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Chapter 5: Dawn
Wilmarina Noscrim despaired, she moved at a speed faster than the eye could see. She vaulted through trees, jumped over bushes, and even sliced her way through trees as she desperately tried to get back to the village. She was leaving dust in the air as she did, her legs pushing through the dirt, wood, and even the air at times just so she could make it.
Her face showed nothing but focus, but the sweat forming on her brows showed how desperate she truly was. She was finally happy, these past few days she finally managed to reconnect with her childhood friend. There was still a distance that she could feel, he still wouldn't call her Mary again but after he gave her back her handkerchief she knew how much he truly cared for her.
And now she was going to lose him again, and this time for good. No matter how skilled a person is, an Amazonian is simply too much for a normal human to fight off. Not only are they faster and stronger, but their entire lives are mostly spent honing their skills in combat.
She's faced off against Amazonians before, and even she knew not to underestimate them. She could take them down with relative ease, but she knew that even lower-tier heroes would've struggled against them.
Elt wasn't a hero as far as she was concerned, he may be one to her but officially he's just a normal man. No matter how skilled he was with a blade he could never take down the entire might of an Amazonian tribe with the ample force that they left behind in the village.
She wanted to hit herself, they fell for their trap and now Elt was either going to die or be enslaved. As she moved she used her magic power to propel herself upwards. Creating platforms for her to move on using the ice that she was forming below.
When she finally made it to the clearing that lead to the village she readied herself for the worst. By this time they would've been wiped out for sure, she saw smoke coming from the hilltops where the village was situated and gripped her blade tightly in response.
She grits her teeth as she hurried her way up there. Hoping for the best, but expecting the worst.
What she saw, she could've never predicted.
Elt charged forward as he thrust his blade forward. Aera did much the same, holding her axe aloft for a downward strike. Their forms were nothing but a blur to any bystander, and the only indication of where they stood was the dust trails they left in their wake.
Elt moved his blade up, the steel iron meeting the demonic silver axe with a loud clang. Sparks flew out in a mesmerizing display, while the two blades were connected did Aera opt to kick Elt with enough force to send him flying through one of the houses. She'd apologize to him after she claimed him for her own, she was having too much fun with this.
She followed suit, pushing herself from the grounds with immense speeds and into the broken pile of wood that once stood as a house, in response she herself was struck by a wrought-iron blade to the head knocking her onto the ground with a loud thud, causing the already broken wooden house to splinter further.
She quickly recovered, pushing herself back up with her arms and a flip before she turned and grinned at him. It hurt her, but she couldn't help but enjoy this little battle that they were having. The remnants of old forgotten instincts of a bygone era still coursed through her veins, no matter how much the demon lord would try to rid them of they once were.
Though, from Elt's face, it was clear that he himself wasn't exactly enjoying it. They were evenly matched as for now, but her approach to battle gave her just a slight advantage.
"What's wrong? You should enjoy this while you can. Don't worry, I'll make you feel really good after~" She stated in a singsong voice as she gave him a lecherous wink. In response, Elt's face grimaced before he got back up and got into a stance.
'She's a lot stronger than the rest. And worst she's enjoying this…' Elt thought to himself as he blocked a strike from her axe. He pushed her away before he tried to do a roundhouse kick, only for the Amazonian to catch Elt's foot with her arms.
"Hehe… I've caught you~" She spoke up.
Elt struggled to break free, as he was about to do so, the Amazonian then threw him up in an arc with enough force to launch him meters into the air. Startled, he managed to fix his bearings and landed on one of the houses, skidding on the roof before he turned to his opponent.
Said opponent was already on the move, jumping up on the roof before she slammed her axe down with a spin. Elt backed off before he blocked another swing from her axe causing more sparks to fly. He moved his leg back as she unleashed a barrage of swings. He parried dodge and countered for as much as he could've.
Seeing an opportunity, as his opponent swung her axe down did he back off before stepping onto it. This caused the axe to crash into the roof, embedding itself into the house. Using this as an opportunity, Elt kicked the amazonian before he launched a sword strike which she managed to grab with her arm.
With a grin, she slammed his body down onto the roof causing the entire structure to collapse. Elt landed on his feet with a thud. Aera too landed on her feet, she looked on at his form before her figure relaxed and began playfully spinning her axe.
"Why are you trying so hard? Just let go and give in to your base instincts… you feel it too, don't you? The hot throbbing in your body, the heat, and the desire in your mind. Why resist when I'm here to offer myself to you~" She spoke out with a lecherous smile as she showed off her body.
Indeed, after the new demon lord usurped the old, her power had spread across all of monsterkind. Their forms were as lewd as they were attractive and their forms could charm even the most staunch of men into depravity.
The demonic energy that invaded Elt's system tried to make him give in, to give up and let her have her way with him, to forget all his pain and suffering and lose himself to the depraved thoughts lurking deep within every man's mind.
But it failed, Elt would not fall to depravity so easily. Especially not after what he had been through. His experience in the Lands Between gave him many things, but he's seen what depravity could lead to if left unchecked. All he had to do was look at who used to be the Lord of the Volcano Manor.
Rykard, the Lord of Blasphemy gave in to his most base and depraved desires. And look where that lead him, into letting himself be consumed by the serpent just so that he could live on.
Rykard felt pleasure, he felt bliss, but Elt doubted that Rykard was truly happy. His base desires can give him pleasure, but they can't give him the happiness he desired. He took a deep breath before he pointed her sword at her.
"...no, I can't accept that offer of yours," Elt stated.
He didn't have the strength to spare her if he tried. He was holding back for most of the fight, trying desperately not to kill her but he now saw that as an impossibility. It was either her life or the lives of his fellow man.
"I'm sorry… but I won't hold back anymore. This is your final warning, leave or you might get yourself killed." He warned one last time. There was no guarantee, if she continued on her onslaught then the gloves would come off.
He wouldn't treat her as he did her fellow monsters, but as an inhabitant of the Lands Between.
He would offer her no respite.
She looked on at him, her eyes filled with lust and lecherous intent.
"Oh, really? I've seen your eyes… It's the look of a boy who hasn't killed, a boy who hasn't even faced a monster before… and yet… you can take me on…" Aera stated. Her face morphed into a more thoughtful expression as she did.
It confused her once she thought about it. Elt didn't feel like a hero, he didn't have the mana of one and yet here he was contending with her blow for blow. Whether it was pure skill, or something far more she didn't know.
Nevertheless, that mystery around him simply served to make her desire him even more. That's it, she couldn't take it anymore. The more she thought about the man before him the more she wanted him as her mate.
Elt's eyes narrowed at those words. He revealed himself to the monsters, and from the attack happening in this village it was clear that they could coordinate. He grits his teeth, she was absolutely right, at least as he was right now. As far as he knew, he hadn't killed a soul yet. He had yet to plunge his blade deep into another person and take their life.
And even when he did, the souls of the dead would forever haunt his mind. He had killed friends and foe alike, all for the sake of returning home.
"I can tell that you're confused, you're suffering from your human values. Once I'm done with you, you and your men can come with us, then we'll shower you with love and~" She began before she was interrupted.
"They don't want to go with you!" Elt yelled out. He looked to his men, they were fighting desperately to stay up. Despite the fear they must've felt they pushed on regardless. He was glad to call these men his brothers in arms, unswayed by the temptations of both the Amazonians and their weapons.
"The pleasure and comfort you seek to give us? It holds no weight. You're taking people away from their homes and their families, not even thinking about how it would affect them. You expect me to accept your actions even after all of that? You're no better than the people you're trying to save us from." He stated incredulously.
At that did Aera feel anger rise in her system. How dare this boy tells her that what she offered them held no weight. How dare he insult the dreams of the Fourth-Born.
"Why don't you take a look at your men, hell, even yourself. You have bags under your eyes, and you look exhausted and stressed. I can feel the anguish that grips your heart. I can feel the pain and sorrow within you." She stated as she took a step forward.
Aera wasn't exactly wrong. The Succubi's blood within her gave her an empathic look within Elt's body. While she knew not the cause, the pain and suffering remained within him. Her solution was to make him forget, to make all of them forget their worries through the pleasures she granted.
"Submit yourself to me, and together we can bring happiness to your misguided nation," Aera stated, repeating what the fourth born told her with a grin.
Elt looked on at himself, he touched the space beneath his eyes before he gripped the blade tightly once more. She was right, of course. His life had not been easy, marred by hardships and tragedy and plagued by the stress and the threats that he believed he had to face alone. But who was she to say that she had a solution? Who was she to say that he should forget his problems and give in to pleasure?
She wanted him to run away from his problems, to bury them under pleasure and debauchery masked as happiness. That he couldn't accept, if he had run away from his problems in the Lands Between then he would have never been able to return here.
He felt that if he accepted her offer that he would be spitting on the dreams that he shared with a dear friend whose name he long forgot.
That friend would never be able to look at him if he did.
And because of that, he could never accept her, nor could he ever accept her ideals.
Raising his blade, he need not give an answer. He gave her a defiant look, getting into a stance as he readied for a coming attack. His answer was clear from his actions alone, he would rather die.
Seeing it, she raised her brow in both confusion and irritation. Why couldn't he see what she offered him? Why couldn't he accept her and forget about the pain that strained his very soul? Why Won't He Submit?
"Fine, if I can't make you mine through words. Then I'll make you mine through actions. When I'm done with you, I'll make sure that you forget everything so that you won't have to hurt anymore!" She yelled out as she pointed her battle axe at him.
With that, she charged once more and their dance renewed.
This time with even more ferocity, both fighters not just want to claim total victory but the complete loss of the other party. Elt was done holding back, and while he didn't aim to kill, looking at his strikes it was obvious that he didn't care what happened to her anymore.
The two fought on, scratches formed on Aera's body while Elt was slashed by the Demonic Silver a few more times. The pleasure invading his mind was unbearable, but he stood firm against its unending onslaught.
She pushed him back, causing him to skid a few meters away. He spun his blade to readjust his grip before placing another hand onto the handle as he charged back in. She swung her axe down, causing his blade to move down with her before she struck him with her elbow. In response, Elt used the momentum of the strike to throw her away from him.
The two were getting tired, and they were ready to end it. Aera looked on as she began to pant, she was getting exhausted and she knew it. Elt too looked on with a heavy breath, sweat forming on his brows as he turned his hands to his chest and clenched his fists together.
The pleasure that invaded his mind was getting too intense, at this rate he'd lose to her if it was left unchecked. He looked on at himself as he thought of a solution, as he thought, his jumbled mind tried desperately to think of a solution all the while ignoring the gnawing pleasure.
Then he had one, it was stupid, foolish, and utterly idiotic but it was the only thing he could think of. Something that would get his mind off the lecherous thoughts, something that would let him focus on the fight itself.
He gripped his blade before he turned it to its target, himself. Aera's eyes widened, she looked on in horror at what he was about to do.
"Wait... No, Stop!" She yelled out in horror before he dug his blade into his hand. He suppressed a scream, biting his teeth together as he pushed his blade into his palm enough to draw blood. His newfound strength allowed him to push through his leather gauntlets, his blood gushed forth and bathed his own hand in red.
It worked, the plan worked. He took a few heavy breaths as he forced his now injured hand to grip the blade and hold it tight. He didn't ignore the pain, no, he focused his mind on it in order to ignore the pleasure that invaded his mind.
"Wha-What is wrong with you!?" Aera screamed out. She was mortified, what kind of madman would do this to himself!? Just so he could get his mind off the easing pleasure her weapon gave them!? It was absurd, it was clear from this alone that she wasn't dealing with any normal hero.
Elt said nothing, glaring at her as he held his blade up. This one reckless action gave him but a moment's reprieve. They had healing potions with them, so this wouldn't be permanent. That being said, it didn't change the fact that he was getting quite fatigued.
His blood dripped down onto the soil, his eyes were focused on his one target. She looked on as her desire for him slowly shifted into fear. What kind of maniac would go this far to deny himself the pleasure she offered him?
No, she couldn't give up... Not like this, not when he's suffering. She held her blade aloft once more, she intended to finish this fight once and for all to spare him the pain.
One last move, one more strike and they would end it all. They charged forth, bringing their weapons towards one another before…
SCHIING
The sounds of metal tearing through skin echoed through the air. Elt stumbled forward, an unbearable pleasure in his mind as he gripped his blade tightly to keep himself up. His opponent however was different in one aspect. The ax that she was once wielding had flown off and stabbed itself onto the ground. Right next to it was the severed form of an arm… her arm.
She screamed, one of both pain and horror at what she just witnessed. She clutched her shoulder as blood gushed out from where her arm used to be. Standing up, Elt's blue eyes seemingly glowed as he made his way toward her. At her fallen form did he place his blade on her neck.
"Never come back here, never bother this village and never bother me or my men again. If you don't, then next time I'll make sure that it's your head that's separated from your body." He told her coldly, this was the only way to make her listen in his eyes. His blood trailed down his blade as he spoke. Underneath the cold tone there was a hint of desperation, one that pleaded with her to stop lest he has to take her life.
He didn't know how he pulled it off, he didn't know how he withstood the pain and the unrelenting pleasure that invaded his mind but right now he didn't care. He took a few deep breaths as he pointed his blade at her. Exhaustion gnawed at his body as he stood tall and prevented the exhaustion from showing itself outwardly.
She nodded dumbly, the lust and desire for him being replaced with fear. She needed to get away, her sisters needed to get away. She got up, slightly stumbling before she cried out.
"R-Retreat! Leave everything behind!" She yelled. The Amazonians that remained to stand who watched their leader's arm fly off quickly moved. Fear gripped their hearts as well, not wanting to be the victim of Elt's rage.
The soldiers they had taken in were all left behind, each in a dazed state and their eyes wide at what had occurred. The experience was traumatizing for them, and the pleasure they felt in their bodies prevented them from moving.
One by one did the Amazonians leave, hurrying away and dropping the soldiers they had sought to claim as their own. Some tried to take them back, but a quick glare from Elt's eyes made them drop his men down. Soon, the last of the Amazonians had fled into the forest.
It was over, thanks to him they all would live to fight another day. He let out a deep breath he didn't know he was holding, stumbling back a bit as he looked on at the Amazons leaving. It was all a bluff, a front he had used to get them all away. That one strike had taken most of his energy and if the rest of the Amazons decided to attack then he would've been done for.
There was no celebration, not immediately at least. There was no cheer for victory from either the villagers or the soldiers. Their experience here had been harrowing, and all breathed a collective sigh of relief. They stood there in silence, waiting just in case the Amazons came back.
They only moved when the Hero who saved them collapsed from his wounds and the Demonic Energy that finally overcame his mind. Unable to take the combined pain and pleasure, Elt lost consciousness.
They moved immediately, checking to see his condition, and to their relief, he breathed still. Leopold walked over to the boy, his eyes softening before he instructed some of the villagers to prepare the bed in his house.
"Patch up his wounds and carry him to my house, he deserves to rest after all he's done," Leopold stated before he turned to another villager, a boy around Elt's age with brown hair and peculiar yellow eyes.
He was the boy Elt saved from an Amazoness, and he stood by and looked over his hero with a difficult expression on his face.
"Isaac, it's not your fault... You were caught by surprise and you couldn't have fought them off without a weapon." Leopold muttered. Isaac turned his eyes towards Leopold before he spoke up.
"I know, it's just... frustrating being this useless sometimes." Isaac muttered. Leopold patted Isaac's hair in response before he spoke up once more.
"If you want to help, then carry him to the bed back at our house." Leopold stated. With a short nod, Isaac went on to do as he was told.
Leopold had seen many things in his life, most of it was mundane but there were moments that stood out among the sea of his daily life spent farming and tending to the villagers. One of those things had been the so-called heroes of the order. He was told that they were Lescatie's pride and joy, that they were the bulwark against monsterkind. Protectors of the innocent and vanquishers of the wicked.
He had seen through these lies the moment he first saw one of these heroes. When one came to the village to deal with the Amazonian problem before Elt's party came here he saw how different they were from how they were advertised. The arrogance, the false humility, and the sense of entitlement had left a bitter taste in his mouth.
They wore ornate and extravagant clothing and bore the emblems of nobility and The Order. Their skin was kept clean and their hair had not even a single speck of dust. On the outside, they were who the Order wanted them to be seen as, noble heroes who fought for the innocent. And yet, they were nothing but.
He demanded tribute, that as a hero he was entitled to their grain and coin. Leopold and the rest of the villagers refused, and in response, he left them to the dogs and had one of his fellow-men arrested for Heresy. Another one came in, this one was nicer than the one before but she too was not how they were advertised. She was not a hero by choice, but societal pressure and the push of the nobility had forced her into service.
He saw behind the false smile, the false humility. He felt sorry for her, she was just a child being forced to serve a cause she never believed in. When she saw her in combat, she saw the false bravery she displayed, her hands shook as she took a stand against the Amazonians.
She wasn't at fault, but she was not a hero to him in any measure.
Aye, to him the word hero had been tainted by these Order dogs. They weren't heroes, not by his definition. It upset him to think that this was how heroes were chosen, that the grace of the Chief God would choose such people for the role.
He thought that there were no true heroes left, that the time of true noble men and women was long gone, dusted through the wind. The only one who fits the description of a hero most before was... no, best not think of him now.
And then he showed up, he came not in extravagant clothes but in tattered rags. His blade was not pristine and neither was it expensive, It was simple iron that had visibly aged. His hair was unkempt, he did not disguise the exhausted look on his face.
When he and his men were left here they saw to it that they were fed. With this act alone, he knew that he had stumbled across a true Hero. And when he saw him fight, he saw the fear in his eyes as well but within it, he also saw the love he had for his fellow comrades.
He fought not because he hated what was in front of him, but because he loved what stood behind him.
He withstood the pleasure in his mind, and he even went so far as to injure himself to prevent the pleasure from taking over. He didn't know whether he was dedicated or just crazy, perhaps a bit of both then.
And so when he collapsed from exhaustion, he didn't hesitate to have the man be tended within the most comfortable bed that they had here in this village. They patched up his bleeding arm and rested him upon the bed. He sat next to Elt, and to his right sat another boy with brown hair and yellow eyes. Isaac stood by, watching over him. He needed to thank Elt, that much he knew.
"Is he gonna be okay?" The boy asked as he turned to the old man.
"He'll be fine, Isaac. He just needs rest, he's been struck multiple times by the demon's blades after all." Leopold stated as he leaned into his chair.
Isaac's face furled at that, it confused him a lot. Even heroes who were struck by the blades were easily felled by the pleasure. And from the looks of it, this one managed to stay up even after he was struck multiple times.
And even when the pleasure threatened to take over his mind, he stabbed himself with his own blade to prevent himself from falling.
"That doesn't make any sense, I thought you said that getting hit by one was like getting hit by a real blade, but instead of pain it's pleasure?" Isaac asked, his eyes wide at the thought.
"Look at his hand, Isaac. He injured himself in order to prevent himself from falling to their depravity. I suppose it meant that he held a deep love and appreciation for those he was fighting to protect." Leopold theorized.
When Isaac heard it, an indescribable rage and sorrow filled his heart.
"...If that was the case, then big brother would've never went missing… are you telling me that his love for me and this village was so weak that he fell to those whores after being struck like he was?" Isaac asked, his voice rising involuntarily as he did.
There was a story behind this, but as to what it is shall be left for another time.
"...No… I suppose not, I'm sorry Isaac." He stated as he patted the boy's shoulder. The boy simply nodded weakly, not wanting to recall those events.
"Sir, Sir!" A villager called out as she rushed into the house. She looked on at Leopold before she spoke up.
"The Lady Wilmarina wishes to speak with you." She stated. Leopold blinked at that, Wilmarina… as in Wilmarina Noscrim? Ah, so she was here. They left in such a hurry that he was never even made aware that she was there.
"Alright, I'll be there in just a second," Leopold stated as he got up and turned to Isaac. "Look after him for me, would you?" He asked before he left the room.
Isaac looked down on Elt's unconscious body as he seemed to squirm in his sleep. As he did, he could've sworn a word came out of his mouth.
"...Ranni…" He muttered.
Isaac's eyes widened at the name. He didn't recognize it, but he swore that he heard it somewhere before.
Wilmarina Noscrim expected to see a village emptied of its inhabitants, of its males, and of its grain. But instead, she was met by a village still intact, and all of inhabitants still present. Cheap wine was poured to the soldiers and the ones who were injured were being taken care of. This was not what she had expected, they left an ample force here and they weren't even armed with a lot of equipment.
She felt relief, but as she looked around the injured she saw that Elt was not among them. She panicked, her heart-stopping as she asked one of the villagers if they had seen him. When they told her where he was, her heart feel a relief unlike any other.
But as she thought about it, she felt that it was a bit strange. Why wasn't Elt out here lying with the rest of the men? why was he being given special treatment? Was he perhaps gravely injured? She needed to see for herself and so she asked the woman if she could call the village elder.
And so here they were now, standing across from one another was the greatest hero in Lescatie and a simple old man tasked with running a small farming village.
"A pleasure to meet you, Lady Wilmarina. My name is Leopold" He stated with a small bow. With that, she bowed as well before acknowledging him.
"The pleasure is mine, Sir Leopold." She stated with courtesy as she looked up at him. He waved his arms dismissively before he spoke up again.
"Bah, you can leave the sir behind Lady Wilmarina. I am but a simple farmer here so there's no need for you to call me as such." Leopold muttered before he looked her in the eye.
Out of the heroes he's met, Wilmarina Noscrim seemed to fall with the more reluctant sort. She seemed to be a nice girl beneath that persona of hers but he could see that she perhaps didn't want to become a hero in the first place.
He sighed at the thought, that even the nation's greatest hero was not how she was said to be. Still, he couldn't fault the girl and he would at least recognize her deeds for this country no matter what the motive was.
"Uh… is something the matter?" Noticing the sigh, Wilmarina's brow perked as her face morphed into slight confusion.
"No, No… I just had a little thought is all… Anyways, what is it that you need?" Leopold stated. Those thoughts he had would've been considered blasphemous if anyone heard it, best not to dwell on it if he didn't want a one-way ticket to the pyre.
With that, Wilmarina nodded before she looked around and spoke up.
"There was a red-haired soldier stationed here. I was hoping to know if he's alright and if I could see him?" Wilmarina asked. Leopold's brow rose at that, he's seen a lot of things but he could recognize the look in her eyes as soon as he saw it.
'Ah, young love… how I wish to be young again to experience it once more.' He thought before he spoke up. "Indeed, if you wish to see him then follow me," Leopold stated as he walked towards his house.
Wilmarina followed suit, moving with dignity and grace as she was trained to do.
…
When they arrived, Isaac looked on at them and was about to stand before Leopold's hand rose to stop him. Looking around, his head then turned to Wilmarina Noscrim, his brow rose before he spoke up with a stutter.
"Ah… Uh… Lady Wilmarina…" He muttered nervously. Wilmarina acknowledged his presence with a nod before she slightly paused at the sight of Isaac's eyes, they were... peculiar... to say the least, it reminded her of a wolf's eyes.
It didn't take her long to pry her eyes away, it would've been rude to stare after all. Isaac seemed to notice however, and quickly turned his eyes away to hide them a bit. It was a sensitive issue of his, he and his late-brother had peculiar eyes that somewhat isolated them from the village when they were younger. Neither really had an explanation as to why, but in the end it did nothing but give them trouble.
Leopold looked on at the display before he cleared his throat. Not wanting the boy to feel any discomfort he opted to tease him instead on another matter.
"Sorry about that, the boy's had a crush on you ever since you launched your first crusade." Leopold spoke up, causing the boy's face to redden.
"Granddad!" He yelled out which caused the man to laugh.
Wilmarina smiled at their antics, it was nice to see two family members get along. She was used to people having a crush on her, it was fairly common considering her deeds and fame. Unfortunately for them, she only has her eyes set on one man.
Her eyes turned to Elt as she did, looking on at his sleeping form did she move her hand to caress his hair. Her eyes softened as a result and she took a seat next to him in order to check if he had any grave injuries.
Her eyes widened as she saw his injured arm, she felt her heart stop at the sight. What happened to him? Who did this to him? It was the Amazons, weren't they? She grit her teeth as an indescribable rage entered her mind. Someone hurt Elt, and she would see to it that they suffered the same way he had.
Seeing this, Leopold looked on at his form before he spoke up.
"He did it to himself." He told her, this caused her attention to shift to him before he spoke up once more. Her eyes widened as she looked on at his hand.
"What?" She asked out loud.
"When the Amazons attacked the village, he fought the hardest to make sure that everyone was safe. He was struck multiple times by their weapons, in order to keep himself from falling to lust he injured himself and pushed on." Leopold stated.
Wilmarina's eyes then moved to Elt once more. A newfound appreciation formed in her at his actions. Hearing them made her swoon, but it also made her worry in a way. The lengths he went through to protect them were immense, she didn't know anyone else who would've gravely injured themselves just so they wouldn't fall to pleasure.
'He's more of a hero than I am…' She thought to herself.
She knew that she was fake, if she was placed in the same situation then she doubted that she would've fought as hard as he did. He must've taken quite the toll, he wasn't a hero after all. But in her eyes, Elt was more of a hero than anyone she had ever met, not even the so-called heroes she had to fight alongside with from time to time.
Still, she didn't know how he did it but she'll just ask him when he woke up. She'd also lecture him about what he did, injuring himself like that was no good. But she supposed that it was her fault this time, if she had been fast enough then he wouldn't have had to do all of that. She'd apologize to him, what kind of hero would she be in his eyes if she let this happen to him.
"Forgive my impudence for saying this, but usually I question the Chief God's choices, but I have to agree that she chose right with this one," Leopold added.
'Huh?' Wilmarina's thought process stopped. What did he mean by that? Chosen by the Chief God? As in… was he trying to say that Elt was a Hero? She looked on at him before she used her power to check on him. No, he wasn't… he didn't have the blessings of the Chief God.
"...What do you mean by that?" She asked, curiosity in her voice as she spoke.
"Uh- you know? A Hero? Chosen by the Chief God and wielding strength beyond human capability?" He muttered. Why was she so confused? Elt had to be a hero, he saw him move as a blur when he fought that red-jeweled Amazonian. He saw him strike with strength that surpassed even some of the heroes he had witnessed before.
"...No, wait… Elt isn't a hero?" She muttered with a confused expression on her face.
"...What do you mean he isn't?" Spoke Isaac this time. "He saved me from an Amazonian and charged and knocked out 10 more without breaking a sweat. If he isn't a hero, then what is he?" He asked.
'What?' She thought to herself again. Her gaze turned to Elt, her eyes narrowing as she thought some more.
'Elt did that?... as in… all of that? That… doesn't make any sense. Maybe they were just scared so they saw something that never happened?' She thought to herself in an attempt to make sense of the situation. Elt couldn't have done that, he wasn't a Hero, and yet here were two people claiming the same thing.
Wait… the rumors.
The rumors of a soldier within Lady Mersé's unit who could match her blow for blow. It matched up with how the two described Elt. It was true, the rumors were true and it was Elt who managed to do it.
Of course, there was no way to confirm it but from the sound of it, the rumors were true. She didn't know how to feel about it. There has to be something more about this.
"Are you sure? Maybe you were just seeing things at the time so you thought that you saw him do these things?" She asked. At that did they both shake their heads.
"It's not just us, Lady Wilmarina… everyone in the village saw it. They paraded him through the village before he got too tired and had to be put here." Isaac stated.
Wilmarina paused, her eyes turning to Elt before she bit her lip in confusion. She didn't know what to say or what to feel, it was clear that she was going to have to talk with Elt after he woke up. He didn't have the blessing of the Chief God, theoretically, he shouldn't have been able to even face off against the Amazonians.
As she was about to speak again, the door suddenly opened and a white-haired halberd-wielding hero looked on at Wilmarina before her eyes turned to Elt. She gave out a small sigh before she turned to Wilmarina.
"Okay… looks like there's no hiding it anymore," Mersé stated. "We need to talk… about him." She muttered, tilting her head towards Elt.
Wilmarina couldn't say anything, she just somewhat dumbly nodded before she got up. She took one last look at Elt's sleeping form before she gave a conflicted expression. There was something going on here, something she didn't understand and it worried her. She caressed his hair one more time.
Afterwards, she left to talk with Mersé.
Leopold and Isaac were left with Elt, Isaac then turned to Leopold before he spoke up.
"So uh… is it just me, or did Lady Wilmarina get a bit touchy with him?" He asked. At that did Leopold laugh before he ruffled his grandson's hair.
"You'll understand when when your older." He stated with a nod and a smile.
"But... granddad... I'm their age?" Isaac asked in confusion.
An unknown figure walked through what appeared to be a noble's mansion. His face was covered by a helmet with a crown designed atop. He wore ornate white armor, the faulds of which had the design of eyes that went around the whole piece. Around his shoulders was a cape light yellow cape. This was Sir Gideon Ofnir, the All-Knowing and he had just come back from his little scuffle with the Tarnished.
He walked through the halls of the mansion, passing by armed guards and decrepit old paintings of false heroes and fools. The hue of the room was warm, and yet the mood was as cold as the mountains. Gold eyes stared at him as he passed, observing his every move as he walked.
The only sounds that permeated the walls were that of his clanking armor, footsteps and the faint burning of the candlewick upon the chandeliers that hung above.
He entered through a set of doors, ancient in design and yet modern in make. It revealed what most would view as a grotesque sight. It was a hand, a rotted one at that standing above everything else within the room.
Two fingers stood above the rest, laying motionless, and yet it felt alive. Far more powerful and divine than anything Sir Gideon had ever felt in this realm. He knelt before them, his head lowering until he saw nothing but the floor. Incense burnt in the background, its scent spread across the rooms.
It was the incense often used to welcome the divine in Order Nations. For it to be used here served was both a symbol and a mockery of the traditions practiced by what they viewed as a False Order lead by a God of Meager talent.
"I've returned." Sir Gideon spoke up. The fingers remained motionless, but to the side, an old decrepit woman sat by one of the chairs holding a wooden staff in her hands. She moved forward to regard Sir Gideon for she was a finger maiden, the voice of the two fingers to the mortals that lived under its reign.
She clasped the two fingers form, reading them before she acted as their voice.
"You have done us a great disservice, Sir Gideon."
Sir Gideon lowered his head even more, not daring to look at the two fingers in fear of angering them. Even with this act, his voice desired to argue with the two fingers.
"With all due respect. What need do we have for the Tarnished? He could be a threat, someone who could impede the arrival of the Vassal." Sir Gideon argued, the Finger Maiden moved her hands to the palm of the two fingers, reading its words before she spoke once more.
"With your actions, he may very well be. You fail to understand his importance, and with it you may have very well impeded the grand Arrival."
Sir Gideon's eyes furrowed underneath his helmet, he dared look up for just a little while to speak. "I fail to see how he would be of any use, it is abundantly clear that he's against The Golden Order, against The Greater Will." He argued even more.
With those words, the fingers moved for the first time. Twitching slightly as the finger maiden tried desperately to read its new words. It was not happy with Sir Gideon, not one bit.
"You claim to be the All-Knowing, and yet you are blind to the desires of The Greater Will. The Tarnished was against us, but the memories he held of The Lands Between were sealed away by The Traitor Empyrean."
"He knows nothing, he knows not who you are but because of your actions he now knows of you as a threat. Bringing him in service under The Golden Order will now prove difficult, all due to your meaningless grudge against him."
Sir Gideon bowed his head again in shame, gritting his teeth and furrowing his brows further as a result. He waited for his punishment, but it never came. The finger maiden read the two-fingers desires before she spoke up once more.
"But your use has not run out, you will no longer be put in charge of observing The Tarnished. You will continue on with your reincarnated life, and grow your influence further within this World's False Order."
Sir Gideon nodded, it was the only thing he could do. He wanted nothing more than to tear that red-haired fool to shreds, to destroy him after everything. Disillusioned by Queen Marika's true plans, he could do nothing but lash out. And for him, there was but one person he could lash out against, the center of Queen Marika's plan himself.
"You are forbidden from interacting with the Tarnished henceforth, another shall take up the mantle of watching over him."
Once more, Sir Gideon could do nothing but accept the proposal. Though, he was curious. He wasn't the only being from the Lands Between to be placed into this realm, in. Who could possibly replace him when it came to the Tarnished?
"If I may ask... who would you be placing in charge of watching over the Tarnished?" Sir Gideon asked.
The answer he received, he didn't expect. But thinking about it, yes... they'd be able to get the job done. Embittered as he is, he couldn't fault the wisdom in this choice.
"If that is all, you may leave. Continue to grow your influence in this realm, and prepare this nation for the Arrival."
Sir Gideon nodded before got up and bowed. As he left he grit his teeth once more, he moved through the halls passing by the soldiers that stood across the hall bearing the markings of The Golden Order.
'They don't understand, the Tarnished is as stubborn as he is foolish. He would not join The Golden Order, not even if his memories remained sealed.' Sir Gideon thought in frustration as he stopped just in front of his personal chambers within the mansion the two fingers decided to reside in.
He furrowed his brow at the Tarnished whom grace had chosen. He was just as naive as he remembered, just as foolish too. The Tarnished he knew was like that, gullible and incredibly foolish.
He cursed his very existence, but he could do nothing in response. If he directly interfered once more then The Two Fingers would not be so lenient with him next time. He resigned himself to his task, to integrate himself into this world. He walked out of the halls and into the room. There he changed his clothes, his mannerisms, and even his personality.
But... while he could not affect him directly, he could certainly do so indirectly. All he has to do is to make sure that he would not be discovered. And using the identity he took up in this land that should be easy.
Gone was Sir Gideon Ofnir and in his place was another man. He changed into a different set of clothes, one that fit more in line with his identity here in this world. Ornate and noble in design, fitting for his station here in Lescatie.
He walked out of the mansion, escorted by a group of guards before he reached his carriage bearing the noble seal of his house here in this world.
With a single command, the carriage moved out of the mansion.
He had work to do.
Aera limped back into the forest, clutching where her arm used to be as she did. She managed to stop the bleeding, but the pain and fear she felt remained within her mind. His cold blue eyes and tone had done what was thought to be impossible. He scared her, far more than any hero she's faced before.
But… he wasn't a hero. That much she realized as she and the rest of her sisters moved away. Their injured were carried on each of their backs, each had a dejected look as their raid ended in a failure. What would she say to her sisters? How would she explain this to her new mistress?
The walk continued until they reached the very borders of Lescatie. She looked around to see if she found any landmarks. They stood by a river that formed a natural border with the nation just beyond it. She did not come here without reason, her new mistress instructed her to come here once the raid was over and they claimed their new husbands.
Unfortunately, they came empty-handed, foiled by that red-haired demon of a man. She grits her teeth as got down on her knees. She was ashamed, how could she not be? She failed her mistress in her first assignment, she wouldn't be surprised if she were cast out for her incompetence.
Those thoughts were halted when a hand reached out to her. Pale purplish skin grasped her cheeks gently, she looked up to see the face of her mistress looking down at her with a kind expression.
"Aera dear, what seems to be the problem?" She asked concern in her voice as Aera's eyes widened before she looked down in shame. She couldn't face her, not when she failed to even take a single man.
"I… I failed… my Mistress… I- I'm sorry… I'm sorry…" She muttered, tears forming in her eyes as she spoke. At that did Druella frown a little, her eyes softening before she lifted her back onto her feet.
"Hush now, Aera… Here." She stated before she placed her hand over her injury. A purple glow erupted and when it died down Aera saw that her arm had been returned to her. It was as good as new, even the scars that once marred her skin was gone.
She wept some more, she didn't feel as if she deserved her lady's kindness.
"No need to weep, my dear. Come, I'll take you with the rest… I'm going to need an explanation on what happened, however." Druella noted as Aera nodded dumbly. With a flash, she and the rest of her sisters were transported into an encampment of monsters and incubi.
…
Druella, Fourth Born of the Demon Lord and conqueror of over a dozen Order Nations. She was as renowned as she was feared among her peers. The leader of the Radical Faction, she desired to expand the Demon Realm until all the world is bathed in the hue of Demonic Energy. She was a powerful being, even amongst the other Lilim who were already of Godlike strength. When it came to war and conquest, none of her sisters could match her.
Her figure was certainly beautiful, as expected from the daughter of a succubus, she was gifted with a suited for seduction and charm. To add to it, her attire was as revealing as they come, accentuating her body without revealing too much. Made to entice men, just her form alone is enough to turn even the staunchest of Order Fanatics to her cause.
And right now she was looking on at her newest follower with concern in her eyes. The plan she gave her should've been perfect, lure the Order Heroes out into her settlement while she and her sisters took the men left defending the village.
But… when she saw Aera come here with an arm missing she knew that something had gone terribly wrong.
And so here she was, fully rested and given a new arm. In a large luxurious-looking tent just outside the borders of Lescatie. Sitting across from her as she waited for her to speak. Aera sat there with a nervous look on her face, she still bore shame but Druella harbored no ill will towards her. She did her best and she understood that something had happened that was beyond her calculations.
"It all started well at first, we used the weapons you gave us and assaulted the town in all directions. They only left a small force in the village, but there were enough men there for us all to take as our husbands." She stated, she looked up at Druella as she spoke.
"Everything went smoothly for the first hour or so, they fought harder than expected but they were surely falling one by one. At the rate we did it we should've been able to take them all before the heroes returned." She stated as she clenched her fist and looked down at her table.
"But then… he appeared." She started, which perked Druella's interest.
He. singular. one man caused their defeat. She was certainly intrigued, who could this man be she wondered.
"Ah, I see… a Hero then. I didn't expect that they'd let a Hero guard the village." She muttered, Aera shook her head at that.
She already thought of that possibility, as she walked through the forest she reflected on what had happened and concluded that this man wasn't a hero. He didn't have the mana of one, and neither did she feel the blessings of their Arch-Enemy within him.
Druella's eyes rose at that. He wasn't a hero? This was certainly getting her more and more intrigued. Someone who wasn't a Hero managing to beat an entire Amazonian force was unheard of. This was the first time Druella's heard of such a thing in her entire life, and she had lived for millennia.
"Explain." She commanded, with that Aera nodded before she continued.
"He didn't have a blessing, but he fought like a hero. He moved faster than my sisters could see, struck harder than they could ever have imagined. When I fought him, he moved like a blur and matched my speed blow for blow." She continued.
Druella's eyes narrowed at that, the more she heard the more she was getting interested. Whoever this man was, she needed to meet him.
"Then we spoke… I thought I could negotiate and tell them about your dreams, your ideals… a world without pain and suffering. He refused me, he told me how our happiness held no weight, how he couldn't accept how we did things. How we were no better than the people we thought we were saving them from." She stated.
Ah, was that so? She's heard this argument before from multiple people. He was one of those types then, those who clinged to their human limitation when they could be so much more. She took a personal interest now, but what she heard next somewhat surprised her as it did mortify her.
"He-He stabbed his own hand... In order to prevent himself from falling he pierced his own hand with his sword!" She yelped out. That one moment terrified her more than any other. What did this person have to go through to push himself to do that? What made him push himself that far to reject her and the pleasure she offered?
Druella's eyes widened as she listened on. She's heard the argument before, but this was the first time she's ever heard anyone go this far to reject her mother's dreams.
That cemented it in her mind. Originally, she was going to personally monsterize Wilmarina Noscrim first, to free her from the grips of human morality and allow her to move without the walls she shackled herself with. But now…
"Describe him for me, I want as many details as possible," Druella stated. Aera looked up in surprise before she spoke up.
"He had red hair and blue eyes, he wore a tattered gambeson and used a rusty sword. He had an average-looking face, but there's a certain charm to it that I can't explain~" She muttered, somewhat regaining herself as she did.
Even after everything, Aera still desired him as her mate.
Druella listened on before she nodded.
"In that case, go get some rest Aera. We have food in the tent over. So just enjoy yourself to get your mind off things, will you?" She stated with a small warm smile which caused Aera to smile herself.
With that, Druella walked out of her tent.
…
Moving out, Druella moved up onto a hill that overlooked the entire camp. She listened to the lustful moans of her fellow monster girls, each enjoying a passionate night with their partners. Giving in to their carnal desires without the worry of any repercussions, they enjoyed themselves without scorn.
Her figure overshadowed the crimson-red moon above, with the way she stood it was as if she was the mistress of the night itself. And with the power she wielded, she might as well be. Her red eyes scanned the grounds down below, and white wings spread out as power exuded from her body.
She was a Lilim, The Daughter of the Demon Lord. Her very presence could shift entire nations, and alter reality with the colors of her desires. She was a powerful being, one of the most powerful, and unlike most of her sisters, she had a dream for the world she lived in and loved.
She looked towards the horizons, to where Lescatie was. She's seen the so-called nation of heroes, the suffering, the pain, and the hatred. The nobles cared little for the common man, monsters were being rooted out of their homes and exterminated, and the place was just bloody miserable.
All of this and she wished that Lescatie was the only one. Alas, such hopes were simply foolish. Human nature constituted suffering, that's what she believed and that is what she had witnessed.
She loved the world, but she knew it to be flawed.
While most would be content to leave it as is, Druella would not. She desired change, a world without suffering and without pain. Where man and monster would live as one, removed from the limits they were shackled to.
She gazed upon her camp, her servants and sisters-in-arms. They who believed as she did, they who wanted change.
An image of the new world she desired, one where her mother reigned supreme and where human limitations have been surpassed and eliminated.
Where all would be able to free themselves from the stress and frustrations of their lives, to live truly free of fear, hate, doubt, and pain. Where all were able to do as they desire, enslaved not by those above them but by their desires and own wants.
Druella looked on at the hundreds upon thousands of tents scattered across the fields, all hidden by magic to ensure that The Order would never discover them. This was the force she brought to take over this nation, thousands upon thousands of monsters gathering here for a singular purpose. All of whom were loyal to her and her alone.
She took this moment to reflect on her little interview with Aera. She spoke not of a hero, but a man who could take on her might.
Someone who rejected her very desires for the world, one who called what they shall give to this world meaningless. She wasn't irritated, nor was she angered by this.
She was merely curious, his words intrigued her and she wished to know more. Unlike what most would assume, she understood human values. She studied them when she was younger, integrated herself within their society using a disguise. She went to their schools, learned of their culture, and was taught human values. She did this multiple times across different generations, and every time she came to the same conclusion.
These human values held each of them back. Time and time again she witnessed the misery that they inflicted, her empathic sense telling her of their pain and anguish. Of desires they were forced to keep within them in fear of repercussion or due to some form of moral code that prevented them from pursuing what truly made them happy.
Humans cling to their pain, their suffering. They call it necessary but is it really?
Pain, suffering, would it be so wrong to rid this world of such concepts?
To live your life without struggle in eternal bliss, doing what makes you happy?
She believed not, and through this philosophy, she led her radical faction to victories beyond even her sisters'. Steadfast in her goal, she sought to expand her mother's reign so people can be freed from what held them back.
A world without fear, loneliness, and doubt.
What kind of person would deny such a world?
What could he have gone through to reject her dreams so staunchly?
That is the reason why she was interested in this boy, this Hero who wasn't blessed by the Chief God. She would try to convince him, not through magic but through words.
To verbally spar and parry each other's points, a true debate between minds.
And in the end, she'll make him understand her point. She'll make him see the error of his ways.
Just as she had done multiple times before to others who held similar ideas and thoughts. He would not be the first, and certainly, he will not be the last. Those who held firm with their beliefs were the ones she enjoyed changing the most. Not through force but through her words alone would she convince him to join her cause. After all, none would be able to resist the temptations of a Lilim.
But first, she needed to learn more about him. To learn about his habits, desires, ideals, and beliefs. A battle of words starts through research after all, and right now she has the perfect servant to aid her in this endeavor.
Druella turned to the space behind her, her eyes narrowing as a small smirk came to her lips.
"Come out, Kuro-chan~" She stated in a sing-song voice which caused her shadow to morph and change.
Out of it came a monster in the form of a little girl, she had red eyes and black hair. Black horns were placed atop her head as her fur ears drooped down. Her clothes, if they could be called that, were a substance black in color. It moved with her command, and right now it writhed around her as she looked up at her mistress with a smile on her face.
"Is there anything you need from me, Druella-sama~" She uttered. At that, Druella grinned, if looks could take down nations… Lescatie would've fallen the moment she showed her fangs.
"I need you to find someone for me," She commanded, a lecherous grin on her face as she spoke.
Author's Notes
And so that ends the chapter and subsequently the Prologue Arc of Under The Golden Order.
I've finally set up all the pieces for the coming chapters. Multiple Parties have now taken an interest in Elt, and by the next chapter, another party would take notice. From Druella to the Greater Will, Elt now has a few more headaches to deal with in the coming parts.
Speaking of, as you can see my version of Druella is a little different from canon. I tried to give her more depth and tried to expand her motivation a bit, I also gave her a few more character traits so that she wouldn't be as.. well... one-note and unlikeable to be honest. Though, she would still be a threat, and a major one at that.
In any case, that basically ends the first part of Under The Golden Order, the next one would take place in the capital itself and would primarily feature the other fallen maidens other than Koyoi since she wouldn't be here yet.
As for Isaac, I might've already made it obvious what his deal is and which character he's related to. Though, what the nature of that relationship is, you'll have to guess. Heads up though, He would be the first among many OCs that would be introduced in the next part of the tale and the amount would start to increase from this point forward.
As always, Criticism would be much appreciated. Leave your complaints, reviews, or any reactions in the Review section and I'll see you all next time.
Whamo out!