Chapter 7: The Human 'Demon' Realm.
...
It was dark... no, everything is dark. The man fully accepted his fate as a Warrior of the Abysswatchers after years of his desertion. Now that the Ashen One ended his life at Farron Keep and thus becoming a Dragon of all Dragons, he can finally rest in peace within the darkness of serene eternity to embrace death... or so that it seems.
Not until he heard sounds of rustling grass and a breeze of wind brushing against his skin. His eyes shot wide open before the lone Abysswatcher sat up and look around at his surroundings. He was sitting in the middle of the fields, which is full of tall grasses and dandelion flowers dotted around.
'Is this the afterlife?' He mentally questioned himself until his hand touched something and saw a sword that lay on the ground. 'I guess not. If fate hasn't taken me yet, then where the hell am I?'
He groggily stood up and looked around. The Abysswatcher is met with a view of a greenery land that is lush with life that is stretching far and wide. He saw some rays of sunlight piercing through thick greyish clouds that hang over the skies, several small settlements that dotted around within a long distance, and there stood a castle on top of an unknown mountain.
He grabbed his Farron Greatsword and leaned it on his shoulders.
"I guess fate gave me a second chance I suppose...?" He wondered while rubbing his chin. "Although, this place doesn't look like Lothric either."
The warrior began to take his first steps on this new world once he walked down from the hilltops. However, the man himself is cautious of the surrounding environment once his eyes examined something suspicious, and aware of what dangers lurk in this unfamiliar place. After half an hour of walking have passed, he encountered a dirt road that might lead towards civilization.
"Just my luck." He muttered.
Once he followed down the path which is leading to somewhere that the Flames itself know what lies beyond. Thus his senses caught something and then turns around and looked up; he saw a glimpse of silhouette figures that flew straight over him of a sudden and continued flying towards the settlement. The Abysswatcher was bewildered by those strange beings. Whatever those things are, then it must be out of the ordinary.
'Now things are about to be getting weirder.' He raised his eyebrow in curiousness until he heard footsteps coming from behind.
"Oh~ what's this?" Then he heard a feminine voice with a seductive moan. "What is a man doing here all by himself?"
The Warrior of Farron turned his head around and saw something... or somewhat that is extremely unexpected. He saw a group of voluptuous females with unmatched beauty that might rival Gwyn's daughter and wearing some sort of skimpy outfits with partial armour that seemingly provide very poor protection. But that's not all. They are also armed with long sharp swords, and most carried larger axes that no ordinary person without training would wield. His hunch could tell that mean these strange women are something.
"Oh my~! He doesn't have mana?" One of them, a Dark Warrior, spoke up in a confused tone.
"Seems like it, but he still has the scent of a human man." Another one, a Dark Knight, added with a questionable gaze. "What an oddity~!"
The Abysswatcher stared at them while his eyes rose in question and disbelief.
'Oh great. I'm thrown into a foreign place and of a sudden; I just met a group of some Harlots.' His mind mentally noted while rolling his eyes. 'Weird, they don't emit small traces of the Abyss and they didn't seem to be threatening at all. Then I'll let that pass.'
The Warrior turned around and continued to walk down the path towards the nearest civilization. But then he caught a quick blur, flashed past him, and stopped his tracks. His way was blocked by another Axe-wielding mamono that is standing in his way.
"And where do you think you're going, huh~?" A Dark Warrior chimed while leaning the Greataxe against her shoulders and licked her lips in a seducing manner. "You look pretty strong to wield that sword of yours. But it's a shame that we might experiment with your mana-less body until, at some point, you'll end up becoming my husband~"
Her words made him felt unease. Until he immediately knew what they might exactly do to him, yet at the same time, he didn't know why and rather didn't want to think about it. The Abysswatcher gripped the hilt of his sword while pulling out his crescent-shaped knife.
"Is that a threat?" He asked with his face remained stoic.
"A threat? Of course it is!" She jumped merrily while swinging her axe before pointing at him in a fighting position. "I will defeat you and you'll submit your life to me!"
While the Dark Warriors and Knights stepped forth with their weapons gripped in their hands while their expressions filled with lust. The Warrior of Farron smirks with a dark chuckle that sends chills through the spines of the surrounding mamonos. He kneeled to the ground with his weapons, ready to be drawn against flesh and blood, as it seems he is about to pounce on his nearest victim.
"A pity. Your eyes seem like you don't take fights seriously." He said in a much colder tone. "Then I shall give you a taste of it."
From that on, horrified screams occurred when steel meet flesh echoed through the air while limbs and blood strewn all over the place. From afar, a young vampire observed his actions from the higher ground. That scene alone trembled her entire being straight to the core to witness her mother's most loyal guards are getting obliterated within seconds.
"M-Monster..." Ironically, she uttered in fear as if she were a mere mortal rather than a monster.
Thus there began his legend as the Wolf Warrior. A dreaded moniker that strikes fear into the hearts of the Mamonos about a man that took down a small, yet powerful estate that is led by an elder Vampire Noble, which is about to be buried under its own rubble by his wrathful nature.
...
... 24 Years Later... Present Day...
Kingdom of Gaul, Northern Auvergne Region.
In the middle of the forest, of an uncharted region, stood a two-storey cottage. Inside this neat and humble place, a pale-blonde Vampire wearing in her maiden outfit is busy cleaning up the house and wiping the bookshelves from dust and spider webs.
"Haah~! I'm done." She spoke up exhaustingly before looking around to see a clean living room that is free from dirt and dust. While satisfied, she looks up in the air while thinking. "I wonder what he's up to?"
Then she heard loud rustles of leaves and broken branches from outside of the cottage and looked through the windows. Thus she saw a man walking out of the woods while carrying a massive wooden log by his shoulders. She smiled at him before heading outside.
The vampire saw her husband carefully placed the massive log beside the tree stump before turning around to see his vampire wife coming straight to him.
"Hawkwood! Dear~!" She called out while waving at him. "Dinner is ready~!"
Hawkwood returns a smile before sticking his axe against the tree log.
"Just a minute, Valeria. I'll do this quick!" He responded before raising his axe.
His vampire wife just stood there and waited patiently, keeping her warm smile on her face while watching him how he chops down the tree log in half in one powerful swing of his axe. It's been twenty-four years since their marriage and moved into Gaul...
... Which was after the destruction of her home estate that was wrought upon by a foreign human warrior.
It was a small vampiric estate that was led by her mother, who has gone mad and delusional to press him as their servant and severely underestimate his strengths and wits. Yet those beliefs of human inferiority did not matter anymore. Valeria had once believed that the Vampires were noble and powerful beings above the human race until he came along. When her future husband fought through impossible odds with no blessings of the Chief God and no interference of Mana, he still did the impossible and defeated her mother in a deadly duel to liberate her from the idealistic shackles of monsters.
Valeria admitted years ago that he is truly an oddity of this world once she gave birth to her firstborn child, a mana-less human boy, and her second child, a mamono daughter that lacked any signs of Demonic Energy.
Even after all of those years, her husband hasn't turned into an Incubus after high exposures to Demonic Energy and remained the same person.
'I hope they won't cause any trouble out there.' She wondered about her children who have gone out in their travels before she sighed in pity and worry.
...
Reginald leapt back to avoid a heavy blow coming from an unusual mamono. Her body is exposed and nearly naked, but her right arm is infused by a black-crimson sword made of demonic silver and malevolent magic.
'Huh, what are Cursed Swords doing out here?' He raised his brow in question before dodging another blow. 'They should have stayed in their Ruins.'
His mind suddenly interrupts by a frustrated Mamono that screamed at him. "Stay still!"
The Cursed Sword vertically swung her weapon several times for its blade to catch him. But unfortunately for her, he dodged her attacks by sidestepping with relative ease before he caught an opening and hacked her infused arm with his sword.
The wielder of the Cursed Sword cried in pain until her body was cleaved in half by another vertical swing of his bastard sword. Reginald glanced at the situation behind him and saw his dhampir sister got caught fighting against two other Cursed Swords.
Elen took a quick sidestep to evade an overhead swing before killing her opponent once she drew her crescent blade that jammed into her neck until another one came into the fray. The Dhampir ducked under her lethal horizontal swing before cleaving through the wielder of the Cursed Sword with her greatsword in a quick session.
"Whew! I think that's all of them." Elen exhaled with a muffled before pulling down her scarf. "Is there any more of them?"
Reginald looked around before tilting his head. "None, except a few wouldn't go near us."
"A few?" She raised her eyebrow in question before he points his fingers to the left.
There she caught sight of a group that comprises three Orcs and to their next side stood a couple of Satyr's were hiding behind the trees while watching over the children of Farron. Once the mamonos realised they were caught, they fled in fear. Elen scoffed before sheathing her greatsword in her waist scabbard. Their fighting against the wielders of the Cursed Swords must have attracted their attention.
Reginald exhaled deeply before heading towards the dirt path. "Come on, let's go."
Once the siblings departed the area, there is a witch that is observing them from a distance with a telescope while sitting on her broomstick and floating in the air.
"These two have no hesitation to kill any Mamonos." She muttered as sweat drops starts rolling down her face. "Yet, I wonder how his mamono partner lived with no signs of Demonic Energy?"
Mila, a witch, and a member of the Sabbath have been following the two since she saw them in her previous encounter with the couple in the Town of Lambourgh. Mila has caught her interest in them because none of the two emitted the essence of life such as Mana or any signs of Demonic Energy. The curious Mamono have been observing them for a few days from now on.
Both of these seemingly soulless husks have been wandering through the wilderness for a couple of days and got attacked by several magic spells coming from a variety of mamonos in their path.
But what baffles her about their effects against them are useless before any unfortunate souls would fall to their agonizing deaths. Mila felt dread to think that these two have higher chances to resist Demonic Energy, yet her gut tells her they are completely immune to it. This is impossible to imagine, and it is scary to think if they can, then they will be another threat and remain as a danger to the entire mamono society and the Demon Realm itself besides the Astora Family and their allies who currently lives in Viola Region and some other regions belonging to the Federation.
'Their existence was strange anomalies that ignore the basic laws of the world.' Mila mentally spoke while writing down her note. 'It is such an astounding discovery to witness these rare specimens which lived to walk around in reality.'
The Witch continued to observe them, learn more about them. Perhaps she needs viable information for the demonic energy to have its chance to corrupt them before they could be a threat to the current life of the Mamono Society so that they can break the spiritual will of the Astora Family that haunted the Mamono and the members of the Royal Makai for decades.
"Observing them still provides little to no information." She muttered in wonder. "Even studying them up close would consider being dangerous."
The Witch flew her broom on the skies to keep her observation on them from a good distance to prevent detection.
While dangerous as they can be, the curiosity of the Witch from the Sabbath will still lead her to discover the fruits of knowledge. But little did she know that the true nature of their burning souls of darkness is not to be underestimated of its blazing passion.
In the meantime, Reginald felt a tingling sensation and stopped his tracks before rearing his head and his eyes glanced back and looked up in the skies. He knew they were being watched and needed to take caution.
"Somebody's watching us."
His words surprised his sister before drawing her crescent knife and turning around with a cautious look.
"Where?"
Then Reginald points his finger up in the skies.
"There."
Elen looks up and saw a figure in a distance is riding on something that keeps it afloat. Meanwhile, Mila noticed the couple halted their tracks. And once she inspects with her telescope, all she saw in her view is staring right at the Witch which sends chills through her spines. How did they find her and noticed her presence?
She needs to flee fast and before they might catch up to her to interrogate a Witch like herself. Yet fortunately for her, the Children of Farron just stood there to observe the flying figure is gaining distance away from them.
"Seems like it doesn't bother us anymore." Elen paused before turning to her brother. "Could it be a mamono?"
"It is. A witch, I presume." He guessed. "The shape of her figure is noticeable, even from afar."
"I see... seems like once we saw her probably scared the wits out of her," Elen added while rubbing her chin in curiosity before shaking off those thoughts. "We probably get going."
Reginald nodded. "Right."
...
The Kingdom of Gaul. City of Ansur, Viola Region.
...
Arcturus walked through the empty halls of the cathedral until he saw a couple of Kikimora maids bowed to the son of the Grand Bishop once he passed by. Then, coming from behind, he heard fast-moving footsteps before a pair of feathered arms embraced him. He turned around and saw another mamono wearing her maiden outfit. She released her hug and jumped up in glee with a smile on her face.
"Big brother~! You're back!" A young feminine voice chirped in joy. "I heard mother that you pulled off a Lightning Spear, that's awesome!"
"Uh, yeah. I did." He responded with a sheepish grin while some sweat bead rolls down from his forehead. "So... um, Marianne? Can you let me go?"
The young kikimora named Marianne nodded to him before letting him go. Moments later, they saw their mother came by.
"My~ my~, you children are getting rowdy within the cathedral." Their mother spoke with a warming smile. "At least the mass has already finished hours ago."
Then she turned to Marianne. "Ah dear, have you find your future husband yet?"
Once Marianne heard her mother's statements, her expression flustered while her cheeks turned red in embarrassment.
"M-Mom! Now's not the time I can think of it!" She flabbergasts in embarrassment while clenching her fists with a frown. "I still have a whole life ahead of me!"
Her mother covered her lips before snickering mischievously. "Ufufufu~! I was just teasing you."
'T-Teasing me?!' Then Marianne's mind raged. 'Why you-!'
"Marianne, just let it go." Arcturus interrupts before smiling at his younger sister while patting her left shoulder, calming her down. "I wonder what's pops up to right now?"
"I am here, my boy."
The trio raised their heads in surprise and looked towards an elder man, the Grand Bishop himself, who stood in his sunlight armour with a smile of pride on his face upon seeing them altogether before walking straight to his mamono wife with open arms. The kikimora was quick to notice and smiled at him before embracing each other.
"Auros, my dear~" His wife speaks in an exciting tone. "Have my message reached your ears?"
"Yes, Maria. I heard that our son has completed performing his last miracle spell." He said in a soft voice before turning to Arcturus. "Now my son... show me how you can perform it."
Arcturus nodded before taking a few steps away from his family at a safe distance. Then he raised his talisman and concentrated his focus. Thus within an instant, the light flashed their very eyes and saw lightning forms into a spear. Auros was awed, he couldn't be so much happier to see his son was able to pull it off and the Lightning Spear was indeed in its perfected form... just like from the times when he first learned the miracle as a young knight.
"So it is indeed true..." Aurous then spoke up. "It seems that you are no longer a Knight-in-Training, Arcturus."
Arcturus smiled before dismissing his lightning spear. His father carefully breaks up from his wife's embracement and walks up to his son, then placing his hands on his shoulders with a proud smile on his face.
"While you have done well in your training. From here onwards, you are Knighted." Auros explained until he looks down while pulling out his own talisman. "I believe I won't be needing this."
Auros grabbed his son's right hand before gently placing the talisman on his palm. Arcturus raised his eyebrow in surprise and disbelief. "Father... this is..."
"Yes, it's the Sunlight Talisman that belonged to Solaire Astora, your great grandfather." His father said before continuing to explain with nostalgia. "This catalyst has served me well and has passed down to those who are deemed worthy."
"You still have a lot to learn about new things ahead in your life as the world teaches you further." Auros closed his hand and let Arcturus to hold a firm grip on the talisman. "While you're on your own, it will take great responsibility in your new journey."
Arcturus nodded in determination. "Understood, father."
Then Auros's mind clicked with realisation. "Oh, and one last thing, we still need to complete the graduation."
His father walked over to the Altar of the Sunlight and unsheathed his sword. His blade held upwards over his chest and spoke authoritatively.
"Arcturus Astora, come hither."
The former knight-in-training made a deep breath before walking forwards and bowed before the Grand Bishop who stood out in front of the Altar.
"After years of training from sweat, blood, tears, and mind. You have finally finished your training under the guidance of the Sunlight." Auros spoke before placing patting his blade on both of his sons' shoulders. "Thou art no longer a squire, Arcturus. Thou art now a Knight of the Sunlight and a whole new path has carved unto you to search for your one's own sun. Now rise."
He rose to his feet and came face with his father. Auros grew a smile while turning the sword's hilt and blade in both hands.
"I shall inherit thee 'tis... the Sword of the Sunlight... belonged to Solaire himself. Take it with good care."
Arcturus nodded. "I will."
Once it was over, Marianne and Maria clapped in celebration until the cathedral doors suddenly opened with a loud creak that echoed through the quiet halls. Arcturus turned around and saw two people came in with sunlight armour. One is a male who has short raven hair and dark brown eyes, while the other is a mamono with Orc traits. She has a curled bob-cut, pale-blonde hair and light brown eyes.
"Gerome?... Elaine?" He raised his eyebrow in confusion while stepping down from the Altar. "What're you guys doing here?"
"Seeing how's my younger cousin doing after training until I heard your mom spoke about you pulled off a Lightning Spear," Gerome speaks coolly with a smirk while crossing his arms before glancing to the Orc standing by his side. "Elaine here wants to hear the truth to know how you did. It kinda made her livid."
"Shut it, brother." Elaine grunts in annoyance while rolling her eyes before her, looking straight at Arcturus. "Is it true that you pulled it off?"
"Yeah, I did several times... after a small picnic with my mother," Arcturus replied sheepishly while scratching his back in embarrassment. "It's kinda tingly from my first experience."
"That's great! I knew you can do it!" Elaine jumped in joy while clapping her hands before looking at the Sunlight Talisman hanging on his waist. "Isn't that Talisman belonging to our great grandfather?"
"Yeah, now I am knighted." He responds happily with a nod. "I'm no longer a Squire."
"By the Lords! Welcome to the club!" Gerome flashed an optimistic smile by patting his hands against his shoulders. "Say, why don't we celebrate our drinks to enjoy your graduation?"
"That'll be great! We'll invite our friends to come over!" Elaine added while jumping in joy. "So what do you want to do from now on?"
"Adventuring, I suppose," Arcturus replied. "I just want to learn to see more about the world."
"Huh... Not a bad idea." Gerome mused to himself while cupping his chin. "We do have our own fair shares of adventuring."
'Ara~? Going on an adventure?' Maria snickered while covering her mouth. 'What a wonderful idea for finding your future wife, my dear.'
"Hmph! This isn't fair." Marianne pouted while crossing her arms in irritation. "Father, why can't I join them?"
"W-Well, you're still in training." Auros shrugged while expressing worry, yet keeping his smile. "Probably in time you might join them."
At this moment, his young kikimora daughter sighed in defeat while clicking her tongue. "Adventuring looks fun though..."
"There, there, at least your brother may come back and visit us someday." Her mother gave her a supporting hug in a cuddling manner. "He will tell some stories of his adventures that you might learn something new. Also, why don't we get out and find your future husband?"
"Mother/Dear! Now's not the time!"
After Marianne and Auros spoke with synchronised voices while frowning towards Maria. Both the father and the daughter looked at each other with dumbfounded looks, while Maria once again snickered with mischief. Marianne does shares some parallels with her father.
The Kingdom of Gaul, Town of Gerth.
The waitresses within the Horseback Inn are preparing the tables while Sieglinde is wiping off the liquid stains that reek of liquor from the tables with a wet cloth before swiping off the exhausting sweat from her forehead. Then she looks towards her father, Siegward, and his old friend named Ash, which she met earlier in today's morning. They sat on the bar while having their conversations with the Siegbrau holding on their hands.
"Oho? So that's why you earned a moniker called the Silver-Blue Knight?" Siegward spoke with a cheeky grin.
"Aye, it's probably my Elite Knight Armor I wore the entire time." Ash nodded with a reply. "Some says that I resemble like an Order Knight."
"Well, rumours could be a headache until you've grown to be fond of it," Siegward says while crossing his arms while thinking. "Hmm... I'd say... you have over fifty armour sets at your disposal. As I remember, right?"
"I do, but some of the strongest armour I possessed is clunky and somehow restricts movements." The Silver-Blue Knight replied before drinking a small sip of his ale. "Also, I have several female outfits which I can probably give them over to Sasha whenever she needs spare clothing."
"Hahaha! Imagine if you would give her the dress that belonged to Princess Dusk herself!" The Onion Knight laughed. "Probably a maiden outfit might fit her to cover her identity or... whatever it suits your taste."
"I have no time for marrying a native of this world, old friend." Ash sighed with a frown while facepalming. "She is my acquaintance after all, neither I and her have developed some romance."
"Ah, I see. You're a busy man as usual." The Onion Knight exclaimed with a deep sigh. "Why not spent some time to talk with Lady Sasha that she may prove something useful in return."
"I was getting into that. She might be considered as a veteran heroine of Lescatie." Then Ash's face turned into a grim expression. "But in her eyes, she has never seen enough horrors of bloodshed. Every time I fought against the Mamono, she hesitates to take action for most of the time."
"Ah, that's because the mamonos almost haven't killed anyone for the entire times in the recent millennia after the end of the former Demon Lords," Siegward replied before explaining whilst Ash acknowledged. "Friendly and seductive they may be, but their stubbornness is not to be underestimated, and any man will become their husband whenever they see one. To solve this problem is using a touch of violence and fear or kill them if anything goes awry."
Ash took his last suggestion to heart. When such a situation comes up with wild Mamonos or those affiliated with the Demon Lord, anything goes awry while they do not retreat despite their growing fear, and neither they will accept the word "No". Looks like the monster women haven't taught them any form of manners and consent passed down to their daughters.
"Ah! Sieglinde looks like it's time." Siegward then turns to his daughter. "We need to prepare the afternoon menu before some guests arrive."
"Sure, father!" Sieglinde replied while calling out from across the inn.
While Ash was looking around the Inn, he glanced his eyes around and noticed a couple of figures are leaning through the window from outside the building. Two pairs of eyes stared directly at him while the Silver-Blue Knight quietly gazed back at the two unknown stalking individuals. Daniella blushed while biting her lips and she couldn't help herself once the Dhampir saw the true face of the rumoured Knight without his helmet. He looks very matured and stoic. Having short unkempt black hair and got quite a handsome face while having those dark blue eyes. Her partner standing beside her, Jane, drooled at him.
That begs the question, how can a rumoured mad knight turn out to be handsome? The Dhampirs kept staring at him as if he were the most prized treasure that the Fourth Born of the Royal Makai ever wanted it! Meanwhile, Ash frowned while keeping his glance at the stalkers. He may not know who they were, but whoever they are might be either from the Order of Druella's Demonic Army.
Moments later, a man comes through the entrance with a leather bag full of scrolls and parchments.
"Good Afternoon, Mr Leeroy!" Siegward greeted while waving his hand.
"Oh, Mr Catarina! Good afternoon as well!" Leeroy greeted with a flustered, sheepish smile. "The Mayor has sent several quests from the clients this day."
"Well, now there's the new source of income. Now patch them up on the billboard." Siegward replied while pointing at the wall.
"Say, this isn't just an ordinary inn, right?" Ash questioned while taking a sip from his ale.
"Not quite, since this isn't also an ordinary Guild either, and neither this town has one. Self-proclaimed adventurers and independent mercenaries come here to pick up missions and go." Siegward explained before placing his mug on the bar. "Everyone here needs a helping hand to solve the Mamono problems out there, including bandits. Once you accept one quest and finish the job, you'll get paid at the Town Centre."
'Typically, a simple system.' Ash thought while rubbing his chin before turning to the billboard. 'I wonder what types of quests do they have here today?'
Once he took another sip of his ale, he heard another person coming inside. He saw Sasha entering the Inn before seeing Siegward and walks up to him with a cheerful smile.
"Good afternoon, Sir Catarina." Sasha greeted the Onion Knight with a polite bow.
"Ah, pleasant afternoon as well; Lady Fullmoon. I didn't expect you to be so formal to greet someone like me. I am so flattered!" Siegward chuckled jovially before his eyes gazed at Ash. "She does seem to have the formality of a nobility. A woman like her would be the perfect wife for a man like yourself, Hahahaha!"
"Oh, I'm quite flattered as well." Sasha flustered while her cheeks grew bright red.
Ash cursed inwardly with a frown after hearing his old friend who's teasing him. Then Sasha looked to the person who sat behind Siegward and, to her surprise that he wore a familiar regal blue knight's armour before making a small shocking gasp while covering her mouth with both of her hands.
"A-Ash? Is that really you?"
The Silver-Blue Knight himself raised his eyebrow in question. How come did she not recognised his face? But then, as his realisation struck, Ash remembers he was wearing his helmet for all the time since he first met her back in Lescatie until now. Even though he kept his helmet visor half open whenever he articulates to her while only revealing his mouth. He struck his palm against his forehead and exhaled deeply; she is used to seeing his helmet but not his actual identity in flesh.
"Aye, it's... me," Ash answered in an awkward tone. "Seems like you're used to seeing me by only wearing my helmet."
"... Y-Yes," Sasha replied while slowly nodding, but her eyes still staring at him with cheeks blushed. "This... this is my first time seeing your real face."
Both of them stared at each other in awkward silence. While Siegward is looking at her shy and flustered reaction towards the Elite Knight before turning his face towards Ash and sees him making an awkward expression at the Warrior Nun while not knowing how to reply in such situations. Then it's time for the Onion Knight to break the silence while raising his Siegbrau.
"Well then! Why won't we talk from where we've left off?"
The Silver-Blue Knight and the former Heroine of Lescatie perked their heads up and stared at Siegward with dumbfounded looks on their faces. For another few moments of silence, Sasha decided to speak up.
"So where do we begin?... ah! Right, it's about the Siegbrau." The Warrior Nun then clicked her fingers. "I really wanted to know how you made them."
"Oh? About that. It would be easy to explain once we're taking a visit to my established brewery!" Siegward replied with a cheery tone before he noticed something once he heard people coming through the doors. Adventurers, mercenaries, and citizens of diverse backgrounds began to swell inside the Inn. "Oh my, that's quite a lot of people."
"Welcome to Horseback Inn!" His daughter and along with the other waitresses greeted them in a cheery mood. "How may I serve you?"
Their guests were greeted back in a jovial manner before taking their seats around the Inn. While the building gets louder and rowdier by any second, Siegward nudged Ash.
"Let's go outside, it's getting loud." The Onion Knight said.
...
Once Siegward, Ash, and Sasha exited the building, the Onion Knight led the couple towards a nearby path heading towards the Brewery.
"How are the children?" Ash asked in the question.
"They're fine," Sasha replied. "Lisia, Ralph, and other older children will take care of the house."
"I see."
A single and a half-hour has passed. The trio arrived at the near outskirts of the town. From there on, they can see several wooden houses that stood near the clear rivers with waterwheel mechanisms, wide golden fields of crops, and including many Orc workers and several humans who worked there tirelessly. But to Sasha's surprise and disbelief, she could sense the entire field of crops is full of Mana, which is blowing through the air like ravaging streams and it gets everywhere in the surrounding areas.
The Warrior Nun could have sworn that she saw faint transparent blue sparkles that emitted from the crops while it indicates how strong are their essence, yet Ash and Siegward don't seem to be aware of it nor feeling it. She couldn't help but felt a warm sensation like it's spring season and the environment is comfortable at the same time.
"Years back then, I lacked workers to maintain the fields since Gerth doesn't have many numbers of its citizens," Siegward explained while placing his hands on his hips. "So I subjected an entire brigand of Orcs in their exchange with my brew."
At this moment, Sasha widened her eyes in disbelief. "You subject an entire... what?!"
"Well, when Gerth was about to get raided. I decided to propose them to work for my new establishment." Siegward smirks inwardly before crossing his arms in pride. "At first they were reluctant on my proposal until their minds changed when I introduced my Siegbrau and once taking their first small sip, they immediately accepted."
While Ash stood in amazement while placing his hands on the hips and Sasha dropped her jaw in disbelief when they saw a group of Orcs came by with a wagon full of wooden barrels.
"Oh look! It's Siegward the Onion Knight!" One orc greeted with a wave of her arm. "Hey, Chief!"
Siegward replied with a wave of his hand before turning to the couple while pointing his thumb at the Orcs. "A motivated bunch if you ask me and the only thing I pay them in return is my Siegbrau."
"Unbelievable..." The Warrior Nun muttered. "Seems like none of them were looking for men."
"Oh, no one is looking for a man because I can easily read their faces," Siegward exclaimed before pointing to the nearest wooden warehouse. "Over there is the brewery, come!"
When the trio entered the wooden building, Sasha felt a massive amount of Mana that rush out from the entrance and brush against her skin like a soft breeze. Upon entering, she saw humans and Orc workers are working along together while maintaining the brewing process. The Onion Knight went towards an open barrel and grabbed a handful of grains.
"This is the usual grains which is one of the most common ingredients in the Siegbrau."
Sasha picked up one grain and scrutinised it until her eyes grew wide in surprise. "This one grain... has a great abundance of Spirit Energy... how is this possible?"
"That... I may not know." Siegward made an awkward reply. "My workers have maintained the fields and kept it as fertilised as possible for every beginning of spring till by the end of summer. Using manure and animal excrement to maintain the grain's nutrients."
"Fertilised? Maintaining the nutrients through animal excrement?" Sasha raised her eyebrow in question. "I don't know what are you trying to say."
Ash looked at her with a puzzled expression before looking to Siegward, who has a surprising look behind his helmet until realising.
"Oh, pardon me. Seems that maintaining crops and knowledge of farming isn't your forte since you're a heroine of the pious Order." The Catarinian exclaimed with a sheepish grin. "What I'm trying to clarify is that we have kept the fields healthy with the nearest water source and to make sure that even pests should be kept out. Even though the seeds I have the entire time before coming into this place didn't originate from any places in this world. Except it came from my home kingdom before it went to ruin. I named them the "Catarinian Wheat", based on my namesake."
"I... see." The Warrior Nun paused for a moment before locking her eyes once more to the little grain that is held between her fingers. "Then this plant must be extremely rare and could be valuable in Order Nations."
"Even the Demon Realm would consider it extremely valuable since it has enough abundance of Spirit Energy to sustain them," Ash added before tilting his head. "But I doubt the grains would grow in the fields full of Demonic Energy. So it means that your Food-like products that are made here in the human realm are highly likely to sell for the Mamonos at higher prices as well."
"My products are truly deemed to be extremely valuable. Months ago, I was greeted by a merchant from one of the Order Nations and got his contract." Siegward explained before turning to the nearest door. "So then, let's go to the next room, shall we?"
...
On the outskirts of the brewery and the wheat fields, Daniella couldn't help but widened her eyes in shock. While she is standing on top of the tree branch, Jane is sitting beside her and looks at Daniella in worry. The chestnut-haired Dhampir stood still in silence while staring at the brewery in a distance. Not only that, she stared at the wooden warehouses, but she could sense a ravaging flow of Mana coursing through the air and that is coming from those several warehouses and the fields themselves.
"The presence of Mana here is extremely thick and heavy..." Jane breathed in awe until her head felt a hint of nausea. "But... I felt somehow... drowsy."
Daniella couldn't believe it; It's like they've entered a place which is some sort of forbidden gold mine! Even she can sense that the crops on the fields have a great abundance of spiritual energy. Every single grain is more than enough energy compared to a small bottle full of human semen within a hundredfold. Thus there are already millions upon millions of crops that spread across the fields like an infinite ocean that might be useful as an alternative source of energy to feed on from devouring semen of human men.
One Baphomet from the Royal Makai would often theorise that a large overdose of Spirit Energy would cause an imbalance against Demonic Energy within a monster's body would make a Mamono becoming a very docile person.
'This place... it's extremely abnormal...' Daniella's mind paused for a moment. 'There's a massive overflowing of Mana and my body... it became so... tame. I couldn't think anything about having a husband, but I'm having some other options in life...'
At this moment, the Dhampir realised what she's thinking before slapping herself, which made Jane jumped in surprise. 'Gah! Stop it, Daniella! We still have to observe the Silver-Blue Knight!'
"Why are you slapping yourself, Daniella?" Jane asked with her eyebrow raised in confusion.
"To think of it... now I know why the Mamonos in Gerth are very docile upon entering," Daniella said with a shaken tone while making a lump through her throat. "The source is right here. This very field has a large abundance of Mana in every grain in each crop. No wonder that any Mamono that entered this town came out without having a husband, while their minds have exchanged with unique sets of personalities and new purposes."
"So this means it's a literal paradise we've bumped into?" Jane guessed with questionable thoughts while rubbing her chin. "Should we report to the Fourth Born about this?"
"She might get interested to get a hold of this possession from the Onion Knight. It would be considered as the most prized land that will ever lay upon the eyes of any Mamono." Daniella exclaimed while scanning throughout the areas. Especially the workers that made her eyebrows raised in question. 'What's even weirder than those Orcs emitted very little essence of Demonic Energy while their bodies are wholly dominated by Spirit Energy... could it be the overflow of Mana have affected their minds?'
"Should we take one crop sample before we leave?" Jana suggests while pointing her thumbs on one lonely crop. "I'm sure the Baphomets from the Sabbath would likely examine them."
"Yeah, good idea. We probably need to understand how they were grown." Daniella smiled with a nod before dropping her legs down from the tree branch. She went to the nearest crop and tries to pull it out.
Once the Dhampir made a single slightest touch at the tip of her fingers, she felt massive amounts of mana that swirled like rapid streams of water within a single plant. She might not know how much the single crop holds, but she can guess that it's quite a lot of Spirit Energy that resonates within.
'By the Gods, this is quite a lot.' Her mind spoke in disbelief. 'This plant alone would even tame some of the strongest mamono for sure.'
Once she pulls it off, the Dhampirs quickly left the fields and head straight back to town.
"Say, how many rations do we have left?" Daniella asked her partner.
"Only a few packs of dried tacks and salt beef," Jane replied with a questionable look. "We also still have a canteen of water left. Why's that?"
"We should refrain ourselves from eating the town's delicacies since it might contain a high abundance of Spirit Energy that will lose your mind as a Mamono and highly likely forget at what we're doing," Daniella explained. "To replenish our rations, the only thing we do is only buy from other foreign merchants since this town is the true equivalent counterpart to that of a Demon Realm, but only for humans."
"Oh, so that's why this rumoured place is considered a Human 'Demon' Realm, huh." Jane mused thoughtfully with a surprised look. "Never thought we've come up with that term."
...
It felt hours passed by until the sun sets before twilight took over the skies. Ash and Sasha exited the Warehouse while the brewery workers went off to their homes and waved to Siegward, their employer, for a farewell.
"So that is how it's made," Sasha stated before looking across the field of wheat. 'But how did his kingdom find such a plant that could hold a large abundance of Mana? No, as I recall, he doesn't emit any signs of Mana, and neither his people do. It's a mystery.'
"Thanks for the tour, Siegward." Ash shakes hand with the Catarinian Knight. "We would be going home and Sasha seems to worry about the orphans."
"I see, now see you two around." Said Siegward before closing the warehouse.
Ash then reared to Sasha before pointing his thumb directly to the walled town. "So, you finally got your answer?"
"Yes, I am truly thankful for him." She replied with a nod before asking. "The Catarinian Wheat... Is it true that such a plant is commonly found in his home kingdom?"
"Well... yes, it was," Ash answered before walking to the path heading directly to Gerth. "I knew much of his homeland, but it has already fallen into ruins and that was long before I arrive here."
"Oh, how unfortunate." The Heroine looks down in sorrow. "Is it one of the neighbouring kingdoms on your home continent?"
Once listening to her question, Ash is silent for a while before slowly nodding in reply. "Yes, it seems my old friend likes to preserve from what remained of his home. Eventually, the food products he made here in Gerth by using wheat seeds as fertiliser and food for barn animals may have increased the presence of Mana around the town, as you've described earlier."
Indeed. During the tour, she realised how his meat and poultry products were rich in spirit energy since Siegward kept feeding them with the grains along with animal foods and even animal excrements still have an abundance of Mana as well and with enough nutrients which can make amazing fertiliser for the crops to grow. This continuing crop rotation is the result of the increasing flow of Mana. She remembers that her teacher, who has theorised in her time during training as the new heroine of Lescatie, is that monsters would tremble at the heavy presence of Spirit Energy that it made them docile.
Seems like the energy in the surrounding environments has tamed the Mamono's once they entered this place, which could have been a true equivalent to the Demon Realm, but only for humans. What term would she name it? A Human 'Demon' Realm?
'I wonder what will the Mamono of the Demon Realm think about this place?' The Warrior Nun wondered. 'Are they truly aware of it?'
...
Northern Auvergne Region, Midnight.
Reginald sat on the wooden log while staring directly at the bonfire. He glanced his eyes at his sister, who is sleeping under the nearby tree.
The bonfire crackled under the eerie silence within the middle of the dark forest, his ears tinged whenever he heard the sounds of rustling leaves and the soft breeze of icy wind. He closed his eyes, hoping that he can rest until he heard the soft sounds of footsteps.
His right arm went for his weapon and silently unsheathed his knife. Then the unknown assailant approached him with speeding agility, Reginald grimaced as if the sounds from the unknown figure itself had made it out of the ordinary. Its true nature isn't human after all before he struck a throwing knife into the darkness.
He heard the knife have shred through the skin and heard a howl of pain; he picked up his sword and grabbed an improvised torch before going to the source. Upon approach to the place where his target should have been being nothing left but bloodstains on the ground. Then he reared his head around and saw a wounded Werewolf while trying to pull out the blade which is struck against her right thigh.
The Mamono looks up to the man that hurt her and gives him a pleading look with teary eyes.
"Pl-Please, don't hurt me!" She begged while shielding herself. "I just came here to find a husband! I-I picked up a scent which leads me to you."
Reginald stared at the werewolf for a while before he raised his bastard sword in the air and sends a massive blow on her skull that popped like a cherry. Blood and several pieces of organs have spread through his surroundings.
"Sorry, but you will still attack me even after I said; No," Reginald spoke flatly to the corpse. "I couldn't help but slay you."
Mamonos are friendly and seductive indeed. But their stubbornness of finding mates is never to be underestimated, and that he took the advice of Uncle Siegward at heart. No matter how it looks in their situations, submitting one's life to the Mamono would only mean one thing is lustful enslavement for life without consent and the only solution is to kill them when anything goes awry. Even if they grew to fear it but not faltering, then death itself would likely to embrace them in their futile attempts.
Such is life for a typical Mamono and he thanked the Lords of Lordran that his mamono mother did have a brain to think rationally in the first place before meeting his father, who is a former member of the dreaded Legions of Farron, the Abysswatchers. They were well-renowned warriors from the long-lost outer realm, which is his father's homeworld and they were notorious to bury a Kingdom into the ground, like how his father did it to his grandmother's nation.
The son of the last Abysswatcher turned around and went back to the camp. Upon returning to the bonfire, he heard his younger sibling groaned before waking up. She rubbed her eyes and yawned before looking towards Reginald.
"Mmh? Still awake?"
"The night's a bit rowdy from now on." He replied in a blunt tone. "Oh, this blood? Another unfortunate soul has tried to play with me."
"Mmmh, you do sure brag about it." Elen groaned unimpressed before lying down to her sleeping bag once more. "Wake me up when it's sunrise."
Reginald didn't say a word but silently nodded. Silence has taken over once again as the son of Farron glanced his eyes at their nearby surroundings for any intruders while the bonfire crackled under the night sky.
...
...
...
"... Mmmh... Huh?"
Sasha slowly opened her eyes before sitting up from her slumber and yawned. She rubbed her eyes before looking around until her eyes grew wide.
She finds herself lying on top of a dusty, ragged bed inside an unknown room she didn't know.
'Where am I?'
She slowly stood up and looked around. The Warrior Nun observed her surroundings. There was a wooden table, a bookshelf, and several clay pots lying around.
'Is this real?'
With the slightest touch of her fingers against the wooden table, her hands slipped through like a ghost. She fell in shock and disbelief, while everything seemed too real for her, this could be a weird dream of some sort?
"Weird, this could have been a dream." She stated to herself. Sasha felt odd and confused. The warrior nun herself seems to have consciousness while being in a dream. "But it felt too real!"
The Priestess went to the nearest door and to her surprise; it didn't let her pass through the entrance. While she can't touch any physical objects around the room but yet the entrance and the walls wouldn't let her pass through?
'This doesn't make any sense at all!' Her mind groaned in unease.
Her hand went for the doorknob and opened to the unknown world outside. Only that she was immediately blinded by the light.
"H-Huh?!"
She shielded herself until the light began to die down. Once she slowly opened her eyes, her jaw fell when she found herself standing on a gigantic wall that stood on top of a mountain, and there she could see large walled-in cities on the horizon.
"Wha-What is this place?!"
Sasha was flabbergasted while she fell flat to the ground and couldn't comprehend what was going on.
'Calm down... calm... down.' She slowly made deep breaths before standing up. 'What in the Chief God's name is going on?'
Once the Warrior Nun of Lescatie stepped back from the sizeable gap between the walls and walked into one of the tower walls right at the edge, she suddenly felt tremors that shook the ground like an earthquake. From above, she can see a large shadow that jumped from a building and crashed to the ground that sends out a massive shock wave that brought Sasha flying into the air within a good few feet away from whatever that thing is.
She grunts in pain before slowly looking up at something that she never imagined which shouldn't exist.
It was the most hideous beast that has ever laid her eyes upon which it came out from the old legends of the former demon lords. It was a large towering bipedal giant with fur covering around its body, has a hideous stone-like face with a pair of horns, and wielding a massive axe that is made of bones.
This beast emits a malevolent aura that screams danger and this alone can be made a true monster out of it, which could make the Mamono themselves to be much less of a threat. The beast sends a bone-chilling roar and slowly marched forwards with its deadly weapon that trotted into the air. She felt frozen in fear for a while before quickly turns around to run away from this hulking monstrosity until her feet tripped to the ground.
She groaned in pain and heard that the beast's footsteps are getting nearer. Her face is now stricken with fear, anxiety, and dread while looking back at the towering beast.
"H-Help me... Chief God!" She begged while tears flow down with helplessness until someone interjects.
*Clack* *Clack* *Clack*
Then she heard clacking sounds of steel coming from behind and looked around. Her eyes grew wide when she saw a familiar figure that stood right in front of her.
A knight wore in his regal blue armour that stood defiantly in front of the beast with his sword drawn and marched towards his opponent.
"Wait... A-Ash?!"
She couldn't believe seeing him here out of all places! Sasha saw him pull out a small parchment that oozed out some unknown yellow substance. The Knight slid his resin on his broadsword and emit powerful sparks of lighting that surged on his blade.
She didn't know what kind of substance it was and seems to be some sort of magic item. When Sasha rushed out for him until her body went past through the knight like a transparent ghost in much of her shock.
The Warrior Nun looks back and saw him charging against the beast until the monster raised its axe and swung it down, but the knight rolled back from its deadly blow and charged forth with his blade that thrusts against the monster's face and struck one of its eyes. Then the beast reared back in pain before swinging another one of its blows.
The Knight raised his shield before he was sent flying backwards and skid against the ground. The beast charged in to make sure its strike shall end him, but the warrior rolled sideways and stood up quickly on his feet before he swung his broadsword and hacked the joint of the monster's left knee with electric damage to make further internal damage into the limb. The hulking demon screeched once more and kneeled down in exhaustion. The Knight went quickly for the rear and climbed on its back before jumping up with his broadsword raising downwards, which is aimed against the back of the beast's head.
In one deadly thrust, the broadsword's blade with lighting enhancement surged through the head, and the enormous monster made its last painful screech before it tumbled down to the ground. The armoured warrior stood victoriously on its back. This scene alone left the Heroine of Lescatie to witness in awe while it reminded her about the stories of old legends when Heroes slew dangerous monsters in the age of the former demon lords. But it seems that the Knight alone does not fight like a Hero and he is without the Blessing of the Chief God yet he managed to hold his ground and defeated the Beast with mediocre weapons, magic items, wits, and skills and he alone is a seasoned warrior.
The Knight panted in exhaustion before pulling up his helmet visor for fresh air and in much to Sasha's surprise, she can see his face that looks like...
"Ash! It's you!" She jumped in joy.
But her cheerful voice never reached his ears, nor he reacted to it. Once he jumped off from the corpse of the colossal beast, he walked away and her vision began to slowly fades into oblivion.
...
...
"Mmmh... mmhh... Huh?!"
With a loud gasp, her eyes shot wide open and sat up. She can feel her heart beating fast and sweat had run down through her skin and felt dried tears on her cheeks. Sasha looks in her surroundings and finds herself this time, inside her room within their rented house.
"What was that dream?" She exhaled deeply before tilting her head sidewards. "No... it seems more like a vision... but it feels... too surreal."
But there was one thing that the Warrior Nun have left her felt shaken. She saw Ash in that dream in which she couldn't understand and the only thing that came up in her mind is what was he doing there in that mysterious place she hardly knew?
"That land is already filled with darkness and none lived there anymore... it is a dangerous place where monsters are still roaming around."
Thus then her head struck in realisation, remembering the story he told her from a couple of days ago.
"And the way of your fighting. Was that because of your experience from fighting monsters in your homeland?"
"Yes, indeed. Combat was meant to be taken seriously, not by hesitation or lust."
Could it be... a vision of his memories? Then how did she receive it?
"No... that's impossible, it can't be right." She pinched the bridge of her nose in distraught. "What is this dream telling me about?"
She slowly stood out from her bed and wrapped herself with a blanket before exiting her room. Sasha quietly walked through the hallways by not waking up the orphans and thus she heard noises of cracking fires coming from the living room. She went downstairs and saw Ash, still wearing his usual Silver-Blue Armor, and seems to be asleep while sitting on the couch while facing the fire.
The living room seems soothing and comfy enough while the warmth radiating from the fireplace. Then Sasha blushed and felt her heart throbbing like crazy. She is having thoughts about something embarrassing that has surfaced up in her mind to sit beside a man like him. Ash Cyrus, a stoic and intimidating warrior who kills his enemies with bloodlust, and yet she can tell that he has a heart of gold.
'What am I doing... Why do I feel like this?... Was it because of him?' Sasha sighed deeply before tilting her head sidewards. 'N-No! B-But... we rarely do know each other.'
The Warrior Nun blushed once more with a nervous expression before sitting down on the couch beside him and surprisingly, she felt his warmth despite he wore in his supposedly cold armour.
'He's... warm...'
"Ash?... If you could hear me; I just want you to know..." Then Sasha uttered quietly. "That... I wished to learn more about you."
She could tell that he's already asleep behind his helmet, but all she wanted is to tell him about the tales of her mysterious dream. Her eyes felt heavy before closing while her vision turned dark. Drifting into sleep once more in serenity.
Chapter 7: Ends.