Chapter 7:

Mitchell and his companions strode through the long, elegant halls of the Demon Lord's castle. Light spilled in from the windows, splashing on the carpets and illuminating the path. Mitchell, Zullie, and Velvet walked at a slow pace, lined-up alongside Nelliel, Mari leading the way to the throne room. Mitchell sorted through his whirling thoughts as he walked. He remembered that Nelliel had more to say at the cathedral before they were teleported. From what she had said, there was definitely a story there.

The hunter glanced at Mari to see she was some distance ahead of the group, going at her own pace—as usual. He turned to Nelliel. "Hey, Nelliel, uh, do you wanna continue where ya left off at the cathedral? I'm kinda curious."

Nelliel blinked. She turned to the hunter. "Hmm? Oh, um, sure! What were we talking about again?"

"You were talkin' about your family, I think," Mitchell answered.

"Ah, yes, my family." Nelliel raised a gloved hand to her chin thoughtfully. She looked at Mitchell with a small smile. "Did I mention I have ten half-sisters?"

Mitchell almost tripped. "Holy—well that's quite a number. How do your parents deal with that?" Zullie gave Nelliel a raised brow as Velvet whistled, impressed.

Mitchell was not expecting what came next.

Nelliel gave him a mischievous look. "Oh, my mother only had me. I'm the eldest daughter. My sisters were from my father's other wives. We were quite the hellions growing up, I will admit."

Mitchell's mouth dropped open slightly. "Other wives? Your family's polygamous?"

"Yep! My father fell in love with my mother at first sight and that's where it all started," Nelliel replied, smiling deviously. Her eyes twinkled in amusement. "He willingly became an Incubus for her. He had another lover at the time, so mother invited her to join the family. And then another. And another, until my father had six very happy mamano wives." It was clear she was entertained by his shocked reaction.

"Well, uh, that's surprisin'. I'm glad it worked out for y'all," Mitchell replied, blushing slightly.

'So polygamy is accepted here. That, or Nel's mom has a cuck fetish,' the hunter quipped to himself.

"Thank you. It's because of my family's situation that I find myself at odds with most other mamano, actually. My mother raised me to find someone who will fall in love with me for who I am," the horse woman continued, smiling softly. "Growing up with my mother's romantic stories of my father capturing her heart, and the hearts of my sisters' mothers, made me realize how wonderful and fulfilling love truly is."

Nelliel turned and stared at Mari's back with narrowed eyes. "So, you can see how the idea of taking someone's love by force...appalls me. Love is mutual—built on trust, patience, and understanding. It isn't something you can force." Her eyes narrowed into a fierce glare. "I do not agree with the way things are done, but what can I do? Do I follow my orders or my beliefs? I've faced that choice ever since I was assigned to Druella's army." Nelliel sighed. She looked over to see all three of her companions giving her sympathetic looks of varying degrees.

"Forgive me if I'm pryin', Nel, but is this connected to how you were treated like dirt back when we first met? Your captain seemed to have it out for ya," Mitchell asked, frowning. Zullie was also frowning, but she stayed silent. Velvet glared at Mari's back.

A frown twisted Nelliel's lips. "Yes, it is. That wasn't the first time I had a disagreement with her, though. It started in the town of Rondell, I believe it was called." She looked at Mitchell sheepishly. "It was my first combat assignment. I was one of the few who broke down the main gate for the bulk of our forces. I still remember the terrified faces of people fleeing my gleeful comrades. Reality of what I was a part of struck me that day. That wasn't love—it was rape."

Nelliel sighed and shook her head, a somber look in her eyes. "Hypocrisy and shame overwhelmed me as I realized what I had helped take place. After that attack, I was furious with myself, wondering how I could possibly face my family again. Then, we received word of another town not too far away."

Mitchell watched as Nelliel gained a resolute look. "I knew I was about to be a participant to something I deeply abhor, so I refused to help with the sacking of that town. If I went along with the attack, I would never forgive myself. So I put my hoof down. Damn my orders."

Mitchell smirked in approval, patting her side. "Atta' girl. I'll always respect someone who stays true to their beliefs. I can say you're one of those people, Nel."

Nelliel's eyes softened. She averted them with a blush. "Thanks, Mitchell."

Velvet stepped up to Mitchell's side. She leaned forward with a smirk. "Am I one of those people?"

"Well, ya went against your loyalties to help me and my friends, so yeah, obviously," Mitchell replied, nudging her with his elbow.

Velvet pulled him against her body and whispered seductively into his ear. "Best choice I ever made."

Mitchell suddenly tilted his head. His head bopped against hers and she grunted in surprise. He smirked as he pushed her head away.

Velvet growled playfully and looked ready to pounce, but then Zullie's staff bonked her on the head. The wolf woman yelped before turning back to the mage, irritated. "What was that for?"

"Please...control...yourself. We're nearly...there," Zullie replied. Her lips curled into an amused smirk. Mitchell and Nelliel looked at them, equally amused at their antics.

The moment was cut short when they came upon large double doors. Mari turned to them. "Alrighty then. We're here." She turned to the hunter, an excited smile on her lips. "Are you ready? Mother's quite curious about you."

Mitchell shrugged, blank-faced. "Ready as I'll ever be, I guess."

Mari blinked at his lackluster reaction. "Uh, alright then. Let's go!"

With that, she threw open the doors. As they entered, Mitchell surveyed the room. The room was wide and spacious, and embroidered tapestries hung from the walls. A large red rug with shining gold designs led up to a set of three rising stair-steps. A pair of elaborate high-backed thrones sat just beyond the steps. It was at that moment that Mitchell caught sight of the Demon Lord, Lilith, who was speaking to Druella on the steps.

The woman was hauntingly beautiful. So beautiful in fact that it could only be described as supernatural. She had pure white hair and pristine, unblemished white skin—not even the greatest sculptors the world had to offer could even begin to capture it. Intricate silver-white horns curled from her head, and her black sclera shined like obsidian, slitted red eyes glittering like flawless rubies. Large, furled white and red wings wrapped elegantly around her perfectly-proportioned form. A long, thick, spade-tipped white tail lazily swayed to and fro. To keep her modest, she wore an ethereal white dress that hugged her form and reached the floor. It flowed with her every movement.

Despite Mitchell's best efforts to not stare, he failed miserably. Every aspect of this woman seemed tailor-made to draw a man's eyes—like a living, breathing sculpture.

Mari looked around in confusion. "Uh, where's father?"

The Demon Lord smiled apologetically. "I'm afraid he couldn't make it. He had business to attend to among the nobility." She shook her head. "You know how they are."

Mitchell instinctively tensed when her gaze fell onto him. Lilith's eyes widened imperceptibly. "Ah. Is this the young man you told me about?"

Mari nodded emphatically. "Yep! What do you think?" To Mitchell, it almost sounded like she was showing him off.

Lilith merely hummed as she approached the group, seemingly gliding across the floor. She stared at the hunter with barely concealed interest. "May I have your name?"

"Mitchell Marlowe," he answered concisely. He glanced at the girls to see their mixed expressions. Zullie had a neutral, tense look, while Velvet looked anxious and uncomfortable. Nelliel had stood straighter and had reverted back to her calm, measured look.

"It's nice to finally meet you, Mitchell. My daughter has had much to say about you," the Demon Lord replied, smiling. Her face shifted to concern. "I heard you had an incident after coming here. Magic-induced ailments are always so nasty."

The woman had such a weird, motherly aura that it wasn't difficult for Mitchell to compare her to Melissa. He found himself relaxing subconsciously before coming to a realization and quickly raising his guard again. He reminded himself that this woman was the ultimate cause of all the degeneracy and sorrow he'd witnessed since coming to this world.

"Nah, it's fine. Stuff like that happens, I guess. Don't worry about it," Mitchell responded, shrugging casually. He decided not to let on his true thoughts. All he'd heard and witnessed since he'd arrived in this world had not given him a favorable impression of this woman.

Lilith hummed. Her attention was drawn to Druella, who strode to the doors. "Druella? Are you leaving?"

Druella turned back to answer. "Yes, mother. I need to get back to Lescatie."

The Demon Lord's eyes softened. "Very well then. It was nice seeing you again, dear. Take care."

Druella nodded before she turned and left the room. Lilith sighed before turning back to Mitchell. "She's always so busy and distant. Sometimes I wonder if she's still the same little girl I raised."

Before Mitchell could respond, she shook her head. "Oh, don't mind my ramblings. I'm sure you're curious. Do you have questions?"

Mitchell nodded. He had one question that dominated his thoughts. "Why are ya doin' this? The takin' over humanity thing, I mean."

Lilith blinked, tilting her head slightly. "Taking over? I want nothing of the sort. That sounds like something my predecessors would do, in fact." She gestured with her arms, as if to embrace him. "I adore humanity and my kind. I truly want the best for both of our respective races. But unfortunately, there are many factors that conspire against what I want to accomplish."

She turned and paced elegantly as she spoke. "For reasons I cannot fathom, many nations are wary of us here in Royal Makai. Even most nations that accept my kind are on their guard whenever we send envoys. I would go myself, but my husband and I are kept very busy looking after the nobility and keeping them in check."

Lilith looked over to see Mitchell watching her with a neutral look. The girls were attentive to the conversation. Mari was vaguely uncomfortable. Lilith continued with an exasperated look. "My husband and I don't even have the time devoted to our spell to birth males." She turned and gave Mitchell her full attention. "You asked why I do this? I wish to secure a bright future for both of our kind." Lilith made the embracing gesture again. "Our spell will accomplish that. Once mamano are capable of birthing males, we will no longer have any need to turn humans. Any love found between our kind after that will be a choice—as it should be."

A deep frown marred the Demon Lord's beautiful face. "For personal reasons, I despise the thought of a love born of lies and force. There is nothing I hate more. The love I wish to have others experience, is the same love I have for my husband. That is why I do what I do."

Mitchell hummed. His face gave away nothing of what he was thinking. He closed his eyes and collected his thoughts. When he opened them, he gave a calm, resolved look. "Okay then. Thank you for tellin' me. Ya probably didn't have to, but ya did anyway, so I'll give ya the same courtesy."

The girls watched silently as Mitchell sighed. He stepped forward towards Lilith, running a hand over his head. "Lemme tell ya somethin' real quick. All my life, I've lived by a saying: 'Do unto others as you would have them do unto you'. This belief was instilled into me by my parents and grandparents, whom I love a great deal. It's a simple sayin', but one rarely anyone follows these days it seems. You look around, thinkin' you're the only sane one, hopin' everyone would just shut up and get their fucking act together." He shrugged, throwing his arms up in a helpless manner. "But they don't. And you have to deal with that. I understand that feeling, miss Lilith, truly I do."

He waved his hands dismissively. "But it's whatever. That's not what I really want to say here anyway." Lilith watched him attentively, oddly captivated, along with a surprised Mari. The other girls were no different.

He continued. "Based on my personal experiences and the experiences of others I've heard, the present—the here-and-now—paints a very different picture than the future you're portrayin'. I believe ya when ya say you're kept busy here, 'cause it very much sounds like ya don't know what the world is really like outside." He gestured towards a random direction with his thumb for emphasis. "The world's a circus out there, miss Lilith. Humanity is strugglin' to just get past another day. Your daughter, Druella, marches across the land, conquering all that she sees without a hint of regard for the lives she destroys or the families she tears apart. All of it dedicated to your ambition. Not to mention, I know a race supremist when I see one, miss Lilith—believe me I do—and Druella checks alllll the boxes."

Mitchell saw Lilith slowly frowning, but he kept going. "I've been to Lescatie. People were fuckin' in the streets like they didn't know any better, sinning in the squalor with a smile." He gave the frowning Demon Lord a deeply exasperated look. "For Christ's sake, miss Lilith, I've never seen such deranged depravity before in my life. But wait! There's more! Consider Culprit Number Two here—" he gestured to a wide-eyed Mari with a hand. "—who's first act upon meetin' me was to threaten the people I care about, kidnap me on the pretense that I'm 'interesting', and drag me across the land to show me off to you like I'm her favorite fuckin' toy at Show an' Tell."

Lilith turned to give Mari a long, stern stare. Mari shifted, very uncomfortable. Mitchell continued, for he had built up momentum and he wasn't stopping for anything. He'd bulldoze his point across to this woman.

"Do unto others, miss Lilith. Would you want any of what I just said to happen to you or your family? If you say anythin' other than 'no', I'm callin' ya a fuckin' liar, and you'll lose whatever respect I do have for ya." The hunter frowned, looking dead into her red eyes with utmost seriousness.

"I won't claim to know your family, but this shit with your daughters is unacceptable," Mitchell emphasized, seizing her attention. He turned, strode towards his frozen, wide-eyed companions, and gestured to himself and all three. "And you want coexistence? Well, look no longer, 'cause I got proof right fuckin' here. Look! I'm human, they're mamano, we're friends, we get along, we coexist. It. Is. Possible!" He emphasized by hitting the side of his right hand onto his left palm with each word.

Mitchell took a deep breath and sighed. He shook his head and threw his hands up helplessly. "Yet that's somehow such a difficult concept for y'all to grasp. But whatever. I'm sure y'all will find a way. Y'all just haven't found the right one yet."

Silence settled over the room like a shroud. Mitchell's companions gave him mystified, astonished looks. Mari fidgeted.

Lilith stared at Mitchell, as if coming to a conclusion about him. "I see. This has been an enlightening conversation, Mitchell. Believe me when I say that." She turned to Mari with narrowed eyes. "Could you excuse us, please? I need to speak with my daughter."

"Yeah. I've said what I wanted to say anyway," Mitchell replied. He turned and exited the room without another word, his companions following quietly.

Once the group made their way back to their room, Velvet cleared her throat.

"Well, that just happened," the wolf woman said plainly. She turned to give Mitchell a raised brow. "You sure do keep things interesting, you know that?"

"I agree. But, um, did you really mean what you said back there? You consider us friends?" Nelliel asked softly, a gentle look in her eyes.

Mitchell nodded. He looked at each one of his companions as he spoke. "Yeah. Yeah, I consider y'all my friends."

Nelliel smiled sweetly, fidgeting coyly. Zullie put a hand on his shoulder and smiled with gratitude. Velvet was more vocal about her appreciation.

"That's sweet of you to say. You do know saying things like that to a girl is dangerous, right? It makes me want to jump you when we get back to our room," she replied, leaning forward. She had a warm smile on her lips.

Mitchell shook his head, smiling. It was hard not to with these lovable dorks. He playfully pressed a finger to Velvet's forehead. "Not now, Vel. Maybe when things are a little more, y'know, private?" He gestured to Zullie and Nelliel, who both blushed.

Velvet shrugged. "I don't mind an audience. We'd probably forget they're even there after a while so why not?" She smirked at the beet red faces of the other girls.

"Uh, 'cause I actually have a sense of shame?" Mitchell retorted flatly.

"Hmm. Oh, well. I guess I'll just wait until you crack. It might be more fun that way, actually," Velvet mused.

The group slipped into a companionable silence after that, striding leisurely towards their room. After a few minutes of walking, Velvet spoke again.

"By the way, is it strange if I say that seeing you like that earlier made me feel a bit hot and bothered?" The wolf woman asked, looking over at Mitchell with a smirk.

"No."

"No…"

Mitchell looked at the three smirking girls with an exasperated look. "Y'all are some deviants, I swear."

The rest of their return trip passed quickly as they chatted. Upon entering, Mitchell immediately walked over to strap on his holster and equip his crossbow. The girls watched in confusion as he equipped himself.

"Um, what's this about?" Nelliel inquired, tilting her head. "Are we going somewhere?"

Mitchell sighed and gave each of his companions a look. "We're leavin' this place. Zullie, where's the Spirit Rock?"

"Spirit...Crystal," Zullie corrected. "It's in...the...courtyard." She gave Mitchell a confused look. "Why...leave?"

"I'll be honest with ya, girls. I really don't like it here. And now that we don't have to deal with Mari for the moment, I say we ditch this place," Mitchell replied. He gave them a serious look. "I want to find my friends from Toulouse. They couldn't have gotten too far."

Mitchell suddenly had an idea. "Hey, Vel, do you remember their scent?"

Velvet blinked, then closed her eyes. She turned and gave Mitchell a helpless shrug. "Uh, I'm not sure. Maybe? It's difficult to remember."

"Eh, that's fine. Maybe something will jog your memory. Point is, I want to get out of here," Mitchell emphasized with a frown. "Plus, I'm kinda paranoid that my weird spirit energy secret will get out to people somehow. I dunno, I just have a feelin'."

"Well, I don't mind, but what will we do after leaving? Do we go back to Lescatie and start from there?" Nelliel asked, already re-equipping her armor for the journey.

Mitchell sighed. "Yeah, that's probably the most logical choice. I don't like it, but fuck it. Let's go."

Nelliel had just finished putting her hair into a neat bun before donning her helmet. "I'm ready when you are."

Zullie nodded, having collected all of her belongings. Velvet looked oddly excited.

"And this time, we don't have to deal with Miss Spoiled Princess hounding us. I'm actually looking forward to this!" The wolf woman's enthusiasm was adorable to Mitchell.

With everyone set, Zullie led the way to the courtyard. With something of a plan in mind, Mitchell felt reassured and determined. He really missed Arriet and Emilia. He said he was gonna see them again and that's just what he'll do.

The group of four made their way across the castle grounds—without delays, surprisingly. Mitchell half-expected something to happen on the way there. He wondered if Lilith would take what he said to heart. He hoped she would. Contrary to what he thought, Lilith might actually just be horribly misinformed about the situation and have genuinely benevolent intentions. Mitchell wasn't going to stick around to see the results of their little convo though. He had something to work towards now. He'd be damned if he didn't keep his promise to see Arriet and Emilia again.

When they entered the courtyard, Mitchell caught sight of the Spirit Crystal looming over the courtyard in the bright moonlight. He hadn't realized it was nighttime. Upon seeing his means of escape, Mitchell's determination swelled. He marched forward ahead of his group, intent on leaving. The hunter saw that the crystal wasn't nearly as bright as it usually was for some reason.

As the group drew near the crystal, they were suddenly met by the voice of a little girl.

"You there! Halt!"

Mitchell and his companions whirled at the shout. They saw a small group of armed mamano rushing into the courtyard from the city gate. A little girl with long, gray hair, green robes, and a broom walked in after the armed mamano with an easy-going gait. Mitchell assumed she was the one leading them.

"You are the human, Mitchell Marlowe, yes?" The girl asked. She stared at him intensely.

"Uh, yeah," Mitchell answered with uncertainty. "What's this about? I do not recall breaking any laws."

The girl's stare intensified. "New information about you has come to light. Lady Baphomet has ordered your capture. I am Sylvia Rockstead, a Witch of the Shirokuto Sabbath. I was sent to retrieve you for research purposes. Do not resist."

Mitchell reeled. He had a distinct feeling he knew what they meant by 'new information.' How the hell did they find out?! Did Doctor Little sell him out? No, she seemed genuine. He would believe in the doctor's character. They must've somehow learned without her knowledge.

Velvet growled, revealing her canines and stepping in front of him as she readied her claws. Nelliel stepped forward with glare, shielding him with her body and readying her double-sided lance.

"Courting...death...are we?" Zullie asked, eyes narrowed at the Witch. Her eyes glowed menacingly in the night as she brandished her wooden staff.

Mitchell stalled for time as his mind whirled for a way out. "Does the Demon Lord know about this? This whole setup screams clandestine if ya ask me."

"She does not. This is a trivial matter that doesn't require her attention," the Witch, Sylvia, replied curtly. She gave Zullie a wary look.

'Translation: She doesn't know we're kidnapping you, and she won't need to know,' the hunter growled to himself.

"Girls," Mitchell drawled out. His companions didn't take their eyes off their adversaries, but he could tell they were listening intently. He continued. "Can y'all hold 'em off while I get this rock goin'?"

"Absolutely," Velvet growled out. Her golden eyes gleamed fiercely in the moonlight.

"Of course...my dear," Zullie replied. The orb in her staff began to glow a bright blue.

"You need not even ask, Mitch," Nelliel assured, her visor falling over her resolved eyes with an ominous chunk.

"Thanks, girls, I won't letcha down," Mitchell thanked with a nod. He stepped towards the crystal with an urgent stride.

"That will not help you. We anticipated this very occurrence, and have deactivated the Spirit Crystal," Sylvia said flatly.

"I also thought somethin' like this was gonna happen, and have ceased givin' a fuck," Mitchell retorted, just as flat. He turned to the girls. "Y'know what? This whole operation seems very hush-hush to me. Make as big a racket as ya can girls. Someone will come investigate."

"You really think I haven't planned for such a contingency? I've already placed a barrier around this entire courtyard. It's perfectly soundproofed," Sylvia stated smugly. "Nice try, though."

Mitchell shrugged. "Damn. Oh well, I guess. They'll just kick your asses in secret then, 'cause I'm not gonna be your lab rat."

The Witch sighed in exasperation. "The hard way it is." She turned to her compatriots. "Seize him. I don't care how you do it. We must have him."

The tense atmosphere increased ten-fold when the group of mamano enforcers stepped forward. A Lizardman and a Mantis approached Velvet as a Soldier Beetle carrying a pair of scissor pinsirs and a chitinous shield silently advanced on Nelliel. Sylvia stared Zullie down challengingly.

Seeing that negotiations had officially broken down, Mitchell turned to deal with the crystal in whatever manner he could.

"I'll deal with the Soldier Beetle," Nelliel said firmly. "Watch yourself, Velvet. That Lizardman is using Demon Silver."

"Yeah, I see it," Velvet replied. She had an unenthusiastic expression on her visage. "I'm going to have just a wonderful time, I can tell."

Suddenly, translucent, spherical shields of silver shimmered over each member of the group before fading from sight. Mitchell blinked at the strange phenomenon, but quickly continued with his task.

"I've… cast...Great Magic...Barrier. It...should...mitigate her...spells. Take care...not to...get...hit." Zullie said.

Mirroring Zullie, Sylvia's hand was encompassed by an aura of purple, and shields of said color shimmered over each enforcer.

With that passive aggressive declaration, the battle began. Both groups surged forward at once.

Velvet dashed for the Lizardman, who swung horizontally at her. She ducked under the strike, but the Lizardman didn't falter—she followed up with a kick to Velvet's stomach, but Velvet caught the blow and swiftly swept the Lizardman's other leg out from beneath her.

Before anymore could be done though, Velvet's ears twitched, picking up on the sound of the Mantis approaching her among the sound of other combat. Biological blades sliced at Velvet's neck, but Velvet ducked again, releasing the Lizardman at her mercy in the process.

As the Lizardman hit the ground, Velvet spun and kicked at the Mantis's midsection, but the Mantis blocked, crossing her blades in front of her. They remained locked in a struggle for dominance as the Lizardman rose from the dirt. With little more than a grunt, the Mantis slashed in a cross, attempting to rid of Velvet's leg, but the werewolf kicked away powerfully, and she was launched towards the Lizardman in an arc.

She flipped as she reached the apex of her jump, her horizontal momentum undiminished. The Lizardman hadn't the chance to blink before Velvet slammed into her, using her weight and speed to her advantage, and as both she and the Lizardman tumbled across the ground, covering their bodies with chlorophyll and dirt, she raked her claws across the Lizardman's midsection.

The Lizardman cried out in pain, and the wolf woman attempted to use the falter to sink her teeth deep into the Lizardman's neck, but her hairs stood on end, warning her, so she pushed away from the Lizardman just in time to avoid the Mantis's lunge. Each combatant skidded to a halt, glaring at each other viciously.

In unison they blurred forward at one another, and the Mantis cut low at Velvet's abdomen, but Velvet leapt clean over the Mantis's blow. She hadn't accounted for the Lizardman, who stepped towards Velvet's side when she landed, unleashing a furious slash. Velvet attempted to evade but the tip of the blade bit into her side, causing her to moan in both pain and pleasure.

Fatigue passed through her, then Velvet snarled, eyes blazing with anger. She dodged away from the Lizardman, then immediately lunged back into the fray.

No more than ten meters away, Nelliel's metal lance soared at the Soldier Beetle, who narrowly avoided the weapon, her eyes following it. The lance buried itself into the wall, and despite it's not-blunt nature, the sheer force of the impact created a small shockwave that pushed dust and debris into the air and throughout the battlefield. The Soldier Beetle turned to close the distance but Nelliel reached out with an open palm.

There was a strange metallic sound, an energetic vibration of an enigmatic nature, like a strange brass contraption tolling, and out of pure paranoia, the Soldier Beetle stopped herself and looked back. Her eyes widened imperceptibly.

She leaned as far to the side her large body would allow, just barely in time to avoid Nelliel's lance, which rocketed through the space her head had just been. It returned to Nelliel's hand, who charged forward to run the Soldier Beetle through. The Beetle righted herself and moved to the side, parrying Nelliel's thrust with her chitin shield.

Unfortunately for the Beetle, it turned out to be a feint, and while the Beetle was recovering from the parry, Nelliel pulled her free arm back, and with a fierce look she slammed her armored fist into the Beetle's chitinous face. The Beetle's chitinous skin cracked from the powerful blow, causing her to grimace in pain. To gain distance, she raised her wings and leaped back with a loud buzz.

Nelliel pressed the assault and galloped forwards, lance at the ready. The Beetle skittered to meet her, but before they could clash, the Beetle's wings buzzed suddenly and she flew straight over the charging Nelliel, stabbing at Nelliel's exposed neck. Rather than stopping, Nelliel kept going, immediately twirling her lance upwards, parrying the Beetle's scissor thrust.

Before she knew it, the Beetle had made a critical error: never stand behind an enemy horse. Nelliel skidded to a halt, locking her front legs. She raised her hind legs just when the Beetle landed. Eyes wide, the Beetle desperately turned to absorb the blow with her shield, but she only partially succeeded. Nelliel's hind legs slammed into the Beetle's shield with earth-shaking force, denting it, and the Beetle's right shoulder violently cracked like a spiderweb as it was dislocated with a near battle-pausing crunch. The Beetle was knocked backwards, her weapon dropped from loose fingers. She tumbled across the courtyard, digging up the grass and eventually rolling to a stop where she lay in great pain.

The orb on Zullie's staff glowed a bright blue and with half-lidded eyes, she sent a volley of homing magic arrows forward, each of which intercepted Sylvia's own projectiles. When their arrows collided they burst, their magics violently annihilating one another in awesome displays of color.

Seeing that a magic as low-tier as homing arrows had failed, with narrowed eyes, Zullie gathered her mana and shot it through an imaginary barrel, and the orb of Zullie's staff flashed brightly. Sylvia's eyes widened comically as a bright blue-white beam of solidified magic lanced towards her. Sylvia leapt onto her broom and zoomed upwards, the beam rushing past her, leaving shining blue-white crystals in its wake. It collided with a castle wall, whereupon, after a second of discharge, the energy condensed and coagulated before piercing through the wall, leaving a smoking, burning hole of magic residue.

With Sylvia's hasty dodge, Zullie halted her attack and casted quickly. A magic spear appeared, and she launched it at the witch. Sylvia zoomed around it before summoning a multitude of purple-black masses that shot towards Zullie. Zullie's eyes narrowed, and she waved her staff from left to right over her head, the orb glowing. Bright blue-white crystalline masses formed around her and shot towards the dark projectiles, intercepting them in one loud explosion that sounded very much like the shattering of glass.

Sylvia growled and flew towards Zullie, conjuring a purple magic blade in hand. Zullie's lips tugged into a tiny smirk, and she pointed her staff at the oncoming Witch, launching a barrage of magic spears that swirled in a tight cone before her. Sylvia veered wildly to the left, but was unable to avoid a hit to the side that knocked her off of her broom. She tumbled across the ground and came to a stop, quickly getting to her feet with a harsh wince as her broom returned to her hand.

Zullie wasted no time, and she swung her staff horizontally before her in a manner such that it appeared she threw her next attack—a large, fiery, wispy blue-white orb that slowly spiraled towards Sylvia. As it neared Sylvia, the orb spun, sending smaller magic orbs spiraling around it in a vortex. Sylvia realized she couldn't dodge, and she quickly fired a cone of purple-black orbs from her broom at the approaching magic vortex. The opposing magics collided in a fantastic explosion of spiraling winds and treacherous energy.

In the confusion of the explosion, Sylvia rushed forwards to close the distance, but Zullie tapped her staff on the ground, and a large, blue-white magic circle appeared before her, four smaller circles within it, forming a square. The smaller circles each fired a beam of energy that traced the ground, homing in on Sylvia. The Witch leapt to the side at the last possible moment, and the spell missed. Sylvia brought her broom to bear, and the broom hardened like iron, becoming a makeshift hammer. She scowled as she neared Zullie, rearing back to swing, but the Dark Mage only raised a brow. Zullie's entire staff shined blue, and a bright, blue-white blade coalesced at the tip of it. She swung it horizontally, cleaving the air and creating a blue trail of light and magic particles. Sylvia was forced back, and she growled in aggravation.

On the other side of the battlefield, Velvet had become a whirlwind of claws and teeth, and she fiercely fought off her opponents. The Lizardman had accumulated a wide array of bloody gashes and bruises, looking utterly mauled, but the Mantis looked no worse for wear thanks to her quick, insectile reaction speed. The Mantis grew weary of the stubborn Werewolf and decided to turn her attention to their true target: Mitchell Marlowe.

Mitchell had both hands flush against the Spirit Crystal, eyes closed and concentrating, trying everything possible to get it to respond.

"—Heigh-Ho, Aweigh We Go! Abracadabra! Hocus Pocus! AlakaZAM—FUCKIN' WORK, ROCK!" the hunter yelled in aggravated desperation over the chaos around him.

Seeing Mitchell wide open, the Mantis quickly dove at him, intent on knocking him out. Zullie noticed the opportunist, and her eyes narrowed dangerously. She stopped quarreling with Sylvia and tracked the trajectory of the Mantis before swinging her staff, launching a fast-moving, spiraling blue-white orb.

The orb detonated directly in front of the preoccupied Mantis in a great blue explosive. The force was enough to halt the Mantis's momentum instantly, blasting her clean off her feet. The Mantis tumbled ass over teakettle down the courtyard, where she rolled to stop, dazed. She saw a shadow loom over her and turned just in time to see Nelliel's lance thrusting at her face.

The Mantis twitched and jerked to the side as the lance crashed into the ground, dust and cubic chunks of debris erupting from the force. Nelliel quickly yanked her weapon free from the dirt and swung it to the side, blocking the Mantis's swift counterattack. The Mantis quickly leapt backwards, landing beside Sylvia, the wounded Soldier Beetle and mauled Lizardman joining them.

Zullie stood before them stoically, panting a bit from mana usage, but ready to continue. Velvet joined her, looking somewhat out of breath and bleeding from small cuts, but otherwise good to go. Nelliel calmly joined the two, taking deep breaths as she stared down her adversaries.

As the girls faced off once more, Mitchell grew very fed up with the inert Spirit Crystal.

"Take us to Toulouse, to Lescatie, hell, the fucking Order! Just get us out of here, damnit!" The hunter snarled angrily.

CRACK

Everyone froze at the loud, sudden noise. They all looked up to see a very large crack on the now glowing structure. Bright blue light poured out from the crack, traveling up the length of the structure.

CRACKCRICKCRACK

Mitchell gawked as the cracks grew more numerous and the light that poured out grew in intensity. He backed away, hands raised with uncertainty.

"Uhhh...did I do that?" Mitchell wondered out loud.

Zullie and Sylvia were extremely alarmed by the sight.

"Fall back! Now!" Sylvia yelled to her comrades. She hopped on her broom and took off through the city gate with her compatriots following after her.

Nelliel wasted no time lowering herself to the ground. "Everyone, get on! We must get away from the area!"

The courtyard was brightly lit by the intense glow of the crystal. The sounds of cracking grew louder.

"No time..!" Zullie said urgently, quickly casting a blue, translucent dome shield that covered the girls. She turned worriedly to the frozen hunter. "Mitchell..! Come..!"

Mitchell turned and sprinted for the shield as the crystal bathed the courtyard in intense light. His heart pounded in his throat as he saw his friend's fearful expressions. His heart leapt fearfully when he heard a very sharp crack and the sound of something shattering. He lunged for the shield as he was swallowed by light.

The intense light vanished abruptly, and Mitchell opened his eyes to the sensation of free fall. The sensation immediately sent off alarm bells and he frantically looked around, gasping when he saw the ground rising up to meet him at a terrifying rate. He noticed a large tree beneath him and he instinctively reached out to catch a branch, or anything to help stop his fall. His hands caught a branch, but to his horror, it snapped instantly. He flailed desperately in the last few moments before he tucked into a ball, sucking in his breath. He slammed into the ground.

Air whooshed out of him as pain assaulted his every nerve. Thank God he didn't land on his crossbow or gun. He rolled floppily to a stop, insensate. He heaved for breath as his dazed, blurred vision attempted to recover. He heard the faint sound of hurried footfalls as someone approached.

"Oh my goodness! Oh my goodness..!" A light, sweet female voice muttered worriedly. A pair of soft, gentle hands pressed against his chest.

"U-Um, please be okay! Stay with me..!" The sweet voice pleaded

Mitchell couldn't even begin to answer the poor girl. As darkness claimed him, all he could think about was his friends.

A/N: Welp. This chapter gave me nightmares. Not because it was scary, but because it was a bitch to write.

What do y'all think of it? Gimme your best reviews please.

Also, Holy shit I somehow hit 100 follows. I was not expecting this kind of following when I started this story. That's honestly pretty humbling, let me tell ya.

Speaking of humble, thank you Sir Yeetus Deletus for making my story actually readable as usual.

Oh, and one last thing. If y'all like this story, y'all might like the other story I'm workin' on with Sir Yeetus Deletus, Year Zero. A Highschool of the Dead fic. Give it a look-see if ya want.

Enjoy. Later on, y'all.