Elden Ring is the property of FromSoftware, and Monster Girl Encyclopedia is the Property of Kenkou Cross. I do not own any of these properties.


Chapter 17: Midnight's Bell

A group of armed men surrounded the smoldering embers of a carriage. Each of them bore the mark of the Inquisition. All of them were tasked with guarding the immediate perimeter. Standing by the carriage was a green-eyed, blonde-haired man. His eyes were firmly on the smoldering remains, scanning for any sign of what happened here.

Albain Rejulia was called out here to investigate this place. At first, he just took it to clear his mind, to handle a more minor investigation, while his sister grabbed as much information as she could on Elt. But the more he investigated, the more he was somewhat morbidly intrigued by it.

He crouched near the smoldering embers, his hands reaching out to wipe away the ash. He tried to see if there were any identifiers. Names, Noble Crests, anything that could identify who this carriage belonged to. So far, however, nothing. It was just a typical carriage, as far as he could tell.

He reached out, moving to see what lay inside, only to be stopped by a hand on his shoulder. Albain turned his eye, meeting a man in his forties wearing the same inquisitor garb that he was wearing.

"Rylan, I didn't think you'd be called here," Albain stated, causing the man to sigh before he shook his head.

"I was sent here to help investigate; my partner is too busy with his own investigation, so I had plenty of time on my hands," Rylan replied, causing Albain to raise his brow before turning to him.

"What exactly is Akito investigating?" He asked, turning his eyes to Rylan. Rylan turned to him before he shrugged.

"To be honest, I don't exactly know. You know how Akito is; he thinks with his ass more than his brain." Rylan joked, eliciting a small laugh from Albain.

"That is true, still… I don't really understand why it is that you keep putting up with that fool." Albain muttered, his eyes moving to the carriage before he spoke. Akito was just odd, in his opinion. He was reckless and ambitionless. Uncaring of Lescatian tradition and doing things how he saw fit. He didn't care how he was caught, didn't care how he acted amongst his peers.

And yet he was an effective inquisitor; even Albain had to admit that much begrudgingly. He's killed heretics, sinners, and monsters alike. If only he'd stop antagonizing him for his methods, considering that his ways were in no way less brutal.

"Even you have to admit that he's an effective inquisitor." Rylan retorted, causing Albain to sigh.

"True enough… in any case, we should start investigating this…." Albain muttered, standing up before looking on at the carriage.

"Any identifiers, noble crests, or names?" Rylan asked, turning to the carriage. That caused Albain to shake his head, sighing before moving to the other side of the carriage.

"No, if there was, it was burnt away by the fire," Albain stated, stepping forward and moving his hand over the frame. He wiped the edge a bit, moving the ash away only to widen his eyes at a portion of it. There was gold, and looking at it, a part of it was intricately made. It wasn't evident through the burnt wood, but looking closer, he could tell at least that much.

This meant that this was no mere peasant's carriage. But it was strange that it had no identifiers, and from the looks of it, none were pulled out or scratched away. This meant that this either wasn't a nobleman's carriage or that the noble who used it just didn't flaunt their family's name.

Both were plausible, but knowing noble society, he found the latter unlikely.

"Banditry, perhaps? They could've taken the gold inside from the looks of it." Rylan suggested, causing Albain to shake his head before turning to the man.

"They wouldn't have burnt the carriage if it was mere banditry. With it being just one coachman and one victim, I'd say this was more of an assassination than anything else." Albain stated.

He turned his eyes to the trail of ash the carriage left behind. His eyes narrowed at the sight before he spoke once more.

"And from the looks of it, the carriage was burnt before it came to a stop." He added.

"Burning it would waste all the valuables that the carriage held… I see…" Rylan commented, moving forward as he moved up to inspect the carriage's inside. He grimaced at the sight of the corpse, its embers still smoldering on its burnt flesh. It was charred beyond recognition, but from the remnants of the clothing, he could at least tell it was a cardinal.

"It's a cardinal; that explains the expensive carriage," Rylan muttered,

"Yes, it would seem… but alas, we have no way of identifying which cardinal this is," Albain stated before he got up and walked to the carriage doors. He looked down at the cardinal's smoldering form, his eyes narrowing before he got on to pull the corpse out.

With Rylan's help, the two pulled the corpse down onto the ground and laid its charred form flat. Crouching down, Albain inspected the open wound that he found on the man's chest. Trailing a hand over it, he examined its form before he spoke.

"He was stabbed… possibly the cause of death. But the wound's shape is… peculiar…." He stated, narrowing his eyes as he plunged his hand into it.

"Do you know of any weapon that could do this damage?" Albain asked, causing Rylan to shake his head. "A custom one, perhaps. This obviously isn't something a mere commoner could grab."

"Not unless they had a sponsor with money lying around," Albain added, turning to the corpse before his eyes noticed a crucial detail.

"The corpse seems to be holding something," Albain stated. Leaning forward before he looked on at the man's hand. He held his fist tightly as if to protect whatever he was keeping from the inferno of the carriage. Grabbing the man's hand, Albain pried it open to reveal a gold cross in pristine condition.

Albain picked it up, his eyes narrowing slightly as he looked at the design. Usually, a cardinal carrying a crucifix would be a regular sight. After all, it was one of the symbols used by the Order and the Chief God. But this cross was… peculiar.

"...Do you recognize this cross?" Albain asked, turning to Rylan, who looked at the crucifix with narrowed eyes.

He shook his head, leaning forward to get a closer look. The arms of the crucifix were curved upwards; it lacked the protrusion that went beyond the arms. It was made of gold, pure gold. Not precisely anything strange, but having this much gold placed on a cross that was objectively just wrong would have many scream blasphemy.

"No, not from what I've seen, at least," Rylan stated, moving back a bit before turning to the carriage.

"Isn't it strange? A cardinal carrying a cross that looks so… peculiar…." Albain trailed off, standing up before turning to Rylan.

Albain's seen it before, but he just couldn't put his finger on where. That being said, it was a lead that he could use. Only if he knew where to look…

"Is it really so strange? What if it's a sect we've never heard of?" Rylan asked, placing his hands in his pockets as he turned to the road.

"No, if it were, we would've known. Us Inquisitors are expected to be updated with the worship of the Chief God after all. It's either a brand new sect entirely… or… something else…." Albain stated, moving his hand up, letting the cross dangle as he observed its form.

It was then that the galloping of horses could be heard from the distance. Albain got up, turning his head to the road as he watched a column of armed knights move into the scene. They all wore expensive armor, bearing arms that outclassed any his small inquisitorial force held.

What was notable was the emblem that all of them bore. The symbol of the Ice-Flower.

Albain moved forward, greeting the knights with his signature neutral look. His eyes narrowed as one of the horsemen moved forward. The man had noble wear and looked to be around his 40s. He had blonde hair with a darker shade than his. His eyes looked sternly at Albain, to which Albain replied with his own stern look.

He recognized his man. He's seen him in many formal events that he and his family sometimes attend.

"Lord Amaltia… I didn't think you'd come here." Albain stated, causing Galand Amaltia to narrow his eyes before he spoke up.

"Indeed, Inquisitor. I've come to inform you and the rest of your… little group… that I've come to take over this little investigation by Orders of the Royal Family." Galand Amaltia stated, causing Albain's eyes to narrow before he discreetly hid the cross in his back pocket.

"Forgive me for asking then, Lord Amaltia. But I find it odd that the Royal Family would be so interested in the death of some random cardinal. Do you have proof that the Royal Family themselves ordered this?" He asked.

His question was redundant. The Royal Family was in the same pockets as the Noscrim Faction. King Castor was a weak man, easily-swayed and gullible. Rather unfortunate to know that Noscrim's the devil whispering in the king's ear.

As Albain expected, Galand Amaltia pulled out a piece of paper. Neatly rolled and of much higher quality than even the ones the Inquisition used. Before he spoke, he held it out, showcasing the Royal Seal on the papers.

"This is my proof, and by Royal decree, I order you all to leave the crime scene," Galand stated, his eyes narrowing. Albain mirrored this act, capping his own eyes as he shook his head. His face returned to his usual blank look, turning his eyes back to Lord Amaltia as he did.

The Inquisitorial Guard looked on at the scene with a glare. This was not the first time the Noscrim faction interfered with an ongoing investigation. What made this so different was that one of the so-called inner circle decided to show up, with his daughter to boot. As much as they wanted to, none of them could match the power of just a single hero. Especially not one on Olivier's level.

Olivier herself looked neutral on the whole affair. Not saying a single word as she watched the dispute between her father and the Rejulia heir.

One of the Inquisitorial guards dared to speak up and challenge the man.

"This is an ongoing investigation by the Inquisition; you can't just-" The man began, only for Albain to raise his hand to stop him.

"As much as I wish to agree with you, soldier. We cannot deny a royal decree…." He muttered, causing the man to turn to Albain before his eyes narrowed. With a sigh, he walked off.

"Keep your men on a tight leash, Albain. It would be… unwise… if a battle broke out between us two." Galand Amaltia stated. His tone is a mix of threatening and a sense of arrogance.

"And I will, Lord Amaltia. As you say, I shall order my force to leave." He started as he turned before he paused.

"But… I will have to say… I find it strange that someone of your caliber is investigating the death of someone so minor…." Albain stated, causing Galand's eyes to narrow considerably. He looked at Albain, his eyes glaring at the man before speaking.

"...Are you perhaps accusing me, Inquisitor?" He asked, a dangerous glint in his tone. Albain merely turned his head to him with his own narrowed eyes.

"No… I'm simply stating its… suspect nature. You must be more careful, Lord Amaltia… someone could get the wrong idea." He threatened, causing Galand's brows to furrow.

"Watch your tongue, boy. Even for an Inquisitor, I will not take such insults." Galand stated, causing Albain to turn around before he began walking off.

"Alaster seems to have failed in teaching you manners. But I suppose that I should expect that much from Lord Tobias' whore." Galand insulted.

That one comment caused Albain to pause. And for the first time in his life, a genuine look of fury crossed his face. Sparks of lightning formed on his hand as he grit his teeth in anger. He was about to turn and move, only for Rylan to place a hand on his shoulder, calming him considerably.

"...Calm down; this is what he wants," Rylan stated before he cast his own glare at Amaltia. Albain took a deep breath, his hand moving to his face as he let out a breath. That comment just struck him where it hit him deepest. Memories he had long thought buried resurfaced in that one instance.

Memories he had longed to burn.

"Let's get out of here before things escalate," Rylan stated. Albain merely nodded, too wrapped up in rage to say anything else.


Elt stood in front of the group, his eyes firmly on the wall. He tried to think of what to say. Primera was staring intently at him, but he could feel an indescribable feeling from her. Mimil sat there, anxiously waiting for him to explain. Lucas sat there with a neutral expression, his blue eyes locked firmly on Elt's. Akito was… just sitting there nonchalantly, like usual.

He took a deep breath, remembering the events that led him up to this point.

Elt and Sasha sat inside her hidden Orphanage. Elt had waited for the children to all go back to sleep. Afterward, he called Sasha for them to have a little chat. After what he heard from Adelie, he just couldn't leave this be. He needed to know what was going on with Sasha and her relationship with the Baphomet.

Once, they were all within the Orphanage, all of whom were either playing inside or sleeping. Elt and Sasha sat inside a small and dark room. A single candle lit the room, and an empty reliquary stood beside them. At that moment, there was silence. Elt didn't know how to go about this. Should he be direct and just ask her about it? Be indirect and prod her until she gave him the information he needed? Should he be confrontational? Reserved? He honestly didn't know.

In his thoughts, he began muttering to himself. And in that one instance, Sasha decided to speak up.

"Elt," She called, causing the boy to look up at her. He silenced his muttering, focusing solely on his green-haired big sister.

"...You want to know about… her, don't you?" She asked. This caused Elt to widen his eyes before he slowly nodded. She wasn't so stupid to think that he wouldn't suspect her beyond this. She might as well come clean now, lest it causes her and the children problems later. She overheard Adelie tell him about it, which she sincerely wanted him to never know.

"If you could, Sasha. Adelie told me she was threatening you, so I wanted to know how much you know so I could try to stop her." Elt muttered, causing Sasha to look away. Guilt wracked her form, her breath hitched, and she bit her lip slightly.

"...Elt… I-" She began before she suddenly paused. Her eyes widened, hands clenching her knuckles turned white. She turned to the lone window, placing a hand on her dagger as she searched.

Elt rose his brow in response. He stood up, moving towards her with worry on his face. He spoke up, his blue eyes turning to Sasha's before he spoke.

"Sasha, what's wrong?" He asked, causing Sasha to turn to Elt before she muttered just one word. One word that caused Elt to immediately draw his blade in response.

"Intruder,"

As a safety precaution, Sasha had set up an alarm using her magic for whenever someone foreign came close to the Orphanage's vicinity. This allowed her to act quickly and either dispatch or lead the intruder away from the Orphanage. That being said, a being with sufficient knowledge of magic would be able to bypass it. Unfortunately, the Baphomet was one such creature.

"I need to go out and see who it is. Can you go check on the Orphans?" She stated, causing Elt to raise his brow before he nodded. The two moved, Sasha heading outside and Elt moving up to check on the orphans in the abandoned church. He moved through the place, looking around to see if there was any sign of an intruder.

He eventually made it to the church attic, his form checking around the dark to see if anyone was there. He furrowed his brows; it was too dark to see. He was about to turn to grab a candle; he could've just cast a small flame to illuminate the dark, but doing so could reveal his newfound power to the enemy. But before he could, he spotted a small light source at the very end of the wooden hall.

A pair of red orbs opened, its eyes staring straight into him before a purple light illuminated the room.

"Well, it seems as though you've finally found me." A familiar and highly amused voice called out from the dark.

As soon as Elt heard the voice, he moved his blade up. Sweat gathered on his brow as he tried to think of what to do. Judging by his current estimation and his last battle with the Baphomet, he would still be at a disadvantage. Worst still, the kids downstairs would most certainly get involved.

"You can put your sword down, by the way. I'm not here to fight or capture you; I just want to talk." She muttered. Her tone was… different; Elt could tell at least that much. It was a little more serious, different from last time.

Last time, her tone was akin to that of a spoiled child. She was amused and without a sense of seriousness in her style. There was a sense of urgency in it, even though she still sounded as childish as ever. It was as if she had made a discovery that rocked her to her core.

Despite her words, Elt didn't put his sword down. If anything, he raised it higher. Kuroferuru sighed, her face visibly frowning before she moved forward and exposed herself to the light with her paws up.

"Look, see? No scythe, I'm exposed out in the open where you could see me, no dark matter." She stated, casting out light to illuminate the rest of the room. Elt looked around; just as she said… there was not a single sign of dark matter anywhere. Elt, however, didn't lower his blade, nor did he drop his guard. His experience in the Lands Between taught him to be cautious; this could all be a trap.

That just caused the Baphomet to furrow her brows before she spoke again.

"Look, if I wanted to capture you, I would've just done it already. There's no point in me giving up my location and exposing myself if I just wanted to catch you in the end." She stated, her eyes turning to the man with a slight pout.

Elt looked on at her, his eyes remaining firm before slightly lowering his blade. He was still on guard, but it showed his willingness to listen.

"Okay, you lowered your sword… that's a start." She started with her signature grin before she shook her head.

"What do you want?" Elt asked his tone far from welcoming. If anything, it was hostile to the Baphomet. Understandable, considering the entire past few days were because of her. This included his unfortunate participation in House Morrigan's extinction.

"Is that any way to talk to an innocent little girl like me? I might get the wrong idea~" She muttered, a lecherous grin moving her face as Elt's brows furrowed.

"Calling you an innocent little girl would be like calling a pile of shit a work of art." Elt retorted with a slight scowl. He wasn't over the events of the past few days. So the Baphomet suddenly being cordial to him wasn't going to change his mind so suddenly. She had to have an ulterior motive, and she did.

"...Rude, I came here all this way to have a nice little chat, and all you've done so far is to insult me." The Baphomet retorted with a pout before she shook her head.

"But I suppose that's understandable, given the circumstance. I'll let you know I was having fun once, so no worries." She started with a shrug.

At that moment, The Baphomet felt a pressure unlike anything she'd ever felt before bearing down on her. Elt, who once looked cautious and somewhat apprehensive, now had a scowl.

"...Fun?" He asked, turning to her as he gripped his sword tightly.

"You'd call everything that happened before today fun?" He asked, fury in his tone. He glared at the Baphomet, an act that caused her to freeze and widen her eyes. Elt's deep blue eyes turned gold, and teeth ground together in a fury.

"...I killed someone because of you, an innocent soul I was forced to behead because of what you've done," He muttered with a slight snarl, taking a step forward as he gripped his blade ever tighter.

"You'd blame me for what happened over there? You realize that House Morrigan would've gotten themselves executed regardless of your presence." Kuroferuru retorted, causing Elt's brow to furrow before she spoke.

"House Morrigan wouldn't have gotten executed if you never turned Merridith into a witch," Elt replied, his knuckles turning white as he gripped his blade tighter. The Baphomet sighed, placing her paw over her forehead before she spoke up.

"I admit, I handled Merridith's situation quite poorly. But with the way Lescatie is, did you honestly think that the Inquisition wouldn't have figured out a way to get them all killed in the first place? Merridith's existence was nothing more than a rumor, but that rumor was enough to warrant House Morrigan's execution." She continued, sighing as she did before snapping her paws.

"This is just how Lescatie is, how your nation acts. It's cruel and unforgiving, even without my influence…." She muttered softly, pausing as she did before her eyes turned down in thought.

Elt paused, his form freezing as it did. His grip on his blade remained firm, but it lowered ever so slightly. She was right in that regard; Lescatie was not a kind place to live in. The squabble between the nobility and warring factions made life hell. Lescatie was a broken nation, a bleeding one.

But even still…

"Don't shift the blame; even with that fact, your actions still caused the death of an entire noble family." He retorted, causing Kuroferuru to raise her brow.

"Lescatie's a miserable nation, I admit… but that doesn't excuse the misery you're causing its people." He added, causing Kuroferuru to narrow her eyes slightly.

"It's all a matter of perspective, Elt-kun. As monsters, they'd be free from all the suffering humans are chained by." Kuroferuru stated. She wasn't in the mood to argue. While it could be fun, such things were not important to her as of right now.

'...kun?' He thought in confusion. He was unaware of the Zipangese style of address, so being called that was new to him. Regardless,

"Merridith wasn't… Adelie and the children too… In your attempt to save them, all you've done is chain them to their problems without a way to fix them." He muttered, causing the Baphomet to pause and turn to Elt.

"Merridith is a special case; the children are just unaware of their nature," Kuroferuru added.

"And what is their nature, then? Rapists? Pillagers? Whores who know nothing but the pleasures of the flesh? If that's the case, I'd rather them remain the way they are." He muttered. Kuroferuru narrowed her eyes further.

"We're not simple whores who sell off to any man. A monster isn't so simple that you could simply debase them as nothing more than harlots." Kuroferuru retorted, causing Elt to pause before he thought.

"They just want to spread companionship, love, and happiness. Surely you wouldn't deny them that ability?" She continued on. That caused Elt to look up at her… his blue eyes narrowing before he spoke up.

"... You're absolutely right there… I'd never deny the monsters the ability to love and spread happiness… I won't allow anyone to hamper their ability to love and be happy. Elt muttered, causing Kuroferuru to pause. A slight grin came to her face, thinking she'd won him over.

"Isn't that right? See, I knew you were a smart guy, Elt-kun~" Her usual cheery and sickeningly sweet voice returned.

"These monsters need to spread love and happiness, not be confined by human morals. I'm glad you and I can see eye to eye." She muttered, shrugging as she did before she walked forward.

It looked like another ally was brought into the fold.

That was until he opened his mouth again.

"Which is why I have to stop you." He continued, causing Kuroferuru to pause before she widened her eyes. She turned to him, her eyes narrowing before she spoke again.

"...What are you trying to say?" She asked, her brow raising as she did. Deep down, she understood what he was trying to imply. But unfortunately, she would rather bury such thoughts deep under a mountain of pleasure.

"I'm not the one hampering their ability to be happy; you are." He clarified,

Kuroferuru's eyes twitched. 'No, he's wrong. He has to be; if he wasn't, that would mean….' She thought before she shook such thoughts away.

"...I-" She began. Her mind churned, trying to find something to say to defend what she had come to believe. This was unbelievable, and it was most certainly unacceptable.

"Like I said, you just don't understand monsters like I do. How would you know what's best for them in that case?" She stated, narrowing her eyes as she did.

"You're right; I don't understand the monsters. The most I've learned came from Order propaganda, and I've only recently been able to unravel the lies." Elt continued on, gripping his blade as he did.

"I know that they seek love and companionship… that at the end of the day, they're the same as us." He continued, his eyes stepping forward before his head turned to the ground.

"But this isn't a matter of monsters and humans. It's a matter of someone bullying a woman who just wanted to take care of lonely kids in an orphanage; it's a matter of you taking advantage of a girl at her lowest point and ruining her life." He began, stepping forward as his eyes turned gold.

"I'm not here to stop you because you're a monster… I'm here to stop you because you're just a horrible person… and to save my family from this horrible person." He stated, causing the Baphomet's eyes to twitch and her fangs to show.

His words struck… This wasn't the first time Kuroferuru's been called horrible by a human before, but it was undoubtedly the first time she's been called that by someone she couldn't control. Deep down, perhaps she knew he was right. This wasn't a matter of humans fighting against monsters; it was just a boy trying to protect his loved ones from an absolute monster.

That monster just so happened to be her. She thought herself free from her old form, her old habits from before the current demon lord took the throne.

But in the end, old habits died hard.

"...Shut up…" She began.

"You think you're some kind of savior, going around helping people like some kind of saint. But in the end, you just make things worse for everyone." Elt continued, causing the Baphomet to narrow her eyes and snarl.

"I said be quiet…." She continued.

"...I should know… I thought myself a saint once too… but once a demon, always a demon… isn't that right-" Elt began, only to be cut off.

"I said SHUT UP!" She screamed, causing the Orphanage to rock with its sheer power. The dark matter moved from the ground, moving as swift as lightning in an attempt to swat Elt away.

He moved, pushing himself off the ground and flying straight at the Baphomet with his blade held aloft. The Baphomet's eyes widened; his skill and power were far different from when they first fought. She moved more Dark Matter out towards him in a panic. He cut the Dark Matter she sent off after him, moving in front of her in less than a second.

He swung his blade down, one that Kuroferuru managed to dodge by a hair's breadth. She summoned her scythe, swiping it at him with more effort than she's ever pulled in a long time. Elt widened his eyes, moving his sword to block it, only to be slammed onto the wall.

The crumbling walls of the Orphanage couldn't take the sheer force of the swipe, causing Elt to fly off out into the front before he landed on his feet outside. He skidded across the flower bed, moving his blade down as he prepared for another attack.

But that attack didn't come.

Instead, the Baphomet got out through the hole she created and stood atop the abandoned church.

"Elt!" A voice called out from behind him; turning around, he could see Sasha. She came forward, looking at him before her eyes widened at the Baphomet who stood atop the night sky.

Kuroferuru glared at the man, her eyes narrowing to meet his now golden ones. She swung her scythe around, stabbing it onto the ground before she spoke up.

"I admit, you have the guts to insult a Baphomet like that so brazenly," Kuroferuru stated, a bitter taste in her mouth formed as she did.

"But know this, I won't take this insult lightly…." She muttered, causing her to narrow her eyes as she did.

"As much as I want to settle the matter here, I'd rather not disturb the kids. So tomorrow night, at midnight's bell… meet me at the spot where we had our first battle." She continued on.

Even now, she did not want to risk the lives of the children below over what, in her mind, was a petty squabble. Even still, this perceived slight on her honor was one she would not accept. The Baphomet remained a proud and powerful monster even after the Succubi took the throne. Taking this insult lying down was something she won't take.

"Consider this your reward for winning the game… Bring the rest of the combatants from last time; I won't let this affront pass. The loser does as the winner wishes." Kuroferuru muttered.

She then turned her eyes to Sasha, narrowing them before her.

"And as for you, I'm calling off the deal. If the monsters here wish to live like men, then I'll let them… let's see how long this will last, Sasha Fullmoon." Kuroferuru added with a slight growl. A shadow loomed over her body, and in but a second, she was gone.

Elt widened his eyes at the last part, turning to Sasha, who looked away in response. She flexed her hands, taking a deep breath as she did.

"...Sasha… what was she talking about?" Elt asked, causing Sasha to flinch before she looked down.

"...Elt… I-... I wasn't being forthright with you." She muttered, causing Elt to raise his brow. He turned to her, crossing his arms as he did.

"I… made a deal with her… for her to take the Orphans. In exchange, I'll aid her in her… quest…." She muttered, causing Elt's eyes to widen before he spoke up.

"...Sasha… you would give these kids to her?" He asked, his tone incredulous. Elt just couldn't believe she'd give them to someone like her.

"She was a lot more persuasive when she talked to me… and I thought that they'd be better off in the safety of a demon realm," Sasha muttered, causing Elt to sigh and nod in understanding. On the surface, it did sound like a good deal. They'd be in a demon realm away from Lescatie, safe from the Inquisition and any of the Order's forces.

"I understand that much, Sasha. But still… to give the kids to her of all people is just…." Elt trailed off, turning to the kids in the Orphanage who began peeking out the windows. One of them was Adelie, her eyes staring at them with fear and worry.

Elt shook his head; he couldn't imagine them becoming like that Baphomet.

"I understand that now… I'm just glad that none of the kids were taken." She sighed. Sasha knew why the kids weren't taken. As long as they remained here, the Baphomet could threaten them with the Order. They were hostages, meant to keep her in line.

"...But what's this… quest?" Elt asked, crossing his arms as he did.

Sasha paused, her eyes turning down as she did. She took a deep breath, trying to regain her bearings before speaking again.

"To change Lescatie." She muttered, causing Elt to raise his brow.

"To… what?" He muttered in response.

"She wants to change Lescatie, to turn it into something more… or… something less." Sasha continued, her tone getting lower by the second. Elt looked on at her with a tilted head before he spoke.

"...What did she make you do?" He asked,

"She made me tell her everything I know, Order plans, locations, weaknesses in the walls that I may know of, everything." She muttered, causing Elt to pause.

"...And you told her?" He asked, raising his brow as he did.

"...As little information as I could. But in the end, it was enough for the Baphomet." She muttered, shaking her head as she did.

"That is… bad." Elt continued, placing a palm over his forehead before he shook his head.

"...Are you mad at me?" Sasha asked, causing Elt to turn to her before he sighed. "... I'm not going to lie, Sasha… I am just a little bit." He confessed, causing Sasha to flinch slightly before she nodded. She turned her head down before Elt spoke again.

"But my anger's mostly on her… She's the cause of all of this, after all." He stated, causing Sasha to turn to him before she spoke up.

"I wish I could help you, Elt. But, I'm afraid someone has to look after the kids." Sasha began. Elt just nodded, shaking his head at the thought before speaking.

"It's only natural, Sasha," Elt stated,

"Don't worry about it; we'll be able to handle this. Besides, I'd rather not have the Inquisition's eyes set on you." Elt replied.

"A-Are you sure? You've seen her fight; she's stronger than most of the heroes here in Lescatie." Sasha muttered, causing Elt to shake his head.

"That's true… but… I think I might've discovered a weakness… one that I might make great use of." He stated, causing Sasha to widen her eyes.

"You did?" Sasha asked, causing Elt to nod.

"...What is it?" She asked, causing Elt to explain it to her.

Her eyes widened in response, limbs going limp from what he said.

"...Elt, that- that's a little dangerous, isn't it?" She asked, causing Elt to sigh and shake his head.

"It's the only thing I could think of. I'm sorry, Sasha, but this might be the only way." He stated, causing her to pause. He was right; this was the only way she could think of for him and the group to have any sort of victory. Even still, it was dangerous… incredibly so.

"...Promise me…" She muttered, causing Elt to pause before he turned to her.

"Promise me that you and Primera would come back after this." She stated, causing Elt to pause before a smile made its way to his face.

"I promise," He stated. Unlike last time, this one was sincere. That was all Sasha needed to calm herself down. Elt would never make a promise that he could not keep. And so, with that, she gave him a slight nod before she spoke.

"Then I wish you luck, Elt…." She finalized.

"I will, Sasha." He replied in turn. With that, the two went their separate ways.

Elt stood by the four occupants of the room. All of whom were looking at him for answers. His eyes blinked slightly as he cleared his throat. He's planned all the answers he could, a mix of half-truths and blatant lies that they'll never be able to prove. This way, Sasha's Orphanage would be the one least at risk. Lucas might be able to tell that he was lying, but with his loyalty to Elt, there was little the red-haired young man had to fear.

"So… Red, mind telling us where and how you found the Baphomet?" Akito asked,

"Merridith gave me a location… apparently, the Baphomet told me to come to the place where we first fought. And so I headed to the church where I met up with Sasha Fullmoon about to leave for her usual duties." He stated, causing Akito to raise his brow.

"You're telling me that the Baphomet was just staying at the one place where we first originally fought her?" He asked, brow raised and arms crossed.

"She was… From what I could discern, that was just how the Baphomet was… she didn't take our search for her seriously, so she just hid in the one place we never looked." He added,

"What about Sasha? Is she alright?" Primera asked, raising her voice as she did. He nodded at her; thankfully, Sasha was alright. She was tired, even more so than he originally envisioned, but she was okay considering the situation. It was only natural for Primera to want to know how Sasha was, considering that she was raised alongside the two of them.

"She's fine; with the missing children, she took the time to help the slums more. So she's rarely at the Orphanage, only coming to check if we returned every now and so often." He stated. Again, not a lie. She did go around helping people more after the children went into Fortress Maxim.

That was an acceptable answer for most of them, but he couldn't help but notice the doubt that ran through Akito's eyes. That was to be expected; Akito was still an Inquisitor, so everything Elt said was under scrutiny. Even after working together for a few days, the two were still strangers in each other's eyes.

As such, Elt couldn't tell Akito about the secret Orphanage, and Akito couldn't just trust everything Elt said. The only reason he wasn't questioning this, for now, was because there was nothing for Akito to gain by asking him.

"So I'm guessing you faced the Baphomet then, my lord," Lucas asked, causing Elt to turn to him before he nodded.

"What did she do to you, big brother? You're not hurt anywhere, are you?" Mimil asked, tilting her head in concern before Elt shook his head.

"She just wanted to talk to me for some reason… I didn't get the reason why, though…." He admitted, causing the group to perk their brows before Akito spoke.

"And why's that?" Akito asked,

"Because I insulted her… she got mad and threw the world's most deadly tantrum." Elt joke, one that Akito snorted at. But the rest, however, found no amusement in his words. He was basically saying he pissed off a Baphomet and got away with it. An act that nobody and they do mean nobody's ever achieved.

"You… You angered a Baphomet!?" Mimil yelled out, causing the group to pause and Elt to flinch slightly. He gave a slight nod, causing Mimil to remain before she sighed.

"Honestly, big brother. I know you're strong now, but I'm not sure if you'd be able to fight a Baphomet on your own." She muttered.

Elt could test that claim, but right now, he doesn't really want to. He just needed to get rid of her, and tomorrow was their first and likely only chance at doing that. He didn't know much about monsters, but he knew about the concept of honor. It was prevalent in the Lands Between, to the point where an entire festival was made for one of the demigods so that he could preserve his honor.

He supposed that The Baphomet might have a sense of it as well. It wasn't guaranteed, but it was their best shot. If she didn't leave, he'd have her get a taste of what the Lands Between had offered him.

"Which is why I need your help for tomorrow," Elt stated, causing the group to look at him with wide eyes.

"I pissed off the Baphomet enough for her to call for a duel… Well… I wouldn't say duel because that would imply just two combatants, but more like a rematch between us… all of us." Elt stated, causing the group to nod before he continued.

"At midnight's bell, we meet her at the site of our first battle. We have until midnight tomorrow to prepare." He stated, causing the group to look on at him before Akito spoke up.

"The problem is… how the fuck do we beat her?" He asked, turning to the group as he did. They were decimated last time, but now they had the help of 2 heroes, a magical little boy and Elt… he doesn't even know what the fuck was going on with Elt, but if it helps with the Baphomet, then he's all for it.

"Simple, last time we didn't have the initiative… she attacked when we were inside and with the Orphans to worry about. This time, we would at least know where she is." Elt stated,

"What if she doesn't show up," Lucas asked, tilting his head as he did.

"Then we continue our search… something tells me that she will," Elt replied.

"Even still, what could we do to fight her off? We don't know the full extent of her powers, and even when holding back, we still couldn't touch her." Primera stated.

"...We didn't know what she was capable of before… but now, I might have an idea…." Elt muttered.

"... I think I figured out what her weakness might be." He stated, causing the group to raise their brow.

He came in close and told them of his discovery. All of them widened their eyes in response.

"-Are… are you sure about this?" Mimil asked; her eyes widened. She couldn't believe what he just said; that weakness that he told them about… was risky, but what choice did they have?

"It might be the only way…." Lucas muttered.

This caused the group to nod hesitantly, Primera slightly slower than expected. She couldn't fully get on board with this plan; it put Elt at significant risk. But what choice did they have? This was the only way she could logically think of to get the Baphomet to back down.

Her eyes turned to Elt before they gazed at Lucas.

She still wanted to know what Lucas exactly was, but after seeing Elt return, she couldn't help but feel that he was a little different. She found him… a little more… she couldn't think of a word. He was just… different.

This was odd, and it aroused suspicion in her mind. There was something deeper going on here, something that was beyond herself. She turned to Mimil, finding her staring at Elt attentively as well. She narrowed her eyes; her's was just like Primera's. No doubt she, too, was wondering what had changed.

Regardless, she'll come and demand her answers later. They needed to deal with this Baphomet first.

For his sake and the sake of the rest of the Orphanage. Primera needed to get to the bottom of this.


"You're swinging that thing a little too wildly." A voice called out from an open field.

Out in the middle of the nation, just beyond the capital. The battle cries of men rang out in the field. But this was no battle, no. It was merely a training session for various mercenaries to practice their skill with a blade. Men swung their wooden arms, fueled one another, and trained through the morning.

One of these people was Isaac, who was currently laid at the mercy of Doon's mighty wooden sword. His brows twitched before he swatted Doon's rigid blade with a sigh. He got up, dusting himself before he picked up his own weapon, an oversized wooden plank.

It was too big to be called a sword; too big, too thick, too heavy, too rough. It was more like a large plank of wood than a normal wooden sword.

That was because it was.

Unable to emulate his blade's feel and design with any wooden weapons, Isaac found a large plank of wood and strapped a long wooden stick by the ends to emulate his giant blade. Needless to say, it was just as unwieldy as his actual sword. Average men wouldn't be able to carry it, but luckily Isaac was no mere man.

"Admit it; I almost had you that time," Isaac mumbled, causing Doon to laugh slightly before he spoke up.

"Sure you did, kid, the same way you 'almost had me' the last 8 times." He retorted, causing Isaac to roll his eyes.

"You're improving, at the very least. You're coordinating where you hit your blade. Your problem now is the recovery… it takes you too long to pick that sword up once you swing." Doon commented, causing Isaac to look down at the wooden blade before he furrowed his eyes.

"I know that; it's a little hard to do." He muttered, causing Doon to nod. Honestly speaking, Doon had no idea how to teach him how to use that thing. He's used Greatswords before, yes. But to call that giant hunk of metal he carries with him a greatsword was just… an understatement.

It was almost his size, and he stood a good 6 feet and 5 inches. It was literally bigger than Isaac himself, the norm for greatswords but what wasn't expected was its sheer thickness. It baffles him how the boy could lift it, let alone swing it. He could barely lift the thing back when he first met Isaac, and now this kid is moving around swinging it like a madman.

He couldn't get him to replace the weapon. He was met with a fierce refusal when he suggested that. After hearing his story over the campfire, he couldn't really blame him. The kid was stubborn, and that sword was the last thing his brother gave him. Getting rid of it would've been like letting go of something a loved one gave you…

It was a feeling Doon knew all too well.

He sighed; looking at the boy, he tried to think of a solution. Then a thought hit him…

The boy usually one-handed it whenever he swings. An even more surprising fact considering the weight of the blade. But from his training, Doon could tell that Isaac swung the sword just as well with one hand as he did with two.

He was ambidextrous, which Doon learned when he saw him using both hands to write on two separate occasions. Well… tried to, anyways. He was just copying the symbols onto a piece of paper as a way to learn.

The ability to read and write is a powerful skill, after all. So Isaac's been trying to take up lessons, primarily by pestering him about it to the point where he referred him to Koyoi. She, too, was a learner, but she took a quick grasp on Lescatie's writing style and language. So after some even more pestering and a not-so-pleased Amanomiya, she agreed to eventually teach him how to read and write.

Not for free, though; Isaac had to share a decent amount of his pay. A good investment in his eyes.

In any case, this meant that one of his hands was free during battle. A fact that he could exploit.

"Hold on here, kid." He said, walking to one of the tents before picking up a small dagger. He unsheathed it, letting the gleam hit his face as he inspected its form. Placing it back in its sheath, he walked out before he handed it over to Isaac.

"...The fuck is that?" Isaac asked, tilting his head before Doon answered.

"A dagger," Doon stated.

"Didn't I tell you I'm not replacing my sword, old man?" Isaac asked, causing Doon to nod before he explained.

"I know, which is why you'll be adding it to your arsenal instead." Doon elaborated, causing Isaac to tilt his head before he looked on at the dagger.

"...My brother never used a dagger, though." He muttered, causing Doon to sigh before he replied.

"You're not your brother, Isaac. You don't have to copy everything he does. Sometimes, you just have to find your own method." Doon stated, crossing his arms as Isaac turned his eyes to him. It then turned to the dagger; his eyes narrowed at sight.

He picked it up cautiously, unsheathing it to inspect.

He swung it around, feeling the weight of the small blade on his hand. Sheathed it, handing it over to Doon before Doon waved his hand.

"No, it's yours now. I have plenty of it lying around here." He stated, causing Isaac to pause before nodding.

"... I'm not sure if I'll ever use it in combat," Isaac muttered, scratching the back of his head. Doon patted him on the back as a response. He gave a small sigh before he spoke.

"Sure you can; you just have to practice with it. But if you really don't want to use it, that's fine…. Just take it as a present and keep it somewhere safe." He stated, to which Isaac shook his head.

He pulled out the dagger once more; he then picked up the larger wooden blade before Isaac tried to see if he could carry it. He wasn't gonna lie; it made things a little awkward. But this dagger isn't his primary weapon; he'll treat it as a sidearm just in case. He'd use this instead if he ever had to fight in a cramped space like that alleyway again.

"Why don't you and I try to spar with this thing then, here," Doon stated, tossing a wooden blade the size of the dagger he gave him. Isaac took the blade, moving a few paces before he nodded.

"Alright, Old man, let's see if you can handle this," Isaac stated, pointing the more miniature dagger at Doon, who raised his wooden sword with a smile.

"I'm only 34, jackass!" He stated, causing Isaac to laugh slightly.

With that, they sparred. Suffice to say, Isaac did worse with the dagger than with the giant sword. Primarily because he wasn't used to it, nor did he know how to properly fight with it. Understandable, considering that he's always been using that large sword of his. Even still, Doon could see him improving little by little. That was enough to leave him satisfied.

Eventually, Koyoi came in with a few pieces of paper in her hand, neatly rolled up. She looked at the two as they sparred and waited for them to finish.

She didn't have to wait for long; with a single strike to the head, Isaac was knocked down again. He grunted in pain, rubbing his head with his hand as Doon offered his own hand. Grinning slightly, he grabbed it. He picked himself back up before he began dusting himself.

"I almost had you there," Isaac said yet again.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night," Doon muttered, a teasing grin on his face. Isaac rolled his eyes at that before he turned to Koyoi.

Koyoi walked towards the two, turning to Doon before she spoke.

"We have a new assignment," She stated, handing him one of the pieces of paper. She was about to hand one over to Isaac but then remembered that he could not read.

"Oh, shit, first mission," Isaac stated, a hint of excitement in his tone… mixed with nervousness. This would be the first time he'd get into a job. Doon told him not to get overly excited for missions and that they usually just do escort missions or guard duty. Most of the time, they don't even get to fight.

Even still, Isaac was hoping to test his skills. Considering the last time he fought someone, he lost… badly.

Doon picked up the piece of paper, looking into it as he read. His eyes widened as he read, pupils shrinking with every word. He turned to Isaac, looking at him straight in his eyes. He sighed, speaking to him in a low tone.

"Kid… I'm not sure if you want to come with us for this one." Doon stated.

"W-What!? Why?" He asked, causing Doon to turn to the page before he decided to read it out loud.

"We're… facing off against a vampire, kid," Doon muttered, his tone low and cautious. Isaac's eyes widened, and his pupils shrunk as he stepped back.

"A… A vampire?" He muttered.

The last time he faced a vampire was a long, long time ago. He remembered how she fought and basically toyed with them until she was satisfied. The speed at which she fought his brother was something to behold. He could barely even see them move, only seeing the aftermath of their destructive battle.

"Apparently, one of them was sighted in the forests north of here. Knights from the Order of the Ice-Flower came in to drive her off, but they never returned. It's gotten to the point where a few heroes are now involved." Doon explained, causing Isaac to widen his eyes.

"...Is Wilmarina Noscrim involved?" He asked. It wasn't for her, but she could tell him where he could find Elt. Of course, it's naive for him to think they'd just let him near her considering his common blood. But she knows him somewhat, or he hoped so at least. She didn't seem like the type to forget people; they barely interacted back then.

"Why, you've got some kind of crush on her or something? I'd feel bad for Luciana if that's the case." Doon stated with a teasing grin, causing Isaac's eyes to twitch. A blush formed on his face as he sputtered out an answer.

"N-No, I just… she might know something about someone I'm looking for…." He confessed. He did have a crush on her at one point, just a tiny piece of adoration when he was younger. He doesn't have it anymore, but he could still tell why many others did. She was beautiful, powerful, and wealthy. But unfortunately for them, she already has her eyes for someone else. Isaac at least knew who it was.

And it was that person that he was looking for.

"...You looking for Luciana?" Doon muttered, causing Isaac to pause.

He wasn't going to lie; he wasn't sure if he wanted to see her. She was different now, the right-hand of Wilmarina Noscrim herself. On the one hand, it would've been great to reunite and talk about their childhoods to each other. On the other, he was scared. Luciana wouldn't be the same as she was the last time they met, and he certainly wasn't the same Isaac she knew from long ago.

"... I-I'm not so sure…." He muttered, turning away, causing Doon to sigh and pat his back.

"Love can be like that sometimes…."

"Oi, it's not love, jackass!... I think…" He muttered at the end. He wasn't even entirely sure how he felt about her after all this time. He was a complicated mess of emotions and didn't know how he felt even now.

"Besides, I'm sure I'd only intrude on her duties if I do show up. It's best if this is how things are… for now." He muttered, shaking his head before he turned to Doon.

"Still… is there anything else on that piece of paper that's of note." He muttered, trying to change the subject. Catching the memo, Doon nodded before he began to reread it.

"...Hmm… well… ah, this one's a bit strange. There were also sightings of a… wolfman?" He muttered, tilting his head as he read that particular information.

That immediately attracted Isaac, and he turned his head to Doon. His eyes widened, and curiosity formed in his eyes.

"...Wolfman?" He asked.

"There aren't many details, but apparently, there's a guy with a wolf's head moving around the place. It's unknown if this is true; it's possibly just a werewolf or something." He uttered.

Isaac's eyes remained wide; thoughts ran through his head as he did. '...no… no, there's no way… could it be?' He thought to himself before he gripped his dagger. He turned to Doon, eyes wide before he spoke.

"I'm coming with," He declared, not stated, declared. He was coming regardless of what they said.

Doon widened his eyes, Koyoi as well. Turning to Isaac, he opened his mouth to speak once more.

"...Look, Isaac… it's dangerous, you should know-" Doon began before Isaac cut him off.

"I do know; I know all too well. I know how powerful a vampire is; I've seen it myself. But I want to come with you regardless." He stated, causing Doon to pause. Isaac sighed, clenching his fists before he spoke in a tone that Doon's never heard from the kid before.

"...Please… I want to… I need to see it." He stated, causing Doon to look at the kid before he sighed.

"...Just so you know, if anything happens to you… it's on you, understood?" Doon asked; Isaac simply nodded at that.

"Good, then pack your things. This journey will take us a few days." He stated, causing Isaac to nod once more before he left to pack up.


Elt walked through the cold streets; his blue eyes were trained to his front. He wasn't wearing his standard inquisitorial garb, instead opting for his old protective armor and gambeson. As stylish as those clothes were, they offered ample protection. So he took a quick detour into Merse's barracks to suit up before heading out.

Their plan had been laid, and all the combatants were in position. The street was silent, the only sounds being the footsteps that echoed with every stride. Each step was cautious, wary of the floor in front of him just in case it had been a trap. The Baphomet was tricky, after all. She might have been leading him into a trap. But that possibility had already been accounted for and taken care of.

As he moved through the streets, the form of the church they called home came onto the horizon. He paused just before it, waiting for midnight's bell to strike. He carried two blades of more refined quality than his last, which Akito offered him for his battle. They were Zipangese Style blades that Akito had on him, both strapped to his hips.

There was no guarantee that they'd survive, even though he told Akito that much. The man simply shrugged and said to him that it was to be expected.

He took a deep breath, the chill air causing his breath to be visible under the moonlight. He clenched his left hand, feeling the sacred seal that sat upon it. This was something he wanted to avoid using. He already revealed much about his strength; if he showed them that he could do magic now, they'd have questions.

But nothing was ever guaranteed, and it was better to be safe than sorry.

And so here he stood, waiting for midnight to come. Hand ready to grab the blade on his hip, eyes locked firmly on the church.

Then midnight struck, and the demon appeared.

Black tendrils rose from the top of the church, its form as disgusting as he remembered. A purple glow covered the bottom of the church. With a flash of light, the familiar figure of a distinctive goat-horned creature stood in front of him.

There was no amusement in her face, none of that childish glee he expected. She was furious, his comments and words from before still taking their toll on her mind. Good, this was just how he intended to fight her.

"I suppose that I should commend your bravery, Human... or is it foolishness that drives you?" She muttered, summoning her scythe as she turned to look straight at him.

"I think anyone would be hard pressed to refuse if a monster like you threatens their lives. If I didn't come here, I don't doubt you'd throw another tantrum at me and put the people here at risk." Elt stated, causing Kuroferuru's eyes to narrow.

"Even now, you're still hellbent on slandering me," Kuroferuru stated, her fangs showing in response.

"It's not slander if it's true; you proved to me that much," Elt added,

Kuroferuru calmed herself, now was not the time to get angered by a human like him. She needed her mind to be clear for this fight. She cast a spell to calm herself, taking a deep breath as she looked around.

"I'm guessing that you're friends are all around her somewhere, waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike." She stated, looking around to see if she could spot any of his comrades. Elt nodded at that; there was no point in trying to hide it. Kuroferuru was smart enough to understand at least this much.

"I can't seem to find them, though…." She muttered before she shook her head.

"They'll show up when they need to. Right now, it's just you and me." Elt looked straight up at the Baphomet, who narrowed her eyes in response. He pulled out one of the katanas, holding it on his right as he clenched his left fist.

"Besides, what difference does it make? We stand no real chance against you, so I will have to cheat." He admitted, causing the Baphomet to pause before she spoke.

"What's your game here?" She asked, causing Elt to shrug before he pointed his blade at the Baphomet.

"And why would I tell you that? We're enemies here, Kuroferuru." He stated, calling her by name.

"Like I said before… I won't let a horrible person like you bully my family anymore." He added, causing her eyes to narrow before she pointed her scythe at him.

"When I'm done with you, I'll show you the true power of monsterkind." She declared.

No more words were said; the fight had officially begun.


Author's Notes:

This took a while to finish, but I'm satisfied with it.

I have a few things to talk about. I hinted at Albain's backstory a little bit with his interaction with Galand. I'm not gonna lie, this is probably one of the darkest backstories I've ever thought up for a character. It'll take some time before it's fully revealed, but until then I'll keep his history hidden and give a few hints here and there.

After this part, Elt's side of the story will take a bit of a backseat. Or, in this case, a bit of downtime where I'd just set up the newest arc for him. The next part was teased just now, with Isaac and the mercenaries coming in to help with a certain vampire.

I had to rewrite Elt's interaction with Kuroferuru multiple times since I just wasn't satisfied with it originally. I wanted them to have this long debate where the two sides clashed on their ideals, but then I realized that I also wanted to do that with Druella. So I cut the argument short and edited it a bit so it won't be the same once he inevitably comes face to face with the Fourth-Born.

Fun fact, I wanted Isaac to use a dagger because I wanted him to be able to use Bloodhound Step in the future. it was nerfed in the latest update, but it's still pretty fun to use, IMO. I don't have the same qualms with PVP since I can't afford PS Plus, and so I play in offline mode.

In any case, that's all I wanted to say. As usual, leave your reviews, criticisms, comments, reactions, etc. in the review section. My PMs are also open if you want to use that instead.

As always,

Whamo out!