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Chapter 24: River Crossing, Part 2
"Hyah!" A cry sounded out, a young boy leaped forward with a blade larger than what he should be able to carry. Steel struck steel, sparks flew before he was thrown onto the dirt by his opponent.
Before he could get back up to retaliate, he found another blade pressing against his neck. He looked up at his opponent, his lupine eyes staring at the enemy before him.
His opponent then sighed, placed the blade away from his neck and spoke. "Balance, Isaac. If you want to use that sword, then you need to fix your footing."
He then offered Isaac his hand, Isaac grumbled before he pulled himself up with his opponent's help. "I know that, but it's hard to do when you're attackers moving like a rabid dog. Couldn't you take it easy on me, Mikhail?"
Mikhail sighed, moving his blade down as he looked around the village. "Sorry Isaac, like I said… I'm not really a good teacher."
Isaac just shook his head in response, crossing his arms before his own lupine eyes turned to the village. "Nah, you're good. I guess it's just that we don't have a lot of time on our hands now…"
"Yeah…" Mikhail trailed off in response,
It had been months since their father died. As a result, they were forced to move to this isolated village out in the outskirts with their sole living grandparent. They would've moved in with Luciana's parents, but with their poor financial situation, the two found that they couldn't burden them.
"Hey, can I ask you something?" Isaac asked, getting up as his eyes turned to Mikhail. His fellow brown-haired, lupine-eyed blood sibling looked at him with a tilted head.
"Sure, what do you want to ask?" Mikhail stated, turning to his brother with crossed arms.
"Where'd you learn how to fight?" Isaac asked, causing Mikhail to freeze. His face morphed to that of surprise, before it turned to panic and then a nervous attempt at hiding it.
"I just… know… I guess…." Mikhail stated, awkwardly looking around as if trying to find a way out of his current predicament.
Isaac raised his brow, "You just… know? So you're telling me that you've always known how to use that giant ass sword?" Isaac asked.
"...Yes." Mikhail answered, his eyes turning to the village. There was more to that answer, and Isaac had a feeling that he wasn't exactly lying…
But he definitely wasn't telling the whole truth either. Something was off about his brother, that much was evident to him ever since he first gained consciousness as a human being.
"Al… right then, if I didn't know any better, I'd say that you were a Hero or something." Isaac joked, Mikhail lightly laughed in response.
"I'm no hero, Isaac. Just a shadow trying to protect the ones he loves." He stated with a nostalgic look, one that had a sorrowful smile laced within. Isaac tilted his head, what ever could he be thinking about?
"There you again with the cryptic shit, where'd you learn to talk like that?" Isaac asked rhetorically, Mikhail just laughed lightly in response.
"An old lost friend of mine…" He stated with a sad smile,
Seeing it, Isaac decided not to pry. It was odd, who could he be talking about? He tried to recall anyone from the old village who talked like that, but found none in particular. Then again, no one in his old village aside from Luciana bothered to get close to him.
Isaac dusted himself, looking at Mikhail before he pulled up his steel sword. Mikhail looked on at the boy with a tilted head, "You still want to fight? You're already bruised and beaten, if we fight any more you might get yourself seriously hurt."
Isaac just gave a grin in response, "How else am I supposed to beat your ass? I can keep going, Mika... Just wait and fucking see,"
Mikhail just gave a small smile at that, "You should learn to watch your language, but… alright."
He then spun his sword around before he rested it on his shoulder. Getting on a low stance, he gestured for Isaac to make the first move.
No other words were said, the two clashed blades once more.
Isaac shook his head, his mind numbing slightly as a memory came rushing in his mind. He grit his teeth, his lupine eyes scanning his surroundings.
'Why remember that now of all times?' He thought with gritted teeth. As his eyes scanned his surroundings, he was reminded of the dire situation they found themselves in. His eyes turned to the beastial eyes lying in the darkness of the forest.
Eyes stared at them in the abyss, staring at him and his group with lethal intent. The faint sounds of snarls, growls, and scratching wood did little to ease his or anyone's fears. It was clear from the bloodied corpses on the floor nearby that these monsters were not here to lay with them.
No, they were out for blood…
But they weren't even the most immediate threat. His eyes then turned to the knight standing in front of him and Wilmarina. He was an imposing figure, tall and with an armor more pristine than what he had. His eyes were visible through the slits on his helmet, his own lupine eyes widened slightly as he saw them.
If he had to describe the man's eyes in one word, it was draconic. The red glowing iris with the slit for a pupil, he's never met one but it gave off the feeling of a dragon.
'A Monster!?' Isaac thought,
Ironic that he himself had this thought, considering that he too was labeled as such because of his eyes. That being said, with the way the man presented himself and how he tried to slay him earlier, Isaac couldn't see him as anything but.
Wilmarina herself had similar thoughts, but chose not to voice them. This new threat, whoever this was needed to be kept away. From the initial strike alone, she found him to be a powerful foe. 'That red lightning could spell trouble, and I don't know his capabilities…' She thought to herself.
'I also need to assume that he's familiar with my own capabilities, but I need to hide how much is true and how much is embellished.' She continued on.
'Plus…' her eyes then moved to the other monsters that surrounded the place. 'I also have to watch out for them.'
Silence then permeated the area, a tense feeling overcame the group as all sides waited for one to move. Before long… one of them struck.
The Dragonspear pressed his backfoot on the forest ground, bending his knees before he kicked with a force that would leave most in a daze. He launched himself forward, thrusting the spear at his opponent.
Wilmarina's eyes processed the information in nanoseconds, her mind calculating the appropriate response and counter before she too moved. She ducked below, moving under the spear before she thrust her own blade forth.
Vyke sidestepped out of the way, but instead of falling back he swung his spear downwards which Wilmarina then caught with her own blade.
Sparks flew around, lightning striking their surroundings, burning whatever unfortunate thing it struck.
To the onlookers nearby, all of this had happened in an instant. With that move, all hell broke loose.
The monsters charged forward, bearing their claws, teeth, and weapons against the Order. Blades clashed with claws, teeth met armor, and sparks flew around as the soldiers and mercenaries defended themselves with gritted teeth.
In the middle of it all was Isaac, his eyes widening as he gripped his blade tightly. He prepared himself from the onslaught,
He heard the snarl of a raging beast, his lupine eyes turning to watch a werewolf speeding in close. Gritting his teeth, he tried to recall what Elt told him before.
"With the size of your blade, positioning is a whole lot more important than you think. Swinging wildly like that without much thought could work against less experienced opponents, but when facing someone who knows how to fight then it might as well be useless."
He readied himself for the strike, his form waiting for the opportune moment. He watched as she inched closer and closer by the millisecond and by the time she was in range.
Splurt!
The sounds of hard metal slamming through flesh and bone echoed in the chaos of battle. The werewolf's form was roughly split in two, the wound as savage as the blade the warrior wielded.
Blood splattered on his face, his rough but fair toned skin smeared by crimson. His yellow eyes shifted slightly, the shock of what he did invading his mind. He looked on at the face of his opponent, what was left of her face showed an expression of horror.
Isaac's breath hitched, alas, he didn't have time to process this action. Soon enough, another monster came from behind, an orc with a crude iron axe held aloft to strike him.
Instinctively, he positioned his oversized blade to block the strike. Its wide form acted as a shield for himself, and yet it didn't stop parts of the axe from scratching his exposed form.
The leather armor did well to quell any cuts, but it did little to shield him from the sheer force of their strikes. An Orc was just naturally superior to a human when it came to strength, but Isaac was no mere man.
He grit his teeth, pushing the Orc off him before he swung his blade downwards. The Orc dodged, swinging his blade towards his exposed form.
'Shit!' Isaac thought,
He wouldn't have enough time to draw his dagger nor could he move his heavy blade in time. Instinctively, he tried to position himself in a way that would minimize the damage. That being said, at best he'd still be left with a nasty scar on his body.
Luckily for him, he was not alone in this fight. Before the axe could strike, another blade intercepted it. Gold eyes glared at the Orc's form, the soldier's hand gripping her blade tightly before.
SCHIING
The orc's head flew off her shoulders, her eyes widening in shock before its life left her body.
"Luciana…" Isaac muttered out in response, Luciana only nodded in turn.
Her eyes then turned to the monsters around them, watching as the battle unfolded. She steered her mind clear from the rage of seeing her comrades slain, instead opting to inspect the monsters for any sign of weakness. Being a seasoned veteran and familiar with fighting monsters, a few facts came to mind.
'They don't know how to kill…' She thought to herself.
On the surface, that may seem to be an inaccurate thought. After all, she'd seen her comrades get slain by these monsters. It was common sense that if you leave a person bleeding, without their heads, or with a nasty wound then they would surely die without treatment.
What she meant was that the monsters weren't used to killing. Judging by their flinching forms and horror filled eyes, this was more an act of desperation than a real desire to kill.
Secondly…
Her eyes turned to the battle between her captain and the draconic knight, as she had dubbed him.
To her, they were nothing but a blur. She watched as red lightning lit up the surroundings, occasionally destroying a tree and leaving small craters with every spark. She watched as bits of ice and frozen ground were left in their wake. Their fight was intense enough that it uprooted a few trees.
She also watched as both men and monsters alike were being slain during the two's battle. She watched as the monsters attempted to strike at the man during moments of pause, when he was visible to her unenhanced eyes. Only for those monsters to be reduced to a red paste in an instant.
'The monsters and… whatever he is, they aren't allies.'
Luciana's eyes then glanced at her childhood friend, his form still standing. Her lips pursed at the sight, 'And whatever he is, he's after Isaac… or…'
The monsters didn't let her finish that thought, an amazon came in with a war cry. The amazon then swung another blade downwards, in an attempt to cleave Luciana. The latter merely sidestepped it, leaving a trail on the soft forest ground.
She then pushed herself forward with her blade held forward. The steel iron pierced through flesh, and with a single motion she eviscerated parts of the monster out onto the forest ground, bloodying the floor before she kicked her body away.
A harpy came flying in from above, raising her blade she moved her blade up in an attempt to defend herself. As she did so however, Isaac launched himself up by slamming the blade down. He used the momentum of the strike to launch him and his blade upwards.
He then slammed the oversized blade onto the harpy's fragile body. Once more a thick iron blade carved itself into the soft tissue, its wide frame prevented it from cutting all the way through.
As such, the harpy was sent flying down. The steel hunk of iron smashing it onto the soft floor. He then raised his blade, resting it on his shoulder as he breathed heavily.
A snarl came to his face, his lupine fangs showing itself to the monsters. His eyes wide and irises shrunk, gaze falling on the monsters he now considered prey. Blood dripped down from his oversized blade, pooling under the tip.
Luciana was gonna be honest, the sight scared her a little.
Without warning, he then charged into the fray. With a single swing, he split a group of beasts in two, his thick iron blade getting smeared with blood in the process. Using the momentum, he spun his body around and kicked another monster away.
It was a vicious fighting style, one more akin to a savage beast than a refined warrior. Even so, it was an effective form of combat. But it wasn't perfect.
With every strike, came a counter that Isaac couldn't parry. His large and admittedly cumbersome blade prevented him from moving too quickly, leaving him open to counters that the monsters took advantage of.
Gashes appeared on his body, cuts and bruises from both claws and blades. If he continued on, it was clear that he'd lose in the long run.
Luciana didn't stay idle, with the amount of monsters surrounding Isaac, it was likely that he'd get overwhelmed. As such, she came in to protect his weak spots. Slashing, cutting, and parrying every attack as they went.
She gave a worried glance at her childhood friend, something was up with him. Since when did he move and fight this efficiently? What happened in the 3 years she was gone?
Such answers needed to be put on hold. Despite their efforts, the monsters they'd slain were only a fraction of what they had to deal with. They were holding them off pretty well, but without Wilmarina they knew that they wouldn't last.
Her eyes glanced at Wilmarina's opponent, their battle had basically created a brand new clearing on the forest with how fast and intense they moved. It was absurd, who the hell was this guy!? Someone who could match Wilmarina blow for blow, and from the looks of things that might not even be his full capabilities.
She gritted her teeth, this was a bad situation. A horrid one, they needed to do something about this lest they be overwhelmed. But what? They were surrounded, an army of monsters moving in and Wilmarina's too preoccupied with another opponent.
They needed a way out, but before she could ponder a solution…
A howl, one that echoed through the forest. Thinking that it may be another monster attack, the Order Knights and Heroes readied themselves.
But it wasn't so…
The monsters suddenly stopped their fighting. One by one they retreated: The ones further away moved back into the forests, those engaged in combat pulled away and retreated with them. They carried as many of the injured and dead as they could, giving sorrowful glances at those they couldn't recover.
Isaac tried to chase after them, but Luciana's hand prevented him from doing so.
With the monsters gone, the squad's attention then turned to the Draconic Knight engaged with the blue-haired heroine. Much like them, he too paused. His eyes turned to the forest giving room for Wilmarina to breathe.
The sight made many around them gasp, Wilmarina Noscrim stood exhausted and injured. Her form had cuts in her body, blood pouring out as she gave an icy glare at her opponent. Red lightning coursed through her form, her blade pointing towards him as she stood.
Her opponent wasn't breathing as heavily, though his form had still been considerably injured. Bits and pieces of ice shards were stabbed into his body, his armor dented in some places. A pool of blood was even forming beneath his feet. But unlike Wilmarina, he had no signs of exhaustion in his body.
It was absurd, and even humbling to people who witnessed it. This was the first time they've seen her struggle this hard. Not even when faced with armies did she show any sign of exhaustion.
Only one thought permeated through the group. 'Who the hell was this guy!?'
He was an enemy, that much was certain. He came here to target one of them, and he had slain a few Order soldiers during his fight with Wilmarina.
But he wasn't a friend to the monsters either, considering that the monsters had attempted to attack him during their battle to no success.
They prepared themselves. Aside from Wilmarina, there was no one here who could realistically take him on. They watched him carefully and cautiously, waiting with sweat on their brows. Suddenly, he moved.
He raised his right hand, summoning a bolt of red lightning. The dark forest lit up in a flurry of red, its cackling form striking the forest grounds and burning parts of it asunder. Just as Wilmarina had prepared herself for the incoming strike, her opponent then threw it…
Into the opposite direction.
That left a few people confused… he wasn't aiming for any of them. That much became clear, his attention had been moved entirely to whatever moved within the forest. Whatever it was, it made the knight change his priorities.
Isaac was gonna be honest, that scared him more than if the knight just decided to attack them. For what could gain the attention of such a knight more than the greatest heroine in Lescatie? The answer was made clear in the next instances.
There was a sound coming from the forest tops, the leaves above rustled and shook as the knight took a few steps back to reorient himself. Wilmarina also took the moment to take a step back, her eyes shifting from the knight to the forest and vice versa.
The draconic knight then raised his arm again, another spear of red lightning formed before he threw it at the forest tops. This time however, what he threw the spear at became visible.
Out of the forest tops, a figure jumped out. Holding a blade that was somehow bigger than the one in Isaac's hand, he swung it at the spear which exploded in a brilliant light. The figure then positioned his blade forward, aiming to cut into the knight.
In response, he held the spear aloft and used it to intercept the oversized blade. Steel clashed against the dragonspear, the knight's form skidding back as his draconic eyes glared at the lupine ones of his opponent. His feet dug into the dirt below, the force of the strike was enough to split a solid steel plate in two.
There standing opposed to him was a figure taller than any of them. He wore thick and heavy armor, a tattered wolfskin cloak flowing in the wind. A wolf's head sat atop his body, but on closer inspection many would see that it was a mask.
Though his eyes remained invisible, from the growling and snarling: it was clear that the wolf was enraged by the dragon.
Isaac stood still, his eyes widening at the sight.
Only one thought crossed him right then and there…
'Mikhail?...'
A black haired woman stood atop a tree, her eyes inspecting the forest tops. Her hand brushed over the wood, her eyes trying to pick up any sign of life that may have moved through. Finding nothing, she then moved onto the next branch before she repeated the process.
"Hey, hold on, what exactly did you mean when you said that we had a stalker in our midst?" A voice called out to her. Koyoi turned her dark eyes towards her companion, she then got up before she spoke up.
"As I've said, there might be someone watching us from the tree tops." Koyoi stated, her eyes then moved to inspect the tree branch again before she moved.
Eristia sighed, this girl was a little more difficult to deal with than she first imagined. "Is it a monster?"
"Perhaps, but it didn't look like one to me." Koyoi answered, and she then continued on her search.
"I see… I suppose that it took the form of what you described to me earlier?" Eristia asked, her head tilting as Koyoi gave a small soft nod in response. It didn't look like the typical monster, that much was clear to her.
For one thing, it wore thick armor, one that covered its entire body and showed absolutely no skin. Something that was a rarity for monsters, considering the difference in their method of hunting and their intentions. Of course, she had been briefed on the fact that these monsters were different, so it was likely that it indeed was a monster.
Regardless, monster or not, it could be a threat. A threat that they needed to deal with.
"Whatever it was, it isn't here anymore." Koyoi started out loud, sighing as she got up.
They could investigate further, but doing so would cause them to move too far from their encampment. It would stretch their lines thin, and it would be too risky a move especially since they've already set up a defensive position.
"Have you told your comrades to be alert?" Koyoi asked,
Eristia furrowed her brow a little. To be ordered around by a mercenary was a little insulting to her, "I have. For the sake of professionalism, please do not talk to me so casually."
Koyoi's own eyes furrowed at that. "I do not work for you, and I have remained professional as far as I am concerned. I am simply worried about the lives of those below me, so forgive any disrespect I may have caused."
Eristia just sighed at that, nodding afterwards before turning to the forest. "Even still, don't you find it odd that there are no monsters here?"
Koyoi paused, her eyes turning upwards as she thought. She's absolutely right, with how deep they were in the forest then they should've at least sighted a single monster. But no, there were none to be seen. Other than the figure Koyoi saw earlier, there was absolutely no monster seen.
"Perhaps they've taken a position deeper into the forest… or rather… they've decided to attack one of the other two squads." Koyoi stated,
The latter was a possibility, and if that was the case it could spell disaster. Communication was key here, "Do we have a method of communicating with the other two squads?" Koyoi asked.
Eristia turned to the mercenary before she cupped her chin. "We have methods to signal the other two squads. Nothing too complex, just different codes signaling if we were in position or not, the state of our unit, and if we are in retreat."
Koyoi nodded along, "No distress signals yet?"
Eristia shook her head, "None so far, No."
That should indicate that the squads are doing fine so far. But ever since this operation began, things have been off. Koyoi couldn't help but feel as if things were going horribly wrong.
And she would soon be proven correct in that feeling.
As she stood by the tree tops, a red flame suddenly flew towards her. On instinct, she ducked out of the way. Eristia widened her eyes, drawing her blade before she looked around for the attacker.
"Who's there!? Show yourself!" Eristia demanded, her eyes scanning the surroundings but finding nothing. Koyoi crouched down, her hand reaching out to grab a few talismans before her eyes scanned the forest tops.
Silence rang through the forest, the only sounds heard could be the rustling of the leaves and the cool wind.
It continued on for seconds, then a minute… just as one of them moved to warn the camp…
A figure burst through the forest top with a dagger held aloft. Koyoi widened her eyes, dodging the attack by a hair's breadth before she countered by kicking the figure into the trunk of the tree. The tree trunk broke under the force, causing the figure to crash down onto the forest.
"We have to warn the camp!" Koyoi yelled out, Eristia was one step ahead. She moved through the forest tops in an attempt to return to her unit, only for a dagger to be swung at her.
She intercepted it quickly, steel clashing with destined death. Sparks flew as Eristia's eyes watched the figure. Their face was obscured by a hood, but with how they moved it was clear that they were experienced.
She fell off her branch, regaining her bearings, and she landed on the forest ground.
Koyoi dropped down, landing with a thud before her eyes turned to Eristia. "Are you alright, Lady Eristia?"
Eristia just gave a quick nod. Her eyes then turned to her opponent, or as she soon found, opponents. Even more armored figures appeared, their forms surrounding the two. They each held a dagger in their hand, twisted in design and giving off a strange aura.
Both combatants gritted their teeths, they were close enough to the camp to know that the commotion they caused would attract the attention of the local heroes. But from their forms alone, Eristia and Koyoi understood that their opponents were trained to kill.
The two readied themselves for combat, their backs turning to one another as they covered both of their blindspots.
A tense silence filled the area, both sides waiting for the other to make a move. Before long…
A barrage of red moved towards them. Each coming from one of the armored figures. Koyoi and Eristia did their best to defend themselves, the former dodging the attacks while the latter blocking, parrying and weaving with her blade.
For a while, they managed to dodge the onslaught. Not a single direct hit until…
Koyoi froze, her form freezing as her eyes turned to her hand. It was a cut, it should've been a minor one but… the moment it struck her, malicious thoughts filled her mind.
Die… Die… Die!
Koyoi grit her teeth, her form pausing as she took in a heavy breath. 'What… is this!?' She thought to herself, dodging another red flame before she pulled herself together.
Something was off, her head felt light, her body felt heavy, her form felt more exhausted than usual. As she moved, she'd noticed the sharp decrease in her speed and power. Whatever that thing was, it had considerably weakened her.
"Koyoi!" Eristia yelled out, stil dodging the various attacks coming in at all directions. "Are you alright?"
Koyoi could only nod with a cold sweat, her eyes glancing at her opponents as they ceased their barrage. In an instant, they moved in with their daggers held aloft. Tired of simply striking at their opponents from a distance, they then moved to strike the two of them down.
Koyoi dodged another swing from their daggers, her eyes widening before she kicked one of them away. She breathed, controlling the flow of her mana to give her an edge. It was far more difficult than usual, obviously a result from the earlier cut.
Eristia too tried her hardest to not be overwhelmed, even striking a few down with her blade. Koyoi dodged another strike before she channeled her mana in her hands, with a swift punch she cracked the armor and punched through the figure's form, leaving a bloody mess on her fist.
She sidestepped another swing before she pulled on her attacker's arm with enough force to dislocate their shoulder. She then swung down, slamming their form on the ground before she gave a quick stomp on their neck, causing a sickening crack.
Eristia swung her blade down, parrying another dagger swing before she cleaved the attackers head off their body. Sidestepping, she then plunged her sword into another combatant, twisting it before pulling it out.
As she moved back, however, a dagger moved in from behind and managed to cut into Eristia's form. She grit her teeth, moving a few paces back as the same malicious thoughts rang in her mind.
Fade Away… Demise… Die…
She noticeably weakened, her form becoming more sluggish as she moved. More and more bodies fell, but it was clear that they wouldn't survive this onslaught. Before long, the two were on their last ropes. Their lungs breathing heavily, their eyes looking on at their attackers with a glare.
They wouldn't last, they needed help as soon as possible. Eristia prayed to the Chief God for strength, for some way out of the situation they found themselves in.
Their prayers would soon be answered,
As another dagger came in, a figure moved through the forest ground and pushed the assassin away. Orange eyes glared at them all, his form standing tall as he drew his blade.
"Lord… Frostiere? Eristia muttered out,
It wasn't just him, Doon came in from behind, his blade held aloft. He swung at one of the assassins who moved back in turn. Soon, the rest of the soldiers came forward bearing their arms.
Parshe came in from the trees, her form dropping on one of the unfortunate assassins before she stabbed them straight through their cloak. Jumping up, she then flipped towards the rest of the soldiers before pointing her rapier at them.
Yuriy ran in from the side, kneeling behind Eristia as he looked on at her form with a worried expression. "Lady Eristia! Are you okay?"
Eristia gave a small strained but reassuring smile. "I'm fine, Yuriy…"
The soldiers looked on at the group of assassins. "Identify yourselves at once!" Lord Ars Frostiere commanded,
The assassins looked at one another, assessing their options. A silence befell the forest once more, and before long…
The Assassins retreated back, finding their situation to be more disadvantageous. Before they left however, one of them cast a flame down on the forest. It struck their fallen comrades, burning away at their bodies and destroying their daggers in the process.
Whoever they were, they obviously didn't want to leave their weapons in enemy hands.
A sigh of relief came out of Eristia and Koyoi's lungs, but the rest of the soldiers remained tense. They looked down at the bodies, charred and beyond recognition.
"You okay, kid?" Doon asked Koyoi. Koyoi nodded slightly, waiting as the strange feeling within her dissipated slightly. Whatever it was, it was at least temporary. That being said, it took some time before the effects of their weapons disappeared completely.
"Whatever those were, they definitely weren't monsters." Nel stated out loud, many of the soldiers agreed with his assessment.
"What were those guys?" Gerald asked, his eyes turning to the group.
"No clue, but it's evident that this new development may prove… detrimental." Ars answered, a hand moving under his chin before another spoke up.
"We should retreat, signal the others about this." Eristia began, their plan hinged on then holding the river to force the monsters out of the forest through the mountains.
But now that a new threat made itself known, that strategy Eva came up with may not be viable anymore. It was an x-factor, an unknown. There was no real way for them to have predicted this, and it placed the entire strategy in jeopardy.
"There's… there's a bit of a problem, Lady Eristia…" Gerald spoke, his eyes looking nervous.
Eristia's eyes turned to the young man, her arms crossing before she spoke. "The signals… they've been destroyed."
"I'm not really all that familiar with how you heroes usually do things, but…" A feminine voice started, its tone laced with amusement and curiosity.
"I'm certain that coming here out onto the forest alone, facing a vampire of all things is… frankly quite foolish." Wynne von Castigan mused out loud, her crimson red eyes turning to her blonde pursuer.
They stood in a forest clearing a distance away from their camp, surrounded by nothing but trees. There were no other monsters in sight, not even a single creature on the trees.
Alameria moved a foot forward, her eyes glaring on at the vampire.
"15 Years Ago, a battle took place in a town near Lescatie's eastern border." Alameria began, her voice a mix of rage and desperation. "It was a battle that took place between a bunch of vampires and the local Order forces."
"Tell me… what do you know about it?" Alameria asked- no, demanded from her.
Wynne raised her brow, she tried to recall that incident. 15 years for a vampire might as well have been a year and a half, considering her lifespan. As she thought of anything notable happening she then recalled. She widened her eyes, before suddenly narrowing them in thought.
"The Hallstatt Incident…" She muttered to herself, loud enough for Alameria to hear.
"And what of that battle, girl? Why are you so curious about it?" Wynne asked, her eyes shifting to Alameria who stood silent.
She grit her teeth, pulling her blade out as she glared at the vampire. "Were you there?"
"Excuse me?" Wynne asked, tilting her head.
"Were you there!? Answer me!" Alameria demanded,
Wynne caught on quickly, her eyes narrowing before a thought hit her head. 'I see… a survivor… then that should mean…' her eyes shifted to her.
"I see… so you were a survivor." Wynne began, her form moving towards Alameria as she spoke. A vicious grin formed on her face, one she's had centuries to practice doing.
"How strange, I could've sworn we've slain everyone in that town. Unfortunately, it appears we've missed one." Wynne continued on,
She's heard of the incident, she'd seen it too. It was a battle between The Order and the small town of Hallstatt. Hundreds perished, the entire city was burnt and many were forced to leave Lescatie as a result. Of course, it was an Order instigated event, but the propaganda said that it was the vampires who instigated and committed the atrocity.
Being an Order Hero, and one in the Ice-Flower she could tell that this girl had been fed the lies.
But what purpose did provoking her serve?
"So- you were there…" Alameria muttered out, her eyes widening as she processed the information fed to her.
"That's right, I was there. I watched as the humans burned… I set fire to thousands of homes and I destroyed the lives of hundreds. You should've seen them squirm… Hahahaha!" She acted out,
Alameria moved, rage fueling her every step. With speeds comparable to that of a bullet she charged in before she thrust her blade forth. In her rage, she didn't notice the dark chains that formed around her. With a simple snap, Alameria found her hands to be enveloped in a chain made from demonic energy.
"What the-!" She cried out, her hands locked down. Wynne moved forward, restraining her further before her eyes turned to the girl.
Alameria's eyes widened, her face showing the panic laced within. 'No, that's impossible… how?'
Her eyes met with those of the vampire, a pitiful look formed on the latter's face. "Not what you're expecting, huh? Worry not, I shan't harm you without reason."
The difference between the two was absurd, she didn't even lift a finger to completely restrain her. Vampires were terrifying, that was a fact she couldn't deny.
She moved a hand over her mouth, pulling apart her lips as she inspected the heroine's teeth. "As I suspected… so it was you…" Wynne began, her eyes turning to the girl.
"W-What are you talking about…" Alameria began, only to be silenced with a single glare. "You have absolutely no clue about your heritage, girl. You have no idea what you are, let alone who you are."
Wynne's hands then moved to the girl's cheeks, her eyes turning to her before she spoke. "You joined them, I don't know how they came into contact with you… but…" she trailed off.
A wave of demonic energy surged through Alameria. Widening her eyes, she continued to struggle. "S-Stop It!" She cried out,
"I'm not doing anything malicious to you, dear. simply checking if…" Wynne's eyes widened.
Wynne then turned to the girl, her eyes in a panic. "Alameria, right? You need to listen to me and listen well." Wynne continued on, her hands grasping the girl in a gentle hold.
"Your being has been tampered with, your soul is tainted by Gold. You need to get out, leave the Order of the Ice-Flower. Leave this place, you have no idea how much danger you're in!" She spoke up, her voice showing a rare panic within.
Alameria grit her teeth, "Lies… coming from a monster… I will never leave my friends…"
Wynne grit her teeth, "Listen, us vampires didn't attack your home, it was the-" She didn't get to finish her sentence.
"Alameria!" A voice called out, soon an arrow flew towards her. Moving back, Wynne dodged the blow and looked on at the newest arrivals. There stood Olivie and Corin, the former with her rapier out and the latter with a crossbow in hand.
Olivie moved in and cut Alameria free, her form dropping down as she clutched her once bound limbs. "T-Thank you, Olivie…" She muttered out.
Olivie gave a small smile in response. Her eyes then shifted to Wynne, her rapier pointed toward the vampire.
Wynne looked on at the group before her signature grin came along. "My, if it isn't the three musketeers. Olivie, Alameria, and… well, that's odd. I could've sworn that Paula was a woman."
"And who are you, boy?" She asked, causing Corin to freeze.
"M-My name is Corin Rosenthal, Alameria's partner! I won't let you hurt her!" He yelled out, in spite of the fear that gripped his heart.
"Partner… you say?" Wynne repeated, her eyes turning to Alameria before she muttered something out. "Poor boy… you have no idea what's in store for you,"
Corin paused, his eyes widening before he spoke. "W-What do you mean by that, vampire!?"
She shook her head, "I can sit here and tell you, or you can pry the answers from me by force. I personally prefer the latter, so if you want to know… face me first,"
Corin grit his teeth, he took a step forward only for a hand to stop him. "Olivie!?" He muttered,
Olivie had a sharp look on her face, "Corin, stand down. Leave this between me and her. Alameria, return to camp and stay there."
"B-But-" Alameria wanted to protest,
"That's a command, while I'm gone you will be in charge. You've already seen how you fared against her." Olivie declared, the tone in which she said it was something neither could protest against. With a weak nod, she moved back.
"Don't worry, I'll pry all of the answers you want from her mouth." Olivie stated,
Alameria widened her eyes, "You heard that?"
Olivie just nodded, "A little bit, not everything… please, Alameria… I beg of you."
Alameria could only stay silent, her mind processing those words before she nodded. "Stay safe, please come back." Alameria stated, turning before she left.
"We'll call for backup, please hang on!" Corin added before he too left.
With the two of them gone, it was only Olivie and Wynne, the latter's mouth formed a smile. One as amused as it was frustrated. Perhaps she was still irked that her message didn't go through to Alameria. Though, while it may have failed to reach the Dhamphir, it had certainly managed to reach Olivie's ears.
Olivie, who was already doubtful of the Order she served, had considered what the vampire said. She wanted answers, and she wanted them now. Plus, she could use this as a way to keep the vampire distracted, that way, Alameria and Corin could get back to camp without issue.
"That was awfully brave of you, if not a little foolish. You do realize that you have no hope of beating me in your lonesome?" Wynne asked,
"I know, which is why I didn't come here to fight." Olivie stated, moving her blade down as Wynne tilted her head.
"I see… you want answers, do you not?" Wynne stated, her eyes narrowing. She crossed her arms and leaned on one leg; she moved her body forward, eyes staring deep into Olivie's own.
"Sharp one, aren't you? As expected from a monster centuries older than I am." Olivie responded, causing the vampire to smirk and look on at the girl.
"As sharp as your tongue, it appears." Wynne stated,
"But as I said, why should I tell you anything about that? Alameria was directly involved, you are an outsider. I am in no obligation to tell you anything." Wynne stated, crossing her arms as she leaned on one leg.
"True, but Alameria is a dear friend and comrade. As her leader, it is up to me to aid her when she's in need." Olivie stated,
"You think that I'll give you what I know because you're her friend, don't make me laugh." Wynne stated,
"No, you'll tell me what you know so I can prevent a repeat of what happened." Olivie then stated,
That caused Wynne to pause, her eyes widening before her eyes turned to Olivie. "So you've figured it out?"
Olivie nodded, "It was the Order that attacked Hallstatt, weren't they?"
"I see… you're more clever than you look," Wynne complemented.
"The information you hold could be important to me, important to Lescatie as a whole." Olivie replied,
Without warning, she suddenly zoomed in front of Olivie with a speed that even she couldn't see. Olivie held back a flinch, 'So this is the power of a vampire?'. It was terrifying, one of the most powerful monsters had such an overwhelming advantage over her.
Wynne's red eyes scanned her form, inspecting every inch for… something before she spoke. "You are… an Amaltia, are you not?"
"Is there a problem, vampire?" Olivie asked, her brow raised.
"Yes, you being an Amaltia is the problem." Wynne stated, her eyes narrowing before she suddenly grabbed Olivie and lifted her up.
"A-And why is that such an issue?" She asked, her one brow raising.
"You tell me, girl. I'm sure you're smart enough to know that your family isn't exactly what you'd say… noble… in the metaphoric sense." Wynne stated.
Olivie's eyes shifted. In that one instance, she was reminded of memories regarding ehr father and… no, it was best if she didn't recall him now.
In that one instance, Wynne's face changed completely. "Okay~" she said in a bit of a sing-song voice before dropping her.
"I believe you~" she continued on.
"W-Wait, just like that?" Olivie asked, dumbfounded. That was… fast, she hadn't even said anything to her. Wynne just shrugged, a mischievous grin forming on her face.
"Poor girl, it must've been hard… huh? I can feel the sadness in your heart," Wynne stated out of pity, one that caused Olivie to furrow her brows.
"I didn't say that you could read my mind…" Olivie grumbled,
"I didn't, monsters just have a natural empathic sense. The moment I mentioned the name Amaltia, all I felt in you is sadness, fear, and hatred." Wynne explained,
Her slit pupils then stared deeply into Olivie's own eyes. "I need you to listen to this very carefully. Do not tell anyone in your Order, not unless you want to risk losing your life… or the lives of those you love."
Wynne's eyes narrowed, "All of the ones you love…"
Olivie just nodded dumbly, understanding the implications of the last sentence. She got up as she readied herself.
"Listen well girl, it could very well affect Lescatie… no, the very fate of the world."
"Two Sacred-Parfaits, large please… oh, and a cup of water." A voice called out to a confectioner.
"Coming up, sir." The confectioner replied, after a few minutes, their order was placed on a steel platter. Two glass containers of intricate design, topped with herb ice-cream, maize flakes all covered with white-chocolate.
Elt wasn't going to lie, he felt his mouth water at the sight. He gave himself a mental slap, this ice-cream wasn't for him, despite the fact that he paid a hefty amount for it.
After he grabbed the order, he moved over to a table. There were two kids, one with bright pink hair and another with black hair and blue eyes.
"Two Sacred Parfaits, that's my end of the deal, finished." Elt stated out loud. Once he placed the Ice-Cream down, he sat on a table opposite the two and took a sip of his water.
His eyes slowly scanned his surroundings, silently taking in the elegant look of the cafe. Cafe Loumède, even the name was elegant.
Located near the grand cathedral nearing the center of the capital, it was clear that this place was way above his paygrade. Most of the customers were either noble, powerful, rich, or any combination of the three.
He placed a hand under his chin, he supposed that he technically fit into the 2nd characteristic, and in some ways the other two as well. But to the other customers and passerby's, he certainly didn't.
Judging from their long stares and whispers, he could at least tell that he wasn't exactly welcome here. He was of common-birth, and the clothes he had on clashed with the clean and noble looks of the cafe.
He paid them no mind, however. There wasn't a law in Lescatie that said he couldn't be here. That, and they kept to themselves; as long as it stayed that way then he'll be fine.
Elt's eyes turned to his two companions. Something told him that it was because of a certain pink-haired magician that prevented anyone here from confronting him.
Said magician's eyes scanned her Ice-cream, immediately she noticed that something was off. With an incredulous eye, she stared at her big brother with a disappointed look on her face. Seeing this, Elt's brow rose.
"Uh… is-is something wrong?" Elt asked,
"You forgot to put the cherry on," Mimil started with a huff, crossing her arms as she leaned back on her chair. Elt scratched the back of his head.
"That cherry cost an additional two coins…. And uh… I'm running a little low…" Elt stated with an awkward laugh, 'This, and I paid for Merse' drink yesterday… my coins won't be able to take another hit.' Elt internally cried.
"Besides, I think that it has enough sweets in it for you to enjoy." Elt stated,
Mimil huffed, Elt just sighed in response. He already knew that Mimil was just a child under that genius brain of hers, moments like these keep reminding him of that fact. Not that he'd have it any other way, she needs to be able to act her age every once in a while.
"Honestly, big brother, why did you promise to buy me this if you can't even fully afford it?" Mimil complained, Elt just scratched the back of his head.
"Because I'm an idiot, and I keep my promises." Elt started with a small laugh,
Lucas shook his head, "Master, you should learn some humility. My Lord is working very hard to buy you something far beyond his pitiful and incredibly unfair wage… it is not his fault that he is treated so poorly,"
Elt just tilted his head, "Uh… thanks?"
'Are you on my side or… you could be confusing sometimes, you know that?' Elt dryly thought,
"What's this? My apprentice who's way in over his head is lecturing me on humility? If you want to look for the definition of arrogant, look in the mirror." Mimil insulted, Lucas fired back.
"I am not being arrogant, Master. When I say that I am intellectually superior to you, it is fact. Therefore, I am not being arrogant, I'm merely stating the obvious- Oomph!" Lucas sputtered out,
Mimil's elbow had struck Lucas' stomach, Lucas just gave a dry look at his master. "See what I mean? Unlike you, I don't resort to violence so easily."
Elt deadpanned, 'Didn't you offer to kill Aria earlier?' Is what he wanted to say. He held his tongue though, now was not the time to say that.
"This isn't violence, this is me disciplining an idiot child," Mimil stated, huffing as she did. She crossed her arms and turned away, Lucas just dryly looking on before he sighed.
"You are the one who needs discipline here, Master." Lucas spoke, turning to his Parfait. He took it and moved it nearer to his side.
"Sometimes I wonder if you're an idiot or a genius, maybe both." Mimil stated, taking a bite of her parfait.
"The answer should be obvious, because unlike you, I won't complain over something as trivial as a cherry." He started before he took a bite.
Immediately, a frown formed on his face. "My Lord, there are no sprinkles." He complained.
'Idiot, definitely an idiot.' Mimil deadpanned.
Elt sputtered, 'Come on, you too!? I thought you were on my side!?' He thought.
"Yeah, they were an additional 2 silver so I… also didn't buy it." Elt stated,
Lucas gave a disappointed look, crossing his arms as he leaned on his back. "I am usually on your side, My Lord. But leaving out the sprinkles is out of the question, you have completely ruined the Sacred Parfait. All I have in front of me is a normal, Un-sacred Parfait."
"Un-sacred isn't a word, dummy. And so what if the sprinkles are missing, you barely even taste it." Mimil stated,
As soon as those words left her mouth, Lucas looked on in utter shock. It honestly surprised both Mimil and Elt, they've never seen him in so much distress since… actually, they've never seen him in so much distress, period.
"Master… I… I cannot believe this. I have only called you a fool in jest, I did not actually believe it… but… My worst fears have been realized." Lucas muttered sadly, his eyes looking down before a sigh escaped his lips.
"This must be corrected, you must be educated in this matter." Lucas declared, a determined expression crossing his face.
"E-Educated!? On why Sprinkles are important!? Don't make me laugh, you'd barely even notice it if it wasn't there." Mimil retorted, crossing her arms as Lucas' brows visibly furrowed.
"You do not get it, Master. The sprinkles are the sacred ingredient, unlike the trivial cherry. Without it, the parfait would not be sacred. What we have here is but a Parfait, nothing sacred about it." Lucas stated, his hands gesturing towards the ice-cream that was now slowly melting.
"I agree, the ice-cream we have here isn't a Sacred-Parfait. But that's precisely because the cherry is missing, you have it completely wrong. It's the cherry that makes the parfait sacred, not your stupid sprinkles." Mimil retorted.
Elt just looked at the two, a dry look on his face. 'I spent 20 silver on each, and you're not even gonna eat it?' He deadpanned.
It wasn't really a lot of money, all things considered. But considering his budget, it definitely dented his already low savings.
He then watched on as both Lucas and Mimil argued and literally had a scientific debate right there on the spot on why either the Cherry or the Sprinkles is what made or broke the Sacred-Parfait; the same Sacred-Parfait that they were currently not eating and letting melt.
"Look, according to this calculation-" Lucas pulled out a book from his pocket, flipped it over and showed her an equation. "-The sprinkles add to the flavour in subtle yet meaningful ways. I should know, because I researched the reason as to why this parfait is so sacred."
Mimil then pulled out her own book, 'Where the hell do you two even keep those!? Seriously, they're thicker than all of my books!' Elt deadpanned,
"Wrong! Your calculation is factually incorrect, because according to my own findings…" Mimil flipped over to a page with her own calculation. "The Cherry on top is what gives the Parfait Life, and offers a sweet and savory type of flavor that's different from your sprinkles. It adds to the treat in ways your sprinkles could not."
"Add? What do you mean by 'Add'? It does not add to the Parfait because you eat it separately. It's nothing more than an additional treat than an actual part of the Parfait."
"At least you can taste the damn thing, unlike your sprinkles!"
'Water is obviously the true Sacred-Parfait, it is cheaper and also healthier.' Elt mentally deadpanned. Whatever, it was their loss if they didn't eat the damned Parfaits… wait… no, it was his. He paid for it, after all.
Having had enough, Elt spoke. "Guys… please… if you want, we could just have the vendor add it right now." Elt pleaded,
That caused the two of them to pause, their eyes then turned to their now melted ice-cream. "...It's a little too late for that now, My Lord." Lucas muttered,
'And whose fault is that?' He uttered in his mind dryly.
"You can continue the debate later, just… please eat your ice-cream." Elt stated, his tone akin to that of a disappointed guardian. That shut both Mimil and Lucas up, for all their genius they were still mentally kids.
With a nod, the two then enjoyed the Ice-Cream despite the lack of both a cherry and sprinkles.
When they were done, they both looked on at Elt. "T-Thank you, big brother." Mimil started with a red face.
"Me as well, My Lord… I apologize for our behavior before." Lucas apologized,
Elt just sighed and gave a small smile. "It's okay, it's not like I spent over 20 silver on something that I didn't even taste."
"A-Are you being sarcastic, Lord?" Lucas asked nervously,
'What do you think?' He mentally snapped, a sigh escaping his lips before he waved it off. "Don't worry about it, it's only natural for me to do."
At least they enjoyed themselves, he thinks… he wasn't entirely sure if they enjoyed that because he was mentally lost during that entire conversation from earlier. He wasn't used to debates and he wasn't knowledgeable on the intricacies of magic and academics.
"Anyways, I should probably get going. Lucas, you're free to do what you want for the coming days. I'll be busy," Elt stated as he got up,
"Busy doing what, my Lord?" Lucas asked,
"I still have two promises to keep, Sasha's and Primera's. Unlike yours and Merse', theirs would take a little longer to complete." Elt stated before he looked on at Mimil.
"Watch after him," he whispered,
"You can count on me, big brother." Mimil responded.
With a satisfied nod, he turned to leave. With both Mimil and Lucas left alone, the two glanced at one another before Mimil cleared her throat. "It's clear from this that our debate hasn't formally concluded yet. Our data is insufficient so…" She continued on before she grabbed her own coin pouch.
"Why don't we grab ourselves a few specimens so we can concretely end this debate?" Mimil suggested with a small smirk.
Lucas looked on at the purse with a small smirk of his own. "You are cruel, Master. But… sure,"
A cloaked figure moved through the rooftops of the Fortress City of Salvarision, his green eyes scanned his surroundings as he kept himself alert. He was in enemy territory, deep within it as well. Entering Salvarision proper was easy enough, all he had to do was hitch a ride on a merchant convoy.
The hard part here was getting to the Amaltia's Estate located near here. Albain's eyes looked around, there were still soldiers moving but most had accompanied the Order of the Ice-Flower on their mission. This made things easier for him to move, but it didn't make it easy.
He had to watch every corner for patrols, he had to spot hidden wards placed around Salvarision's streets, he had to ensure that he wasn't spotted by any of the onlookers. With his current get up, he would stand out. Which was why he moved through the rooftops of the city, away from the eyes of the public.
That didn't make him completely invisible, heroes had impeccable eye sight far greater than his. That and with the tall buildings, it was possible that someone from an upper floor would spot a cloaked figure moving around the rooftops.
He had to be careful, one wrong move could spell his doom. Luckily for the Inquisitor, he hadn't attracted any prying eyes.
He jumped roof after roof, moving through the church steeples and climbing the towers around him. He was no hero, but that didn't mean that he was physically inept.
Albain continued on, finally stopping when he found his target's estate. If he remembered correctly, Galand Amaltia has his own literal ivory tower here in Salvarision. It was grand in design and large in build.
He definitely spent no expense, from the location all the way to its size and material. It connected to Salvarision's main castle, its form matching the style and architecture of the castle.
That however also meant that it was heavily guarded. Lo and behold, he found the place to be swarming with armed guards. Not only that, but the Amaltia's tower was separated by both a moat and a wall, indicating the separation between Salvarision's outer city and the fortress itself.
On the off set, it seemed impossible to cross. But Albain was not one to give up so easily. He wanted answers, and he believed that whatever they were hiding in there was something that could shape the very fabric of Lescatie… perhaps even the world.
But now was not the time for hypotheticals. He tried to look for a way inside, his eyes turned to the borders of the fortress. Trying to see if there was a bridge that he could cross.
There was one, but much like the walls it was heavily guarded. He can't just march in there without a plan. Albain furrowed his eyes and moved closer, his form looking at the guards patrolling the bridge.
He spotted some staying stationary within the bridge, he found that a few had been moving to and fro the gates and the bridge.
His eyes then gazed to the side, one brow raising. There was a convoy of caravans moving into the castle, bearing the seal of the Order of the Ice-Flower within them.
'Is that from their deployment?' Albain shook his head. 'No, it would take them days to return after that. Possibly a delivery convoy then, considering the lack of a cheering crowd and the security.'
He then cupped his chin. That could be a way in, he just needed a way to get on one of those wagons undetected. He moved through the roofs one more, his eyes scanning the surroundings. Once he got on one of the nearby building's rooftops, he waited for the opportune moment before…
He channeled some lightning on his feet. In a burst of speed, he jumped onto one of the carriages, rolling to disperse the force of the impact and leave no trace of his entry.
Once there, he quietly entered from the back. His eyes looked on at the cargo. Boxes of wine, a few meat being preserved with ice magic, delicacies imported from foreign states. Typical things nobles had, probably to celebrate the Ice-Flower's victorious return home.
Albain found their celebrations to be a little too premature, after all, the mission was still ongoing and still subject to failure. He was conflicted, on one hand he hated the monsters, on the other he hated the Noscrim faction. Then again, Albain hated everyone… so it wasn't mutually exclusive to the Order or the Monsters.
He shook his head, now was not the time to think such irrelevant thoughts. He quietly waited inside, positioning some of the boxes to hide his form before he crouched in a corner.
He then pulled out a small knife, using it to cut a miniature hole on the side for him to look out.
He waited in bated silence, feeling the slight shifting of the wagon as it moved through uneven terrain. He watched the outside through the tiny hole he made, waiting as it crossed a bridge connecting the castle to the city.
He watched as the wagon stopped by the guards, their form moving from wagon to wagon. Albain's brows furrowed, preparing himself.
He moved himself into the farthest corner, pulling boxes together until it was basically crushing him under its pressure.
When the guard came in his wagon, he held his breath. The guard inspected every bit, using magic to light up the wagon. He inspected spaces where people could hide, looking around.
His eyes turned to Albain's corner, his eyes narrowing before he moved in to inspect. Albain rlreadied a spell, one that would knock out the guard. But before he could, the guard suddenly stopped and got outside.
With no other delay, the wagon moved in. Albain let out a sigh of relief, readying himself as the wagon finally came to a halt in a dark corner. Using this as an opportunity, he got out and checked his surroundings for any signs of soldiers or guards. He found a few, but their attention was on the other wagons giving him time to move.
He evaded guards, climbed up the walls and got a good look at Castle Salvarision.
It was grand, only dwarfed by the royal palace in Lescatie. A testament to the Noscrim Faction's influence, one that not even the Inquisition could hope to match. His eyes turned to the tower bearing Amaltia's crest.
"My first target then…" Albain muttered to himself. "...Chief God, I pray to thee."
With that, he moved.
Author's Notes:
Okay, I wrote this pretty quick all things considered. As such, I decided to post this a few days early.
I don't really have much to say, so this Author's Note will be short. I originally had the entire forest incident be done in two parts, but then I realized that it wouldn't fit in two chapters alone. As such, this would be a three parter instead of what I originally intended.
There might actually be a fourth part, but as of now, just assume that the next part is the last.
I will say that the next chapter should be out soon-ish, so watch out for that. I honestly have no idea where I get the energy to write this much in so little time.
Elt, Mimil, and Lucas' whole scene was basically filler. But I wanted to show their downtime after suffering through weeks of hell and trying to find and fight a godlike monster. Plus, I enjoyed writing it, so that's a plus.
That, and the fact that they'll be put through hell again soon. As to what I mean by that, you'll see soon enough.
I wasn't originally gonna have the Albain scene here, but I think it sets up something I have planned on his end.
In any case, as usual, if you have any comments, reviews, criticisms, etc. Feel free to post it in the review section.
Whamo out!
