Chapter V

Part 2: This is a Battle?

Although the Dragonoid didn't watch the soldiers of Re-Estize leave directly. He was no less certain they had fled.

Tightening his grip on his longsword's hilt the Dragonoid began to walk. With a slow stride, Tiberius strode across the grassy field to retake his place at Yuliana's side.

Together two stared out across the gap of less than twenty-five yards to the men of the Slane Theocracy.

Standing atop the small hill behind the main force was the group's leader. Even from here, Tiberius' sharp eyes could clearly see the man's face as he glared at them with barely constrained anger.

Commander Nigun's gaze was first drawn to the tallest of the pair. The one who had just made such an open display of his skill.

Even in the low light of the setting sun, the silver armour still shone with an orange-red glow. His dark eyes were pulled to the strange design of the helmet. The canine-like appearance was something Nigun found both peculiar and fascinating. In the past, he'd seen warriors who fashioned their helmets to resemble all manner of beasts to intimidate their foes. Some even held to an archaic belief that such a totem would bestow their strength upon them.

It was a laughable idea.

After all, as Nigun or anyone of the Theocracy could attest to, it was only the Six Great Gods that could bestow such power.

His eyes then swept to the right to settle on the second individual.

They were half a head shorter and with armour that looked to be more tarnished than the other. How odd it was to see a beautiful feminine face upon the helmet's facemask.

Seeing it left him puzzled. Was it an indication of the person behind the mask was female?

Of course, he could not discredit the possibility it was another man beneath it. Though the Theocracy had outlawed such deviants. Other nations were not as enlightened and allowed them to thrive within their borders.

Scanning over the two it was quite apparent the quality of their equipment.

The armours were no doubt works of a true master craftsman, and there was a very good chance they were enchanted with magic. This assumption appeared especially true of the weapon that had been used a moment ago to dispatch the angels.

Nigun returned his focus to the taller warrior.

The technique they had used to save Stronoff and his men eluded him. Had it been a spell? Or perhaps it was some kind of martial art?

But it didn't matter.

Just as the Kingdom's Warrior-Captain had battled in vain against their superiority. So too would these two strangers soon learn.

Issuing a command to his subordinates, he ordered them to recall their remaining angels. Then to form a defensive line between them and the two warriors. Until he could puzzle out their full capabilities he didn't wish to leave himself open to attack.

Though they were an unknown factor, Nigun still felt confident that their numbers would be enough to overcome them. But if the tide should turn against them, then there was always the trump card he carried in the pouch on his belt.

Nigun puffed up his chest like a preening bird, he did his best to sound unconcerned and authoritative.

"Just who are you and why have you interfered?"

The two individuals remained unmoved and silent.

His brows furrowed and he growled with his building frustrations. "You would dare to ignore me! You insolent cur!" Nigun's visage relaxed and took on a haughty expression, "Or perhaps the fear has frozen your tongue."

The Dragonoid performed a slow sweep of his head as he looked over the robed men.

"You frighten no one."

Again Nigun felt his ire rise to new levels with the nonchalant tone of the man. For anyone to speak to their superiors in such a manner was inexcusable.

It must be a bluff. Yes, even the mighty Gazef was afraid when he beheld our power.

The scar-faced man let out a hearty laugh, "Your ignorance is truly deplorable… Getting rid of you will be a service to all. Then after we're finished with you we shall complete our…"

No, you won't," Tiberius interrupted the man, "In fact, I doubt very much any of you will be leaving this field."

"Have you taken leave of your senses?" Nigun smirked, "You are but two. And while you may last longer than Gazef against our angelic might. But make no mistake you will fall the same."

The other man's idle threat did nothing to ruffle the Dragonoid. From behind the ruby lensed eyes of the wolven helmet, he snuck a sideways glance to his guardian companion. He was somewhat surprised to see how well she was retaining her composure.

"So, you doubt my strength," the Dragonoid's voice lowered several octaves, "Then I welcome you to test it."

A deep shiver passed through the magic casters of the Slane Theocracy with the rumble of a declaration.

The soldiers of the Sunlight Scripture were veterans of numerous battlefields. They'd faced down inhuman creatures that would send lesser men running away in terror. Yet this stranger, with such few words had managed to plant a seed of fear within them.

"Have the angels charge them! Let them see just how powerless they truly are!"

As one of the magic casters raised their arms and the angels flapped their wings in response. Reacting like a flock of metal birds, they rose higher into the air. There the angels hovered for a moment then together the gathered creatures dove at their intended targets.

With longsword in hand, the Dragonoid took several long strides forwards before halting. Here he looked on at the approaching foes and waited.

The virtual wall of angels drew closer and closer still.

Sensing their distance was well within range, Tiberius brought his blade up to a ready position.

"[Blade Storm]"

The movements of Tiberius' sword arm were so rapid as to create the illusion of having multiple limbs. The glowing core of the longsword created a streak of fiery white-orange as it sliced through the air. The air itself was whipped into a frenzy by the turbulence of the blade and caused the air to sing with all the fury of a howling cyclone.

The baleful tempest engulfed the angels, tossing them to and fro.

Countless wounds spread across their armoured bodies to weep golden mana. It was as if the idiom of death by a thousand cuts had come to pass. The glowing mana flowed freely from their many wounds to be carried away by the whirlwind.

Some of the men gawked at the sight before them while others looked to each other for answers. But all gazed at the stranger with incredulity and dread.

Nigun, himself, could only direct his dark eyes to the skywards ballet. He watched the angels flitter like ragdolls and the glowing mist being whisked away by the receding winds.

Nigun Grid Luin, Commander of the Sunlight Scripture, a veteran of numerous campaigns against the enemies of the Slane Theocracy. For the first time in a long time felt a deep tremor pass through his body. Inclining his head he looked to his hands and watched as they trembled. Balling his hands into fists he attempted to stop the shaking.

Forcing his hands to his sides, Nigun turned his gaze back to the two silver-clad warriors.

Only now, after witnessing such a display that he understood just what Stronoff had been babbling about. There were no doubts remaining, the scouts had met their ends not at the hands of Stronoff or his warband. But at the hands of these two strangers.

Although he did his best to force such thoughts from his mind. Such pervasive ideas wormed their way back in.

No, this proves nothing! There are members of the Black Scripture who can wipe out just as many angels. This only means he is stronger than Stronoff. Still, we are amongst the strongest forces in the Theocracy. No, in the world! This just means we'll have to do better, treat him as someone on our level.

But then Nigun was left to wonder. Could those members of the Black Scripture kill so with just a single attack?

Tiberius stood unmoving, his longsword once more resting position at his side with the blade tip pointing towards the earth. He watched the wave of fear wash over the magic casters.

Stirred into a fever pitch, the mages drew closer together, forming a single battle line. Together they raised their dominant arms with open palms facing the Dragonoid and his companion. Then they began to chant-shout innumerable spells.

"[Charm Person], [Iron Hammer of Righteousness], [Hold], [Fire Rain], [Emerald Sarcophagus], [Holy Ray], [Shockwave], [Confusion], [Charge of Stalagmite], [Open Wounds], [Poison], [Fear], [Word of Curse], [Blindness]..."

It was a veritable storm of spells that rained down upon Tiberius and Yuliana.

Yet for all their numbers, not one managed to breach either of their defenses.

"So it seems Archangel Flame summons are not the only YGGDRASIL magics that they know," Tiberius mumbled to no one.

Seeing their spells being so ineffectual only pushed the magic casters further to the breaking point.

Unable to deal with the happenings, one mage lifted his left arm and with his right hand loaded a steel ball into a vambrace mounted sling. Drawing back the elastic straps to their furthest limit the mage released.

The bullet sped through the air and across the field with force enough to easily shatter bones.

However, that was not the case.

There came a high-pitched plink as the steel ball collided with the armoured man then fell harmlessly to the ground.

Inclining his head the Dragonoid looked at the metal ball laying amongst the grass before looked back at his opponents.

"I do hope that is not the full extent of your capabilities."

Nigun chafed under the man's obvious insult.

"Principality Observation!" the scarred man's voice wavered, "Attack!"

From behind the Sunlight Scripture a towering figure, easily twice the size of the Archangel Flame rose.

Principality Observation was an angel of a higher tier, a position denoted by its four wings compared to the lesser Archangel Flame's two. It was garbed in a gleaming breastplate overtop a white gold robe that covered its entire body. Upon its head, an ornate helmet above which hovered a golden halo.

For armaments, the higher-tiered angel carried with it a round shield on its left forearm. Emblazoned on it was a shining star. In its right hand the being held a gleaming mace of some silver metal.

Nigun had held back this particular angel from the frontlines for its special ability. It was an ability that strengthened the defenses of its allies. Unfortunately, this ability was negated once the angel moved after summoning.

The commander of Sunlight Scripture's reasoning for this was simple. He had wished to best protect himself, thus he had ordered the being to stay near him behind the lines.

But this foe they faced now necessitated its use in combat.

As ordered the towering angelic figure levitated above the forces of the Sunlight Scripture. Clasping its hands together it gripped the hilt of the silver mace. The head of the mace was engulfed by the light of the holy magic contained within.

Tiberius remained unmoved, facing down the Principality of Observation as it crossed the battlefield.

Raising his left hand, the Dragonoid concentrated on the angel.

"[Crushing Hand]"

The large angel's approach came to a halt. It hovered motionless for a moment, acting as if it was held in place by some imperceptible force.

Before the towering angel, a translucent hand with fingers splayed materialized from the ether. The hand was large enough to easily encompass something the size of an ogre. The ghost-like hand closed its grasp about the angel, locking it in a steadfast hold.

Mere yards from the Principality Observation, Tiberius stood with his left arm outstretched. A faint glow swathed his hand and every movement of his hand was similarly mimicked by the larger magical counterpart.

The Dragonoid curled his fingers tighter, feeling a certain level of resistance to the action.

The men of the Slane Theocracy stood mesmerized by the sight before them.

They watched as the massive hand twitched and its grip tightened about the angel. Their ears were met with the sound of creaking and groaning metal. Within the mystical hand's grip, the angel shook and thrashed violently as it struggled to break free.

Yet for all its movements the mystical appendage was unperturbed.

The pressure mounted, denting the angel's magically created armour. The armour splintered, small fragments broke free to fall to the ground. While other pieces unable to withstand the stress became airborne bullets.

Principality Observation's body began to bend and distort.

Slowly the angel started to more resemble a crumpled sheet of paper than its true self. Then there came was a horrible crunch and the angel's body succumbed to the ever-increasing strain. As Principality Observation's body was reduced to a meager fraction of its former self.

Seeing having left the angel, Tiberius released his clenched fist. An action that was repeated by the phantom hand to release the defeated angel. The Principality Observation collapsed to the grass in a crushed heap. There it lay but for a second before it burst into thousands of iridescent sand grains.

"If you are hoping to make it out of this alive," Tiberius held his left hand out towards the magic casters, "You're leaving much to be desired."

"H-how…how could this be possible?!"

"What spell was that?"

While his men approached panic, Nigun stood wide-eyed and slack-jawed. His previous only slight tremors had progressed into a full-body shake.

"T-that's impossible! There's no way a high-level angel could be taken done with a single spell," the enemy leader cried out.

"Not so it seems," Tiberius mocked the man, "I do hope you have something more to offer. Or have we reached the conclusion of this farce."

"Commander Nigun, what are we to do?"

"Yes, Commander?"

Nigun cut his eyes at the men questioning him. Men who wilted under their leader's gaze and shrank back from him. As the weaklings withdrew, he turned his attention back to the battlefield and the two figures standing on the opposite end.

We can't win against this! NO, there's still hope. The Holy Treasure!

Reaching beneath his robes, Nigun's hand disappeared into the heavy pouch that hung from his belt. Buring his hand within the leather bag, his fingers ran along the smooth glassy surface of the item contained within.

Grasping the object tightly he withdrew his arm from his robes and hoisted his hand towards the sky.

Within his clutching fingers was a crystal cluster about the size of a large orange. The magic sealed within the crystal gave off a radiant aura.

This crystal was one of the national treasures of the Slane Theocracy, a relic of a bygone era. Having been left in the Theocracy's possession since the time of the Six Great Gods walked the earth six hundred years ago.

Its use had been strictly prohibited by his superiors. Except only in the most dire of circumstances.

"Your strength had done nothing but earn you a rare honour. Your death will come at the hands of an angel of the highest caliber."

The Commander of the Sunlight Scripture roared in his perceived triumph. Looking to his subordinates Nigun issued new orders.

"Protect me whilst I commence the summons!"

It was the glint of the crystal that had captured the sharp eyes of the Dragonoid. With his keen perception, Tiberius analyzed the item within the other man's hand.

A summoning crystal? So it isn't just YGGDRASIL magic that has found its way to this world. Though it doesn't look to be an ultra-rare one. Still, it looks to be pretty high level. So at least I don't have to worry about any super-tier spells. But that still leaves a multitude of possibilities. He did say something about the highest tier of angels. So did he mean a Seraphim class?

For the first time since initially engaging the knights who attacked the village in combat, Tiberius was worried.

Taking a defensive stance, he planted his feet firmly in the earth. Raising his longsword before him, he held the hilt tightly with both hands.

"Yuliana, be ready. We may be facing a strong opponent."

"Understood, my lord."

Striding forwards the female guardian took her place alongside her master. She drew the twin elven sabers from their matching scabbards at her waist. Holding them before her at the ready, Yuliana assumed a defensive stance.

"Behold! The shining form of the highest of angels! Dominion Authority!"

The crystal within the man's hand shone brightly in a dazzling display of brilliance. The grassy plain was bathed in a clean white-blue light. A light so bright that it outshone the setting sun.

As the light began to fade, a new figure could be seen floating in the air above the Sunlight Scripture.

The figure was vaguely humanoid in appearance. The creature's body, if it truly had one, was obscured by the innumerable angelic wings. However, seemingly hidden amongst the mass of wings was a pair of clearly discernable feathered arms. Within its hands, taloned fingers clasped a royal-looking scepter. Where the being's head ought to be, there was instead a glowing blue sigil of the angelic script.

As the massive angel descended from on high there came with it a delicate fragrance that wafted on the breeze.

The arrival of such a legendary being drew awe and cheers from the men of the Slane Theocracy. With its presence, the mage's morale was boosted to the point it made them tremble with excitement.

The effect was lost upon the Dragonoid and his companion.

That's it?! They call that thing the highest tier of angels?

"No do you see the power that you facing?" Nigun's voice held unrequited joy, "You may have been strong enough to best the Archangel Flames. You may have known a trick that allowed you to overcome the Principality Observation. But now, your end is assured."

The Dragonoid subconsciously shook his head at the excitement about an over-hyped summoning. No longer seeing a reason to be on guard Tiberius relaxed. Straightening up he lowered his sword to allow it to return to its resting place at his side.

Following suit Yuliana allowed herself to be more lax in her defense. But she did maintain a wary eye on their foes.

"You should feel proud warrior. Not in two hundred years has there been a force that has necessitated this most exalted of angels to be dealt with."

"You continue to mock me," came a decisive reply.

"What?"

The sudden comment from the silver armoured warrior was unexpected and left Nigun puzzled.

"You preach about your strength, issue your challenges, and continue to disappoint. Now, show me what you're truly capable of."

Commander Nigun growled, "You dare to continue to show such disrespect even to the face of an angel of the highest order. Does your blasphemy know no bounds?!"

Nigun was filled with roiling hatred as he glared at the silver-clad warrior. For this man to continue in such a dismissive manner was a total affront to the gods.

He must have a death wish to be so calm. Or could…could it be he is hiding something? No, impossible, no force on this earth can withstand Dominion Authority. Not even the Demon Gods of two hundred years ago could resist its might.

The blonde-haired commander shook his head, refusing to even consider such a blasphemy. Nigun shoved the thought away but subconsciously his body tensed.

"No! It's not possible! There is nobody stronger than this most highly placed of the angels! Dominion Authority attack! Use [Holy Smite]!"

Hearing its master's command the winged creature moved to obey.

Practically unfazed Tiberius watched the Dominion Authority maneuvered into an attack position.

In response, the Dragonoid tightened his grip upon the hilt of his longsword. He lifted his right arm, held the weapon parallel to the ground, and pointing away from himself.

"[Reality Slash]"

Tiberius swung the blade in a wide-sweeping arc before him. From the path traced by the sword came a gleaming band of energy. It was no thicker than a hair and shaped like that of a crescent moon. The crescent arc movement was so rapid that it bordered on being unperceivable by the onlookers.

In less than the blink of an eye, the near-instantaneous attack struck the angel diagonally across the torso.

For an instant, there was hope amongst the magic casters that the Dominion Authority was able to overcome this assault. But that hope was dashed as a noticeable gash stretched across the angel and the sky to either side. It was as if this unknown attack had sliced through the fabric of reality itself.

A brilliant flash of golden light illuminated the sky, blinding the sensitive eyes of the mages. By the time the light had faded and their eyesight returned to them, Dominion Authority had evaporated into the ether leaving only bare sky where it had once hovered.

Having completed his attack, the Dragonoid lowered his sword arm to his side once more. He knew that the use of such a powerful 10th tier spell was a waste of mana and far more overkill than was needed for that given opponent.

But this disgrace of a battle had gone on long enough and worn away the last vestiges of his patience.

The magic casters of the Sunlight Scripture stood motionless. Their heads inclined to stare at the sky, at the space once occupied by Dominion Authority.

Nigun stood in the same place, his eyes wide and his terror shown clearly on his face. His mind was too stunned to fully process what had just transpired.

The sight of such a legendary icon being obliterated so utterly by a single effortless attack. It boggled the mind just how such a thing was even possible. Several full minutes had ticked by before Nigun had regained enough of his faculties to compose a response.

"H-h-how is this possible?!" the man's horror-filled gaze fell to the strange warrior, "Y-you! What are you?!... Demon! You must be a Demon God!"

Within the consciousness of Nigun and his men, this could be the only answer.

In the totality of the world, there were only a mere handful of beings capable of going facing off against the highest of angels.

The Six Great Gods which all citizens of the Slane Theocracy venerated.

The veritable kings of the mighty race of dragons, known as the Dragon Lords. But they were content to remain to themselves.

In the past, there was a legendary monster who had destroyed an entire kingdom single-handedly, then just vanished from history. This mysterious being was known only as Landfall.

Then there had been the Demon Gods.

Creatures of evil who two hundred years ago had spread mayhem and terror throughout the world. It was recorded that they had met their ends at the hands of the renowned group of heroes known simply as the Thirteen Heroes.

So far as any knew there was no tier of beings higher than them.

But now two strangers had come from out of nowhere to shatter their preconceived notions.

"I am nothing of the sort," the booming voice of the warrior broke through Nigun's mental turmoil. "But I know what you are. You are nothing but a fool, a bully, and a coward. And I've dealt with plenty of people like you before."

With a slow measured pace, the Dragonoid moved closer to the battle lines of the magic casters. Raising his left arm, he pointed to the leader of the enemy forces.

"You come here so assured of your own strength. You terrorize those that you considered weaker than yourself without care. But then, when you find someone stronger than yourself. You can only scream and flail about in your childish fits."

To the eyes of Nigun and his subordinates, the armoured warrior seemed to loom over them. With each step he took, the warrior appeared to grow ever larger. It was as if some mythic figure had descended from on high and with them came an overwhelming feeling of awe.

Several of them unable to take the pressure collapsed to their knees.

The Dragonoid had made it halfway across the expanse that separated them before coming to a halt. The pause was abrupt, just as was the sharp jerking motion Tiberius made as he raised his helmeted head to the sky.

Seeing something bring such a change to their foe. Commander Nigun and his fellow mages imitated the movement.

In the sky high overhead, a spider web of fissures split the sky open. It was as if the world itself, unable to cope with these events had broke under the strain. Like a broken window pane, the sections of the heavens fell away like so many numerous pieces of glass to vanish on the way down. Then as quickly as they had appeared they were gone and the sky was returned to its normal state.

Though he had never seen such a reaction, Tiberius instinctually knew the cause.

Within YGGDRASIL, it was a common tactic that players would make use of divination magics to spy on one another.

As a counter to prevent the careless use of divination magics, the developers put in place a number of abilities.

There were passive abilities that could simply shield a player from detection and at higher levels could even block entire regions from view. Opposite them, there were offense-based abilities. Some could create an explosive reaction (a reaction that players could strengthen through leveling up) for the person using the divination magic.

There was a particularly amusing counter skill, which on activation would then summon a multitude of low to mid-tier monsters. These monsters that although weak had high stats in agility and stealth. Once summoned the monsters would make a nuisance of themselves by stealing from the scrying player and just generally harass those around them.

So someone was using divination magics. But the question is were they trying to use it on me? No, if they had my defensive abilities would have kicked in sooner. Instead, they only activated when I moved closer to them.

Tiberius lowered his gaze, allowing it to settle on the scar-faced leader of the opposing force.

Then they must have been using it on them. Watching their own men.

"So it seems someone was trying to use magic to spy on the proceedings. I do wonder how much they were able to see of your failures."

The unknown warrior's words struck a chord with Nigun.

Somehow he knew the answer, it could only have been his superiors back in the Slane Theocracy. It had to be as there were no others that knew of the unit's mission or their present location.

"Regrettably for them, my defensive barriers have put an end to that." The Dragonoid's tone was almost one of amusement. "After all, we can't have anyone snooping on what's to come now can we."

A fresh wave of dread rolled over the men of the Slane Theocracy at the implication of those words.

"No! No, no wait, please wait! I beg of you, Sir Warrior! I want to make a deal with you. Spare my life, the rest of these men don't matter. I'll give you whatever you wish! I'll do anything to appease you!"

The scattered magic casters immediately turned. Their eyes trained on the man who led them, the man who was now so willing to turn on them to save himself. To hear such an utterance from the man whom they'd trusted implicitly left them aghast.

But Nigun didn't care for their lives. Right now his only concern was for his own life.

"You would so easily abandon your comrades. Toss away all that you have been through together," the words left the Dragonoid's throat in a low rumbling growl, "You truly are pathetic."

Both groups stood eyeing the other. While the smaller of the two was nonpulsed by the other. The larger of the two could do nothing, tethered to the spot by fear just as a ship's anchor would.

As he looked over the frightened men a myriad of options on how to deal with these men came to the Dragonoid.

Given their apparent lack of strength, Tiberius had the magical capability to wipe them off the face of the earth in a single move. Or if he chose to, the Dragonoid could simply put them to the sword as he had done to the ones before them. Either option would be just as easy as the next.

But a new choice was soon delivered to him as the soft clink of approaching armoured footsteps.

"Lord Tiberius, if I may say something?"

Intrigued the Dragonoid turned to hear out the Guardian Overseer, "Of course, you are always free to do so."

"We originally came to this human village to gather information, did we not? The humans of the village were able to provide us with only a limited amount. And now it seems we have been allowed to do just that."

Yuliana looked over the magic casters.

"The presence of these wretched creatures presents us the chance to obtain information that we otherwise could not."

"Hmm, just what are you suggesting?"

"Why not take some of them as prisoners for interrogation."

Tiberius didn't answer immediately and instead gave thought to the guardian's proposal.

She's right. The whole reason for this excursion from the mountain was for information. And at the time, I had only meant to protect those villagers from the knights. But now I'm involved in what basically amounts to an assassination attempt. Although Captain Stronoff did give the impression they are high-ranking members of the Slane Theocracy. So they could provide a great deal of intel that others could not.

"So be it, your idea has merit behind it," the Dragonoid rumbled, "But which would you suggest we take?"

Yuliana turned, raising her arm she pointed to the scar-faced commander and the men closest to him.

"Why we will take the leaders of the enemy force, of course. Being of high rank he would more likely to access to highly valuable data."

Nigun looked on, watching as the pair of warriors began to converse. Though he had no idea as to what the topic of the discussion was. He could surmise that it was nothing good. This feeling was only intensified when the second individual raised their arm and pointed in his direction.

Such was the despair that gripped him that it threatened to bring him to tears.

"You spoke of demons before, and so I have decided to let you meet one."

Before any of the mages could uncover what the silver-clad warrior had meant. A yawning black ovoid portal wreathed in purple flames was birthed from the ether a short distance behind the pair.

A few moments ticked by and a man stepped forth.

The man looked to be fairly tall with a well-built frame. His long flowing raven hair fluttered lightly in the gentle breeze. His face was rugged and his face obscured by his lengthy locks.

This newcomer was garbed in a set of banded gothic plate armour the colour of damp ash. From his shoulders hung a tattered black cape with a scarlet interior and high collar. In his hands, he carried a heavy onyx scepter that more resembled an oversized morning star. Yet it possessed a kingly quality to it.

After emerging from the portal he paused only briefly to gain his bearings. Striding forth his movements were smooth and with an air of confidence, if not arrogance.

To the onlookers, it could be said that the man carried himself with the discipline of a warrior, but with the bearing of a regal king.

As Nigun gazed at this man, there was something off about him. As he looked at this man there was a terrible sense of foreboding that came with him. To Nigun and his men, it felt tantamount to looking at some great ferocious beast set to devour you.

Circling around to stand before the original pair of warriors, this newcomer knelt before them and placed his scepter on the grass before him almost like an offering. While behind him, his tattered cape spread out across the grass with a look like a pair of wings.

"Koraboros," Tiberius greeted the new arrival.

"What is your bidding, my master?" the Demon Lord's deep accented voice carried on the breeze.

Yuliana stepped forwards to address her fellow guardian.

"Koraboros, these pathetic wretches have foolishly chosen to stand against our lord. The three upon hill have been chosen, we require that they be captured and returned to Tyrnaust and chained in the Pits of Tartarus for the time being until our master decides to conduct their interrogation."

Koraboros tilted his head, gazing up at the pair before him. "And what does the master wish for the others?"

Behind her mask, the Guardian Overseer stirred with jealously.

"You are free to wound and maim them as you wish. But they shall be dealt with in accordance with the master's will."

The Demon Lord placed his right hand over his heart and bowed his head once more, his face obscured behind the length of his hair.

"As you wish, my lord."

The assembled mages looked on at the man who rose from his previously kneeling position. He turned slowly to face them and with it came an unsettling sight.

A slow smile crept across his features. But this was not an ordinary smile. This was a wide grin with an almost crazed feral look to it. Something was giving this man an intense almost psychotic pleasure. Yet this frightful grin was contrasted by the look in his eyes.

His eyes were blood-red with narrow slits for pupils and seemed to glow. Their outward appearance would seem to denote detachment. But to be caught in their gaze was as if to be staring into an inferno.

It was a hardened stare that burned with a fury that would scorch all before him to the bone.

Koraboros moved with a deliberately slow pace as he crossed the gap to the magic casters.

At his approach, the mages felt an ever-increasing pressure pressing down on them. The air around them had grown so thick that the men might as well have been swimming in the ocean. Many had tried to retreat but found their bodies unwilling to respond to their owner's desires.

Then before their eyes, the man vanished, fading away like a mirage.

Yet before an sort of relief could settle in or the men could reason out what had happened, a blood-curdling scream erupted into the air.

All eyes shifted to see one of their number crumpled to the ground.

In the mage's left hand, he cradled the twisted and mangled remains of his right arm. The flesh was torn, exposing the muscle and sinew while broken bones jutting out through the fresh opening.

A magic caster raised his arm, readying to cast an offensive spell in defense of his comrade.

A yellow bolt of light was launched from the mage's open palm towards the other man's assailant. The bolt of magical energy flew through the air only to fizzle out into nothingness before ever reaching its target.

This turn of events left the mages stunned. But this was only a short-lived pause.

A flitter of movement from the periphery of the man's vision pulled at his focus. Turning rapidly the man found the strange attacker now stood in his shadow.

The Demon Lord's smile broadened to obscene as he swung his scepter catching the man in the chest.

The impact immediately emptied his lungs of oxygen before he was turned into an airborne projectile. The magic caster somersaulted through the air before making contact with the earth again. His body rolled in a ragdoll fashion through the grassy field before coming to a stop. The agony that filled his body made the thought of even getting up an impossible dream.

Tiberius and Yuliana looked on as Koraboros flittered amongst the terrified humans like a shadow. More screams were pried from the men's lips in the wake of the Demon Lord.

Leisurely Koraboros carved his way across the field leaving mages scattered on the ground. The men could only roll about with their limbs mangled, bones crushed, or organs punctured.

Koraboros inflicted such animalistic brutality with efficient ease.

One mage foolishly thought to flee when he saw the Demon Lord was preoccupied with inflicting pain upon another. His flight allowed him to discover there was no escape.

It had felt like he'd run into a stone wall before he stumbled backward.

Koraboros stood over the man, reaching out the Demon Lord gently cupped the man's face. This placidity disappeared as he pressed his gauntlet-clad thumbs deeply into the man's eye sockets. The whole time he wore a twisted smile as the mage struggled in vainly and emptied his lungs in anguish.

During the ensuing carnage, Commander Nigun and two of his lieutenants could only look on. Too afraid or unwilling to attempt an intervention. It was only the monster in the guise of a man who had disabled the last of his men and then turned his gaze to them did the spell break. Nigun met the other's eyes, those orbs that glowed with the light of the infernal pit.

The feeling that well up within him left the scarred man unable to control his bladder. With a high-pitched shriek, Nigun turned and shoved the other men from his path. The muscles of his legs flooded with oxygenated blood as he made a break for it.

Following not far behind the unit commander were the two men, having regained their footing.

The sneer that Koraboros wore disappeared for a brief second.

"[Summon mid-tier fiend, Bone Devil]"

Several yards away from the Demon Lord an arcane circle burned itself into the grass with its fiery orange light. Wisps of flame danced on the circle's border as a figure began to emerge from the cracked and smoldering earth.

It was a humanoid husk of a creature that clawed a the ground. Like a cadaver with its pale and dried skin stretched tight across its emaciated frame. It bore a fearsome skull-like head that resembled a mix of human and some kind of monstrous beast. It possessed a wide maw filled with dagger-like fangs, perfect for tearing chunks of flesh. The devil's limbs were exaggerated and feral with long fearsome claws on hands and feet. From the joints of its wrists, elbows, knees, and ankles were a collection of sharp boney protrusions. The spine of the Bone Devil had been elongated to form a long, whip-like tail that ended in a scorpion-like stinger. From the head to the tail tip the vertebrae had been transformed into vicious-looking thorns. With each beat of its six insectoid wings, the foul odor of decay wafted through the area.

The Bone Devil moved with a staggered gait and snarled before kneeling at the feet of its summoner. Thick rivulets of green slime-like drool dripped from its lower jaw.

Koraboros smirked, "Fetch."

The devil shrieked and beat its wings in swift succession. Then with a lunging leap, it took to the sky in the pursuit of its prey.

o – o – o – o

Through the tall grasses, the three men had raced as quick as their legs could carry them. They did not know how far they had come, but it was not enough. It would never be far enough.

Their movements began to grow sluggish as their muscles began to burn with the need for rest. As it grew worse it wasn't long before their legs felt rubber and their feet like heavy lumps of lead.

With fatigue wracking the men's bodies they had no choice but to stop and attempt to rest. Hunching over the three planted their hands on their knees and panted rapidly and heavily.

Though exhaustion crept over them the men took a small comfort that there appeared to be no pursuit. Perhaps they had covered enough ground in their wild escape that the enemy had given up?

"Commander…Nigun," a man gasped for breath, "W-what are… we going to…do now?"

"Yes, we can't run…forever."

Nigun looked at the pair then raised himself up to his full height. His dark eyes scanned the horizon in the direction from which they had fled. Though little light remained from the setting sun but it was enough to see by.

"It doesn't appear the enemy is pursuing," Nigun paused to think, "We'll head for the Baharuth Empire. As allies of the Slane Theocracy they'll welcome us in and then we'll send word back to the Theocracy. They'll send reinforcements from the other Scriptures. Then with them, we'll…"

The trio's leader fell quiet as an odd sound could be heard. The strange noise was carried on the wind and was something akin to the hum of an insect. Yet there were none to be found.

The three men searched the local area before looking at each other with puzzlement.

Over the odd hum, came a shrill ear-piercing screech.

It was a shrill cry so harsh that all three men were forced to clamp their hands over their ears to block it out. Yet even through the leather gloves and the flesh of their hands the sound still reached their ears.

As the noise grew louder it set their nerves on edge and a chill rushed down the length of their spines.

The shriek stopped only to be replaced by the howl of the winds as a winged monstrosity set foot upon the earth.

The three men stared at the creature agape. Only in stories had they heard descriptions of beings similar to this. The demons and devils of legend, like twisted mockeries of the angels that the Slane Theocracy held in high regard. Under the monstrosity's gaze, the men felt their blood run cold within their veins.

Saliva flowed freely from the creature's snarling jaws as it advanced. In reaction, the men could only retreat.

"[Iron Hammer of Righteousness]"

"[Holy Ray]"

The Bone Devil continued with its jerky unnatural movements. The fiend's burning desire to torment its prey held its more bestial impulses at bay. At least for the time being.

A font of energy sprung from the hand of the mage on the left. The energy coalesced into the form of a colossal war hammer. The magical weapon hovered weightlessly in the air for a time. Then the magic caster lifted his arm pointing towards the monster. Responding to the direction the war hammer hurled through the air at the oncoming beast.

At the same time, the other mage was enveloped in a shining golden aura. Though bright the gold light didn't hurt the eyes and bestowed a comforting feeling with its holy magics. The glow intensified, focusing primarily on the man's right hand. Soon it appeared the caster held a tiny star within his grasp.

Opening his hand, the light was emitted as a radiant beam of holy magic.

The Bone Devil didn't blink or waiver as the human mages conjured forth their defenses. As the magical construct sped toward the devil, it merely held out an upturned hand. With great ease, the hammer's flattened head was captured in the devil's grasp. Its overly long fingers wrapped about the block of magical metal and with a flex of its hand shattered the object into thousands of tiny fragments.

Then there was the stream of golden light to be dealt with.

The Bone Devil paused to lift its nose to the air. Sensing the stench of the diametrically opposed nature of the energy, it frowned causing its already grotesque features to shift becoming more so.

As the beam approached the unholy being snarled and held its arms up before it in an X-pattern. This worked to shield the devil from the ray of light.

On impact, the stream of holy energies is scattered into a myriad of directions.

There was a blinding flash and the mages were left speechless. The light faded to reveal the creature stood unharmed.

Performing a rapid heel turn the magic casters looked towards their leader only to discover he had already fled. Unable to resist the pair quickly moved to do so themselves.

Not about to allow its prey to escape the monster gave chase.

Lowering itself onto all four limbs it galloped after the men like some ravenous beast. Its long limbs carried it swiftly across the level terrain and allowed for it to gain on the fleeing men.

The first man let loose a scream as he was seized by the leg and hoisted into the air.

The Bone Devil held the mage aloft by the ankle and brought the man in close enough to smell its putrid breath. Its emotionless eyes glowed with the light of the infernal pit.

The man screamed again and the beast snarled. Then with a quick motion, it swung the man as a carpenter would swing a hammer. The man sailed through the air to collide with the grassy earth. The impact was jarring but not harsh enough to kill. Instead, it rang his skull like a bell. Within seconds his vision grew darker and darker until the darkness consumed him.

The devil shook the human in its grasp. Perhaps it was checking to see if he was only pretending to be unconscious. However, satisfied the unholy beast released its hold allowing the man's form to crumple on the ground. Then it took off after the second panicked individual.

As it had accomplished before with the first human, the summoned monstrosity had little difficulty in capturing the second.

Quickly it gained on the man and with a flying leap, it pinned the mage to the ground beneath its bulk.

Being forced to the ground had squeezed the air from his lungs with a deep oof. Restrained underneath the monster the mage was frozen with terror. The two remained in that position for a brief time. Then the fiend eased up removing much of its weight from the man.

The relief was momentary, a sharp pain was felt in his neck as something pierced his skin.

Was it a blade? Perhaps one of the dreadful monster's talons had penetrated his tender flesh.

As these questions flooded his mind the world around him grew blurry and warped in strange ways. An intense wave of nausea gripped the magic caster, it reminded him of the time in his youth when he'd been on the sea during a storm. He attempted to move and found his body not responding. Indeed, what had started as a tingling had progressed to a full-body numb feeling. Going completely limp, it was as if every muscle in his body had entered a deep state of relaxation. Yet it burned so like fire within his veins, but he could not move, could not give voice to the pain he was experiencing.

Rising the Bone Devil hunched over its victim before swiveling about. Its red illuminated eyes scanned the surroundings for the last of the quarry.

From his place in a shallow ditch Nigun carefully peeked above the rim.

The scarred man watched the creature run down his –former- comrades. Abandoning them had been a spark of inspiration and bought him enough time to find this hiding spot. While the beast busied itself with them, he busied himself with casting every stealth spell he knew.

Instinctively he lowered his head below the edge when the winged monster turned in his direction. Then the creature turned and strode away from where he was hiding Nigun felt a deep sense of relief.

Sliding along the dirt wall, Nigun shifted and pressed his back against the loose earth.

Feeling free from danger Nigun's mind now turned to the future. What was he going to tell his superiors when he returned to the Slane Theocracy? Surely they would not look kindly on his loss of the Holy Relic and the loss of his entire unit. However, he felt that the information he carried with him about those who had saved Stronoff from him. This info would give him a level of bargaining to hopefully escape the worst of the waiting punishments.

Nigun sat relaxed until a hot and moist breeze wafted down upon his scalp. With it came a putrid stench, a rancid smell of death and decay. It was a smell that burned his nose, his stomach churn, and made his eyes water.

The blonde man broke out into a cold sweat as terror crept through him. It felt that his heart would burst from his chest at any moment. In the back of his throat, the bitter acidic taste of bile welled up as his stomach threatened to empty itself.

Ever so slowly the Commander of the Sunlight Scripture began to tilt his head upwards.

There, leaning out over the ditch was the horrifying fiend.

Nigun's unnaturally dark eyes were met with the blazing coals socketed within that terrible visage. The scarred man froze, his body no longer responded to his instinct to flee.

From the devil's gaping maw a long strand of sickly green saliva landed upon his scarred cheek. The thick mucus-like slop oozed down along his flesh and under his robes.

The devilish monstrosity tilted its head and extended one of its long arms towards him. The hand opened with those unnaturally long fingers spread out like a clawed spider and reached for him.

Nigun's mind broke.

Unable to contain himself any longer, he cried out with all the pent-up terror that rattled his soul.

o – o – o – o

Koraboros stood amongst the scattered human mages.

All around the Demon Lord the injured mages groaned and cried. At least those that were able to did as they gave voice to their collective agony. To Koraboros hearing the disharmony of the collective cries was like listening to a symphony. It was something to be savored like a fine wine or a savory meal.

The Demon Lord allowed himself a small smirk.

He had back greatly during the administering of their punishment. Although his instinctual bloodlust pushed for more carnage. But more than that it was the boiling rage within him at the thought of these pitiful worms had attempted to bring harm to his master.

Has Lord Tiberius allowed him free reign, Koraboros would've shown these men such torturous delights as to make their suffering legendary.

However, his lord had other plans for them and thusly he'd done the worst he could within the imposed limitations. So Koraboros had left each man with the most debilitating injury he could while still ensuring they survived.

The Demon Lord's keen senses detected the return of the Bone Devil long before the fiend was ever visible.

Tilting his head Koraboros lifted his head to the darkened night sky.

The air was filled with a soft buzzing which only grew louder at each passing moment. Soon the sound had grown to a fevered pitch now sounding more like a swarm.

From high, the Bone Devil emitted its telltale screeching call before descending to the ground. The fiend came from the night sky like a falling star. Nearing the earth, the creature flared all six wings and slowed till it hovered mere feet above the field.

Dangling from the devil's clawed hands were two of the formerly escaped magic casters. While the third man was supported by the coils of the Bone Devil's long tail. The flaps of its wings were steady but began to slow as the devil lowered itself to the ground.

Approaching its master, the Bone Devil dragged the prisoners along its journey.

The Demon Lord's eyes roamed over the trio of unconscious humans held in the summoned fiend's grasp. His main purpose for doing so was simply to ensure they were still alive, even if only barely.

"Follow."

Koraboros turned away and with the prisoner carrying devil in tow, the pair made their way back to the Lord of Tyrnaust.

The Dragonoid watched the fiendish duo approach.

Koraboros moved with his typical graceful yet dominant bearing. This was contrasted by the hunched form and loping strides of the Bone Devil who followed in his wake.

"It is done, Lord Tiberius."

Koraboros bowed before jerking his head and the Bone Devil came forwards. The emaciated creature stopped six feet back from where the Dragonoid waited. Then with what amounted to a shrug, the creature released the pair of mages from its grasp. The two mages landed with soft thumps upon the grass. Following this, the beast's lengthy tail maneuvered around and relinquished the insentient scar-faced man from its coils.

Tiberius looked over the three for a moment.

The Theocracy mages were still breathing. One man had a large red welt on the nape of his neck. While the other just seemed to be asleep but the others seemed unmarred. The trio's leader meanwhile lay sprawled upon the ground, his pants clung damply to his legs.

Behind his wolven-shaped face mask, the Dragonoid scrunched his face upon detecting an unpleasant odor emanating from him.

"You have done well, Koraboros. I am certain ΩmenForcer would be proud of you."

At the sound of his creator's name, Koraboros could not suppress the exhilaration that washed over him. His gaze softened and a genuine smile lifted the corners of his mouth.

"I thank you, my lord. I only seek to serve your will."

"[Gate]"

Tiberius moved aside as the obsidian portal opened behind the group.

"Koraboros, you may return to Tyrnaust and see to it that these men enjoy the hospitality of Tartarus."

The Demon Lord gave a gentle nod.

Stepping forwards he paused briefly and bent down to take a hold of the mage leader's wrist. Then straightening up he strode forwards to the portal dragging the man along with him. It was a move copied by the Bone Devil, who gripped the other two men hauling them along behind it as the fiend strode after its master

No sooner had the Bone Devil's tail tip disappeared into the void than the portal faded from existence.

With their compatriot gone, Tiberius and Yuliana turned their attention back to the still living mages.

As his eyes swept over the men, he saw only his enemy. At that point in time, it didn't matter to Tiberius that they were unable to fight. It was only the terrible deeds they had done and those deeds they had yet to do. It was that knowledge the fueled the flames that burned within the Dragonoid for the second time that day.

"Let's be done with this."

His right arm moved across his torso as the Dragonoid resheathed the longsword he carried. Tiberius focused on the area of the grassland occupied by the magic casters.

"[Dragonfire Cyclone]"

The rumble of the words seemed to echo across the field and the resulting stillness.

Gone was the gentle breeze that once wafted through the long grass. For all intents, it appeared as though that all the world had gone silent.

There was a sudden burst of radiance that spread out across the earth. The light rippled across the ground like a wave across the ocean. Then the glow faded being soaked into the earth leaving behind an immense arcane circle. There was a deep rumble in the ground like an earthquake accompanied by a sound like that of a freight train roared through the field.

Though injured to varying degrees the men of the Sunlight Scripture were roused from their collective pain. Their minds desperately sought answers as they looked at each other bewildered as a new wave of terror crashed over them.

All around the edges of the surrounding arcane circle wisps of brightly iridescent green flame sprouted from the earth. These flames rose higher and higher as if being stoked by some unseen bellows. Taller still they grew before being whipped into a frenzy by some phantom wind. Gradually the flames changed, morphing, taking on the visage of a great draconic beast.

The ethereal creature raced around the rim of the circle, gaining speed with each pass. In its wake it pulled at the flames, twisting them until they followed behind the beast in spinning around the circle. Faster and faster the fires twirled and with its growth came a scorching heat.

All about small fires erupted in the brush as the ambient temperature soared.

The fiery manifestation sprouted wings and with a mighty flap lifted off from the ground. Its wings beat in rapid succession rising ever higher into the sky. With it, the inferno followed to tower over the landscape like some monolithic spire. Its brilliance shone like a beacon into the evening as its crown danced amongst the clouds.

All these events played out in just a matter of moments. Yet it all seemed to take so much longer.

During all this Tiberius merely stood unmoved, looking on with the Guardian Overseer at his side.

The seconds ticked by and the whirlwind started to diminish.

The spectral flame dragon beat its wings and flew high above the spire. Then with a crying roar, it burst like a firework leaving behind a halo to encircle the crown of the fading spire.

The unnatural winds died down and the flames shrank, evaporating into the evening. In a matter of moments, the fiery twister vanished entirely into the night.

In its absence there was naught but ash settled upon the char blackened earth. As the breeze returned to carry away the ash it exposed the layers beneath. Scattered pools of liquid dull red-orange shone brightly after being exposed as the ash was swept away.

In the casting of the 6th tier spell, the heat had grown to incredible highs. It had scoured the area of effect clean of any combustible matter and turned much of the soil into molten glass. That heated liquid now was left to cool in the evening air.

"Yuliana," at the sound of her name the Guardian Overseer perked up, "We're done here. Let's head back to the village."

The pair turned away from the blackened earth and proceeded back to the village waiting in the distance.

The pair moved through the tall grass, following the faint pathway that had led them out there. Although he wasn't directly watching Yuliana it was abundantly clear to him that she was distracted.

"Something on your mind, Yuliana?"

"Sir, after your words with the leader of those human warriors. I understand your reasons for defending that village. However, Lord Tiberius, I am rather curious as to why we saved the band of soldiers. They did not possess any noteworthy strength, nor were they tactically advantageous to the situation. Or were you planning to use them for information as well?"

The Dragonoid came to a halt.

"During the battle Captain Stronoff showcased abilities, which to the best of my knowledge did not come from YGGDRASIL. To see something unique to this world makes me curious to learn more about them. Besides who knows, it may be possible to learn them."

Tiberius inclined his head and looked to the stars that had been exposed with the disappearance of the sun.

"But more than that, it was his bravery in the face of such odds and his desire to protect his comrades. It reminded me of my fellow Sanguine Dragons and the many battles we fought together. Such loyalty and integrity is something I hold in high esteem."

"I see. But still, you didn't need to place yourself in danger as you did. Given our experience with those useless knights, I could've handled those magic casters with little difficulty. Or is it…"

The armoured female paused.

"Is it because you have little faith in my ability to protect you? I know my skills have gone unproven until today. But I assure you sire that I will not falter. I have devoted the entirety of my being to you…"

The Dragonoid turned to face her, cutting her words short when he gently laid his hand upon her shoulder.

"Yuliana, I do not doubt in your ability. You and every other who dwell within the mountain of Tyrnaust have my absolute faith and trust. However, I am not one to let others fight my battles for me."

Tiberius took a breath.

"Do not fear thy enemy. Never turn your back upon a foe. Never refuse a challenge from an equal.

Do you know those words?"

The Guardian Overseer shook her head, "I am afraid I do not."

"I am not surprised, they were not inscribed within the guild. Those words are a part of the creed that all of the Sanguine Dragons were sworn to as members."

"But my lord, these lowlifes are far from your equal. Not in a thousand lifetimes could they ever hope to be a rival to your majesty."

Yuliana gazed up at her master.

"As Guardians of Tyrnaust, your protection is our utmost priority. No, the purpose of our very existence. If you continue to place yourself in harm's way without us… What if you should encounter a powerful enemy? We would be unable to fulfill our appointed task and you could be injured. We could not live with ourselves then."

"But then who would protect you?"

Her master's reply was not one the Guardian Overseer had expected.

"I don't understand."

"I am, was, the Guild Master of the Sanguine Dragons. One of my duties was the safety of each member. But this duty does not end with their absence. The safety of you and your fellow guardians is my responsibility. I will not ask any of you to do something that I am not willing to do myself. Each of your lives is precious and irreplaceable."

That something like this could happen. That I would somehow find myself, here in some other world. Living inside the body of my game avatar and talking to the previously lifeless NPCs. I think a miracle would be a good description of it all.

The Dragonoid released a small sigh and shook his helmeted head.

"However, you are right nonetheless. I must keep in mind that we are not in YGGDRASIL anymore. As such we don't know the full extent of the powers that exist within this new world. Thus I will endeavor to rely on you and the others more. And to include you all in my plans more."

The pair stood on the faded dirt trail in the tranquil peace of the evening. Each one processing the words of the other.

The Dragonoid was the first to break from this. His armour clanked softly as he turned and continued down the pathway towards the village.

The Guardian Overseer remained rooted to the spot.

Master… How can we be worthy of such devotion? You led the Creators as the greatest of amongst them. You are so much more than we and yet you show such care for us. You stayed with us. Perhaps we aren't worthy of you… But we will try to be.

Behind the beautifully crafted face mask, Yuliana's eyes shone with fresh moisture.

o – o – o – o

The soldiers of the Re-Estize Kingdom moved through the empty village of Carne in silent contemplation. The mood surrounding them was one of glum disorientation.

Each man of the troupe was preoccupied with the events of recent. Thoughts of the one-sided battle, the struggle and wounds sustained, and of friends lost. In the process, some were left to wonder why they had survived while their friend had not been so lucky.

Even the group's leader could not escape these kinds of thoughts.

"It still doesn't feel right," Gazef turned mid-stride to look to the Vice-Captain, "Leaving those men behind."

"No, it doesn't." The Warrior-Captain conceded before turning back to the path ahead. "Yet as it stood we had little choice. While our numbers were about equal, our adversaries had position and superior ability on their side. The only option was to withdraw."

For a time after the two declined to continue conversing and simply fell in step with the rest of the men. Before long the close-knit buildings of the village grew sparser and the warband approached the storehouse.

Things here were just as they had left them.

Gazef gave the signal and the men stopped to rest and began to talk amongst themselves. The Warrior-Captain moved towards the large building. He held his hand out before in much the way a blind man would feel his surroundings. Seeing the strange actions of their leader drew the attention of many of the men who looked on curiously.

But Gazef's reason became clear when his hand made contact with an invisible barrier. Stopping he rubbed his gloved palm against the surface before giving a solid push against it.

As before the unseen wall held back his efforts. This discovery was something that pleased the Warrior-Captain.

This is how magic should be used. It's truly impressive what it can accomplish when under proper control.

Watching their leader had caused several of the warband to make their approach and see test things for themselves. As they felt the mysterious force beneath their hands brought looks of astonishment clear to the men's faces.

"Captain," Garro approached, "Should I have the men begin setting up defenses?"

Gazef didn't even hesitate before replying.

"No, something tells me there will be no need."

"I understand the strange warriors are strong," Garro looked out at the men around them, "They were truly capable of amazing things. But you saw how powerful those mages were. Surely you don't believe those strangers will be able to overcome them so easily."

"Yes, I think…"

"Captain Stronoff, you've returned," the voice of Chief Wyllam rang out from the opened door of the storehouse.

"Village chief," Gazef greeted the older man.

Stepping out from the doorway, the village chief was followed by his wife, Annora. The older couple approached the soldiers, the man's wife held tightly to her husband's arm.

Curiosity soon prompted others to emerge after the villager leader. Singles, couples, and families exited the storehouse until Gazef felt the entire village stood before him.

"Is it over? Is the battle finished? Is the village safe?"

"The battle still wages."

It pained Gazef to see the expressions of dread that spread across the features of the gathered men, women, and most of all the children. But he would not let it stay so, he would do his best to help these people to hold onto whatever hope they had.

"People of Carne Village," the Warrior-Captain's deep voice boomed, "While it is true that we did not claim victory in the battle. But rest at ease, your village is in no danger."

"How can you be sure?!"

"He's right! You lost!"

"What's to stop the vandals from attacking again?!"

More voices joined the chorus and Gazef let them vent their frustrations upon him. He knew their ire was born from fear and desperation.

"I know this because the enemy now faces those who had saved this village once already. It was them who saved our lives as well."

"But what should we do?" the village chief inquired.

"Believe in them, believe that they will be victorious this night against these foes."

The words sparked muffled conversations, but on the whole, the Warrior-Captain seemed to bring some modicum of peace to the group's collective angst. However, there were still those amongst the villagers who exhibited signs of fear.

Perhaps those individuals had lost someone close to them in the raid. Maybe it was the trauma of having their serene ordinary lives ripped apart so viciously. But it was those people that honeyed words would never be enough to bring them comfort.

Unable to do more Gazef turned away and moved off towards the bulk of his gathered unit.

"It seems that you managed to calm them, Or at least somewhat."

"Aye, unfortunately, that is all I can do for them right now."

"You still believe in the stranger's capability?" Gazef gave a sharp nod of acknowledgment, "May I ask, Captain. What gives you such confidence in them?"

Answering the younger man's question was more difficult than the Warrior-Captain had anticipated. It seemed that even he couldn't put his finger on it beyond what he had seen when they had saved his men.

A sudden flash of gold illuminated the horizon in the direction from which the warband had retreated.

Instinctively the assembled men, women, and children turned towards the odd display. Their focused eyes lingered on the location that the surge of light had originated.

As the group waited, looking for any indication of what had caused such a spectacle. They were taken by surprise by the rush of oncoming air that tore through the village. Rather ominously with the winds came the harrowing howl, like the sounds of some great beast.

With gale-force strength, the winds lifted the lighter objects from the ground and turning them into airborne projectiles.

Against the winds, the soldiers of Re-Estize planted their feet firmly and shielded themselves with their forearms. This offered them some protection against the smaller projectiles but nothing against the pelting dirt.

As for the citizens of Carne Village.

The shield spell the stranger had cast protected the villagers from the danger of such objects. But the turbulent air currents were able to pass through unimpeded.

The villager's clothing fluttered violently in the winds.

Some of the men raised their hands to hold the simple caps they wore upon their heads. Others wrapped their arms about their families and held them close as if afraid they may be carried aloft.

The women of the village faced a different dilemma.

Their lengthy skirts flapped about like a bird's wings. The stiff wind continuing to threaten to lift their gowns fully and leave them rather exposed. With shouts of surprise, the women quickly moved to keep this from happening. Some simply hunched over, their hands taking hold of the wayward cloth, and held those skirts tight against their legs as if their lives depended on it.

One young woman had merely dropped to her knees, using her body weight to hold her gown in place. A couple had actually forgone doing anything with their skirts. Instead, they hugged the swaddled infants to their chests, doing their best to protect them from the winds.

These aberrant gusts didn't stick around for very long, soon vanishing as swiftly as they had come.

Bewildered the villagers and soldiers alike trained their collective gaze back to the horizon.

Now the skyline was illuminated by an unearthly green luminescence. The bizarre glow intensified and lit the sky above. From the ground arose a wall of flames that with each moment grew ever taller. The flames began to flicker and wave before twisting into a spiral. As the column of emerald fire grew taller there was an unnatural movement.

Though the distance between the village and the tower of flames was expansive. The humans could still make out the shape of some kind of beast moving with the flames.

It was as if the creature was riding the flames into the sky. Or maybe it was the flames that followed the creature?

The spire of fire grew into a great twisting mass like some great drill that bore to pierce the heavens above.

As the spire reached the clouds there came strange pulses of light that traversed the length of the pillar. The pulses dispersed into the cloud cover to look like flashes of lightning. Yet there was no thunder to accompany.

"Wh-what is that?!"

"By the gods!"

There came shouts and cries of alarm and awed fascination in near equal measure. But even then, none could take their eyes from the spectacle before them as they stared wide-eyed at the vision of power playing out before them.

"Captain Stronoff, what is that? Is it the enemy?!" Garro's excited voice rose above the others as he reached his leader's side.

Looking on Gazef himself was left without answers.

Was this indeed the work of the Slane Theocracy's mages? Were they truly capable of something of this magnitude?

In his time, Gazef had heard the rumors of the feats of which mages were able to perform. Impressive, almost miraculous things that could be done with magic. It was this sort of thing that made most people hold mages in such high regard.

So with the enemy being one of the Theocracy's Six Scriptures. Then there was no doubt they were powerful mages. For the more powerful spells and rituals, the more people would be needed to complete it, and the enemy certainly had numbers on their side for that.

It was hard to rule out the possibility. Yet something inside told the Warrior-Captain no.

While there were the special cases out there. People who possessed incredibly strong potential with magic. He'd even met one in the former member of Blue Rose.

Then there was always the pet magic caster of the Baharuth Emperor, a man who stood above his peers.

It may have been possible that either of them could have created such a wonder on their own.

Yet as his eyes beheld the monolith of flame as it pierced the heavens and the odd fiery creature that circled. It made him question if his sentiments were true.

Several times this day Gazef had borne witness to the potential of this foreign warrior. His demonstrations left him feeling weak by comparison. As if he was but a child watching adults.

Was it possible that he was now seeing further evidence of the power that this man commanded?

Gazef fixated on the winged beast as it circled the spire of flame many times over before it rose to the crown. There the fiery creature spread its wings wide and unleashed a mighty cry that carried across the land.

The light given off by the creature intensified greatly then it burst like an overfilled balloon.

The sound of the blast rang out and pushed back the clouds in a uniform manner. In the wake of its apparent death, there was a ring of red-orange flame that circled the tower of green fire.

Then like a candle, the monolithic fiery twister receded growing smaller and fainter with every second. The once brilliant luminescence now faded from the skyline then disappeared altogether.

With its disappearance, the quiet of the night was returned to the village. All traces of the disturbance vanished as if to have never existed. A cool evening breeze drifted through the village. The breeze brought with it an odd sense of calm that had been so elusive during the day.

o – o – o – o

"Look there! They've returned!"

A jubilant voice cried out from amongst the villagers. The heads of the villagers and soldiers alike swiveled to the direction the speaker had been pointing a moment ago.

Trodding along the path between the simple houses came the pair of armoured figures.

Arriving before the gathered onlookers, Tiberius stopped.

Some of the members of the warband had gone about setting up simple barricades. While others stood about in scattered groups.

I guess they weren't very confident in our victory.

The Dragonoid's eyes shifted focus from the armoured men to the waiting villagers.

The people of Carne village had foregone the shelter of the storehouse and now stood amassed outside. As his eyes roved over them, Tiberius got a distinct impression that the villagers would probably be rushing towards him if not for the invisible barrier.

"[Greater Dispel]"

There was a sound like the clap of a hand and the unseen forcefield was banished. At first, the villagers stood motionless almost afraid to leave the area that had offered the promise of protection. But eventually, the desire to return to their homes won out.

It was the village chief and his wife that lead the way and the rest of the villagers fell in behind the older couple. With the village leaders striding at the forefront, the group made its way through the standing soldiers. Then together they approached the Dragonoid and his companion.

"Is the village safe? Are we safe?"

"Yes, you are safe now."

"Thank you."

A small smile graced the lips of the older chieftain. The man's attention turned to his wife when she reached up and patted his arm gently. Entwining their arms the married couple moved off and towards the village.

Following them, each villager, in turn, strode passed the armoured warriors and lavished their thanks upon the two.

Some of the villagers were more elaborate with their statements punctuated by deep bows and curtseys. Some reached with trembling hands to simply touch the Dragonoid's silver armour as one would a sacred symbol. This was something the youngest of them were especially keen to do. But all moved with heads bowed and repeated words of blessings and gratitude.

It didn't take long before the throng of villagers began to thin out until only the stranglers remained.

Among them, Tiberius identified the same family he'd aided earlier. Now with fewer people around, they were free to approach.

The husband and wife strode side-by-side. The wife continued to hold tightly to his left arm, afraid to let go lest he disappears. At the mother's side was her youngest daughter. Nemu held her mother's hand, her more excited demeanor had returned to her.

Behind them was the eldest daughter, relief clear to be seen on her face.

Stopping before the armoured pair, the family bowed.

"Thank you again," Liam spoke in a practically reverent tone, "I don't know how I could ever repay what you have done for us today."

The man looked to his wife and youngest child, both of whom offered bright smiles in return.

"I am forever in your debt. If there is ever anything I can do for you. You have but to name it and it will be done. This I swear to you and the gods above."

"As do I," Sonfina mimicked her husband's sentiments.

The Dragonoid merely offered the couple nod of acknowledgment.

Receiving his silent affirmation before turning and moving away to continue their journey home.

Tiberius and Yuliana watched the family for a brief time before turning away and focusing on the soldiers still occupying the area.

The Kingdom's knights had begun to regroup, abandoning the makeshift defenses they had set up. It was clear the men no longer carried with them the same level of discipline as they had on arrival. With their morale at an all-time low, the men were slow to react and moved in an almost zombie-like fashion.

Their behavior reminded Tiberius of seeing his coworkers at the end of the six-day workweek.

The Warrior-Captain and the Vice-Captain stood at the center of the troops. The two men engaged in a short dialogue before parting ways. The Vice-Captain nodded curtly and remained with his fellow soldiers. While Gazef pivoted and made his way through the crowd.

The men of the warband parted before their leader and upon exiting the Warrior-Captain approached the two foreign warriors.

"Captain Stronoff, still feeling well I trust?"

"Aside from my wounded pride, I find myself otherwise unharmed." Gazef looked to the silver-clad individual, "What about you, Sir Tiberius? You are well I trust."

"Indeed, I am quite well."

The bearded soldier offered a small grin, "That is good to hear. After we saw that colossal pillar of fire and that winged creature, whatever it was. I must confess I had feared for your safety."

"I do appreciate your concern, however, it is not necessary. It seems the enemy troops had greatly underestimated me."

The Warrior-Captain regarded the speaker with an appraising eye. Hearing the words of the other man served only to confirm Gazef's earlier speculation.

So I was right after all. That display of power wasn't conjured up by those mages. It was his doing.

"May I ask, what exactly happened after we departed from the battlefield?"

Not exactly sure on how to best answer the man, Tiberius remained silent as he contemplated the question.

"After you and your men had left, I confronted the enemy. I extended the offer to the mages to surrender peacefully. However, it seemed they were more interested in fighting. And so I obliged them. Unfortunately for them, it was a rather costly mistake."

"A mistake they will not be repeating."

Gazef listened to the limited accounting of events from the pair. The words of Tiberius' companion left little guesses about their meaning. It was just as Gazef had warned them, the mages of the Slane Theocracy had met their demise at the hands of the foreign adventurer.

The Warrior-Captain shook his head. It was a shame that they hadn't been able to take the Theocracy soldiers alive. But it probably couldn't be helped, no doubt they had fought to the end in their zealotus fervor.

"Once again I find myself within your debt and unable to repay you, Sir Tiberius. Though should you ever make it to the Royal Capital, I will see to it that you receive a true hero's welcome. I am quite sure his majesty, King Ramposa III, would be most interested in meeting you."

"One never knows the road ahead of them. Perhaps I shall find myself in the capital one day."

The Dragonoid had thought to ask about this king when he was interrupted by the sudden arrival of Vice-Captain Garro.

The younger man saluted, "Sir, the men are ready."

"Thank you, Vice-Captain. I will be there shortly."

"Is something else the matter?"

"I am glad to say no," Gazef gave a light chuckle," Since the enemy is no more we are returning to the fields to attend our fallen brethren. We will also be making camp near the village for the night before we set out for the capital in the morning."

"I see."

"And what of you, Sir Tiberius? Now that the danger has passed what will you and your companion be doing?"

The Dragonoid emitted a rumbling sigh, "I think it best that we be on our way once more."

"Are you sure? Traveling by night can be…" Gazef smirked and shook his head once again, "Forgive me, I had forgotten whom I was addressing. Is there any way I could convince you to delay your journey and join us? Your presence would be most welcome."

"Again, I thank you but no."

The bearded warrior shrugged, "I guess it cannot be helped. Very well, then please seek me out when you reach the capital. My door will always be open to you."

Stepping back the Warrior-Captain straightened posture and saluted the Dragonoid and his guardian confidant. Then with the disciplined precision of a soldier, he turned and marched away to join his subordinates.

Tiberius observed the warrior rally his troupe and then together led them through the village and into the tranquil night.

After such an eventful first outing Tiberius was feeling it wear on him. It wasn't so much that he was physically drained than it was emotionally. Nonetheless, he quite was eager to once again return to Tyrnaust.

However, after spending so much time and energy seeing to the village's needs, Tiberius felt that he couldn't just leave it right away. At least not with performing a final inspection to ensure it was safe.

With Yuliana following behind her master, the Dragonoid trod on the familiar earthen paths. Together the two journeyed through Carne Village. As they discreetly strode through the sleepy hamlet, Tiberius took the opportunity to examine each house in passing.

Upon having returned to the comfort of their homes it seemed the villagers had wished for nothing more than a peaceful rest. Their homes were darkened and no smoke rose from any of the chimneys. This indicated they had even dosed the fires of the hearth. Many of the homes had their windows shutters clamped up tightly and latched securely.

Tiberius didn't doubt that many had also taken the extra precaution of barricading their doors for the night. After all, given the recent events, it was a sound thing to do.

Journeying from the outskirts by the village storehouse, through the empty streets, and across the village plaza, they patrolled. Luckily the Carne's small size made the patrol mercifully short and before long the pair exited the opposite side of the village.

Tiberius paused for a moment outside the village, the faithful Guardian Overseer standing at his side.

"This has been a long day," the Dragonoid lamented, "Let's go home, Yuliana."

"Gladly, my lord."

The female guardian's voice was noticeably cheerful at the notion.

Turning away from the sleeping village, Tiberius prepared to cast the [Gate] spell to return.

"Wait!" a feminine voice disrupted the tranquility of the evening.

Tiberius relinquished a heavy sigh and balefully looked to the heavens above. It was a gesture made in much the manner as if to say "Why me?"

Shifting he turned, eyes scanning for the source of the disturbance. His sensitive vision had no trouble in picking out the form of a teenage girl rushing towards them.

The girl's long blonde hair trailed behind her and her ample bust bounced rather provocatively with each steady step. The teenager had taken to holding her long skirt up higher so as to not interfere with her running pace. Up a small hill, the girl trod with a long loping stride.

Cresting the hill the girl paused to catch her breath. Her cheeks were flushed and her chest heaved with her exertions.

The girl must have run the entire way here without stopping. Well, either that. Or she's out of shape. But looking at her I rather doubt that.

As she got her breathing under control she stood straightened up.

"What do you want girl?"

Yuliana's sharp tone must have been jarring to the teen as she made a startled jump.

"I'm sorry…" she exhaled slowly, calmly, "I didn't thank you properly with my parents earlier."

Gripping the sides of her lengthy skirt, Enri performed a low curtsey before the two figures.

"You are welcome, Enri Emmot."

The fact he remembered her name brought a smile to her face.

"Will you not stay the night? Traveling at night is dangerous. I am sure we could find lodgings for you here in the village."

"That is kind of you to offer. But we must be returning to our own home. There is much to be done."

"Oh…"

Enri's tone was soft and full of melancholy. The teen clasped her hands before her and inclined her head towards the earth. It was as if the ground beneath her feet had suddenly become the most interesting thing in the world.

Tiberius studied the young woman's posture carefully.

"That's not the real reason you came out here, is it?"

His voice was gentle with a soft rumble.

"No," Enri hesitated a moment before, "You saved the village today. More than that you saved my family. If you hadn't come…my father…my mother…even my sister and I."

The girl's voice broke with the sorrow she'd been holding back.

"None of us would be here now if not for you. And if you leave us… What if more come tomorrow? Or the day after that? Or in the days following that? Can't you stay here with us for the time being?"

From across the gap between them, the Dragonoid listened to the quiet sobs the girl choked back.

"Take this."

Lifting her head, Enri looked up with wonder. Through her teary eyes, she gazed up at the silver armoured adventurer before her. In stunning silence, he'd crossed the distance between them and now stood with his arm outstretched before her. Following the length of his arm Enri's eyes soon settled on his gauntleted hand. With his partially closed fist was a roll of paper.

"W-what is it?"

"This is a spell scroll," Tiberius edged his hand closer to the girl.

Timidly Enri reached out and took the offered roll of parchment into her own hands. Holding it close she couldn't help but examine it.

The roll of paper wasn't very big, perhaps six inches long and a little over an inch across. Encircling the center of the roll was a red ribbon held closed by a purple wax seal. With the limited available light, she was unable to discern any details of the symbol embossed on the wax was.

"This particular scroll contains the [Message] spell. To use it you need only break the seal and recite the word [Message] while thinking of who you wish to contact. With this you will be able to speak with me anywhere I may be and I will come to your aid."

Hearing the smooth baritone rumble of the adventurer's voice helped to lay Enri's fears to rest. Behind his words, she could detect the resolve he held as he spoke. She knew that he was speaking the truth and not just saying these things to placate her.

"Although I am leaving now, I will come back. And when I return I will help to strengthen the village."

"Thank you," Enri's voice wavered ever so slightly, "Thank you."

The Dragonoid gave the girl a slow nod and turned away.

Enri watched as he retreated several paces and then spoke the word [Gate]. She thought it was an odd thing to say at the time. Yet what came next astonished her.

An ovoid portal of darkness was made manifest. The edges of the void danced with purple flames. Yet as close as she stood, Enri could feel no heat emanating from them.

Pulling her gaze away from the strange apparition, the teenager looked to the two warriors.

A brief gesture was shared between the pair and then the man's companion pivoted and stepped through the yawning gateway to vanish.

Tiberius turned to follow in Yuliana's wake only to pause at the portal's threshold. His wolven helmet swiveled as he gave the teenager a final look as she stood silhouetted by the silvery moonlight. Then just as the Guardian Overseer had done, Tiberius stepped through into the waiting void and disappeared.

The gateway remained in existence for a number of seconds more and then it melted away into the ether.

Enri clasped her hand together and clutched the scroll tightly to her breast. Her soft brown eyes lingered on the spot where the warrior duo had once been standing. Blinking away the few tears she had left Enri's gaze lifted to the glittering stars far above.

In her youth, when she was no older than her little sister, Enri's father used to tell her stories.

Stories of heroic knights clad in shining armour, who gallivanted across the lands dispatching evildoers and rescuing fair maidens. She, just like Nemu, took great comfort and joy in hearing those tales. Yet as she grew older, those stories lost much of their shine as she learned to look at the world through the eyes of an adult.

Through the years she learned the harsh truth of the world.

Things weren't like they were in those tales. Bad things happened to good people who didn't deserve it. Evildoers weren't always justly punished for their crimes. And the fair maidens were seldom ever rescued, and often not before something reprehensible had been done to them.

But today, in their darkest hours a knight in shining armour had come to them. The valiant knight had slain the evildoers and rescued the village just as in those old stories.

Perhaps there was some truth to those fairytales after all.

Though if they were true didn't that mean that she was the fair maiden to be rescued by the knight in shining armour?

Enri smiled as she felt herself blush at the thought.

With a final longing look to the twinkling stars overhead, the blonde-haired teenager sighed and began to retrace her path.

Down the hillock and back towards home, where without a doubt her mother was waiting for her. Enri knew she would be getting quite the earful when she got home.

But somehow the thought of receiving a scolding from her mother only made Enri smile more.