Chapter 27- Kuroba's Resolve
"Gaah!"
A pained cry escaped Zane's throat as he was knocked flat on his back onto the grassy earth. The air within his lungs had been forced out of him from a heavy blow from his opponent. Luckily there was no physical injury since this was a simple sparring match. While they were using real weapons, they were under a blunt enchantment, preventing them from even cutting through grass. Although, that doesn't mean it still won't hurt if the weapon actually hits you, especially if your opponent was as powerful as her.
"Are you alright, Master?" Sophia questioned from within the Lunaris, which he held in both hands as a prop to lift himself onto one knee.
"I'm…fine," he wheezed out, still trying to catch his breath. "Just got the wind knocked out of me is all."
It had only been a month since the demon prince pulled the Lunaris from its plinth within the Darkwood Forest. Given the history of the sword, many of his comrades consider it a miracle that he's still alive. After all, there has never been a time when the ultimate demonic sword accepted a master. Even Zane would occasionally find himself in disbelief whenever he laid eyes on it. It was a huge gamble on his part. If the sword didn't accept him, then his very existence would end right then and there. But he had to try. After all, the entire world was engulfed in a war with the God of Destruction that has lasted fifteen years. The demon race had been split in half, with one side serving Zeta while the other half remained loyal to the royal family and their progenitor god. However, the Umbris faction was still in a disadvantage since four of the six demon lords have sided with the Destroyer, turning their backs against their true mistress. They needed power to help close the gap, and retrieving the Lunaris was the only thing Zane could think of to help even the odds as it is the strongest divine weapon, matched only by the Holy Sword Excalibur. Thankfully, as though Lady Sinestra was watching over him, the Lunaris accepted him as its master, as did the spirit within its blade. It would be no exaggeration to call it a miracle, but Zane certainly wasn't one to complain.
However, just because the sword has accepted him as its master doesn't mean that he can control its power at the drop of the hat. He needs to train with the Lunaris, become accustomed to its power and the demands it takes on his body whenever he unleashes it. So that's exactly what he's been doing for the last month, striving to get stronger with his new partner. Today though was a very special day as he would be training with the person he most admires, the strongest person he knows and the true ruler of Eternus.
"Had enough, Zane?" Altena asked with an amused chuckle, her long black and white hair practically radiating in the sunlight. Not a speck of dust was on her figure or even a drop of sweat. In her right hand was an ornate black and red longsword. It was Balmung, one of the divine weapons.
Despite knowing that they've been sparring for thirty minutes, Zane couldn't help but laugh. Despite Balmung being a weaker demonic sword compared to Lunaris, it was foolish to think that it was enough for him to close the distance of power between him and the Pride Lord. Even the other demon lords struggled to hold their own against Altena. It is no surprise why she is considered to be the Avatar of Sinestra. To further rub salt in the wounds, Altena wasn't even giving the match her all, as her real strength comes out when she wields a second sword.
By all accounts, there was no real way for Zane to even hope he can stand his ground against his mother, even with the Lunaris. But somehow, this only brought out a strange feeling of competitiveness within his heart. Most people would be petrified in fear of having Altena as their opponent, but Zane only felt excitement. It was rare for him to feel this way, what with the war tempering his emotions to the point that he barely shows them, but Altena was one of the few people that could easily bring those feelings out for the world to see.
Gathering his strength, Zane forced himself to stand up and gave his opponent a confident smirk. "As if," he rebuked eagerly. "I'm just getting started. I swore that I would surpass you, Mother, and I can't do that if I just give up when I hit a roadblock. This time I will defeat you!"
The Demon King smiled as well, her presence becoming fiercer. "Good answer," she replied simply. "If that is your resolve, then I will respond in kind. Show me how much of your soul you put into that blade of yours." A projection of Balmung suddenly materialized from her left hand, however, its very presence was different from other projections. It was practically indistinguishable from the real thing, defying all preconceptions of projection magic. Such was the awesome power of the Avatar of Sinestra.
The grin on the prince's face only grew bigger. "About time you brought out your second sword. The real battle starts now!" As he spoke, the Lunaris began radiating embers of shadow from its blade, as if responding to its master's resolve.
"Indeed. Now let's see if you'll fair any better this time, little tempest. After all, I don't teach my Dual Blades style to just anyone. Enough talk. It's just you and me now."
"And me," Sophia added confidently. "How quick people forget that I am with you always."
The mother and son rushed at each other with blinding speed, the sounds of their blades clashing echoing in the air. At first, they seemed evenly matched, but soon Altena was beginning to overpower her eldest child, prompting Sophia to emerge from the Lunaris and protect her master. Rather than get angry at the interruption, the Demon King just smiled fiercely and welcomed the challenge. Needless to say, even with the dark spirit's intervention, victory was still Altena's.
The scene then suddenly flashed forward as Zane found himself in a darkened room, the only source of light coming from the torches on the nearby pillars. Right in front of him was a stone alter draped in a fine red carpet, acting almost like a bed for the room's sole occupant, a familiar woman with black and white hair.
"Mother," he muttered out in sorrow, the strength fading from his legs, causing him to fall to his knees. Tears threatened to pour out of his eyes as he struggled to contain himself.
She looked so peaceful like this, almost like she was merely sleeping, her hands placed on her stomach. Her head was even resting on a small pillow to give her more comfort. However, no matter how much he wished otherwise, the Avatar of Sinestra will not awaken. After all, despite the pristine condition her body was in, she had been killed by Zarc, the False King, during the Battle of Eridu. To think that even someone as strong as her could fall in battle. Even after several months, it still didn't feel real.
"It's over now," he continued, taking her hand into his own and giving it a gentle squeeze. "Zarc and his followers are dead, and Zeta's been sealed away. We won the war." He paused as reality hit him like a storm of bricks. "But not without a price. Terraria, Renly, Alice, Yuna and Cynthia fell during the final battle. I could try to revive Cynthia myself, but I just don't have it in me to do it. Then there's…Lucia…Ngh…" Now the tears were starting to flow. He could barely muster the energy to say any words. "I'm sorry, Mother. I promised that I would protect her and I failed. Lucia's dead because of me. I'm the last of the Umbris line because I was too weak."
You're not weak. You're strong, especially with the help of my powers.
Suddenly Zane's head began throbbing. It felt as though an axe had split it open. Ever since his battle with Zeta, he's been plagued with these migraines. Not even Ascalon's healing magic was able to get rid of them. Was this just one of the repercussions of fighting a god? Honestly that battle was a blur for him. Even Sophia barely remembered what happened. Not to mention he's been hearing that voice in his head. It didn't belong to the dark spirit, but there was still something familiar about it. He hasn't told anyone about it, not even Kaito. As he struggled with the sudden pain, a dark aura began enveloping him.
This world is a cruel place. Everything we've ever loved has been taken from us. So why don't we bring it to ruin?
"No. I don't want that. That's not what Mother would want from me."
Well she's not here anymore. Neither the world or the gods made any effort to ensure her survival. If they allowed such a terrible fate to befall her, why shouldn't we set this world ablaze. That would be the best way to avenge her, don't you think?
The familiar desire for destruction started to swell up within the demon prince. He's been struggling to contain these dangerous impulses ever since the battle with Zeta. Something had changed within him during that battle. He felt…stronger…stronger than he's ever felt in his entire life. This sudden surge of power was what allowed him to claim victory over the God of Destruction. However, there were times where it felt like his body wasn't his own anymore. It was like there was someone else in the dark recesses of his mind, encouraging him to let loose and show the world his true power.
He didn't want to do that. He didn't want to do any of that or agree with the voice. However, over time their words were becoming more attractive, hard to resist. A small part of him desperately kept trying to resist, but it was getting drowned out by his darker impulses. At this point, he saw no point in fighting it any longer. If this world denies him the chance to live peacefully with his family, then this isn't a world he wants any part of. He'll see it all burn to ash. No one, whether they be humans, fairies, demons, or even the gods, can stop him. It was then that the pain in his head started to subside, right as he rose back to his feet.
Sophia suddenly emerged beside him, looking somewhat concerned. "Are you sure you want to do this, Master? There's no going back from this path if you take it."
Zane let out a cocky chuckle, the dark aura around him getting stronger by the second. "And here I thought you loved chaos and destruction. I don't really care what people think of me anymore. If they think they can get away with taking my mother and sister from me, then I'll destroy everything they hold dear. My wrath will not be stopped."
"Very well, but I won't let you do this alone. My power is yours to command, for all eternity. If you wish to see this world burn, then I will use all my power to see that wish realized. We are partners after all."
"Thank you, Sophia. I—"
Suddenly the entire scene started glitching out like a computer on the fritz. All that could be heard next was the sounds of battle and a man's distorted laughter.
November 9, 2056
Marth woke with a start, his breathing rather quick, all while a strange feeling of terror clawed at his heart. He was in one of the bedrooms Darion provided so that he could get some sleep before the mission. He was safe here, so there was no need to panic. In a daze, he held his forehead in his palm and could feel it caked in sweat. In fact, his own sleepwear felt like it was clinging to his skin. Was that a dream? No, it felt too real to be a simple dream. Could those have been his missing memories as Zane? If so, then why did the latter half seem so cryptic? It felt like someone had tampered with it, all to keep him from realizing the truth. But who would do that, and why?
"Mmm, Master?" A familiar raven-haired girl sat up from the bed, dressed in nothing but a sexy black nightdress that left little to the imagination. Oh right. This was the first time he had a bed largely to himself as Kuroba and the others decided to have bit of a girl's night before the mission. However, a certain dark spirit decided to sleep with him, saying that he would be too lonely otherwise. He didn't really fight it since this wasn't the first time they slept together.
"Sorry, Sophia," he said slowly as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. "Did I wake you?"
"A little. You were tossing and turning a lot. I was getting a little worried. Did you have a nightmare?"
"Sort of. It was a memory of my past as Zane. By the way, do you remember much of what happened after we defeated Zeta?"
The dark spirit pursed her lips and brought her index finger to her chin as she pondered over it. "Hmm. Strange. I remember the majority of our time together during the War of Light and Shadow, but the final battle and the time you specified are strangely distorted. The most I have are fragments, but they're too jumbled to make any sense out of. I do at least remember Kaito returning me to the Darkwood Forest though."
That's strange to hear. Sophia was one of the strongest spirits alive, and she was Zane/Marth's closest confidant. If anyone knew of what happened to the prince seven thousand years ago, it would be her. She wasn't really the forgetful sort nor the type to lie to her master, so it was suspicious that not even she knew of what happened during that fateful time.
Marth's past memories were sealed behind a powerful mental block, one that not even the Demon Lord of Lust could remove. Somehow it seemed to have an affect on the original Harbinger reincarnations, which was what prevented them from recovering their memories naturally. It was only do to Brain Burst that their memories were starting to return, and that's only when Ashen Wolf levels up. It was as though the mysterious acceleration program was designed to draw out those missing memories from their subconscious. Could that same mental block be affecting Sophia, and if so, who could be powerful enough to make a mental block that could affect a spirit as powerful as her?
"A god, most likely," the raven-haired beauty replied casually, as if reading her master's mind. She really knew him well enough to know what he's thinking. "They're the only ones I can think of that are strong enough to conjure a mental block that can affect me indirectly. As for which god, I can't say. There aren't a lot of them left, especially ones strong enough to do it."
That was true. Most of the gods were either killed or left the mortal realm after the War of Light and Shadow. Medusa was the only one Marth knew that stayed behind, purely because she preferred living on her island than be around her fellow deities (mostly because they frequently harassed her in her early years, which had led to her isolation in the first place). Obviously, she wasn't the one who made the mental block since there would be no reason for her to block out her surrogate brother's memories. Sinon was out too as Solus wasn't really skilled in mental magic and that holds true for her reincarnation as well. Still, that didn't give them any leads to look into.
"Oh well," Sophia said suddenly, a wicked grin suddenly plastered on her face. "I'm sure we'll remember our past eventually, especially if you continue to level up in Brain Burst. How about we focus on making new memories for now. It's so rare for me to have you to myself, so how about we have some fun together?" She got on her hands and knees, giving the Wrath Lord an ample view of her cleavage, all while leaning closer and closer to him.
The heat in Marth's face rose up exponentially. If it wasn't for the room being dark due to it being in the middle of the night, save for the faint rays of moonlight from the balcony windows, he had no doubt that he was blushing. He should have known this would happen. Sophia was not one for restraint. She had no shame whatsoever. Heck there were times where she "accidentally" dropped her towel after taking a shower, showing her nude form to her beloved master (thankfully neither Kuroba or Fuko have gone that far in their competition, but Kisara and the others were secretly betting to each other on when the fairies will start copying the dark spirit). Due to being raised as the only guy in his apartment, Marth always tried to be respectful to any of his female friends. Even if a girl practically offered herself to him, he wouldn't take advantage of her like that. He may be a demon, but that didn't mean he couldn't be a gentleman.
Like Kuroba and Fuko, Sophia does have feelings for Marth, which obvious for anyone to see. Kisara and the others even theorize that's why she and the Lunaris only serve the demon prince. However, due to his crappy experience with romance, he ends up interpreting the dark spirit's ploys for affection as her just playing around with him. Now she doesn't mind this since she does love his reactions whenever she teases him, but it's also a bit of a challenge for her. Perhaps she should reveal to the fairies that she'll be participating in their little competition as well. Oh, those two will never leave the poor boy alone again since Sophia is practically attached to him.
Sadly, she didn't get a chance to get far in her little ploy when she heard a knock on the bedroom door. While the sound distracted her, Marth used the opportunity to climb off the bed and hastily trot to the door. On the other side was actually Kirito, who was dressed in simple sleepwear as well.
"K-Kirito?" Marth stuttered out in surprise. "What are you doing here?"
The Black Swordsman just casually shrugged. "Had some trouble sleeping so I thought I'd go for a walk. You feeling alright? You look a little flushed." Suddenly he glanced over his partner's shoulder, noticing the other occupant on his bed. "Oh, did I interrupt something?" he asked with a mischievous grin.
Marth had to suppress the urge to blush. "No, you did not. Do you want to come in?"
Kirito chuckled as if he had heard a joke, but nodded nonetheless, making his way inside. The two boys took seats in the chairs while Sophia stayed on the bed. Marth also turned on a light so that they could see more easily. Thankfully, at that point, the demon prince was able to recompose himself to prevent him from suffering further embarrassment.
"So then, it's almost time for the operation," Kirito mused.
"Yeah. In just a few hours, we'll be heading out for Urun. We'll have to reach the fort in three days if we want to rescue Altina. We just can't risk too many delays. Do you think you can lead Beta there on time?"
"Of course. I'm the Right Hand of the Demon King after all. I should be able to reach the fort with no issue."
Marth couldn't help but chuckle at hearing his best friend's other title. Due to how close they were, it didn't take long for other players in SAO to refer to Kirito as his Right Hand when they started calling him the Demon King of Aincrad. Similar to Marth, Kirito didn't really mind his other nickname, although he didn't really flaunt it out as much as his partner since he preferred not drawing too much attention to himself. Still, that didn't stop him from continuing to stick with his guild, even when their reputation grew more infamous by the day.
"Honestly, I'm more worried about you," Kirito continued, snapping Marth from his reverie. "Are you sure you want to go to Eridu Valley? It's not too late for you to switch routes with me."
Marth forced himself to smile, hoping to calm his friend's nerves. "I appreciate your concern, Kazuto, but I have to go there. I need to see where my mother died once again. I don't think I can continue on this path otherwise."
"What do you hope to find there, if you don't mind me asking?"
"I don't know. Closure maybe. I'm sure you've noticed, but I haven't been the same since our battle with the Yellow Legion. The scars of my past have become harder to bear. If I want to see Eternal Twilight succeed, then I have to settle things."
"I see," Kirito said softly. While even he didn't know the full extent of the Dark Swordsman's plan, he knew enough of his best friend's motivations. First, he was eliminating the Darkfallen because they pose a threat to Kisara. Second, he was going to reunify Eternus and become the next Demon King, all in honor of his late mother. After all, it was his fault the demon realm became this fractured to begin with, so it was only right that he would try to fix his mistake. "In that case, there's nothing more I need to say. Just know that I'm here for you if you need me. That goes for the other Harbingers as well."
"I know. Thanks, again." Marth found himself tempted to talk about the dream he just had but stopped himself at the last minute. With how fragmented and distorted it was, it was unlikely that he couldn't decode it even with Kirito's help. Besides, the Urun operation will be starting soon, and they couldn't afford to get distracted.
"Still. Who was that voice I heard in my dream? It was the same one I heard during the fifth Chrome Disaster subjugation. Is it just a byproduct of my curse to make me lose control?"
He dismissed the thought right there. While he could tell it was important, it was something he'll have to figure out on a later date. Right now, he needs to focus on the situation at hand. He has a sister he needs to rescue after all. He won't fail her like he did with Lucia and Altena. This time, he will succeed with protecting his family.
When dawn broke, Kuroba and the others got geared up and made their way to the military base near the castle. In all honesty, the Black King didn't get much sleep during the night because she was so distracted with socializing with the female members of the Harbingers. Given how this is the first time the guild has been reunited, she thought it would be a good idea to hear all their stories and get a feel on what kind of people they were. Of course, she could have just drawn from her memories as Yuuki if she wanted to know that, but she wanted to learn about her teammates as Kuroba Yukiko, not the Absolute Sword. This wasn't to say that she disliked her previous selves, but there was just something interesting about hearing about her comrades' stories from them rather than her memories.
Neither Yuuki nor Celine seemed to mind this, but then again, they mainly played the role of observers within her subconscious. At the end of the day, they were just memories, echoes of the past. They didn't have any say on the present and future.
Anyway, back to the present. The entire base seemed to be constructed with kind of black stone. It looked remarkably sturdy, as if capable of taking the brunt of attacks from even a master-class Lemure. There were also many high-tech weapons and vehicles, giving the feel of a medieval sci-fi game. They certainly looked more powerful than anything Japan's military possessed. Apparently, this was all possible due to the demons incorporating magic into their engineering, allowing their technology to advance centuries ahead of the humans.
Although it should be noted that not all their focus into new technology went into the military. Over the last seven millennia, there would be small teams of researchers working on how to improve regular life in Eternus, like coming up with new medicines, ways to reduce famine, and so on. However, despite their best efforts, the demon realm is still a harsh place to live. This realm will always be plagued by monster attacks, famine and epidemics. It was a sad truth, but it allowed the demons to grow strong. However, despite their longevity, it was incredibly hard for most demons to even reach sixty years old. People like Rias and Darion were bit of an exception, with the Crimson Sorceress living for seven millennia while the Ebon Highlord has been around for a few centuries.
As they trotted through the fort, Kuroba noticed that all the soldiers were watching them, or more specifically, two specific siblings that were behind the northern viceroy. Many gave the duo a knight's salute, which was placing your left fist over the right of your chest, while a few others were whispering amongst themselves.
"Is that the crown prince and second princess? The children that Her Majesty gave birth to?"
"I think so. I heard rumors that they've been reincarnated. There is some resemblance between them and Lady Altena's portraits. Does that mean Eternus will united once more."
"I sure hope so. Tension between the other territories is so high, war could potentially break out at any point. I know Prince Zane abandoned us during the Age of Chaos, but if he can bring an end to this cycle, then I'll gladly follow him."
Hearing that made Kuroba smile. She was all too aware how hated her beloved protégé was to his own people, all stemming from when he disappeared seven thousand years ago. To this day, no one knew what happened to Zane, and because of that ambiguity, many of the demons began saying that he abandoned them in their time of need. Naturally there were still those like Lord Mograine that still supported the disgraced prince, believing that Zane must have been killed sometime after the Battle of Zophia, and have waited patiently for his return.
"I'm surprised how so many people are saluting me," Marth commented passively as he observed the onlookers. "I haven't even done anything to warrant their respect."
"You're the crown prince of Eternus and Queen Altena's heir," Darion replied, his words filled with pride. "That alone is enough to earn their loyalty. The Ebon Knights are loyal to House Umbris for all eternity."
"And as you can see, just your presence alone is enough to reassure them," Elie added with a light smile gracing her face. "Under your leadership, Eternus can be made whole once again. I'm sure quite a few of them are looking forward to such a day."
"Well that's comforting to hear," Rias mused. "I was concerned with how your people would react to my son's presence. Without the Ebon Knights, Eternal Twilight will be that much harder to accomplish."
"Eternal Twilight? Oh, you mean Master's plan for destroying the Darkfallen and reunifying Eternus," Seven commented. "Nautilus briefly mentioned it when he reported that he made contact with you all on Earth. I would love to hear more details about it, but I know better than to force our prince to reveal his plans."
That was a sentiment Kuroba felt herself. She was quite curious to know the full extent of Eternal Twilight's steps and strategies, however, Marth kept those details close to his chest. She suspected that Kisara and Rias knew the full details of the grand plan, but they weren't the type to betray the prince's trust. Marth himself stated that he would reveal further details of Eternal Twilight when they were ready to execute, so Kuroba just had to be patient and wait for that fated time.
The group soon reached a hanger that contained multiple vehicles, ranging from tanks, ground vehicles and even airships (the type that you tend to see in fantasy stories). As expected, they were all well-built, easily capable of withstanding even the harshest of battlefields. Such capabilities were necessary in order to survive in this harsh realm.
All eyes turned to the northern viceroy as he positioned himself in front of the team, ready to debrief them.
"As I promised yesterday, House Mograine will be providing the Harbingers transportation to infiltrate Urun," he explained firmly. "Due to how tight Urun's border security is, even air travel is risky, but these ships should at least get you all to the border with no issues. Each team will be provided with an emergency beacon to signal their assigned aircraft when it's time for extraction. As for your land transports…" He gestured to the array of vehicles behind him. There was quite the variety of them, ranging from armored jeeps, four-wheelers, to even a few motorcycles. They all looked to be made from high-quality materials. "Each of these transports are powered by magic cores, otherwise known as crystallized mana. They'll recharge on their own over time, but you can also channel in your own mana to act as fuel if you need the extra power. Due be careful with that though as powering transports like this can be very demanding and may fully deplete your magical energy if you're not watchful. Only those with abnormal mana capacities like demon lords and gifted mages can do that with not much issue."
So basically, it was similar to using a divine weapon's Perfect Weapon Art. Kuroba herself had a high mana capacity due to the divinity within her blood, the inherited power of the Goddess of Light, Mitra. This could be good practice on regulating her mana output before she manages to retrieve her divine weapon, the Black Lily Sword. She also had a feeling that Kirito would have no issue with it thanks to his dragon core, which causes him to generate an absurd amount of mana, most of which he barely uses due to his low aptitude for magecraft.
However, one particular vehicle caught the Black King's eye. It was a motorcycle that in the center of the array of transports. It was decorated with gray armor plating with scarlet highlights. The black wheels were thick and sturdy, looking like they could endure even the sharpest of blades without popping. The handlebars and seat were made of black leather, seeking to achieve maximum comfort. Also, there was a black emblem on its front, emboldened with silver. It was a wolf howling under the moon, the crest of the Umbris royal family. There was also a great amount of magic power within it, far more than any of the other vehicles.
As if he was in a trance, Marth slowly approached the armored bike, gently brushing it with his right hand. "Interesting," he mused aloud, as if talking to himself. "This one's different from the rest."
Elie smiled with pride as she stood beside the crown prince, causing Kuroba to feel a pang of jealousy over seeing another pretty girl close to the boy she loved.
"So you noticed," the twili noble replied. "We expected as much, seeing that you've trained under the Witch of Dun Scaith. This particular bike is special. Its armor plating is made from pure saronite, making it nigh indestructible to enemy mages. It has the latest specs within its engine, allowing it to reach a max speed of 250 mph, which far surpasses most land vehicles here in Eternus. And for the cherry on top, its powered by a dragon core, which is far superior to magic cores in terms of mana output."
"You're using a dragon core to power that thing?!" Kirito exclaimed in shock, with everyone else from Earth looking similarly floored. "Is that even safe? Dragon cores aren't exactly stable to begin with. I'm one of the lucky few who managed to survive having one implanted in their bodies. But to use it to power a vehicle sounds really dangerous."
Seven let out a giggle. "It's fine. I personally lead the engineering team on how best to use the dragon core without any risks to the driver or vehicle," she said with a confident smile. "It took us several attempts, with a few close calls of the workshop almost blowing up, but we managed to find a way to augment this bike with the magic power of a dragon. I can't think of a more fitting vehicle for the Demon King of Aincrad."
Marth looked somewhat surprised by that revelation. "Wait, this bike is for me?"
"Yup. Lord Mograine wanted to gift you a vehicle you can use not just for travel, but on the battlefield too. You should be honored, Master. After all, not just anyone gets a bike this powerful and one that's decked out with pure saronite. Make sure to take good care of it!"
Slowly, the Dark Swordsman climbed onto the bike, wordlessly grabbing the handlebars. His movements looked so natural, as if he done this a million times. Without even speaking, he turned on the engine, causing the armored vehicle to let out a mighty roar. Streaks of blue flames ignited from the rear exhaust pipes, looking hot enough to melt stone.
Kuroba watched as the boy she loved cracked a rare smile in excitement. This was one of the few times she saw him look genuinely happy.
"I like it. This will do quite nicely," he said coolly. "Does it have a name?"
"Indeed," Darion replied. "Out of respect for your family crest and your beastshift form, we have called it 'Fenrir', after the divine beast that once called Eternus its home."
"Fenrir, huh? That's a good name. I'll make sure to take good care of it. Thank you for giving me such a powerful tool."
The next few minutes went by rather quickly as they loaded up all the land vehicles onto the airships. Goodbyes were just as brief, as they only had a small window to reach the Urun border without getting detected. As soon as everything was ready, the Harbingers were off for the Ogma Mountains, which served as a natural border between Urun and Celestine.
Rather than join Marth and the others on the bridge, Kuroba went over to the ship's hanger to look at the demon prince's new bike. What she wouldn't give to ride behind him on it, her arms wrapped around his waist. Just the two of them traveling without a care in the world. Just the thought of it made her heart race as she traced her fingertip on its armor plating. Oh why did Marth have to be so oblivious to her affection? Is it really that hard for him to see that she obviously loves him?
"That is unfortunately the case with my master. He may be an excellent fighter and tactician, but he's completely hopeless with women."
Kuroba let out a started gasp from hearing the new voice and turned on her heels in its direction. Right behind her was a familiar ravenette in slim gothic dress. Must she always startle her like this? Still, it was rare to see the dark spirit away from her master. Not to mention concealing her presence from the Black King was quite impressive.
"Sophia," she chided while trying to steady her heart. "What are you doing here?"
The spirit of the Lunaris just smirked. "Oh I just wanted to talk to you in private. It's not often that we get such opportunities. I just wanted to let you know that I'll be joining your little competition for my master's affection."
"Wait, what?!" Kuroba accidently shouted, unable to stop herself from lowering her voice. She had a feeling Sophia had feelings for the Dark Swordsman, but to hear her so blatantly confirm her intentions took her by surprise.
"I already let Fuko know as well and she's all for it. I believe she said that it would be a good challenge for her since I am your beloved's partner. Oh, I'm getting excited just thinking about it."
Kuroba's face went beet red. "B-beloved?!" she stuttered out.
The dark spirit looked at the fairy princess curiously. "That is what he is to you, isn't he?" she questioned. "Oh, and for the record, I don't mind him having additional lovers. I wouldn't be a dark spirit if I didn't love a little chaos, plus that means more fun for me."
Dear Sinestra, this girl will be the death of her. Kuroba looked ready to die from embarrassment. Sure, she discussed sharing Marth with Fuko in private before, but to hear Sophia be so brazen about it was just too much. Still, she wouldn't be much of a King if she let this stop her. Perhaps she should step up her game now that she knew there was more competition.
After taking a few moments to calm herself, she cracked a confident smirk and said, "Challenge accepted then. I don't care if you're Marth's partner. I still intend to be his first love."
Sophia just giggled at that. "We'll see about that." Suddenly the mischievous spirit became more somber. "So then. Do you intend to follow my master to the bitter end?"
The sudden question caught Kuroba off-guard. She never expected Sophia of all people to give her such emotional whiplash. It was a question that made her think, really think. She was well aware of the curse that plagued her protégé. Eventually it will fully corrupt him, and he'll become the Lord of Calamity, a being that threatens the entire world. Not to mention that Marth is predicted to becoming the strongest Lord of Calamity that ever existed, all due to his heritage. Even Altena might not be able to beat him once he reaches that state. In all honesty, it would probably be better to just kill him now while he's still inexperienced, all for the sake of the world.
However, if the world called for Kuroba to raise her sword against the boy she loved, then the world can kindly screw off. She made an oath to stand by the Dark Swordsman no matter what. In this cruel world, nothing has made her feel more complete than being at his side. Even her desire to solve the mystery of Brain Burst paled before the love she held for the demon prince. If his fate is to become the destroyer, then she will his everlasting companion…no, his queen that will fight beside him. She wasn't like Kirito, who stubbornly refused to allow such a fate to happen and try to find a way to change it, only to find that such an effort was in vain. She would rather continue being by Marth's side, even if the rest of the world would hate her for it.
Gathering her resolve, she gave the dark spirit a nod. "Of course. Even if the entire world screamed at me otherwise, telling me that such a thing is foolhardy, I will continue to fight beside Marth," she said firmly. "Him becoming the Lord of Calamity won't change that. No matter where our path leads, I'll continue to walk beside him. That's how much I love him."
Sophia looked initially surprised by her words before finally cracking a small semblance of a smile. "I see. I'm relieved you feel that way. Perhaps that mage wasn't crazy after all."
"Pardon? What mage?"
"Nothing. Just me rambling some random nonsense. If I could offer some advice, hold onto those feelings. They may prove critical sometime in the future. Naturally I also intend to stay by Marth's side as well. After all, I am both his sword and his eternal partner."
"I see," Kuroba said, still a little confused by the spirit's wording. "This probably goes without saying, but please continue to look after Marth, especially during this mission. We have no idea on what awaits us in Urun."
"Of course. I hope you do the same as his guardian and a girl that cares for him. Anyway, this was a lovely chat, but I believe we should rejoin the others. Master wants to go over our infiltration route before we land. Shall we go together?"
She gave a slight nod, seeing no point in staying in the hanger any longer. The two girls exited the hanger together, unaware that a third person had overheard their entire conversation. Or perhaps they did notice her and chose not to acknowledge her presence. Who can really say?
Once she determined that she was alone, Kaida emerged from her hiding place behind a jeep, watching the door the girls went through. "Staying by his side no matter what," she found herself repeating in a whisper. Slowly, she brought her hands over her heart as these strange emotions welled up within her. "Could such a fate be possible even for someone as useless as me, a dragon who can't even transform?"
She couldn't really answer her own question. She had been told all her life that she was useless, a mistake that left a stain in draconic history. Even the few friends she had took some time to warm up to her. And yet that boy never rejected her. When she was at her lowest, he gave her comfort and sanctuary. From the moment they first met, he has been nothing but kind to her.
Even once the slave traders were dealt with, she had no place to return to. Her village was gone, reduced to nothing but ashes. Even if it was rebuilt from the ground up, all that would await her is the same miserable life of resentment and rejection. But she felt none of those negative feelings in that apartment in Tokyo. Sure it was a little cramped with all its occupants, but it was warm and kind. In that small living space, she never once felt unwanted. For the first time in her life, Kaida felt genuinely happy to be alive.
If by some cruel twist of fate that Marth was wrong about her and she can't really transform into her dragon form, then she prayed to Lady Tiamat that she could remain by the Dark Swordsman's side. She didn't want to lose this new home she found.
"Kaida?" a familiar voice called out, snapping her from her thoughts. She lifted her head to see that Marth was standing before her, with Kisara close behind.
"You okay?" the demoness questioned. "You seemed unsure about something?"
Slowly, the dragoness shook her head. "I'm fine. Just got lost in my thoughts."
Both siblings looked curious, but neither pressed her for an answer. Instead Marth just cleared his throat and said, "I just wanted to tell you we're having a briefing over in the command room. Do you want to join us?"
"Are you sure?" Kaida asked nervously. "I mean, I can't fight like the others. In all honesty, I shouldn't even be here. All I do is hog Ascalon from you. I'm useless to you—"
"You're not useless!" Marth refuted loudly, catching her off-guard. "I refuse to believe that you're the only dragon that can't transform. It just makes no sense. No matter what, I will prove that you're capable of transforming just like your brethren. I give you my word."
"And if you're wrong?"
"Then we'll just have to accept it and move on. If you can't transform, then there has to be something else you can do. But ultimately you're the only one who can decide how to live your life. If you want to live in solitude, then that's fine. If you want to stay with us, then we'll gladly take you in."
Kaida's eyes widened in amazement. "Really? Even if I can't fight?"
It was Kisara who answered next. "It doesn't matter to us if you can wield a weapon or use magic. We know what it's like to be treated as outcasts in society. That's the very foundation of the Harbingers. We look after each other, even if the entire world hates our existence. We're more than a guild, we're a family, and we would like for you to be a part of that family."
All her life, Kaida wanted to hear those words, to hear people openly accept her despite her defects. She could feel her eyes starting to tear up, which she promptly wiped up with her sleeve. She felt like she was swimming in the clouds and she didn't want to come down.
"Th-thank you," she muttered out, her voice sounding hoarse. "I-I would be honored to be a part of your family."
The two siblings smiled at her, with Marth extending his right hand towards her. Without much thought, Kaida returned the smile and took his hand into her own. As they made contact, she felt her heart beating against her chest and butterflies fluttering in her stomach. Foreign emotions swirled within her, but none of them felt bad. Quite the opposite in fact. For the first time ever, she felt like she belonged somewhere.
That she finally had a place to call home.
To be continued
Well this certainly got longer than I intended. I was hoping to get the gang to Urun so I could show Eiji's skills off since he has yet to have a proper battle. Oh well, that can just be in the next chapter. I am glad that I finally got to show more of Marth/Zane's memories though. I meant to do so earlier in the story but just never found a good place to insert them. Also, Marth and Kirito had a proper interaction with each other. I mean, they have had conversations before, but with the entire group while I think this is probably the first time in the story those two had a one-on-one conversation with each other. Kinda embarrassing on my part since they're supposed to be best friends, but I was just so focused on Marth's interactions with Kuroba and Fuko that I ended up pushing Kirito to the side. This chapter was my last opportunity to do so before they split up and it will be a while before the gang reunites. I'll try to do better in the future.
Anyway, a bit of a tangent, but in my last author's note, I mentioned that I was preparing for Castoria's release in the English version of Fate Grand Order. Well I'm happy to report that I managed to get her in just three multi summons (I've been using her ever since and good lord, she makes my Kagetora a total monster) so now I can save my saint quartz for Morgan, who will be releasing next year.
Anyway, that's all I wanted to say. See you guys next time!