Finally - we're back to our "villain"! I'm sure you've been worrying about her - I have, because I've only mentioned her once after this chapter so far! This is supposed to be the "Oh, No, Our Heroes Are Going To Be In Trouble In Forthcoming Chapters" part, so bear with me....
黒陸軍が生じてる
Log 14: Dark Army Rising
Kayle rubbed her eyes, trying to prevent them from tearing in the winter air. Had she seen a dead Regent, pierced through the heart? It couldn't be, she told herself; I never left the inn....
Then she gasped; she hadn't remembered anything since she strapped Kuroiandagia to her belt, back at her room in the inn.
And now the sword was in her hands, dripping in an angel's pearlescent blood.
"Damn, the fallen god-angel will kill me for this," Kayle cursed, wiping the blade on the snow. "At least they don't leave bodies." Seeing that the blade was thoroughly cleansed, she straped it again to her belt.
She was about to leave when Astralægia's voice echoed in her head.
Stay here - my general wishes to speak with you.
General? Kayle thought. The god-angels don't have armies - Astralægia has free reign over Chaos, and Keythedrian has only his shattered soul....
Darkness covered the bare forests of Kitakigi, blotting out the moonlight and the winter landscape. Only Kuroiandagia pulsed its lurid violet light in the blackness. Kayle wrapped her cloak about her - it had grown colder.
Lady Astralægia told me I would meet you here, the darkness seemed to whisper in her mind. Are you not karyôshi, the Huntress?
Kayle nodded. "Yes ... I am the Huntress."
We are the Dark Army. Astralægia created us for the most successful karyôshi to command. We smell an angel's blood on your blade - no karyôshi has ever succeded thus far in doing that.
"Yes," Kayle managed again. "I killed a Regent."
Then we are under your command. Give us your orders.
"Orders?" She shuddered. It was likely she had killed a Regent; with one dead, she would have to kill the others - the very thought repulsed her. And Astralægia had ordered her to kill Keythedrian, as well - but surely the great god-angel would easily gain revenge before then....
I sense your thoughts, the Army taunted. You don't want to kill them, do you? Too afraid of the wrath of a weak angel? Yes, I know - it's strange how the angels didn't elect a new leader after his fall. Even when awake, he doesn't even have strength enough to kill a human - much less an angel-born like you-
"Don't you dare mention my heritage!" Kayle screeched. "My father was a damn angel who abandoned me!"
We've awakened a spark, the darkness chuckled. Good. You'll eventually settle differences with your father. Now - our orders....
Kayle sighed. God-angels have mercy on me, she prayed silently as she fingered Kuroiandagia. "Split up. Find the other Regents. Do not seek Keythedrian until they are all found - unharmed. Bring them to me once you find them. I will soon have a fortress you ma bring them too." She sighed again. "Go on."
The darkness vanished, leaving Kayle alone in the snow.
Kayle heard a snort behind her. She turned around, finding herself face-to-face with a drac - a dragon bred for a single rider. It was midnight black, with a belly of violet; a diadem of silver with a three-pronged amethyst crystal set in the center rested above the drac's colorless eyes. A saddle was already on its back.
"Who are you?" Kayle asked. "I haven't seen you."
«I am Grimm,» it replied, the diadem shining as it spoke. «Kuroiandagia bonded us. Are you Kayle?»
The woman nodded. "Yes."
«Good. The dark army sent me to bring you to your fortress. It is in Thornwood, in southern Kitakigi.»
Kayle was familiar with it - she had spent many a childhood day there. "Take me there, then," she said. "And quick."
As you may have noticed, I inserted another original Jewel Rider character in this part. I'm sorry that I changed Grimm's coloring, but black worked much better for this story....
Next part is the fight scene! Whee!