Chapter 1: Battle-Borns
Warning to Those who dislike stories that focus on human characters, I will either suggest for you to leave or withhold your anger comments. Besides, in fan-fiction, we makes our own rules and canon in the universes that we love to write to make it better according to our images.
It's been two years since the God of Order resurrected them and sent them to their ancestral world; Midgara. It was a huge disappointment that the humans of Midgara haven't achieved what their True Creator's gift or its cities they've visited hadn't evolved like the Cities of Sliariatall, the Prison Realm.
The Armored Draugr found that fact out after he feasts upon the entire tribe of monsters known as Amazons. During that he wanders the land looking for human settlements to find information. The information he received about the land he finds from that human village chief that land he stumbled upon is called the Lescatie. A kingdom that is supposed to be ruled by kings and queens, but actually ruled by a religious faction known as the Order.
He also finds out that the land his God sent him was somewhere in the debauched land known as the Demon Realm, the land filled with demons and monsters. It is said that people like Adventurers and "Heroes" that ventures into these lands were forever lost. When he heard about heroes, he scoffed at the notion of what heroes are to the world of Midgara because he personally knew about the Heroes of Sliariatall.
Before he could ponder about Midgara any further, he heard someone saying, "Hey, do you think he come from a noble family?"
The man in question, who sat on a coach of a carriage, slowly moved his armored head towards whoever was talking about him to find a pair of armed men walking side-by-side with a carriage in front of the armored warrior. Ever since he was hired to protect a merchant caravan, he is strongly annoyed by their gossip for quite some time, but nevertheless he listens to them.
"Despites his armor looks worned, his armor seems to be expensive armor."
"Aye laddie, his armor looks like a skilled craftsman and he ain't been taking care of his armor very well.
"Some people may mistake him as a male monster because of his helmet."
Once more, he scoffed to the people of Midgara. True that his armor may have aged a bit, but that was when he was dead. When he was alive, he personally forged his armor from the hardest metals of Sliariatall and slain monsters that were difficult to kill have to offer with the blessing of Roion of course. He crafted the helmet like the Mahoa warriors who crafted their armor to imitate the Great Beasts of Sliariatall. In his case, the helmet is modeled after the head of the dreaded Gorlsauff.
'This world never ceases to bore the daylights of me.' The Hidden Draugr turned his attention back to the carriage in front of him and merely stared at it for who knows how long as he was still a rock. Within his mind, he recalls his life as a human of Sliariatall such as his fights of fighting monsters and his fellowship with legendary warriors. As he remembers his former life, the carriage rocked violently causing the armored one grips back reality as the coachmen halted the horses.
Then, someone yelled in fear, "MONSTERS! Defend yourselves!"
Ambushing the caravan from the forest are humanoids with skins of pink, green or skins of wolves and height of big and small rushed to meet head on with the mercenaries of the caravan. Blades of steel meet the likes of hardwood, stone, rusted steel, and claws as several guards were knocked out by the likes of werewolves to goblins to the orcs and dragged to where the trees stand.
The High Orc, who stands along the alpha werewolves and the hobgoblins, smiles as she raises her club, "Tonight we shall warm our nights with our newly found husbands!"
The lowly orcs with their goblin brethren cheered and werewolves howl's victoriously as it boosted their miracle to convert the caravan into the welcoming arms of the Demon Realm. Well at least until they halted their tracks after seeing a werewolf and a number of goblins and orc were slaughtered in close-quarter. They stared in horror witnessing how they were brutally murdered by a frightening black knight with a helmet that looks like something out of the monsters of old wielding a cruel designed shield and a sword. They were shocked and awed at the black knight with some part of his armor bathed in the blood of their fallen comrades because it stands completely menacing as it slowly turned his armored face towards them.
He offers no words, just launches himself on the monsters as he dodge their attacks and offers no quarter. The Knight of Terror delivers not the warmth embrace, but the embrace of death as he hacked anyone close to him into pieces by relieving their bodys of their heads or limbs. The leaders of this coordinated strike stand paralyzed from seeing a single human man with such inhuman precision and speed against their lower brethren. Then, anger sets in their minds as they charge forward to meet the bloodthirsty sword manic to let the survivors escape with their lives or focus on weaker prey.
The Draugr, who looked at his kills as if they were food, before seeing another wave of monsters heading his positions. He stood still before the eyes hiding in his helmet moved to the arm holding the shield. Suddenly, he threw his shield towards the leaders, a werewolf was about to use her arm to knock the shield aside. But, the edge of the shield was too sharp as it cut off her arm and before she could scream at the pain, the shield slashed off the area where her assets were located. It doesn't stop at its first victim, but went through three hobgoblins, fleeing orcs, and goblins as it found itself struck to a boulder.
That caused most of the leaders to rethink this and stop their charging in favor of caring for the wounded, but the High Orc with the stubborn Hobgoblins and an alpha werewolf became more angry at this as they never stopped their charge. The Bloodied Knight's response is ready with his blade and waits for his targets a bit closer. The werewolf was the first as she leapt with her claws ready against the Knight, but the Knight merely skipped to the left as his sword swiped up and slashed her in half. The moment he turned around, a hobgoblin used her club to hit the Knight at the head, hoping it could knock him out. However, it merely moves his head to look on the right causing the hobgoblin to look in shock because she uses strength enough to knock off a human. She completely froze when she saw the eyes hidden in the helmet and swore that his left eye was bursting into flames.
Unlucky for her, the Grim Knight uses this moment to chop off her head and move on to the next hobgoblin. The High Orc was about to strike the Knight at the back, but all of the sudden she was the ground away from the fight. She was confused because she could swear she was very close to putting that murderer into the ground HARD. But, her answer was solved when she heard heavy footsteps, the High Orc quickly got on her hand with her club ready to fight whoever put her away from the fight.
She gasped in slight fright for there is another Knight that could be a partner to the one fighting the hobgoblins. This new combatant wears armor that completely covers his whole body like the armored Draugr and it looks similar to the mass murderer. But, the armor covering the hands and feet looks like the claws of a dragon or something like it. The armor makes the combatant look bigger than the average man as it designs in what seems to be dragon scales and tattooed in strange markings. The shoulder pads look like dragon heads with sharp teeth and the helmet will make anyone mistake the helmet as a literal monster head. Besides his armor looks like a monster from hell, it is the very fact that this Monstrous Knight stands as tall as the Ogres or it could be a bit taller based on the horn of the helmet.
The Giant cracks his knuckles and grabs his weapons of choice; the right holds a short arrow-shaped hammer and left holds a violent looking spiked metal pole. Unlike the Murderous Knight, the Behemoth waited for the High Orc to ready herself for combat. When the High Orc is ready for battle, she signs her own death warrant as her opponent casually approaches her. She raises her club above her head with an intent of wounding the giant of a man to escape his sight. But, the moment the club swung down, the Big One merely blocked that strike with the spiked pole in a horizontal direction. With no time at all, the armored giant used his strength of holding the pole against the High Orc by flipping her off.
This time, He didn't wait for the High Orc to get back up as he approached with a raised hammer. The High Orc saw this as she began to panic and attempted to accept a merciful defeat. Like the Killer, the Horned Giant smashes the High Orc's head with the hammer. It was a powerful strike to the head that it created a small crater that held the pulped remains of this "head of the snake."
The giant warrior sheathed his weapons by the belt or back side. Once he did, he turned around to find the Little One holding the last surviving Hobgoblin in one hand and sheathing his blade. He approaches the Small One to talk about his way he fights as there is the first time he sees his partner prolonged his battles against these monsters for extending their suffering. By the time the giant stands by his partner's side, the hobgoblin's neck finally broke by the pressure and the body was discarded to the ground.
When the last monster spectators saw the last remaining highborn, they fled the scene without any captured males as they focused on getting as far away from the two armored ones. As the rest of the humans in the caravans that witness their fight in disgust, the Armored Warrior, that wipe out numbers of the monster ambushers, looks up to meet the gaze of the Tall One for he could feel a disappointing feeling behind the helmet.
Before he could start a conversation, the rest of men started to cheer in victory toward the foreigners. One of them approaches the duo, he says in relief and joy, "You, guys a good job of driving them away! When we get to Lescatie, drinks are on me!"
"It was… nothing," said the Giant as his friend tried to clean the blood off his armor.
The focus slayer turned his sight on the mercenary, "It's best to keep moving, this attack proves we aren't in a safe place. Can you reply to our leader?"
The Mercenary nodded his head and ran off to do what the saviors' request. While the armored draugr makes sure no one is looking, he reaches his hand toward his shield locked in the boulder. Without resistance, the shield returns to the owner before he puts it on his back.
Before he returns to his position, he says to the one that slain the High Orc, "Volcanicus, I do what I must to restore the human race to their rightful place. If you wanted to argue, then let this stick to your head. This world never belonged to the Gods or Monsters. It belongs to us because it was a gifted to the One True Creator. It's time for us to take Midgara back into our hands."
The now named Volcanicus remains silent as ever and remains still as a rock. The head mercenary yelled out just in time as the warrior seated once more on the coach as Volcanicus positioned himself in front lines of the caravans.
"Alright lads, it's time for us to keep moving! We are not out of the woods yet. Keep a sharp eye open."
The mercenaries understand that as they either continue the pace of the caravan or embark into the carriages they were in before. The coachman, who sat near the armored knight, gazed his eyes silently towards him.
Sensing his eyes, the armored draugr says without looking at the coachman, "Do you have something to say to me?"
The coachman nervously replies, "So, Friend? I seemed to detect some unknowing accent you got. It kind of tells you that you're a foreigner, right?"
The partner of Volcanicus remains still as if he hasn't heard the coachman's small attempt at a conversation.
"R-ight, right," said the coach as his attempt at having some small talk with the bloodstained foreigner is getting nothing fast. "Um that big guy called you Arthur the Paragon, right? How do you earn that title?"
"…"
"R-ight! Um, how about the land you come from?"
Now the named Alard finally breaks his silence, "Let's get one fact straight, you do what you do best and I do what I do and leave it at that. Okay?"
The Coachman sensed a feeling of dread coming out from him which allowed himself to nod in silence and in his best interest to discontinue the conversation before anything violent happened to him.
The Paragon glanced his sight to the frightful coach as he was able to predict his thought process, more specifically about his land where he once lived his life may have been overrun by monsters. Arthur merely scoffs at such a thought, it is true that his land has fallen, but it falls in a different way than these pity excuses of mankind's greatest threats on Midgara. Like Volcanicus, Arthur has his fair share of actual threats: monsters that have desired the death of the human race, the most evil of mankind have to offer, invaders, jealous warriors, and unexpecting betrayals when he was a human.
He remembers the training he has undergone as well to prepare himself the day he will return to his ancestral land; only to find his home world is plagued by monsters that aren't equal to the likes of his strength or Volcanicus if they go all-out. The glory in being the tip of the spear to reclaiming Midgara back to the humans have turned into embarrassment and jokes if the people of Sliariatall finds out about the monsters too soon.
Either these monsters are too weak to exist or that they haven't used their real strength since they all wanted the sexual fluids of man. It's probably the latter since I've encountered many monsters of abnormal physical strength or magic that expressed their desires of him and ignorance to have him. They all ended in the same way as the monsters of Sliariatall: kills by his weapons or by his bare hands.
'I wished I faced a real monster soon or I might never get better!'
"Finally, We've reached the Capital!"
The men cheered at the sight of human civilization, but Arthur and Volcanicus sense this makes the 15th attempt to be insignificant for the Reclamation.
(Inside the Capital of Lescatie) Once they arrived within the safety of the city wall, the duo bid farewell to the merchants and the guards before the duo headed to the Guild for mercenaries to get the reward.
Since Volcanicus stands freakishly tall to the doors, Arthur was the only who entered the building that Guild currently uses. That and the fact Volcanicus can't stand he has to bend over in order to get in and out of the building as it is very annoying to him.
"He-here you go, 2,500 Gold coins a-as promised!" Said a nervous receptionist on the counter before doing a respective bow to the one man that haunts everyone's nightmares; the still-bloodstained Grim Knight. "H-have a-a-a good day, Sir!"
Arthur merely grabbed the pouch of gold and walked out of the building, leaving many, including the receptionist, to release a breath they were holding at the sight. Once he walks out of the door, Volcanicus, who stands against the wall of the Guild, walks to his position.
Arthur the Paragon looks at Volcanicus as no words were exchanged, but the transfer of the money bag. Volcanicus juggs the bag to hear if there is less or enough in the bag given.
Once he finished jugging, Volcanicus says, "Not bad, but we needs at least 4 more same rewards for us to move away from this cancer of a city."
Arthur merely nodded as he got a head start at heading the place they used as a home where it was located in the poorer areas in Lescatie; the Slums. Volcanicus put the bag into the belt as he too followed suit to reach the shared house.
The residents of The Slum districts watched weary as soon as they saw the Grim Knight and the Giantwalking through their streets and some of the alleyways as their plates and boots echoed with their clanking. Even beggars stopped begging because of Grim Knight's aura as well as both have horror-like appearance and none dare to provoke them.
As Arthur is dead sets on reaching their destination, Volcanicus shared curious behavior as he scanned the buildings in the area. He glanced at a building that served as an orphanage as his eyesight landed on a nun hanging along with the joyous children who were running around and playing games. She has long aqua-green hair and wore an ornamental nun outfit, but in a very revealing design that he questioned the Midgaran women in their choice of attire. In the end, it doesn't matter since the cultures of Midgara are expected to be completely different than the cultures of the Prison Realm.
By the time he walked past the orphanage, Volcanicus sense something as his gaze turned toward the source of that unwelcoming vibe. Only to found the nun looking in his direction. No, he was certain that she was looking straight at him and it isn't his height, but something else. Despites being known to Modern Lodmicans as a barbarian, his mind is sharper to notice her eyes full of suspicion and curiosity. In a professional matter of way, Volcanicus now knows that he is observing a warrior since his minds were ringing bells. The type of bells to keep your guard at all times.
After that brief encounter with a warrior nun, Volcanicus finally reach the house they have adopted as a temporary home. The house is decent according to the Paragon and a bit isolated from the rest of the slum is also a plus to Volcanicus since he knows about Arthur's current tastes for food. He reached for the key and unlocked the doorknob before entering. The house was decently cleaned with most walls and standard furniture that haven't been dusted. Good thing this old house has a fireplace, small kitchen, two bedrooms, a small privy chamber, and of course the cellar, which Arthur feasts on.
Having a feeling that Arthur is in the cellar, the Revenant went to the living with his back hunched due to the size as he grabs a book from the bookshelves. He takes a glance at the title: The Monster Girls Encyclopedia before he sits on the floor since the chairs are too thin to hold him.
Arthur the Paragon got this book from someone who accidentally dropped on the streets of a settlement that is deep in the land. It was a day before Arthur meets Volcanicus and after days of encountering Midgara monsters. Due to their experiences with these so-called monster girls, they thought that the information the book provided would give an edge at knowing the species, but the details are more biased.
Volcanicus cringed no matter how many times he opens this book, this encyclopedia gave out some details about these monster girls that is actually useful, when they go to war with them, and the rest are really are the writing of a depraved human being who prey upon the bodies of women instead of their personalities. With this information, he has concluded that after his ancestors were casted into the Prison Realm, Midgara has de-evolved somewhat.
At least seven centuries after their Chief God has defeated Roion, the monsters that once forced the Lodmicans out of Midgara, turned on their human allies due to seeing them as food. They are often led by the Demon Lords which the past Demon Lords take great measures to end humanity or turn them into slaves or livestock for their monsterkind. It's just another day to someone like Volcanicus and Arthur the Paragon when they were alive.
But, everything changes when a Succubus became the current Demon Lord before she married Midgara's strongest hero (which the act is considered to be traitorous to Lodmican society at first). Mainly because she does not seek war, but seek coexistence between the two race and breaking the cycle, the very thing that keep Roion and his people from returning in large droves, as her decision forever change the entire monster race of Midgara into the very beings they have sees to this very day and age.
Since that day, they no longer seek the humans like food like their ancestors do but indulge in their own version of romantic lust towards men. This romantic lust became tradition as it called "husband hunting," which for certain the Lodmician like himself will find not just a violation of human rights, but considers to be a newer version of man vs monster cycle. These monster girls didn't think or give a damn about getting a human male to be husband for reproduction and carnal pleasures. For the time their bodies connected became slaves in pleasures and believed the monstrous women to be better than human women. In any form of enslavement, Volcanicus pity them, a pity from a Lodmican who fought against the monsters of his own land and even his own kind in civil wars without any forms of Midgaran's mercy.
Then, there is the Order, a religious organization that has greater influence about ¾ of human "realms" as the rest of human realms are monster-friendly. However, the Order is the first and last human imperium as it rules the military, political, and religion of the majority of humankind. Much to his anger, they worship the Goddess who overthrows Roion as the Chief God of the world and mostly every human in the ¾ human realms worships her.
Even though they have several zealous inquisition branches, they considered reading the Encyclopedia being heresy by its Law, even though it may provide some information of handing the threats. He remembers Arthur the Paragon told him that when he encountered a group of inquisition members moments after getting the book. They tried to kill Arthur the Paragon with no questions asked before they faced worse deaths since Arthur still met him. He suspects that this could be a sign of corruption since Lescatie carries a wicked heart for the "higher-borne" looked down upon the common folk. It shocks him since Volcanicus united all of the "Barbarian's" tribes to handle threats like the Slothore Empire and the Great Cryptidosaurs when he was alive. Volcanicus won't display a merciful manner, but he carries a strong belief that unity is more important than high-borns.
The place both he and Arthur currently live in is one of the most important locations within the Order-owned lands because of their production of Heroes that trained their lives of kepting the monsters at bay. He literally facepalmed himself to contain his growing rage as these so-called heroes are often young and inexperienced as they were sent into battle before allying with the very beings they have sworn against just because they have beds warm by dick craving monsters.
Lucky for the natives of Sliariatall, they wouldn't have to worry about turning into the dark side by force. Volcanicus remembers his encounters with these succubuses, before teaming up with Arthur the Paragon, as they attempted "charming" him with many methods, but in the end they proved to be very annoying enough for Volcanicus to use lethal force. Even encountering former heroes turned into slutty beasts that wanted his cock pay the price of death and moments where warriors of great strength would allow themselves to be corrupted with their charming ways.
Volcanicus doesn't know the exact reason of why Sliariatall-borne humans were immune to this since their ancestors were of this world. Whether it's the environment of Sliariatall that allowed them to perfectly resists, the blessing of Roion that makes it possible, or the duo are technically undead due to how the succubus race sees him or Arthur, Soulless Husk or Freak. The encyclopedia explains that the souls of all living things are considered to be mana or essence of life and spirit energy. After all, Roion did recreate a new body for Volcanicus and reanimated Arthur's so that their souls could return to the land of the living.
As for the monsters, they have their own essence that serves as corrupting anything that has this "spirit energy" once they get in contact with their human victims. But the mana of his race differs from the likes of them as it only serves to produce magic to be ready to use within the person's mind. To make more mana energy is to expand one's knowledge or memories and just that. As long as one's desires to use the power of the mind, then magic is like a never ending goblet that doesn't require a person to sell his soul to do so.
Completely and totally different that ultimatelty determines a Lodmican's victory over any kingdoms of Midgara. Mainly because Lodmican wizards or those who use magik in any other way are capable of manipulating their own mana reserves and don't allow themselves to be corrupted by anything unless it is allowed.
"With the way things are, it will have a easy life for us," Volcanicus said as he closed the encyclopedia book before putting it back on a bookshelf until he looks at the floor, "Too bad that we must change this world, so that humanity will have a chance against what is coming!"
Suddenly, he heard a knock on the door, which he went to the door's entrance to take a small peek at the one knocking on the door. It was a girl with light-blue hair, wearing some revealing clothes with little armor and a sword strapped on her hip. He realizes that the person in question is a hero from this snake pit of a city.
He went away to head the entrance of the cellar due to his social skills, appearance, and size aren't exactly friendible. Once he reaches the kitchen, he looks where the least lookible place is where the door leading to the cellar is located. Once he found it, he opened it as his head went in since his body can fit though.
The Cellar is big enough for the entire house to sink in with multiple support beams keeping it from doing so. Touches were lifted enough for Volcanicus to see long tables filled with many of half-eaten, half-chopped or rotting corpses of the monster girls of various shapes and sizes. It always sickened himself at seeing what Arthur the Paragon had to eat to keep his sanity intact since his friend was reborn as a Draugr, an undead warrior who buried sites were disturbs as they rose out to lash down punishment. And once it rises out of the grave, the legendary warrior will have to eat the flesh of the living in order for them to remember who they are or they will kill anything moving on sight.
It may be slightly more powerful than a Lodmician war veteran and faster than the wolves in being Draugr. The only drawbacks are two: once he or she starts to hunger, they will start to see anyone as food and the more they kill or see unburied bodies, it shortens their control as hunger starts to kick in. Otherwise the only way for a Draugr to rest in place is burned into ashes, their heads cut off, or receive proper burials.
Well, Arthur the Paragon isn't a pure Draugr because of Lord Roion, but his friend is the very first person for Roion to bring back the dead. Unlike the Gods of Midgara, Roion doesn't allow altering the Balance and that includes messing with the natural order. However, since the Prison Realm is slowly collapsing as well as a greater threat is heading Midgara, there are some rules meant to bend if everything is at stake. Lucky for Volcanicus, he doesn't have to worry about Arthur the Paragon feeding on humans since the monster girls, according to Arthur, are a lot better than humans ever were. Unlucky, Volcanicus will have to bear with this curse until Roion enters Midgara with the rest of their kin.
Volcanicus finally saw a figure lurking in the shadows of the cellar as the figure reached out to grab an arm belonging to a serpent species called itself a lamia before the arm was pulled out of its socket. He watched as the arm disappeared from the flames sight only to hear bone breaking and flesh ripping sounds emitting from the figure. He knows that Arthur the Paragon is eating this much that lasts him a few weeks to a month's worth since he often thinks long terms.
Volcanicus, finally, makes his presence known to the hidden Arthur the Paragon, "Arthur, we have a problem?"
That caused Arthur to stop munching on the severed limb as his blue piercing glowing eyes looks at Volcanicus, "Intruder or Guest?"
"Guest based on her waiting on the door."
"Her?"
"She's a heroine from the church."
That caused Arthur to enter the light of the cellar with an unreadable look. Arthur is 6'1 foot semi-black haired man who appears to be in his late 20s to early 30s. His lack of a shirt reveals not just his body to be muscular and toned build, but also features of being an intelligent undead subspecies such as his body color is more white, scars, and some wounds that reveals the innards of himself. The biggest dead giveaways are a hole where his stomach should be located, which the organ in question is missing, and the right cheek seems to be torn off completing exposing the upper jaw.
"Why are you asking me this, instead of finding out what she wants with us?" asked Arthur who crossed his arms.
"You're better at talking with and delivering the message we wanted to send out to people."
Hearing that, Arthur gives Volcanicus a blank look as he turns his gaze to his armor that is still bathed in the blood of his enemies. Then back to Volcanicus' helmet before he argues, "You're better suited at those parts so you do it! I have spoken!"
With that, Arthur the Paragon resume devouring the corpses of monster girls as Volcanicus knows whenever Arthur said 'I have spoken,' often meant I am done with this conversation or final command. In his response, Volcanicus' lifted his head out of the entrance and deeply sighed as Arthur refuse to 'greet' the heroine.
Wilmarina Noscrim is a hero chosen by the Chief God to become the sword and shield of not just Lescatie, but of humanity as well. She didn't look like it since she is no older than seventeen and on the cusp of adulthood. She looked like an ordinary knight save for the hidden aura of divine strength that flowed in her veins. The blessings of the Chief God were given onto anyone who were worthy and Wilmarina will continue proving herself worthy of that trust.
She is the strongest hero to have been born in Lescatie to date and she is on an investigation: to see the source of recent rumors about a pair of unusual warriors. If the rumors are indeed true, then it's up to her duty to recruit them to strengthen their efforts of serving the Chief God.
These rumors have led her to an isolated house in the slums and have been knocking at the door for quite some times. At first, Wilmarina thought the owners of this house weren't here, but that changed when she saw a shadow behind the covered window and vanished. Now, she knows there is someone in the house as she waited for the person to greet her, but the person never opened the door from the moment she caught sight of the shadow.
Wilmarina frowned deeper the longer she had to wait for the person to open the door. She hated to use her status but it is considered rude for someone not to open the door when there is a guest. She was about to knock again before the door opened. Once she saw one of the two rumor heroes, Wilmarina stepped back in awe and slight fear at the knight, who had to stand hunchback in the house due to his height, before he stepped out of the house. When he steps out of the door, Wilmarina could see the details of his armor and his height, that make the tallest person in Lescatie look like they were born normal, to be quite terrifying.
Once the Giant Knight looked down at Wilmarina as if he were glaring at her before he spoke with a deep voice, "What business do you have with us?"
The heroine stiffened to his seemingly menacing look and gruff tone before keeping her composure, "G-greetings, I am…"
The Armored Giant finished for her in much of her surprise, "Wilmarina from the House of Noscrim and Leader of the Ice Flower Order. My friend and I have heard of you as the greatest hero there ever was. Makes me wonder if your presence here meant recruitment offer from the Order or otherwise."
The Heroine explained nervously, "Actually, I-I only received their request in their standing. Since monster attacks are becoming more active, the Order would like to…"
The Armored Giant interrupts once more with an unimpressive look, "We're not interested. Tell them to recruit mercenaries to do the heavy lifting, not us!"
Wilmarina desperately spoke up once she saw the Armored Giant turns around to enter his home, "B-but Sir Knight! Because of eyewitnesses spreading rumors among the people of Lescatie about You and your friend's actions. It is said that both of you have slain the strongest of monsters that we, Heroes, have difficulty dealing with, so please…"
She stopped her rambling to see Volcanicus towering over her with golden glowing eyes that combine with the menacing armour and stature generates a burning fear in the Hero as if he were a monster of old.
"Listen here and listen well, child! The Paragon and I are on a quest that is of utmost importance than waging war against those sex crazed fiends! If you keep pestering us…" Volcanicus unsheathes his one-handed battle axe causing Wilmarina shivering, enough that she might color her skirt with her urine. "... Let's not kid ourselves, death is always at the end of the blade."
Wilmarina stands appalled at his answers and back away quickly. The mission was the utmost important duty of the Order, and she knew that whatever that the Order chooses someone who met their standards, it privileged them to become part of the human efforts' for the Chief God. Yet, the giant of a man claims that the efforts against the Demon Lord is not even worth his time and for that reason, they will label him as a traitor or a heathen. However, her body reacts what might be unhero-like as the aura that promises death filled so much terror in her body that her mind doesn't acknowledge her body turned tail and bolted away from the Giant of the Ibanian Regions' sight until it's too late.
"The Nerve!" said Volcanicus as he once more had to hunch his back to walk into the house. As he walks to report to the Paragon, he finally understands why his tribe were nomads in the Ibanian Regions along with other tribes. Then again, he is the only one of the "Barbarians" to have grown to gigantic proportions as most of his friends and enemies have claimed. When he once more enters the kitchen to see Arthur the Paragon climbing out of the cellar door with his armor on once again.
Volcanicus said as Arthur the Paragon seal the cellar by moving a furniture on top of it, "Rumors about us are starting to spread across the city."
"Good!" said the Paragon as he barely finished making sure that the furniture hides the cellar door completely.
"How is this good?" said Volcanicus thinking that Arthur has a sudden flare of glory since Arthur the Paragon is never one for basically every warrior of the Order: a feeling/wanting for glory and riches or what's not.
"Rumor is a weapon, one based on opportunities, deception and fear. It may create our demand for money to increase whenever we do our jobs."
"That doesn't make sense to me! Those rumors have gained the attention of the Heroes and good chances are that these 'Mamono' will have their eyes on us as well."
"Then, we end them too when they interfere with our mission!"
Meanwhile under the alleyways of the slums, Merse Dascaros was leaning against the wall relaxing before she caught sight of Wilmarina running into her location as her hair looked her eyes from sight while attempting to breathe in a calm manner.
Seeing her Leader in such a state, Merse grabs her spear as she rushs her steps to meet her. "What happened? Did they give you trouble?" said Merse in a concerned expression as she patted Wilmarina's shoulders.
Feeling that she is completely out of the range of the Giant Knight, Wilmarina finally says, "N-no! He just ensures that they won't stand with the Order, but there's no doubt that the Order will still send to recruit them. But, when that giant of a man faced me, I'm completely convinced that they are a lost cause."
"Hmm, they are still menfolk," Merse mused, "It's extremely rare for someone to turn down an offer by the Order, there's a chance they can become Heroes."
"Merse… Do you think that the Order would likely take him?" Wilmarina spoke with her voice a bit shaken. "There was… something off about the one I met."
Merse cocked an eyebrow, "What do you mean?"
"When he… looks down at me…." then Wilmarina swallowed a lump through her throat. "His mana… felt as if he doesn't posscess anything at all!"
Merse widened her eyes in shock and surprise as she heard Wilmarina say about the one she has regrettably met. A man with no mana whatsoever? It is biblical impossible that a living person has no mana. If it were true about the Armored Giant as well as the Grim Knight, surely the Order will take an interest in him before taking them into their custody and question their existence. There is reasonable doubt that they are no monsters as body shape suggests so. She dreads that they will experiment them for their own cause.
"And then… there is something… else," said Wilmarina as she shivers at seeing the glowing eyes. "Something… dark! Something… terrible about him. I don't know what that is, but he caused me to run away from him."
Dark and Terrible? Well, it says that their armor resembles a beast of some sort as well the Giant's armor looks more fear-mongering as the Grim's armor has a bath with the blood of their enemies.
"Come on, we have work to do," Merse said as she wanted to leave for Wilmarina's sake. "Best not to tell them about it."
The Greatest Heroine nodded before taking the nearest route towards an alleyway leading an out of the Slims.
As the sun sets, darkness replaces the light as stars take their role by shrinking. Volcanicus was at least 17 entries away from finishing this biased encyclopedia as Arthur the Paragon left out of the house and checked on their supplies in a small shed before their senses started to ring some warning bells.
In Arthur's case, his nose picked up a scent in the air; one that excited his hunger whenever he feasts. As for Volcanicus felt his stomach tightened itself as his heart started to beat its war drums meaning there is someone or something watching him at a distance or wanted to strike him down. He went to the windows, lifted the curtain for him to take a peak but not long enough to alert the source. His eyes rested upon a dozen silhouettes standing on the rooftops; there was no question about it that they were sent against him and his friend. Well, he knows that they must die as he set his "battleground" by killing the candlelights inside the house and waiting for them to come.
As Arthur and Volcanicus prepared themselves, Izumi, with nine of her Kunoichi kin, spotted the home of their targets. The home of the Monstrous and Terror Knights; the rumored infamous duo amongst the Mamono as they commit mass murders with no remorse. The survivors state that their beauty and their charms didn't make them display any forms of hesitation. Their fearful pleas have reached the ears of the fourth borne, Druella. The very Druella that is an offspring from the Demon Lord, who is currently planning a campaign to conquer Lescatie.
Princess Druella ordered Izumi and four of her sisters to track down the Monstrous Knight as she also sent out Aneko with three of their kin to track down the Terror and dispatch them if the rumors are founded on true ingot. Their only plan to battle against them is simple: lure him into their side with charming ways that promise success and erase the fearful rumors that deteriorated the morale amongst the monster army. There was even a rumor stating that the Order created some unknown magic to protect them from the influence of Demonic Energy, but that seems to be false.
In fact, these men aren't part of the Order as they seem to be odd ones. The two teams track them down through rumors from the citizens of Lescatie that they lived somewhere in the slims and carry the right description of their armor. They were even shocked to see each other as they confirmed that their targets are living in one shared location. There was an even greater shock that one of the targets had no mana inside them as he somehow caused a heroine to run away from him in fear. This is impossible that no man should be alive without any hint of mana.
Izumi asked her more experienced kin Aneko, "How do we approach this?"
Aneko replies, "We have to split and observe before we take action. I have a bad feeling about this."
The Kunoichi's jumped from the walls and rooftops to reach the isolated area that is owned by the two deadliest warriors found in Lescatie as they tried to find their targets and observe their activities. Due to the lack of scent and mana, they were untrack to track them since the house and the shed (that they found) had to enter inside to do so.
"That's weird, someone's supposed to be here since this door is opened," said one of the Kunoichis as two of her brethren are currently checking out the small shed.
"Even more surprising that we found a wagon full of supplies, Sasaki" said Aneko as she was checking on the supplies as the last kunoichi is standing "guard" at the entrance when in reality, she is fantasizing a night with her newly gained husband. Unknown to the three, Arthur the Paragon is studying them in total darkness thanks to Silent Cloak, a dark colored cloak that can grant invisibility to the user, and a spell called Muffle which can silence the noise he can make for a quarter time.
Seeing the one who is being noisy for her own good is the most dangerous and the guard currently playing with herself is the "lazy" one. He made his move as he positioned himself behind her. Before the others turned their gazes, Arthur's armored hand covered her mouth to prevent her from screaming before a dagger embedded her on the side of the neck.
Once he felt her life gone, he let her body fall to the ground, Arthur's hand grabbed a war axe. He turned around with such swift force that he threw the war axe toward the Kunoichi standing completely exposed in his sight with the same force at the time he threw his shield. The Kunoichi named Sasaki shall never obtain a husband nor bear any children for the war axe piercing the skull. She was dead before she hit the ground.
When the body closest to the last living Kunochi hits the body, Aneko turns to see the noise hoping that they found something more interesting than the supplies full of weapons and herbs/medicles. Only to see Sasaki die at the ground with an axe and the one guarding is lying at the cold and dirt floor with a knife sticking out of her neck. Aneko was horrorify enough that she grabbed her weapon with some throwing stars as she scanned for the knight who did the job. The veteran kunoichi was shaken because the knight managed to kill her kin for they were the best of Fourth Borne as their training should have helped them to deal with this threat. But, atlas the Terror Knight has managed to slain two Kunoichis without her knowing.
"SHOW YOURSELF!" Aneko shouted in anger and panic plagued her mind.
However, there was an eerie silence that worsened the situation she is in until she felt something behind her. Before she could do anything, Arthur the Paragon used his sword to pierce her; not where her private parts were located, but just beneath her chest located with such superior speed.
Time flows slowly for Aneko as she falls to her knees with her hands trying to stop the bleeding. Arthur the Paragon relocated himself to let Aneko see him before he finished the job. Which doesn't take long as Aneko looks up to see him and her face drains all color for she sees the eyes that are completely devoid of mercy.
As Arthur raised his sword to deliver the finishing blow, one of Aneko's hands to reach out to him as she shrieked, "WAIT! HAVE MERCY!"
All she hears in return before the sword slashes off Aneko's face, "Spare the rod!"
Unaware of what happened to Aneko and the other two, Izumi leads the rest of the two teams in the house and currently searches for the giant as they have faced his armor. It was funny to say the least that they have weapons around the Giant's armor as they believe that it was empty since the armor doesn't move one inch or grab the weapons present.
It leads them to believe that the Giant removed his armor and went to bed. As a result of that thought, Izumi and her best friend Mai went to where the beds were held; only to find out that the beds were empty.
"Where on earth could they be?" Izumi asked dumbfounded.
Back to the living room, one of the present Kunoichis notices something about the armor of the Giant as she comes close to inspect the armor. Suddenly, the armor finally moved with swift reaction as the hand caught the curious Kunoichi catching the attention of the Kunoichis. Once Volcanicus cover was blown, he squeezed the head till it popped like a vein before he reached for the pole to deflect the Kunoichi. During his defense against demon realm silver kanais, he grabs his battle axe and starts to advance.
As that was happening, Izumi's hair began to stand straight as she heard sounds of flesh being slashed by steel, heavy footsteps, and the screaming/body thuds of her kin. Before the remaining two Kunoichis could do anything, a javelin thrown by someone outside smashed through the window and into Mai's soft flesh as the force of javelin pin Mai to the wall. Mai died while that happened because the javelin pierced her heart and truly caused Izumi to fall backward to the ground as her eyes widened in horror at Mai, her childhood friend, standing before her death.
Emerging from the shattered window is the Terror Knight with his sword drawn and his shield at the ready as the door opens revealing the Giant Knight with his armor stained with the blood of her kin as both come in and catch sight of her. Izumi felt an icy chill as she wouldn't dare to move. Then, she gets up to attempt to cast Charms on the both of them, but they look at her as if she was cattle getting ready for the slaughter. That put enough fear into her as her knees weakened before kneeling to the ground as she begs for their mercy.
"Please! Please don't kill me!" She begged for her life before bowing down her forehead hit the floor, "I don't wanna die! I-I want to live with a husband and have children with him.
Throughout her pleading, Arthur the Paragon merely advanced upon her as his longsword is resting upon on her shoulder for a moment or two. Arthur the Paragon wanted to erase this pathetic excuse of a monster, yet he felt Volcanicus looking at him with a look that wanted to convince him to take on a different method.
And so, Arthur the Paragon accepts the mental suggestion for he knows that these monster women they have slain are Kunoichis. A type of succubus who are trained assassins that originate from Zipangu as they serve Demon Realms or monster-friendly nations. Meaning killing them will be a waste since they have information.
Arthur the Paragon demands with his eyes glowering murderously, "You intrude our residence with the intent of using weapons. We demand your identity and the identity of who you pledge loyalty to!"
"I-Izumi! M-my name is Izumi! I have pledged my loyalty to Druella, Fourth Borne Princess o-of the Royal Makai," the fear-stricken Izumi says in one breath.
Arthur the Paragon move his sword close enough to cut a line on Izumi's neck as Volcanicus moved closer, "Tell us why your master sent you after us?"
Izumi replies slowly, "She sent us to see about the rumors of a pair of men murdering the mamono without a shred of mercy."
Hearing that, Volcanicus switch his gaze unto Arthur as if telling him a I told you so look as the latter himself is sort of surprised at how quick the rumors have been heard by the enemy. Arthur knows that the rumors should have reach their ears in a matter of months, not hours due to his experiences. Then again, he have hunt them the very moment he entered Midgara meant that the rumors have already spread to the monsters.
'Even our actions reach the ears of a Royal Makai Princess, huh. Now, what to do with her?'
As if reading his mind, Volcanicus says, "Sent her back to her kin with a warning! Let her live to tell her kind that death awaits them, should they seek us again."
"I will say this once, so you better be heard what I have to say. Nod if you understand…"
The girl nodded, signaling Arthur to continue, "Look upon me…"
Izumi did as he instructed her, "Leave. Us. Be. We are on a quest and we don't want no one to interfere with our mission. And if that bitch of Royalty continues to send those like you, then we will unleash reasons why your kind should fear all of humanity!"
Izumi became shocked as the lust lurking within body died with her as she no longer wanted any human man to be her husband as she looks into the eyes of Arthur; full of hate and the desire to cover the world with enough blood to drown the mamono and the gods, whom support them, seven times over. All Izumi could do is nod profoundly if it would save her death from this Destroyer.
"Good! Leave now!" said Volcanicus as Arthur's blade retreats, allowing the Last Surviving Kunoichi to leave the house quickly and out of their sight.
"If a Lilim sent these assassins deep into Human territory, it could only mean one thing…" said Arthur the Paragon as he sheathed his blade and turned around to face Volcanicus.
"Invasion!" Volcanicus finished as they knew that Lilims are daughters of the Demon Lord with enough power to turns women into monsters and turn men into sex slaves with just their appearances.
"We need to commit as many quests for us to leave the city in time!"
"Shouldn't we at least alert the people, defend the cities, or even get as many people as we can."
"With the rulers are corrupt despots and heroes loyal to them only, they will never believe us even if we said an invasion is coming. They're too prideful to think this so-called City of Heroes is indomitable. In the worst possible case, they will brand us as traitors. Anyway, we will help them by completing what Lord Roion tasks us to do."
Volcanicus tighten his grips as he says, "You want us to abandon the citizens who have been suffering under these despots' rules to the monsters' fate in favor of finding a place that Lord Roion in his dying breath to teleport all of the surviving Lodmicans into this world to thrive once more."
"You forgot to mention that an evil is coming to this world, one that makes this Demon Lord to look like a tame kitten. In my experience, the needs of the many outweighs the needs of the few!" Arthur the Paragon then walks closer invading Volcanicus' space, "Two Worlds colliding, only one will survive! That is the key phase Lord Roion said to us before sending us to Midgara. Understand?"
"Crystal!"
"Good…" said Arthur as he steps back. "Since everyone is asleep, it will be best for you to relocate the wagon outside the City."
"Where and how far do you want the wagon to be, Your Majesty?" Volcanicus sarcastic said as he feels like a slave this moment.
Arthur the Paragon says, "Somewhere in the North and hides it where the trees are its thickness."
Starting at this night, the Grim Knight and the Armored Giant will begin their legend that brings fear into the hearts of men and monsters alike.
It's official that I'm picking a side in this universe and taking a part of Humanity Ascending movement (StaffSergeant's The Good Hunter, John Prodman's A Shadow within Zipangu, Imperator Mortifex's Echoes of the Old World, AgeofAngels' A Hunter's New Home, NewtypeAuthor346's The Knight and MandinaAndQuad's The Warlord and His Army). With NewtypeAuthor346's permission, this story will be part of what might be considers as Old Way MGE.
To answer a question or two to the monster supporters with "this trash of a story" - What I'm imagining them to said.
1. I'm hoping with this new addition, I might inspires future authors to write stories into the MGE's Unverse. (For example, I'm still waiting for someone to write a MGE crossover with Marvel, DC, and a star war story or any other stories that will excites people like me.
2. I do like Monster girls as I watch some anime that monster girls actually act like people of the time, but I'm completely against the majority of monsters in the MGE that are willing to rape and brainwash men.
Addressing time:
1. the name of this world is Midgara, inspires by Midgard's norse myth aspects in Code Geass crossover, and Sliariatall is a realm where the Old Chief God sent her former husband, Roion and those who support him as punishment. Sliariatall is a custom made realm which is inspires by Tartarus (I think that the spelling) as it kept Roion imprisoned as long as Cycles is active.
2. I changes the goblin girls' skin tone because they are more ironic when they have green skins meaning that I will changes the monster girls according to the research.
3. As I research which monsters aren't included in the MGE universe meaning there is a chance that a "Old-Style" monsters from the Prison Realm to make their appearance on Midgara like the Undead Draugr.
4. Great Beasts of the Prison Realms are created by the Gods of both Roion's and Old Chief God's sides to trains humanity champions (Roion) and punishment (Old Chief God).
Like the Gorisauff (which is my own custom made monster) is a massive wolf that often known for casting the black suns with its howl and can cause gust of wind strong enough to blown trees, wooden houses, and people.
5. Like the MGE universe, I will tried my best of introducing my custom cultures that reflect to history/our world or reflect some aspects of popular movie universes.
The Mahoa "Society" is more like the Mandalorian of the Prison Realm and the Nomads of Ibanian Region was inspired by the roaming Arabs (I think) at the time when Egypt was a superpower.
Before making the second chapter, I will make character bios and changing the MGE universe a bit since there are monsters that are kindly making no sense living in MGE world (to me that is).
Next Chapters on what?:
A Chapter on Star Wars Uprising
Next Chapter of Justice League
Next Chapter of Casas Bellum