Story Arc: Welcome to Wartwood
Episode 1: The Two Beasts, the Devil and the Serial Killer (V)
Chapter 5: The Arrival of Altera and the Winter.
Plot: Bruce finding himself in front of a crowd of anthropomorphic frogs, decides to solve things in his own way.
First he performs a mental technique to analyze the area, then he ends up talking to an angel and a devil.
He then takes out a portion of his dark heritage to summon one of his favorite Servants, Attila the Hun aka Altera.
Once dressed in a cursed armor and assisted by Altera, he begins to "negotiate diplomatically" with the anthropomorphic frogs.
Toadstool for once wishes he hadn't become a mayor, no amount of gold is enough to deal with three "white-haired demons".
Then it's up to Hop Pop to make a deal with Bruce who takes a turn pretty close to selling his soul to a crossroads demon.
XXX
POV Narrator
A confrontation is taking place in the woods near Wartwood that if not handled well can end in disaster.
Anne, Marcy, Bruce and Sprig are on the back of Ferrus, the dragon-shaped automata.
The angry mob of anthropomorphic frogs armed with pitchforks and torches stand in a U-like formation to surround Ferrus.
None of the frogs seem to be dying to get close.
Marcy couldn't blame him.
Bruce's mechanical dragon is gigantic.
It glistened in the afternoon sun like a living sculpture made of coins, in various shades of copper and bronze, a twenty foot long snake with steel claws, fangs like drill bits, and glittering ruby eyes.
The bat wings are twice as wide as its length and unfolded like metallic sails; every time he slams them, it makes a sound like a cascade of change in a slot machine.
"It's beautiful!" She declares Polly, taking a childish joy in looking at Ferrus, as if he were the most beautiful toy in the world.
Most frogs except Hop Pop look at Polly like she's crazy.
'Forget Sprig, what am I going to do with Polly once she grows up?' Think Hop Pop, starting to seriously worry about Polly.
Before the sweets they reduce her to a confused rag, now she begins to worship a golden demon who has taken Sprig, then what will happen?
One of the frogs in the crowd decided to take a step forward.
Instantly, Ferrus prances his head and launches a pillar of fire skyward.
The frogs drew back quickly and raised their weapons.
"Wally, for once he was telling the truth, a draconic fire demon is in our forest!" Says Mayor Toadstool, stunned that the wanderer who lives under the bridge was right about something.
'As always, he arrived in the wrong place, at the wrong time.
If we had only arrived a few minutes later, I would have avoided facing the problem of this crowd of commoners. ' Think Bruce, looking down at the Wartwood frogs, finding them more of a nuisance than a threat.
"Bruce, what do we do?" Question Anne, slightly worried about what can happen if someone makes a wrong move.
The angry mob could land a lucky blow on Marcy or Ferrus could char the anthropomorphic frogs.
Anne is a kindhearted person who tries to avoid violent conflict, the thought of seeing how Ferrus exterminates the crowd of frogs, fills her stomach with pity, disgust and guilt.
"We leave Sprig has his fellow men and then we take off, only limited to the ground while we do not." Marcy suggests, wanting to avoid facing conflict so soon, she hasn't even begun to level up or get a magical weapon.
Plus Marcy just like Anne are normal girls, raised in a comfortable and neat environment, physical violence for them is an extreme measure.
Normal Anne when in conflict with Sasha, tends to bend to her will or seek help with Adeline.
Marcy much prefers to run away, hide or avoid conflict with someone altogether, having low victory sans.
With similar attitudes and upbringing, cold-blooded murder is an inconceivable idea for the two of them.
"A Bahamut will not flee from the enemy, nor will he retreat without a just tactical cause." Bruce replies, in a firm tone, not even considering retreating, especially against such a group of ... cockroaches.
"We could talk and explain that this is all a misunderstanding. You three are not bloodthirsty beasts or a demon danger." Sprig said, fervently hoping to avoid a one-sided confrontation between the people of Wartwood and his wacky friends of the forest.
"The people I want to talk to don't carry torches and pitchforks." Bruce comments in a dry tone, seeing no one willing to drop their weapons, stop and speak like civilized people.
Bruce is not in a good mood, anger and resentment over the tie with Gemini are still fresh.
Plus the presence of this "angry" crowd irritates him in a very bad way.
His ancestors from all of his bloodlines have a bad history with commoners armed with torches and pitchforks.
Witches, sorcerers and scientists persecuted for their research incomprehensible to the masses.
Monster hunters used as a scapegoat for the disasters caused by the creatures of the night.
Semi-human hybrids treated like animals for inheriting inhuman treaties from their ancestors or a non-human parent.
Monarchs and nobles who directly faced the discontent of the people too stupid to understand what would have happened without the power and guidance of the crown.
Bruce Bahamut Belmont's ancestors faced similar situations, passing on to their successors a deep resentment against those who wield torches and pitchforks.
"Solve things my way." Bruce declares, letting go of Ferrus' reins, knowing that he won't need his creation of him to manage these run-down peasants.
The white-haired wizard took off his crimson coat, revealing his arms.
The "left arm" is completely wrapped in white bandages to hide something.
The two Los girls hadn't noticed it before, but Bruce's left arm is covered in tattoos.
Bruce's left shoulder is covered with an Ecclesia Glyph.
On the outside of the forearm are the Roman symbols for Omega and Omicron, positioned in a straight line, one below the other.
On the inside of the forearm is a tattoo: the letters CGO, a black cross-like glyph with curved arms and a head, below a parallel line similar to a scar.
"You have nice tattoos." Comments Anne, her cheeks slightly flushed, feeling weird staring at Bruce's tattoos.
'Maybe I should get a tattoo?' Marcy thinks, noting how Anne reacts to the sight of the tattoos on Bruce's white skin.
"Keep my coat, if these frogs do something stupid, I won't dirty my favorite dress with their dirty blood." Bruce said, passing his crimson coat to Marcy to keep it clean.
'This is not a good sign.' Anne, Marcy and Sprig thought, worried about the fate of the frogs, especially Sprig who manages to see her beloved grandfather and younger sister in the angry crowd.
Bruce stands up and starts running on Ferrus' long neck, once he reaches the head of the automata, he uses it as a springboard to jump.
"The Game is on." Bruce murmurs softly, closing his eyes for a moment, focusing his mind on what he's going to do in seconds.
When the white-haired sorcerer opened his eyes, his whole world froze.
In Bruce's perspective, the whole world froze, coming to a complete stop as if an invisible giant had pressed the pause button.
But this is a simple prelude to a familiar sight for anyone who knows.
XXX
POV Bruce Bahamut Belmont alias Arkan Bloodedge
When I uttered the words: "The Game is on."
My superhuman brain has begun to function at its best.
My mind works so fast that it gives me the impression that time has literally stopped.
If I could move my body, I could wreak havoc with a simple sword blow.
A pity, but my body can't keep up with my mind.
As if this could stop me.
Even if I were at the height of my physical and magical strength, fully crewed with are the best in my arsenal, my mind remains my best tool.
My body doesn't move, my mind can just go on without it.
I simply "imagined" myself in the center of the field, free to move, observe and think at my own pace.
My physical body is on top of Ferrus' head, I just jumped, in a few seconds I will hit the ground and have to act.
My "imaginary / projection" body is between the two "conflicting" groups.
My group made up of Ferrus, Anne, Marcy, that pink frog who befriended Marcanne, finally my mentally unstable baby, Jack.
My little Serial Killer is in her spiritual form, practically an invisible ghost sitting on Ferrus' back, right behind Spirg.
I can see that Jack is already holding his butcher knives, I don't think we will need them at the moment, but it is good that he prepares for any eventuality.
Looking up I see Carmen flying in a circle above the ground, keeping her eyes open for possible external involvement and sharp claws to defend me.
"Carmen, besides Luz, Woz and some Servants, you are my favorite person in the whole world. Always so diligent, ready to carry out your duties as Familiar." She murmured, feeling great reassurance to have her by my side.
Turning my attention and observing the "enemy forces" ... about twenty anthropomorphic frogs and a single fat toad.
They are mostly middle-aged or even older men, with a minority of women and a single tadpole.
Judging by the build, gait and condition of the hands, more than half are simple farmers, there are also merchants, a carpenter and a baker.
The toad must be the village chief or a person with a local administrative function, being the fattest and most out of shape person, with hands free from signs of fatigue.
Their arsenal are simple makeshift torches that can last for a little over half an hour, the pitchforks are rusted and some of them are older than their respective elders.
"These toads may be the weakest and most insignificant mob I have ever seen in my life. I was able to see King lead a living army of stuffed animals." I murmur in a low voice, almost ashamed of having to personally take care of these parasites.
"Let's see if I can find the being or object that showed a certain magical signature." I said to myself, maybe talking to yourself is the first sign of insanity.
But for me, talking and exposing my ideas helps me think, there is a reason why I need assistance here, a person who takes the role of Watson.
In my experience there are several methods of allowing a monster to disappear: Flying in the clouds, running away, teleporting, transforming, camouflage / invisibility, and finally, hiding underground.
If the unknown target had flown, Carmen and I would have seen something dart out of the forest into the sky.
Running is a viable option, but running faster than Ferrus when flying is quite difficult.
My dragon-shaped automata is faster than a latest generation jet,
To sow Ferrus should run faster than sound.
Such walking speed should leave a fresh, easy-to-follow trail. But I can't even see a trampled leaf or a broken branch.
Only someone with the skill of a first-class Servant Assassin could run at such speed without leaving a mark.
If it were such a case, Carmen shouldn't have been able to reveal her magical signature or allow me to sense her distinctive scent.
Teleportation is rather difficult to reveal without the right equipment or a familiarity with the magical air of the area.
Fortunately, during the months I studied the portals, the training to understand how to perform spells of space-time manipulation and deal with different bad temporal events ... which I do not want to talk about at all.
I was able to develop a separate sensitivity to the phenomena that tamper with space and time.
Nothing compares to Spider-man's sense of danger, but when someone tries to teleport nearby, I get a warning in the form of a peculiar thrill combined with a strange gut feeling.
Flight, run, and teleport were not used to vanish.
There remains only a rare transformation ability, a creature capable of taking the form of a tree or a stone, such transformation abilities are quite rare, belonging only to a fair number of individuals.
The likelihood of encountering such a specimen is somewhat less, but I don't think it is such a case.
Invisibility or chameleon-like power is quite common, numerous creatures I've faced have such a trick.
My sense of smell, sensory abilities of various kinds or a thermal vision are enough to put an end to this vanishing trick.
The most likely option of all is that the creature decided to hide underground in order to later launch a surprise attack or hide from my sight.
This explains the smell of damp earth that I perceive in the area, it must have dug one goes underground somewhere, escaping deeper to escape Carmen's detection.
If I am on the back of Ferrus and Carmen flies in the sky, neither of us can come into contact with the earth and perceive what is hidden deep inside.
Running my hand through my hair, I begin to review my goals.
"At the moment if I were a video game character I have three side missions:
Number one, most important of all, to keep Anne and Marcy safe, I have a responsibility to keep them safe. Obviously later I will do some tests to understand the possible side effects of exposure to the [Four Gems of Calamity].
Number two, low level importance and even lower danger, preventing the emergence of a "Beast" hunt and making popular understand not to mess with me.
Number three, secondary objective, to keep an eye on the object or creature that smells like a demon. It could be a Gemini agent or a Paranormal creature from this world. I'll wait to see his first move, then react accordingly. "With these words I was able to set my goals for this afternoon.
Placing a hand under my chin, I bring my attention back to the crowd of anthropomorphic frogs.
At times like these I miss Luz or the presence of an assistant expressing her opinions.
Personally, I don't know what to do with these annoying commoners who think they can solve something by regrouping in large numbers and wielding agricultural tools.
Among my flaws is xenophobia, being a Monster Hunter I have a rather large distrust of non-human beings.
I have no problem with witches, fairies, mutants, humans with superpowers, human hybrids, or peaceful humanoid mystical creatures.
But when I have demons in front of me, creatures more monsters than humans or particularly violent beings feed us on humans.
Let's say my heart and mind tend not to mind using lethal force and adding extra monster-killing merit to the Belmont Family name.
Time spent on the Boiling Isles and months living under the same roof with King have allowed me to resolve some of my problems of distrust and paranoia towards bizarre-looking inhumans.
But the encounter of each new species of creature brings my mind gives me two options: Preemptive strike or keep your defenses up for any eventuality.
At the moment without Luz or someone capable of objecting to my decisions, my judgment of these commoners could prove to be particularly harsh or excessive towards them.
"After the fight against Gemini, followed by nine days and nine nights of being hanged, I'm not in a good mood.
It doesn't even help that the natives of this world have presented themselves as an angry mob of anthropomorphic frogs who want to harm my ... almost friends. " growing frustration.
The desire to release my wrath against a living target for even a second is slowly growing.
The downside to being a powerful being is that you can't let off steam like everyone else.
Anne and Marcy after the ordeal they went through for nearly ten days, once safe, they had no problem releasing their feelings and shedding an emotional burden.
When it comes to feelings, I've never been particularly good at expressing them through words.
I normally use magic as a conduit for my emotions, willingly or unintentionally causing bad accidents.
With anger bubbling up inside me and my affinity for fire and darkness, I could create a real nightmare of flames and ashes for these conceited peasants.
"Maybe for once I could be a bad boy?
Are infamy and fame not the same thing? 'I said in an indecisive tone, not knowing which approach to use towards the natives of this world.
Behaving as I usually do, a Heroic-inclined Nomadic Warlock / Hunter, firmly following his personal code of justice without heeding the masses?
Or take on the mask of an enigmatic archduke, respected and feared by all, willing to do everything to achieve his goals?
"Without a counselor nearby, I think I'll have to make up my mind by the old ways, listen to the little angel and the little devil on my back." I keep muttering as I press a metaphorical button in my head.
During my adventures I have acquired the unique quality of a consciousness that has split into semi-independent subsections.
In simple words when I want I can get a little angel and a little devil on my shoulders with here to discuss.
I think I've taken the stuff of speaking alone to a whole new level.
Immediately after I "pressed" the mental button to activate these two subsections of my mind, a glowing sphere appeared on each of my shoulders.
The red sphere on my left shoulder representing the little devil has turned into Lieselotte Sherlock.
Lieselotte is a young woman with long flowing blonde hair tied in two ponytails.
Compared to her younger sister Selina, she has purple eyes and her body is much more developed, especially her breasts.
Lieselotte wears a simple dark crewneck, opera gloves, and a cloak-like dress held together by two laces around her neck that mainly cover her chest.
In addition, she also wears a black mini short with a brown belt, stockings and black thigh-high boots.
Lieselotte is Acedia's Trinity Seven, considered by all to be the bad girl witch, not only for her daring attire, but also for her mischievous personality and criminal record.
The blue sphere on my right shoulder that reincarnates the little angel has turned into Luz, my best friend, my Watson.
Angeluz and Devilieselotte exchanged a glance between them.
"Debate of the day, what do I do with these parasites of amphibious origin?" Question you have my consultants, pointing to the angry crowd that stands in front of me.
"Kill half to make an example for those who dare to antagonize you." Devilieselotte answers, without an ounce of hesitation, certainly represents my dark side.
"Disarm them and speak sincerely to them, they will surely understand to leave you alone and not step on your tail in the future." Angeluz suggests, delivering a reasonable and almost peaceful proposal.
"Respect, sincerity and compassion are powerful weapons!" Luz declares aloud, staring at her dark counterpart.
"Fear and intimidation are better tools, use your dark heritage and they will never try to set foot in this forest again." Devilieselotte exclaims, smiling mischievously.
She sure understands that it has caught my attention for the moment.
"We hear your proposals." I ask, in a polite tone, wanting to hear each of their ideas.
"As you well know, your body has been physically and spiritually wounded by an attack with properties similar to a powerful curse." Devilieselotte said, bringing up my bad luck condition.
"On the outside you will be as good as new in a few weeks, especially on the physical plane.
The real problem is the spiritual plane, your Magical Circuits and the organs responsible for your magic will need months to recover. "Devilieselotte continues to tell about my state of health, going into details.
" Where do you want to go ?" Question to the little devil on my shoulders who smiles in a mischievous way.
I'm not sure whether to love or hate my subconscious for detailed replication of Lieselotte and her bad girl tendencies.
"You consciously haven't taken the time to fully investigate the accuracy of the damage, but your subconscious has noticed something." Angeluz said, greatly shortening the game of his dark counterpart.
No matter the shape or texture, Luz remains my favorite human girl.
"Your normal inner magic is quite limited. But there is a kind of dark magic within you that surely wasn't affected by the Gemini curse." She declares Devilieselotte, leaping off my shoulder, landing gracefully in front of my feet.
In a moment the little devil the size of a xxx centimeter Action Figurine has grown to human size.
"As water cannot drown and fire cannot burn, the fragments of All Evils in the World cannot be wounded by a curse." She declares Devilieselotte, with a seductive smile, placing her hand on my chest.
Would a psychiatry have a great day studying my case, would they say anything about repressed desires or attractions towards a dominant woman?
One thing is certain for me, women are the cause of my biggest moments of happiness and even bigger headaches.
"If you combine the black energy inherited from Morgan le Fay and the remnants of All Evils in the World, I may have enough magical energy to summon one of your favorite Servants." Devilieselotte said, coming up with a rather tempting and difficult to help proposal.
Having a second Servant in my group can't hurt.
If I invoke it in the right way I can not only intimidate the anthropomorphic frogs so as not to joke with me.
But I get a very capable ally who will be useful to me on the battlefield and in everyday life.
"Using your dark heritage isn't good for you, but missing your closest friends hurts even more." Angeluz said, seeming unwilling to agree with Devilieselotte's proposal.
If good and evil end up agreeing on something, it means that there is nothing to object.
"I'm sorry, Pink Frog, it looks like today I'm going to be a bad boy and scare the hell out of your fellows."
XXX
POV Narrator
When the discussion between Bruce and the little angel and little devil couple is over.
The mind of the white-haired sorcerer has returned to function in the normal flow of time.
"Black Shadow, activation!" Bruce screams aloud, making his voice resound through the forest, simultaneously in his hands appears his faithful walking stick.
When the sorcerer finished falling, he slammed his walking stick against the ground, creating a small earthquake, filling the ground with deep cracks.
'This advertising venture is becoming a disaster, who will vote for a mayor who has failed the hunt big time?' Think Mayor Toadstool, hiding behind one of his citizens, prioritizing his election campaign instead of thinking about the welfare of his compatriots.
In an instant, one of the dark legacies of the Bahamuts showed itself in all its splendor.
Bruce's uncovered eye has turned scarlet red, his hair has gone from platinum to a sinister hue of lavender, his skin has become even more pale and corpse, gaining a greyish hue.
Symbols reminiscent of a mix of veins and dark red circuits have begun to manifest on the skin, adding a dark aura.
Most disturbing of all was Bruce's shadow starting to take on a life of its own.
The shadow widens to form a perfect circle under the lavender-haired wizard's feet.
Bruce raises his left hand to the sky, revealing a certain Class Cards decorated with the image of a knight in armor, armed with a sword.
"Silver and Iron for the Origin.
Stone and the Archduke of contracts for the Foundation.
My great master Schweinorg for the Ancestor. "The vanilla-haired Sorcerer recites the spell aloud and in style.
Bruce's shadow begins to release a tar-like black mud that slowly spreads across the ground and onto his body.
"A wall to block the falling wind.
Let the four cardinal gates close.
Come forth from the crown, and follow the forked road leading to the kingdom. "Bruce continues to recite the spell, with a solemn tone, letting the shadow and the black mud do their work.
The mud has completely spread over Bruce's body, immediately starting to mold and solidify, creating a replica of the armor of Artoria Pendragon Alter, Dark-Tainted Tyrant.
Heavy pitch black armor covers Bruce's body, while his eyes are hidden by a small knight's visor.
The walking stick has turned into something more powerful and impressive, becoming a majestic scepter.
The Scepter has a long obsidian handle and a black fitting containing a yellow gem surrounded by platinum blades
The Scepter has two sharp platinum blades encircling the attached yellow gem, an elongated blade above the gem and a shortened blade below it, most notably the hilt grip estimated at around two feet in overall length, which is believed to be useful for close-range hand-to-hand combat and fire accurate energy blasts at any target.
Bruce's entire body is experiencing the sensation of raw, wild magical power circulating in the degraded body from Gemini's attack.
A malevolent shiver invades his muscles, the sensation of boiled metal running through his veins, a lightning pain invades his nerves.
All this pain is caused by the flow and circulation of the power of the Morgans and the remnants of All Evils in the World through the magical circuits within one's bodily being.
Instead of screaming and wriggling like a common being. Bruce doesn't even blink, his face remains an immaculate mask of stoicism.
The armored wizard's body could catch fire from the inside, and that wouldn't stop Bruce.
His mind is fully focused on a single goal, carrying out the invocation, all to further and carry out his duties.
The heart on the other side, wants to see and touch again one of the people it longs to have by its side.
What is stronger than the dutiful mind of a Belmont or the passionate heart of a hero?
The important thing is that these two normally conflicting bodies are working together towards a common goal that will benefit both of them.
"Fill, Fill, Fill, Fill, Fill.
Repeat five times.
But when each is filled, destroy it. "Bruce now dressed as some kind of dark magical warrior, continues his spell to perfection.
By preventing the whole world from understanding what is going on inside him.
The circle of shadow beneath Bruce's feet begins to shine with a multitude of runes, the Class Cards Saber is enveloped in a crimson flame.
Bruce with a brusque movement lowers his hand, knocking the Class Cards straight into the magic circle, causing a sudden reaction.
Magical energy erupts with an implosion of wind and electric currents that sparkle around the location of the dark-armored sorcerer.
"What is this?" Hop Pop asks, frightened, being forced to step back, as do his compatriots who all clung to something.
"I don't understand what's going on, but it's amazing to watch!" She declares Anne, holding on tightly to Marcy, confident that she will witness an incredibly rare event that will forever be etched in her mind and spirit.
"Bruce is some sort of hybrid between a Black Mage and a Summoner !?" Marcy asks, so engrossed in the light show that she ignores the feeling of being held by Anne and feels her chest pressed tightly against her back.
"Set.
Heed my words for I hereby declare.
Your body is shaped by my will, and your sword will forge my destiny."
"If you heed the King of wizards call and accede to my will and reason then answer me.
I swear.
I will be all the good in the world.
I will vanquish all the evil in the world! "Bruce declares, approaching the end of his spell, slamming the Scepter against the ground, uses one of the earth-related abilities.
As if by magic, numerous precious stones emerge through the cracks in the ground, soon being sucked into the black mud.
Shortly thereafter there was a fury of wind blowing away from Bruce's point, the circle of runes shone with intense intensity, the Class Cards are sucking all the energy.
Slowly the Class Cards rises from the ground, flying autonomously, they shine like a small sun, emitting impulses as if it were a heart of its own.
The black mud and the gems they have absorbed rising from the ground, seeing attracted by the Class Cards Saber, slowly beginning to form a female figure.
The ship that must host the Heroic Spirit present in the Class Cards is forming, it is shortly to be finalized.
For a second, Bruce's vision darkens, a sign that his body is preparing to reach the last part of the ritual.
The various Magic Crests that he earned legitimately and illegitimately are currently compromised.
But that doesn't stop them from doing their part within their current limits, every single magical circuit and organ responsible for the magic, they begin to recite the spell separately as an individual entity, to support Bruce's magic.
The heart of the armored sorcerer, in a dimension beyond the control of his mind, begins to beat rapidly, like a running clock.
His flesh, tormented by the prana collected from the surrounding air, had already lost memory of its functionality as a human being; rather, it had become a component of the mysterious ceremony, a circuit that purely connected the ethereal with the material.
"You seven heavens, clad in the three words of power.
Come forth from the ring of deterrence.
Guardian of the scales !"
With these last words, the invocation spell has been brought to an end.
Bruce manages to accelerate his magical power flowing through his body to reach the ultimate limit.
Thunder and lightning roared, accompanied by rolling clouds carried by a rushing wind.
In the pressure of a storm that did not allow bystanders, such as Anne and Marcy to open their eyes, the designs of the summoning circle glowed with light.
From this blinding light, shining endlessly, the Class Cards Saber has morphed into a spiritual core connected to its ship of black mud, creating a physical body strong enough to support the soul of a Heroic Spirit.
From the cloud of smoke emerged the silhouette of a woman who can be considered a goddess of war
Silently, they all stared at the closest being to a war deity, who now stands in front of Bruce.
Anne, Marcy and Sprig were among the first to have the privilege of seeing what this magical entity looks like.
The beautiful girl is 160 centimeters tall, she seems to be in the middle of her youth
Her tanned skin is smooth and healthy without any blemishes.
Her hair is white and shiny as snow, her eyes are a scarlet red, and a strange arrangement of markings like tattoos covered her entire body, with a multi-colored diamond shape glued to her forehead, covered only in strands of hair.
A long veil covered part of the girl's head, going down to her knees.
The rest of her clothing is quite revealing.
Put simply, her dress is barely enough to cover her chest and crotch, plus white sleeves and a round neck, pieces of cloth hanging from her crotch.
The color of her clothing is mainly white, with black inside and blood red trim.
In the hand of this amazon lies a blade of multiple shades that is waiting to destroy her enemies.
This woman's face is filled with stoicism and apathy, just like Bruce is only billions of times colder and unattainable.
"Servant Saber, Altera. Past, present or future. I will destroy and be victorious. I bring destruction and triumph. Up to this point and even from now on." He declares Altera, as if he were a machine, raising his sword and pointing it at the frogs.
"This is the coolest stripper I've seen in my life ... it sounds so bad and perverse when I say it out loud!" Anne said, blushing from the words she spoke, feeling very embarrassed.
Never before has Anne seen such a beautiful woman, her brain just stopped working as it should.
If this is the reaction of Anne, the alleged heterosexual girl of the group, what happens inside Marcy's head.
'Bruce summoned an Amazon queen, an invocation crash, I thought Anne and Adeline were the prettiest girls I've seen my. But there are no comparisons. ' Marcy thinks, using all of her self-control not to salivate or lose a nosebleed because of Altera's beauty.
'If I weren't already a lesbian, just looking at this girl would have made me forget about men.' Think Marcy, having a big problem taking her eyes off Altera.
Spirg being an anthropomorphic frog is minimally impressed by Altera's superb looks, managing to think as usual.
"All spirits have white hair and emotionless faces, is that a human spirit thing?
But did Jack seem pretty playful to me?
Maybe it's a growth thing or spirit domains? Sprig asks, focusing on the common details between Bruce, Jack and Altera, trying to make sense of the fantastic creatures he just met.
The rest of the Amphibian mob are not having an equally peaceful time as they metabolize the mutated aspect of Bruce and the invocation of Altera.
Wartwood's angry mob at the sight of witchcraft and the appearance of a new creature, armed with a legendary sword, have not only lost their fighting spirit, but are preparing to run away from here.
Too bad the armored sorcerer has different plans for these amphibians.
Master and Servant silently exchanged glances, not having to use words to understand each other.
Altera moved like lightning, disappearing from Bruce's side, only to appear before the group of amphibians, blocking their escape route.
When Altera raises her sword of destruction, she decided to release a small portion of her Heroic Spirit power.
The terrible aura emitted was enough to freeze the entire crowd in fear.
Bruce not wanting any desperate or idiot to escape, raises his cane in the direction of the crowd.
Without doing anything else, the black mud spreads in the direction of the crowd, creating a huge puddle of dark mud that prevents movement.
Moreover, black tar tentacles rise from the puddle to take the weapons of the peasants, making their level of danger to an absolute minimum.
If Bruce wanted with a simple snap of his fingers the black mud would release his true abilities, creating a one-way slaughter with horrific effects on the souls of these amphibians.
Thank goodness Bruce is aiming to be feared, respected and revered by these amphibians, instead of taking them out from first to last and reclaiming Wartwood as his personal stronghold / fiefdom.
Panic took over the crowd, they came to hunt an ugly beast, not to face the wrath of whatever Bruce is.
"Silence, amphibians!" Proclaimed Bruce, slamming his majestic Scepter, the yellow stone present lights up as if it were a bonfire of light.
All this was enough to silence the crowd, each of them is scared to death, but they don't dare to speak, fearing what might happen.
"On your knees if you want to get out of this forest unscathed." Bruce orders, in an authoritative tone, pulling a perfect replica of Gilgamesh's overwhelming charisma.
The toads, having no alternative, knelt down, except Polly who, being a legless tadpole, remained in the arms of Hop Pop.
" What are you ?" Asks one of the most frightened frogs in the crowd, wishing at least to understand what he is confronting with.
"Good question, I could be a Raging Forest Spirit, a demon hungry for blood and souls, a God of Death and the Underworld, maybe I'm just an entity beyond your understanding." Says Bruce, speaking enigmatically, adding possible explanations each more extravagant than the other.
Whispers about spirits, demons, gods and more begin to be born through the crowd.
"What I am is an unanswered riddle. But who I am is easy to tell." Bruce said, stepping forward, making the stone of his Scepter shine.
Slowly the temperature of the surrounding area begins to drop, a thin layer of snow and ice begins to form.
The cold-blooded bodies of anthropomorphic frogs do not like this abrupt change in temperature, starting to tremble not only from fear, but also from the winter cold.
Bruce prepares to say his reply, wanting to achieve the maximum possible effect of drama.
But all of a sudden he feels a familiar tingle that portends something good.
At that precise moment, something new begins to grow inside Bruce, a shred of power at the same time different and familiar is tied to the essence of Bruce.
Along with this new skill that feels like he has earned a new arm, a title has popped up in Bruce's mind.
"I am Archduke Bahamut, Knight of Cocytus, my domain is winter!" Bruce declares, looking from top to bottom at the amphibians, determined to play big, using everything available to him to look more grandiose.
The words of the armored sorcerer were joined by a very strong gust of winter wind.
"Do you feel that pungent scent of cold in the air, the gray in the eyes and those long sunsets? Winter is coming." Bruce declares, making fun of the poor frogs who are suffering from the cold.
"Now that I have given you the pleasure of understanding who I am. Can you answer my question?
Because you, amphibians, have come out of your filthy swamp and have decided to invade my forest. "Bruce asks, in a tone that demands an exact and precise answer as soon as possible.
"Your forest?" Mayor Toadstool asks, feeling offended that someone dares to take part in the territory in which he owns the jurisprudence.
Before Toadstool could do anything else, a red praying mantis came out of the forest, attracted to the honor of amphibians.
Once it saw a pile of prey gathered in one spot, the mantis let out a loud roar at the frogs, further frightening the throng of amphibians.
Already not a good day to be a frog or a toad living in Wartwood.
Bruce seems at least annoyed by the mantis's interruption.
The armored sorcerer points the scepter of the mantis's direction, causing the yellow stone to glow.
BANG
A sphere of bluish light flew out of the tip of the majestic Scepter, hitting the mantis straight in the head, covering it in a heavy layer of ice.
"Altera, stop it." He orders Bruce, not wanting to waste any more time and energy dealing with other useless parasites.
" Received." Altera responds, sprinting forward so fast it is invisible to the naked eye.
By swinging his sword, Photon Ray, the mantis was cut vertically into two perfectly symmetrical pieces, with frightening ease.
"That Amazon must be a level 100 barbarian warrior to be that strong and fast!" Marcy declares, not knowing how to quantify Altera's abilities.
Someone is becoming a little Amazon fangirl.
"I believe he has the entire main set of Creatures and Caverns. Bruce the wizard, Jack the thief, Warrior the warrior. All that's missing is a bard, a cleric and an archer." Anne said in a more controlled but equally enthusiastic tone.
Seeing what Bruce and Altera are capable of, Anne is delighted not to be on their ugly side.
Sprig was silent for once in his life, hoping that the pair of spirits would just frighten the angry mob.
Returning to the armored sorcerer, making a gesture with his hand he moved the mud in the direction of the corpse of the mantis.
The blackish substance propagates under the remains of the huge patient, forming a perfect circle.
The amphibians were frightened when huge sharp teeth emerged from the mud that bit and chewed the corpse of the mantis.
Many frogs swallowed slowly, looking down at the black puddle beneath their feet, afraid of seeing giant teeth come out.
" Where we were ?" Bruce asks, pretending to have lost his train of thought due to the interference of the mantis.
"Why are you amphibians here in my forest?" The armored sorcerer asks, pointing the Scepter in the direction of the frogs.
This time no one dares to comment on the new archduke of this forest.
"It was the mayor's idea!" Shouts one of the frogs, unable to bear this tense and cold atmosphere anymore.
"Who is your mayor?" Bruce asks, pretty sure the fat toad is the mayor. But getting a confirmation from the people themselves won't hurt.
The amphibians' sense of survival took over, each frog decided to worry about their own life and that of their closest relatives.
For this reason, it came as no surprise to anyone when each frog's hands were pointed at Mayor Toadstool.
The toad, feeling like a little lamb sent to the slaughter, tries to escape, maybe if it uses its long tongue it could grab a branch and come out of the puddle.
"Jack, stop him." Bruce orders, pointing his finger in Toadstool's direction.
Mayor Toadstool before he could open his mouth and stick his tongue out.
Jack the Ripper appeared behind him, holding his butcher knives near his throat.
"Don't you know it's rude to stick out your tongue when my Daddy wants to talk to you?" Jack said, lecturing Toadstool, pressing one of the knives against the corrupt mayor's cheek.
"The mayor and I need to talk." Bruce said, waving his hand, the mud moved, moving all the frogs that stand between the armored wizard and Mayor Toadstool.
Bruce begins to walk proudly and calmly, like a king who has conquered the entire kingdom.
The silent and powerful presence of Altera accompanying him only increases the atmosphere of danger.
Jack removes the knives from Toadstool's throat, going to stand beside his adoptive father's left side.
The three white-haired magical beings stand before the corrupt mayor of Wartwood.
If that wasn't enough, a certain blue-eyed crow descends from the sky and lands on Bruce's left shoulder.
The bird presence considered an omen of death and doom, a very good sign for Toadstool.
'I was not elected to argue with ... three white-haired demons!' Think Toadstool, feeling very close to suffering a heart attack of fear.
Taking a moment to mend his nerves, Toadstool goes over all his political tricks to escape this situation with his soul intact.
"Good day, your Excellency." Toadstool declares, with a forced smile, ready to use his experience as a licker and liar to survive.
"What can you want from a humble mayor of this small country province?" Toadstool asks, rubbing his hands nervously, hoping he used the proper title.
Normally when Toadstool encounters an official above his rank or a noble, the title of excellence is enough. But who can understand a demon's mind and culture?
This is the job of a witch, not a mayor.
"I would like to do things following the aristocratic code. But today I want to get straight to the point, why are you inside my forest?" Bruce said, wanting to speed up the process, having already had a track record with lickers who spend hours flattering instead of talking about work.
"One of my citizens last night saw something ... out of the ordinary inside the forest. As mayor I have an obligation to open an investigation and investigate what happened." Toadstool said, being careful not to use the title ugly beast for the two things that are on top of the fiery dragon demon.
'These three must be high-ranking demons, perhaps a house of hell?
We have an Archduke of Ice Hell, a Hell Knight, and a Shadow Demoness.
Those two sessions on the demon beast must be concubines or something if they don't carry weapons. ' Think Toadstool, having made up his own idea of the supernatural beings that appeared near his city.
"Using flashlights and pitchforks?" The armored sorcerer said, not wanting to let Toadstool take over the argument or talk too long about his apologies.
"The investigation could have lasted late, we need torches to light the way.
As for the pitchforks, we are a community of farmers, we cannot afford real weapons to defend ourselves. We have to adjust with what we have available. "Toadstool said, making up an excuse on the spot about the presence of torches and pitchforks.
"To believe or not to believe your words." Bruce said in a bored tone, swinging his Scepter left and right as if it were a scale measuring Toadstool's fate.
"Mayor, I think I understand what happened. My ... maids have a bad habit of taking a walk in the moonlight. By pure chance during one of their night outings they scared your citizen." Bruce tells the events that happened from a more imaginative point of view, he has to keep the character.
Although this will come back to bite later.
"We can't help it if Wally is scared for nothing and your maids love to walk among nature, misunderstandings happen all the time." Toadstool said, in a courteous tone, wanting to keep things neutral or at least put all the blame on Wally.
"Now that your investigation has been resolved, what do you want to do?" Bruce asks, holding tightly around the Scepter, making the yellow stone glow. Drama and deception are strong tools.
"Return to Wartwood and stop stealing your time, Your Excellency, you certainly have more important things to do." Toadstool said, these are surely the most honest words of his life as mayor. If he escapes safe and sound from this nest of demons, he won't set foot in this forest again for anything in the world.
"You're right, my schedule is full of work to do and I hate being disturbed." Bruce declares, slamming his foot against the ground, the black mud begins to boil and gusts of winter wind fill the area.
"We will be very careful not to disturb your Excellency and your handmaids. I promise on all that I have most precious." Toadstool declares, not knowing that this promise will one day be his undoing.
Bruce, hearing this, smiled devilishly, happy to have obtained the desired effect.
"Excellent news, because I hate surprise guests to death. At least if they had the sense to bring a gift it would be more tolerable." Bruce murmurs in a low voice, before turning and walking out of the flock of frogs, followed by Altera and Jack.
Once back at the starting point, Bruce addresses the crowd of unarmed and frightened commoners.
"Amphibians, your mayor and I are done talking. This time you can get out of my forest, next time I won't be so magnanimous." Bruce declares, with a solemn tone, slamming the Scepter against the ground out of a sense of spectacle.
The black mud begins to recede, returning to Bruce's shadow, releasing the crowd of frogs.
Not even a second later, almost all the amphibians started screaming in fear and running as far out of the forest as possible.
After a few moments, the only members of the crowd left in the clearing are Hop Pop and Polly.
If Sprig weren't riding Ferrus, next to Anne and Marcy; Hop Pop would grab it with his tongue and run as fast as he could to their farm, where they would hide in the basement and build a barricade.
"Old, why did you stay? Do you want to become an ice statue for my future garden?" Bruce asks, in a threatening tone, wanting all the frogs to go away so he can go about his business without disturbance.
Hop Pop let out a long sigh of pain before putting Polly down and stepping forward.
"Grand Archduke of Cocytus, please kneel, have mercy on my foolish nephew!" Hop Pop said, kneeling in front of Bruce, begging to see his nephew, Sprig again.
Altera being a warrior specializing in plundering and razing cities to the point of being nicknamed, the scourge of God, she decided to leave Hop Pop's prayers to Bruce.
Jack the Ripper being a loving little girl who does not want to disturb her Daddy's affairs, he decided to imitate the behavior of Altera, one of his mother figures, one of the many mother figures ...
Carmen could make a suggestion or participate in concluding an agreement. But a crow that starts shouting Cra Cra and giving way to a half understandable argument is a big no.
The Armored Warlock put a hand under her chin, a gesture that helps her think.
'This explains how mine the old orange frog is not running away with his fellows. She is protecting her family, I can respect this wish. ' Think Bruce, looking out of the corner of his eye in Ferrus's direction, the two girls from Los Angeles and the pink frog sat on the back of the dragon-shaped automata.
"I admit I have little in material terms, I'm just a farmer, but I'm willing to sell my soul in exchange for Sprig's life. Does this deal suit you?" Hop Pop question, hoping with all my heart that selling soul could save Sprig.
When Bruce hears that the orange frog wants to sell his soul to make a deal, he can't help but smile like his great-great-uncle Alastor.
Bruce's family tree is quite complicated and bizarre, some of the practices of his ancestors made this family tree more complex than it should have been.
The maternal branch can boast of the blood of the Belmontes, the greatest vampire hunters in history; the arranged marriages of the Morgans have added to the lineage, properties and qualities from all over the world and from all kinds of races such as Fairy, Oni and in very rare circumstances divinity.
The paternal branch can boast of the Bahamuts, one of the seven great ancient families of the Boiling Isles; as well as a rather close kinship with rather infamous beings of hell and other exotic places.
In short, Bruce's ancestors are made up of some of the greatest heroes, witches, sorcerers and monsters of two worlds.
This has made Bruce inherit some rather noble traits such as the responsibility and duty to protect the innocent from the supernatural calamities of the world.
But there are some less desirable traits, such as the urge to make deals and contracts of all kinds.
The greater the opportunity to take an individual's riches or soul, Bruce can't help but smile and shake the poor hapless hand.
"Selling the soul one of the phrases I love and hate most in the world." Bruce said, point his Scepter in the direction of the pilots and draw a small circle of light.
Sprig has been locked up in a sphere of light that takes her to Hop Pop, so close and yet so far away.
Anne and Marcy exchanging a quick glance, they decided to get off Ferrus and participate in this "diplomatic act / honest business."
"Sprig, what did you do this time?" He asks Hop Pop, wanting to know how Sprig managed to end up in the company of three white-haired demons, two handmaids and a huge fire-breathing monstrosity.
"Well, I wanted to show that I'm a responsible frog. I thought capturing the two-headed beast and protecting Wartwood is a good idea.
But when I found the beast, I found out it's just two girls. "Sprig said, nodding to Anne and Marcy, who greet in an owl fashion.
"The girls are not dangerous, especially the raven-fur one. But apparently they are under the protection of a powerful spirit and his subordinates." Sprig said, nodding to the trio who earned the nickname of white demons.
Jack returns the greeting in a friendly way as he plays with one of his butcher knives.
Altera, Bruce and Carmen did not respond to Sprig, remaining cold and distant.
"I'm sorry if my words made you feel compelled to prove your worth. I just want you to think more about your actions and their consequences. You and Polly are the last precious thing left in the world." Hop Pop said, giving a hug to the sphere containing Sprig.
"Rane, if you're done expressing your feelings. We need to talk business." Bruce declares, wanting to continue with the conclusion of the contract, before Anne and Marcy could interfere in any way.
Too honest people are a pain to be around when you try to rip a man.
"Do you want my soul in exchange for Sprig?" Hop Pop asks, in a dark tone, not expecting that this would end her life.
Part of himself expected that one day one of Spirg and / or Polly's stunts might give him a heart attack, but bringing him in front of a demon ... he's kneaded.
"Your soul is of no use to me." Bruce declares, with a frank tone, not wanting the soul of Hop Pop for many reasons.
"If I were a legendary beast I would use your soul to empower my raven.
If you were a filthy criminal you would have become Jack's meal.
If I were a worthy opponent I would have ripped your soul out with my own hands and devoured it to learn your secrets. "Bruce declares, in a gloomy tone, baring his teeth.
The shadow of the armored sorcerer takes on a more demonic form, with three wings, one on the left and two on the right.
"Orange frog, you are a farmer, your soul is of no use to me. But your home can help me." Bruce said, aiming at Hop Pop's farm, he is precisely he is aiming to get a decent home.
Bruce's base of operations is a strange tree transformed into a house, completely devoid of modern furniture and comforts, not a place that can accommodate a woman like Altera is or two young girls from Los Angeles.
Therefore the armored sorcerer wishes to find a temporary home for the girls, until he finishes renovating his current base into something much nicer and more adequate.
"You want my house in exchange for Sprigs. Well, that solves one problem, but it creates just as many problems." Hop Pop murmurs, glad that his soul doesn't seem worth so much to the Knight of Cocytus. But giving up the farm will lead him to poverty, with no money how will he take care of Sprig and Polly?
"I look like a person who wants to cultivate the land." Bruce said, mocking Hop Pop's idea of demon occupation of his farm.
"Today when I was looking after my maids, I saved the pink frog's life from a mantis, then offered protection inside my sanctuary and food to my fill. I think it would be right to return the favor, for me and my companions." Bruce said, opening an arm to point to Altera, Anne, Marcy, Carmen and Jack.
Ferrus being a machine in the form of a male dragon was obviously excluded from the count.
"How long will this stay last?" Hop Pop asks, wanting to know if there is a time limit for the stay of the white-haired demons and the two maids.
"How old is the pink frog?" Bruce asks, using Sprig's age as a count for the days of stay.
" 10 years." He replies Hop Pop, wishing not to feel the price of ten years of hospitality.
"Ten days of hospitality or I'll find a way to use your life as a sacrifice for the favor of a higher entity." He declares the armored sorcerer, giving Hop Pop no other options.
"I agree to pester you for ten days and ten nights. Now what do we do, shake hands or sign a contract?" Asks the elderly anthropomorphic frog, not knowing what to do now, making deals with white-haired demons, possibly archduke of hell is ice-cold is something new.
" Both things." Bruce said, snapping his fingers, gave birth to a green flame turns into a penalty and a parchment, precisely the document with the terms of the contract on it.
"First the signature, then the handshake." Bruce said, handing the document to Hop Pop.
The ancient anthropomorphic frog, not having his reading glasses with him, was unable to read the clauses of the document, a bad mistake. But that didn't stop Hop Pop from signing the parchment.
Once the contract was signed, the document itself caught fire, becoming a powder that flew onto Hop Pop's back, creating a tattoo with the same content as the contract.
For little mercies everything was incredibly fast and painless.
The Armored Warlock smiles devilishly, spins the microphone and holds out his hand for a handshake as green energy explodes across the clearing.
"Too late for second thoughts, old man, if I don't get a handshake, your part of the contract will be invalid and you'll have a bad encounter with a Ghost Rider as a result." Bruce said, giving a warning of the consequences of breaking contracts with him.
Hop Pop not wanting to anger the armored sorcerer or find out what kind of being a Ghost Rider is, he shakes Bruce's glowing hand, making the contract between the two completely official.
Thus in a strange, bizarre and supernatural way a bond was formed between the Plantar Family and the humans blessed by the [Four Gems of Calamity].
XXX
Away from the clearing that has hosted so many events in such a short time.
Returning to the big tree where Bruce was hanged for nine days and nine nights, a fruit grew, an all-white apple, covered in snowflake-shaped glyphs.
End Episode 1: The Two Beasts, the Devil and the Serial Killer (V)
The story continues in the next episode: Hollow Beetle, Lake Monster, and Pirates.
XXX
Mannvirðing [Cavaliere di Cocytus](Germanic/Norse Mythology)(50): Honour. Titles can be granted for many things. This is not a separate name, or being known as a different person, this is simply something you are known for. Choose a title for yourself, you will be known for this or as a moniker.
Invoking this claim to fame will have sway in certain circles, but be wary, your titles will become connected to each other.
You will become known for all your deeds and where one title may have brought allies before, the attachment of another may harm your reputation with the same people, may be best to go with neutral titles, "giant slayer" may be a problem down the line. Each title represents a growth in your power, luck, fame, and your hamingja.
Ríki [Winter](Germanic/Norse Mythology)(400): There are many beings with fantastical innate powers in the cosmos.
Beings that can control the weather, change their form, or even nudge the course of destiny to obtain a desired outcome.
This perk manifests as innate knowledge and influence over a domain. While ordinary mortals may only be able to display preternatural competence and relatively minor direct influence over their domain, beings with more innate power get increasingly more out of this even at the same purchase level.
Choose a domain; this can be almost anything: a general or specific skill, an element of nature, or a narrow concept.
At a purchase of 200cp you would have this as a minor domain, wielding influence and power enough to astonish any being at your level, able to weaken or strengthen others within your concept, influence fate, perform mystical and conceptual acts related to the domain, or wield your element outright.
A mortal with a domain over fire could provide substantial warmth on the coldest peaks of Everest, light buildings and large bonfires with a wave of the hand, "consume" an entire banquet for a hundred men in moments, or burn an enemy into ash. If of electricity, they would be able to power a small neighborhood of devices or call down a lightning bolt upon your enemy.
A mortal with a minor domain over a kingdom would have a divine right to rule that land that no one could deny.
At 400cp this is a major domain. A major mortal of fire would be able to rain down fire and pyroclastic flow like the second coming of Pompeii, create columns of flame to pierce the sky, or heal by burning away disease.
A major mortal of war could will his side to victory in any battle he participated in.
A major mortal of a kingdom could call upon a force equal to all the power of the people and the land itself to shape that kingdom, build forts and increase performance in agriculture.
Purchase as many times as you like.