Takeo did as he was instructed and turned about, heading in the direction straight for where the Avatar was running and would meet head on.

Or so, the avatar of Flare thought.

"Come on, go!" (Vrrrrrrrr) Takeo steered the bike to instead take a sloped rubble and planks up to the roofs. Landing on the hard thatchet and beam roofs that collapsed behind them from the sudden weight applied to it from the KLR combat bike. They ended up jumping from rooftop to rooftop with the bemused Avatar on their tail.

(BOOM)

Flare's bemusement ended when Hitoshi left cooked grenades timed to go off in front of the avatar, which slowed down its momentum to match that of the bike which had expended it to unconventionally navigate the bumpy and unstable roofs.

[Tsk! Your worthless struggle continually vexes me!]

"Good!" Hitoshi replied in kind with another more powerful 40mm Hellhound round, that managed to actually cause the hardened shield to flicker for only a moment. Worrying the avatar only a slight bit because of the limited amount of shot he could possibly carry on him.

Reaching the end of the roofs, Takeo managed to land them perfectly onto the paved roads that lead directly to the stairs up the ziggurat Fane. And was thinking of how they would move up with the weight of two people on the bike when Hitoshi reached over to the throttle.

"Switch places with me!" They did an awkward switch while the road was smooth enough for this transition, with an angry avatar hot on their heels.

"Now jump!"

"Wha- waarhhh!" Before Takeo had time to react, he was shoved off the motorcycle into a bale of hay that so happened to be lying there. And a good time as he was already mounting the stairs where it was smooth stone on the side of the pavements.

Up he ascended, and in hot pursuit by the avatar who fired off a few spells that blew the stone around him but didn't compromise his path or the bike. And watch the inhabitants did without leaving their initial spots, for what were they expected to do in such a situation other than run and hide.

But only a quarter of the way, the bike was struck on a fluke. Sending him flying off it, but miraculously landing on his feet which didn't stop running upwards. Although, on foot, the avatar of Flare could easily catch up to him which it did.

[Die!] (Thung)

He took a full-on swing from the avatar's claymore to the shield and was sent flying upwards in the direction that he wanted and cleared the stairs to the very peak of the fane where the canopy to the inner temple lay.

(plop) Went his body hitting against the surface of the stone hard, causing him to puke out blood.

(BANG)

But recover and jump out of the way before the shadow of a bladed edge struck the pavement where he landed.

[Persistent!] The avatar cursed his ability to dally him.

But up on the Fane, Hitoshi no longer turned to run. Instead, solidifying his footing to make it seem like he was ready to stand.

[Are you finally ready to die?]

"That depends." (Chuck) His first act to surprise him was to tose away his Battle Rifle and underbarrel grenade launcher aside. A nuisance at best to the avatar but one he was glad not to feel the blunt of its firepower again. Hitoshi also chucked aside the remaining ammo bandolier that accompanied it since it would only weight him down.

He then reached into his back holster and drew a smaller weapon with six cylinders that the avatar wasn't familiar with but not threatened by since it was smaller.

[I see, you're prepared. But why come here of all places?]

"You're a god and you don't even know?" Hitoshi took the opportunity to mock the God of the Sun one last time before he was given no quarter. As the rise in mana could be felt radiating from the avatar.

[Surely, you do not think I am limited by some sort of time limit to bear consciousness in this realm?]

-Guess it's a no, then.-

"…." Hitoshi did have that thought at one point, but the way Flare expended his powers and took his time, it didn't seem that was likely the case. Even passing the presence of the Tovonún elves didn't seem to wane his power to any degree. He simply bore too much power for their natural cancelling aura to eliminate.

[You need not do this, you know. You have proven yourself to me to be highly skilled and focused on your-.]

"If you're gonna suggest something as stupid as me working for you, then forget it."

The avatar did get the idea that his suggestion was a bit far reaching but wanted to try anyway. What wonders could he have achieved with a new devotee of this calibre? If given the right blessings to ascend to Apostlehood, he might've become the most powerful Apostle among the other eleven. Not that worthless vagrant who currently served him now.

"Right, shall we?" He motioned for the avatar to come at him once more.

[Right.] (Bang)

The avatar kicked off explosively from pavement with his claymore poisted to skewer his target. At that moment, Hitoshi raised his combat revolver pointed at the avatar with such focus, it was as if he was channeling some sort of energy into it.

(Bang)(crack) The first shot ricocheted off the defensive magic as well as any would expect.

(Bang)(Crack) The second shot, did not bounce off however but hit the shield head on. Although, didn't penetrate it.

(Bang) Hitoshi was only able to get a third shot off before he dodged. While the avatar turned his initial spot into a crater.

When the smoke cleared and the avatar converged upon him once more, he fired another shot in what appeared to be an almost futile effort.

(crack-…..crack) But then, the avatar noticed as did Hitoshi the visible crack that appeared on his defensive magic. Even though the shield was nowhere near compromised in supply of mana. The avatar focused more energies towards the repair of the cracks in his defensive magic when a sixth shot struck the shield and experienced a spontaneous glass breakage that compromised the integrity of his magic shielding.

(crash) The sound of his defensive magic becoming undone was still no sign for alarm.

Though it was merely an additional countermeasure against what he might unexpectedly pull off since he did wreck Granham in her Apostle strength and physique.

In quick succession, Hitoshi ejected the spent casings and loaded the "Special" cartridges that Kugel and Brom had spent two days to manufacture before retrofitting to existing .357 magnum rounds. A type of ammunition which was the first of its kind. But before that- (clung)

"Yerggh!" (Bang) He had to take the full blunt of the avatar's claymore again. The adamantite shield absorbed much of the impact, but it still felt like he was being hit by a bus and he cartwheeled back into the stone pillars of the Fane.

(crack) Taking much of the initial force and dispersing it, his ballistic ceramic hardplate cracked under pressure as well, affording him no more second chances. "Burgh-…."

He puked a second time as he felt the very internal organs shift out of place from the strike. But that was all the time he had to himself, as the avatar was already before him. Bringing his claymore into a downward cut. (Bang) Grazing his arm barely as it almost took it off, as he backed away by pushing off from the back of the two-handed greatsword.

(Bang)(Bang) He fired a double tap as he made this distance, which the avatar didn't seem to bother to block as he would recover, nonetheless. The shots impacted his apostle's skin and buried itself into flesh, remaining stuck inside. Such objects would find itself melted away by the body's self-regenerative abilities like how arrowheads were lodged in the body.

[Even in this state, you still won't admit our disparity!] The avatar voiced its dissatisfaction at his tenacity to stick around.

"Piece of shit." (Bang) (Bang) Hitoshi fired another two more shots into the avatar's thigh and shin of both legs before having to meet another swing.

But this time, it was a feint on the avatar's part. As he released one of his hands from the claymore to grab hold of his prey.

(slice) [Arrgghh!]

The avatar of Flare managed to grab hold of his throat before an adamantite knife was plunged through his wrist, and… (Bang) (Bang) Hitoshi emptied the second cylinder of cartridges into the avatar's torso. And then, he stopped doing anything.

[I've got you now. Any last words of spite?] The avatar seemed pleased that he finally got hold of him where he only needed to twist to break his neck and end the outworlder's miserable life.

"Yeah. So have I." The avatar didn't know what he meant. Was he that delirious that he wouldn't even accept his fate?

[Purrghh-..?!] Then who would have thought for the first time, it would be him who received injury that the avatar not only felt but was still feeling. So agonizingly in pain that he let go of his prey who took a step back rubbing his neck calmly.

[uurrh-…. Why?!-…..] The avatar was on his knees holding the puncture wounds in his stomach with both hands while blood leaked from his unsealed wounds on his legs. Injuries that were caused by the revolver.

Injuries that didn't heal.

"They're a special loading." (ding-ding-ding) He ejected another cylinder full before loading them bullet by bullet.

"After encountering Koschei, I realised that there were probably other magical entities that could outlive most of our conventional weaponry. So I had my Dwarven smiths craft something special."

[No-… weapon could-..urgh- hurt apostl-..es.]

"Maybe not conventionally." The bullets were of the same material as the catalysts used to create adamantite, but etched with simple runes to perform a simple purpose. Any purpose its user programmed into it by casting said spell upon it. Like how the heat stone was a catalyst casted with a flame spell, other varieties of spells could be used to make it emit the given type of attribute to impart it with.

"We called them variable attribute rounds. And I was going to save them for use against your Apostle." And thankfully so, even if he didn't get to. Because they were needed against the avatar of Flare instead. But if so, how did he stop his self-regenerative abilities.

(Click) "My magic mentor told me something special about the concept of healing stones and mana potions. He showed me that mana couldn't recover whilst wounds healed, just like how wounds can't close until mana stops recovering." And thus, he explained how he circumvented the self-regenerative ability by imbuing the VA rounds with a healing spell, a weak one that wouldn't heal any faster than normal ones did naturally. Interrupting the avatar's passive self-regenerative ability.

[But my defensive magic-.] He was now going to ask how his near inpenetrable defensive magic shield aura was broken, surely it wasn't the same round.

(Bang) [Yeurgghh!]

Hitoshi placed another shot into his shoulder blade on a whim. He wasn't going to tell Flare how he did it since they were his and Brom's secret trade. The father-in-law of Kugel's sister had come up with the idea initially after witnessing a battle between two other Apostles. Where he noticed that one of the Apostle's weapons passed through the defensive magic aura without being blocked by it since it was a foreign object from his body. This inspired Brom to experiment with Cato and Apreggio on the weekend where he discovered that these objects carried by the magic users with active defensive magic aura was something to do with the magic energies of the spell projected onto the objects themselves. So in theory, if an object had the same amount of magic saturating it as the magic user casting defensive magic, the object could pass through unobstructed no matter how strong the shield. Brom crafted the first Variable Frequency Rounds, marked with runes that were for measuring a person's magical aptitude. But had also created a sequence that involved the round itself mimicking that same magic quality, since every being had their own unique magical signature. With these ammunition types, no mage no matter how strong they were could resist these rounds killing them. The only drawback was their relatively underwhelming ballistics which meant they couldn't be fired from rifles or cycle automatic weapons properly, as the powder loads of military ball propellant burnt up the jerry-rigged projectiles without brass jackets in-flight before reaching the target. Hence, a self-loading revolver was the only usable option.

"That's pain, what all of us go through everyday of our miserable lives. Get use to it!" (Bang) (Bang)

The almightly and powerful avatar of Flare was left limping and wailing as he was being shot even while he remained unable to fight back.

[Stop! Stop!] (Bang) (Bang) (Bang) [Arrrrrrhhhh!]

But Hitoshi expended his third cylinder and continued to load his last batch of .357 VA rounds.

"You want me to stop." The avatar limped its way towards the end of the stairs where it had left its fallen Claymore.

"But you didn't stop with Sugi Village or Altera Castle. You didn't stop when you sent Granham to provoke me. And you certainly didn't stop to come down personally to teach me a lesson either. So why should I stop now?"

(swish) The claymore came swinging his way, carrying the howl of the winds with it. (thang)

But this time, Hitoshi didn't block it, nor dodge. Instead, he parried it with the knife by using the avatar's own momentum against it, disarming him of the greatsword entirely. Before making the avatar face down the barrel of his revolver.

"If you want me to stop, you know what you have to say."

And with this sentence came the greatest vexation that had ever overcome the entity that inhabited the body of Granham, written all over his borrowed face. He was being asked to concede, and not just to his opponent and to the other eleven Gods who were by now aware of his actions. But to the masses who had once worshiped him as the God of the Sun.

Flare had been defeated by the God of Cookery, Hitoshi Furuta.

How quickly that news would spread, how fast he'd lose the respect of any remaining followers he had. And it was a dead end for him, because he had expended the last trump to descend upon the mortal realm in an immortal frame. Only to be beaten by a series of well-placed tricks that watered down his strength and exposed his weaknesses little by little. That's why he chose this place to relocate to as his fighting grounds, he knew that Flare couldn't risk using powerful spells that would destroy the Fane itself.

[I see now why, Emroy and Zufmuut have such fondness for your escapades.]

(Click) Not telling whether he conceded or was just stalling, Hitoshi cocked the next shot to let him know he wasn't going to accept anything but an answer.

[The answer is no. You may not like it, but the fragility of the status quo cannot be-(Bang)]

He put a bullet between his eyes even before he finished declining.

"Simple yes or no. Dipshit." He cursed as he retrieved his victory cigarette to cool off his head.

Oblivious to the fact that down below, he'd been witnessed by thousands. For having put down the God of the Sun in living incarnate. Obviously, neither he nor the Apostle he possessed truly died.

Or so he thought.

[Furu-ta Hitoshi! Must kill- No!- Gweyir! Profaner!] Cradling its head and jittering about on the floor in avatar began to sound like it glitched back and forth between the personalities of Flare and the original bodies host. A conflict of interests had coincided between the two entities possessing one body.

Hitoshi returned to a ready pose, just because the incarnate of Flare was lying wounded one minute did mean that unstable host wouldn't become rampant. Beams of light were emanating from the avatar as if it was about to go into a meltdown.

And when he was about to reach a point where he was about to solve the issue with another Variable Attribute round imbued with freezing element, who should be appearing out of nowhere like she always did.

Taking steps as if she had confidence she wouldn't be harmed towards the near-rampant avatar which was confused between whether it was still bearing part of Flare's consciousness or the original Apostle.

(Click) "Not another step." Hitoshi cautioned the young priestess, just because she was adolescent didn't mean he wouldn't kill.

And so, she faced him.

"You would reject the Mother Wareharun's plea, that's fine. But this one, I won't reject hers."

"It doesn't matter who it is. And how the hell did you get out?" He remembered she was being placed in house arrest by two of Elisen's most trusted aides. There was no way they would suddenly turn their back on her, or that Elisen herself had doubts this far in. The other possibility was that she escaped on her own.

"Granham, can you hear me?" She bent over and asked in an eerily comforting way. The corrupted avatar seemed to settle down a little in action, but was still leaking dangerous looking beams of light and spasming all over its body still.

"Furutaaaa!" Out of the Fane interior came a running Arpeggio.

"Arpeggio! Why were you still in there?!" He only told her to copy the hierogylphs for future study, it couldn't be that she got interested in the archaic writings and stayed behind to study.

"Wait- (huff) up!" Running behind her was Kugel, weighed down by the unnecessary bulk of unused ordnance.

"Kugel too?" Why was he with Arpeggio in the Fane?

"Furuta, I've deciphered the last verse." She said waving her journal whilst catching her breath.

"You what?" He didn't think she would go far and beyond to do such a thing, given her history of laziness.

"There's no time! You need to prevent any form of significant light attribute from immersing this structure."

"Light?" Hitoshi was confused, there was daylight already. So what difference did that make.

"Only a light attribute of significant yield and purity. The runes in this structure have been long dormant as it had in Altera. But just now, some of its mechanisms inside were turning." Kugel had guessed it was during his fight with the avatar, though he never witnessed the fight like the others.

"Why? And what has that got to do with us?" Hitoshi was baffled by the dread on both their faces, it was as if there was yet another impending horror. Even though he'd just defeated a God incarnate.

"It's a prison, boy'o! It was nothing like Altera!"

A prison, imprisoning what-.

Just then it clicked to him, the images on the walls of the Fane. The one that was etched into the verse that portrayed the Eight Elf Ancestors who banished an entity shrouded in obscurity but nonetheless terrifying. An ancient enemy that they knew nothing about.

"He too has rejected us, will we have no place left in this world as wandering spirits? Or will we be continued to be worshiped as Gods?" Somehow, by means of her own emerald magic, she restored the connection of the God of the Sun to his Apostle to speak this proposition.

[…..]

"Release us and let us aid you. Free us, and what remains of this structure is yours. Liberate us, and reclaim your status of Godhood."

Where had he heard those words before? He turned towards the avatar who was already supported by Gweyir to his feet. But by then, he'd already missed the whispers that the former had said into the ears of the avatar after listening to Arpeggio's warnings.

[No loose ends.]

Gweyir gave a nod to acknowledge his demands.

[Restore my strength.]

"Naturally."

Hitoshi's ears didn't deceive him, nor of Arpeggio and Kugel. It was exactly what he said and she responded to.

Flare was reciprocating an agreement with Wareharun to team up against them.

(Bang) (Bang) (Bang)

Hitoshi didn't hesitate to place three shots into the voice of Wareharun. But had to reload to stop Flare from doing what Arpeggio had warned him not to allow happen. With his/her claymore raised into the air, the avatar of Flare called upon the pillar of light to descend upon the earth once more. But where the Fane was, which would open it and release the ubiquitious Goddess of Nature.

Hitoshi didn't bother to fumble with the revolver and grabbed the two companions of his to escape the blasting radius.

(BOOM) As he predicted, a pillar pierced the sky and descended upon the top of the Fane.

"No-…. We're too late!" Arpeggio exclaimed while she was literally carried away by Hitoshi who had the pillar of light to his back.

"There's nothing we can do about it!"

When the light disappeared and left the rest of the top of the fane with sizzling stone apart from where the avatar stood and the late priestess lay. Only, she wasn't dead. Standing up in a trance-like manner, she looked towards the avatar of Flare who was huffing from severe mana depletion in his suppressed state by the still lodged-VA rounds.

(rumble) There was no one who couldn't feel the shift of stone beneath their feet. The canopy on the Top of the Fane parted what was literally a few tons of black stone aside revealing a hidden entrance about the size of a fighter aircraft hangar.

Air of the surrounding was sucked it to make up for the pressure difference or no air at all within the newly emerged chamber.

[Hurry, Wareharun! Where's my support?!]

The avatar demanded of the being of near equal power who possessed the very attribute of the forest he'd just released. Expecting her to inhabit the priestess as he did with Granham. But there was no response, and none from the priestess who should've suffered from three VA bullet wounds.

[Girl! Where is your master?!] The avatar of Flare demanded of Gweyir who didn't seem to immediately respond to his request for an answer.

"She is here. We are here." She replied in a monotonous voice unlike her.

[What?]

"We have waited for someone to answer our plea. Millenias past, and you are the last."

[Wareharun! What is this?] If it was a practical joke, it was not the time or place the incarnate thought.

"She was the first. The first to fall into our talons, ensnared on our honeyed lure and her own gluttony for power that was her undoing." It was at this point that even the avatar realised that it wasn't Gweyir speaking, but someone, something was through her.

"We gorged on her corporeal flesh until we could feast no more, but the hunger returned, as it always does. For we are the envoy of the Great Devourer. And we bring a message to all of its coming…."

And then, it happened again.

-Free at last-…. -Hungry-..-So hungry-…. -Feed us-…. -Consume-…. -Let us feast upon you-…..

Those voices in his head had returned and were no longer whispering their pleas of help and salvation. But of wanting to eat whatever was around them, and just maybe, including them.

"Hiiieee!" As before, Arpeggio was spocked even more than Hitoshi was by what was now being said. For it became definitively clear to him that the voices all this time weren't from an imprisoned Goddess of the Forest as Gweyir had insisted countless times, it was much more sinister than that.

And now, Flare's incarnate had unwittingly released whatever it was.

(rumble) (rumble) A tremor occurred again, but this time, it was rhythmic to that of paces.

The closer it became, the louder it became as well. Then a luminous glow came from inside the new chamber entrance, as did the sight of a thick brimstone-like smog that came out and bellowed into their faces.

Hitoshi was already a few steps ahead, withdrawing from what his instincts was telling him was a dangerous and hazardous smoke. His companions did the same. But the avatar stubbornly stayed where he was, not believing anything would be a threat to him even if it was some primordial entity.

Which was then proven to be a fatal mistake, as something burst out of the smoke in a linear but guided fashion.

(Stab)(Stab)(Stab) [Purrghh!]

Shot at the speed comparable to a firearm, these three stake-like harpoons impalled the avatar, taking him off his footing and reeled him into the smoke.

(clang) [Whhheeeeeeeeeerrrrrr]

Accompanied no sooner by the sounds of the avatar's claymore clashing with the foe shrouded in darkness and smoke. While complimented by what could only be described as a roar mixed with a hiss that didn't sound like any known creature within the Special Region.

[Yiieerrrrrruuuuhh] (clang) [Aaarrrhhhhh!] A brief clash with his unknowing assailant, the cry of the avatar could be heard as two shadows flew out.(plop)(plop)

One was the top half of the avatar, while the other was his bottom half. And to add an unnecessary amount of dread to an already terrifying setting, the avatar/apostle wasn't moving at all. His/her glassy hollow eyes were all to telling that something was taken from the body.

Then, two glowing globes which had not been there before turned in unison towards Hitoshi who realised he had something setting its eyes on him. As it increased the number to three, then six eyes.

Only for a moment, did he turn to look at two of his worried companions. Making no mistake to show how terrified Arpeggio was beyond her pale expression, she was quieter than ever. Kugel too had a face of worry he had almost never shown to anyone else.

For they knew what had come out of dormancy after what was probably thousands of years. Something the likes of which the High Elves had long forgotten in their tranquillity with the exception of few who treated it as nothing but stories of the past.

Hitoshi also knew it. But in all the sequences of events that had transpired, he was less incline to believe it was really what he believed it was. Because the prospect frightened him for the very first time. A flickering glow in the smoke created a recognisable outline which resembled a certain painting he'd seen within the Fane itself.

-Dark crimson, spiny legs, hook-like talons, lengthy thick mandibles.-

It was without a doubt, striking in depiction. That he couldn't fathom how could the Elven ancestors ever think to not tell or warn their descendants of the danger they had apparently not yet defeat.

Because he sure in hell wasn't going to. If it could completely rip apart an Apostle like that. He need time or place to think, but he was given neither as he was stared down by the thing that haunted the nightmares of many, children and elderly.

But this was no illusion, the nightmare was real.

[Reeeeeaaaaaaaaahhhhh!]

The Demon of Amarel had returned as prophesized, and its second reign of terror had just begun. Nothing short of an act of a miracle could ever hope to destroy something the Eight Elven Founders could only seal away within an ancient structure. Thus, Hitoshi could only hope to outrun this calamity caused by the God of the Sun himself. Because besides the latter who had been outright rendered short of true death, Wareharun was supposedly missing-in-action. Much of their munitions had already been spent on this ridiculous civil revolution. There were no more divine powers to avert this disaster.

In his genuine concern for the situation, he failed to notice the actively vibrant growing hue in the living stone of his adamantite knife. Trying to call out to him not through one of the five senses, but in raw feeling alone.

If he knew how to call to him, that soul would be that providence to defend him from physical harm and keenness to his ravor's edge. If only he acknowledged their connection….. Their destiny….

And through covenants be unleashed.