Chapter 27: A dangerous weapon.
Court Alf, City of Al-Mar
...
The Raid over the White City of Weddings and Love is over. The Defenders and its citizens cheered their first victory over their draconic opponents, but the loss of lives was a heavy cost that tolled on the city itself. An hour had passed since the raid and the defeat of the Red Wyvern, reinforcements and allied ships coming from Saida, Matori, and the underwater City of Queen Diana have to come to help Al-Mar and giving out humanitarian aid to its battered citizens who are scarred by the brutal battle.
The state of the White City is filled with its dreadful smokes and the pure white walls were stained by charred black on its surface and blood flows through the water streets while many of its residents were grieving and mourning for their loved ones who died during the battle. As the sun sets on the horizon, the residents held a large Funeral mass. On the stage, Rick held a torch before placing it on the golden vessel, igniting the fire before Arial stood up on the stage to give her prayers for the dead.
Many wept in sorrow, families brought their flowers and memorial ornaments, many monster girls and incubus lost their husbands and wives while their daughters felt the pain of their parents. Now grieving that their beloved ones would never come back home. Soldiers who had faced the bloody trials of fire shed their tears, mourning to their fallen comrades to show their sacrifices were never in vain.
Jenna held her sword to pay respect for the fallen while Della placed a broken sake bottle on the feet of the memorial, knowing her comrade coming from the Far East have fallen in battle as well.
Ifrit placed a box that contains two silver rings on the memorial, those two rings had belonged to her deceased cousin, Jia, and her fiance Kenny. She grieved for the loss of her beloved family member while Jia's parents were broken down into sob. The mermaid then felt a hand placed on her shoulders and turns around to see Anri.
"Are you feeling alright?" Anri cooed while comforting her.
"... Yeah... I feel better now," Ifrit said with a downcast. "But I'm still sad when Jia and Kenny aren't with me anymore... and I thought the world would go back like a fairy tale I used to live..."
"... You have my condolence," Anri uttered silently.
Meanwhile, Deren watched over the grief and the mournful citizens of the City from the rooftop. Observing the people offering their prayers to the dead while Anri is among the people is giving comfort to Ifrit.
"A sad day, isn't it?"
Deren heard a voice coming from the left and saw a Thunderbird who sat at the edge of the rooftops. Watching over the citizens with a depressing look.
"This is the first time the Red Wyvern and those flying freaks made a considerate amount of damage." The Thunderbird continued before she pulls out a lollipop and placed it into her mouth and sighed. "Hah~ This whole event reminds me back when learning the history of the Asuramis War. But that history itself has never seen the likes of carnage as... this."
Deren grew curious while raising his eyebrow before making the Thunderbird. "... and you are?"
The Thunderbird grew a smile before standing and turning to the Knight. Then she flashed a cocky grin while doing a flashy introduction as she points her thumb at herself.
"The name's Levin Dil~!" She said out loud with her pride. "Diva of the Fourth Song Island, Saida!"
Her introduction gives off an imaginary flash of lights that surrounds her as if she were an idol singer performing in a concert to greet her fans, but her cheery vibes didn't faze Deren a bit as he only stood there with a dumbfounded reaction. Sure, he mamono's such as the Thunderbirds or any species who can sing with beautiful voices had awkward and meek personalities which influenced their way of life in their musical society. At least human music bands are proud of themselves to bring up a good mood and sing the ballads of tales. But aiming themselves to be overly proud would make them like jesters.
"What~? Why are you giving me a confused look?" Levin asked in confusion despite a cheery smile on her face. "Looks like you've never seen a Thunderbird before!"
"Er, no. I did meet Thunderbirds before." Deren replied casually while with a shrug on his shoulders. "I'm actually surprised you would put up a flashy act to meet a stranger like me."
"Oh, you silly~! I was trying to bring up a good mood!" Levin replied with nervous sweat rolls down on her forehead. "W-Well, the city itself is giving me depression, so I just say I want to keep my mood up!... Also, by the way, aren't you the mercenary which Arial endorsed you and slain the Red Wyvern?"
"Well, yes. I am." Deren replied while crossing his arms with a smile behind his helmet. "Deren Forossa, a Knight of Majula."
"Ah! Th-Then you must be the famous Lion Knight of Albion, the Slayer of Mysterious Monsters!" Levin's expression suddenly brightened as she jumps in joy like an overly excited child. "Aria~aal! Why didn't you tell me about this sooner~! Hehee~! I've heard the Lion Knight is handsome like a prince charming~!"
"Uh, I appreciate your praise," Deren waved his hand dismissively. "Unfortunately, I have a family back in Albion, and my wife would be mad if there's another woman trying to be flirting with me."
"Okay-... Wait, you have a wife!?" Levin raised her voice in a sudden as her body froze in shock. "But... I don't smell a woman's scent on you or anything as if... you're an empty husk!"
'Well, I'm no longer a Hollow of Drangelic.' Deren's mind said admittingly. 'But I kinda appreciate her alternate word for Hollow.'
"Also, I'm not sure whether your voice is telling the truth," Levin said while making a questionable look at the knight. "Even my senses couldn't catch your emotions despite how casual you sounded like a normal person... Just... what are you exactly?"
"I'm human... belonging to a group of people which only different from others," Deren replied nonchalantly before pointing his thumb down towards Anri. "That guy, my partner, is included. Mamono's couldn't sense us, charm us or how we feel."
"Oh... so that means..." Suddenly, in a flash, Levin appeared close in front of Deren while holding both is his hands. Her face once again beamed in joy. "Then you must be from the Mirrah Order or Vinheim!?
"... Neither from those groups, but I had good terms with those people," Deren said blatantly shortly before Levin released his hands. "Also... are you that excited to meet someone from them?"
"Of course~! I wanted to meet them!" Levin clasped her hands in excitement. "I heard stories from Ilassa that these people were amazing and promote the true coexistence of humans and mamono's like me! Ah~! Fuck! I just want to see him again and he's a Mirrah Knight who visited my beloved island after leaving a good impression about it~!"
"A Mirrah Knight you've met before?" Deren raised his brow.
"Ah~, yes. He was like a handsome noble when I see his face~!" Levin speaks up charmingly as if she were a romantic actress in love until she straightens herself up with a frustrated look in her eyes. "But that was a year ago, and I still couldn't find him! Aargh! I'm in vain and becoming more desperate!"
"Alright, I appreciate your sob story here," Deren replied blankly while raising his hand. "But I'm afraid that guy might have married to someone else."
"... You're kidding!" Levin gaped in shock before she kneeled down to the ground in defeat. "No! I refuse to hear that!"
"Deren, please don't discourage Levin like that!" While Levin was on the ground, rolling around and crying. Deren heard another voice and turns around to see Arial who had just stepped up on the roof. "The funeral ceremony is finished and everybody went home... So, um... Deren? Would you like to come with me to the temple? I will invite you as a guest for our dinner tonight and your friends were invited as well~!"
"Huh, Sure. I appreciate your invitation." Deren replied with a nod.
...
Town of Gerth, Late Night.
...
"HIIEEEKKK! I'll talk! I'll talk!"
Ash, Ellen, and Reginald stared down at the Wight with scowls on their faces. Ilassa smiled in amusement to look down at their prisoner while Aedra has a fearful look in her eyes despite trying to muster up her courage and pride to never show fear to her enemies. Yet these so-called "warriors" were actually monsters donned behind the skins of humans and mamono-alike, which gives off an aura of dread and despair into her heart.
"Yeesh, judging of her reaction; this woman thinks she doesn't want to die," Ellen speaks up with an unamused tone. "Well, since you're an Undead. Then I supposed you'll just die twice once more. Unless if you would choose to cooperate with us."
"Just don't give her some false hope, dear~" Ilassa giggled before making a mischievous smirk at the captured Wight. "The Mamono would be just fine! Unlike those who have human thoughts that are much braver to never tell the truth."
"So what kind of effective methods would you prefer to interrogate monster girls?" Ash asked at Ilassa.
"It's obviously human methods with the use of intense intimidation and some minor, yet serious pain," Ilassa answered to the Silver-Blue Knight. "Mamono's aren't used to do serious torture since my mother achieved her sassy throne and they have very delicate feelings that couldn't comprehend the difference between an extreme Life and Death situation."
That's right, human methods of torture are inhumane to the eyes of monster girls. For their ways to interrogate a person for answers, they always preferred having sex with their captives to spout out their answers or through other means by looking into their minds while not letting them feeling pain but the feel of pleasures for their heart's content.
"But I admit, human methods are faster though," Ilassa said.
'How did this happen!?' Aedra's mind yelled in frustration. 'This was supposed to be easy! But this bitch in front of me ruined everything!'
...
Fourteen Hours Earlier...
Inside the barricaded restaurant, Jane helped out the guests to block any entrances and windows to prevent zombies from getting inside while the Orphans helped out the adults to bring them tools such as hammers, nails, and wooden materials.
"Ngh! I hope big sister Sasha is alright." Ralph grunts while helping Lisia to carry over a heavy bucket of tools.
"Yeah, but we know they're strong!" Lisia replied with a smile of confidence. "Big bro Ash is strong too! Because he saved Sasha from the Fallen Tower!"
...
"HIYEEAAH!"
Siegwards let out a war cry as he swung his massive club, sending a couple of undead against the walls before their corpses dropped into the ground while Sif leaped through the ranks of Zombies as he sliced them through, sending their bodies and organs flying into the air like rag dolls. Then Sif noted a flying creature coming straight to the Great Wolf before he dodged the incoming attack while leaping backward. A Zombie Dragon glared at the massive wolf with a glare before raising her claws and dashed to the Great Wolf, Sif took a quick sidestep to avoid her attack until his greatsword cleaved the Zombie Dragon in half. Anyone knew that a sword that is big as what Sif has would've deflected easily due to the mamono's nature as a Dragon.
But despite her strength, the Titanite Reinforcements on their weapons did severely negate the durability of her tender, yet tough, dragon skin that will cut through like wet paper with ease. Ash knew it was a material made by the gods that are even capable to slice through durable skins of other monsters. If these Dragons are fully covered with their armored scales, then Lightning enhancements were needed.
*BOOM!*
Ash spun around and saw a Zombie Dragon lunging at him forth with her eyes filled with ecstasy. In a quick reaction, the Knight ducked down as the Dragon mamono leaped. Then he draws his Pyromancy and dug his hand upward through her belly. Then within an instant, the Zombie Dragon is engulfed in flames while the surrounding Zombies flinched back in horror to witness how the Silver-Blue Knight is capable of taking it down.
"Damn, I wish I'd learn Pyromancy," Elen comments before she comes face-to-face with another Zombie. "But now there's no time to talk."
In a flash, Elen cleaved the zombie in half before another enemy approaches from her left flank. She dodged a swing of a blade before Elen caught the appearance of her unusual opponent.
'Wait... this one has armor, samurai armor in fact.' Then the Dhampir scrunched her brows. 'An Ochimusha? Way out here from the East? She's might be a hired sword.'
"Huh~ You dodged my swing back there, now that was impressive!" The Ochimusha grinned with pride before she prepares her blade for another attack. "Now take this!"
The Ochimusha dashed forth with blinding speed. Elen caught her opponent's strike, then quickly parried off the Ochimusha's blade with her crescent dagger, and leaped back when the Undead Mamono takes another swing. The Ochimusha then relentlessly rushed forth and swings her blade in a horizontal swing, but Elen slides down before she twirled her legs upward and kicked the Undead Samurai, sending her against the wall.
"Heh... Ha! Hahaha! Now I felt heated up~!" The Ochimusha laughed with her arms spreads out. "Impressive for a human woman such as thee to beat me back like this!"
"Well, I'm no human," Elen replied nonchalantly, which gave the Ochimusha a surprise. "And I'm not any the likes of you."
The Ochimusha then used her nose to smell the scent of body odor in the air, and to her surprise; her opponent is indeed a mamono, a Dhampir. Yet her existence alone baffled the Ochimusha.
"You... don't reek of demon spirit!" The Ochimusha uttered in disbelief. "Then how are you alive-KUH!?"
In an instant, the Ochimusha felt her body numb and her knees fell to the ground until blood blasts out from her body. The undead eastern warrior looks up to the dhampir as she whipped off the blood from her bastard sword. The Undead Samurai coughed out blood as she loses consciousness.
"H-How dare you... such dishonor..." The Ochimusha's eyes then roll back white, muttering her words under her last breath. "Attacking me without... warning..."
"Tch, the moment when you talked. Then you're shit out of luck," Elen stated before heading straight to her next target.
In another area of the battlefield, Andre wields a large blacksmith hammer and bashed several zombies coming through the workshop's windows while Maughlin helped to barricade any elements of entrances while hammering the nails with wooden planks. On top of their workshop, Reginald dodged a swing from a large machete before he sprints forth to his opponent with blinding speed and cleaved her arm that was holding a weapon.
His opponent, a Redcap, screamed in agony before she got silenced from Reginald's Bastard Sword as he cleaved her head apart. Then he looks back and saw two unexpected allies, Sandra and Daniella. Two Dhampirs countered their opponents, which consists of three Redcaps. The Gobin Mamono's readied her machete before a blur sped through them in an instant. The Redcaps were suddenly sliced into pieces.
The two Dhampirs felt relief until looking down at their dead opponents with disgusted looks.
"R-Reginald... w-why can't you let us spare them?" Daniella uttered with a trembled voice. "I mean, these monsters are looking for a husband, not to fight..."
"Ugh, seriously. Why can't you two understand that this is a battlefield..." Reginald groaned while slapping his forehead, feeling irritated by her statement. "This town is under siege, for God's sake!"
"I know, but this amount of bloodshed is literally hurting them!" Sandra spoke up in a pained tone.
"These monsters are trying to turn this town into a Demon Realm..." Reginald growled, which made both Daniella and Sandra flinched back. "If you cared for these invaders, then what's the point of helping me out!?"
The two Dhampirs felt their hearts were struck by arrows as if his words brought them pain, Reginald scowled at both of them before turning his gaze away in spite.
"I know what you two were thinking about... But the world's changing." Reginald said as he laid his bastard sword on his shoulder while looking down at a horde of zombies from the rooftops.
"But Reginald..." Daniella, still fearful of the wrathful anger that emits from him, cautiously walks up to Reginald. "Just... give them a chance to live."
"It's too late for them. They just came in the town and they just reap what they sow..." Reginald replied with a frown before turning to the Dhampir and stared right into her eyes. "And do you think the people of Gaul will appreciate when this place turns into a Demon Realm? No, my type of kind doesn't."
Daniella felt her shoulder fell before looking down in sadness. "Then... you don't give them any mercy, do you?"
Reginald didn't say another word before dropping his feet down into the horde before slicing the zombies into bits. The surrounding undead saw the swordsman slashed many of its kind before they ran away in retreat and left the barricaded workshop. So far, he has slain twenty zombies in total. Sandra walks up to Daniella and wrapped her arms around her, hugging her poor fellow dhampir in comfort.
From the skies, several Zombie Dragons dived to dispatch the Silver-Blue Knight's rampage through the streets until several lightning spears tore them apart. Gerome and Arcturus hurled their miracles at the skies to protect Ash, Sasha, and Olivier from incoming enemy attacks before an explosion full of dust erupted behind them. The two Knights turned around and saw two Zombie Dragons landed. Both of them had angry glares on their faces. Indicates that they were there to avenge their fallen brethren.
"You... no husband..." One of the Zombie Dragons croaked with a tone filled with rage. "You... murderer!"
Then out from the blue, Elaine rushed in from their rear and enhanced her Greataxe with Lightning imbuement before taking out the first one as she cleaved the dragon's head apart. The other Zombie Dragon was caught off-guard and then swings her claws to strike against the orc. Fortunately, Elaine dodged by leaping back until the Zombie Dragon let out a breath of unbearable stench. The stench alone assaulted the orc's nose in much to her disgust and grew irritated.
"For fuck's sake! Don't do that to me with that unwashed mouth of yours!" Elaine yelled with rage and with her strength, she cleaved the Zombie Dragon with her enhanced Greataxe apart without hesitating. The orc gave out a few heavy breaths before wiping off her sweat and smelled the white tabard of her armor. "Ugh, I'd better take a bath and clean my armor after this. It stinks!"
Gerome chuckled, he grew a cocky smile behind his helmet after seeing his little sister's complaints before looking back down on the streets. The zombies are dwindling and yet, most of its numbers remain as they fled out from the town due to the constant rampage made by Sif who did a number on their biggest ranks.
Somewhere in the town streets, Junayd faced three Redcaps and a single Lich in front of him. He glared at his opponents, which caused intimidation among the mamono, while the Lich flinched back while her entire body trembled out of fear. Not just they had to face a warrior, but a formidable one who came from Carthus. She grits her teeth while pulling out a Spellbook before the Redcaps rushed in to give the caster some time.
Unfortunately, Junayd disappears from their sights as he rolled in, catching the Redcaps off-guard, and stopped. They stood in confusion before they felt their bodies grew numb until Junayd reappears behind the Redcaps, which gave them a nasty surprise.
"I applaud your bravery..." Then Junayd raised his hands and snips his finger. "... to face a Swordsman of Carthus."
Within an instant, the Redcaps exploded into bits. Organs, Blood, and Limbs were strewn around the alleyways, and the Lich trembled further back as the Junayd came closer. The Mamono spellcaster frantically turns several pages of her spell book before casting her magic.
"Barrier!"
A barrier appears before him and encased the mamono like a bubble shield. The Lich smiled for her opportunity to fight back and casts another spell.
"Prisoner Chains!"
Junayd noticed several portals appeared around him before chains shot out. The Carthus Swordsman dodged the incoming chains before disappearing from her sight and the Lich grits her teeth, which she lost sight of him once again. She looks around to find him and the mamono spellcaster knows that sensing for his signs of energy is deemed useless. From what she learned in her studies; Men from Carthus lacked any signs of Spiritual Energy and the more she studied about them, the Lich knew why the Pharaohs and the Apophis in the desert regions feared them since they first appeared over a hundred years ago.
'This is bad... where is he!?' The Lich darts her eyes around under tense pressure to search her enemy around before Junayd reappears above her. "What!? from above!?"
Thus, her world around her slowed. Junayd then threw a Duel Charm, and the item smashed itself against her shield before it shattered. The Lich widened her eyes in terror once she felt her magic energy was blocked and then saw his eyes filled with death while he drew his Carthus Greatsword.
The Lich frantically waved her hands. "W-Wait, I surrender-AUGH!"
But her pleas didn't give her a chance, and Junayd cleaved her body apart swiftly. He knew full well that a Lich is one of the most dangerous mamono spellcasters that can convert big human settlements in an instant, even without using her spellbook, and if she was to be kept alive, then in her turn; the entire settlement would turn into a demon realm as an act of revenge.
"Dangerous as Dark Mages," Junayd muttered before he looked around to the corner of an alleyway, seeing groups of zombies were fleeing from the town. "Huh, they're in a full-blown retreat already?"
In other parts of the battlefield, Sasha sticks together with Olivier and Sieglinde while utterly surrounded by Zombies. Sasha then casts her blessing as she raised her staff.
"Blinding Light of the Gods!"
Light flashed out in an instant and the zombies covered their eyes from her holy magic before Olivier dispatched several zombies with her rapier in swift, clean cuts while Sieglinde took out three while smashing on their heads with a ladle.
"Impossible! You took them out with a ladle!?" Olivier gawked after witnessing the Waitress had done the impossible. "Just what is that made off!?"
"Uhm, Andre made this for me as a gift since my fifteenth birthday." Sieglinde fidgeted nervously. "It's made with Geisteel, which is why it's very durable. I s-sometimes took out burglars with this!"
Olivier couldn't comprehend out of her incredulities until she noticed another Zombie came straight to Sasha from the rear.
"Sasha! Look out!"
Sasha turns around and widened her eyes to see a zombie charged straight into her before opening its mouth to bite her. But fortunately, the Zombie felt a kick through the stomach and was sent flying against the wall. She looks up to her savior before she flinched back in surprise.
"Hey, you alright?"
"A-Alameria!?"
Alameria helped Sasha to stand her on her feet before she dusted off the dirt from her blue skirt. Then she looks up to the Dhampir. She couldn't believe that a monsterized dhampir would provide their help.
The former priestess then asked. "Alameria... did you just came to help us?"
"Hmph, just what are you saying?" Alameria then grew a cocky smile while crossing her arms. "After all, we're friends are we?"
"But you worked directly for Druella as her subordinate!" Sasha spoke up before Olivier stepped forth in front of Sasha and points her rapier at the dhampir with a glare.
Olivier then spoke in a firm tone. "How are we sure about your loyalty?"
"H-Hey Ollie! No hard feelings alright?" Alameria waved her hands innocently. "Look, why don't we reestablish being friends again from the start, huh?"
Her words didn't faze Olivier to change her mind, and the human Musketeer didn't lower down her rapier while still giving Alameria a cold look before Jennifer came around, armed with an Order Bow and Arrow. While seeing an angry Olivier who had never lowered her weapon and felt an intent to kill her former ally. She decides to break up the tension between the two before it escalates.
"Olivier, Stop! I was the one who gives her a chance to fight with us." Jennifer interjected. After a few seconds of silence, Olivier slowly lowered her rapier before giving the Restaurant owner a death glare. "Listen, I know your former ally is a mamono. But please, can't you see she's lending us a hand to fend off these zombies, or would you like to argue further until you'd turn back into a mamono, this time as an undead. Understood?"
Olivier couldn't reply but looking away, turning her face down with a pout out of shamefulness before she heard sounds coming from nearby and saw a massive group of Zombies and Redcaps charging forth before the heroines came to face them with weapons drawn until a blur sped past through them. Olivier then caught the sight of a Demon Mirrah Knight before the mamono snipped her fingers.
The Redcaps in the front were suddenly blown into bloody bits. The undead and goblins halted their tracks and flinched back in surprise before another individual sprang from the rooftops and gracefully landed in the middle of the charging mob before he drew a staff. Aqua-green light materializes out of thin air and turned into a form of a massive sword before swinging his sword horizontally, cleaving his surrounding enemies in half. A few Redcaps survived the onslaught until they were taken out by throwing knives coming out from the shadows.
"Good throw, Lucena," Adelmar stated with a clap of his hands.
"Pffssht! That was nothing but an understatement!" Lucena replied with an annoyed pout before turning to Lucrezia. "Say, big sis! From what I saw you had just done was awesome!"
"That was also nothing," Lucrezia said nonchalantly before giving her younger sister a smirk. She sheathed her falchion before turning her gaze to the heroines. "Huh... were you friends with the Knights of Sunlight?"
"Y-Yes, we are!" Sasha replied with relief before turning to Alameria and Olivier. "At least the Knights of Mirrah are here to help us."
"This is my first time I saw them," Olivier muttered with concern until her eyes gazed at Lucrezia. "Are you sure is that demon on our side?"
"Of course she is, and there is no question!" Jennifer replied while placing her hands on her hips. "A mamono who never emits a single hint of demonic energy is definitely someone we can rely on."
Thus then, an explosion bursts out from a nearby area, and the ground rocked. Sasha caught the sight of a large puff of smoke and debris that shot upwards in the skies, she caught two flying figures fighting in the skies as they exchanged attacks with a flurry of magic energy.
"Well, well; someone just caught the big boss red-handed," Lucrezia comments amusingly while tipping her trimmed hat.
...
"Take this!" Aedra aimed her arms forward. "Lance of the Moon!"
"Wall Barrier." Ilassa chants calmly as the barrier appears before her until the magic beam was deflected, then Ilassa's eyes glowed red. "Devils Rain!"
Ilassa waved her hands as she summoned hundreds of magic arrows, flinging towards the Wight. The Undead Ruler merely dodged Ilassa's attack and chants her spell for her counterattack.
"Skulls of the Nightmare!"
Several ghastly skulls materialized on both Aedra's flanks and went straight to the Lilim upon release. Ilassa disappeared before the skulls could reach her and explode. The Wight lost sight of the Lilim until she reappears behind Aedra. The Lilim then shot out her palm and went past through the Wight's magic barrier. The Undead Ruler felt the air released from her lungs as her back was struck by a hundred ton-force before she dropped downwards to the ground.
'Sh-shit! She's strong!' Aedra grits her teeth while bracing for impact.
Ash saw the Wight crashed into the ground, producing large smoke through the areas until he saw her rising. The Wight groaned in pain while gasping heavily for air and looks up to see the Silver-Blue Knight standing before her.
"You!... So, you must be the Silver-Blue Knight which Druella has been talking about," Aedra growled before her mouth formed an evil smile as she raised her arm. "But still, you're human and I might take you out before I'd retreat and tell the Demon Realm of your demise!"
The Wight then flung herself forth to the Silver-Blue Knight in blinding speed, but Ash caught her move right on time. He raised his shield and swung it to the left, parried her attack, which caught the Wight off-guard and stunned in her place.
'Wh-What the Hel!? This doesn't make any sense!"' The Wight widened her eyes at the Knight in disbelief, as if the world around her went slowly. 'There's no way... that this ordinary human... can possess the strength of a hero!'
Ash drew his talisman and immediately casts a miracle before a lightning spear shot forth, it struck the Undead Ruler through the chest and the mamono couldn't help but scream as she was sent flying and crashed against the wall. The pain surging through her body is unbearable and her remaining strength fades out. Her eyes caught a glimpse of the Silver-Blue Knight and a Lilim landing beside him until her vision went blank.
...
Present Time.
...
"So Aedra... You know what might happen if you bring an Army into the neutral territory, do you?" The Wight yelped when the Lilim looked down on her with an intimidating scowl. "The King of Gaul and the Federation wouldn't like to see their sovereign region to be turning into a Demon Realm with no forms of declaration."
"Please... don't tell my mother about this!" Aedra pleaded as she squirmed for mercy. "I beg you, this will bring shame to my family's honor..."
"Aww~! You don't want to get into trouble with your parents, huh?" Ilassa smiled devilishly. "Tsk, tsk, you just had almost started a war that will bring the Demon Realm into a two-front war... no wait, it will be a three-front war if those Monsters from Pimor counts. But I'm not sure about them either."
"So the reason why you wanted to occupy Viola is to restore the Second-Borne's honor and only that?" Ash said with a glint of disappointment in his eyes. "This region itself is already teeming with Monsters who had emerged from the Dungeons and unexpected convolutions taking place somewhere else, and I doubt the Demon Realm could handle a severely distorted place."
"You... you don't care for your mother and your sisters... do you...?" Lilim then looks down at Aedra with empty eyes, lacking emotions. The Wight's eyes welled up with tears in sadness, realizing the Lilim no longer cares for the Demon Lord's ideal of love for both humans and monsters. "Just tell me... why did you leave the Demon Realm and why are you so against the goal of your mother who had long fought for us...?"
"Listen, I don't give a shit and you crooks are nothing but dogs chained to her ideals." Ilassa harshly scrunched her eyes as the Wight felt her words were as sharp as knives that brought a painful pang into her heart. "As I say the reasonable truth, you wouldn't resist yourself from admitting. Heck, when I told this to my sisters and my mother if they were here, they wouldn't even listen to me."
At that moment, her words caught the Wight's fearful curiosity. "What... reasonable truth...?"
"When humans were monsterized... their real souls are imprisoned in their conceptual dreams of paradise," Ilassa answered with an unimpressive look before giving out a sigh. "There, that's my answer to your question."
"No... that's not possible, right?" Aedra looked down in disbelief. "I mean, monsterized humans still remember their memories from who they are!"
"Except their monsterized souls are in fact the manifestations of their desires. They get those memories as copies of their original souls and mimicking themselves as if they were their real loved ones," Ilassa replied before providing another dark explanation. "There are already over a thousand cases coming from women who were former monsters that are now living in the five factions. In my interviews with those women, there are none, not one soul; knew what they did in their lives as monsters."
The Wight felt shaken. The Undead wished the Lilim was wrong. Yet upon picking up her senses, a powerful presence of emotions that emitted from the Lilim was serious that no lies were detected in her words. Interrogation from humans was easy for a mamono to sway them to do some 'special-type of interrogation' by seducing their captors and freeing themselves, but coming from a mamono is a different matter.
"Then you're telling me..." The Wight croaked when she felt her gut becoming more nauseous.
"I know what you're getting at." Ilassa then closed her eyes, now realizing her words have caught the Wight and conflicted the prisoner's mind. "The Demon Lord knows what I was telling, yet she opted to ignore it and refuse to see it for herself."
"I can't believe this... No, that's-..." The Wight then shakes her head and lowered herself in defeat. "No!... I refuse to believe this! No! There's no way we're forcefully imprisoning humans!"
"Huh, simple questions and answers are enough to break her down?" Elen raised her brow in confusion. "This interrogation was quick, and it isn't even five minutes."
"Well, she's wouldn't believe any single word what you're about to spout because you're born with Outsider blood," Ilassa explained. "And if you're born as a native human with mana such as Sasha Fullmoon, you would get tempted by our captives' words. Then this interrogation is handled by the most trustworthy mamono's, like me~!"
"So, what should we do with her?" Ash asked while pointing his thumb to a broken Wight. "Don't tell me we're going to let her leave?"
"She's already broken and couldn't handle the truth." Ilassa sighed at the Wight in pity while the Undead tries to shake off those thoughts. "Even if she went back home, it will only bring trouble in her family and the demon society around them."
"How bad could that be?" Elen raised a brow. "I mean, I thought the mamono can only sympathize with a broken individual."
Ilassa then replied with a blank look. "You know I am the only daughter of the Demon Lord who rebelled her."
Elen then opens her mouth in realization. "Uh-huh."
"But if any mamono who encounters a traitor like me and told them the truth," Then Ilassa continued. "They can't go back to their homes and they aren't the same anymore. What awaits them is constant harassment; they will be mocked, smeared with harsh words as traitors, and even worse, dropped into prison for eternity when they spill out the beans by mentioning my name and title as the thirteenth-borne Lilim... if they took my words seriously."
The Dhampir cocked her eyebrows in surprise. "Wait... really?"
"I've visited the Demon Realms as undercover, for some time" Ilassa replied with a nod. "And yes, they are for real. Except for Court Alf and Dragonia, they're both fine with it when they mention my name... except for the Truth."
"Huh... that's unexpectedly dark," Ash said with a surprised reaction. "But telling the truth is really that dangerous in the Demon Realm?"
"While mamono's have keen senses to detect lies through their emotions," Elen stated further, and her head lifts upwards in realization. "Then there is no doubt that they will be convinced by it, right?"
"Yes, indeed. My mother had made that policy after I had a family argument with her from eighty years ago and forbid any mentions about me." Ilassa answered with a sad sigh. "She knows that the truth I was telling never lie and then saw me as a dangerous usurper against her ideals. The truth which I and Artos had uncovered is indeed a dangerous weapon that can cause a ruin into the Mamono Society and capable to halt the spread of the Demon Realm."
"Hmph, sacrificing a world for her ideals of paradise to achieve "coexistence" between the two races..." Ash then stated while closing his eyes for a while. "Therefore, this world is indeed dealing with an actual hypocrite."
"If it weren't for Solaire's sudden existence that led to Artos along with other Outsiders, I'd remain the old me and prefer to monsterize humans when they wanted to." Ilassa chuckled haughtily. "Ah~ Things have changed a lot from the past eighty years. After this interrogation, I'd decide to bring Aedra to Arum Sedis."
"Huh, you are way too nice for this fool," Ash said while looking down to the silent Wight. "Do you think she'll change her ways?"
"Of course, there's no denying it." Ilassa smiled with a wink. "I've faced many monsters who tried challenge me in my travels and get their daily dose of therapy treatment, by me~"
"You mean breaking their minds with your words?" Elen smiled back, catching the Lilim's sense of humor. "Say, what's the payment for that?"
"It's actually free~!" Ilassa playfully sticks out her tongue while light punch on top of her head. "Looks like the time of my visit is up. I'd better get back home and pay a meeting with Grandmaster Olswald of Vinheim and the Carthus Chieftess Myza."
...
Gerth, late midnight.
...
"So you're leaving?" Sasha asked Ilassa, who is now wearing her usual ragged cloak. "It would've been fun if you had stayed longer."
"I know, but I'll be coming back sooner in case if there's anything new." Ilassa smiled before placing her arm on top of poor Aedra's shoulders, which caused the undead to yelp a bit. "I'll bring this troublemaker with me and this time, she won't regret having a new life in Arum Sedis. Don't you think?"
"Uhh... umm, I'm very sorry for what I did." Aedra apologized meekly with a bow. "Despite the humiliation which I receive from our last battle. I hope I could atone for my actions."
"You see~! Now we're friends!" Ilassa cheerfully hugged the undead before turning to Ash. "Oh and don't forget. We still have a lot to talk about and... I would also likely know more about him, too."
Ilassa points towards Sif, the Greatwolf then tilts his head sidewards in much of his confusion.
"He's so big, cute, and fluffy!" Then Ilassa whined like a spoiled toddler. "He even talks too, unlike any beasts. Oh, I envy you for having him as a pet!"
"Watch your tongue, I am the most respected companion to Sir Artorias of Anor Londo." Sif straightens up, showing his pride to the Lilim. "And as a Companion of Ash Cyrus and his band of warriors. They saw me not as their pet but as their trusted comrade."
"I... I never knew a large wolf could talk like that..." Olivier gawked at Sif, catching his word through his telepathy before slowly turning to Sasha. "From where did you guys find this type of beast?"
"Hoho~! This dog is well-mannered like a knight itself. What an interesting fellow indeed." Ilassa said with amusement before she walked away with Aedra and waved her hands to bid them her farewell. "Well, then. I'm off! See you guys soon~!"
With that, the Lilim and the Wight vacated the town and disappears into the darkness. Ash and Sasha may not know when will the Lilim comes back, but only time will tell.
...
Divine Pantheon of the Great Seas.
...
"What is this...?" Poseidon gawked as she stared at the City of Al-Mar through a magic visionary portal. "I've received so many prayers, yet why didn't I hear them?"
After her meeting with the Goddesses Bastet and Hel who're both in their regards to discuss the fate of the Fallen God. Poseidon was mortified by the screams of her followers upon arriving home in her main pantheon and witness the state of the White City has been razed down from a massive raid. She saw spirits of humans and monsters mourned in agony as they wandered into the Underworld. She realized Hel is having a field day to raise another place of an afterlife where the agonizing spirits could find comfort.
Poseidon wanted the Goddess of Life and Death to resurrect her followers. Unfortunately, Hel couldn't find an alternate way to resurrect them, as if some foreign power blocked her control over life and death. Then even worse, Hel discovered the only way to resurrect the dead could only be achieved to offer a blood sacrifice; whether they be human or mamono. This sort of method required a sacrificed soul in exchange for value for the dead to be resurrected. But alas, the two Gods threw such barbarous knowledge away.
"This isn't fair... I want them back! I want them to live with prosperity and happiness!" Poseidon clenched her hair out of fury and screamed. "Whoever you are, Fate! I won't let you control over my beloved followers!"
After her constant rage, the Goddess felt her heart raced until flame vessels that hanged on the walls blew out. Her throne hall became deathly silent as darkness took over, then an icy chill brushed through her skin as if her body felt vulnerable. She felt cold and shivered where the deity is standing until her mind realized how vulnerable she became.
Like a mortal, the freezing temperature rose and the Goddess soon realizes that this power is out of this world. From there, she saw a figure standing at her doorstep; it stood taller than any being and wore in a demented armor. The Goddess scrunched her eyes and watched closely before the figure took a slight budge as it raised its head and flashed its flaming eyes. Now staring directly at the Goddess with Death looming over her.
"NO!"
Poseidon screamed as she reached her arms for the heavens, and then; nothing happens. She straightens herself up and finds herself sitting on her throne, and the flaming vessels on the walls were still lit.
'A dream?' Poseidon took several deep breaths before slumping back. 'What was that? That... was no dream...'
The Goddess felt hands trembled and raised them up, looking at it as if they were fragile.
'But... It's all too real... Yet why... do I tremble in fear like a mortal...?'
Kingdom of Valaria, Sanctuary City of Lindt
...
"Is this true?
"Indeed, the traitor isn't found anywhere else in the Demon Realm of Lescatie."
Inside a specific building on the holy sites of the city. Members of the Inquisition Branch from the Holy Order of Valaria have read through the documents that their latest attempt to recapture Lescatie has been recovered. A priest in his 50's scanned through the listed names of the most wanted men and women with a magnifying glass.
"All of their names have been confirmed by our agents' eyewitnesses that most of these people have turned over to the Demon Lord before the invasion." One inquisitor informed while pointed out their names. "But there is only one person left who hasn't been monsterized, and it's highly likely a well-renown Hero who had escaped from the Kingdom."
"Sasha Fullmoon; Age of twenty-one and a Hero Priestess born in a church and raised in an orphanage within the slums of the city." The Elder Inquisitor reads the bio out loud. "Her crime is committing the greatest treason against the Kingdom by providing information to the Monsters and sheltering monster children right under their noses. By the chief god, looks like we have a heretic to hunt."
One inquisitor wondered. "But where she could have gone, Sir Blazh?"
But the other one argued. "And how do we know where she went, Grigorii?"
"Silence, you two loud fools." Blazh raised his voice, silencing them both. "There has been a mass influx of refugees going straight into Gaul since the Kingdom fell. There's a chance that a traitor is hiding in there."
"So we have to take her out for abandoning her duty?" One inquisitor inquired while raising her hand.
"That might be difficult and after all," Blazh then paused for a moment before turning around. "This heretic is a former hero, and it requires a hero to take her out and Gaul is hard to bypass their security since they are part of the Federation."
"Unbelievable, Gaul used to be an Order Nation," Grigorii stated while expressing concern.
Then Blazh turned to see two individuals at the dark corners of the room and called out their names. "Royse... Jack. I'm assigning you two to take out that traitor. Her crimes should never go unpunished."
"Yes, my lord." The two assassins bowed monotonously before disappearing into the darkness.
Once the inquisitors left the room, Blazh chuckled while gracefully spinning his golden goblet full of wine.
"Heh heh heh, I pity that poor girl."
...
Chapter 27: ends.
AN: This chapter will be updated in case of errors.