A/N: This one was a bit rough for me to write for some reason, I hope it turned out alright but if you notice anything off please quote the section in a comment and I'll get that fixed right quick. Besides that please tell me if you enjoyed it or not and why 3
As Akemi stepped out from her Gate she just enjoyed the cool and moist forest air that blew through the settlement. It wasn't nearly as cold as the air in the Dragon Kingdom, just cool enough that sleeping with the windows open would feel lovely.
Sleep was exactly what she wished to get as she stumbled a bit towards her home. Even though it was well past dark, the lights in her home were still on, a warm beacon that called her inside. Opening up the door and looking around Akemi saw three of loved ones of them piled on the couch. Ana had claimed Kyouko's lap as a pillow and seemed to be nodding off as Kyouko pet her hair. Hannyuu had nearly curled up on top of Ana, and even from the doorway Akemi could hear those quiet purrs that told her her daughter was fast asleep.
"Sorry I'm late you three…" Akemi said as she closed the door behind her as quietly as she could manage, but she still saw Hannyuu's ears flick in recognition at the muffled sounds. When she sniffed the air her eyes opened to look at Akemi with such a bright smile that Akemi felt renewed in her goals, to make a world where her daughter can live happily. "Sorry for waking you Dearheart." Akemi said as she stole the other end of the couch after she lifted Ana's legs to put over her own lap.
"Hey babe, glad to have you back." Ana said as she looked at Akemi sleepily and giggled as she felt her legs get hugged. Hannyuu for her part stayed curled up against Ana, yet stayed awake with a cute yawn.
"Hope everything went okay, nice to have you back." Kyouko said as she relaxed. "Long day?" She asked as she saw yawn also.
"You have no idea… I'll explain more in the morning but negotiations have gone well so far, the Queen was surprisingly pleasant to talk to. She is certainly passionate about her people, and I can respect that, a lot more than the sad lump on the throne in this Kingdom." Akemi slumped down a bit and closed her eyes. "I am exhausted though… I used up far too much mana lately, I guess have to be careful…"
"Oh we know. Arche informed us about that little incident, but we'll leave the scolding for that, and for us having to hear about it from Arche for later when we're all awake enough." Kyouko said and glared a bit at Akemi in clear worry.
"I'm reflecting on it… I know I'm not invincible, but I figured my mana regeneration was keeping up, it is hard for me to check it often." Akemi explained, but the stern looks she got from the other three told her they didn't buy it.
"Not eating enough will impact how fast you can get your mana back, everyone knows that." Ana said and winced just a bit as Hannyuu shifted off of her, and moved over to Akemi to steal her mother's lap from Ana's legs. Ana could only chuckle at the clingy cat as she sat back up and leaned against Kyouko fully.
Akemi wrapped her arms around Hannyuu and hugged her daughter and felt the purring begin. "Hello you tiny dork, love you too." Akemi whispered with a tired laugh. She had long since noticed that her daughter would act more cat-like the sleepier she was, and it never failed to put a smile on Akemi's face. She returned her attention to Ana and frowned. "I didn't know that… Not too long ago nothing about this body was real and physical…" Akemi defended as she just tried to relax. "Alright Kitten, bed time I think." With that Akemi stood up and lifted Hannyuu with her into her arms, eliciting a sleepy giggle from her that was more fitting for her age than how she normally acted.
"Good idea, you look exhausted. You bunking with me again tonight Ana? Wish there was enough room for us all though…" Kyouko grumbled as she loosely wrapped an arm around Ana's waist.
"Mhm, It was rather comfortable. All three of us together would be even better." Ana said and tilted her head back to smile at Kyouko, who responded with a light kiss on her forehead.
Akemi smiled and leaned down to get a kiss from both her girlfriends. "A bigger bed is definitely something for me to make at the new place, right in the big master bedroom. Screw it, I'll make it tomorrow if I can." Akemi said and felt Hannyuu grumble under her breath against Akemi's chest. "I'll get this one to bed." Akemi said as she headed up the stairs.
Ana and Kyouko made no move to get up as they enjoyed cuddling on the couch. "You sure you don't get too warm at night Ana?" Kyouko asked as the sleepy wolf woman hugged her girlfriend tighter.
"If we have the window cracked it is cool enough, especially since you're like a furnace. I'm still not… entirely used to sharing a bed and…" Ana's face flushed just a bit, not that she moved from her spot.
"Cuddling? Being the little spoon at night? If it helps you're awfully comfortable to cuddle with, you and Akemi are so small and huggable~" Kyouko was having way too much fun teasing the girl, especially as she saw Ana's ears getting red.
"Y-yeah that… I might be small, but you're also just super tall, n-not that I'm complaining." Ana said as her hand reach back to lightly touch those exposed abs.
"Me neither~" Akemi said as she came back down to retake her spot on the couch, sinking down into the cushions with her eyes closed.
"Oh I know you don't, don't think I haven't seen either of you watch me work out. So what is the plan?" Kyouko sounded far too smug as she stretched herself out as best she could.
"Mm… What can I say? Those abs are a work of art." Akemi admitted with a blush. "The plan right now is going the hell to sleep… I have to be up super early to head back. I'm going to lend the Queen that mirror of viewing so she can watch the battle, while at dawn I go deal with a lot of Beastmen in three cities… before facing their army. No pressure right?" Akemi moved over to cuddle up to Ana and Kyouko, unwilling to not get in on the comfort.
"Wait… an entire army? I'm not doubting you but… How many?" Kyouko asked as she stopped petting Ana's hair, her demeanor suddenly much more tense.
"About… one hundred and fifty… thousand. I scouted them out remotely already, none of them are near a threat. I know 'levels' don't really work in this world but I can still check them myself. The lowest I saw was around level fifteen, and the highest was twenty eight. In comparison I'm one hundred. They could wail on me all day and they still wouldn't be able to get through my low tier damage nullification to give me even a scratch. Besides It won't matter how many there are with my plan, if they are in range they are done as I doubt any of them could resist the super tier spell I'm going to use." Akemi said and saw the gears in her lover's heads turn slowly, levels were still a foreign concept she was trying to teach them.
"Oh, I meant to ask, so… what level are we?" Ana asked. Akemi saw the same question in Kyouko's eyes.
"If you really want to know, Ana you're level eleven, and Kyouko you're fifteen. For reference Kyouko that man you fought at Eight Fingers was level twenty one." Akemi seemed quite proud of Kyouko, and cuddled against those two all the more.
"I have a long way to go to catch up…" Ana complained, but cracked a smile as the other two kissed the top of her head.
"Just keep training and I'll do all I can to help you two, no way am I letting anyone I love be anything less than an absolute badass. That will be another day though, I really need to go to bed… Sleep well you two, I love you both." Akemi said accepted a small kiss from each of them. "Don't wear poor Ana out too much~" She teased them and watched Ana turn pink.
"No promises are made." Kyouko said as she leaned down a bit to nibble at Ana's ear playfully. The squeak that it elicited out of the human seemed to make both Akemi and Kyouko perk up a bit. "Well that was adorable~"
"That it was, I'll be sure to keep that weakness in mind. I wish I had some free time… well, things will get better when everything is done. Once I have things running I'm taking a vacation and no one can stop me… No more delaying for me though, I need sleep." Akemi trudged up the stairs again with her tails nearly dragging on the floor.
"She really does need that vacation… well, I know a good way to relieve some stress… Maybe when we all have that free time I can show you." Kyouko teased as Ana got off of her while looking even more red.
When Ana saw the worried look in Kyouko's eyes, along with the surprisingly cute tilt of her head, like a puppy, Ana felt her heart squeeze. "E-eventually… It might take a while for me to… be ready for something like that. Kissing is fine though, I'm just getting used to all this." Ana said right before yawning also.
"That was the plan, I don't want to do anything you two aren't ready for, so tell me if I go to far okay?" Kyouko asked as she stood up and stretched.
Despite the blush already on Ana's face that didn't stop her from peering at those abs and getting even more red. "I-I will, its been fine. Why must you wear shirts that don't even go all the way down?" Ana asked in a slight whimper.
"Because I'm proud of my body, and it seems to make cute girls melt~ Enough delaying, off to bed, lets see Akemi off in the morning." Kyouko said and ruffled Ana's hair.
"Well… melt is one word for it." She admitted and cleared her throat. "You're right, I'm going to make a nice big breakfast for us all in the morning."
Reluctantly leaving her girlfriends downstairs Akemi made her way upstairs to go to her room, but made a quick detour into Kyouko's room. She took the chair placed on Lorelei's side of the bed looked worriedly at the small wolf who still just stared at nothing."Hey… Not sure if you can hear me or not… I'm sorry I haven't been around as much. A lot has been going on, but I think you'll like our new home when it is done. I'll make sure your room has a good view, you'll really be able to see the stars." Akemi let her words trail off and her ears fold down.
"I… love your mom, and I hope you'll approve of me and her dating. I want to get to know you also, I hope one day I'll be able to call you my daughter as well. It is late for you also so I'll let you have some good sleep. [Deep Slumber]. Rest well Lorelei, I'll take care of your mom in the meantime." Akemi said as she gave a few light pets over the tiny wolf's hair before getting up.
"No more children can end up like this…" Akemi thought as she returned to her own room to finally curl up and sleep the dead. After changing and slipping under the blankets that were sure to end up on the floor by the morning, she wrapped her tails around Hannyuu and herself, nearly curled into a ball around her daughter for maximum comfort and protection, before she finally passed out.
Akemi stared at the pile of food Ana and Kyouko kept putting on her plate. "You are not skipping food today, not on my watch. If I have to start keeping track of how much you eat like I do Hannyuu I will." Ana scolded the Kitsune as Akemi sat at the breakfast table next to Kyouko's empty chair.
"Okay okay… I'm sorry for worrying you two, honestly I just forgot to eat, I'm not used to feeling hungry still. In my old body I was never really hungry and couldn't really hold much down, so eating was more of a chore." Akemi admitted as she forced herself to eat as much as she could, knowing that her mana would be quite taxed that day.
"That… is a fair point. Sorry if I'm being a bit aggressive on that… I just worry, you know? I have to keep reminding myself you aren't invincible." Ana looped her arms around Akemi's neck from behind as Akemi sat, and hugged her tightly.
Akemi couldn't help but smile at the affection, and leaned back into those loving arms. "I have to remind myself of that… I should take a page out of Ainz's book and be more cautious, or it might bite me in the ass one day." They lapsed into silence as Akemi forced that pile of food down, with Ana watching from the other side of the table where she herself ate, to make sure Akemi ate every egg, slice of ham, and piece of fruit. "She is taking this way too seriously… You nearly pass out one time…"
Akemi's ears twitched and she turned towards the stairs right before Kyouko came stumbling down the stairs with Hannyuu nearly asleep in her arms.
"I guess she still wanted company to sleep, she is really clingy when she is asleep isn't she?" Kyouko seemed amused as she adjusted her now youngest daughter against herself before taking a seat at the table.
"Mmm… morning…" Hannyuu mumbled from against Kyouko's shirt. Akemi gave it a fifty fifty chance of her falling back asleep.
"Morning dear." Akemi said and chuckled while she leaned over to scratch one of those feline ears, eliciting a purr that only raised Akemi's mood just a bit more. "Morning Kyo~ Sleep well?" Akemi asked as she reached up to try and scratch one of those wolf ears also, but had to let Kyouko lower her head into reach.
"More or less, still a bit early but I've had worse. I think it might take a bit more to wake up this ball of sunshine." Kyouko joked as she looked down at Hannyuu in her arms who just made a sleepy grumble.
Akemi smiled at the two of them, and seemed to just love the sight of Kyouko mothering on Hannyuu. "Adorable. Hey dear, I'm going to have to head out soon, you're free to go back to bed after that. If you plan to stay up you can have a cup of coffee, one every so often isn't that bad for you." Akemi said as she drained the rest of her second cup.
Hannyuu lifted her head a bit and pouted just a bit at Akemi. With all the energy of a sloth she climbed over onto Akemi's lap. "Mmm… now you can't go…" She mumbled out as she purred.
They could only smile warmly at her as she soaked up absolutely every minute with Akemi she could. "Hmm… when I first found you you were level three, you're already level seven now. Been doing more with Kyouko and Ana?" Akemi asked as Hannyuu finally got off of her and stretched out.
"Mhmm, Mama Kyouko has been helping me work out, and I started swinging a wooden sword… I'm sore." She complained as she stretched out those painful muscles.
"You just aren't used to it yet, it won't be so bad after a few weeks maybe, stretching like you are doing should help. You're making really good progress for your age." Kyouko said and ruffled that light pink hair.
"And I think you are close to casting a tier one spell. Honestly you're picking up what what Kyouko and me teach you fast… maybe you have a talent?" Ana perked up at that thought. Hannyuu tilted her head and shrugged.
"I wouldn't know, how does that get checked?" Hannyuu asked as she made herself a plate and a cup of coffee from what was set out on the table, her body and mind slowly waking up.
"I think some sort of divination magic? A priest came through my village when I was a kid to check for talents, since they are valuable to the Kingdom, so I know I don't have one. Got a spell like that Akemi?" Ana asked as she sipped at her own cup.
"Talents didn't exist over there, so my information gathering spells have never shown anything like Talents, so it might be a different spell. Maybe I can pick Roberdyck's brain for that… If I can get that spell and examine it some I might be able to modify some of mine to get that information, localize some of my spells for this world." Akemi checked her internal clock and groaned. "I need to bring that mirror I let you all use with me." Akemi said as she stood up and stretched, nearly knocking a few jars off the shelves behind them with her tails as they extended also.
Soon Akemi was faced with three sad gazes in perfect sync. "Okay you all practiced that… I'm weak to the cute eyes… I told Draudillon I'd let her use that mirror so she could watch. Besides I don't think… even if you've all seen plenty you really don't want to see some of what these Beastmen have done, all of which I won't say at the breakfast table."
"Fine… I guess you can take it, it is on my dresser." Ana said with a pout that Akemi and Kyouko both found adorable. "So… you said you would tell us more about the negotiations in the morning, so spill before you go."
Akemi sat back down and groaned, suddenly she looking far more nervous. "Well… She is a pretty shrewd negotiator, and honestly a lot better at that stuff than me, It made me feel like a child in comparison. If I succeed today, which I will, of that I can promise, that the amount of land I wanted is no issue. An alliance will also be nothing to worry about, and she already has no slavery. There was one other problem…"
They stared at her in curiosity, with Ana and Kyouko's seeming to get more and more suspicious. "So what did she want? You are a war tool? I guess you're already doing that…" Kyouko asked as she thought about it.
"Akemi… Did a comment you make bite you in the ass?" Ana asked with resignation, her gaze turning frustrated yet amused at the nod Akemi gave her. "So what was it? You make a joke about political marriage or something?"
Akemi froze up at that and nodded again. "Can you stop reading my mind? You sure you don't have a talent in that? She had asked if I had more conditions besides those three… and didn't believe me that I didn't… so I might have joked about if she wanted a p-political marriage after she said that was what any other country would try for…" Akemi's ears folded as she looked away.
"She called no take-backs… For a Queen older than me she is surprisingly immature. I only told her that that would have to be negotiated, but I told her I was taken! She won't let it drop…" Akemi whined and buried her face in her folded arms.
"So it really was your own fault… I honestly had a feeling something like that might happen, you do tend to gather people around you. There is already three of us, so I'm not that opposed to it being explored if you wanted to. I want to meet her for that discussion also." Ana said and tapped her fingers on the table.
"Yes… I also want to 'talk' with her…" Kyouko sounded a bit more annoyed, more at the situation than anything. "Well… guess you might get a fourth mom at this rate Hannyuu."
Hannyuu could only shrug. "That is fine by me, I want to see her also, I've never met a real Queen before. Wouldn't she be almost the fifth? I mean… Mama… you and Mama Ana sure acted pretty close with Arche…" Hannyuu teased with a grin.
Akemi lifted her head up to pout at the lot of them. "Well, we can discuss that more tomorrow. Today is just finishing this job for the Kingdom, and then I'll try and set up more negotiations after that I want all of you to come with me, the Queen is someone we'll be seeing a lot of regardless, so there isn't any harm in getting to know her. Arche is… a friend, she has her own life to go live. I doubt she likes me like that either way. Now she might like you Ana, you are adorable and you did interact more with her."
"No way! I annoyed her with a bunch of questions about magic! Though she is cute and nice… If she a-asked… Haaa…" Ana slumped on the table at the conversation. They all noticed Hannyuu pouting and looking annoyed.
"Again with this? I thought this whole thing where you deny what you feel was a thing of the past?" Hannyuu complained with a cute pout, now fully awake and nibbling at food.
"Seriously, where does this sass come from?" Akemi asked in exasperation, but smiled at Hannyuu through her frustration. "So I suppose you know all about all that? We've seen how you act around a certain cute sheep girl… Turnabout is fair play~"
Hannyuu to her credit barely blushed. "You mean Rinna? W-what about her? I like her eyes, they're pretty." She admitted with a shrug. Looking into her food it seemed her comments about her parent's love life was done… for now.
After a dozen seconds of silence Akemi couldn't help but start to giggle like mad. "I love you all, breakfast with family really should feel like this. I never thought I'd get to have this…"
The others couldn't help but join in at that, it was a happy start… for such a blood soaked day.
"I'll message you three later, okay? I doubt I'll have any problems dealing with this, but we'll see. I won't let my guard down." Akemi said as she activated her quick change skill to swap over to her best battle robes. Like the ones she had worn the day prior they were gold and white, but were more armored around the shoulders and chest, while still having a loose robe bottom with a thick metal cloak for further protection. To those sensitive to magic, and even to those not, it was easy to sense the amount of power that was contained in those likely priceless artifacts.
To their surprise she pulled her personal weapon from her storage and tapped the ground with the butt of the Naginata.
"So that is the weapon you talked about before… I remember you had something like that when we met but it was pretty dark and I was distracted. What is it made out of? It feels almost like my weapon." Kyouko asked as she examined the weapon that was as tall as herself. The shaft was made of some sort of pitch black material that was unlike wood or metal that gave no reflection of the dim light from the house, as if absorbing it. The blade was a work of art in her eyes, and seemed to shimmer in ways that shouldn't be possible for metal, similar to the rainbow color of oil in water, and seemed just as fluid, while the entire piece was trimmed in the unique purple gold hue of Astral Gold.
"This is Ex Oblivion, she was my Magnum Opus of my time before I got here. She is the best weapon I ever forged, I haven't been using her much lately as it seemed like overkill… using her on goblins was just insulting to her, not when she was made to take on fully geared players the same level as me. As for what she is made of, it was a curious material of my Guild's that I got special permission to use. It was something called a Caloric Stone, it was a strange world item that was made instead of found. I'll give you the fully story some other time, but she packs a lot more of a punch than anything made of even Prismatic metals… Hence why I haven't been using her. Nothing calls for that much power here, not when my tails work just fine." Akemi said and examined the edge of the blade for any flaws.
"You had mentioned world items once before when you talked about how you got here but… I didn't really get it." Ana said as she reached out to touch that weapon, and blinked as Akemi pulled it back.
"Careful, I'm not sure how the Anti-theft enchantments will work here for touching it, and they're pretty nasty… I don't want you three getting hurt from that." Akemi said and leaned on the weapon. "So World Items are… Well back in Yggdrasil they were nigh all powerful items that could bend reality to their whims, I've used a few in my time and I intend to find as many as I can in this world… we need them. I'll… explain the threat they pose later. I figure today is a big enough occasion to show off my best gear, this armor and weapon is me not taking any chances like you all wanted. [Gate]." Akemi sighed as she opened up her way towards the Dragon Kingdom that thankfully didn't involve another month of travel now that she had been there.
"You be careful alright? Get back here safe and do what you have to do. I don't care how many bodies you have to lay out and crawl over, but you get back here." Kyouko said and hugged her armored girlfriend and kissed her goodbye. Akemi stumbled a bit with a blush after that kiss, and was pulled right into Ana's, who seemed amused by her reaction to it.
After separating from Akemi Ana grinned the few inches up at her. "Make sure to actually message us after alright? Because I swear if you get hurt this time and don't say anything…" Ana vaguely threatened, though her puffed up cheeks took any bite out of her threat.
Hannyuu took her turn to hug Akemi as tight as she could, a light shake from her showing her inner turmoil she must have felt. "Love you Mama… come back please…" She was able to choke out before reluctantly letting go.
"I'll be fine you three, I promise…" She said and noted in her head how Not reassuring that was even to her own ears. "That was a death flag if I ever heard one… Lets not get Isekai'd twice." She thought and blew a kiss to the three of them before vanishing into that portal.
As it evaporated the three huddled together in similar states of worry. "Think she'll be okay?" Ana asked as Kyouko wrapped an arm around the shorter two, that wolf tail tugged between her legs as a whine worked out of her throat.
"Physically I think she'll be fine… Mentally? I don't think she has fully realized the weight of what she is going to do." Kyouko sighed, and tried to suppress the irritation she felt inside at not being strong enough to truly fight at Akemi's side. "Well, we all ate, we're up, so it is training time while it is nice and chilly. We're going for a run Hannyuu." Kyouko said and cracked her neck.
At the whine Hannyuu gave Kyouko just pressed a finger to her nose. When Ana giggled at their antics Kyouko turned her attention to her other girlfriend. "Oh you're coming with us~ stamina is really important for a lot of things. Less complaining you two, go get ready." Kyouko said and watched both of them whine in sync before trudging into their home to change into something easier to move in.
"Oh you're going to need some stamina one day Ana~ All good things in time." The wolf thought with a quiet chuckle.
"Halt! Where in the world did you come from?!" The first thing Akemi saw as she came out of her Gate was two spears pointed at her chest.
"What is with people and putting spears near my chest? It is so damn rude. I was here yesterday, I have an appointment with the Queen." Akemi said, not giving a care about the weapons an inch from her.
"I've heard no such information about some Demi-human intruder!" The fully armored guard to the left of the castle door said as he grabbed a horn from his belt and prepared to blow.
Akemi groaned and cast a Silence spell over the guard, muting the horn before it could wake up the entire city before the sun even hinted at rising. "I have permission to be here you- Oi…" Akemi glared at those men as one of them did the most idiotic thing he could have done as he stabbed at her throat with the spear. It was more annoying than anything for her as the tip grazed off a shimmering field around Akemi above her skin. "Thats it, if you can't use these responsibly…" Akemi grasped both of the guard's spears with her tails and held them high above them.
As she dismissed her silence spell she stared at the guard. "[Message]. Oi, why did you not tell your guards I was coming? Whatever… Should I go to the same place? Fine, I'll be there." Akemi held a finger to the side of her head to focus on her message a bit better and groaned. "Alright you two move aside, do not follow me or raise the alarm." Akemi commanded and watched as despite the Guard's facial expressions, they stepped off to the side and out of her path. Akemi dropped their spears at their feet as she entered the castle.
It was surprisingly active in the castle as even more people busied themselves that early in the morning. Before yet more guards and soldiers could rush at Akemi they were halted by a high pitched voice. "Stop! No one attack her, she is my friend!" Akemi saw down the hallway the Queen once again In her previous child form. Inside she felt a bit bad for the Queen, having to put on an act can be exhausting…
"Welcome Akemi, are you almost ready?" Draudillon asked as she waved for Akemi to follow her while she scampered off in a not at all dignified way, adorable, but not like how a Queen would walk or run. It felt odd seeing it as she knew there was a beautiful woman older than herself under that illusion. She followed the Queen into the council chamber she had been in the night prior.
"I really am not going to miss having to act like that!" Draudillon shouted as soon as the thick and likely sound proof doors closed, yet she didn't remove her illusion yet.
"I don't blame you… I'm not comfortable trying to act stiff, proper, and like I deserve the respect my people give me… I guess it is a bit of the opposite for you?" Akemi asked as she took a seat across from Draudillon. As she did so Dahl entered in from another door behind the Queen.
"There you are Dahl, how are things looking? Are we prepared for refugees?" Draudillon asked and leaned back in her chair.
"We have enough food stored I believe, as sadly between all three cities I would not count on more than a city's worth having survived. As for medical supplies and our priests… never enough." At that Draudillon looked over at Akemi.
"Well Akemi, you did you your divine healing magic is open to our use? We will certainly have need of it." The Queen said.
"I was already intending on that. So I have this for you two… and Bahgram, I guess…" Akemi wrinkled her nose at the name like it personally offended her. She reached into her inventory, which that itself got a bit of a wide eye from the other two. Pulling out her mirror of viewing Akemi double checked the enchantments on it to confirm it would work. "It is pretty simple to use, you'll figure it out with some messing around. As for what it does… See?" Akemi said as she placed the mirror on the table in front of Draudillon.
On the mirror was a view of Akemi from behind, almost like a third person camera in real time. "Wow… This is pretty useful, I might keep this also." The Queen said with a chuckle.
"Oi, considering that that thing follows me everywhere I'm taking that back after the battle. I will get that ring back also, I can't afford to just give that thing away." Akemi said with a grumble.
"Now now, there is no need to be stingy. If you want the ring back you just have to replace it with another~ This thing really is useful, for once I feel great! Now… do you want to speak to the army before this all happens?" Draudillon asked after she flashed the ring she was 'borrowing' on her left ring finger.
"We'll… discuss that once everything is settled… and I can bring my family here to back me up, it feels like I'm up against three people at once." Akemi complained as she stood up. "That isn't a great idea… almost everyone sees me as a Beastwoman because they don't know the difference between Beastmen and women and anything non-human. After I deal with this and prove myself I'll say a few words if necessary. I'll make sure people will have full confidence on what side I'm on."
"I'll make sure to tell my forces who our savior is. The sooner this is dealt with the sooner I can ditch this form… I heard word Cerabrate and Crystal Tear is on their way, and are set to arrive tomorrow. I can't wait to tell him to screw off…" The Queen hissed. "I'll deal with the troops and the speech, will you be waiting until sunrise? That should give me plenty of time." She said as she hopped off her chair with the mirror in hand.
Akemi stretched and picked her weapon back up from where she leaned it on the table. "I'll be waiting, when daylight first touches the city I'll strike with the sun at my back, that should catch them by surprise. I'll go get started then, starting with Avala, then Neve, and last Hearth. Move your forces out as soon as they are ready, it will be a pretty quick battle. [Fly], [Greater Teleportation]." And with that she flashed out of sight.
It was all too well Akemi couldn't see the look on the Queen's face in that moment. "She gets more and more interesting." She said in a smug tone, all while Dahl followed behind her shaking his head in surrender.
Scorched and cracked walls lined the perimeter of an aged city that seemed devoid of all life. All the movement within seemed to be it's occupiers that numbered only a fraction of the of the original inhabitants.
Three hundred meters above ground Akemi hovered with flight magic, and glared into the crumbling city that smelled of death and blood. She had seen enough sights in the first five minutes to make her already regret her large breakfast. As the Beastmen awoke from tents and ruined buildings they all seemed to gather in the main square of that city to fight with each other over wrapped chunks of meat, snapping at each other for what they felt were the best cuts.
The fact that those pieces of meat was human was not lost on Akemi, and just fed the rage she felt. She saw large cages kept in a different area that were filled with people that looked drained of life. Akemi didn't know how long they had been kept there, but they seemed all to have seen death. Yet a few whimpered cries still emerged from cages, children in such terror that it was impossible to stay quiet as they huddled together for warmth and the illusion of safety.
Akemi counted the minutes while she grit her teeth, her rage only building, as shown in her tails that whipped the air. While it was in truth, a short amount of a time, how long Akemi had to wait there in the air for the sun to finally wash over the city felt like years. Akemi felt her blood boil as more of the details of the city were revealed. Such a beautiful city… stained in blood, turned into one massive butchery.
She held her weapon up to the sky as her slitted eyes glared at the Beastmen below with pure loathing. "[Armageddon-Good] [Summon Angel Seventh: Dominion Authority]" Akemi unleashed a portion of her magic in a tenth and a seventh tier spell, to give the Beastmen a taste of their own hell.
With the sun at Akemi's back to hide her movements, dozens of Angels formed behind her out of her offering of mana. They appeared similar to Archangel Flames, but with thicker armor and with a greater variety of weapons, With a bright light that even matched the morning sun for but a moment, as well as causing several strange ethereal feathers to fall from the sky, one massive angel formed above Akemi, who's force of presence was second only to the aura of majesty Akemi gave off as her eyes glowed bright blue.
"Archangel Tempests, snipe every Beastman in your sights and keep any messengers from leaving. Archangel Locusts, charge forth and cut them all down! Dominion Authority keep watch on any Beastman that can hold their ground against one angel and intervene if they last more than ten seconds. Do not allow a single one to live! Protect every human life here, let not a drop more of their blood be spilled. Go!" Akemi pointed at the city and watched the one hundred and one angels flood the city like a biblical punishment of old. "A seventh tier angel and one hundred level thirty angels should suffice. Where was that commander looking fellow?" Akemi thought as she tracked the one who was giving orders to make the crowd of Beastmen earlier calm down at their 'breakfast' time.
Akemi watched as those angels struck hard and fast, before most of the Beastmen that lounged in the city square could even look up from what ever meat they had gotten for breakfast they had come under attack from above. Several Beastmen that were more capable began to fight a losing battle against a singular angel, but that would come to an end either from a holy arrow from above, or from another angel joining the fray from behind them, tipping the already skewed balance of power further.
With a feel deep breathes Akemi tried to calm herself through the rage that dyed her vision in red as she dove towards the city. In but an instant of her own time she had reached the street where a larger Beastman had begun to bark orders. Another instant later the two Beastmen near him, likely his guards, fell over dead from being sliced in half at the waist.
The one Akemi was after could only stumble back for a few feet before falling on his ass, his gaze stuck on the toothed maws of his men that hung open in death.
"Up close you really are basically just mostly animals. How people keep thinking I'm like all of you is beyond me…" Akemi complained as she stared down at the Beastmen she had assumed to be a leader. They were all completely furred and only really human shaped in the vaguest sense of the word from walking on two legs that were not even jointed the same way as a human. "Now… lets get some information."
It had started off a decent enough day for Flagor in the conquered city of Avala. The temperature had gotten rather cold overnight, but that didn't bother him or his men, and it kept the Meat quiet. It wasn't cold enough to kill them overnight, but just cold enough they would calm down and conserve their energy.
"Quit your barking you lot! You'll get meat when I say you do!" He shouted at the crowd of Beastmen gathered in the center square. Despite what other thought, he could at least do mathematics, and had been trying to figure out how many meat rations to give the crowd for the day so they wouldn't run out any time soon. With his current stock of meat he knew they would never breed fast enough to be sustainable as a food source, but it was what their leader wanted…
"Two legs, or two arms! Take your pick and no fucking shoving!" He shouted at his pack who cheered once distribution began. "Olind, tell the butchers to pick out thirty for butchering, we'll need to restock." He told a third Beastman that walked near him.
"Got it Pack leader." The black furred Beastman named Olind separated from the other three and towards the meat storage.
"We have maybe a few weeks worth left… We're running out of feed for the meat. We were only told to hold this city until food runs out, then head back to the main pack. We've done our job here, What do you two say to one last big celebration before then? We may as well eat every last scrap before we go, that should get the boys motivated." Flagor said with a snort from his snout.
"Ha! I knew there was a reason you're the pack leader!" One of the two Beastmen guards that walked in front of him said, right before they froze in place.
It was a moment after that he heard roars and screams coming from the main city square where he had left the bulk of his men. "Dammit I leave them alone for five minutes! You two with me-" His voice was cut off as his two guards fell over dead like cut open bags of meat, the still pulsating organs that were above or below the cut and were still whole spilled out from both halves of their bodies.
In the next moment a nine tailed human woman- "No… humans don't have tails… Demi-human? What is a Demi-human doing her-" His thoughts were interrupted as she had pointed at him after mumbling to herself. "[Dominate]." And so his conscious thoughts cut off from his control, the last actions of his life unknown to him.
"Tell me your orders and command structure." Akemi demanded as that Beastman knelled before her.
"We are to occupy the city until we run out of food, and then move onto any other towns or villages. Fifty percent of the humans we capture are to be sent back to the main War pack and homeland for cultivation. We are under orders from High Pack leader Viazut, our Ruler and the leader of the War pack. I am Flagor, the Pack leader of this human city."
Akemi gritted her teeth as she thought of how callous these beasts were, talking about sentient beings as just some sort of food source. She already knew that the sights she had seen there would haunt her likely long life.
As she raised her blade to behead Flagor she thought of something better, fueled by those darker emotions running through her. "Your next orders, aid the angels and kill your men. When there are no more Beastmen alive slit your belly and die slowly." She ordered and watched Flagor wordlessly rush off back towards his men while unstrapping the great axe from his back.
She didn't feel good about what she just did, but she tried to not let it get to her as she floated back up into the sky and turned her gaze towards the next large city in the distance that was very likely more of the same.
Back from the direction where she came from she saw the banners of the Dragon Kingdom mixed in with a 'small' army of soldiers on horseback riding towards the city. "Right on schedule." Akemi said as she mentally commanded her Angels to rise above the city once she sensed the last Beastman had died, the last besides Flagor who she saw had dutifully carried out her order and laid dying in the main square among numerous Beastmen.
It was a small amount of Beastman for one city, only a few hundred, not many seemed to be needed to hold off a human army. "With their stat differences I guess they don't need many… How the hell did the Dragon Kingdom survive this long?" Akemi knew now it was only due to the lazy pace of the invading army.
"[Widen Maximized Magic: All Greater Heal]." Akemi's magic washed over the area of the city where all the living humans were kept in big metal cages, and healed them all as best she could. "Not that I can help all those mental wounds… So useless…"
She looked over the ruined city, and tried to imagine how beautiful it was before this war. All she saw now of that city was a half eaten carcass left behind to be picked over and rot.
"Hmm… These two will do. All of you back up!" A Beastman with the face of a leopard roared into the cage stuffed full of people. When that Beastman pointed though it made Halen's heart sink, as he pointed at her young brother in her arms, and her mother holding them both, as if she could shield them from that violence that was absolute in it's disregard for their humanity.
"Mommy! Filli! Let go of them!" She shouted out through her tears as two clawed hands reached through the cell door once it opened and grasped both those two by their necks, pulling them out without seeming any effort needed.
The screams of her mother and brother echoed in her head and kept Halen from letting go of her Mom, getting pulled out of the cage with them. "No don't touch them! Please!" She cried out before she was pried off her mother and slammed on the ground. As they made to shove her back in the cage the Beastman who pointed her family out in the first place just shrugged.
"Keep her there, she can watch, and then we'll harvest her early. Don't worry you mutts I'll share." He 'joked' in a toothy grin, to the cheering of the other Beastmen guarding all the large cages where an open market used to be.
"Helen no! Please forgive her!" Her mother yelled out even as she was dragged kicking and screaming towards the stump and axe, still stained in blood, that had been used to behead every other human they 'harvested' in front of all the others.
Helen found she couldn't worry much about herself as she watched her mother's head get forced onto that block and held in place despite her struggling, while her tiny little brother of only four cried his heart out as best he could as he was held high up by his shirt. "Hmm… I'm sure the Pack leader won't care too much if he gets the bigger one instead of this screamer. If you all keep it a secret you can have one after dark." The Beastman in charge said to his fellows as he took her little brother into his own huge clawed hand.
Her eyes were torn between two terrible sights of watching her mother be beheaded and butchered like some common cow, or her little brother being devoured then and there. Despite it all she couldn't close her eyes as the shock of the moment started to freeze her thoughts in place, her struggles slowing on the ground where she was held. She wasn't even able to look away as the one pinning her kept her head tilted up to watch the horror show.
The butcher raised his axe above her mother, and the small boy's head was brought closer to the fanged maw of his captor in preparation to crush it between his jaws, she could only wait for the worst. At the young age of nine she had already acknowledged her life was over, and that moment sealed it, the fact they had said she would be next didn't phase her as she already began to wish for the release of death.
She could barely process it as the butcher's arms and head toppled to the ground, soon to be followed by the rest of him and his axe. Her little brother was no longer in the hand of the beast, with said hand laying on the ground, and the Leopard Beastman bleeding onto the dirt from a cut across the throat, writhing in pain and dying.
The blood thirsty roars that followed made her vision dim from the pressure before they ceased as suddenly as they started. Her head was released, though she was still trapped as that Beastman suddenly turned into dead weight on top of her. Suddenly she could not breath as the bulky form crushed her! The Beastman was thankfully pulled off her and tossed to the side, and she saw the tearful face of a blood stained woman with fox ears.
"Why is she crying?"
Akemi didn't care about her tears being seen, not with what she had nearly seen as she killed every Beastman near her before they had a chance to notice her move. "[Widen Maximize Magic: All Greater Heal]. The city of Neve will soon be free again, your country's army is on their way to help, just sit tight alright?" Akemi said as she forced a smile on for the girl that was staring at her.
As she looked into her arms at the frightened young boy she had snatched from the Beastman She felt a hand clutch her robes. "T-thank you nice lady…" The girl was eventually able to force out, once she got her bearings again.
"You are welcome little one. I'm going to cut open the cages but I insist on you all staying in this one area for your own safety. My Angels are sweeping the area for more Beastmen, so once it is fully quiet and you see the Angels fly off it will be safe for you to move." Akemi said as she stretched her tails out down the rows of cages, cutting through locks like they were made of tin foil.
Akemi noted the frightened looks she got from many of those humans, and she didn't blame them. She shook her head and moved over to help that mother up off the block, and felt a jolt of pain as the woman screamed and pushed her away. As the woman seemed to realize what she did she looked at Akemi in fear, expecting anger there. "I-I'm sorry!"
All Akemi could do was smile sadly at the woman and hold out her son. "Your people will be here within the hour, you all will soon be safe. I… wish there was more I could do to help." Akemi said and began to fly off before any more words could be said to her. Akemi hovered in the air the and tried to collect herself. She could feel her emotions slipping as every aspect of the memories being made in these cities kept jumping to the front of her mind. Every drop of blood scattered on stone, the smell of inner organs that had spilled from their eviscerated shells.
"Dammit Akemi… now is not the time to get hysterical!" Akemi told herself as she tried to get her mind back on task. She closed her eyes to get information from her scouting summons she had summoned once she entered the Kingdom, and narrowed the stream of information to the few Kudagitsunes she had hovering near the Beastmen Army further south. "Dammit all… [Message]. Draudillon, there is a problem. We're moving too slow, My scouts report movement from their main force, so I'll be moving to intercept them soon. When I get to Hearth and clear it of Beastmen I'll open up a Gate near Neve, so if you can have a detachment ready to take Hearth it will be much quicker. It doesn't have to be many men, just enough to reassure the civilians, all the Beastmen will already be dead." Akemi said through the message.
"Got it, I'll relay that to Bahgram. Are you doing okay? You aren't looking so good." The Queen asked with worry clear in her mental tone. Strangely enough there was a static noise that covered the Queen's sounds somewhat through the connection.
"I'm… I'll be fine, there is no time for me to get emotional on the battlefield." Akemi told her as she commanded her angels to leave Neve and make their way further south and their next target. She flew alongside Dominion Authority and tried to keep her mind on task. "Can you… talk to me while I fly?" Akemi asked Draudillon.
"Oh you're still connected? I suppose, was there something else you needed?" The Queen asked in a distracted tone.
"Sorry I guess you would be quite busy, I'll let you go." Akemi said and felt her mood deflate just a bit as she disconnected from Draudillon. "You're dumb Akemi… Why are you trying to casually chat with a Queen with so much on her plate? Just stop being a bitch and do your job…" Akemi scolded herself as the next city, Hearth, quickly came into view. "I want this place cleared faster, there seems to be more of them here closer to their main force. Oh I know what can make this more 'fun' for them. Angels gather near me." Akemi grinned at her own plan as those robot-like summons got within her range, one large flying ball of wings.
"[Widen Magic: Indomitably], [Widen Magic: Haste], [Widen Maximized Magic: Heaven's fervor]." Akemi cast her buffs and sent those summons down into that city in a dive bomb while Akemi flew towards the main city gate. "Now it is really like some sort of divine wraith, invisible super charged Angels… I'm mean." Akemi mumbled to herself as she saw Beastmen get cut down without spotting their attackers.
"[Extend Magic: Sense Life]. They are clearing it fast… Good. [Gate]." Akemi opened a portal behind her, and let it grow larger. "[Message]. Oi Bahgram, send that detachment through the gate. I swear if you say it is a trap…"
From the other side of her message she heard just a growl before one person passed through. Akemi closed the connection between their minds as Bahgram himself emerged from her Gate. "Perfect, this saves time. This place is almost clear of Beastmen, don't attack my Angels or they might fight back, they are currently going to be invisible to you right now so don't freak out when that stops." Akemi said as she cast some cleaning magic on herself to shed off all the blood still stuck to her.
"You've at the very least proven you aren't an enemy… We'll take things from here." He said and walked back through the Gate for a moment, and in his place rows of soldiers marched on through, shooting her suspicious looks as she stood aside for the group.
Akemi stood off to the side as those men filed out and took formation in front of Bahgram once he reemerged from the portal to stand among his men. "There are are three thousand and three hundred and forty five people still alive in this city, they'll be scared and hungry, but the enemies are dead so you have run of the city." Akemi told those gathered forces who were staring at her suspiciously.
"You heard her! Get to it men!" Bahgram directed his men through the busted open city gates. "What Fox?" He asked as he turned towards Akemi, though his gaze kept drifting to Ex Oblivion. "Where did you get such a weapon? You steal it?"
"Well… That is a step up from Beastwoman." Akemi's eye twitched at the accusation and she growled at him despite the fake smile on her face. "This is the best weapon I ever crafted. I should stab you with it for accusing me of being a common thief." She complained as her forced calm faded.
"Well… you are not as bad as I thought… for a Demi-human. Just keep your hands off the Queen and we'll get along fine."
That seemed to take her by surprise as her tails fluffed up. "Me keep my hands off her? This whole 'engagement' thing is her idea… I'm not even sure how serious she is about it… You aren't so bad yourself, for a bald monkey." Akemi cracked a smile and looked towards the south, past the city. "The enemy is on the move. Keep watching that direction, I'll end that battle in a single spell. I might be immature and lacking in many ways, but I'll demonstrate that my power is very real." Akemi declared as she recast her fly spell and floated upwards.
"I'll be watching. Thank you…" He said, though the last part was so far under his breath Akemi was not sure if she even heard it.
With a slightly lighter heart Akemi flew over Hearth and towards the section of the city that the soldiers had reached that was filled with yet more cages of people that looked agitated and elated in equal measure once their captors fell over dead from weeping wounds. Without bothering to fly down she did a quick check for injuries. "[Widen Maximize Magic: All Greater Heal]. Damn that takes an annoying amount of mana making a heal that big…" Akemi held up her hand and focused on one of the rings. "Better top off before I fight… [Activate Equipment: Elysian Tear]" Akemi felt like a weight had fallen off her shoulders as she pulled from the stored mana in her ring till she was full once more.
"Three extra mana bars storage was a lot more useful in Yggdrasil… So much of my gear is going to waste…" Akemi lamented, knowing that it would take twice the amount of mana to refill the thing, its one drawback. There was no such thing as free mana after all. She flew at top speed towards her next battlefield.
Once the last of the Beastmen in the cities were fallen, Akemi dismissed the angels she had left, already having a plan for dealing with an army. Akemi noticed as the sun was obscured just a bit by the clouds that had rolled over the mountains, darkening the last battlefield for the day. Inside she found it scary how well the weather could represent her current mood, the roiling thunder clouds being perfect at expressing how much frustration she felt, the tension that made her body ache, like lightning about to be let loose.
Even if it was pitch black Akemi knew she would be able to find that army, if only from the smell downwind. "I am seriously regretting having a Kitsune's sense of smell…" She thought as the retched stench of tens of thousands of man-eating Beastmen fully hit her nose.
The smoke and light of thousands of torches revealed to Akemi just the scope of enemies she would be facing. "I might have… underestimated how many people one hundred and fifty thousand is…" Akemi knew that was more of a limit of her brain, past a certain scale it was just difficult for a normal mind to picture. It was a veritable flood of enemies that were slowly on the move deeper into the Kingdom. An ocean of bodies that she could barely see all of from her high vantage point.
"Oh this is going to hurt… Need to find their leader though. [Widen Magic: Mass Sense Statistics]." As she cast that spell she nearly tumbled out of the air from the shock to her brain. She couldn't even form a word in her head as she tried to filter out all the useless information she got about so many thousands of people. Eventually she narrowed the list down to the few higher level Beastmen. "There you are Viazut, I'm coming for you." Akemi thought and took a few deep breathes. Feeling something wet on her face she wiped her nose and was was shocked as it revealed several streaks of blood. "Okay don't use that spell around an army, I still have a fleshy brain that can be hurt… That actually did some damage… Good to know for later I suppose." She thought as she cast some silent healing spells on herself and felt her headache start to be relieved.
She knew her passive Major Regeneration would have taken care of it within a couple minutes, but she knew she needed a clear head for what was next. Once she felt capable of movement again she floated lower towards the army and headed off in the direction of her target, closer to the center of the the mass.
Soon enough she had flown high above the entire army and spotted a Beastman massive enough to put the rest to shame. He was easily over eight feet tall, and bulging with muscles, it was clear that survival of the fittest was how the ruler was chosen for them all. Their leader Viazut walked with several other large Beastmen in front of a mass of covered wagons that were dragged by his men. It wasn't hard for Akemi to guess who was in the wagons as she smelled the air. "So they're bringing their 'supplies' with them…" Akemi counted up the enemies closest to the wagon and ran through her options.
"[Widen Magic: Repulse Evil]." Akemi cast towards the center of the group of wagons and watched an invisible wave of force pulse out from that location. The Beastmen closest screamed as that wave of force would burn their fur as it hit them like a hurricane force gust of wind, pushing them further away from the wagons. A few of the Beastmen that were inside of the wagons were launched out as well, taking with them the fabric on top of the wagons, exposing all those cages to the open air.
Once her enemies were away from the civilians she cast again. "[Widen Magic: Greater Sanctuary]." Another spell was cast at the center of the group, forming a dome of holy energy around them, sealing them off from the battlefield.
She swooped down and landed among all those Beastmen, right in front of Viazut with her Celestial Aura on low.
"Greetings High Pack Leader Viazut Mirefang, you and your men seem quite far from home." Akemi put on her mask of a noble ruler and tried to not feel intimidated by what amounted to a werewolf that towered over her. She knew she was the stronger one, but he was… intimidating to be sure. "Level twenty eight… So around the same strength as that man Gazef? I could see why the Dragon Kingdom was having trouble with him." Akemi planted the butt of Ex Oblivion in the ground and casually leaned on it.
Akemi desperately suppressed any fear she might feel as that mountain of a beast stared her down. A short bark from it seemed to signal the Beastmen around her to lunge at her, ready to tear her apart. "[Brilliant Radiance]." Akemi simply cast as the area directly around her was turned into a pillar of bright light that lit up the gloom and caused all to take a few healthy steps back.
The Beastmen closest to touch her were erased as that light touched them, while the beam seemed to do nothing to her. "Glad Divine damage heals me instead… I don't care what these bastards think, but I need those witnesses in the wagons to have a good impression, they'll tell the story. I'm sure the Queen is still watching also…" She thought as she looked at Viazut with contempt and pity.
"Tiny wretch! Who are you? Where did you come from?" He growled at her, spittle flying out as he seemed to have to resist the urge to lunge at her himself.
"Who I am is unimportant for you, as is where I come from. All you need to know is I am here on behalf of the Dragon Kingdom to 'deal' with you." Akemi said as her tails flicked around behind her. As another Beastman lost his senses and tried to charge her from behind, a tail was quick to lunge out in return.
Akemi looked behind her and lifted up the Beastman she had impaled through the skull with the end of her tail. She tossed that body away and shook off the blood from her fur with a frown.
"You aren't any of the ones this land of cattle has sent before… A cowardly magic caster this time? Why do you defend these cattle Fox? You aren't human, you have no loyalty to them." He questioned and seemed to be analyzing Akemi for openings in her defense.
"Sentient beings are not food, and you are quite harmful to my cause of making a peaceful world for Demi-humans by acting like this. It is completely evil, the cruelty I've had to see today. I'm giving you all a chance to go and live your lives in peace, and all you have to do is retreat behind your own borders like good little dogs. I've already killed every one of your men to the last in the cities you've taken. I very much don't like taking lives, but you are really forcing my hand…" Akemi complained.
"You fox bitch… I've dealt with enough of your kind to know you aren't shit! It is all about illusions and putting on this fake bravery… What is going to happen is we'll kill you, suck the marrow from your bones, and then that Kingdom of cattle is going to be put in their place and be the food they are meant to be! It is the issue of lesser beings, I bet you just haven't experienced the type of joy that can only come from realfood! You would think twice about getting in our way if you knew that, the pleasure of a fresh kill and meat, and The crunch of one of the tiny mewling cattle's skulls when you crush them in your ja-" That Beastman was interrupted as his own massive skull hit the ground, several seconds after that the rest of his body fell.
"Disgusting… Unforgivable… utterly Unforgivable!" Akemi was trembling in rage, and slashed wildly through the beast men around her with her razor sharp tails, crushing them into a bloody mess, or impaling them and throwing their bodies away. "I… I heard the stories, I saw it even today, but I still didn't want to believe… that people could be this… Evil! No better than goblins… or demons." Akemi finally stopped her rampage as the only living Beastman left were a few dozen meters away from her spot in the middle of the tens of thousands strong pack she had invaded to confront their leader directly, the leader she had just beheaded. She felt blood run down her blood from the massacre she had accomplished from her tail's flailing. It was enough for her stomach to start to turn as her senses were saturated from that same blood. "I suppose peace is a pipe dream with you all… I had a small hope I'd get you all to turn around but… Some people only see force… So I'll show you force!" As Akemi said this, the Beastmen around her could only watch as a mass of glyphs appeared around her in a golden orb, swirling and forming strange arcane shapes.
The air around her trembled, almost as if superheated from the aura she gave off. It was that same aura that kept more Beastmen from rushing her as those glyphs continued to spin around her, weaving what ever spell she was planning.
None of them knew what it was they were seeing, they only knew that they could not let her succeed. When any one Beastman got too close, they were all knocked onto their knees from a wave of pressure emitted from Akemi, her Celestial Aura on fully, and her eyes glowing an icy blue. Some of the more intelligent ones of the pack began to flee in the other direction, they didn't know magic themselves, but they had never felt magic quite like that the times they had seen it!
A strange calm settled over Akemi's mind as she concentrated, trusting her Celestial Aura to keep the Beastmen from getting too close to interrupt her spell. They couldn't get to her within the casting time that was just a fourth of the normal. All had to watch as that dome of glyphs expanded outwards further, and then upwards as a pillar of golden light reached into the heavens.
"Evil beasts that know not the concept of mercy or peace, hear the sound of the your end and face divine judgment! [Super Tier Magic: Trumpet of the Rapture]!" Akemi cried out as the sky was soon imbued with the same shade of gold as her magic, In an instant that growing dusk of the stormy sky was replaced by the warmest of morning light, blinding those down below as it pieced through the storm clouds. The Beastmen stared up as golden feathers began to rain from the sky, turning into golden dust as they neared the ground.
It was peacefully quiet, as not a single one could make a noise in response to the majesty of that spell. It was beautiful in a disturbing and otherworldly way, a sight that should not appear within their plane of existence. Later on the Queen would only be able to describe it as the color and shade of Hope itself. She had looked away from the mirror to look out from the castle walls and towards Akemi's battlefield, and was able to see the light from so far away.
The silence was broken by a low chorus of trumpets that seemed to come from the sky, played so delicately that they could barely hear it, yet so many of those Beastmen dropped to their knees to listen as closely as they could, so lured in it's majesty. As the sound of more trumpets joined the chorus, the music swiftly increased in volume to near deafening levels. That feeling of Hope that even the Beastmen felt would be their last feelings as deep inside of each of them that magic would delicately wrap it's way around something far more fragile and precious than vital organs, but the soul. The feeling of their soul igniting in a burst of golden flames was the last they all felt as such a feeling as Hope clashed with the evil in those souls, judging them and finding them wanting.
Akemi watched with a saddened gaze as that tide of Beastmen turned into a sea of flames that writhed around in angry waves, formless unless Akemi raised her palm upwards. That sea of golden holy fire swirled around in a shrinking whirlpool, and centered on her hand, gathering there at her whim.
It only took but a minute for the flames that came from so many tens of thousands to compress down into a small pearl, in which those flames could still be seen swirling around. Akemi looked at the item in her palm and thought of what to do with it for a moment before she put it in her inventory.
"Its done… I d-did it…" Akemi knew she should be basking in that cheering she heard from those wagons as the civilians in those cages saw all, but instead she felt sick.
"I already know this isn't a game but… No, no Akemi It isn't the time!" She tried to stop herself, yet as It dawned on her all that she did. She hadn't even noticed she had fallen onto a knee as she held a hand over her mouth to try and stop herself from puking. Stumbling back up she walked towards those cages, all the words of the captives not even registering in her ears, not the thanks, or the fear. Akemi just broke open cages with her extended tails, and let those people do what they wanted.
"[Gate]. I've come to rescue you at the request of Queen Draudillon. Follow me, This will take you all to Capital City Viriathus." Akemi smiled at the scared civilians as they bunched together. There were a few thousand of them and were only there for what Akemi could guess as the Beastmen's food source.
Akemi didn't wait for them as she headed through her portal, her mind already craving the comforting embrace of home to wash away the horrid feeling that had begun to overtake her mind.
She wasn't surprised to see a detachment from what was left of the Queen's army ready to meet her back at the capital. For just a moment Akemi's mind moved to the possibility of the Queen suddenly turning on her… but she knew the woman was smarter than that, or so she hoped.
Akemi knew this wasn't the case as she looked into the Queen's eyes, still in her child form, and saw the joy and heavy emotions in her eyes. Akemi put a hand on her temple to focus "[Message]. Shall I leave you for the day? I'm sure you'll have a lot to talk about and to do." Akemi mentally asked to keep their conversation quiet.
"Ah, yes that is acceptable. Please, bring your family tomorrow, I wish to meet them as well for these talks. We have much to discuss, but you also seem rather tired. Perhaps come around lunch?" Akemi couldn't quite tell, but the Queen sounded almost hesitate to respond to her. She wasn't about to deny herself that out, she was completely done for the day in more ways than one. After all the civilians had filed through her Gate and left in the care of that army, it was just a singular Greater Teleportation spell back home. She knew she had likely forgotten a few things to do, but she didn't care.
She instantly got looks as she reappeared in her settlement. What should have felt like home felt nearly as cold as her. It took her a moment to wonder why her people were looking at her in concern until she wiped her face with a sleeve. With a silent cast her body and clothes were cleaned of blood and ash. Akemi opened her mouth to speak to them all, but felt no energy left to put on that fake mask of being some noble being, not when she felt like more of a monster than ever.
With a slight bow to them all she tried to walk to her home without stumbling, and barely succeeded. Opening up the door she could smell that no one was home, not even Lorelei. She almost panicked at that until she remembered the wheelchair she had conjured for them that was missing as well. "They must be out on a walk or something…" She thought as she moved to her bedroom.
Staring at that medium sized bed, more fit for her and Hannyuu she felt frustration. "[Break Greater Item]." She cast and watched that bed turn to ash that also faded away. Akemi moved the night stands to the corner of the bedroom and stepped back. "[Create Greater Item]." In it's place an even larger bed appeared, filling out more space and hopefully having more room for them all.
She didn't have the energy to use her quick change spell, and just stripped off her Divine level battle robes, discarding them on the ground along with everything else on her body. Crawling into the bedsheets she let go of any other worry to finally let her mind shut down for a while after such a day, and the new weight on her shoulders. "So many looking to me for salvation… and now so many that I killed…" She thought and rolled around in that bed for a few moments, and then drifted to sleep buried in a mass of blankets and tails.
A/N: FFS this one was hard for me to write… I might be getting a tiny bit burnt out… So if this chapter seemed a bit rough, been having it a little rough atm x.x ran out of my heckin anxiety meds so I've been stuck waiting for them to get back. Hopefully once those are working again I'll get that creative spark back.
By all means tell me what you think, constructive feedback is always welcome, I try to reply to all comments if I can and I love talking to you all. It really makes me happy to see people enjoying what I write.
I am far more likely to reply on Ao3 as it is much easier with their system, you can also access chapters 3 days before they go up on here.