"Hey, Six?", Elt asked me as his stomach growled."Maybe we should stop to eat."
"It's not too much farther, can you wait until then?", I asked him as I held the reins. We were still heading to Bartsville, and most of the day had already passed, leaving it to be around 4:00 in the evening.
"You said that before, but I haven't had anything since yesterday.", he complained."It'll be quick, I promise."
"...Fine.", I relented with a sigh. Jesus, this kid is needy. I often went a couple days without food, and I never bitched and moaned about it. Looking around, I found a somewhat secluded spot on the side of the road with some tree and bush cover. Pulling on the reins, I got the horse to go off the road and to the spot I saw. Once there, I stopped the horse and dismounted with Elt, tying the reins to a tree branch as I sat down and began to look through my Pip-Boy.
Just then, though, I remembered that there were some pouches on the horse that had various supplies in them. Maybe I can get some food from those without having to make Elt eat irradiated food. I began to search through them as Elt spoke up.
"Um, you do have food, right?", Elt asked in a worried tone.
"Of course I do, I'm just checking to see if there's something left by the horse's previous owner that we can nab." I explained to him.
"You stole this horse!?", he asked in a yell.
"Keep your damn voice down, Elt!", I told him in a hushed voice before continuing."And yes, the farmer was gone and likely wasn't coming back anytime soon. He won't be needing it."
"...Sometimes I wonder whether or not you're a good person, Six.", Elt responded.
"I thought I made it clear there wasn't such a thing as good guys and bad guys, Elt.", I deadpanned."Everyone thinks they are the good guy, but that doesn't mean they are right." As I said that, I came across some hard bread, a piece of which I quickly tossed to Elt.
"There, eat up.", I said as I said down next to him in the grass. We were surrounded by bushed and a few trees, but I couldn't help but feel...naked. Like something was watching me from far away. Shaking off the feeling thinking it was just my nerves, I digitized my helmet and gas mask and began to eat my portion.
"Hey, Six?", Elt began slowly.
"What?", I asked, wanting him to continue.
"You think you can maybe answer some of my questions about your...equipment?", he asked. Oh yeah, I guess seeing monsters getting domed left and right requires some sort of explanation, huh? I suppose I also promised an explanation, too. Oh well, as long as I don't tell him too much, I should be fine. I just need to avoid questions that could lead into other things.
"Sure, I suppose. What do you want to know?", I asked I response.
"Your weapons. What are they?", he asked. In response, I materialized Maria in my right hand and began to show it to him, but I didn't let him take it.
"They are advanced ranged weapons from a lost civilization.", I began."They are able to propel a piece of metal at speeds too fast for the eye to catch, allowing it to travel through an opponents body and out the other side, destroying everything in it's way."
"So...it's like a crossbow?", he asked. That's good to know. I didn't know if they had crossbows here or not.
"Yes, though crossbow bolts are much bigger and slower. Not to mention crossbow bolts have to be reloaded after every shot, while my weapons can fire multiple times before having to be reloaded." I explained, to which he nodded.
"I see, that is a very powerful weapon.", he remarked."Can I have one?"
"No.", I answered bluntly."Sorry, Elt, but these are my babies, and I would quite literally kill you if you broke one of them." To that, his eyes widened.
"Okay, okay, I won't touch them.", he said while waving his arms frantically."Can you answer another question?"
"Sure, shoot.", I responded.
"I've seen you summon weapons and items without any sort of magic circle or incantation.", he began before adding."I've even seen you try to hide it by doing it behind your back and in your duster, but you barely have any Spirit Energy. How do you do it?"
"That's...too complex of a question to answer.", I responded."Best I can tell you is that it isn't magic and that it involves this hunk of steel right here.", I said, patting my Pip-Boy.
"Okay, then what is that?", he asked.
"It's called a Pip-Boy.", I responded."Think of it like a...portable scribe. It keeps track of various data and information for me." To that, he gave me a confused look before sighing.
"I think all these questions are starting to paint a pretty good picture of what's going on here.", he said before looking me dead in the eye."You don't actually have amnesia, do you?" About time he picked up on that.
"That's right.", I answered,"That was just a lie to keep Wilmarina and the guards off my case."
"...How long?", he asked.
"Hmm? How long what?", I asked.
"How long did you know about the invasion?", he asked in a very serious tone, giving me an icy stare.
"...The day I met you, I made the deduction that invasion would no doubt happen, and I only learned the exact day it would occur a few days ago." I answered truthfully, no need to lie anymore.
"And instead of telling me, or Sasha, or anyone about this, you kept it to yourself!?", he asked, his voice getting progressively louder.
"Yeah, and I told you to keep your fucking voice down.", I responded, starting to get annoyed.
"Why?", he asked.
"The Order should've seen it coming, and it's their own fault for getting caught unprepared.", I responded truthfully again."Besides, the Order isn't too fond of me in the first place. Can you imagine how fast I'd be accused of being a spy if I took that information to your superiors?"
"Then why not us?", he asked,"Surely, if Sasha had known, then she would still be…" Oh yeah, he thinks she is dead still. While I didn't see a need to tell him last time, it would probably be best to tell him now. I wouldn't want him seeing her with his own two eyes and seizing up in a fight.
"Elt, I need you to listen to me carefully.", I began, getting Elt's full attention."Sasha is still alive."
"...What?", he asked dumbly as his eyes widened and his mouth hung open. "You...You're just messing with me, right?"
"I'm not.", I explained."She's very much alive, but she is not herself anymore, if you catch my drift."
"Oh…", he immediately sunk back down in defeat. I had given him hope that one of his friends he thought dead was still alive, but now a monster. I decided to hold off on telling him of her involvement in Lescatie's downfall, though. Given his fragile mind, it might be too much for him. The last thing I need is a hysterical teenager slowing me down.
Out of the corner of my eye, I thought I saw movement not too far away. Activating my IF vision, I did a quick sweep to confirm my suspicions as I saw a ping fleeing into a nearby forest.
"Elt, get up.", I commanded in a calm tone as I stood up."We're leaving."
"W-What? What's going on, Six?", he asked, still recovering from the bomb I dropped on him.
"We're probably being stalked.", I told him quietly as I took the reins off the tree branch and began to mount the horse."Get on."
As quickly as we could, we got back on the horse again and began to gallop away from our little picnic circle, the horse now faster after a bit of rest.
"Hey, Six, I forgot to ask.", he said before asking."How could you tell there were enemies in the Chapel?" In response, I just tapped my helmet which was now rematerialized on my head.
"Let me guess.", he started."Too complex to explain?" I nodded, to which he sighed as we continued on towards our destination. It was clear he was still grappling with the fact that yet another one of his friends was now a monster, too. Hopefully it doesn't make him slow me down too much.
"Well, here we are.", I said as our horse cantered into town."Welcome to Bartsville."
"It's so...empty.", Elt pointed out as the horse slowed to a trot and took us through the town. He was right. The buildings here, while nothing fancy, were still mostly two stories and wooden. The buildings themselves looked well kept, the wood wasn't rotting, the windows seemed spotless, and the roads were clear of trash. It looked as if everything was business as usual, or it would be if it wasn't for a single aspect.
Where the Hell is everyone? There wasn't a single person to be seen anywhere, and given the time being just after 6:00pm, the dinner rush should still be in full swing. So why was there not a peep from anyone? Doing a quick sweep with my IF vision, I was unable to pickup any pings besides a couple small rodents.
"It's way too quiet.", I remarked to Elt."Something doesn't feel right. Be on the lookout."
I don't like this one bit. This whole place reeks of a setup. Was it the Paw's? Were they able to rally some sort of band of mercenaries to take me out or something? I suppose it could be the monsters, but I can't fathom how that would be the case. We're still a ways away from Lescatie and we've been ahead on the road this whole time. Besides, if monsters were here, then this place wouldn't be so clean. There would at least be some sign of a struggle from the populace, but there's nothing. As if everyone who lived here cleaned this place up and vanished into thin air.
"Maybe they evacuated?", Elt suggested as we moved through the town.
"I doubt it.", I said before adding."Regardless, it doesn't matter since we're not here for the townspeople. We're here for the kids. Be on the lookout for two wagons side-by-side."
As we moved, I continued to do sweeps to make sure we still weren't being stalked. I still didn't come up with anything, which really worries me. If this is all a trap like I suspect it might be, we need to hurry and get the kids before getting the fuck out of he-
"Hey, are those them, Six?", Elt asked as he pointed to a couple wagons parked next to a small chapel. They had various supplies on them and plenty of room for kids and a few adults, but the main thing that identified them as the wagons we were looking for was the sacks of loot in the back of one of them. The sacks that the Paw's snuck out through the escape tunnel containing contraband material.
"Yep, that's them.", I responded."Good eye, Elt." With a quick thanks from Elt, I brought the horse over to the chapel and dismounted, tying the horses reins to a nearby signpost. Afterwards I quickly went to examine the wagons with Elt to find...nothing of note. Everything that had been put in them was still there, including the Paw's precious loot. Again, it was like the paws just parked the wagons here and vanished, along with all the kids. No sign of struggles or tampering of any kind.
"Any hint as to where the kids went?", Elt asked in curiosity.
"No, nothing.", I responded."It's as if they just up and vanished." Running out of ideas for how to track them, I was starting to become rather frustrated. Doing one more IF sweep, I still found nothing of note, not even inside the chapel these carts were parked in front of.
"Maybe they went in here.", Elt suggested as he went to open the chapel doors.
"No dice, I'm not picking up anyone in the-", I started to explain, but was cut off by Elt gasping and running into the chapel. Quickly following him in case something was wrong, I passed through the double doors to see something that almost made me leap for joy.
"Elt! You're here!"
"Can we see Sasha now?"
"I wanna hug Miss Fullmoon again!"
Huddling together right in front of the altar was none other than all eleven kids greeting me and Elt as we entered the chapel. Elt was quick to run up to them and begin to check to make sure they were all alright. I began walking up, too, as I spoke loud for them to here me.
"Glad to see you little brats are still alright.", I remarked before asking. "Do you guys have any idea where the other people I was with went?"
"They ran away! They were meanies, Six!"
"Yeah, Six, they wouldn't let us see Miss Fullmoon."
"Can you take us to her now, Six?"
"Huh, alright, alright.", I responded with a short chuckle."I'm surprised, you all actually got my name right this ti-" Hold a moment. None of them said my name wrong. Not only that, but they didn't show up on an IF sweep. Quickly switching over to Thermal Vision, I saw that none of these kids had heat signatures. Meaning that they were either dead or not really...there…
"Elt! Get back NOW!", I yelled as I deactivated thermal vision and jumped backwards and away from the kids. As I did, a large, runic circle that was purple in color erupted in light on the ground around the altar. While I was able to escape, Elt was not so lucky. Just then, the kids seemingly vanished and the circle on the ground emitted a bright flash before everything around me had changed.
Firstly, Elt was now bound and gagged by what looked like a glowing, purple rope in some weird series of knots I'd only seen in an old porn magazine from the old world. Not only that, but the once clean, empty chapel was now a torn up, unkempt building that was seemingly falling apart. It was clear a battle of sorts took place here, but there was not a body or bloodstain in sight. There was plenty of debris, though, that now laid all over the floor.
I fucking knew this was a trap! Goddammit! Then where are the kids? Shit, I have no time to ask these questions. As far as I know, the ones who made the trap might have laid more...or they might still be around. Running up to Elt, I began to try and untie him from his strange, erotic bindings. Finding no way to loosen it by hand, I materialized Blood Nap and began to try and cut at it. However, no matter how hard I sawed away at the bindings, they wouldn't come undone.
"I was hoping that trap would catch you, too.", a familiar voice spoke behind me."Although, I suppose it's only natural you'd be able to avoid it. Still, I hoped I wouldn't have to put any more undue stress on you." Turning around back towards the entrance, I saw motherfucking Anastasia floating in front of a small, cracked stained glass window.
"You again?", I asked as I whipped around with Maria now materialized in my dominant hand, Blood Nap in my other."I thought you said you remembered my threat. Do you have a death wish or something?"
"I do not.", she spoke clearly before continuing."Although, while my feelings for you may be kept in check by your threat, the growing anger caused by the murder of two more of my dear servants has led me to this moment." Holy Shit, has word of my exploits really spread that fast, or is there something about these monsters I don't know?
"I don't give a damn. They knew very well what they were getting into, so don't try and guilt trip me, woman!", I yelled in response before asking."Now, untie my acquaintance here, tell me what happened to the kids and those damned criminals, and I'll be on my way."
"I see. You still don't recognize the reality of your situation, do you?", she asked as she sighed and looked me square in the eyes."Give up now, Six. There is no where else to run."
"Like Hell there is!", I roared back at her, but before I could empty a couple 9mm rounds into her face, she spoke again.
"No, there isn't.", she responded before adding."You have committed grave crimes against the Demon Lord and her armies. Prepare yourself, Red-Eyes Six." Red-Eyes Six? What the fuck kind of title is that? With that, she floated backwards out of the chapel by going through the fucking wall. As soon as she did, though, I began to hear noises outside. It sounded like multiple people scrambling for something. It was just then that I recognized what was going on.
I was about to be fucking surrounded.
Digitizing my weapons, I quickly picked up the still bound and gagged Elt and threw him over my shoulder. With him in tow, I immediately ran for the door. Bursting through, I could see that the chapel was not the only thing that looked torn up. Now, the town looked like a tornado had passed through it. Buildings were torn up, doors were busted down, windows were broken, debris and trash were cluttering the streets. However, like the chapel, there wasn't a single bloodstain or body to be seen. There were, however, a lot of clothes strewn about. I suppose that explains what happened to this place.
Forgetting about taking any more time to sight-see, I threw Elt onto the horse, not bothering to tie him down, and mounted the horse myself, who looked to be a bit spooked. With a swift whip of the reins we were bounding our way away from the chapel and towards the north exit of the town.
"Fucking monsters...laying a damn trap for me with kids?", I said to myself as we rode fast. As we neared the exit to the town, however, I noticed a quick flash of metal. It was too quick to see where it came from, but the next thing I knew, the horse's head flew clean off and the horse's body went limp, causing Elt and I to go flying with our forward momentum and into the dirt road.
"FUCK!", I yelled as Elt and I hit the ground and rolled for several meters before coming to a stop. Quickly checking my Pip-Boy, I saw that I hadn't broken anything, but had multiple sore spots. I'll take care of those later. For now, I stumbled over and picked Elt back up and put him over my shoulder, still slightly recovering from our slight tumble. I didn't even need to look at the horse to know that it was now dead. Stopping for it would only waste time, which I likely don't have.
With Elt over my shoulder, I materialized a 10mm Submachine gun in my right hand and began to run for the exit. Unfortunately, though, I was cut off by a wall of monsters. Some of them were wearing very skimpy clothes with tinted purple and blue skin, as well horns coming out of their heads. Some were wearing full plate armor and looked very serious, and some were wearing eastern garb and had very nimble looking figures. One of whom was very familiar.
"Damn, are all of you this fucking braindead!?", I asked. Standing in front of me with the group of elite-looking monsters was Ender, staring me down with a look I couldn't quite put a finger on.
Seeing this wall in front of me, I turned to the sides to cut down some of the alleys in between the buildings, but I was stopped by more strong-looking monsters blocking the alleys on both sides of the exit. There were even some on top of the rooftops aiming bows and staffs at me.
"Ah, there we go, that's much better, don't you think?", I heard a voice call out from behind me. A voice that sent chills down my spine. Turning around and aiming my submachine gun at the newcomers, I saw none other than Druella walking up to flank me from behind. With her was that floating goat girl from before as well as Elt's now monster harem consisting of Wilmarina, Merse, Mimil, Primera, and Sasha.
Now that there was still some light left, I was able to completely make out all of their new features. Wilmarina was the same as when I saw her transform, but she had multiple bandages and scars around her legs, hips, stomach, arms and head. I suppose she must have been caught up in at least one of my little landmines I left them. Merse looked like she changed the most. Her legs had seemingly transformed into that of a snake's tail and she now had two snakes coming out of her hair at either side of her head. She also now held a riding crop as a weapon rather than a halberd.
Mimil, the once smart and innocent teenage girl was now barely clothed, only being covered up by various tentacle-looking things that protruded from her body. Her staff was now a couple of tentacles as well, but were shaped in a double helix-like design. Primera still wielded a bow, but her arms and legs had grown to be a bit bigger and became very furry, giving her beast-like arms and legs. Not only that, but she also grew a long, dark and fluffy tail that swished behind her in excitement.
Druella looked the same as when I last saw her. Sasha didn't look that much different either, except her robes were a bit skimpier and she now had a black tail as well. She also had a noticeable limp as multiple bandages covered where I tore a hole in her leg from the night before.
"I apologize for not being able to speak with you last time we met, but I was a bit busy at the time, you see.", Druella explained as she and her entourage closed in around Elt and I, leaving about 10 meters between us."Allow me to formally introduce myself. I am the Fourth Princess of the Demon Lord and Commander-In-Chief of her armies, Druella of the Royal Makai. I am pleased to make your acquaintance, Red-Eyes Six." She finished with a large smile that made me shudder.
What the fuck have I gotten myself into?