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 19: A New Day

A mass of black formed upon the forest ground. A putrid and dark substance writhed together before the dark matter formed the body of a black goat. Kuroferuru's eyes fluttered open, her eyes taking in the moonlight before she got up slowly. She looked around, trying to see where she was, only to find that she had manifested in a forest near her mistress' encampment.

She sighed at that, one that showed her how mentally drained she truly was. She held her paws up, her red crimson eyes narrowing at the sight before she got up. She tried to take a step forward only to fall flat on her face, her strength still sapped by that… thing's strange weapon.

Kuroferuru moved her face down, eyes looking upon her form before she cast a spell to see what was going on with her. She should've recovered by now, even if she was bisected like that: such a wound would be nothing more than a scratch to her.

She had her suspicions that the sword had done something considerable to her. So when she found that her state had been weakened to a considerable degree, she could only sigh solemnly. Her magic prowess had been compromised, her power significantly weaker than the original. To a normal human, such strength would've been overwhelming, but to a Baphomet, it was all laughably weak.

She sat down on the ground, her paws moving to her chest before she checked herself once more. Trying to see what exactly had happened to her and to see if she could possibly reverse it. It was then when she found it, she didn't know what it was, nor did she know what it did exactly.

It was interfering with her mana, and not in a continuous manner too. Much like a flickering light, she could feel her strength waxing and waning by the second, like a wave moving up and down, sporadic in the way it did.

She reached out with her magic, trying to block the flow, only to flinch when a familiar feeling crossed her.

Demise, Die, Fade Away…

It was death, and yet it was not the type of death she was familiar with. She didn't know how to describe it, and as a being of great magic, it both intrigued and scared her. It won't kill her, at least not yet. She had a feeling that the one Elt used was nothing more than a sham, a copy. If it were anything like the original, then she would've perished for sure.

Still, she didn't want to risk dying to that sham.

She got up, taking a deep breath to calm herself before she decided to just walk all the way to the Radical Faction's current encampment. She didn't feel like teleporting, and she wasn't willing to risk using her magic when she was currently in this state.

She limped through the ground, her hooves dragging through the dirt and mud. Her eyes felt heavy, but she pushed on regardless. Soon enough, she made it near the encampment.

Or at least where it should be.

It was hidden by a high-class magic barrier that prevented anyone from the Order from seeing it. It was the type of magic that only monsters should be able to pull off.

It was also one that she herself set up for her mistress.

She grits her teeth, reaching out to try and use her magic to warp her inside of it. A spark flew out of her paws, and yet nothing.

She narrowed her eyes and tried again. Once more, a spark of purple light, then nothing.

She grit her teeth even tighter, feeling tears somewhat swell in her eyes before doing it one more time. The third time's the charm.

Finally, a ripple could be seen forming in the air, and not wanting to risk herself being stranded out in the open, she entered.


A middle-aged man sat upon a chair opposite where a certain red-haired junior Inquisitor stood. He stood there alone; the rest of his group decided to leave Fortress Maxim to go and do their own things. Primera went back to lead the kids back to the orphanage; he presumed that Mimil went back to her study. He had no idea where that Lucas boy was, but he wasn't anywhere in the room, at least.

Rylan had to admit that he didn't really expect them to be able to pull this off. But here they were, finishing their end of the deal. They sat in the lounge, the one they used as a sort of base of operations. The kids of the orphanage were all on their way back, being led by Primera through the streets of Lescatie. Rylan looked down at the desk, where a neatly folded uniform and Inquisitorial cross sat.

He looked up at Elt, his eyes narrowing before he sighed.

"So I'm guessing this means that you've dealt with the Baphomet." He stated; Elt only nodded at that.

"Do you have any proof? A body perhaps, or anything of the sort?" Rylan added, causing Elt to shake his head.

"Unfortunately, we weren't able to slay her. However, we did manage to beat her in an honor duel and get her to leave Lescatie." Elt explained,

"You do realize that she could simply ignore the terms of the duel and come back, right?"

"Being an Inquisitor, I'm sure that you're more experienced with monsters than I am. But being a warrior, I know for a fact that honor duels are sacred amongst beings of great pride. And you should know that a Baphomet is just that." Elt retorted, causing Rylan to raise his brow slightly. He was acting notably different from how he remembered. He was originally a lot more timid, soft-spoken, and kind-hearted. Now? He wasn't sure what to think of him.

Rylan turned to Akito, sitting in the corner looking out of the window. Clearing his throat, he got Akito's attention.

"Can you confirm this for me, is the Baphomet coming back?" Rylan asked,

"No, she isn't. I can confirm at least this much." Akito replied. While he couldn't exactly trust Elt's words, he could at least trust Akito's. If there was even a slight chance that the Baphomet could return, Akito wouldn't be answering that so easily.

"Alright then, as for your terms of the deal… you would have that Lucas boy teach us a method to combat monsterization?" Rylan asked, causing Elt to shake his head before he spoke.

"Unfortunately… The trick that Lucas can do is only possible for him." Elt muttered. Rylan raised his brow before he sighed in response. He suspected that to be the case. Giving the power to just stop monsterization would obviously cost more than what they were given.

"I see… a shame then…." Rylan started with a shake of his head. He wasn't going to push the matter; if what Akito told him was true, then it could be more trouble than it's worth. Not only because of the power the boy wielded but because of his relationship with Mimil Miltie. He'd rather not get involved with the college after an incident from years ago.

"In that case, I'll end your temporary status as Junior Inquisitor. Elt, you're officially dismissed and you're free to go." Rylan declared; Elt merely nodded at that.

With that out of the way, Elt left the room, leaving only Akito and Rylan inside. Once he was sure that Elt was a fair distance away, Rylan turned to Akito before he spoke.

"So, what's your assessment?" Rylan asked, causing Akito to look at him with a serious expression on his face.

"He's powerful, and in some ways, he could be dangerous as well. That much I could tell." Akito replied, causing Rylan to nod before he spoke up.

"Is he a threat?" Rylan asked, causing Akito to look up before he slowly shook his head. He was hesitant, somewhat unsure of his answer.

"Despite everything I've seen? No, he'd only be dangerous if he was provoked. Right now, all that he cares about is keeping the people he considers family safe." Akito stated, causing Rylan to nod his head.

"I see… so what's your call here? Should we investigate him or leave him be?" Rylan asked.

"In my opinion, just leave him be. He's unknown to us, but I could tell that he doesn't have the desire to destabilize the country. If anything, he could be an asset that we could call on just in case." Akito noted, cupping his chin in thought.

With how powerful the man was, it was best to just leave him be. At least this way, in case they need help, they could call upon his power. It's not a guarantee that he'd show up, but they could at least keep a cordial relationship with him.

"Besides, I doubt that we have anything that could actually contain that guy," Akito muttered; Rylan raised his brow.

"What do you mean?" Rylan asked.

"Let me put it this way… including Wilmarina Noscrim, who among the heroes of Lescatie could realistically reduce a Baphomet to a crying mess?" Akito asked.

Rylan paused; he thought about the question at hand.

Realistically speaking, he could only think of the High-Tier heroes like Wilmarina, Mersé, or Mimil. The rest would be hard-pressed to even hurt them. But reducing them to a crying mess? That was just unheard of.

"Granted, he didn't do it on his own. But unless we're prepared to face the ire of at least 3 different heroes and a single powerful anomaly, then I suggest we just leave this matter be." Akito finalized.

With that, Rylan nodded. "In that case, I'll just close this matter entirely."

He then got up before he stretched, looking at an old clock to see the time before he spoke once more.

"So… I'm assuming that you'll be the one to write down the paperwork this time," Rylan stated,

Akito paused, turning his eyes to Rylan as sweat formed on his face.

"... I'm guessing that there's nothing I can do or say to get you to do it for me," Akito stated, causing Rylan to laugh lightly before he shook his head.

"Nope, I have some business to attend to. Good luck, you can do it." Rylan encouraged with a wry look on his face,

Akito's own brows furrowed, eyes twitching slightly in the process.

"...Fucking hell…" Akito stated before he got up and stretched his arms.

They had work to do.


Elt walked through the streets of Lescatie wearing a long-sleeved shirt and pants covered by a pair of leather boots. He left his armor back at the barracks, and his Inquisitorial garb was returned back to the Inquisition. He wore a cloak over his shoulder, obscuring his body as he moved through the streets of Lescatie.

He then walked into a dark alleyway, one emptied of its inhabitants before he moved through the cramped space.

Suddenly, blue particles shimmered beside him, causing a familiar black-haired, blue-eyed boy to appear at his side.

"My Lord," he regarded, bowing slightly as he did.

Elt nodded at that, his eyes turning to Lucas before he spoke up.

"I assume that you did what I asked of you?" Elt asked, his eyes turning to Lucas, who nodded in response.

"The Inquisitors are content to leave the entire matter behind; we should not have anything to worry about at Rylan and Akito's end," Lucas answered,

Elt nodded in response.

In order to make sure that Rylan and Akito wouldn't bother him anymore, he planted Lucas within the Inquisition to see if they did anything. With his foreign magic, the wards placed within Fortress Maxim were easily bypassed, allowing the boy the ability to move in and out undetected. It gave him the perfect way to monitor the Inquisition, to see if they were planning anything against him or his family.

Rylan and Akito were clear, but that didn't mean that Albain was. Out of the different Inquisitors, Albain was the one with the biggest reason to investigate him. So far, it didn't seem like he was planning anything. That being said, it was safe to assume that he was still looking for Merridith. Best keep an eye out, then.

Speaking of…

"In any case, take me to Raya Lucaria… or… fake Raya Lucaria, do we have a name for that place or…." Elt trailed off,

Lucas shook his head, "It is unnamed, my Lord. If you wish to name it, then you have the full authority to do so."

"I'll think about it later, right now…." Elt stated before a sheepish look came on his face.

"We should probably check on Merridith… see how she's doing and all that," Elt stated as he scratched his head.

"Worry not, my Lord, I left her with enough food and water to last an entire year. She should be fine being chained up in her cell." Lucas commented, causing Elt to pause before he suddenly turned to the moonlit boy.

"...Lucas… can you- can you repeat that…?" Elt stuttered out,

Lucas merely gave a puzzled look, tilting his head as he did. Did he perhaps do something wrong? He gave the girl enough food and water to survive for at least a year.

"...Uh… that I left her chained with enough food and water in her cell to last a year?" He muttered,

Elt blinked; his mind processed the information. When he finally did…

"YOU WHAT!?" He whispered, causing Lucas to look at him with a puzzled expression before he spoke.

"Did… did I do something wrong, my Lord?" He asked, causing Elt to sigh before he placed a palm over his face.

"Lucas you- I'll explain to you later. First, we need to get Merridith out of those chains." He started moving through the streets as he made his way to Raya Lucaria.

"I wouldn't be so worried, my lord; I'm sure that Merridith is okay within that cell of hers," Lucas responded, following Elt closely behind.


Merridith was, in fact, not okay. She was locked in a cell for a day or two now, and not only that, but she was also chained by whatever magic that blue-eyed doll cast. And so when she was now face-to-face with Elt, she was less than amused.

He simply stood there, sheepish and nervous. It was the same time of nervousness a kid would feel if they broke a vase. Merridith looked on at him with an angry look, obviously upset that she was chained and bound here in this room.

She would've understood if she was locked in a room for her own safety, but she was also bound by blue chains, guarded by a magic barrier, and sealed off in a place separated from the world.

"...Can you get these chains off me?" She muttered,

Elt turned to Lucas before he nodded. The chains fell off before they disappeared into blue particles.

"I'm really sorry about this, Merridith," Elt muttered,

Merridith only turned to him before she spoke blankly. "It's fine…."

She couldn't really stay mad at him; that being said, she was extremely annoyed. She could, however, stay mad at the blue-eyed devil that stood next to him. That boy was just bad news, especially considering all the stuff he pulled during her interrogation.

"Just… don't do it again, for real this time." She muttered again.

Merridith didn't really have the power to stop them. She didn't have magic, and she was physically weak. She was nothing more than a woman in a child's body, unable to do anything.

"Don't worry, you won't be chained like that again. Right, Lucas?" He muttered, his tone shifting to a more commanding one by the end.

"Y-Yes… my Lord…" Lucas muttered, looking away in slight shame. Merridith just nodded at that; again, she couldn't really do anything but trust his word.

"So…" Merridith began,

"Did you manage to beat the Baphomet?" She asked,

From her tone alone, it was clear that she doubted that they could. Elt's answer, however, surprised her, as it would anyone who heard of their accomplishment.

"We did; she won't be bothering you anymore." He stated, a small smile gracing his lips as Merridith looked at him with wide eyes.

"That… No… that's impossible, no one could've beaten her, that's… that's impossible." She uttered out,

No, there was just no way. That Baphomet was just beyond… anything that she's ever seen. She'd already given up hope that she could be harmed, that she'd always loom over her like some kind of disaster. They only met, and in both instances, Merridith saw the power she held over her. The only time she had ever seen Kuroferuru get hurt was when she peered into her mind; the look she gave her afterward would stay in her mind forever.

"I don't really know what to do or say to make you believe, Merridith. But she won't be bothering you anymore, you don't have to worry about that anymore." Elt stated, a small smile gracing his lips.

If Merridith was human, she would've doubted Elt. Beating a Baphomet was just… nigh-impossible. No one's done so in centuries, or so she's heard. It would take a hero to beat her, and even then, she doubted that they could make her stop. But she wasn't human; if there was one perk about being a monster, it was that they could tell what a person was feeling.

She was essentially an empath now, capable of discerning a person's feelings. And with that, she was able to see that Elt was not lying. It's possible that he fooled himself, that one day, that monster would come back for her. But for now, she believed him. Years worth of isolation and misery, and this one sliver of hope that he gave was one she clung to.

She smiled, a genuine one. The first in many years. It was just one problem out of a plethora of many more. But for once, she could breathe a sigh of relief.

"T-Thank you… I'd thank you somehow, but… I'm unsure what to say or give you." Merridith muttered,

Elt only shook his head in response.

"You don't need to give me anything; I just did it cause I needed to." He stated, causing Merridith to look at him before she slowly nodded.

In the end, he didn't really do it for her. She was one of the reasons why, but there were many more on top of her. From Sasha and her Orphanage to the deal he made with Rylan. But even still, Merridith was grateful.

"...I helped him fight her too, you know?" Lucas added with a slight pout, one that Elt managed to catch on immediately.

"Was that a pout?" Elt asked, a mischievous grin forming on his face as he did.

"No, you were seeing things, my Lord," Lucas added at the end,

Elt laughed slightly at the act, and even Merridith smiled a bit in response. She shook her head at sight, acknowledging his efforts before he turned to Elt.

"So… what happens to me now?" She asked, tone slightly tense.

Her main use was now over, and although he promised that no harm would come to her. Nothing's really stopping him from just outright killing her. He didn't really seem to be the type to do that, but the alternative was to just stay here forever.

Elt merely shrugged at that, placing a hand on his hip before he spoke up.

"That's up for you to decide; what do you want to do now?" He asked. Causing Merridith to pause and think.

In terms of choices, she had very little. She obviously won't go to the Baphomet; she couldn't reveal herself to the public either lest she catches Albain's attention. She had no contacts outside the country, so leaving this place was out of the question. Staying here was the safest bet, but it was also a dark and lonely place for her. It was no better than her room back in the Morrigan estate, dark, dreary, and depressing. At least there, Hathaway kept her company.

"I-... I don't really know… I don't really have anywhere else to go." She muttered. She had nowhere to go, no place to call home.

Seeing this, Elt sighed before an idea popped into his head. Turning to her, he decided to give his proposal.

"Why don't I send you to an Orphanage?" He asked her, causing Merridith to pause before she thought about it.

"I don't think any Orphanage is gonna accept me. As you can see, I'm a… you know?" She muttered, gesturing to herself. It was going to be difficult to have Merridith hide in a regular Orphanage; it was possible but risky all the same.

The Red-haired Tarnished merely shook his head in response; lifting a hand up, he leaned on his hip before he spoke up.

"There is one…" he stated, causing Merridith to tilt her head slightly.

"My Lord… please consider that this place is the safest option for her to stay in. In here, there is quite literally a 0% chance that she would be discovered." Lucas stated, turning to Elt in the process.

"That's not for me to decide; her life is her own, and she gets to choose how she'd live." He responded, turning to Merridith in response.

Edith didn't really need to think too much about it; in her heart, she already had an answer.


Merridith walked through the forest, cloak over her form. She was accompanied by a certain red-haired Tarnished, making sure that no one would pay attention to her. Lucas stood by in the distance, observing from afar and making sure that no one stood in their trail.

Getting her through the streets was easy enough. With her demonic energy being sealed off, she was honestly no different from a normal little girl. Well… a grown woman in a little girl's body. Just to make sure, Lucas was sent off to clear their flanks and make sure that no one would observe them. They snuck through the streets at an early hour, when the streets weren't as busy as usual.

In the end, they made it through here without much of an issue. Though she remained silent through her journey to this place, wherever this place was.

"...Where are you taking me, exactly?" Merridith asked, her eyes turning to Elt before he looked straight.

"You'll see," He muttered, his tone hushed. That caused her to perk her brow, but she said nothing in turn. Soon the familiar sight of a somewhat rundown church came to view. At this time of day, Sasha should still be here. Soon enough, the green-haired heroine appeared through the doorway.

"Elt!" She yelled out, moving towards him before she pulled him into a hug. Elt merely smiled at that, patting her back before he turned to Sasha.

"Hey, Sasha… it's been a while… how have you been?" He asked. It's been a day since they last saw each other, but so much has happened since then.

Soon, she let go before she took a few paces back. Only for Elt to be hugged by the familiar sight of an orc. "Big Brother!" She yelled out, hugging him on the legs since she couldn't reach his waist.

Elt laughed at that, ruffling her hair slightly before he spoke up.

"It's nice to see you too, Adelie." He stated. Only Adelie seems to have warmed to him, understandable considering the circumstances. The rest of the kids were at least willing to peek out of the house, mostly to see what was going on.

Adelie took a few steps back before grabbing something on her head.

"Look! A new flower hat." She muttered, showing off her garland crown. One she personally created, and one Elt looked on at with a small smile. Patting her head, Elt leaned in before he spoke up once more.

"That's great; it looks fantastic." He stated. All things considered, it was better than the last one she made. There were still imperfections here and there, an awkwardly placed flower here… a weirdly positioned stem there.

But overall, it was pretty good.

"You're learning fast," Elt commented,

Adelie nodded and beamed at him with a proud expression on her face.

Sasha smiled at the exchange; it was honestly a refreshing sight to see. It made all the sleepless nights worth it, in her opinion. She wished that she could show this place to Primera; she might actually plan that sooner or later. Right now, however, there was still one pressing issue she needed to take care of.

"Elt…" She began, her tone serious. That caused Elt to turn to her with his own serious look.

"...The Baphomet, is she…?" She asked, causing Elt to nod.

Sasha let out a big sigh, shaking her head before she spoke up once more.

"You're certain that she won't come back?" Sasha asked, causing Elt to nod and speak up in response.

"I'm sure of it; she won't bother you or the kids ever again," Elt stated,

Sasha paused at that, being slightly taken aback by what he said.

She looked at him, a slight amount of doubt in her mind. But when she saw the earnest expression on his face, she could only nod happily in response.

Her deal with that Baphomet was honestly one of the worst mistakes she's ever made, perhaps even the worst.

"Thank you…" She trailed off; she would've probably cried tears of joy right then and there if it wasn't for another matter entirely.

"And who's this?" She asked, turning to Merridith, who hid behind Elt like some kind of nervous child. Elt turned to her with a mischievous expression.

"And here I thought that you wanted to act like an adult," he commented with a smile, causing Merridith to pout and speak up.

"S-Shut up… I didn't expect you to bring me to Hero Sasha… and I didn't expect that she'd be running an orphanage for monsters." She muttered,

Elt turned to Sasha in response. From the looks of it, Merridith can't explain herself, so he'd do it for her. Gesturing to Merridith, he then spoke up.

"Sasha, this is Merridith. She's a witch I found after her home was raided by the Inquisition. She has nowhere else to go, so I thought that I should send her here." He commented,

Merridith moved out slowly before she held out her hand.

"P-Pleased to meet you; I'm Merridith… but you can just call me Edith," Edith stated, causing Sasha to smile before she made her way to her and knelt. Grabbing her hand in a firm yet soft hold, she shook it.

"A pleasure to meet you, Edith. I hope you get along with the other children." She stated with a small smile, causing Edith's face to redden before she suddenly spoke up.

"I-I'm not a kid! I'm just… stuck in this body, and I have no way to reverse it." Merridith stated, turning to her form before Sasha looked on at her with a small smile.

"She's actually an adult, actually… I never really asked for her age, have I?" Elt added, cupping his chin and causing Edith to look at him with a deadpan.

"Didn't anyone tell you that you shouldn't ask a woman her age?" She asked,

Elt merely shrugged in response. Merridith deadpanned at that; she turned to Sasha afterward.

"I-I'm actually 20…." Edith muttered, or at least she thought she was. She kind of lost track of time after being trapped in that room for over a decade. She could actually be older, but she at least knew that she was around the same age as Albain.

"Oh my…" Sasha commented with wide eyes. If that was true, then Edith was older than even her.

"Still acts like a child, though," Elt commented, causing Edith to turn to him before she spoke up.

"Shut up, Elt!" She yelled out before she sighed. It wasn't really her fault that she had these tendencies. She had the mind of an adult but the body of a child. This included the brain of one, and so she was prone to a few childish outbursts sometimes.

Sasha merely laughed at that before she got up.

"I thought that you needed some help in running the orphanage since you can't be there 24/7. I brought Edith here to help you out so that she could have a home for herself. Two birds with one stone," Elt stated, turning to Edith, who nodded in response. Before her imprisonment, she used to be a house servant. That meant that she still knew a few things about housework, mostly about cleaning dishes and the like.

"I haven't really been a house servant in years, so… if you could teach me a few things…." She trailed off, causing Sasha to nod before she spoke up

"I understand; I'll teach you everything you need to know." She stated, turning to Elt in response.

"So what would you be doing now?" She asked, tilting her head before he shrugged.

"As much as I want to stay, I still have some business to attend to. I'll try to visit as much as I can, until then… just hang in there, alright?" He stated, causing Sasha to nod in response. With that out of the way, Elt turned and left with a wave of his hands.

Sasha turned to Merridith, who looked on at Elt as he left. She thought about her choice and whether or not she should've stayed in Raya Lucaria. Honestly, speaking, after years locked inside a room? She was at least happy that she was somewhat free again. She's stuck here in this orphanage, but she didn't care.

After all, she wasn't alone anymore.


Elt walked through the forest, only to be joined by Lucas once more. He walked right next to him, his eyes staring straight before he spoke up.

"What's our next move, My Lord?" He asked, turning to Elt, who walked through the forest with a stern expression on his face.

"Tell me about the enemy." He commanded, causing Lucas to nod before he spoke up.

"As you know, Merridith has runes in her body." Lucas began his tone silent and allowed only for Elt to hear. He nodded at that, his eyes turning forward before Lucas continued on.

"It's manipulating her, shifting her form. It was the reason why the demonic energy within her flowed so unnaturally, why she couldn't use magic." He explained,

Elt's eyes narrowed, his form stiffening slightly before he spoke up once more.

"Do you know who did this to her?" He asked, eyes turning to Lucas before he shook his head.

"She told me that it was a man who she'd never seen before. A white armored man with a crown design atop his head." Lucas added,

Elt paused. Lucas paused as well, his head turning to his Lord out of concern. "My Lord…?"

He paused, his eyes widening as he saw his Lord's face.

Elt clenched his fists, and his wrath was made manifest. Lucas took a step back; he watched his Lord's eyes turn gold. A faint glow could be seen in his hand, his finger seal itching to let out its user's fury.

"Ofnir…" He muttered, gritting his teeth as he did. He once feared the man; before his memories had been restored, Elt had been fearful of Ofnir. After all, his strength and power were beyond anything that he'd seen. That was until Elt regained his memories, and that fear had now given way to fury.

That bastard tried to threaten his family, and now he was officially on Elt's shit list. One that's been growing ever since he got his memories back. So far, only two people have managed to get in. More would probably be in there as he spends his time here.

"My Lord, you know this man?" Lucas asked, causing Elt to sigh and calm himself.

"I do… if he's here, then it could only spell trouble," Elt stated before he shook his head. He'd elaborate on Gideon Ofnir, but right now, he needed more information. He continued on his walk, eyes turning straight before he spoke up once more.

"What else did Merridith tell you?" Elt asked, causing Lucas to nod and speak.

"Count Morrigan apparently let the man in his home, and he let him experiment on Merridith," Lucas stated, causing Elt to place a hand under his chin.

"...Count Morrigan was an affiliate of the Noscrim Faction, right?" He stated, causing Lucas to turn to him before he nodded.

Elt pondered the thought. It was a stretch to think, but it was possible that Gideon Ofnir was somehow tied to them in a way. This was mere speculation on his part, but knowing that crafty son of a bitch, he wouldn't be too surprised.

He recalled what Ofnir said to him,

"Tarnished, when the time comes, stay out of our way."

Our,

Plural.

There were more of them out there. He already accepted the possibility that it wasn't just Ofnir who was here. That meant that the possibilities on who was and wasn't here were endless. Vyke, Bernahl, Wilhelm, The Loathsome Dung Eater, Fia. Those were just the Tarnished he knew, gods forbid that the demigods were here. He'd rather not deal with all of them again, especially with the way he was right now.

He wondered if this was even worth investigating; after all, even now, Ofnir's threat rang true. If Gideon caught him snooping around then who knows what he'd do?

"Did you investigate the Runes in Merridith's body? Does it do anything other than sealing her demonic energy?" Elt asked. The last thing he wanted was to inadvertently give Sasha a ticking time bomb.

Lucas shook his head at that. As far as he's investigated it, the runes did nothing but seal off her demonic energy. It didn't have any special function, nor did it have a trick, as far as he was aware. It did however have a failsafe on her memories, which meant that no one would just be able to force their way in there.

"Strange…" Elt commented, shaking his head slightly before he looked up. He sighed; he could probably ignore the matter for now. Ofnir wasn't doing anything that directly affected him, and if anything, those runes were helping Merridith more than it was harming her.

"So what's our next move, My Lord?" Lucas asked.

"Continue to monitor the Inquisition; other than that… nothing, to be honest," Elt stated, walking forward as he did.

"...But… My Lord… if this Ofnir person is a threat, then-" Lucas began, only to be cut off by Elt.

"I know, but right now, there's nothing we can really do. We don't have any leads, at least none that we can touch… I might know someone who could help us, though…." Elt trailed off, his narrowing before he shook his head.

"I think it's time I tell people who I am and what I am." He muttered, causing Lucas to perk up.

"Who would you be informing, my Lord?" Lucas asked.

"Mersé, Mimil, Primera, and Wilmarina." He answered, causing Lucas to tilt his head slightly.

"I understand the former two, but the latter three?" Lucas muttered.

"Primera already suspects me; if she grows impatient, then she'd just investigate the matter herself. Telling her upfront would at least remove that possibility."

"As for Wilmarina…" Elt trailed off,

"She already knows, and she'd be of great help to us if the need arises. That, and she deserves to know." He stated, continuing on his walk.

"Although, that's only if I can actually contact her. I could ask Mersé or Mimil to help me with it, but…." He trailed off.

If Ofnir was indeed connected to the Noscrim Faction, then doing this could be risky. He cupped his chin in thought, thinking of what to do or say before he shook his head.

"Which reminds me, tell Mimil to come to that cave we use as a gateway to Raya Lucaria tomorrow morning. If I'm gonna tell them, then I need to make sure that there's no doubt in their mind that what I'm saying is true." Elt stated before he walked off.

Lucas nodded at that, not saying another word before he went off to go find his master.


Isaac looked over the armor Doon left for him to use. It was light, only consisting of a pair of leather braces and a somewhat rusty cuirass. Other than that, he was given a tattered and worn down gambeson shirt and long leather boots to keep his feet relatively protected. Overall, it wasn't the most protected thing out there, but honestly speaking, this armor was more than what Isaac could hope for.

He strapped his leather braces on his arm, tying the knot and shaking it to make sure that it was tightly in place. He might've tied it wrong, but Isaac didn't care. As long as it was covering his arms, then it should be fine.

He moved a few paces, taking a look at himself in the cracked mirror. He raised his hands to his side, turning around to see if he had missed anything. Finding nothing wrong, Isaac nodded to himself before he grabbed the fur cloak that he had with him. With one sweeping motion, he let the cloak fall onto his shoulder.

Isaac grabbed his dagger, placing it on a strap near his chest. He turned to find his blade, lifting it before he strapped it onto his back. Letting the metal push against the wolven fabric. He pulled the cloak up, letting the sword rest in between the gaps and allowing the cloak to flow once more.

He was about to leave, but then a thought hit him.

'...Shit, Luciana might be there…' Isaac thought, his eyes furrowing as they did. He sighed, moving back in front of the mirror before he fixed his hair, the first time he's done so in a long time. He pulled on his cloak, making sure that it didn't crease.

He spun around to see if he looked ridiculous, he did, but it was mostly due to the oversized blade and wolven fur cloak. He just couldn't get rid of these things, so he'd just have to sigh and accept it as is.

He then turned to the sleeping form of a little girl, her eyes peacefully shut. He smiled at that; Doon told him that Charlotte should be fine here. He tasked some of the Mercenaries to look after her, and they were all seemingly nice people.

Isaac could be gullible sometimes, but at least here, he was somewhat correct. He walked out of the barracks, his form moving to where Doon and Koyoi were. They were all readying their horses for the journey, and from the looks of it, they prepared one for Isaac too.

"Isaac, glad to see that you're here," Doon stated, a smile coming to his face. Isaac nodded at that,

"Wouldn't miss this for the world, Old Man." He started causing the man to sigh slightly.

"Only 34, Isaac." He corrected,

"I know what I said, Doon." Isaac retorted.

"We've wasted enough time; the journey could take us a few days," Koyoi stated, making sure that the saddle was tied to her horse properly.

"Yeah, Yeah," Doon commented, getting on his horse. Isaac looked at them before he turned to his own horse. He paused slightly, moving towards it before he placed a hand over the saddle.

He didn't really do anything after that, just placing his hand over the saddle like it would somehow magically make him ride the horse. He then tried to get on by jumping on it, scaring the horse and causing it to kick him away.

Doon and Koyoi looked at this with blank expressions, watching as Isaac got up and tried again. After he fell down for the second time, Doon decided to speak up.

"...Kid, you don't know how to ride a horse, do you?" He asked, causing Isaac to look up with an embarrassed expression. Cheeks reddened and eyes wide, pupils looking around.

"I do! It's just… I've never really ridden one until now." He replied.

Doon just looked at him before he sighed. Getting off his horse, the large man came over before he instructed Isaac on what to do.

"First off, place that large ass sword somewhere else. If you sit on that horse with that thing on your back, you're just gonna stab the poor creature." Doon stated, causing Isaac to furrow his brows before he took the sword off.

"Where do I put this, then?" He asked,

"There's a strap on the back that I prepared for you; put it there," Doon replied.

Isaac turned to the horse, and indeed, there was a strap on the back. Isaac balanced the blade on the horse's backside before he secured it with the strap, well… more accurately, straps.

"Now what?" Isaac stated, causing Doon to turn to the horse's saddle.

"See that, that's the stirrup iron. You put your leg there and lean your body forward; gravity should get your body on that horse right after." Doon added; Isaac nodded at that. Placing his foot on the stirrup iron, leaning his body forward as he sat on the horse.

"Good, now hold the reins," Doon stated, causing Isaac to tilt his head.

"The what?" He asked.

"It's the rope attached to your horse," Doon stated, causing Isaac to look down and grab the rope. This action, however, caused Doon to widen his eyes.

"...Isaac, hold out your arm," Doon stated, causing Isaac to raise a brow before he did as he was told. Doon inspected his leather braces, looking on at them before he sighed.

"Isaac, you put your brace on wrong." He stated, causing Isaac to pause and tilt his head.

"What the fuck do you mean by that?" Isaac asked,

"First off… Isaac, this is not a leather string, it's a leather strap. You're not supposed to tie it; you're supposed to put it on the clasp." Doon muttered, causing Isaac to turn to his braces. Doon showed off his own leather brace, showing him the proper way it was tied before he then turned to Isaac.

"Secondly… they're backwards." He added.

Indeed it was; the leather straps were visible on his overhand. It was how Doon managed to see it. The straps should be placed under the wrist; that way, the enemy won't have easy access to them in combat.

"So what if they're backwards? it still protects my arm." Isaac stated, causing Doon to facepalm before he shook his head.

"We're gonna be here for a while, aren't we?" He muttered.

They spent the next hour fixing Isaac's gear.


After an embarrassingly long moment where Koyoi and Doon assessed his armor and around 2 days of traveling, the three finally made their way near their target location. Their horses trotted through the streets as tents surrounded their form. The Banners of the Order of the Ice-Flower could be seen all over the horizon.

He rode with another group of mercenaries; with this, they were around a few hundred men strong. Each wore armor of varying qualities; some of them didn't wear armor at all. Their weapons were varied, from spears to axes, from greatswords to falchions, maces, rapiers, and even a few firearms and crossbows.

The forest stood forward, large and imposing. They were surrounded by soldiers bearing the marks of the Order of the Ice-Flower. Isaac gulped; such a sight was something he wasn't really accustomed to.

He turned to look at some of the Order of the Ice-Flower; the contingent here was far more significant than the one sent to his village. After all, only Wilmarina Noscrim had been present there, but here, he could see dozens of them scattered all over the place. All of them wore pristine armor, their forms stiff and regal. Most elected to ignore them; some took a few peaks but said nothing, and others leered at the mercenaries.

He furrowed his brows at them, obviously angered by their attitude towards them. He grabbed the reins on his horse; these heroes were all giving him bad memories. He grits his teeth, showing off his fangs.

He finally calmed himself when a hand made its way to his shoulder. Looking behind him, he found Koyoi riding close by. Her hand was outstretched, and she gently reached out to him to calm him down.

Isaac took a deep breath. He needed to control his temper here. As much as he wanted to beat the shit out of them, there was little he could actually do against them. Relatively speaking, he was still pretty weak.

"Thank you…" he mouthed out, causing Koyoi to nod with a small smile before they continued on.

Eventually, they made their way to a small encampment.

Isaac got off his horse, stretching his arms as he did. He turned to the group, his eyes scanning his fellow mercenaries much more closely. He found a few familiar faces, people from his own group that decided to take the job. There were more mercenaries from other groups or independents that decided to take the job.

The price tag on this job was high, possibly more than their earnings an entire year. No wonder many people came forward, all from differing backgrounds, and each with their own stories. It was honestly kind of intimidating for the young man, especially since his combat experience up until this point was either him almost getting assaulted by monsters or getting robbed in an alleyway.

Both experiences showed him how little he truly understood about the world. And yet he still came here on his own accord, his own choice. All because of a single rumor, a wolf moving through these forests.

It was just a rumor, and it was possible that it wasn't at all true. But this was the only lead Isaac had to a certain other wolf-eyed men. He hoped he'd be able to meet him, and if this entire thing proved fruitless, then at least he could say that he tried.

He'd rather not regret it in the future if this whole thing turned out to be true.

"Alright," Doon began, turning to Isaac as he walked towards the young man.

"Listen to me, and listen well. I'll do most of the talking from here, understood?" Doon asked.

Isaac nodded, "Let you do all the work, got it."

Doon just gave a lighthearted laugh at his answer, ruffling the boy's hair a bit before he began to walk towards their designated area.

Isaac just scratched his head after that; looking around, he found this place to be absolutely stuffed with mercenaries. It was a small area, roughly 10 acres of land for them all to move around. They were all packed around, most of the space being used for tents and some of it having nothing but weaponry inside.

"...All of this for a single vampire?" Isaac asked out loud, causing Doon and Koyoi to turn to him before they continued on their walk.

"Vampires were said to be one of the strongest monsters known to man. I understand why they'd need this many." Doon answered,

"What I don't get is why we were needed in the first place. A few hundred mercenaries couldn't compare to even a quarter of the force the Order sent here." Koyoi commented, her eyes scanning the area.

"I'm guessing that it's not just a vampire we're dealing with. It's most likely an infestation with a single vampire in it." Doon observed.

"My point still stands; a few hundred of us would hardly make a difference." Koyoi retorted,

Doon shook his head, a sigh coming out of his mouth. "It all depends on how we're used. A single man could change the fate of a battle as long as they're used properly. Mercenaries we may be, even a few hundred of us could change the tide."

"Besides, knowing you. You're at least at the level of one of the heroes." Doon stated to Koyoi, who said nothing in return.

She merely looked down, her eyes narrowing as a thought crossed her mind.

"Wait, she's at the level of a hero?" Isaac asked, causing Doon to turn to him.

"I'm not the best person to say this, but from what I've seen… she's at least worth a hundred of these men," Doon stated, turning to Koyoi, who remained silent throughout the whole exchange.

"Woah… that's badass…." Isaac added;

Doon could've sworn that there were sparkles in his eyes.

"I'd appreciate it… if you two refrain from talking about my abilities… I'd rather keep them to myself." Koyoi admonished.

Doon scratched the back of his head and looked away. "Yeah, sorry about that."

Isaac looked away, his yellow wolven eyes looking downwards before he thought to change the conversation. "So how does this work? Do we just do the thing they asked us to do in the paper?"

Doon shook his head at that. "Usually, that'd be the case. But since this is a request from a knight order, we'd usually have to register ourselves first."

"Ah, right… how do we do that?" Isaac asked,

"You have to write your name down on an… oh… right…." Doon awkwardly added,

Right, he kept forgetting. Isaac couldn't write; it was a common thing for people out on the outskirts. Education was a difficult thing to come by the further you got from the capital. And being at the very edge of Lescatie's border, there were little instructors Isaac to come by.

"If it helps, he's at least learning. He knows the first few letters of the alphabet, at least." Koyoi stated, turning her eyes to Isaac.

"That's right, I'm learning," Isaac said proudly; even if it was just a few letters, he was still proud of this achievement. Now all he had to do was to learn the rest of the letters found within the Lescatian Script.

"Don't worry; they usually have scribes who'd write it down for you. So all you have to do is to answer all the questions they ask." Doon added.

Doon looked around the place before his eyes turned to a particular place.

"That should be the registration," Doon muttered, walking towards it with Koyoi and Isaac following behind.


A pair of golden eyes blinked at the sight of the papers currently placed on her desk. She bit her bottom lip, feeling a sigh push out of her lungs before she held it in for appearance's sake. It was official; Luciana hated paperwork more than anything else in this world. One would think that being the deputy to the nation's greatest hero would've been a lot more exciting, and it was in some areas.

But Luciana found that the most daunting tasks that she and her comrades had to deal with on an almost daily basis had been the piles of paperwork they were entrusted to do. It wasn't too hard, to be honest. She just had to sign papers, the daunting part of the task was the sheer amount of it she had to sign.

Right now, she and the rest of her comrades here were entrusted with assessing the various mercenaries that decided to join in. Figure out which squad to divide them in and what position they'd take when they came to raid the forest.

"How many more of these?" She asked, her eyes turning to her fellow comrades.

"Just a few more, the last of them just arrived." Another voice answered her. It belonged to a blue-haired, feminine-looking boy. Bangs covered his right eye, and unlike most of his peers, he didn't seem to mind the amount of paperwork.

Odd, considering that out of all of them, Eva Mystiv was the one who had to bear the brunt of it. Luciana guessed that this merely meant that he was used to it. A fair point, considering his strategic prowess.

"I don't get it; why do we need the help of a bunch of dirty mercenaries for this job? What's a hundred of them going to do that just one hero couldn't?" Another voice asked, this one belonging to another girl who shouldn't even be in her teens yet.

She had light blue hair and a small figure, a rapier was strapped on her hip, and her eyes looked towards the older occupants of the room. Parshe Lufarshe, the prodigal magic fencer, just couldn't wrap her mind around it.

Despite the somewhat harsh way she put it, it was a valid question on their end. A hundred mercenaries couldn't compare to even a single hero. Not to mention the chaos they could cause, seeing as how they held no true allegiance to the Order of the Ice-Flower.

"While it is true that a hundred of them couldn't compare to a hero, we're not just going to group them all together. They'd be spread out, moved to bolster smaller divisions of our own forces. They're meant to look after any weaknesses in each squad that we'll send in the forest." Eva explained,

The strategy he came up with was simple. Their Order would be divided up into smaller squads, each with different purposes and varying sizes. Most of the mercenaries would be guarding the general perimeter of the forest to the south. The north of the forest was left mostly unguarded, but that was because north of it lay a large and difficult-to-climb mountain.

Well, difficult for a human at least. For a monster, their forms would allow them to scale the mountain easily. And that was the whole point of this plan, to drive them out of the forest and further back from Lescatie.

"And here we thought we were just dealing with a single vampire… how did she manage to get this many monsters to work for her?" Another voice asked,

It belonged to another blonde-haired woman, her hair flowing down onto her back. She held a dignified look and sat straight upon her chair.

"It's not really hard to see why. Monsters were said to be ruled by strength; it's possible that she forced them all to work for her." Another voice commented, belonging to another blonde woman. A rapier strapped to her hip, and much like everyone else, she held a reserved look and a calm expression.

"Regardless of how she managed to do so, this needs to be dealt with immediately." Another voice added,

Wilmarina Noscrim looked on at her group with crossed arms. Her form was sitting on a chair that sat at the very end of the table, signifying her rank as their leader. Her eyes were scanning the papers below her, each a report on the various monsters spotted in the mountain.

It all started with a single vampire, just one. If that was all there was to it, then she would've just sent one or two of the heroes to deal with it. Hell, she probably would've just come there herself to save her comrades the trouble.

But then reports came in of movement within the forests, reports of orcs, werewolves, harpies, and many more popped up. That alone was enough to get her attention, but what was more alarming was their actions. It was no secret to her that the monsters she faced weren't the same as the ones she was told about.

They were dangerous, yes, but they never killed anyone. There have been incidents of violence and people getting hurt, but from what she's seen, the monsters never crossed the line unless it was the only option left for them. It was a testament to their overwhelming strength that they could dominate mankind without even having to hurt them.

But the monsters in the report? They were different…

They were said to hold a grim look on their faces. Their forms were scarred and beaten, eyes filled with horror and rage. These weren't normal monsters, no…

If these reports were in any way true, then she's not up against a band of lecherous monster girls. No, she and her Order were up against desperate and angry veterans.

From what she knew from experience, that type was the most dangerous to come up against.

Wilmarina sighed, leaning back onto her chair as she took a cup of tea and drank from it.

"These monsters aren't normal; I've sent scouts to check the perimeter to see if I could confirm these reports myself…." She trailed off, turning to her comrades.

"You've seen how the scouts came back to us," Wilmarina commented,

The group's responses were varied as they were immense. Some gave a quiet nod, respectful of those they'd lost. Some gritted their teeth and looked on in rage, promising vengeance against those who did this to their fellow knights. Others looked down, doubtful and scared… a natural reaction to the scenes they've been shown.

"These monsters will pay, I swear it…." One of them stated, Wilmarina's eyes turning to one of the heroes in response.

The hero in question had blonde hair and dark gold eyes. Her form wore a revealing set of armor and a hat that sat atop her head. Her eyes narrowed as her mouth gritted in response to Wilmarina's comment.

Out of everyone in this place, Alameria Crescentria probably had the biggest hatred of monsters. It was ironic; to anyone who's met her casually, she was said to be one of the kindest and most laid-back people you'd ever meet. She was a calming presence, but underneath all that lay a rage and sorrow that she couldn't bear to keep in her.

After all, it was said that it was the monsters who took her away from her parents. She calmed herself when a hand made its way to her shoulder. Alameria's eyes turned to her fellow musketeer, a tired sigh escaping from her before she let out a small reassuring smile.

Before anything else could happen, a man suddenly burst into the room. He had black hair and brown eyes, his face looking slightly panicked.

"L-Lady Wilmarina, I-I hope I'm not interrupting anything, but there's been an incident!" He sputtered out, trying his best to speak out, only for it to come out as slight stutters.

"Why? Gerald, what happened?" Wilmarina asked, causing Gerald to breathe out before he raised his hand and caught his breath.

"It's the mercenaries, or… a few of them. A fight's broken out between some of our soldiers and some… wolf-eyed looking guy… I don't know." He breathed out, causing Wilmarina to widen her eyes before she immediately got up.

Luciana also suddenly got up, her eyes widening at the description.

"S-Say that again?" Luciana stuttered out, her eyes turning to Gerald in turn.

"Uh… that a fight's broken out?" Gerald repeated, causing Luciana to shake her head.

"No, not that… the other thing, the wolf-eyed thing." Luciana corrected.

Gerald just looked at her with a slightly puzzled look before he nodded, "There's some wolf-eyed looking guy who's currently fighting some of our soldiers?"

Luciana just stood there as she processed the information, her eyes wandering off as she moved her hand up to her chest. 'No… no, it couldn't be… no, there's no way he's here….' She thought to herself.

Wilmarina spoke up in turn, clearing her throat to get their attention. "Explain on the way; we need to stop this before anyone gets hurt."

Luciana only nodded dumbly in response, picking up her sword before she walked towards Wilmarina. "I'm coming with you,"

Wilmarina smiled, her eyes turning to Gerald before she spoke. "Take us to them."

Gerald nodded, turning before he moved to the mercenaries.


"You're certain that he's here?" The dragon spear asked. His form resting atop a mountain, his eyes gazing down at the infested forest down below. Vyke was sent here for one reason and one reason only. The Traitor Empyrean's Shadow was in this world, and there was a high likelihood that he was here.

"If the sightings are correct, then he should be." Another voice called out,

Vyke turned his head to the man who stood beside him, his form gazing down upon the forest ground as he observed its scale.

"And what of the Order of the Ice-Flower? How should we deal with them?" Vyke asked, eyes turning to the encampment that sat beyond the forest.

The man merely shook his head, "Ignore them; they're not of any importance here. They'll deal with the monsters and the vampire; you and your ally's main goal is to simply… kill that wolf."

Vyke's head turned to his allies, his eyes narrowed as he watched their glistening blades bathed in rune of death. Black Knife Assassin's loyalties were as vague to him as his own were to the Golden Order. He didn't understand them. They guarded the Demigods in Leyndell, and yet they took the life of Godwyn the Golden, a sin that Vyke himself could never forgive.

"And why am I here, exactly? If ten of them are enough to dispose of one demigod, then this much should be enough to kill a single shadow." Vyke commented,

"You are here for a simple purpose, Vyke. That shadow has destroyed the assassins sent out to kill his lady. And these… aren't true black knife assassins, their blades carry but a fractured and incomplete version of the rune of death." The man muttered, causing Vyke to raise his brow.

"What do you mean by that? How are they not true black-knife assassins?" Vyke asked,

"They are not Numens; they were born and raised here in this land. They were rigorously trained and could be a match for any hero… but they are but a shadow of their original counterparts. Until the true black knife assassin arrives, you would have to make do with these." The man answered, turning around before he began his walk back.

"I suggest you wait until the monsters are preoccupied with the False Order's little attack. As powerful as you are now, you too are a shadow of your former self, Vyke." The man commented before he disappeared into a cloud of dust.

Vyke sighed at that, gripping his dragon spear before he got up. Red lightning moved through his fingertips, his hands clenching. His power was not the same as it once was, understandable given the new body.

He looked down at the forest below, his eyes narrowing at sight.

He spun his dragon spear before he stabbed it onto the ground, causing red lightning to spread around his form.

His Black Knife Assassin allies moved forward, their heads turning to him as they waited for his command. He raised his hand up, signaling them to stand down.

They were not to attack yet; he'd wait until the ice flower moved.


Author's Notes:

Alright, so... that took me a while to complete.

A few things to talk about here, first off... I'm currently crossposting this in QQ and will also start to post this in Ao3, mainly as a way to save it just in case anything happens to this fic on this site. It's currently only the first chapter that's out in QQ, but I'm planning to release the subsequent chapters as soon as this one gets out.

Secondly, Isaac and the Mercenaries. Just gonna say this now, for the following few chapters it'll be from Isaac and the Order of the Ice-Flower's point of view since it'll be focusing on their mission. This way, I can actually explore their characters in depth instead of just them being cameos like in Chapter 2.

That isn't to say that Elt and the Gang's perspective would be lost. There would be a few scenes sprinkled here and there on their end, mostly to set up the next part of their story. But I'll use this as an opportunity to try and develop their relationships with one another before anything else could happen. That being said, the reveal of what Elt is and what he's done would be revealed soon enough.

As always, leave your reviews, comments, reactions, etc. in the Review Section. My PMs are also open if you want to use that instead.

Whamo Out!