Chapter 14: The Golden Dragonslayer and the Quest.
...
...
"For what crimes did I commit? All I did was to act in self-defence."
...
...
"Sir, committing violence is against the law in Dragonia. Even when the participant herself attempted to rape you with love. Then there is nothing we can go against such acts."
...
...
"I do not understand... I do not have any affections for that person. Let alone sane ones who should heed my words!"
...
"Then what system of justice is this?!"
...
"Ufufu~! Perhaps you should play with her on the bed~! Then probably, you'll forgive her~!"
...
"W-Wait! Where are you going?!"
...
"Guards! After him!"
...
Unknown Region, 26 Years ago.
...
He opened his eyes and looked up at the greyish clouds. He was sitting on a rock after a brief meditation from his previous troubles.
It's been a week since he'd left the kingdom of dragons, and that incident he had must have sparked the reputation of his existence. The Golden Knight, it was told by many in Dragonia which people spoke of a tall knight garbed in gold who had wrecked the dragons to the ground and killed several of their kin.
"That incident... wouldn't have happened..." He muttered as his mind wandered. "If their minds aren't clouded by lust and their arrogance... none of this should happen."
...
Under the gloomy skies, the Queen led her army through the thunderous clouds. The Queen's army behind her is eight hundred strong and they comprise Dragonia's finest warriors of the Dragon Knights Order, handpicked by the Queen herself, and some are even champions of well-renown. They were on a hunt for the most wanted criminal who fled to the buffer regions.
"Your highness, our scouts have spotted the Golden Knight!" The Commander cried out before pointing towards the nearest mountain. "And he's right over there!"
Deonora hardened her gaze before raising her hand to give out the commands.
"Go forth and bring that human to me, for I shall judge him!"
The Dragon Knights flew towards the mountains and scaled the cliffs. Wurms crawled beneath the grounds and rumbled the earth with a great tremor. The Queen heard the previous incidents days ago, a dreaded rumour has circulated and spread throughout her empire.
Citizens spoke stories of a rumoured Golden Knight who's been hunting down her fellow dragons near the borders and saving potential human travellers that would become future husbands for their home territory of her kin. Deonora wondered herself, how could someone that can strike fear into the hearts of dragons?
Once the dragons flew through the thick fogs that covered the mountains, they saw a glimpse of an enormous figure, a knight covered in gold, sitting on top of a rock. They saw him standing up with a spear held up firmly. But what made them recoil in disbelief was to see the knight standing at an abnormal height, he's more taller than any average human.
"Golden Knight! We came here to bring you to justice!" One of the Dragon Knights unsheathes her sword before pointing the blade at him. "Your days that brought fear to Dragonia are over!"
"Hmph, it seems the Queen herself sends a batch of Knights beyond thy borders." The Golden Knight chuckled with amusement. "Only to cometh' here to apprehend me? How laughable."
"Curb your tongue, human!" The Commander spat back while gripping her sword tightly. "Your life will end once you face the Queen herself!"
"And thou haveth' the guts to face the Knight of Anor Londo." He retorts while crossing his arms with glaring eyes.
The Dragon Mamono then hissed. "Then your lands will be punished under our wrath as well!"
"As if Lord Gwyn were here, then thou shall perish immediately." The Golden Knight responded with another chuckle, this time with a darker tone towards the Dragons. "I left thine land which I have no interest to irk thine kin, yet thou and thine Queen cometh here... to me with ignorance to my warnings."
"You shall see." The Commander glared at the Golden Knight before raising her sword. "Put him down!"
The Dragon Knights drew their swords and flew straight towards the Golden Knight, but once their weapons reached him, his presence vanished immediately and reappeared behind them at lightning speed.
"Remarkable, such a display of pride and arrogance. Then this is the path thou hast chosen." The Golden Knight twirled his spear before raising against the Mamono. "So I, Ornstein, shall bring thine death to thee."
In an instant, the armoured warrior bolted past the dragons in a golden flash. It caught the Mamono off guard by surprise until they felt a numb feeling in their bodies. Then the impossible happened, their heads and limbs blew off into the air and blood gushed out like fountains, falling into their deaths. The remaining Dragon Knights suddenly recoiled, faces horrified as they witness the gruesome display. The Dragon Knight Commander stood with a horrifying look before a bolt of lightning killed one of her nearest high-ranking Dragons to her left, blowing her body apart.
The Commander grasped her sword and her eyes steeled towards Ornstein with anger filling up her emotions to avenge her fallen sisters-in-arms.
"Bring him down!"
The rest of the Dragons charged against the Golden Warrior at once. Ornstein prepared his spear at ready and leapt forth as the blade of his spear blazed with a golden fury to show the might of the Lord of Anor Londo.
...
Deonora and the rest of her personal army alongside her witnessed an obscured scene of battles raging within the foggy clouds of the mountains. They heard clashes of steel, explosions, and thunder rang across.
Then she saw their first casualties.
Dozens of dragons fell from the skies. She noticed smoke produced from their wings that burned to crisps before their bodies crashed into their death against the rocky grounds.
As the violent wind blew, the battlefield came to a view of a horrific scene. Dead bodies of dragons scattered across the mountainous cliffs. Her eyes landed on a single individual standing on top of a small peak, the warrior clad in Gold, unbelievably taller than an average human. Yet the Warrior jammed a spearhead through the unarmoured belly of the Knight Commander before lightning shot out from her abdomen, killing her.
It horrified Deonora to witness the warrior simply throw her corpse over the cliff with disrespect before he looked up to the skies to see an army of angry dragons.
"You!..." Deonora seethe with anger upon witnessing the deaths of her kin. "So the rumours are true... Golden Knight!"
Ornstein gazed his eyes towards a peculiar Dragon with red and black scales. The Dragonslayer held up his pole with its pommel at the end that pounds against the ground while the spearhead held up high. Deonora hardened her glare to the Golden Armoured Knight before she felt an amount of pressure radiated from the warrior, showing that he stood unfazed in front of the Queen of Dragonia.
"Your actions have laid harm upon my domains and killing my knights who represent the will of the Empire! It's now evidenced that your guilt shall not escape our judgment!" Deonora declared with an authoritative tone before pointing her index finger towards Ornstein. "And your punishment shall be death!"
"I presume that thou art the Queen of Dragonia? Hmph, so thou hast cometh here with an army... beyond your borders." Ornstein spat back while gripping the handle of his spear. "I am in such displease. Thee crossbreed called thyself a 'Dragon'? Who would call for judgement with an army against me?… Pitiful."
Ornstein then tilted his head in disappointment. "Thine kind have assaulted and abducted many travellers near your domains and labelled them as 'Tourists' through your seductive schemes and punish someone who acted in self-defence. I never thought thou arrogant crossbreeds such as thee would stoop too low."
"Then why haven't you let them go? You should have let them have their husbands." Deonora demanded as she crossed her arms while furrowing her brow. "I am confident that any human males wouldn't resist themselves in front of a Dragon... but you..."
"You are nothing but a murderer with bloodlust." Ornstein stood still as his face behind his helmet remained unfazed. "It fills your soul with nothing but bloodbath and hate."
"Oh, could ye' tell? Pardon me, but I've tried to reason them to be left alone." Ornstein replied blankly, with no hint of emotions. "Remained as arrogant as they are... I've taught them a lesson."
The Queen of Dragonia widened her eyes and reeled back in shock. Those eyes of his behind that golden lion helmet showed he felt no remorse when he slaughtered her beloved kin.
"So you killed them..."
"I've warned thine kin every time to not abduct the human travellers that come across beyond your sovereign domains, especially when they come after me." Ornstein explained before narrowing his eyes in spite. "Yet they are without wisdom and will, one of them has the guts to "court" me without my consent. If it were not for their minds being blinded with obsession, pride, and lust, they would be still alive to this day."
Deonora clenched her fists in anger. Never has she heard such words of defiance towards the Queen of Dragonia and to her kin. He saw her as nothing more then a mere annoyance towards him despite being one of the strongest mamono of her realm. The Queen could not accept such an insult from a mere 'human'.
"You shall see, Golden Knight." Deonora snarled. "Bring him down to his knees!"
Upon hearing her orders, her Royal Knights unsheathed their weapons and charged against the armoured warrior.
Ornstein jumped high up just before the first two dragons could even reach him and the Knight of Anor Londo dived with his spear pointing downwards, killing the two knights immediately. The Golden Knight looked up to see more Dragon Knights dived down from the skies with their weapons raised. But even as they plunged down with anger on their faces, Ornstein vanished in a golden flash. Then his spear caught another Dragon in mid-air charging at him.
Deonora observed as the battle escalated. The Queen was confident that her results to bring him down to his knees would cause him to beg to recognise her power and authority. But unfortunately, it did not come out as expected to be.
To her horror, she saw many of her Royal Knights fall one by one. Some dragons tried to attack in groups and surround him, but they were all vanquished in a quick, silent swing of his sharp blade that cuts off their heads immediately.
It reveals that this man was no push-over.
Her three champions beside her joined into the fray to stop the Golden Knight from killing more of their own. One of them raised an oversized sword and took a quick overhead swing, but Ornstein flipped aside in mid-air and kicked the Draconian Sword Champion away before landing on a small peak.
"Don't let him get away!" The Spear-wielding Champion cried out, "Take him down!"
The Royal Knights surrounded him once more with their weapons drawn. On the air, the Spear Champion grinned for her confident victory, but alas, her opponent vanished quickly before she felt a sudden sharp pain through her abdomen. She slowly looked back and saw Ornstein with his left foot on her back before sending her down to the ground with a deadly impact.
"YOU'LL PAY FOR THIS!"
Ornstein spun around and he immediately strafed to the right side and narrowly avoided an incoming blow from a Draconian weapon.
"I'LL END YOU!"
The Sword Champion swung her sword and thrust her blade against the Lordran Knight, but her target vanished from her sights in a blur. She turns around to see him twirling his blade and whipped the blood out from its spearhead. The Sword Champion cursed before blood gushed out from her neck all of a sudden and fell to the ground to her death.
"No... NO!" Ornstein spun around and looked up to the skies once more to see the third Dragonian Champion wielding a mace flew towards him. "MURDERER!"
"Such words... are naively spoken in the battlefield," Ornstein uttered while narrowing his eyes behind his helmet before jumping back to avoid her massive blow. "In battle, love has no place. What do you expect to be in a place of death?"
"rrrrRRRAAAHH!"
With an enraged yell, the Mace-wielding Champion felt her energy coursing through her veins until her body glowed and unleashed a brief flash. Ornstein covered his eyes from the flash of light before it faded quickly. Then he heard a growl, a much more beastly growl which he hadn't heard for a long, long time. He looked up to find a gigantic being overshadowing him, facing a large fearsome dragon growling at him. Any human would fear at such sight of a humongous reptile, but to the Knight of Anor Londo, he smirked behind his helmet.
"Do you accept your defeat now, human?" The Dragon growled with fury in her eyes.
"Well... It feels like I haven't hunted down dragons for a long, long time." Ornstein mumbled while shrugging off his right shoulders and then readying his weapon. "So you turn yourselves into real dragons after all, and this is what I'm striving for an enjoyable challenge."
The Dragon looked down to the armoured warrior incredulously, before Ornstein vanished immediately away from her sight in a golden flash and reappeared underneath her right leg. Ornstein activated the lightning powers of his spear and pierced the scales through her right knee.
The Dragon roared in pain and Ornstein released an amount of electric energy that surged through her body. The Mace wielding Champion in her draconian form had never felt an amount of pain and she fell to her knees. The other Dragon Knights saw the dragon of the Mace Champion fall quickly and watched the sight of Ornstein jumping high in the air and jabbed his spear onto her head and unleashed a surge of his lightning for the second time, killing her for good.
"Wh-What the Hel!? He's fast!"
"He just took her out with some mere lightning magic! How is that possible!?"
"Just what the Hel is his strength!?"
"Impossible! Humans should be afraid to see a Dragon in her actual form!"
As the Dragonian Knights were dazzled and paralyzed in much to their disbelief, the Knight of Anor Londo chuckled bitterly.
"Pathetic... Is this the best you can throw at me?"
With that, Ornstein grabbed the shaft of his spear that is still lodged on the champion's head and lifted the corpse of the giant beast. Thus hurling it at them into the sky, killing several more Dragon Knights.
"Even the dragons I've fought alongside Lord Gwyn didn't weigh as much as this pathetic beast!" Ornstein yelled in frustration before calming himself with a deep breath. "I am… severely disappointed with thy kind of these lands."
"What is he!?"
"He's incredibly strong!"
"Is there a weakness on this guy!?"
In a moment, the Golden Dragon Slayer straightened himself up and gazed at the dragons. They bicker themselves hysterically as they lock their eyes unto him with fear. Then Ornstein turned his attention towards the Queen of Dragonia and Deonora froze. She couldn't believe seeing three of her best champions were killed within mere seconds by the Golden Knight and she felt her heart fall in an instant as a knife jabbed into her chest once she caught his gaze.
"Who… are you…?" Deonora uttered, fear-stricken.
"I am Ornstein, a Dragonslayer of Lordran," Ornstein announced his identity. "Your actions alone have severely underestimated my ire and costed the lives of your so-called "best" warriors."
The words that spoke from his mouth sent cold chills to every dragon on the battlefield. Dragon Slayer, a pair of words they haven't heard for a millennium since the current Demon Lord succeeded the throne. Since her ascension, her powers turned all the Dragons into beautiful monster girls, and the Dragon Slayers who came to the old Great Dragai Empire were all but converted into incubi. Deonora knew the Dragon Slayers had disappeared a long time ago since Dragonia became a Demon Realm to lure any potential future husbands for her fellow dragons.
Yet the existence of Dragon Slayers did not disappear, as it seems she believed.
Since there is this strange human knight named Ornstein, who hailed from an unknown Land called Lordran, was one of them. But that begs the question, how can a Dragon Slayer like him exist since the current strength and beauty alone of the dragons can fawn men to their favour?
"Impossible, Dragon Slayers should've disappeared from a millennia ago!" Deonora spoke up incredulously. "There is no way that they can still wander the earth!"
"Hmph, yet here I am, standing." Ornstein retorted, unflinching. "In my homeland, we've driven the dragons into extinction, and thou crossbreeds of these lands were nothing more but mere annoyance. Parading thyselves as harlots and weak as wyverns themselves."
'Driven the Dragons into extinction... weak as wyverns!?' Deonora felt her rage grew. 'And... Harlots!?'
"Take that back... "Deonora's entire body glowed with an angry radiance of fury. "You... SHALL NEVER LEAVE THIS PLACE ALIVE!"
The Queen of Dragonia flashed into bright light, bursting out huge amounts of energy that could make the Heroes of the Order tremble and grew into a hideous large reptilian beast that stood far larger than the Dragons he previously fought.
"TREMBLE IN FEAR! YOU HAVE PROVOKED THE POWERS OF A ROYAL DRAGON!" The Red Dragon roared in fury. "YOU AND YOUR EXISTENCE SHALL BE ERADICATED!"
The Queen of Dragons took a deep breath and blew a massive blaze of hot flames right from her mouth. The Dragon Slayer leapt away immediately before the flames scorched the rocky cliffs and Ornstein knew she was showing the might of her power as a demonstration and yet, it did not impress him much.
Unlike the Everlasting Dragons, they were far more powerful than her calibre. Deonora gazed her eyes around the scorched areas to search for him before she felt a massive pain across the right side of her belly, she quickly spun around and caught the sight of the Dragonslayer who heaved a massive boulder with his spear before hurling the rock into the air and smashed against her head. The Red Dragon roared in pain and brought down her claws in retaliation in her attempts to slice him apart.
But the Dragonslayer is nimble, and agile because of his small size, whilst the Queen of Dragons couldn't even lay a single hit. Deonora then raised her arm to cast a magic spell until a sphere brimmed with energy forms above her palm. This spell alone can eradicate an entire country and turned the land itself into a demon realm. With this power in her hand, she can eradicate him and change his heart to side with the monsters.
"TAKE THIS! SPHERE OF OBLITERATION!"
She raised her arm and fling her offensive magic and caught him dead on target which resulted into an explosion. When she thinks it was a victory... that result turns into a nightmare.
"Tsk... That magic of yours... Only brings me power."
Deonora rolled back in disbelief and saw Ornstein, covering with a strong aura of light, then shot forth in a flash and brought the Queen on her knees to the ground by disabling the vital joints of her legs until he flashed away from the falling body. He stopped and swung his spear upwards against the lower jaw of the Red Dragon, knocking her out. The Dragon Knights dropped their jaws to their disbelief and horror.
Ornstein, the Dragon Slayer, has brought down their powerful Queen. They thought that mere weaklings couldn't topple the mightiest dragons until he appeared and destroyed their thoughts of superiority.
"Come on, we have to save her!"
"Protect the Queen!"
Ornstein watched the body of Queen's Dragon Form morphed back to her usual humanoid form. Queen Deonora laid on the ground, unconscious but alive. He turns around and witnesses a wave of Dragon Knights were overshadowing him in superior numbers. But to Ornstein, they were but mere bugs to his eyes. His spear was engulfed with golden sparks of electricity once more as he sprinted at lightning speed towards the Queen's personal army like a bolt of thunder with the wrath of his lord.
...
"He's too strong!"
...
"M-Monster-ARGH!"
...
"N-No wait, plea-!"
...
"Please! HAVE MERCY!"
...
"I beg you! I have a daughter waiting for me! NO!"
...
...
Her eyes slowly opened, and Deonora sat up straight with a painful groan. Her vision is blurry after the heavy concussion she received during the battle. Once she looked around, her eyes dilated with horror. The rocky terrains of the mountains are strewn of bloody corpses of Dragon Knights. She even saw one among the dead Dragons she's familiar with being the mother of a young squire.
'We'll return to the Empire in no time. My daughter... Do you remember Alto-Eris? She wanted to see me coming home as a prideful mother who wanted to bring down a criminal to justice.'
As the Queen of Dragons recollected her words, she felt a wave of pain, nausea and dread then she kneeled in front of knight's corpse. Tears then swelled out from her eyes and Deonora knew her as one of her most trusted Officers within her personal army, now lying dead under the hands of the Golden Dragon Slayer. How could she explain to Alto-Eris about the demise of her mother?
"Pitiful... isn't it?" Deonora held her breath still once she heard his voice before she slowly turned around. There she saw Ornstein, who sat on a rock, looking down at her with pity. "What a foolish leader art thee... You should've heed my warnings that brings dire consequences."
"You... You wretched monster..."
"This is a battlefield. Thou hast underestimated me severely as if I were a mere bug, thoust hast knownst death is here all along." Ornstein replied before jumping off from the rock and turned his back from her. "Do not search for me if thou cared about the lives of thine kin."
Deonora's felt her hands trembled before clenching, anger swelled within her soul with one thing that comes into her mind is to bring him down. She groggily stood up and dashed towards Ornstein while raising her right claw, only to see him vanished from her sight before she could lay her claws on him. For a mere moment of silence, she felt her right arm going numb until it fell. Her knees were dropped to the ground. Blood gushed out and the Queen screamed in pain.
"AAARRGH! AAAAAHHH!"
"Hmph... thou remain stubborn and arrogant." She clenched her teeth to repress the pain while hearing Ornstein, who spoke behind her until he turned around once more and walked away. "You claim justice is in thine favour. But alas, thou hast chosen the wrong knight to mess with."
"T-To think I would let you get away!" Deonora croaked before she lost her consciousness. "This... i-isn't... over... yet!"
Once her body felt cold through blood loss, she fell to the ground with a thud and once again, her vision obscured with darkness while her still intact left hand tried to reach for him to no avail.
"...Orn...stein..."
...
... 26 Years later...
...
"'Tis been quite some time... Isn't it?"
Amid the once former battlefield, Ornstein stared down at the rusty blade, a weapon belonging to a dragon knight. It's been twenty-six years since that day he brought the kingdom of dragons in a long decade of dread.
Standing up against the Queen who sought his actions unright and bringing justice upon him... For a crime which he killed several of her knights after the interrogation where they held a claim of his petty crime, which he did not commit.
All of this stemmed from committing violence against the demented dragon who attempted to rape him after the tournament and he fought back in self-defence.
And that day of the battle he fought against the Queen and her forces...
"... No... it wasn't a battle." The Dragon Slayer uttered with a tone of pity. "... It was a massacre."
It is indeed true, none of the dragon knights expected their consequences. Despite they were armed with weapons, they were used to corrupt their enemies through harmless means instead of killing them.
Every monster weapon he comes across are made of silver and dragonite that could not made a single scratch nor even corroding his armour made of Titanite.
"A pity... At that day, none of you were ready." He breathed out. "But still... I remember you have fought with bravery in your eyes like your kin. Like soldiers and I respect that."
With that, he jabbed the rusted sword unto the grave of a dragon knight. After bidding respect of the fallen, he turns around and saw the mass graves of the deceased knights. All of them had their weapons and rusted helmets embedded on their very graves in the same area where he fought them.
He had spent a few years to bury them and bid their respects. Ornstein did not gain any challenge ever since he came to this world nor he has the ambition to make his name over the locals. At least, except Dragonia.
"Farewell."
Ornstein turns around and left the mass graves before the fog took over to bid the decease their rest.
...
Dragonia, Present day.
...
Deonora slowly opened her eyes before gazing down to her right shoulder, where her arm should've been there. But that was years ago, and the Queen herself can still feel the pain from that horrible battle years ago.
Upon her return from the battle with the help of other Dragon Knights who came to search for her, she was met with horrified looks from her citizens. She remembered the gazes of her knights, who stood terrified to see her fallen in battle and then later on, the daughter of the Knight Officer broke down into tears upon hearing the fate of her mother.
The young Alto-Eris she knew mourned her mother's death for a week and the Queen of Dragonia couldn't help her to bring up the mood, yet saw her life changed. Alto-Eris once wished to become a knight and a tourist guide that will please a man who will become her future husband if the time comes. But she became distant and silent. As time passed on, Alto-Eris did grow up as a knight, but with a heart filled with vengeance, which made the Queen fear for her life.
"I will find that wretched Dragon Slayer who killed my mother! Mark my words!" The Queen exhaled as she felt the pain of her memories, herself scolding the young Dragon Knight that comes into her mind. "You can't let me just stay here while he's out there!"
"Alti! I order you to stand down!" Deonora expressed her sadness at the painful memories which clouded her mind like a bad dream. "Are you willing to risk yourself for meaningless revenge?!"
The Queen sulked further down while massaging her temples. The Red Dragon groaned in discomfort.
"I can't believe I'm still like this..." she uttered herself with a bitter chuckle. "A mighty being such as I, have truly fallen, isn't it?"
"I'm afraid so. Times have truly changed." Deonora slowly gazed around to see her younger sister, who stood beside her throne. "Deonora, if you still keep thinking about that Dragon Slayer, you are becoming an unfit leader of Dragonia."
"Dracolinde... My fears of that man remain." Deonora grumbled while massaging her temple with her only arm. "It won't go away."
"... I know." Dracolinde hushed with a sad smile and pats on the right shoulder of her older sister to comfort her. "Our country became more vulnerable as outsiders kept mentioning that man and used him as an excuse so that many of our subject's potential husbands can escape."
Dracolinde then walked over to a table and grabbed a golden goblet full of wine.
"Here, I heard wine might ease your mind."
Deonora grabbed the goblet without looking and just before she took a sip, her eyes stared blankly at the goblet while Dracolinde raised her eyebrow in question. The Queen then threw the goblet away and flung it across the hall, which surprised Dracolinde in disbelief, and stepped back once she saw her glare.
"O-Older sister...?"
"I hate gold..." Deonora snarled. "Give me anything... other than gold!"
...
Gaulian Alps.
...
Ornstein slowly opened his eyes, and clear blue skies met his vision above the sea of clouds. He heard the sounds of footsteps and clanking of metal. He turned around to see Artor stepped into the area on top of the mountain peak. It's been twenty-six years since he entered the world where humans and feminine Half-breed Monsters coexist with the absence of the Lords and the First Flames.
Of course, Gods exist in this new world, but most of them are wholly in favour of the Half-breeds who has their desires to convert the world into a realm of depravity in much to his disgust.
"Father."
"Ah, Artor." Ornstein then made a deep sigh before turning around to see his son and his closest Ally, the Silver Knight Ledo, who came around. "Just in time for your next evaluation."
"...I'm ready," Artor replied before twirling his spear and pounded the end pommel against the ground. "To prove my worth to become a knight."
"Hmm... Motivated and Confidence, you have much spirit." Ornstein nodded with an impression. "Hmph, then be prepared as I shall begin your next lesson."
"Ornstein~!"
The Dragonslayer then froze once he heard her voice from a distance.
The three armoured-clad Knights shuddered nervously before the Dragon Slayer turned around and saw a female winged humanoid descend from the heavens. A Valkyrie, garbed in her armour and weapons behind her back before landing in front of her husband and points her index finger accusingly towards Ornstein.
"Alissa, what's wrong?" Ornstein asked while raising his eyebrow.
"What's wrong? How can you forget to wake up Ciara!?" Alissa fumed by pressing her finger against his armour. "Don't tell me you forget our own daughter has a schedule for your lessons today!"
"Oh... Ah, I see. Forgive me, sometimes I forget while I have... things in mind." Ornstein apologised, while nervously rubbing behind his helmet. "Then where is she?"
"Over here, father." Artor recoiled back in surprise before turning around to see young Valkyrie. "Surprised, brother?"
"No... not really." Artor then calmly breathed out in relief and scoffed back. "Also, don't do that again."
His sister returned a smile with a soft giggle. Alissa, the Valkyrie, walks around and inspects the area before turning to her husband with a mischievous smirk.
"So this must be the new training area for our kids?" Alissa asked while looking up at Ornstein. "Do tell, it's much more spacious than the previous place."
"It's designated for mobility and manoeuvre in open spaces," Ornstein replied with a nod. "They've finished their lessons under the cramped valleys and now... they must continue to hone their skills."
Alissa then crossed her arms in much to her impression, before Ornstein raised his eyebrow in question. He caught some suspicion behind her eyes, which gave her some discomfort.
"Something bothering you?" He asked.
"Um... Yes, it's not from a while ago." Alissa replied before looking up to him with a worried expression. "I've met one of my kin who came down from the heavens..."
"...Is it a message from their deity?... Again?" Ornstein sighed, and Alissa nodded. "When will those winged folks end this bickering manhunt?"
It's been years since something stranded him in the foreign world. His previous actions alone against an Army of Dragon Knights, including the Queen of Dragonia herself, gained the attraction of the local Deities across the unknown world. Many deities sent their messengers trying to find the rumoured Golden Knight, yet, their search was all but fruitless.
Only the Gods can catch the mysterious warrior by taking a small glimpse of him until their visions of the target completely vanish from their sights without a trace, much to their dismay.
However, a Valkyrie from the Chief God's domain, named Alissa, tracked down the Golden Knight himself. But as soon as she encountered him, she realised something other than what the Gods had expected of a powerful "Mortal" from their visions. The warrior himself radiates that of a Lord, yet with the likes of the Deities themselves. He and his existence alone can only mean one thing, which is that the blessings of the Gods meant nothing to the Golden Warrior.
Alissa remembered how powerful he was once the Lord bestowed his might against the female dominant adherents of other deities, even given by their powerful blessings. The Valkyrie herself became irresistible of his might over time and became his devoted wife once she recognised Ornstein as a powerful Lord and even more Godly than the Deities from other Pantheons.
The most life-changing moments in her life since after their marriage, she gave birth to three children, one that is a male while the other two were females. Her firstborn child is a young Lord like Ornstein's kin. The second oldest was a Valkyrie and the youngest appeared to be an ordinary human girl, but in fact she's a lordress.
Giving birth to another race and a different gender was impossible to achieve unless Ornstein hailed from the three factions such as the Astora Family, the Carthus Tribe, or the Mirrah Order.
But he belonged to none.
He instead hailed from the uncharted lands called Lordran, a Kingdom of powerful Dragonslayers that was ruled over by the Lord of Sunlight.
Alissa wouldn't believe it at first, but the odd existence of Ornstein proved it otherwise.
Yet her devoutness to Ornstein, however, brought a disgrace to the Chief God, a rebellious act to recognise the Knight of Lordran as her new "Deity". Nowadays, the former adherent remained in the mortal realms to live with her family while the Chief God and her Angels try to track them down.
"The local Deities of these lands surely annoy me while they search for us," Ledo exclaimed while crossing his arms while shaking his head in disappointment. "Couldn't just leave someone in peace."
"As I've said before." Alissa sighed with a groan. "You and Ledo are foreign anomalies in this realm, which is something that the Gods couldn't ignore."
Ornstein closed his eyes in deep thought while crossing his arms until Artor sensed something descending from the skies. He saw a group of Valkyries with swords drawn.
Artor cautiously drew his spear.
"Mother..."
"I know." Alissa acknowledges before her eyes gazed at her daughter. "Ciara, you know what to do."
"Well, here we go again." Ciara sighed inwardly while she drew her paired blades.
Ornstein and Ledo readied their weapons as the Angelic Adherents of the Chief God landed on top of the pillars of rocks, surrounding them.
"Alissa! So here is where you are!" One of the Valkyries cried out by raising her sword. "There is nothing for you to hide from us after years of tracking you down! Now you shall be punished under the Divine Light of Justice!"
"Good thing Filia is somewhere safe." Ledo remarks with a smirk. "It would be more of a trouble if Alissa brought her here."
With that, the Valkyries charged forth before Ornstein covered his spear with lightning. Then he raised it down with loud cracks of thunderous explosions that rang across the mountains.
...
The Kingdom of Gaul, Region of Centre
...
Regional Capital of Lyons.
Lyons, the major capital city of the Kingdom is the largest city within Gaul, ranked only as the 6th largest city across the human realms. The capital is bustling with life as traders from different nations flocked through the enormous gates. The merchants come from all around, whether it be the Order or Friendly Mamono states. Humans and Mamono alike walked around the city as if it were an ordinary day.
In the capital's midst stood the Royal Palace behind the castle walls.
The prince of Gaul watched over the city from the tallest tower with a golden pendant on his palm. He looked up into the air and saw a falcon descend on his right shoulder.
"Enjoying your flight?" The prince smiled at his pet before patting it on the head. The falcon chirped before the prince, giving his personal bird a small piece of beef. "Here you go."
As the bird cooed, the Royal Guard came up to the Prince and made a firm salute.
"Your highness, your father wishes to speak to you." The Guard spoke. "He said that it is of the utmost urgency."
"Was it about the rumours of hideous beasts that appeared in our kingdom?" The prince asked curiously.
The Guard replied. "I suppose so."
...
"The question is, where do these beasts keep coming from?"
"Like, how should we know? There are even knights clad in red and blue cloaks attacking unprotected settlements in the frontiers."
"Many refugees say they're not mamono."
The King sat quietly while hearing his generals, commanders, nobles, and respected individuals speaking their conversations across the grand meeting chamber.
"The appearances of these strange beasts are becoming more of a problem." Spoke a Village Chieftain from across the tables. "Our people out there neither have the training and the sufficient weapons to fight back. We're totally hopeless!"
"The refugees are heading straight towards the most fortified settlements." A Noble added while cupping his chin with worry. "But there is another issue, the lack of food to feed their mouths."
Once the Nobleman finished his speech, the doors produced loud knocks from the other side. The guards opened the entrance before a group of high-ranking Knights stepped into the meeting chamber.
"Your Highness, we've accomplished our mission." The Royal Knight bowed to the King. "Our men have captured several types of monsters, but unlike the Mamono, they're hideous."
"Well, that took quite some time, then can we look at what these new types of monsters really look like?" The King raised his eyebrow while standing up.
"To the court." The Royal Knight replied.
"This way."
...
The King and the Royal aids came up to the balcony before looking down to see huge numbers of soldiers holding down a large cage by the ropes and chains. They stood horrified to witness the largest abomination they've never seen in their entire lives, a massive hairy beast, like a spider, with six arms as legs. They even saw some human bodies attached to the beast as if they were a part of it.
But the most ominous of all is the sounds of its monstrous clicks and growls. One soldier with a spear came near the imprisoned beast to calm it down, but the monster released its foul gas and once the soldier inhaled it, he made a violent cough before black crystals exploded across his body from within.
The soldiers of Gaul stood still and horrified to witness his gruesome death. One knight raised his sword and ordered the troops to stand back.
"Don't get too near! Its breath can kill you!"
One of the Royal Knights warned.
On top of the balcony, it mortified the royal officials of Gaul to witness the beast that had just done to a human being.
"A giant spider?"
"It has corpses moulded into each other!"
"This abomination seems like it came from the age of the former demon lords!"
"By the Chief God, is our kingdom facing this... thing!?"
The King then turned his stoic gaze to the Royal Knight. "Are there any more of these monsters?"
"There are several types and variants we've captured." The Royal Knight replied with a grim statement. "But I'm afraid there are more of them lurking in the outskirts."
"Father." The King perked up all of a sudden before turning around to see a young man in his mid-20's stepped up on the balcony. "I heard there is something we'd like to discuss."
"Ah, Mathias." The King calmed down with a sigh. "Right on time, come and look."
The young Prince stepped forth while the officials make their way for the Royal prince. Mathias looked down and widened his eyes in surprise to witness the humongous, spider-like abomination.
"Father... what is that?"
"That my son is a beast." The King spoke with a grim tone. "Our kingdom is going to face grave dangers beyond the horizon than we realise."
Mathias listened to his dreadful words before looking back to the imprisoned beast, while soldiers quickly recovered the dead body of the soldier and created a perimeter around the cage. Once they moved the cage away from the courtyard, more wagons flocked through the gates, showing more monsters and beasts behind steel cages. Amongst the soldiers guarding the imprisoned beasts is a centaur, who kept her spear pointing towards a chained Lycanthrope that tried to break free like a rabid dog.
"Is that a knight?" The General of the Gaulian Royal Army points out. "It's even taller than an average human!"
One of the steel cages has a knight inside sitting behind bars. Its red eyes stared at the soldiers that struck fear into their hearts. Among the soldiers are several centaurs who gazed at the Hollowed Knight with a mixture of sorrow and fear. It can tell that the Mamono wanted to free him for an act of mercy but they feared him because of the deadly consequences.
"Your Highness, we have someone to address herself to the King himself." The King of Gaul turned around to see a butler bowing down to him. "We have a messenger coming from the Orc Tribes of the Gaulian Alps and they are seeking help."
"An Orc Tribe... seeking help from us humans?" The King raised his eyebrow in concern and scoffed. "I thought Orcs were prideful for themselves as superior beings."
"They said their tribes are in a desperate need to talk for negotiations." The butler replied straightforwardly. "They spoke of the unknown force that is taking over the Alps. Your highness, if you would mind taking actions as if this is our chance to repel the unknown monstrosities that plagued our lands."
The King then furrowed his eyebrows sternly. "Hmph... very well."
...
Kingdom of Gaul, Viola Region.
...
"HAH!"
Sasha thrusts her wooden broadsword towards Ash in a flash. But the Silver-Blue Knight deflected her sword in a reflex and flourished a riposte until a wooden blade held her neck up and effectively disable her to drop her sword.
The warrior priestess was almost on her knees.
"You're full of openings," Ash reproached before releasing her. "Try again."
Sasha panted heavily before she took another swing towards Ash. On the other side of the field sat Reginald, Elen, Arcturus, and his two cousins alongside Andre. The Blacksmith shared a mug of beer with Elaine and made a joyful toast.
"Jeez, despite being an experienced Heroine of Lescatie, it doesn't look like she knows how to swings a sword," Arcturus commented with pity while shaking his head in disappointment. "Is this how Order Heroes fought against the Mamono, with wild swings and hesitation?"
"It depends how good they can fight, but most that I've seen were not dexterous, like Ash or my father would," Reginald replied before sighing. "But I might think there may be Order Heroes that can fight well, like Ash Cyrus himself."
"And I thought Heroes are strong because the Chief God gave them her blessings." Reginald turned to his left and saw the little Emiyu sat on a log, eating an apple while watching Sasha doing sword lessons with Ash. "Big Sis is good with magic, but big brother Ash is so fast that he can jump away from her magic like a grasshopper!"
"Oh, really? You sound smart for a little girl." Elen smiled while patting the young orphan. "The way Ash is moving is called, "Dodging", when he sees a powerful attack that can't be blocked he will just evade it like rolling away."
"Oh~! That sounds fun!" Lisia beamed. "It's like playing tag so none can touch someone!"
"Y-Yeah, but it's more dangerous," Elaine added with a nervous remark. "You'd be better off to play along with the kids."
"Say, Reginald, are there any jobs back in Horseback Inn?" Arcturus asked.
"Well, I got this." Reginald pulls out a scroll. "Someone is going to reward us for this."
[Giants in the Gaulian Alps, immediate help required to quell down the unknown monsters. Reward: 150.000 Gold!]
"By the lords, fifteen-hundred thousand gold?!" Gerome stood up in shock. "No freaking way! Who's the client paying for that bounty!?"
"It's from a local noble named Yves Bernard, a rich noble in the north of Corse Region," Reginald exclaimed, while his eyes gazed down at the inscriptions below. "There are a lot of these quests back on the board. Many adventurers and mercenaries were flocking inside like crazy."
"Poor Sieglinde, the restaurants of the Catarina are getting rowdier," Elaina said in pity with a chuckle. "It could be the rewards they were aiming for."
"Probably for Heroes, but I had a gut feeling that this is something bigger than we expected," Arcturus spoke up in concern. "I bet they're going to fight those strange creatures we've fought from the day before, right, guys?"
Gerome and Elaine nodded before Elen raised a question. "Wait, you've fought beasts before?"
"Since me, Arcturus, and my brother departed from Ansur a couple of days ago, yeah," Elaine replied while placing down her wooden mug. "We've fought strange red-eyed knights to some giant walking mushrooms and an oversized one-eyed green hippo."
Gerome then asked. "So what did you guys fight on your journeys?"
"We've encountered a lot of crap in our way," Reginald answered before crossing his arms, thinking of his previous adventures. "First, we encountered a giant rodent named the Beast of Sullyvahn, and the next days after, we fought some Hollows, Giants Crabs, crazy Lycanthropes, and some oversized rabid dogs."
"Wait... you named them?" Arcturus asked while raising his brow.
Reginald shakes his head sidewards before pointing his index finger towards Ash. "No, but that guy knows a lot."
Andre stood up before Ash returned the wooden training swords to the Blacksmith and Lisia brought up a water flask to the exhausted Warrior Nun and Sasha collapsed her knees beside Elaine with heavy breathing.
"Having a hard time with sword training, huh?" The Orc stated.
"I didn't expect Ash to be skilled in sword fighting," Sasha replied while wiping off her sweat. "He's quite dexterous with the sword, unlike any swordsmen I've seen back in Lescatie. It's quick and precise."
"So far I saw his movements. He only goes for openings," Elen comments while cupping her chin. "The way he handles his sword is not to be underestimated. He can deflect and parry for a counter-attack like a swordsman from Zipangu could do."
"Y-Yeah, he even does a grappling and some weird technique he calls it Half-swording'." Sasha groaned while massaging her temples. "I admit... It does pack a punch."
"Those are common techniques back in my homeland," Ash spoke up. "We rarely swing around like jesters on a performance."
"Heh, that's until you have to deal with bigger foes." Andre snarks haughtily. "Then forget those techniques you've learned and swing them around like clubs."
"You.. have a point," Ash said, admittedly before turning to Reginald. "So, anything new?"
Reginald nodded before holding up a quest sheet. Upon reading it, Sasha incredulously dropped her jaw and Ash raised his eyebrow in surprise.
"S-Such a huge reward!" Sasha flabbergasted in shock.
"The quest sheet sounds like it calls for desperation," Ash stated with a serious expression. "It could be monsters from my homelands are involved."
...
"So you're leaving for a dangerous quest?" Siegward questioned while Ash prepared the provisional packs attached on Sif. "I'd say, this is about those monsters again, isn't it?"
"Yes, and we're heading there," Ash replied before strapping up the packs. "If we don't do something, then there will be consequences that might happen to this town."
"I see, then good luck." Then Siegward raised a thumbs-up before looking up to the others embarking on the wagon. "Are you all prepared as well?"
"We're ready, Uncle Sieg," Elen responded with a thumbs up. "We're good to go!"
Ash sat on top of the Greatwolf before he pats his right hand on Sif's head. Then the giant wolf marched his way through the cobblestone road and headed its way to the Town's entrance. Sieglinde and Jennifer, along with the orphans, waved their hands a farewell to Ash and his company.
"Don't worry Sasha, I'll take good care of them!" Sieglinde called out. "Be sure to come back alive!"
"Be careful Sif!" Emiyu cried out loud to Sif. "Please, don't get hurt when you come back!"
"Hahaha! Do not fret, young Emiyu," Sif chuckled, amused. "I've got my fair shares of errands with Sir Artorias."
"So you do get along with children, huh," Ash smirked behind his helmet. "I wonder what stories you'd like to share with your first journey in this world?"
"Hah, we'll just see Sir Cyrus." The Greatwolf replied cockily.
"Well then, Gaulian Alps, here we go!" Elaine cried out cheerfully with her fist raised. "Come on Sasha, let's cheer up for the mood!"
"Ehehehe... Y-Yay?" Sasha sulked down with a nervous smile while deep within her, she regretted joining for another dangerous adventure. 'Why am I willingly joining this dangerous quest!?'
"Don't get lost like the last time," Elen said to Sasha with a tense expression. "Our last quest almost cost you your life."
"I-I know, I won't get separated like the last time," Sasha responded before forming an honest, confidential smile. "But this time, I will improve myself."
"Hmph... Idiot." Elen muttered while looking away with crossed arms until she forms a smirk. "Make sure you're damn well of it."
...
Town of Gerth, Midnight.
...
The town fell into silence as the residents went off into sleep and some guards light up the lampposts on every corner of the streets until three suspicious figures wrapped under their cloaks strolled through the entrance without making a sound to wake up the guards before taking a sharp turn to obscure herself under the dark alleyways.
"So this must be the place." Said a girl while forming a malicious grin. "Now, where is the last Heroine of Lescatie up to?"
"I do not know Amara, but we'll find out." Replied the other before putting down her hood, revealing her brown hair, two horns, and a black cap of the Dark Priest. "...Wait, it seems like she's not here nor anywhere."
"What? She left?" Spoke the third cloaked mamono incredulously. "Janice, I thought she would be here!"
"No... but it shows that she was here before." Janice raised her hand. "I can feel her traces of Hero Mana is still fresh despite our senses are clouded by the wild mana of this Town."
"So that means she's away for a while?" Amara raised her eyebrow in question.
"Oh do not fret." Janice then cupped her cheeks whilst it locks her drowsy eyes to a peculiar path. "I feel some uncanny allies in distress which this road can lead us into."
...
"Welcome to Horseback Inn and... um, how may I serve you?" Sieglinde asked with a concerned expression while pulling up a small notepad and a writing feather.
Inside the restaurant, the entire building that used to be blaring with jolly music and cheers all fell silent. The guests stood several meters away from the three Dark Priests. Almost every man must know that they're in fact, one of the most dangerous mamonos with powerful magic and the dear adherents of the Fallen God.
"Oh! I'd like to have a Catarinian Steak!" Janice gazed at her jolly-looking companion. "Only for me~!"
'I heard about the local delicacy of this town that would turn any mamono into a very docile person.' Janice sighed thoughtfully. 'I'd guess not to order anything and let Ivy try it out then.'
"What about you?" Sieglinde turns to Janice. "Would you like to eat or have a drink?"
"No, thank you." Janice waved dismissively. "Only my friend here would like to have some."
Sieglinde turned to Amara and waved her hands as well. "No thanks, I'm full as well."
The Waitress cautiously raised her eyebrow before putting her notepad aside and slowly trudged back. "Al~right!... Then it will take thirty minutes for the food to serve."
Amara then leaned closely towards Janice and whispered. "So what's the plan if Sasha Fullmoon comes back?"
The Dark Priest cupped her chin while mulling over a plan until something flickered in her mind within a few minutes later.
"Hmm... Oh! I have one and it's this."
Behind the bar, Siegward and Jennifer quietly observed the three Dark Priests with caution. Their voices and chatters are deaf and silent to their ears, but their body language confirms that they were committing something that might create more harm than simple trouble.
'You'd better not do anything harmful in this town.' Siegward sighed before turning away and took a sip of his Siegbrau. 'Better yet, don't do anything if Ash and company ever come back.'
...
Chapter 14: Ends.