Chapter 17: Black Phantom Vordt and the Purging Stone.
The Kingdom of Pimor.
...
Hundreds of kilometres away from the doomed city of Everlstone, thousands of incubus and mamonos strolled down the treacherous roads while heading their way to safety into the nearby Demon Realm. It's been almost a couple of days have passed since the massive Archtree erupted from the capital of the region and unleashed a horde of horrible monsters.
The survivors who escaped the initial attack spread their message to warn the nearby settlements and towns to leave the Pimor region. Some commanders of the Demon Lord's Army led their incursions to quell down their out-worldly adversaries in much to their confidence. But as soon as they executed their plans, their enemies were more formidable than they realise and their attempts to push them were fruitless until the Izalith Demons slowly reached the borders of the region and stalled their conquest.
The initial arrival of Chaos in Pimor and its inevitable conquest of the region caught the monsters of the demon realm off guard. In open battles, despite being empowered by the Demon Lord's power and their ability to corrupt. They found themselves at war against the anomalous beings who could not be corrupted into monster girls. Even the living Elementals, their allies, who could provide their aid to the Demon Lord's Army in their fight against the Demons of Chaos, weren't enough to turn the tide. In truth, a mysterious force severed their connections and lost control of their respective elements. Then a result, the Demon of Chaos has gained control of taking over Pimor.
Shirokuto sat on a stack of hay while staring up at the clear blue skies. She was one of the few lucky individuals who fled from the doomed city in a nick of time and sought shelter in another monster settlement. During that day of the incident, the gust of wind and the change of atmosphere bewildered many monsters and their husbands who lived near and far. Not everyone is aware of what had occurred whilst they only saw a massive tree spontaneously grow out from the City of Everlstone.
She warned the settlement to leave the entire region as soon as possible, but her warnings only gave confusion until they came under attack by duel wielding horned monsters and giants. Shirokuto still knew that horrible day another tragedy had occurred to that unfortunate settlement until they initially repelled them. The counterattack took several minotaurs and demons just to take down a party of three Izalith Demons with improvised steel weapons.
Once the message was spread all across the region to every citizen about the Mamono Army is slowly losing ground from all over Pimor, the entire villages and towns were evacuated. The people packed up their belongings and left their homes before more Demons of Chaos will arrive.
The White Goat Researcher couldn't help but exhale in anxiety and dread; the experimentation she had been working on that horned creature was a catastrophe that led to an apocalyptic result. Her decision to lead some experiments on a peculiar, unseen monster had brought danger to the entire demon realm of Pimor. It wasn't just the release of the Chaos Demons, but the colossal tree itself has extinguished every presence of demonic mana throughout the entire region. Without the heavy presence of mana in the air, her mana cage wouldn't be able to siphon the energy, and it was crucial to enhance her magic mirror in order to establish communications. Therefore, she can't contact the higher-ups in the Royal Makai and their attempts to open teleportation are all for nought.
Their portal gateways have distorted in random ways which can send someone into a dangerous area, some said that a Dark Strategist who went into the portal which was supposed to send her back to Lescatie to call for reinforcements, has fallen to her death in a large pit full of man-eating vile maggots.
Another attempt has been made by some Dark Warrior who reaches out for help from the nearest Demon Realm, but it has sent her elsewhere in a desolate place full of large rabid dogs where she was being ripped apart in mere seconds without warning. She kept these cautious risks in mind that taking any portals in attempts to reach for the Royal Makai is out of the question.
"This is getting terrible." Shirokuto shivered at her concerns about the situation while closing her eyes. She couldn't help but feel the amount of guilt that her actions led Pimor to its doomed state. "Pimor isn't safe anymore."
While the refugees kept their paces, the ground suddenly shook and a large Rockworm erupted from the ground. Its massive ugly face reared to their attention and attacked some individual refugees to their deaths while claiming one unlucky victim in its appendages before retreating to the ground.
Then more of them erupted from the ground and the refugees fled as they could. Several soldiers from the Demon Lord's Army came to protect the civilians while Shirokuto joined the fight. She wanted to help them, but her most powerful spells, which gave the edge in her own favour, have also distorted in their own way. The Witch casts away such thoughts and raised her hand, finally pulling out one of her spells to freeze the area and the Rockworms so the Dark Knights can take them out. But alas, in her dismay, her spell also causes to freeze the Dark Knights in their places as well, which her magic had not intended to do until some Rockworms freed themselves from their icy prisons and smacked the trapped Dark Knights into bloody pieces.
"What are you doing!?" Shirokuto sulked down in dismay once she hears a Dark Knight yell at her in anger. "You're getting us killed!"
"Don't use your magic while we're around!" The other Dark Knight added while raising her sword in a defensive stance as she faced the Rockworm. "It happened to other casters that did it to us!"
Shirokuto fell back in disbelief before the coachman whipped the leash, causing the Demon Realm horses to run on their hooves along with the fleeing refugees. The witch looked down at her hands with eyes filled with shock and felt the sensation with more guilt to realise her spell caused more harm than good, which resulted in the deaths of several Dark Knights. Her magic shouldn't let it happen, but it did.
'My magic killed them... just what happened?' Her thoughts uttered out in dismay. 'I didn't mean to hurt them... I-'
Then the lone Baphomet researchers heard several roars and lifted her head to witness the battle in a distance away from the monstrosities which the Dark Knights kept fighting them at bay until the last Knights of the Demon Realm Army fell to her death once she got overwhelmed, the poor succubus screamed in terror once her limbs and body parts are strewn apart in a gory display. Shirokuto winced and looked away.
'I-... I didn't intend to use my magic for their deaths.' She sobbed as she curled up and the cold wind of death brushed over her skin. Claiming the lives of the fallen. 'Just... what is happening to our magic...?'
...
The Dungeon City of Lothric.
...
The gigantic Phantom howled to the Ashen One and his group in anger and then charged in like a wild beast with a swing of his mace. Yet Sif's massive Greatsword countered Vordt's Mace in a nick of time before the two massive beasts disengaged. The black phantom growled at the Great Wolf while Sif returned a glare, followed by a feral snarl.
The mercenaries from the other groups took their initiative and circled Vordt. They took their few steps in caution in their hopes of bringing down the beast while raising their arms. The Watchdog of Lothric reared its deranged face to the hapless Adventurers and steered his head around while bursting his icy breath; catching humans and monster girls within his range, turning them into solid ice sculptures before the massive Outrider Knight slammed his mace to the ground, and the frozen victims shattered into pieces.
Elen, Reginald, Arcturus, Gerome, and Elaine steeled themselves after witnessing the destruction while Junayd and Ash raised their weapons defensively. Sasha felt her entire body tremble while raising her Elkhorn Round Shield once she had witnessed many people had died within an instant. Vordt reared its head once more towards Ash and strafed away from a blow of Sif's Greatsword. The Gigantic Outrider howled into the air, calling other Outriders to attack the Greatwolf for a distraction while Vordt can smash down his prey and leapt into the air.
"Everyone, scramble!"
Sasha heard Ash's orders and saw Vordt raise his massive mace while in mid-air. They evaded the attack and the massive weapon caused a tremor on the ground. Elen dashed to Vordt's right leg and swung her greatsword which hacked deep within the hides of the monster, but the beast stood unfazed and spins around while swinging his mace, the surprise attack sends the Dhampir flying and hit against the solid wall and fell unconsciously.
"Elen!" Reginald cried out in horror while reaching for his sister.
The monster charged in to end her life, but in a blur. Gerome ran past the monster's attack and immediately grabbed Elen's unconscious body before rolling away from the Outrider's deadly blow.
"Damnit! That would've made me into paste!" Gerome swore until Elaine quickly came in front of him and raised her shield for protection while their companions caught Vordt in a fighting frenzy. "Help them while I have to get Elen out of here!"
His Orc sister nodded and then jumps into the fray. "Understood."
Junayd strafed to the right and then to the left while a gigantic mace nearly caught his face. The mace sends out a blast of stiff wind against his armour and the Desert Swordman saw parts on his red-tattered cloak turned into ice. Noticing this danger, he strafed as far away from the beast.
Reginald and Arcturus charged in from the monster's rear with their weapons raised until they caught the attention of the Outrider Knight. Reginald slid down beneath Vordt while raising his sword upwards, cutting a gash into the monster's belly before Arcturus sends a Lightning Spear which staggered the Outrider Knight in his place. After taking a couple of severe hits, the beast himself howled in an agonizing sensation. It became more frenzied as the massively bloated hollow swung its weapon wildly and Reginald jumped away in a haste at a safe distance while Arcturus raised his shield and took a heavy blow until it threw him against the wall while bracing the impact.
Fortunately, Arcturus remained conscious, but the blow was too severe that blew out the winds from his lungs and the impact itself would've fractured his ribs.
"Agh! By the Lords, he hit hard!" Arcturus grunted in pain while standing on his feet. Then he saw Ash charging the monster from behind.
Ash dashed into battle before while his broadsword deep into the left cheek of Vordts buttocks. From there, the Monster felt an enormous pain as he howled in pain before leaping away and immediately attacked Ash in lighting speed from an extensive range in retaliation for this second humiliation since his first battle at the gates of Lothric Castle. And this enemy was the same Ashen One that had defeated him.
"Ash! Watch out!" Sasha warned her Knight and Ash rolled to the side to avoid another deadly blow coming from Vordt. 'Even Ash is my dedicated sword. I have to protect him as well!'
"Light Shield!"
Ash held up his shield as he stood firm, and Vordt raised his mace in a quick draw. Yet within an instant, Ash noticed a glowing barrier appear on the surface of his magic shield before Vordt's mace slammed against the transparent magic shield and bounced off in much to the surprise of the hollow Outrider while the lethal impact left the magic barrier shattered at the same time. The Knight spun around to Sasha in his surprise.
"Huh... Thanks." The Knight appreciated.
Sasha then smiled. "While my spells aren't enough to kill monsters from your lands, then I will grant my strength for you to defeat them!"
The Outrider Knight growled in anger at the Ashen One as the two opposing fighters exchanged their intimidating glares. With no words spoken, the Outrider Knight raised his mace before Ash strafed to the left. Sasha chanted her spell and her magic channelled into his shield and sword. Ash saw his Crest Shield and his Broadsword glows with the same colour and filled with strengthening power in a light-yellow hue. He saw Vordt leapt up and soared into the air once more and raised his mace while the Ashen One raised his shield upwards at the same time.
*BOOM!*
When the two forces met; Vordt felt his mace bounce off, and it pushes him back in a distance by a powerful force after the Shield buff which Sasha bestowed upon his shield had shattered. Then it was their turn to initiate the counter-attack.
"Everyone, now!" Ash raised his voice with an order. "Attack from all sides and plunge your blades into his vital parts as soon as possible to take him down!"
Elaine, Junayd, and Reginald heard him and prepared their weapons. They nodded to him until Ash raised his fist as a signal before they charged in.
Ash saw Vordt raise his mace before the Knight rolled forwards to avoid his blow and thrust his enhanced blade against Vordt's neck. Then he released his sword, followed by a powerful blow with a bash of his shield which caused the giant beast to stagger back with his head hanging up. Junayd and Elaine dashed towards Vordt from behind and send their powerful blows against the back where the spine is located and cracked his bones apart from within, then Reginald leapt into the wall and runs up before kicking his feet against the wall and jumping through the air in a somersault and landed a plunge of his sword downwards against the Outriders forehead. Reginald pulls it back up and lands gracefully to the ground as the Beast fell backwards.
"A significant work you did there!" Junayd praised until he looks around the carnage, including frozen corpses of dead mercenaries. "By the flames, that monster did a number to catch us off guard."
Ash panted heavily in relief while the rest witnessed the corpse of the giant Black Phantom slowly dispersed. The black hue that covered Vordt as a black phantom slowly disappeared and revealed his true colours. The skin beneath his armour decayed in the process, while black blood poured out with a foul stench caught in their noses.
Meanwhile, outside of the battle arena. Sif strafed to the left to avoid a thrust coming from an Outrider Knight and cleaved the monster apart.
"This is the last one." The Greatwolf remarked before his ears caught sounds of footsteps of a hundred men. "Hmm?"
From there, the Adventurers arrived at the scene and watched in awe at the sight of Outrider Knights' corpses that surround the Greatwolf.
"Whoa... just what happened here?" One of the bewildered Adventurer asked.
"Monsters, we didn't expect it was an ambush," Sif answered through their thoughts. Which caught the humans and mamono off guard. "However, we've taken them down as soon as possible."
"I... uh, alright then. Thank you... um, Mr... Talking Big Wolf? Then we'll just take care of things over here from now on." The Adventurer then sighed before looking back to his group. "Alright everyone, find any survivors, and patch them up!"
...
Demon Realm of Lescatie, Castle of Salvarision.
...
"So you're sending us to aid the Fallen God in her tower?" Luciana raised her eyebrow in question. "For what purpose does the Fallen God want from us?"
"The Fallen God has gathered her small, yet a significant army because for one reason," Druella explained while crossing her arms as her tail swings. "It is because she claimed within her vision that Ash Cyrus might end up hindering her plans to support our paradise."
"Ash Cyrus? Hmm~, It sounds like it involves a virgin man in this mission~" Luciana swooned with lust while a blush appeared on her cheeks. "Then it seems we have someone who wants to have some fun~! Just who is this Ash Cyrus?"
"Oh~? Is that name of a man that I just heard?" Luciana turns her gaze to another dark knight who came to her side. "I suppose he is some potential warrior to become someone's husband~"
"I think we can share his lovely phallus for the both of us, Vermut~!" Lucian licked her lips seductively. "If we can capture him and make him a member of the Dark Ice Flower~"
"Oh, Luciana~! I can't wait for it~" Vermut blushed while excitement and warmth grew within her body with an erotic sensation. "I can't wait for it, teehee~!"
"Girls... I have to some words to tell; this man named Ash Cyrus is an adversary that we should never underestimate." Druella spoke up with a serious tone while raising her finger, which caught the Dark Knights off guard in surprise. "... Wait, you two aren't aware of who he is... do you?"
"Not a clue." Luciana cluelessly shrugged off her shoulders. "We only heard this name by now."
"I don't know either of his reputations," Vermut added while raising her eyebrows. "Is he some Order Hero chosen by the Chief God?"
"No... Ash Cyrus is an unblessed mercenary, a knight from the Kingdom of Astora." As Druella explained her words, the Dark Knights grew silent in disbelief upon hearing the word Astora. The Lilim was aware they weren't familiar with a certain family in Gaul, and the name itself comes from an unheard kingdom. "Oh... right, you never heard of this."
"What's Astora?" Luciana raised her brow in curious.
"I've heard that name for the first time." Vermut wondered while crossing her arms.
"Astora is mostly unheard of and our target, Ash Cyrus, came from that place," Druella said while crossing her arms in a hissy fit manner. "He is also the well-renown Silver-Blue Knight of Lescatie that we feared about."
The Dark Knights slowly dropped their jaws in horror. "I've sent a team of Fallen Heroes to apprehend him and his precious maiden, Sasha Fullmoon. But it didn't go as planned as I've thought."
"W-Wait... so is this the reason why Alameria and Olivier never came back!?" Luciana then spoke up with a troubled tone. "Were they taken out!?"
"They're more likely imprisoned by his Allies," Druella informed them. "Up to this day, I still got no contact with them and there is no further information about his weaknesses... and that wretched Dhampir is out there!"
"... Huh?... Then who was she?" Vermut curiously questioned.
"A Dhampir who goes by the name called Elen," Then Druella raised her voice in frustration. "That gal shall be punished for staining my existence by calling me that name!"
Vermut and Luciana felt their sweat beads flowing down through their foreheads in fear to witness the aura of her wrath until Druella slowly calmed down from her self-inducing rage.
"... Are you okay right now?" Luciana asked while she cautiously stepped forward. "So that man, an Astoran, is the one we should capture?"
Druella let out a deep sigh and calmed down her senses as she straightened up. "Yes, him."
"Wait... so let me get this straight," Lucian looks down in frustration while massaging her temples. "So you're telling us we should go to the Fallen Tower to aid the Fallen God."
"Yes." Druella nodded.
"And you're letting us face the Silver-Blue Knight himself?" Lucian asked once more in worry before Druella nodded once more. "Okay... huh..."
...
...
...
As seconds of silence has passed, Lucian took a deep breath before exhaling until Vermut felt an uncanny sensation forming from the blonde Fallen Knight until she raised out her voice.
"ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND!?"
"Luciana, please-" Druella reasoned her, but it suddenly interrupted her with Lucian's voice of frustration.
"No! By the love of Gods, No!"
"Are you willing to deny my orders!?" Druella spoke up firmly, and Luciana shut her mouth after feeling a deadly aura coming from the Lilim. "I do not want any insubordination, or else you won't be earning yourself to find a husband! Is that clear!?"
"Th-That's not fair-" Then the former hero froze once she saw Druella hardened her glare.
Luciana stood silently while looking down as her fists clenched and her body trembled inwardly. Vermut comes up to her fellow succubus and pats her on the right side of the shoulder to comfort her. The Daughter of the Rosnair Family could tell Luciana that she's on the verge of tears, fearing that she alone will face death.
"I have to tell you something about Ash Cyrus, he has an unknown fate on his side which can shift into his favor," Druella warned while narrowing her eyes. "So you need to be careful, or else death will claim your life."
Lucian trembled but bowed obediently to the fourth-borne. Then Druella turned to Vermut. "You too; shall assist her in his capture."
The blonde Fallen Heroine widened her eyes in disbelief before looking up to Vermut, who also expresses her face of horror and trembled. "M-Me!? Wh-Why!?"
"You and Lucian were a powerful pair and I can see your potential as Knights of the Ice Flower." Druella points out before forming an evil smirk. "I've talked with Wilmarina. She allowed you two to take the job along with Kirsche and Paula as well."
"Th-Them as well!?" Vermut stood baffled. "I-Isn't that a bit too much?"
"Eristia Vitral tried to apprehend him, but she failed. Then you've already heard that Olivier and Alameria failed their missions as well, along with Sandra." Druella bit her lips, disgruntled. "That unblessed mercenary did more to make us lose than the Heroes themselves had in the previous millennia. We won against every single human nation we've come across until Artos Astora and his secret allies denied our path to paradise since the last century... then he came along."
Lucian and Vermut looked at each other, sharing their worried expressions before looking back at Druella once more. "Thus, the inevitable Fate of the Fallen God has come..."
Vermut gulped after hearing a prophecy that is unheard of. Not in her previous human life that she would expect the Fallen Deity will soon be overthrown by someone according to some strange fate the deity had envisioned.
"Imagine, if the Fallen God were to have truly fallen under the blade of the Silver-Blue Knight," Druella's voice became tense as a foreboding scenario comes up into her mind. "Then our efforts for the path to paradise will go nowhere."
"Th-That can't be..." Vermut uttered out in dismay once she stepped back, trembling by the words of the Lilim as if the outcome was possible. "Then that means..."
"The Demon Lord can't win," Luciana spoke up before straightening herself up and determination now fills her eyes with passion. "Therefore, he will slay a God in his own destiny and we can't let this happen!"
"Exactly! Now you get it. We must stop Ash Cyrus from achieving such impossibility." Druella then smiled maliciously. "Now go before her Dark Priests will initiate their plans to abduct Sasha to their tower."
"Understood!" The Dark Knights bowed before leaving the throne room.
Once they've left the halls, Wilmarina appeared from the shadows along with her husband, Elt. Druella gazed around to her attention at the fallen heroine. The monster couple then bowed to her and Druella raised her hand.
"Rise, my lovely dears~" Druella said while leaning forth with a confident smile. "So... now you've heard some interesting bits about the Silver-Blue Knight, hmm?"
"Yes, I didn't expect he's a formidable adversary," Wilmarina said admittingly while looking down. "An adversary which didn't meet our expectations."
"Why did big sister sided with him?" Elt uttered in much to his disbelief. "I can't believe she's together with a madman."
"There's nothing to fret you two, neither you're going to catch Ash Cyrus," Druella said before standing up from her throne and her eyes gazed at Wilmarina. "I am fully confident that your Knights of the Ice Flower are capable as other full-fledged Heroes themselves who can take him out."
"Then... is this plan going to work?" Elt asked in a worrying tone and Druella nodded in much to her confidence.
"Ash Cyrus is truly a man with a lack of heart and love. While freely roaming around, he murdered monster girls without a hint of guilt. Something I wouldn't expect it from a mere human," Druella explained with sorrow in her eyes and then she made a wicked smile with confidence in her heart. "But with enough Fallen Heroes to challenge him. Then I am sure he doesn't have the power to overwhelm them. Thus, he will surely fall and pave our way for our paradise and revived the fallen lives he had claimed!"
"Fufufufu~! With him taken out, then we'll enjoy a long night together, my dear Elt~" Wilmarina moaned with an orgasmic breathing while her right hand slid for his family jewels between his legs. "Therefore, we do not need to worry about him anymore~!"
Upon feeling her hands touched his jewels between his legs, Elt stuttered. "M-Mary..."
"Ahem." Wilmarina and Elt stopped while turning their attention to Druella. The Lilim waved her hand to dismiss them. "Well... since our talks here is finished. It's best for you two need to get a room. You're dismissed."
With the exciting look on the face of the Fallen Heroine, Wilmarina grabbed Elt by his arms and exited the Royal Halls with an exciting laughter.
"Hihihihii~! Let's go Elt~!"
"W-Wait, Mary!"
Elt tried to finish his sentence while being pulled in, and the doors of the royal halls were shut behind them. The succubus continued her way to their room with her husband and Druella chuckled in amusement at the comical sight of the couple.
"Fufu~ Looks like they're having their own fun again~"
...
The Underground Dungeon City of Lothric.
...
"Mmmnn... H-huh?" Elen slowly opened her eyes and felt her head ached in pain while her vision stirred. "What... happened?"
"You just got knocked out cold." She heard her brother spoke up and spun to her right. She saw Reginald sitting beside her and saw Gerome leaning against the wall, standing on guard. "How's your sleep?"
Elen groaned in pain while massaging her forehead as she tries to stay up before asking. "How long I was out?"
"For three hours straight," Reginald answered bluntly. "Gerome and Elaine saved you after getting knocked out by Vordt, and Sasha patched you up soon after the battle."
"Wait... I missed the whole thing, didn't I?" Elen's eyes grew wide in disbelief and cursed. "Damnit, and you all get that glory for yourself!"
"Oh, hush sis. At least we got rid of it! What will mom think when you get perished?" Reginald furrowed his eyes behind his bandana in an upsetting manner until patting his hand on top of her head while standing up. "Next time, don't get cocky, and you should be careful."
"Hmph!" Elen pouted in a hissy fit while crossing her arms. "Regi, I'm already old enough. Not a kid!"
Reginald couldn't help but sighed deeply at her stubbornness until he flashed a mocking smile. "Right, Right. But you're still my little sis."
His words mention of calling her a 'Little Sister' made Elen fuming with a deep red shades of anger on her face and Reginald whiffed his hands dismissively.
"S-Sorry! Didn't mean to hurt your feelings. But we should get up. The others might have found something new."
Gerome then smirks behind his helmet at their interactions as siblings. He shrugs at some thoughts between him and his orc sister. "If I ever tell Elaine being a "little sister", she would punch me into the guts."
In some parts of the city, the group ended up at another dead-end. Then Ash takes another detour for a shortcut by slamming a nearby wooden door with his blacksmith's hammer and entered the building.
"Well, good thing no one's home," Sasha remarks in curiosity as she looks around the living room section. "This place seems unscathed while there're spiders and dust all around here. This place must've been comfier before."
"Looks like this house was used by wealthy middle-class which they can afford to live in," Elaine added before looking up towards a peculiar painting hanging on the wall, depicting knights wearing silver armour and showing off their shadowed faces behind their winged helmets. Their appearance made the Knight Orc of the Sunlight wondering in awe. "These guys look intimidating to see... I wonder who painted this...?"
Junayd inspects the empty cupboards and shelves to find something useful or hidden treasures until he saw a chest lying around the corner. He withdrew his weapon from his back until he felt Ash held him back on his shoulders.
"Don't worry, it's safe," Ash said before Junayd slowly sheathed his sword back. "I know mimics don't have curved chains."
Ash walked over to the chest and carefully opens up the lid. Sasha and Junayd went to his side for a closer look, and to their surprise; all they saw is a small stone with a skull carved into the object.
"What is that?" Sasha asked while Ash picked up the stone. "I suppose it's a magic item, by the looks of it."
"Let me guess, you can also feel the energy radiating from it?" The Knight asked before the Warrior Nun nodded in return. "This... is a Purging Stone and from what I can tell, the Undead used this to keep their human appearance."
"Wait... They use this stone to retain their human appearance?" Junayd mused in astonishment while cupping his chin. "Interesting... very interesting."
"Although it doesn't make them fully human. It's like how the mamonos disguised themselves as humans using their own magic." Ash explained before putting the Purging Stone into his pouch. "We need to get out and investigate some more."
"Right... guys, I need to meet up with Arcturus." Elaine said while vacating the building. "I sensed something that might not end well for him if he ever got lost."
"Oh, right. Then take care Elaine!" Sasha then waved her hands and bid the Orc some good luck.
Once the group vacates the building as Elaine head for another path across the streets, Sasha caught some commotion happening in a nearby area. From there, she saw a male adventurer trying to wake up a woman in a pure white casual dress who lies near a black-coloured monument which has human skulls and faces depicted as hand-carved sculptures. Sasha rushed over to the Adventurer for aid while Junayd and Ash followed the suit.
"Marcy! Wake up, Marcy!" The Adventurer shakes her body in his attempt to wake her up. "Come on... Marcy!"
"What's going on?" The Male Adventurer then spun around to see a green-haired adventurer who kneeled beside his partner. "Did something happen?"
"Help me, please! Something happened to her!" The Adventurer explained in a state of panic on his face. "This came just in a sudden! I and Marcy were just looking around for treasures until she touched this monument."
Ash looks up where the adventurer points his way towards a black monument. The Knight of Astora knew that peculiar monument which could've normally been seen in the Ringed City; a Purging Monument. Then he looks down at an unconscious female adventurer who laid in her partner's arms.
"Tell us the exact details from what just happened?" Ash asked. "And to be specific."
"W-Well, Marcy just touched this monument." The Adventurer answered. "And then, in a sudden, there was a flash; she just turned back into her human form."
"Human... form?" Sasha raised her eyebrow in bewilderment. "You mean, she's already a Mamono?"
"Yes, Marcy is a succubus." The Adventurer nodded in response. "But for now... I can't sense her demonic energy or anything and it's worrying me... as if she just turns back human again!"
Ash, Sasha, and Junayd felt their eyes widened in shock. The Silver-Blue Knight glance up to the purging monument once more and grabs the small purging stone from his pouch. Then he turned his glance to the unconscious woman before Marcy moved her eyes. The male adventurer then turned his glance down at Marcy while waking up in much to his relief and joy, but something was amiss.
"Ugh...! I felt I had a bad dream..." Marcy groaned while massaging her temples until she turns her attention to the male adventurer and expressed her surprise. "Wh-Wha-!? Jill, is that you!?"
"Marcy! You woke up!" The male adventurer, now named Jill, embraced his partner in relief. "You're alright!"
"Y-Yeah... I'm alright, but... what happened to you!?" Marcy then pushed herself away from Jill and looked at him in disbelief. "Your hair got longer and you reeked of sweat! Also, when did your eyes got red? Then, for most of all, where the hell are we!?"
"Uh dear, we're in the Dungeon City of Lothric," Jill answered, but Marcy's response is a skeptic glare with arms crossed. "Wait... you know nothing about what had happened previously?"
"No, all I remembered is that I just got molested by a succubus in the forest." Marcy grunts while a tinge of pain had struck her head. "I got exhausted due to heat before I blacked out... then I just wake up right now."
"Molested by a succubus? But that was just two years ago." Jill answered with a nervous scratch behind the back of his neck. "But then you submitted yourself to me because you loved me... right?"
"Wait... you're telling me they turned me into a succubus since... two years ago!?" Marcy raised her voice in disbelief. "And I submitted to you because I loved you!? What the hell!? I didn't even love you in the first place-!... W-Wait... when I got turned into a succubus.. does that mean..."
"W-Well, we did our usual thing almost every day," Jill replied honestly in much to Marcy's dismay. "So yeah, we did our first time having se-"
Just as Jill was about to finish his sentence, a hand smacks across his face by Marcy and her cheeks grew red in embarrassment, anger and humiliation.
"YOU PERVERT!" She yelled in disgust before curling herself into a ball and sobbed. "I can't believe it... my life... is ruined!"
Sasha and Ash witnessed the entire conversation that had turned into a fiasco in disbelief and the Warrior Nun herself backs away from the quarrelling couple while making a quiet, nervous cough and after that; Junayd and Ash soon followed her and stepped away from the heated mess.
"So this monument... really turns her back to human," Sasha uttered before looking up at the monument and then glanced back to Ash. "Ash, have you got any clues about this pillar?"
"That's a Purging Monument," Ash replied while bringing up the Purging stone. "It has the same capability as this one, but the monument itself is the bigger version of it."
"Then this means... we've found magic stones which can cure monsterization!?" Sasha stated out loud in much to her disbelief and joy. She didn't expect to find some unique items and the monument itself out of all places. Thus, it turns out for her realisation that they can change the world to tip into their favour over the corruption of monsters. "This is astounding! Ash, this discovery might help to turn people back to once they were!"
"Well, I'm not yet sure," Ash said skeptically while shrugging off his shoulders. "There might be side effects that can do more harm than good."
"Then supervising the effects is highly recommended," Junayd concluded with a stroke on his chin. "The stone itself might be a game-changer and somewhat cheaper to come by. But I doubt more of them will be found somewhere but here."
"Then these stones will be hard to find." Ash then dismissed the Purging Stones by putting it back in his side pouch. "Come on, we'll go find the others."
*BOOM!*
"What was that!?" Sasha turned to where the explosive sounds was coming from and tightens her staff in caution. Soon afterward, another explosion erupted, with a strike of lighting coming from afar. "Was that lightning?"
Junayd's suddenly perked up in realisation while looking around and noticed someone went missing.
"Hold on... isn't that place where Elaine is supposed to meet her cousin?"
...
"OH CRAP!"
Arcturus dashed out from an alleyway before a gigantic golden armor smashed its demented axe to the ground. The Knight of Sunlight made a hasty defensive stance while raising his shield and his sword at ready. The Dragonslayer Armor slowly turned around to Arcturus, which made the Knight himself gulping nervously before he heard footsteps coming from behind. He gazed his eyes around and saw Elaine came from around the corner.
"Huh, Arcturus? What's going-HOLY CRAP!" Elaine yelped in surprise as she withdrew her Greataxe and pointed to the Dragonslayer Armor. "The hell is that guy!?"
"Like, how would I know!?" Arcturus replied in incredulity. "That guy just came out from nowhere!"
The two Knights tensed while the Dragonslayer Armor marched forwards and raised its massive weapon, then leaped from a great distance and smashed its massive axe to the ground. Causing another sound of explosion throughout the ruins. Fortunately, Elaine and Arcturus rolled out from the blast before the Armor raised its head once more and growled to the two knights in frustration.
"Well, you do look tough, huh," Arcturus uttered, followed with a nervous chuckle.
The Dragonslayer Armor howled before its eyes flashed intensely with red and the Knights took their stance for battle.
Chapter 17: End
Authors note: Well, 2021 started crazy as 2020. But it's v2.0. I hope you guys are alright and stay safe!
Authors note 2: Okay, I've explained Omega-E with reasoning and explanations of the lore, how it makes sense, and why. Before that, he agrees to stop his agenda before it makes consequences of backlashes according to my terms. So it's all settled down.