Chapter 24: Invasion from the Skies.
Theocracy of Al-Mar.
...
Beyond the horizon of the clear oceans above, the sun sets from the orange-coloured skies. Anri and Deren walked through the pathways across the White City of the Theocracy while seeing citizens, both humans, incubi and mamono went back to their homes in a hurry with their fear-stricken faces. In every corner of the city, restaurants, fashion stores, candy shops, and famous places for romantic tours were shut down by their owners.
"By the Lords, seem like people are getting rowdy around the town," Deren states in delight. "After we had a talk with the Diva, we find ourselves walking through this rush hour."
"Well, that's because monsters are coming out at night," Anri answered straightforwardly while shrugging off his shoulders. "It's been a few weeks since the strange anomaly occurred that had attacked this place."
"Excuse me! Coming through!"
The two knights heard someone coming from behind and saw a cart being pushed by a man coming on their way in a rush. They stepped aside, and the cart filled with store goods went through while some candies and ice cream flew out, thus spilling on the floor by accident.
"Jeez, even that guy worries too much for himself," Anri raised his brow while asserting a bothered look. "These people were acting up like they just don't want to die or something... I mean, the sun hasn't come down yet."
"Then let's go look for an inn," Deren spoke as he scurried off into the rushing crowd.
Anri followed Deren while avoiding the fear-stricken citizens of the White City. After an hour has passed. Deren stopped his tracks as he looked up to a sign that hangs above the entrance and the Lion Knight reads it out loud.
"Fisherman's Dream Inn," Deren said jokingly while placing his hands on his hips. "I heard this place is a cheaper place to stay than the Hotels of De Ryua."
"De Ryua is evidently for richer guests, and I hope this one over here doesn't reek a lot of bodily odour." Anri loathed while shrugging off his shoulders before the two went past through the entrance. Upon entering the building, Anri is relieved as his nose picked up the natural smell of roses and flowers hanging by the walls and on the counter as if they served as perfume. "At least this place has more hygiene."
The knights went for the counter until they were met by a Merrow, who jumped up behind her desk with an over-friendly attitude.
"Greetings~! Welcome to the Fisherman's Dream~!" The Merrow greeted the two knights with a cheerful tone until she makes a lustful gaze at her new guests. "Oh dear, what do we have here~? Judging by your statures and physical body appearance... are you two males?"
"Yes, we are," Deren answered smugly behind his helmet and sensed a feeling of hospitality in the air. The Merrow gave him a curious gaze. "Is something the matter?"
"Strange, you and your friend are something off as if... both of you are... dead?" The Merrow doesn't know where to put it while growing in confusion and wonder. "I never had human guests who lacked essence in my past one hundred and thirty years."
"Do you find that strange?" Deren raised his eyebrow amusingly. "I hail from another place... not around this realm. Not the likes of the people from the Order."
"Oh~! I see. Well, I admit it's strange. I thought humans always have spirit energy while you two have none." The Merrow spoke up in astonishment and wonder. "Then, could there be another type of humans out there as well... like you two?"
"Yes, indeed! There are many exotic places and people waiting to be discovered. Although, it's not an easy challenge to explore and see it by yourself freely." Deren replied in a jolly manner as he placed a small pouch of gold on the counter. "So, uh. One room for two, please."
Upon hearing his order, the Merrow jolts up to realisation whilst she almost forgot her job. "Uh-!? Oh! Right, where are my manners? This way, please~!"
"By the lords... I can hear someone's doing their usual thing..." Anri mumbled while hearing female moans and screams of pleasure coming out from other guest rooms. He straps his bag behind his shoulders while going upstairs to their room, and Anri swore it will be the noisiest night he'll ever experience.
...
Kingdom of Gaul, Town of Gerth.
...
It is near midnight. All the townsfolk were heading back to their homes whilst the town guards patrolled streets while the street lamps were lit across the darkness. Inside the guest room of Horseback Inn, a peculiar musketeer shuffled under her blanket, which caught the attention of Sasha Fullmoon, and Ash Cyrus. Elen included whilst she stalked the room above the wooden beams.
"Hmm~... mmmhh~?"
Olivier groaned while letting out some mumbles until she stretches her arms upward and yawned. "Huu~ooaah~!... Huh? Is it morning?... Wait... this isn't my room..."
"Ah! Good evening, Ms Amaltia!" Sasha greeted her fellow hero with a wave of her hand. "Did you sleep well?"
"S-... Sasha?! Wh-What are you doing here?" Olivier's eyes grew in a sudden confusion until pointing her finger toward Ash. "And who's he and... what place am I!?"
"Olivier, you need to calm down for a while and we'll talk," Sasha said while motioning her hands up and down before the Priestess cleared her throat. "It's been a while and a lot of things have happened... do you remember anything?"
"Humm?... Oh... Oh!... Oh no... That's right! Lescatie was under attack!" Olivier then jolts up in realisation as her head quivered down in pure horror. "I-I was captured and imprisoned... th-then I met... I met Wilmarina... the strongest heroine herself and she... she turned into a monster!"
Sasha and Ash looked at her in bewilderment until the musketeer broke down into a sob. The Priestess then stood up and walked over to Olivier while giving her a warm hug with a rub on her back.
"It's alright, everything is going to be alright," The Priestess hushed while comforting the musketeer. "Listen, Olivier, in this place, we're safe from the Monsters of the Demon Lord."
"Th-then where are we?" Olivier trembled whilst her tone stammering in worry. "Wh-What happened to Lescatie? Where's everyone?!"
"... We're in a local town called Gerth, in the midst of the frontier region of Gaul," Sasha replied before she gently clasped her hands on Olivier's. "Yet I hate to say this but... Lescatie has fallen for almost a month and the place is already a Demon Realm."
"... No... No! Th-that can't be...!" Olivier uttered in despair as she lowered her head once more in grief and tears then trickled down her cheeks. "Does that mean... the Order of the Ice Flower..."
"... I'm sorry, there is nothing we can do," Sasha said while tilting her head sidewards in sadness. Then she looks up at her and softly wipes off her tears. "But do not fret. I have gained formidable allies with me."
Sasha then turns around and introduced her companion to Olivier. "This is Ash Cyrus, a mercenary who hailed from a far-off land."
"Greetings," Ash greeted with a friendly wave of his hand. "I hope we can get along."
Sasha smiled before turning back to Olivier. "Also, he's the famous Silver-Blue Knight of Lescatie."
Upon hearing his title, Olivier's eyes grew wide in shock as her gaze widened to the Knight. His appearance is typically not unusual while he is indeed wearing a blue surcoat with golden herald flames, silver platings of fluted armour, and his unusual duck-faced helmet. But nevertheless, the Musketeer couldn't believe that she was able to meet the famous mercenary who could bring down monsters without the interference of Heroes or divinities.
"Y-You're the Silver-Blue Knight?" Olivier stammered while in a state of disbelief. "I-... I never thought I could meet him in person."
"Your friend has already owed me a favour." Ash chortled until he called someone from above. "Elen, you can come down now."
"Alrighty then,~!" Olivier looked up and saw a young woman flip up from the wooden beams and her boots quietly landed on the floor. "Oof!... Well, I almost woke up the guests down there."
"This is Elen Farron, one of our allies." Sasha introduced her with a smile, and Oliver greets her with a warm smile. "But don't be surprised to hear this, she's a Dhampir."
Then Olivier's smile went down and reeled back in shock with a frown. "Wait... a-a Dhampir!?"
"Don't be afraid, she's not one of them!" Sasha replied nervously in a protective tone. "Trust me, she won't turn you into a mamono!"
Olivier groaned in discomfort while trying to shove herself away from the Dhampir. However, she realised something jumbling in her head as if her memories spilt in and knew one particular individual she cared about within the Three Musketeers in the midst of controversy... is Alameria. Despite being a chosen hero for the Nation of Lescatie, she soon realised Alameria's true nature as a half-vampire and half-human.
More memories trickled in and saw what happened before the invasion began. Olivier remembered Alameria was caught by the suspicious clergy of the Order and was sentenced to execution due to her nature as a monster. But her execution never came until Druella barged through the walls with an invasion force that led to her eventual capture. Then she faced the Succubus Hero Wilmarina in the Castle of Salvarision and monsterized. The musketeer remembered what she had recited in her declaration to change the Order of the Ice Flower into the newly established Order of the Dark Ice Flower.
Olivier couldn't help but feel the rage as anger stirred within her mind until her hands clenched once her last view to see the monsters turned all of her friends into depraving sex-crazed puppets before her vision went dark. Those were the memories she only knew about the true nature of the Demon realm's radical faction.
"...Those damned... sex-crazed fiends..."
Sasha heard Olivier's mumbling out of spite. She couldn't help but take a deep sigh.
"You need to rest, Olivier," Sasha whispered while standing up from Olivier's bed. "Tomorrow, we'll talk with Siegward and the others regarding this situation."
...
Demon Realm Nation of Lescatie.
...
"No! Help!"
"It's him! Get him- AUGH!"
"Pl-Please, spare us!"
"D-Don't you spare any mercy!? HIEEK!"
Druella and the six Princesses of Lescatie watched the latest vision with their newly brought magic mirror in pure terror just to see the Knights of the Dark Ice Flower being slaughtered through the Fallen Tower like no tomorrow. They saw the Silver-Blue Knight fight his way with an array of weapons and magic spells, even facing against the odds that should've been stacked over any humans and heroes, he overcame them regardless of their pleas. As the Princesses of Lescatie observed the bloodbath, their ideas of monsters who are supposed to be stronger than humans were thrown out of the window when this Knight existed. And his existence is where he brought forth the consequences of death.
"S-Stop it..." Druella then turned her gaze to Wilmarina and saw her expression react in pure anxiety until she knelt on the floor, lowering her head down as tears trickled. The fate of her closest sister-in-arms was too much for her to bear. "Please... make it stop...!"
The Lilim then noticed Wilmarina had enough to see the deaths of her knights and stopped the visions of the magic mirror which still has the image of the Silver-Blue Knight impaling his Astora Greatsword through the unprotected belly of an Incubus Knight.
"So this is how he deals with the Mamono," Merse uttered with spite while clenching her halberd. "Is this what Sasha really wants with him? Falling in love with a murderer?"
"I can't believe it... he brought forth their deaths." Fransisca lowered her head down while facing away from the mirror in sadness. "Just what does she see in his dark, bitter heart?"
Wilmarina also turned away from the magic mirror. Horrified and disgusted until her palms hit the walls. The Dark Heroine almost vomited to the floor as if she can smell it through the recordings. The carnage is brutal, which gives a nauseating feeling to the succubus. Mimil continuously watched the recordings while cowering in fear, while noting his magic. She swore the magic's aura had caused some disruptions through visions whenever he cast a spell while slaughtering his enemies.
"But... why aren't the heroes using their magic?" Mimil said while raising her eyebrow. "They are struggling and yet, they aren't using their magic at their full use!"
"That's because the Silver-Blue Knight possessed spells and items which prevent them from using their blessings," Vermut informed the Witch. "Therefore, they were powerful enough that it can disrupt the strongest spells ever known across the field of magic."
At that point, the succubuses grew worried upon hearing that information. Mimil knew the Demon Lord's Army was heavily reliant on their use of magic. Now realising this new weakness could make them even more vulnerable where they can't have any chances of counterattacks. Despite some monsters did display their inhuman strengths and prowess, they still couldn't overcome his sharp blades, which can cut through their skins like wet paper. That alone hints his weaponry isn't made of ordinary steel. Therefore, this Silver-Blue Knight knew their strengths very well and utilised anti-magic spells and items to negate their advantages.
While watching the vision, Koyoi watched closely at the display of sword techniques that the Silver-Blue Knight uses. It was unlike any other sword technique she has ever seen and was rarely been used in the Western World. Most knights of the Order she knew always weaved their blades like clubs... but the way he wove his sword flows like a clear river stream and strikes with a ferocity of a snake. In one scene where he fought in combat against the Heavy Armor Dark Knights and Incubi with enhanced magic armour. These monsterized warriors still meant nothing to this ruthless mercenary and observe his moves where he aimed his blade at the vulnerable spots to kill.
She was even utterly surprised to see the Knight handled his greatsword like a light quarterstaff and grappled his enemies with a guard to disarm from their weapons before finishing them with a final blow with the Claymore's crossguards.
"This man is quite skilled." Koyoi comments, catching the attention of the other princesses to see how calm she was despite seeing the brutality in the recordings. Yet for the Zipangunese herself, it isn't uncommon to witness death back in her homeland. "But he does not play around."
"Indeed, by observing his skills alone... he's very serious," Merse added with a frown. "The odds of facing him and the success rate to take him down are very low. Therefore, we should need to be cautious if we ever going to face him."
"But how come did Sasha get de-monsterized according to Luciana's account?" Druella wondered while waving her hand to skip the mirror to the latest piece of the recorded vision. "Hmm, this one right here might have answers."
The Lilim then stopped and snapped her fingers. A vision played once more in the magic mirror. From there they saw Sasha facing Ash, having a lewdful smile with some malicious intent to rape him until she raised her right arm and a black vine appeared. Then they see the Knight got apprehended, much to his surprise and takes a move. The seven princesses saw him pulling out an object to what's supposed to be a rumoured stone which can de-monsterize the transformed humans.
Yet they saw Sasha summoned another vine and took the rock away, then smashed it to the ground in an instant before the Dark Priest laughed at his feeble attempt to turn her back. That's not until he broke free from his captivity much to their bewilderment. This person was said to be just a mere human who lacked mana, but that wasn't the case. He broke free from the monster's magic, no less, and his status doesn't state that he's a hero. Druella cannot find his current fate other than a mysterious blank slate.
As Dark Priest Sasha was about to capture him once more, she was suddenly thrown into disarray while the Lilim and six princesses watched in complexity to see the corrupted priestess claiming herself loudly as the real one. The mamono loudly claimed for her knight that she was more beautiful than her old self until Ash said his words that he will free her old self from some kind of "prison".
Then they saw the Dark Priestess summoning her sword and lunging towards the Silver-Blue Knight. The Knight and the Dark Priestess threw themselves into a deadly clash of their duel. Sasha fought aggressively with her swings, but Ash countered her attacks almost flawlessly as if he predicted her moves with his sword. Then she used her magic to summon more black vines from thin air.
Unfortunately, her attempts failed and realised Ash cuts them down as he knew it was a trick in her sleeves. Thus, the Dark Priest stopped her assault, knowing that fighting him will solve nothing. She dropped her sword and begged the knight to stop the fight.
They heard Sasha wanted to live peacefully with him so that they can achieve peaceful coexistence between humans and monsters where they can complete the Demon Lord's goal. However, The Silver-Blue Knight answered differently.
"... No."
"Wh-What!? How could you say that!?"
"Remember these old words I used to say... that happiness couldn't exist without the efforts of hardships and suffering... without them, happiness no longer has a meaning. The burden I have in my past is far more than you can think of... just to imagine what it was like to offer the ultimate sacrifice to end a dying, decrepit world from the shackles of stagnation so a new one can usher. I know you do not understand these words as a monster. For the world, they were important to many as a way of living. I've suffered enough and seen many tragedies throughout my journeys. I've bled with pain and witnessed my comrades die as they achieved their goals... Yet I'm still here. I'm standing because my Will did not see where I can give up and my goal will remain that I shall free her from you! For that is the purpose of my vow to her life."
At that moment, the succubuses raised their eyebrows as they grew appalled. Did he suffer enough and has a bigger burden from his previous journey and what does he mean he sacrificed anything to end a dying world? Regarding his statements could mean he has a dark past. But what horrors did he face? They knew the monsters were already girls they could unleash their desirable flesh on the men. As for Druella, she knew the people within the Order states were indeed miserable as they can inflict each other with harm, but the mystery remained. What made the knight kill the mamono is way beyond her comprehension and how does his willpower remain intact?
"But these tragedies were important for me and changed who I am. Despite my wounds being mended, my scars remain and I couldn't let them go because I cherished them the most. All I want is Sasha to have her new purpose and forge her own path without the value of her desires. You are but a manifestation of her desire in its sickening form and claim yourself as liberated from your burden that remains unatoned, and fighting for an idea. An idea of a so-called, "Perfection" who brings out such foolish dreams under the name of greed and obsession, which can turn the world only for nought."
The Lilim has never felt so uncomfortable in her life. Hearing his words states that what he sees in Dark Priest Sasha was nothing more than a fake and labelled her as a sickening manifestation of her desire who claims to be liberated from the burdens that stood unatoned. In the past centuries, she has never heard a man who would dare to speak these words to deny the monsters about the new beauty and submissiveness of their newfound love. The rest of the Fallen Heroines and the Knights gazed at each other in trouble and dismay. Yet his words reached the ears of Wilmarina and fell silent while gazing down at her own hands.
"Greed... and obsession?" Wilmarina silently mumbled to herself. "What does that have to do with love...? Or was love is indeed a part of it?"
'Wait... what am I thinking?' The Hero Succubus snapped out and tilts her head sidewards. 'All I wanted is to be loved... but why do I feel I haven't earned it yet?'
The Monster Girl continued to observe the vision, and the battle unfolds yet again when they see Sasha unleashing her rage and summoned as many black vines as possible to apprehend the Silver-Blue Knight. Yet regardless of her attempts; Ash Cyrus dodged her attacks with ease and sliced off the entangling vines until some caught his legs before they pinned him down to the ground. Then Sasha slowly comes up to the entangled Knight and sat on top of him. Thus she pushed him to the ground with both of her hands.
"I won't let you live like this," They heard Dark Priest utter with a glare staring right into his visor "Your spirit is tainted by a guilt-ridden heart full of torment. So I shall free you from this blind violence of yours!"
Once the Dark Priest pulls up his helmet visor, Druella and her subordinates leaned in further to inspect his true identity. The Monster Girls then reeled back in surprise and shock with mad blushes razing on their cheeks. Wilmarina forced herself to turn around of a sudden while feeling a pang of jealousy in her heart while the rest of the Heroes and the two Knights had a sudden change of emotions while staring directly at his face. Although Wilmarina tries to resist his charming face, she has Elt and that's all she wanted to be for him.
Thus staring directly at a man named Ash Cyrus is utterly dangerous for her and she should not risk herself separating her relationship from her beloved Elt once again.
"Is... Is it me or am I getting jealous...?" Druella's eye boggled at Ash in disbelief while trying to avert her gaze from him but to no avail. 'J-Just what is this feeling!? DAMNIT! THERE'S NO WAY HE CAN BE THAT HANDSOME! SASHA, YOU SLY WENCH!'
"Oh, you poor, poor soul," Druella then snapped out from her mind and saw the Dark Priest expressing sorrow, and the Lilim noticed how empty his eyes were. "Don't worry... I will give you happiness. I will show you the world of Monsters where love is the greatest force of all."
The Fallen Heroes watched the scene until the Dark Priest leaned in a kiss. The priestess monster girl moaned for a while and the Heroines felt their jealousy increase until they saw her body emit steam. Druella watched in dismay once light flared out like a flash before the Lilim dropped her jaw in incredulity. Her favourite candidate, who would have taken for her position as the Seventh Princess of Lescatie, was reverted into her human form while wearing a white Leanne dress. All of her monster priestess garments and body parts, such as her tail, wings, and horns, have disappeared as well.
This scene alone gave a shocking revelation to the monster girls and the Lilim in dismay.
"How is that... possible?" Mimil blurted out incredulously. "A single kiss just brought her back to her human form!"
"Does that mean... he possesses a power which can bring back people to their pre-monsterized state?" Francisca anxiously added in fear. "S-Such an ability exists!?"
"I may think that this ability might only affect a specific person," Eva concluded while observing the show while thinking in deep thoughts. "But I can't say if he could do to other monsterized women. Seeing Sasha desired with him... only he can affect her because I get this feeling that those two are awfully close."
"Oh yeah, she said to us he is her Knight who took upon her Oath," Primera spoke up in realisation. "Then this means if Sasha was monsterized again, the effect of the kiss will be the same."
"Are there any countermeasures to prevent this?" Wilmarina wondered curiously. "I mean, turning her back to Human could mean trouble."
"Wait a sec. You're telling me you wanted Sasha to remain as a monster?" Merse then spoke up incredulously to Wilmarina. "If her form gave up as a monster, then it's best to describe that she will live with him. As a human being."
"No... Sasha had suffered enough as a Human and I saw her pain once she saw how the people who lived in the slums felt... she should never remain to live like this!" Wilmarina said, heartbroken while looking down with a dispirited face. "Then one day... we will outlive her. Elt loves her too as well, and he doesn't want to remain empty without her..."
When Druella heard Wilmarina explaining her reason for her friend to live a longer life, she exhaled while leaning down and placing her forehead on her palm. She could see how the Strongest Heroine of Lescatie sees Sasha as their motherly figure, and yet they want her to remain in eternity with the fallen heroes. But one problem is Ash Cyrus, a mysterious individual who's capable of bringing down a God and turning Sasha back from her monsterized form. Then she realised of their new adversary, it will be more difficult than expected.
'This man is doing something that should've been impossible.' Druella's thoughts spoke in a conflicted tone. 'Then what kind of human being are we facing!?'
...
...
..
.
"... What is this place?"
Lilith walked around the shattered lands filled with desolated plains and ruins that were strewn across the realms. But the Demon Lord knew it was not the land of her own until she stepped up on a hilltop to get an overview. Upon reaching the top, her eyes grew wide in horror to see a familiar place which she hadn't seen for a long time: Pandemonium.
"What happened here?"
She had visited the place ever since the time of her ascension to the Throne as the new Demon Lord. It was a neat little city that the Fallen God has created and it is filled with sexual activities of depravities. But now, it is in ruins, and the entire city is filled with overflowing black goo that slowly washed over the buildings and the remains of the dead denizens of the lands.
"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry...!"
"...What?"
Lilith heard a familiar voice and turned around. Thus to her horror, the Succubus saw a female skeletal figure crawling through the ground, reaching for the Demon Lord while expressing her unbearable pain and eyes full of torment and guilt. Then Lilith knew immediately knew who this figure was.
"F-... Fallen God?"
"Forgive me... I-... I shouldn't be a God in the first place!"
Once the Fallen God sobbed, flames emitted from her body, and the deity screamed out in agony. Her cries shrilled loudly, which made the Demon Lord reel back in horror to see her flaming corpse slowly burn away into ash. Lilith took a step back further to get away until she felt the back of her shoulders touch something behind her and turn around in fright, then her heart stood in deadly silence. She never expects to see him again.
"Y-...You!"
"... She was warned... took the consequences like a fool." The Cindered Hollow replied. "She spins her own fate out of ignorance, and death gripped her soul."
"What is the meaning of this!?" Lilith demanded out of spite. "Just what did you do to her!?"
"Not by the works made with my hands..." He answered as his glowing eyes gazed down on her as if he saw her as nothing more but a mere spoiled child. "A mortal... has slain your most valuable asset."
"Impossible. There's no way that she could be slain!" Lilith spoke up in disbelief. "She's a God and couldn't be taken down!"
"You misunderstand and yet you ignore what stood around you... That man, he is no mere mortal." The Hollowed Cinder talked ominously before his entire image slowly disappears into specks of embers. "He is a mortal who holds a title of a Lord."
Lilith's eyes slowly grew wide. "A... a Lord?"
"Indeed. The first pawn of your game has fallen and turned to ashes." The Hollowed Cinder answered as his corporeal spirit completely vanishes from her sight. "If... you still insist on spinning their fates... nothing will be gained through your efforts. No matter what."
Lilith couldn't understand how. Did a human truly slay a monster goddess? From what the Hollowed Cinder had spoken in a tone filled with awe and seriousness, hinting that something bigger was just waiting for her from around the corner. But she still couldn't find it nor sense it.
"You can't do this... My efforts for world peace remain flawless! I have defeated the Chief God and you think that your feeble attempts could stop us!?" Lilith seethed in rage. "You think you can just block my attempts to interfere with them!?"
The Demon Lord yelled as she demands answers. Only then did she receive nothing but an eerie silence. The succubus lord fumed furiously until she felt a wave of emotions emitting from every direction. Then her eyes widen in horror as she found herself surrounded by dark humanoids without warning; the strange beings marched towards the Demon Lord while chanting their hateful words.
"You stole our dreams away!"
"My younger daughter... didn't choose to be a monster of her own will!"
"I wanted to be an adventurer... until you gave me the so-called "Wife" I've never wished for!"
"All I wanted my little sister to turn back to normal. But your people had turned her into one of them and threw her wish away from becoming a student in Welspe !"
Lilith felt their hatred, unlike anything she had experienced and her legs were trembling, weighted down by their sheer emotions. The Demon Lord wanted to escape, but her body couldn't move and not even her wings could take flight. Then suddenly, out of the blue, an enormous wave of black ooze washed over the realm like a tsunami, swallowing it whole before Lilith's vision was consumed by the black void.
...
"AAAAAAHHH!"
"Wh-What in the heavens-!?"
Lilith heard her husband blurted out in fright. She spun around and saw his face filled with worry. However, come to think of it; the Demon Lord realised her dreams were nothing more than nightmarish visions.
"Lilith, is there something wrong?" Her husband spoke in a concerned tone. "I heard you mumbling in your sleep. Did you get a nightmare?"
"I... I think so..." Lilith uttered while looking down anxiously. "It's a bad dream... after all."
"I see... then you need to have to dream about our happy moments." Her husband said in a relaxing tone while rubbing the top of her head. "I know how you are worried about Druella and the rest of our daughters."
'No... it's not just them... I need to know what happened to the Fallen God.' The Demon Lord's mind spoke tensely. 'It has been a week when Druella said that she would claim to capture the Silver-Blue Knight... but why is there no progress yet?'
...
Town of Gerth.
...
Under the morning skies, Ash is training Sasha on the outskirts of the town. The Warrior Nun drew her Talisman, a newly gained catalyst which is a gift from Ash. It's been a week after her rescue from the Fallen Tower until Ash decided he could teach her to learn some foreign spells and magic outside of Chief God System. For a few days, she had learned some minor spells which are solely for support and from now on; she was able to learn her first offensive spell.
'Alright... concentrate.' Sasha closed her eyes in a trance before lifting up her talisman. 'Way of the White Corona!'
Once her mind casts the spell, a circle of light appeared on top of the catalyst before hurling over to the dummy target. Within a couple of seconds, the dummy was sliced in half by an instant and the glowing halo disappears upon returning to its caster.
"I... I did it..." Sasha's voice trembled until she jumped cheerfully as if her victory has been achieved. "Finally! I did it!"
"Yeah.. you did," Ash smiled while clapping his hands in amusement. "That was actually impressive."
"Oh! Oh! Ash! So what other miracles spell would you like to teach me!?" Sasha hopped jovially towards Ash as her eyes glittered full of joy. "With this spell, now I can learn how to beat Dungeon Monsters!"
"Mhm, you can, but still. You need to be careful to maintain your focus on the battle. They are unpredictable to overconfident Dungeon crawlers." Ash said an important piece of advice while crossing his arms. "That itself is a slow and an insidious killer. But regardless, you've improved yourself on our last mission."
"Y-Yeah, but that Thrall nearly got me," Sasha replied meekly in embarrassment with a blush on her cheeks while pressing her fingers altogether. "H-However, I finally get my first kill on that Lothric Knight on my own~!"
"Yep, anyone can say it's a devil's luck," Ash replied with a nod. "But to my point of view. I don't give a damn as long as you're skilled or lucky."
While in the midst of their conversation, Sasha noticed a female figure standing near a tree and Ash felt a figure behind him and spun around to see Olivier, who was standing in concern and confusion.
"S-Sasha?"
"Oh? Olivier, good morning!" Sasha greeted while waving her hand. "How did you find us here?"
"W-Well, I asked that weird Onion Knight named Siegward and told me where you are," Olivier answered while looking up to the Silver-Blue Knight and politely bowed to him. "Ah! Also, good morning to you as well, Mr Cyrus."
"No need for formalities, Ms Amaltia." The Knight waved back in dismissal. "Just call me by my name, Ash."
"A-Alright then! I just wanted to come by to give my thanks to you two." Olivier then smiled with gratitude. "I guess my monsterized counterpart didn't bother anyone... wasn't I?"
Ash didn't respond but gave her a bland look behind his helmet visor while Sasha expressed her nervous smile while sweat trails down from her forehead. The Demon Olivier was indeed a bother for them from the past weeks while planning to capture her and her Silver-Blue Knight. Thankfully, all of those attempts failed and get the demonised monster back to her pre-transformed state. Sasha smiled in relief which there is something that gives her hope.
"It's... a long story."
"Say... aren't you two awfully close?" Olivier asked in concern while expressing her flustered looks. "Since how long have you been living together with him since our Kingdom fell?"
Upon hearing Olivier's words, Sasha then felt her cheeks blush while trying to avert her attention from the Lescatian Musketeer. The maiden knew that Lescatie didn't allow that love taboo for heroes and she might get detained by the church if someone overhears Olivier... unless when they were back in the old kingdom.
"O-Oh? That?... Th-That's-"
*GROAN~!*
Olivier and Sasha heard a loud growl and turned their attention to Ash as the knight looked down on his belly, emitting noises that beg for food.
"Ah... Looks like we need to end our training session." Ash said before walking straight towards a nearby path. "Let's go back to town and have some late breakfast."
"Oh right, we have to eat! Ugh, I'm starving~" Sasha then followed up with him. "Come, Olivier! You might not miss the Catarinian Breakfast set~!"
Olivier stood dumbfounded to see the two were having their own moment and her mind snapped back to reality, then caught up with them.
"O-Oi! Wait for me!" Olivier raised her voice before she saw how the Warrior Nun looks up to the Knight. Her expression then turns into concern. 'Is it me or is Sasha acting... off?'
"Wait... Is she really in love with him?" Olivier continued until realising when she sees Sasha's body movements, the musketeer widened her eyes in disbelief before her words were uttered silently. "Dear heavens, there's no way that a pious maiden could do such acts... right?"
The Musketeer couldn't help but keep her mouth shut while eavesdropping on the couple. The conversation they spoke about was normal, but Olivier can tell it was different. As a Lescatian Knight of the Ice Flower herself, witnessing the famous Hero Maiden of Lescatie, once pious, fell for the foreign Knight of unknown origins.
'Sasha... just what happened to you?'
...
Theocracy of Al-Mar.
...
"AAAAAHHHHH!"
Anri felt his eyelids clenched and he slowly yawns from his bed while walking straight for the window and opening the shutters apart. From the windows of the inn they were staying. He looked down and saw a group of people gathering in a single place with faces stricken with terror. The Silver-Blue Knight of Albion looked closely until he saw a sight of corpses as they were currently investigated by the citizens of the city.
"Damn, looks like my hunch came true. A murder just happened last night." Anri then jolts up in surprise and spun around to see Deren, who leaned beside the window frame. "I heard strange noises and I could've sworn it is an aberrant."
Minutes later, the two knights went out of the Inn before heading straight to the crowd. Once passing through the horrified bystanders, Anri caught the sight of the corpses. Two of them, a human male and a mermaid in her bipedal form. Both mutilated and beyond recognition, as if some beast mauled them to death.
"There are claw marks on their skins." Anri heard Deren and saw him kneeling down and investigating the corpses. "Their flesh and bones are cut to pieces as if they were feasted upon by a pack of Aberrants."
"Aberrants? Like those things we've seen on the shores of Albion?" Anri asked curiously while acknowledging their prior journeys in dread. "Damn, even out here? Way out in the open seas?"
"H-Hey, those two, I recognise them!" Anri spun around and saw two other bystanders, who pointed out the corpses as if they knew them. "That's Kenny and Jia! Both of them work in a local inn!"
"... Yeah, those two had a romantic honeymoon last week." Another bystander, a Harpy, spoke as her head lowered in grief. "They've planned for their marriage in a month... I can't believe they would end up like this..."
"Hey! Everyone step aside!" The people jolted up in surprise as turning around to see another group of soldiers coming through. "Just what kind of commotion going on here-... By Poseidon!"
The guards were stunned by the sight of mutilated corpses and Deren stood up as he finished investigating the clues.
"Both of them were killed last night," Deren informed the guards. "I've heard noises of monsters in the middle of the night."
"B-But why haven't you taken them out!?" The guard captain complained. "Aren't you a mercenary who's endorsed by the Dive herself? You could've saved them!"
"It was in the middle of the night." Deren reasoned with his explanation. "I couldn't do anything. They were already dead when I woke up after hearing the noise before they disappeared into the darkness."
While in the middle of their conversation, Anri heard a female gasp and he turned his gaze around and noticed a familiar face. It was Ifrit, the same mermaid they met yesterday and now she's standing on her two feet as if she took her bipedal form. Then he saw a pack of groceries had just dropped on her feet while making a terrified face upon witnessing the corpses, and her eyes gazed towards Jia's corpse.
"J-Jia..? JIA!"
Ifrit rushed through the crowd before collapsing in front of the dead person she knew. The nearby bystanders couldn't help but give her some condolences as the mermaid broke into tears.
"Hey... isn't that Jia's cousin?"
"Yeah, Ifrit was cheerful back then when Jia announced her marriage with Kenny despite we're under dark times."
"Poor her. How will their family ever recover themselves from this loss?"
Anri looked down at Ifrit as his sympathy grew for her after she witnessed the loss of her cousin and her friend. He kneeled down by her side and gave her a pat on the right shoulder.
"Hey, everything's going to be alright," Anri said with courage in his eyes. "We're here in Al-Mar for a reason, we'll avenge your cousin."
"Y-You... you will?" Ifrit sniffed while in tears and Anri nodded in respond. "I-... I have no words to say but-"
*Cling!**Clang!**Cling!**Clang!*
Ifrit then stopped, and her face suddenly morphed into fear. The People of Al-Mar looked up to the tower in sheer horror as soon as they heard the bell does an ominous ring before the citizens ran away in every direction as if the city itself was thrown into chaos. While in the midst of chaos, soldiers on top of the tower caught sight of a Red Draconian being coming its way to the city through a telescope. But not just that; he also saw a horde of drakes following the massive Wyvern from behind until it gives out an echoing roar that sounds like death that reached out across the city.
*RRROOOOAAAAARR!*
People fled into the buildings to hide from the flying monster. The soldiers of the city felt fear once it came closer until the Red Wyvern unleashed a beam of flames, burning down the buildings and scorching the white walls into charred black. The people tried to flee but as soon as the Red Wyvern flew up high in the heavens, the Lightning Drakes took over the skies and bombard the city with their lightning bolts on the hapless civilians. Not even the aquatic mermaids could protect themselves while hiding underwater. The electricity spewed by the Lightning Drakes had spread through the waters and fried them alive into their deaths.
The soldiers brought out their heavy armaments, comprising ballistas, and automatic machinery made by the Gremlins. Unfortunately, they couldn't deploy them in time as they were being hailed by bolts of lightning coming from the Drakes and some Gremlin machinery spiralled out of control once a single bolt of lightning struck the generator and exploded. Thus, the explosive blast send the soldiers high in the air and dropped them to their deaths.
Mamono mages and soldiers armed with crossbows, flintlocks, and whatever ranged weaponry they've gathered tried to shoot down the drakes, but their draconian opponents were agile and fast to be targeted. Some were shot down by the sheer luck of the defenders before bolts of lightning forced their ranks to scatter around and fled to take cover.
Deren, Anri, and Ifrit watched as the chaos unfold around the White City of Al-Mar. Littered around with fires, corpses... and death itself. Ifrit couldn't comprehend the carnage that was wrought on her home; from the previous weeks, the attacks of the Red Wyvern weren't catastrophic and the collateral damage itself that caused to the city was minimal, but a lot of deaths were involved. But unfortunately, this day from now on; the Red Wyvern then brought the city, an intent with full destruction, and it will be soon turned into a wreck of flaming ruins.
Deren then placed his small box on the ground and opened the lid. He shoved his hand inside before pulling up a massive Bow and a bunch of arrows the size of lances. Ifrit widened her eyes in awe to see a human possess such unusual weaponry on hand. She had seen Ballistas and Cannons, but an oversized bow? That was unheard of and the weapon itself seems to be difficult for any human, let alone some monsters who wielded it with great strength.
Meanwhile, Anri brought up a bunch of javelins and a sack of white gooey resin from his bottomless box. The mermaid stood perplexed at seeing the two knights have the same boxes, but both of them pulled out weapons that seem to be unable to fit inside. Was it magic, perhaps?
"Find somewhere to hide," Anri said to Ifrit. "Looks like the Diva is lucky to hire us... right, Deren?"
"Yeah, now let's get some beast hunting." Deren nodded while looking down at the two and noticed something about Ifrit. "However, I believe you possess magic in you. Maybe you can provide us with some help?"
"Y-Yes, I can! But not too much." Ifrit boldly answered with an anxious look. Her words caught Anri by surprise. "I can heal wounds and cast a shield. I may be useful in your help!"
"Hold on! Are you sure we're bringing her with us!?" Anri spoke out loud in disbelief. "She could get killed!"
"Listen, we need a guide to navigate the shortcuts, and she knows more about the city than us," Deren explained with a reason. "We need to gather some soldiers and survivors to mount up the surviving ballistas or whatever heavy weaponry we can find or else. Al-Mar is roasted for good!"
Anri was about to speak up, but Deren's words brought him to silence as if he was making a point. Then he turned to Ifrit as his face filled with worry. He couldn't help but admit his words and arguing further could only make the situation worse for the city.
"Alright, make sure that your life depends on it," Anri said in conviction towards Ifrit. "Now let's move and save Al-Mar."
Anri felt his words were sincere and made her heart warm. She can feel a surge of bravery coursing through her heart and the audacity that she is willing to help these two "ordinary tourists" to stop the monstrous menace from Al-Mar. Ifrit then closed her eyes while standing up and looked down at the dead pair.
"Jia, I will help these two Knights to defeat those monsters," Ifrit spoke solemnly. "I am sure they are the only hope to defend our home. May you watch over us... Jia."
Once she finished her speech for her dead cousin and her cousin's fiance, she left for battle along with the two mercenaries. It is time for Al-Mar to strike back with their unusual allies.
...
Chapter 24: Ends.
Authors notes: So, making the last part of this chapter was something going through my mind while listening to Attack on Titan Soundtracks. It feels epic as hell when you're going to face giant enemies. Either be humanoids or a beast.
Also, there was some interesting info's which I can give you that females of the Souls Universe and females who are born with Lord Soul Fragments in the MGEverse were as tall as Males in MGEverse while males from the Souls Universe are relatively a few centimeters or higher than 180cm than an average male from the MGEverse because someone needs a required height and length of arms to draw a Greatbow. So, therefore, I think females and mamonos of the MGEverse are short. But that's in my headcanon, however, I've learned something in history that humans back then were used to be shorter than modern humans because of food shortage or lack of food nutrients. Vikings were as tall as modern humans because their meals comprise a lot of food coming from raids or from hunting big animals such as Deers and Whales, mainly because of the rich proteins which they grow like giants to the perspectives of Southern Europeans.
As all, I can say that this chapter might be lazy, but it's only for a build-up for... something else. But I'll check-up on some errors later on.