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 18: Abyss

Darkness,

That was all she could see, all she could hear, all she could feel. It was an empty feeling, but she couldn't ever comprehend it.

And yet she could still understand what she did, the carnage she wrought on a single human settlement. Men, women, children, none of them mattered to the Baphomet. All were just corpses for her and her thralls to feed on.

Red eyes stared out into the carnage she wrought, her figure obscured by a black and putrid substance.

What was she doing again? Right, she needed to feed. An eternity holed up in this putrid and disgusting form was enough to rend her mind asunder.

How long had she done this? How long has this cycle repeated? Kill, Destroy, Feed, Repeat. That was the only thing she'd done, the only thing she's ever known. It was the only thing the rest of her kind had brought into this world.

Guilt was a concept foreign to her, as it was to every other monster. She did not need to feel for the lives she took; The Black Goat did not need to think about the lives she just cut short. All that was expected of her to do was to kill.

Slaughter, Slaughter, Slaughter.

And yet, as it turned out, fate had other plans for her, for her kind, and for the world as a whole.

In her pit of darkness, a purple light bloomed.

Her eyes could finally comprehend what she had seen but never once gave an ounce of thought about it.

And for once, Kuroferuru felt revulsion.


The cold midnight air brushed against the red strands of hair on the man's head. His cold blue eyes were staring straight at the furious crimson of his opponent's. His blade was held up, its blade glistening under the moonlight. Her scythe was held down, its blackened form much like that of the abyss.

Both stayed still, both waiting for the other to move. The only sounds were the writhing of the black tentacles and the faint whistling of the wind. None dared move, each sizing the other up as they prepared.

He stood at the foot of the church, feet planted firmly on the stone floors of the slums. She stood atop the church; she formed a silhouette under the gaze of the moon.

For a moment, nothing happened. No exchange of words, no clashing of steel, not even a single flex of the muscle.

And then…

Kuroferuru moved. First, a black tentacle shot past her form and drove straight into Elt's form. Its speed is comparable to that of lightning. Elt widened his eyes slightly at the act; his feet moved, his form jumping up into the air to evade the coming strike. But that wasn't all; once the tentacle had been avoided, his feet fell down upon its form. He cringed slightly at the contact, but he paid such thoughts no mind. He ran, his feet moving through the tentacles, using their form as a line between him and his target.

The Baphomet's eyes widened; she was right about her hunch from before. Elt wasn't the same as he was days ago. What changed? What turned the skilled but somewhat naive and gullible young man into… this?

Such thoughts, however, had no place on the battlefield. She moved her scythe up; steel clashed with demonic silver. The contact caused a spark to fly before Elt's form moved back a little. He flipped out onto the orphanage's rooftops.

And thus, the exchange began.

She swung her scythe over and over in an attempt to overwhelm the man. Each strike moved faster than lightning; each swing moved with a force that could level this entire city if she so wanted. Most heroes would've been overwhelmed, but Elt was no mere hero.

Every swing, he managed to dodge, block, parry, or counter. He held his ground; even when the overwhelming power of the Baphomet was bearing down, he had not wavered. But he was being pushed back.

'As I thought… I won't be enough to beat her… not at this state at least….' He thought to himself. He dodged another strike before he moved his katana for a strike. The Baphomet and Elt locked blades, each hoping to overpower the other.

Even with his memories unlocked, he still didn't have the means to beat her. His power was still sealed, and his equipment could only take so much. He stared into his blade, his eyes narrowing as he did. The katana was getting chipped from every blow, he might be able to last, but these blades won't. Phase 2 of the plan, then.

Elt took a deep breath, thinking about what to say before he spoke up.

"I read about your kind, Kuroferuru…." He muttered, causing The Baphomet to widen her eyes slightly as she stared straight into his own.

"...I heard about how you indoctrinate little girls into your sick and disgusting cults. I always thought that maybe it was exaggerated after seeing Merridith and the kids… I thought that was the case." He muttered, causing Kuroferuru to narrow her eyes.

"But after seeing you… maybe I was wrong. So tell me, is it just you, or are the rest of you Baphomets just this disgusting." Elt started with a scowl. The Baphomet, in response, growled. She pushed Elt away before a giant tentacle came in from the side. Elt dodged it, jumping to the roof of another building with a roll.

"You don't know anything about us! You don't know anything about me!" The Baphomet yelled out, casting a purple sphere of light to form above her form. With a single glare, the beam shot forth.

He looked up as the Baphomet shot the beam of demonic Energy straight toward him. He sidestepped it, moving a few paces back before he began his run.

"You don't know what it's like… to writhe in the darkness, causing suffering wherever you go." She continued as he ran. She then began her chase, moving through the rooftops with a speed that matched his own.

Her brows furrowed, and her face wretched. This bastard, this absolute bastard… How dare he say such things? How dare he call her a monster? She summoned a tentacle, shooting it forward, causing it to dig into one of the houses. The force caused the ground to shake, but Elt managed to dodge it by a hair's breadth.

"It hurts… it hurts a lot… I made a lot of mistakes, but I just want to help. Is it so wrong of me to end their suffering?" She added,

He raised his brow at that; he pushed such thoughts to the back of his mind. Just need to focus on getting onto that clearing in the plaza. Unlike the cramped streets, the plaza was open and would allow him to move. Along with that, it would also allow him to use some of his spells without having to worry about collateral. At this time, it should also be relatively empty, so he also wouldn't have to worry about people running around.

"You're not ending their suffering by doing that; you're just making it worse," Elt stated, narrowing his eyes as he moved. The Baphomet narrowed her own eyes in response, grabbing a large piece of debris before tossing it towards the man.

Elt rolled under it; he then jumped up onto another rooftop before he continued his run. He continued on with his talk,

"Drowning them in pleasure? Do you honestly think that you're helping us by doing that?" He asked, causing the Baphomet to pause for just a second before she continued her chase.

"The values and desires of monsters are different from you humans! Every time I look at your kind, all I see is suffering. The monsters I see around me are free of suffering, free of their pain!" Kuroferuru yelled, swinging her scythe, causing a wave of demonic Energy to shoot out.

"Like I said, you don't understand monsters the way I do!" She stated,

"You're right; I don't. After all, I'm not a monster myself… or… maybe I am, just not your kind." Elt stated, causing Kuroferuru to pause.

"But I'm not the only one who fails to understand. Much like how I don't understand the monsters the way you do. You don't understand mankind at all." He retorted, causing the Baphomet to narrow her eyes as she sent out another dark matter tentacle at him.

Elt, instead of dodging, had deflected it instead. Holding his blade up to drive it off, the force of the strike caused his feet to dig into the flimsy rooftop. He swiped at the tentacle, cutting it off before he kicked the roof and launched himself towards Kuroferuru. Kuroferuru widened her eyes, holding her scythe up to intercept the man.

Their weapons clashed, and using the momentum, the red-haired warrior launched himself into the sky before he landed down on the ground with a thump. He looked up at Kuroferuru with a glare before he continued his run down the alleyway.

Kuroferuru furrowed her brows at that. She jumped onto the ground, a mass of dark matter forming in her wake. The mass moved through the alleyway; like a tsunami of the dark, it flowed through the streets in pursuit of its one target. The Tarnished narrowed his eyes, continuing on before he found the plaza. He turned his head around, looking on at the incoming wave of dark matter. It was fast, faster than he was. It was getting closer and closer, but before he could get caught in its wake, he rolled forward and onto the plaza.

Now in a relatively open area, he didn't need to worry too much about collateral. Unfortunately, the same could be said about the Baphomet. Even now, she wasn't fighting at full strength. Kuroferuru, despite everything, didn't want to hurt people. Even if her actions ran contrary to that desire.

"You're right; I don't understand." A voice called out from the alleyway.

"All I see in this country is pain and suffering. The nobles and the upper-class squabble, bicker and fight over petulant reasons. The poor starve, murder, and thieve with one another just to survive." She muttered, her form moving through the alleyway before she made her way to the plaza.

"It's not just Lescatie, either. Polove, Solovan, Leóros, and many others all suffer from the same problems. Problems that you would never face in a Demon Realm." Kuroferuru continued, moving her paws up as dark matter formed on her hands.

"You humans are blind to a better alternative, a better future. One filled with nothing but luxury and comfort, of pleasure and desire. You need only look at Royal Makai, Dragonia, Court Alf… I don't understand why you'd ever want to reject that." She added with a sigh, clenching her paws as she did.

She just couldn't understand humans, especially not humans like Elt. People who clung to their humanity, to their suffering. There's a better alternative, a bountiful way of life filled with pleasure and comfort. Where one need not worry about putting food on the table, where all were free to do as they pleased without judgment.

Who would ever reject that?

"But all you've ever heard about these lands was that it was a realm of bloodthirsty monsters and evil demons, isn't it?" She asked, causing Elt to pause before he tried to think of something to say.

"We're not like that, not anymore… you've seen it yourself," Kuroferuru added.

She had a point; there were much better alternatives than his admittedly corrupt and incredibly defunct nation. The Pride of the Order, as it was called, to him, was nothing more than a cruel joke. He still felt an attachment to this place; it was home, after all. But even he had to admit that this home of his wasn't an ideal place to live in.

Cutthroat politics and a cold apathy had struck the nation. It wasn't the idealized state he and many others believed it to be. It was flawed, more than just poor, actually. It was broken; Lescatie was a broken mess of a nation.

Even still, a world of comfort and luxury came at a cost. When there's nothing but pleasure and excess, what use does one have for the world? It's just another form of apathy, one born from an undeserving reward. It ran against his own beliefs, his own ideals. He fought against The Golden Order to end that stagnant world, to throw it into uncertainty free from the Gods.

Besides, he had no real reason to trust this Baphomet. All she had ever done was bring him pain and misery, utterly contrary to the ideal world she apparently wanted for this country.

In the face of what she's done, her argument falls flat.

"I admit, this country is broken, and it needs to be fixed. But from what I've seen, from what I learned… you don't really want to fix Lescatie's problems; you just want to drown out the pain." Elt stated, narrowing his eyes as he did.

"And is that so wrong? Isn't drowning a problem away in itself a solution? Turning Lescatie into a Demon Realm would fix so many of its issues, are you so selfish that you'd deny this land our solution?" Kuroferuru asked, raising her brow as she did.

His answer, however, surprised her more than any other.

"Yes, that's exactly the reason why," Elt stated, turning to Kuroferuru as he did. This caused Kuroferuru to widen her eyes at his response. She expected denial, deflection, and a retort.

She did not expect him to just accept what she had just accused him of.

Seeing this, Elt decided to elaborate.

"Let me make this clear to you. I am not a saint; I am not a hero. I make mistakes… a lot of them…." He muttered, his voice getting low as he did.

"...mistakes that I regret to this very day," Elt added, shaking his head before he continued.

"I've seen people with solutions to problems far greater than the one here in Lescatie. Time and time again, I denied them in favor of something I personally believed in." He continued on, taking a step back as he did.

"Something that others would fiercely deny. In a way, I guess I'm just like you… the difference is that I admit that I'm not a good person." He stated, causing Kuroferuru to narrow her eyes.

It was a realization that struck him the moment he took a moment to think. She, and whoever it was she was serving, was much like him in a way. She wanted to change things; she wanted to turn Lescatie into something she perceived was better than the Status Quo. The same way he and Ranni went to change the Lands Between to fit their view.

A world free from the influence of the gods, a world cast into fear, doubt, and loneliness.

Much like how he is right now with her, there were those who would vehemently oppose his desires. Chief among them was the Golden Order. The number of bodies he buried for this view was something he wasn't proud of, something he never wanted to repeat.

It was just the way the world worked, he supposed. He and these monsters would never be able to see eye-to-eye. He could understand them, but he could never accept them.

"I am nothing like you!" She yelled, growling as she spoke. She clutched her scythe tightly, causing Elt to grip his own blade as he took another step back.

"Trust me, I really don't want to compare myself to you. But at the end of the day, I think I understand you a little better." Elt started with a sigh before he gripped his sword.

"You don't understand me; how could you!? Unlike you, at least I want to help your people, your nation." She started with a snarl.

"All that power, all that strength. But you don't have the desire to use it to help your own country." She uttered, narrowing her eyes as she did.

That caused Elt to pause for a second, his face making a complex expression as he gripped his blade. She was right, he had all of this power and yet he didn't desire to aid the country he grew up in. He'd use it to protect his loved ones, to make their lives better.

But he never once thought to use his power to change things. Was he afraid? Was it apathy? He had done it before, back in the Lands Between. So why can't he do it here, in his home?

It was all of these things and none. His journey through the Lands Between had seen him slaughter and lose many in the name of change. As much as he desired change, he didn't want a repeat of what he did back in The Lands Between.

He could change Lescatie, but change would always require a sacrifice. And unlike in the Lands Between, he couldn't afford to lose anyone he was close to.

He desired change, but he knew that his change would cost lives. At the end of the day, he really was just a coward.

"Speechless, huh? Maybe I did get through to you, but this alone isn't enough. I tire of arguing with you; I came here to duel with blades, not with words." She added as she lifted her scythe.

He said nothing, merely nodding in acceptance before he raided his blade up. With that one move, a barrage of arrows flew from an undisclosed location. Kuroferuru widened her eyes, swinging her scythe to cut down the shower. Using this opportunity, Elt ran towards her before he turned his blade down, causing the Baphomet to intercept his sword with her own.

With the two locking blades, she failed to notice another figure running in from behind. Akito ran into the plaza at speeds slower than Elt's but with the precision of a man trained in his craft. He swung the blade towards her, and she caught on quick. She summoned Dark Matter from behind her, both to fend off Akito and to launch her away from the two.

Akito took a step back, swinging his blade to cut off one of the tentacles before he looked on at Elt. He gave his signature but somewhat tired grin before he spoke.

"Not sure you having a civil discussion with the enemy was part of the plan," Akito commented.

"...I got distracted; it won't happen again," Elt muttered, his eyes turning downcast slightly.

"Listen, if you really want to piss her off, then be more creative with your insults," Akito commented as he turned to the Baphomet.

Elt just shook his head at that, "Sorry, Akito, between you and me: you're just way better at spewing out bullshit." He started with a small smile, one that Akito mirrored with a grin.

"6/10; I made that joke a while ago." He muttered.

Kuroferuru took a moment to gather her bearings, her eyes scanning the area as she narrowed them in turn.

'...I fell for that; I can't believe that I did. Those arrows, then that must mean….' She thought to herself before her eyes turned to the corner. Up above the buildings stood a green-haired half elf with her bow in her hands. She glared at the Baphomet below as she readied another shot.

'That makes three… the only one missing is that mage. Out of all of them, he could be the most troublesome… So where is he?' She thought to herself.

She readied herself for an assault; at least three of them were visible to her. For now, she'll make do with what she has. She gripped her scythe, and while they now had more room to move so did she. She didn't have to worry about collateral as much.

Another barrage of arrows flew, and in response, Kuroferuru let a wall of stone fly up to block them. The arrows exploded on contact, but they did little to do anything against the wall of rock. She pushed her hoof down, launching herself forward towards the weakest link in the group. In this case, it was Akito. Skilled, he may be in combat, but he was no hero.

Seeing this, Akito widened his eyes before he pulled his sword up. She swung her scythe down, aiming to cut the man with the demonic silver. But it was intercepted by the blade of the red-haired warrior, his mouth gritting at the pressure. The katana in his hands slightly cracked, but it held firm. Akito used this opportunity to run back and strike at The Baphomet with his own blade.

He managed to leave a deep wound, but much like before, such injuries were trivial to someone like her. Her eyes narrowed at that, summoning a black tentacle to drive him off. Akito backflipped a few paces back, his teeth gritting as it did.

Elt, seeing this took the opportunity to gain a bit of distance. He narrowed his eyes, thinking of what to do. Physical attacks were ineffective. Any mortal wound they deal with would just regenerate; in that case, he'd have to rely on magic. He pondered on it for a second; should he reveal his hand now?

No, he'd wait until it was indispensable. They have her where they want her; the only thing to do now is to keep her occupied and give Lucas and Mimil an opportunity to strike.

But where were the two?


"You never told me you could do magic," Mimil commented, her form gripping her distinct staff. Her eyes wandered to Lucas' own staff, her eyes narrowing at sight. She had long since suspected that this was the case. Ever since she read that astrology book, she had it in the back of her mind. The past weeks had made her forget, between the Baphomet, Inquisition, and everything in-between; so much had happened in just the past month.

"Of course, I could; you taught me after all." He uttered, eyes focused on the battle down below.

"That's not…." She muttered, shaking her head before turning her eyes to the Baphomet. Now wasn't the time to ask, not when in the middle of a battle. She needed all of her focus; after all, Baphomets were considered to be the strongest of monsterkind. A single one of them could be said to rend entire nations with but a single flick of the wrist.

Mimil watched as The Baphomet swung her blade; she watched as she cast fire and magics greater than anything she had conjured. But even still, there was one thing she noticed when she observed her fight.

"... She's not fighting at full capacity." She muttered, narrowing her eyes as she did.

That caused Lucas to perk his eyes before he turned to her. "What do you mean?" He asked, widening his eyes as he turned to his Master.

"I'm not 100% certain, but… I'm at least 85% sure that she's holding back." She muttered, causing Lucas to widen her eyes as he turned to their opponent. He widened his eyes as he observed her closer.

He wouldn't exactly say that she was holding back; from the look on her face, she was trying her best to win. But he noticed it, the slight hesitation with every move, the complex expression on her face. She was conflicted, and while there was a battle raging outside, there was one forming within her own psyche.

Good, they could use that to their advantage.

"Then that means that we have the advantage; I think it's time we step in. Are the shackles ready?" He asked, turning to Mimil, who nodded in response.

To prepare for this battle, they planned to lead her here in the plaza. In preparation, they had prepared magic shackles all over the plaza to aid them. They were specifically made to shackle the Baphomet down. They got the idea from an Omen… or, more accurately, two of them. It was something that Elt himself suggested, most likely using his experience when facing said Omens. Of course, the strength of The Shackles Mimil made wouldn't be as strong as the ones used to hold down two Demigods, but it should be enough to delay The Baphomet for an attack.

Lucas stood up, moving forward before he found himself on the ledge. He took his staff out, the gem that sat atop it glowing blue. He raised it high, causing the blue gem to glow ever brighter.

"...Forgive me, Master. I wasn't being entirely honest with you." He uttered, looking down at the Baphomet.

"Yeah, I kind of already knew that," Mimil muttered with a slight deadpan before she shook her head. She readied her own staff, opening her palms as she prepared a chant. She created this one just for this one fight, one she designed to aid Elt in his battle against The Baphomet.

It was somewhat crude and less refined than some of her other spells, but for now, it would do.

"At your signal, Master," Lucas stated, readying his staff. She nodded at that, turning to the fight. She waited and watched, waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike.


Kuroferuru blocked a strike from one of the katanas, her eyes staring straight at the man behind it before pushing him away. Despite their numbers, despite their plans, she should've been the one who was coming out on top. She was far stronger, far more skilled in magic, and far more intelligent despite her childish nature.

All it would've taken was a single flick of her finger, and everyone here would've been placed under her heel. That was how it was before, so logically this is how it should be now.

So why? Why was this happening?

She was struggling to keep up; her mind was clouded with various thoughts. She couldn't straight, couldn't focus. No matter how many times she tried, she just couldn't keep her mind on the fight.

It was his fault, that damned human. What right did he have to insult her? To slander and debase her dreams and desires? To call her a monster.

Monster…

Kuroferuru hated that word; it had such negative connotations. Ironic, a radical like her hate the word monster. But monsters had changed; they no longer desired blood, no longer desired death. In return, they instead spread love and happiness; they give comfort and peace.

So why? Why were they all looking at her with such scorn in their eyes?

Why had Merridith given her such a hateful glare?

Why did the children, monsters themselves, hide themselves from her when she approached?

Had she done things wrong?

No, now was not the time for such thoughts. Blocking another katana strike, she tried to push away such thoughts to the back of her mind. But every time she did, they just kept coming and coming.

She grits her teeth; after this, she was going to drown herself in pleasure once more. To drown out these thoughts, thoughts that did nothing but bring her pain.

Pushing Elt back, she took a few steps back before she held her paws up. That was it, no more holding back. She needed to finish this now, lest the fight reaches until daybreak. Unfortunately for her, they, too, had the same idea.

As soon as she paused in her steps, a blue glow formed beneath her. She widened her eyes, turning them down to see a magic circle form beneath her. Chains shot out, blue in color and stronger than steel. They encircled her arms and bound her down long enough for Mimil and Lucas to make their move.

Jumping down from the rooftops, Lucas held his staff aloft before a Dark Moon formed on his body. It glowed with ethereal light, one that caught the attention of everyone around him. The moon flew out, making a b line towards Kuroferuru, who stood there and watched with wide eyes.

With but a single twist, she managed to break free from her chains. But that split-second delay was enough for the moon to reach her. She held her hand out to block it, and by the time the moon hit her paws, she felt pain.

She widened her eyes, surprise morphing on her face. Her magic defenses had been hijacked, lowered to the point that made her vulnerable to magic. It was… extremely unlikely for a Baphomet to be weakened and hurt by magic, magic from a human no less. It wasn't unheard of, but it was certainly rare.

She took a few steps back, looking on at the group. Mimil and Lucas moved backward, waiting until Akito and Elt guarded their flanks. Primera got down from her building, her form holding on to her bow as she too moved to the group. They all stared at her with weapons at the ready, each aiming to cut her down.

Her eyes twitched; this day had just been horrible so far. Easily one of the worst she's had in centuries. She took a deep breath, trying to keep her bearings before she spoke up.

"All of this for me, I should be flattered… but for some reason, I'm not," Kuroferuru muttered blankly; she really wasn't in the mood. She shook her head, lifting her scythe forward before she spoke once more.

"You even have Mimil Miltie with you," She commented, causing the said girl to tighten her grip on her staff.

She was one of her targets, her original one, actually. That was until all of this happened in just the past few days. Funny how everything can change in such a small amount of time.

She let out a deep sigh, narrowing her eyes as she did. She was vulnerable to magic now; it must've been from that damned moon that Lucas shot at her. What kind of magic was that? It was temporary, but it made her feel uneasy.

No more words were muttered; the two parties stood against one another. Both waited for the other to move, each waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike. Sweat formed on their brows, each standing stiff as aboard before…

"Consume!" She yelled out; a dark swarm formed beneath their feet. The group reacted quickly, spreading out before a large mass of dark matter shot out and formed a crude mouth before slamming itself together.

Kuroferuru then gripped her paws together, causing the swarm to explode and cover the area with dark matter.

Akito and Primera managed to dodge the Dark Matter, Lucas and Mimil cast a magic shield to prevent the Dark Matter from ensnaring them. Elt, however, tried his best to cut down the Dark Matter but was still somewhat struck. Demonic Energy invaded his mind once more, but in the end, he resisted it like usual.

Lucas moved in retaliation, summoning a Carian Greatsword before he swung it towards his target. Kuroferuru moved forward, swinging her own scythe as Carian Sorcery clashed with Demonic Silver. Sparks flew, and blue and black sparks moved as the two sides sought to overpower one another.

He narrowed his eyes, trying his best to overpower the Baphomet but to no avail.

'Damn this child body!' He thought to himself, his feet skidding back.

"You're strong; I can see that clearly," Kuroferurumuttered before a wry grin came to her face.

"But in the end, you're just a child. Nothing wrong with that, but with this body, you'll never be able to overpower me." She stated, summoning another tentacle before it shot towards her back, causing Mimil to sidestep it in turn. She wasn't going to make the same mistake as last time; she's kept track of every one of the combatants.

Lucas narrowed his eyes, gritting his teeth in turn. He felt Dark Matter form on his hand, oozing out from the Baphomet's scythe. Demonic Energy didn't affect him; it couldn't. He was a foreigner to this land, a doll with but one purpose. That being said, it did still restrain him slightly. With one hand covered, all he could do was fire.

He gripped his staff, causing the blue stone atop it to glow.

He looked up, watching as the space above formed a cluster of stars. Stars of Ruin, this might not have been his smartest move, but it was the only thing he could think of in this situation. The stars fell down, and a storm of astral lights descended on him and Kuroferuru. She widened her eyes in response, letting him go before she summoned a dark shield above her to block the stars.

He took a few steps back, dodging away from the stars before gripping his staff tightly. Primera came in from the side, moving her bow before she fired a shot towards the Baphomet. Light exploded from its tip, and ice covered the surrounding area with its cold embrace.

Kuroferuru furrowed her brows at that, her face cringing slightly as she tried to get away. It was nothing more than a minor attack. But a minor attack wasn't supposed to hurt this much.

The Baphomet let out a torrent of flames from beneath. Its furious blaze burned away the ice to the point where it was nothing more than gas. She launched herself upward, launching a gale of wind to dispel the cluster before she formed a platform for herself to step on.

She gazed down, her eyes narrowing at the sight of her foes. She raised her paws high, causing a mass of purple light to form on her paws. The rest widened their eyes in response. With that, she began her chant.

"I declare thee to rise from the depths of thine depravity, to drag mine foes to the blackened abyss…." She began, causing the air to shake and for the ground to quiver.

"That's-" Mimil began, her magic affinity allowing her to understand the situation they were in.

The rest prepared themselves, taking a few steps back as Kuroferuru prepared herself.

"Descend, Child of Depravity."

She swung her hand down, and the light in her paws transformed. Dark matter formed en masse, far greater in size and far more potent in its form. Kuroferuru said nothing, merely sitting upon the blackened monstrosity of her own making.

She rested her cheeks on her paws, her eyes narrowing at the sight of the people down below.

The monstrosity writhed and moaned, its form staring upon its victims.

"...That is one ugly ass motherf-" Akito began before he was cut off by a blast of pure Demonic Energy coming from him. Akito widened his eyes, quickly sidestepping only to get grazed by the thing. He narrowed his eyes; the potency of the damned attack caused Demonic Energy to flow through him.

"...Shit, the Demonic Energy's more potent. Don't get hit; it might mean game over if you are." He muttered, sputtering as he did as he checked his side. Akito wore a Talisman on him placed on several parts of his body. It prevented him from completely monsterizing, but that didn't stop the lust from invading his mind.

He wouldn't be able to take a second hit, if he was, that'd be the end of him.

The group nodded at that before Kuroferuru's mass of Dark Matter moved. Using its enlarged tentacles, it swung down on the ground. The group moved out of the way, the tentacle causing the stone beneath to crack and break under its immense force.

Mimil widened her eyes at the sight; her eyes turned to the rest before she spoke up.

"What's the plan!?" She yelled out, gripping her staff as she launched a barrage of magic at her foe.

"...Uh… Don't die…." Lucas muttered, his eyes wide as he ducked. A beam of Demonic Energy passing just by him.

Primera looked on at the scene, her eyes narrowing as she let out a barrage of arrows. All of which were magic in nature, but none of it seemed to be effective. Her eyes then turned to the Baphomet before her eyes widened.

"Take out the head; if the Baphomet's out of the picture, then that thing should follow!" She yelled out, dodging as a tentacle moved to restrain her.

"Okay, but how the fuck do we do that from down here!?" Akito yelled out, using his katana to cut down one of the Tentacles before sidestepping another mass.

Elt moved and dodged the attacks, his heart racing at each step. Out of all the things he's dealt with, this wasn't anything new. Fighting large creatures, he's done it before. The problem was that time, he had his equipment with him. He didn't have his Darkmoon Greatsword, his Sword of Night and Flames; he didn't have his armor, nor did he have his magic…

Wait…

His eyes turned to his left hand, his hand clenching as a golden glow formed. His Finger Seal, he almost forgot about it in the heat of the moment. He looked up at the Baphomet, his eyes narrowing as he tried to think of what to do. He had one attack, one he currently had access to that might be able to incapacitate her. The only reason he didn't use it was because he was unsure if he could properly use it at this state.

Using it could have unintended consequences, but right now, he doesn't have much of a choice.

"I might have a way to beat her!" He yelled out, sidestepping another tentacle. He then moved his blade up to intercept another tentacle, only to widen his eyes as the tentacle shattered the sword in his hand. He took a step back, pulling out his second blade before he turned to the Baphomet.

"That's great! Do it, then!" Akito yelled out, cutting down another tentacle before he narrowly dodged another mass of dark matter.

"That's the thing; I need to get up there somehow!" He yelled back.

"Hmm… Okay, I have an idea, a good one." Akito muttered; Elt felt that he would've let out a grin right here if it weren't for the situation they were in. Akito then turned to Primera, who, much like the rest, was trying her best not to get herself covered in Demonic Energy to moderate success.

She felt her breath get heavier, her eyes narrowing as indecent thoughts ran through her mind. Oh, how she hated it; it was an annoying thing to deal with. Not to mention the threat of monsterization. Being a Hero, she could resist it, but if this fight keeps up, then she isn't sure how long she could really last.

"Hey, you're a hero, right!?" Akito yelled out, causing Primera to twitch her eyes at the stupid question.

"Aren't you supposed to be smart!? You should already know the answer to that!" She yelled back, causing Akito to roll his eyes slightly before he yelled out his idea.

"How good is your throwing arm!?" He yelled, causing Primera to pause momentarily as he processed what he said. Throwing arm? Wait…

"No, I'm not doing that, you stupid asshole!" She yelled back out, causing Akito to turn to Elt for his input.

"No, wait… this might work…." Elt stated, causing Primera to suddenly raise a brow.

"Elt, No, I'm not throwing you to that bitch." She finalized,

Or at least she did until she saw the expression on the red-haired man's face. It was serious, stern, and utterly on board with Akito's somewhat absurd suggestion.

"Primera, please… this might be the only way." He muttered, causing Primera to pause before she turned to the Baphomet. She saw her power, her strength. Elt fought against her on his own in the beginning, but even then, she could see that he was struggling. Would he really be able to do the same with their enemy like this?

She grits her teeth, biting her tongue in the process. She didn't care; the inner conflict in her mind was far greater than the pain she felt. Primera looked over at Elt; she hated the fact that he was somehow one of the most idiotic people she's met.

And she hated the fact that she loved him despite it.

Primera sighed, steeling herself for what she was about to do. If Elt got hurt in any way, shape, or form, then she'd never be able to forgive herself. She would've stopped right here and run away with Elt, even if it meant leaving the rest behind. But she just couldn't; beneath that rough exterior lay a kind soul.

She moved and dodged through the onslaught, getting struck by the Baphomet's power every so often. It was a miracle that she hadn't turned, but right now, she didn't really care about miracles. At least not this one; she made her way to Elt before she grabbed him by his cloak.

"...If you die, I'll kill you," Primera muttered, causing Elt to pause before a small smile came to his face.

"Don't worry…." He reassured, turning his head to the Baphomet before his eyes narrowed.

"...Death is in my hands right now…." He added, causing Primera to raise her brow before she pushed the thought aside.

She gripped him by his shoulder, slinging her bow on her own before she turned to the Baphomet. With one swing, she sent Elt flying upwards with a force that made him move past the Baphomet.

Her eyes widened in response, heart-stopping as she realized what she had done…

Shit… she overshot a bit.


Elt felt the wind in his hair, his eyes widening at what was happening. He was falling, and he was currently falling fast. Okay, maybe this wasn't his smartest idea… No, he just needed to recalibrate his descent. He took a deep breath, his eyes turning to his target. Her form got larger and larger as he descended.

He held his left hand out, the golden glow of the Finger Seal quickly turning red. His eyes narrowed as a blade formed in his left hand. It was large, larger than even his own body, and it held an unnatural property. Its form is stony and deformed, but one with the power to slay the very gods.

Malekith's Black Blade formed in his hand. It was nothing more than a copy, a projection made by an incantation. But the effects were similar, if not weakened.

Kuroferuru could withstand physical attacks and shrug off mortal wounds. But he had yet to find anyone who could withstand Destined Death.

If Godwyn the Golden was felled by it, then he had no doubts that this Black Goat should suffer a similar fate…

He cringed at the thought; even now, he didn't really want to kill her. He just felt as if he was left with no choice. This was the only real thing he could think of, especially since his power had been sealed away. Most of his offensive incantations were lethal in nature, mostly because it was the norm in the Lands Between.

But he wasn't in the Lands Between anymore; he was back here in Lescatie. He was home, where the world wasn't in tatters and where murder wasn't commonplace. He didn't need to kill here, and with that rationale, he fought to make sure that even the Baphomet could be spared.

Alas, he felt as if he had no choice.

Kuroferuru felt a chill in her spine, her eyes turning up as she saw the descending form of her target. Her eyes turned to the blade in his hand, and for a moment she felt as if the blade called to her. Beckoning her for death…

Demise, Perish, Fade Away, Die… Die… Die, Die! Die!

It screamed for her to die, to accept the fate that all would eventually follow.

She needed to run; she needed to get away. But she found that she hadn't the strength to move; Kuroferuru didn't have the means to run away. She was engrossed by its power, its might, its inevitability.

And when she finally saw herself freed from its grip, it was already too late.

With one swing, Elt bisected the Baphomet in two, bringing her back to reality as she felt something invade her very being. It was death, but it was… incomplete, a mere reflection of the actual thing. It wouldn't be enough to kill her.

But it certainly was enough to leave a lasting scar in her very being. She widened her eyes in horror, her body falling to the ground as her monstrous creation dissipated in an anticlimactic finish.

She couldn't move, her form still struck by death running through her veins. Kuroferuru looked down at the man… no… to call him a mere man would just be wrong.

But… what… What was he?

The group all gathered around her; weapons were drawn as they looked upon her downed form. In this one instance, consciousness returned to her form, and she realized what had happened.

She lost… she utterly lost without even taking a single one of them. There was no satisfaction to be found, no honorable end to this duel. Just the revulsion and disgust that she and everyone else felt.

She felt a wetness on her face, and it took a few seconds before she realized that she was crying. Why? Why was she crying? A mere loss like this shouldn't be able to make her cry.

Was it because of what that… thing said? Because of the frustration she felt? Was it because of that blade?

Or was it because, deep down, she knew that he was right to call her a true monster?

It was all of these things and none.

Her mental state was a mess; her thoughts weren't aligned, and the thing coursing through her veins wasn't helping either. She watched as the red-haired inhuman thing looked down at her, and for once, she looked on in surprise. There was pity in his eyes, empathy despite what she had done. There was hatred, but there was also a sense of understanding.

She didn't get this man; she just couldn't understand him. Thinking about it just made her brain hurt, and all she wanted to do now was to get away.

"As per the terms of your own declaration, the loser does as the winner says…" Elt muttered, his eyes narrowing before Kuroferuru's own eyes looked on with a defeated expression.

"...What do you want?" She asked, her tone exhausted and coarse. Soft and without the childish enthusiasm that was usually found within.

"A few things… one, leave my family and me alone. Leave Lescatie and never come back." He started out, causing Kuroferuru to pause before she nodded. It was acceptable and, honestly, the best outcome for her, given the situation.

"And second… just… think, please…." Elt muttered, causing Kuroferuru to look at him with a puzzled look. The rest of the group also turned to him with a confused looks on their faces.

"...what do you mean by that?" The Baphomet asked, causing Elt to sigh before he spoke up.

"...If you don't want to be a monster, then you need to think about the people you hurt. Ever heard of the Law of Causality?" He asked, causing the Baphomet to shake her head before he answered her.

"Every action will have a consequence, no matter how minor it is. You don't want to hurt people, right? Then start thinking about the people you try to help first instead of just barging into their problems without hearing them out." He stated, causing the Baphomet to pause.

A few seconds passed, and those seconds then turned to minutes. Silence rang through the plaza. That was before laughter could be heard.

It was coming from the Baphomet.

"To lecture me of all people, you really are an interesting one…." Kuroferuru muttered with a small smile, her eyes narrowing before she spoke again.

"...What are you?" She asked,

"I don't even know the answer to that myself," Elt replied,

Kuroferuru paused, staring straight at his eyes as she tried to see if he was lying. No, he wasn't… he had no answer to that question. She sighed, one last admittance of defeat before she left this place.

"...Alright then, Inquisitor…." She trailed off, turning to the sky as she stared at the full moon hanging high above. How strange, she felt as if it was watching her for some reason. She felt her form sink to the ground, her mind dozing off as she prepared to return back to her mistress' side.

She was a Baphomet, a being of great pride. And although it pained her to admit, she would not step another foot into Lescatie. Her mind was still in turmoil, so she'd use this opportunity to sort out her jumbled feelings first. Her eyes closed as her form disappeared into the night.

Before she could leave, however, she spoke one more thing. Loud enough for only Elt to hear…

"...Take care of Merridith for me… and those monsters in the Orphanage too…." She trailed off before she finally fell silent.

He blinked, once… twice… before he shook his head in response. He would take care of Merridith and the kids. He just wouldn't be doing it for her.

Elt turned to the group, his eyes scanning their forms before he spoke up once more. They were all exhausted, and as much as they wanted to question and ask… they couldn't do so at the moment. He sighed, turning his eyes to the street before he spoke once more.

"... I'll explain it to you all… just… let's all take a break first, alright," Elt suggested, causing Akito to nod in response.

"I've got no complaints; that sounds like a plan," Akito replied, looking on at the rest to see if there were any objections. Luckily, it seemed as though no one did. But Primera and Mimil did look a little eager for answers, perhaps they did object to it, but they voiced no such opinions. Lucas just did whatever his Lord said, so he, too, didn't object.

With that, the group returned to Fortress Maxim.


An orc ran through the forest with fear in her eyes, her form stumbling and limping as she went. She was young, no older than 14. Blood dripped down from her side as she moved, her form running through the foliage and the trees.

It all happened so fast, the glistening of steel, the screams of horror…

The Flash of Red Lightning.

The last one was something that truly terrified her. A knight bearing a spear fell upon them with ruthless intent. He and his men had most of her sisters captured; those they couldn't catch had been slain. Left to rot in the ground without as much as a thought…

Tears formed in her eyes, her form running through the forests before she found herself at a dead end. Surrounded by tall and unclimbable rocks, she felt a cold sweat form on her face. She hadn't gotten far, her form standing silent as she felt a presence behind her.

It was the soldiers, each holding weapons made of steel, each bearing the mark of something she couldn't even begin to describe. They all brandished their blades, ready to capture her by force. The Orcs didn't need to be in one piece; a missing arm or leg never stopped them from dragging her sisters into their iron cages.

She turned her back to the wall, inching back as they took step after step in her direction. She felt as if she needed to fight, but she was in no way the strongest of her kind. Her sisters, greater fighters than she could ever be, had been felled so easily. She stood no chance, but she wasn't just going to stand here and get herself captured.

With shivering hands, she got into a stance, deep breaths leaving her lungs as she prepared herself for combat.

The men took sidelong glances at one another, each coming to a general consensus before they nodded. Then, they charged forth with their blades.

But before they could trade blows, a figure jumped up from above before falling down upon the center of the group. He wore thick armor, and he carried a blade larger than even his own body. The claws on his gauntlets scratched the ground below him, his eyes turning to the men with a growl. It didn't help that the man currently wore a wolf mask that covered his face.

Yellow wolven eyes stared back at the men, all of whom took a step back in fear. He turned to regard the orc, his eyes scanning her form before he said one thing.

"Run," With that one command, she ran. She didn't look back; she didn't even regard the man. All that mattered right now was survival, and survival was what she was going to do. The men, on the other hand, weren't so lucky; they had been warned of this possibility. That death awaited them should they take this job.

They taught that they had steeled themselves for death, but hearing about it and seeing it were two different things entirely.

And so they cowered, standing their ground but their forms shaking. The Wolf got up slowly, his eyes scanning their forms before he spoke up.

"Most of the people I've slain here in this land were spineless cowards or monsters, be glad that you would not fit the former." He muttered, his hand grasping his blade as he hung it on his shoulder.

"Alas, the end result remains… tonight; you will all die…." The Wolf added, his form lowering as he readied himself for battle.

But there was no battle, no glory to be found here.

Only a slaughter, merely one of the many the Wolf committed in his crusade against the Golden Order.

...

A wolf moved through the forests, dragging with him a body. His form was bloodied as it was tired, his form limping through the ground. He grits his teeth; he wasn't as strong as he once was. This new body of his was nothing like his original form: weak, small…

Human…

But if this was the price to pay in order to be freed from his old role as his Lady's Shadow, then it was a price he was willing to pay. He was no longer bound by madness, reborn into this world for the reason that was still lost to him.

At first, he thought that he was simply given a chance at a peaceful life. Reborn in a quiet village, he fully intended to stay there and live out in peace. But then… he found them, the Golden Order had a foothold in this world, and it was then that his purpose was made clear.

He was to stamp out their vile hands from this land and to free it from their corruption. He had no idea if it was his lady who had given him this chance or some other force. All he knew was that he was here, and the enemy was as well.

He moved through until he found himself in what he assumed to be the orcs' home. It was broken, shattered, and burnt. A product of the Golden Order's raid on their homes. He didn't know what purpose they had in doing this, but he at least knew that it couldn't be anything good. The iron cages had been destroyed, and the orcs had all but fled the scene.

He dropped the bodies of the men he's slain into a pile of soldiers. Each of them had their life stripped away, their forms limp and unmoving. He sighed; even now, he was tired of all of this bloodshed. But he saw it as necessary for what's to come.

He felt as if he was alone in his crusade, and his enemy was not only large, but it was also powerful. If the Dragonspear was here, then who else could they have at their employ? He shuddered at the thought, he certainly hoped that Radahn wasn't here. As glorious as that battle was, he'd rather not get crushed by his gravity again.

Fortunately, he at least had an ally.

Unfortunately, sometimes, he wished he hadn't.

"If you keep this up, you'll start smelling like a bloody corpse," A voice called out from the trees. At that, the wolfman sighed before he looked up. There she was, hanging lazily on a tree branch. Dark Blonde hair flowing lazily through the wind, blood-red eyes staring lazily off into the distance.

Wynne Von Castigan was someone he both appreciated and was very much annoyed by. He honestly had no idea why this person just decided to join him, but he at least found her to be more useful than she was useless.

"I mean, really. Do you have to use that barbaric fighting style every time? Couldn't you fight a little more elegantly?" She asked, hanging down the branch with her legs similar to how a bat would. Her eyes turned to the Wolf's, a grin forming on her face as she did.

"I wouldn't exactly call killing an elegant affair," The Wolf stated, his eyes narrowing before he sighed. He was at least used to Wynne's antics. She was an odd one if he had to be honest. She wasn't anything like your typical vampire… or monster, for that matter. He knew that monsters came in all shapes and sizes, and some were more humanlike than others.

But even by vampiric standards, Wynne was just weird.

"You're right; it's only ever elegant if I do it," Wynne admitted, causing the Wolf to furrow his brows.

"You're giving me that angry look right now, aren't you? Blaidd… or is it Mikhail? how do you want to be called again?" Wynne asked, causing Blaidd to sigh before he sat down on one of the logs.

"I don't really care what you call me, Wynne." He stated, scratching the back of his head as he did.

As soon as Wynne heard that, a mischievous smirk came onto her face. Her eyes narrowed in delight as Blaidd realized his mistake. He couldn't really take it back now; if he did, then Wynne would just use it to add fuel to the fire. So all Blaidd could really mutter was a quick "Fuck…."

"Alright then, Snowball~ Hahaha," She laughed, causing Blaidd to sigh and stab his sword on the ground below.

"If I may ask, why Snowball exactly?" Blaidd asked, his eyes looking up at her form before she shrugged.

"It was my first dog's name, so I thought it'd be fitting." Wynne admitted, causing Blaidd to mutter a quick 'of course' before he sat next to the fire. It was then that Wynne decided to drop from her little resting place and sit next to Blaidd.

"You know, if you didn't want me to call you a dog, then you should at least get rid of that stupid mask." She muttered, causing Blaidd to turn to her before he placed a hand over his mask and pulled out his helmet.

Brown hair revealed itself to her, followed by the scars he accumulated from fighting the Golden Order. His hair was graying from the looks of it, as at least half of it wasn't even its original color anymore. His eyes were yellow, wolflike in design. Perhaps a remnant of who he once was, but it didn't really explain why his brother had them too.

"Why do you wear that thing, if I so may humbly ask?" Wynne not so humbly asked, nudging Blaidd with her elbow as she did. Blaidd didn't seem to mind, only looking at her blankly before he spoke.

"It helps me keep my identity a secret," He stated, causing Wynne to sputter before she looked at him.

That wasn't really the reason, but telling her that he used to be an 8 foot tall giant of a wolf would've been stupid.

"Really? Well, all you've really done is spread rumors all around the countryside about some dangerous 'Wolfman.'" She muttered, making quotation gestures with her hands before she sighed and leaned back onto the tree.

"Now our enemy knows that we exist; they've been sending in Ice-Flower after Ice-Flower after us at this rate. I'd be pretty insulted if it weren't just so sad." Wynne muttered, crossing her arms as she turned to the side.

"Let them know; they're bound to find out sooner or later. At least this way, they know that we're not someone they should take lightly." Blaidd countered, causing Wynne to pause before she turned to him.

"I'm not sure that that's really a good thing…." Wynne trailed off, a difficult expression formed on her face. She turned her eyes to the pile of bodies they left in their wake, her eyes narrowing before she turned to Blaidd.

"...Blaidd… Are you sure that this is the only way we can stop them?" She asked, causing Blaidd to turn to her in response. He had a difficult look on his face, his eyes turning to the sky for a moment to regard the moon.

"No…But it's the only thing I can think of…." He muttered, his tone hesitant as it was doubtful. He was never really the planner of the group; he was more the muscle than anything else. Iji and Ranni were the ones telling them what to do; Blaidd just listened to what they had to say.

To go on this crusade, with just him and Wynne? It was just nigh-impossible.

"...I wonder…" He began, closing his eyes as he leaned back. A certain man came up in his mind, his eyes opening slightly as he did.

"Brother, I wish to see you again…." He muttered under the moonlight, his eyes turning to the sky as the Dark Moon shifted slightly.


Author's Notes:

Alright, that basically ends this arc of the story.

I don't really have a lot to talk about, but there are a few things I'd like to point out. First off, Blaidd. If it wasn't obvious before that Mikhail is Blaidd, its confirmed now. For the time being, Blaidd's the only one from the Lands Between who's in any way an ally to Elt and the gang. There'll be others, but for the time being its just gonna be Blaidd.

The fight with Kuroferuru and Elt took me a while. I kept editing out parts and rewriting bits. Outright deleting some scenes since it didn't really fit with the fight. But in the end, I'm satisfied with it. Fun fact, her defeat was caused by the exact thing that caused Mimil to lose in Fallen Brides. I know the Baphomet there and Kuro aren't the same, but Kuroferuru's heavily implied to be the one who monsterized Mimil so I thought it'd be fitting.

The next chapter would serve as an epilogue to this arc, and a sort of prologue to the next one.

In any case, that's all I have to say here. If you have any reviews, criticisms, reactions, comments, etc., leave it in the Review Section. My PMs are also open if you want to use that instead.

And with that out of the way,

Whamo out!