Chapter 27: A dangerous weapon.
Court Alf, City of Al-Mar
...
The invasion over the White City of Weddings and Love is over.
The defenders and their citizens cheered for their first victory over their draconic opponents, but the celebration was brief.
The unfathomable loss of lives was heavy, a heavy toll that burdened the city by the attackers. After the raging storm had passed since the defeat of the Red Wyvern, reinforcements and allied ships coming from Saida, Matori, and the underwater City of Queen Diana have to come to help Al-Mar and lead their humanitarian aid to its battered civilians who were scarred by the brutal battle.
The current state of the white city is filled with nothing more but a sight of tragic soot and ashes. The pure white walls were stained by charred black on their pristine surface and the blood of the unfortunate victims flows through the once clear water streets while the surviving residents were grieving and mourning for their loved ones who died during the battle. As the sun sets over the horizon, the residents held a mass funeral. On the stage, Rick held a torch before placing the fire into the golden vessel, igniting it before Arial stood up on the stage to give her prayers for the dead.
Many wept in sorrow. Families from many walks of life brought their flowers and memorial ornaments. Many monster girls and incubus cried over the losses of their husbands and wives while the daughters, now orphaned, felt the suffering from the loss of their parents. Now wailing that their beloved ones would never come back home. Soldiers who had faced the bloody trials of fire shed their tears, never forgetting their fallen compatriots who made their sacrifices were never in vain.
Jenna held her sword to pay respects for the fallen while Della placed a broken sake bottle on the feet of the memorial, knowing one of her sisters-in-arms coming from the Far East has fallen in battle as well.
Ifrit placed a box that contains two silver rings on the memorial, those two rings had belonged to her deceased cousin, Jia, and her fiance Kenny. She was saddened by the loss of her beloved family member since the two were engaged in their upcoming wedding. They didn't expect that their gruesome death awaited for them, which came so sooner than expected and, standing to her left, the parents of Jia and Kenny were sobbing in woe. The mermaid then felt a hand placed on her right shoulder and turns around to see Anri.
"Are you feeling alright?" Anri cooed while comforting her.
"... Yeah... I'm still shaken..," Ifrit said with tears in a downcast. "Jia and Kenny aren't here anymore... and I thought the world would go back like a fairy tale I used to live..."
"... You have my condolence," Anri uttered silently while rubbing her shoulder to comfort her.
Meanwhile, Deren watched over the misery and the mournful citizens of the city from the rooftops. Observing the people offering their prayers to the dead while Anri is among the people is comforting Ifrit the mermaid.
"A tragedy, isn't it?"
Deren heard a voice coming from the left and saw a Thunderbird who sat on the edge of the rooftops. Watching over the citizens in a heartbreaking manner.
"This is the first time the Red Wyvern and those flying freaks made a considerable amount of damage." The Thunderbird spoke while pulling out a lollipop and licked it within her mouth. Then she let out a long sigh. "Hah~ This entire event reminds me back when learning the history of the Asuramis War. But that history itself has never seen the likes of carnage as... this."
Deren grew curious while raising his eyebrow until he asked the Thunderbird. "... and you are?"
The Thunderbird grew a smile and stood on her feet while turning to the Knight. Then she flashed a cocky grin as she was doing a flashy debut and then pointing her thumb at herself.
"The name's Levin Dil~!" She said out loud with her pride. "Diva of the Fourth Song Island, Saida~!"
Her introduction gives off imaginary flashes of lights that surround her as if she were an idol singer performing in a concert to greet her fans, but her cheery vibes didn't faze Deren a bit as he only stood there with a dumbfounded reaction. Sure, the mamonos, such as the Thunderbirds or any species who can sing with beautiful voices, had awkward and meek personalities which influenced their way of life within their society. At least human bands are proud of themselves for bringing up a good mood when they sing the ballads of tales. But aiming themselves to be overly proud like her would make her kind look like some tacky jokesters.
"What~? Why are you giving me a confused look?" Levin asked in confusion, despite a cheery smile on her face. "Looks like you've never seen a Thunderbird before!"
"Uh, no offence. But I met some Thunderbirds in my fair shares of travels," Deren replied casually, with a shrug on his shoulders. "I'm actually surprised you would put up an ostentatious act to meet a stranger like me."
"Oh, you silly~! I was trying to bring up a good mood!" Levin replied agitatedly while sweat rolled down on her forehead. "W-Well, the city itself is giving me depression... so I just say I want to keep my mood up!... Also, aren't you the mercenary which Arial endorsed you and slain the Red Wyvern?"
"Yes. I am." Deren replied while crossing his arms and then grew a smile behind his helmet. "Deren Forossa, a Knight of Majula."
"Ah! Th-Then you must be the famous Lion Knight of Albion, the Slayer of Mysterious Monsters! That rumour from which I've heard of!" Levin's expression was suddenly enlivened as she jumps in joy like an overly excited child. "Aria~aal! Why didn't you tell me about this sooner~! Hehee~! I've heard the Lion Knight is handsome like a prince charming~!"
"I appreciate your praise, young lady." Deren waved his hand dismissively. "Unfortunately, I have a family back in Albion. My two wives would be mad if there's another woman trying to be flirting with me."
"Okay-... Wait, you have wives!? Two wives!?" Levin raised her voice in sudden as her body froze in shock. "But... I don't smell any female scent on you or anything as if... you're an empty husk!"
'Well, I'm no longer a Hollow of Drangelic.' Deren's mind said admittingly. 'But I kinda appreciate her alternate word for Hollow.'
"Also, I'm not sure whether your voice is telling the truth," Levin said while making a questionable look at the knight. "Even my senses couldn't catch your emotions despite how casual you sounded like a normal person... Just... what are you exactly?"
"I'm human... belonging to a group of people which is only different from others," Deren replied nonchalantly while pointing his thumb down towards Anri. "That guy, my partner, is included. Mamono's couldn't sense us, charm us or how we feel."
"Oh... so that means..." Suddenly, in a flash, Levin leaned close in front of Deren while holding both is his hands. Her face once again beamed with joy. "Then you must be from the Mirrah Order or Vinheim!?
"... Neither from those groups, but I had good terms with them," Deren said blatantly until Levin released his hands. "Also... are you that excited to meet someone from them?"
"Of course~! A mamono such as me loves the excitement of adventures and meeting some new people~!" Levin clasped her hands, expressing her gentle attitude. "I heard stories from Ilassa... that these people were amazing and promote the true coexistence of humans and mamonos like me!... Ah~! Fuck! I just want to see him again and he's a Mirrah Knight who visited my beloved island after leaving a good impression about it~!"
"A Mirrah Knight you've met before?" Deren raised his brow.
"Ahn~, yes~! He was like a handsome noble when I see his face~!" Levin speaks up charmingly as if she were an actress, starring in a love performance until she straightens herself up with a frustrated look in her eyes. "Gah! And that was a year ago! I still couldn't find him! Aargh! I'm in vain and becoming more desperate!"
"Alright, I appreciate your sob story there," Deren replied blankly while waving his hand dismissively. "Yet I'm afraid that guy might have married to someone else."
"... You're kidding!" Levin gaped in shock until she kneeled down to the ground in despair. "No! I refuse to hear that!"
"Deren, please don't discourage Levin like that!" While Levin was on the ground, rolling around and crying. Deren heard another voice and turns around to see Arial who had just stepped up on the roof after climbing up a nearby ladder. "The funeral ceremony is finished and everybody went home... So, um... Deren? Would you like to come with me to the temple? I will invite you as an honoured guest for our dinner tonight and your friends were welcomed as well~!"
"Huh, Sure. I appreciate your invitation." Deren replied with a nod.
...
Town of Gerth, Late Night.
...
"HIIEEEKKK! I'll talk! I'll talk!"
Ash, Ellen, and Reginald stared down at the Wight with scowls on their faces. Ilassa smiled in amusement while looking down at their prisoner. Aedra finds herself shackled by titanate chains strapped around by a steel chair made from the same materials as well. The wight expressed a fearful glance in her eyes despite trying to muster up her courage and pride, never showing fear towards her enemies. Yet these so-called "warriors" were actually monsters donned behind the skins of humans and mamono-alike, which gives off an aura of terror and despair into her heart.
"Yeesh! Judging by her reaction; this woman doesn't want to die," Elen speaks up with an unamused tone. "While you're an Undead. Then I supposed you'll just die twice until you spit it out. Unless she should choose to cooperate with us."
"Just don't give her some false hope, dear~" Ilassa giggled while making a mischievous smirk at the captured Wight. "The Mamono would be just fine! Unlike those who have human thoughts who are much braver to die from telling the truth."
"So what kind of effective methods would you prefer to interrogate monster girls?" Ash asked at Ilassa.
"It's obviously human methods with the use of intense intimidation and some minor... or some serious pain," Ilassa answered to the Silver-Blue Knight, which made Ash uneasy. This is the first time a mamono is willing to enjoy torturing others rather than giving them aphrodisiacs. "My kind isn't used to do serious torture. After my mother achieved her sassy throne, she instilled the thoughts of monsters with very delicate feelings that couldn't comprehend the difference of extreme resolutions between life and death."
That's right, human methods of torture are inhumane to the eyes of monster girls. For their ways to interrogate a person for answers, they always preferred having sex with their captives to spout out their answers or through other means by looking into their minds while not letting them feel pain. The result of monster interrogations was always to instil the sensations of pleasures for their heart's content.
"I admitted from a long time ago... human methods are faster," Ilassa said while making an evil smile. "But I would prefer a method of mine without making her moan or screaming in agony. Sure, I'll make her siding with us!"
'How did this happen!?' Aedra's mind yelled in frustration. 'This was supposed to be easy! But this bitch in front of me ruined everything!'
...
Fourteen Hours Earlier...
Inside the barricaded restaurant, Jane helped the guests to block any entrances and windows to prevent zombies from getting inside while the Orphans supported the adults to bring them tools such as hammers, nails, and wooden materials.
"Ngh! I hope big sister Sasha is alright." Ralph grunts while helping Lisia to carry over a heavy bucket of tools.
"Yeah, but we know they're strong!" Lisia replied with a smile of confidence. "Big bro Ash is strong too! Because he saved Sasha from the Fallen Tower!"
"Hey Kids! We need your help here!" The orphans heard a woman calling out for them in need while trying to keep the window closed from the zombies with a wooden plank. Alameria grits her teeth while mustering her strength to keep them closed. "Get those nails and hammers over here! Hurry!"
...
"HIYEEAAH!"
Siegwards let out a war cry as he swung his massive club, sending a couple of undead crashing against the walls until their corpses slid into the ground while Sif leaped through the ranks of Zombies as he sliced them through like a scythe reaped through the wheat, sending their bodies parts into the air like rag dolls. Then Sif noticed a flying creature dived from the skies, coming straight to the Great Wolf before he dodged the incoming attack while leaping back. The attack caused a massive explosion that rocked the grounds, flinging out shattered stone and debris into the air.
Sif saw a Zombie Dragon raised from the clouds of dust. The undead mamono glared at the massive wolf and she raised her claws. She made a great leap towards the Great Wolf. Yet Sif took a quick sidestep to avoid her attack until his greatsword cleaved the Zombie Dragon in half. Anyone knew that a sword of such size would've deflected easily due to the mamonos nature as a Dragon.
But despite her strength, the zombie dragon was overconfident enough, which lead to her death. The titanite enhancements on his weapon severely negated the durability of her tender, yet tough, dragon skin and it cuts through like wet paper with ease. It was a piece of common knowledge for the people of Lordran, and Sif knew it was a material given by the gods as a gift. Such gifts were granted to the best blacksmiths to make weapons capable of slicing through durable skins of other monsters. If these Dragons are fully covered with their armoured scales, then lightning miracles were at utmost need.
*BOOM!*
In the central district of the town, Ash spun around and saw a Zombie Dragon lunging at him forth with her eyes filled with ecstasy. In a swift reaction, the knight ducked down as the Dragon mamono leapt over. Then he draws his Pyromancy and dug his hand upward through her belly. Then, within an instant, the Zombie Dragon felt her rotten organs were engulfed in flames and the intense heat tearing it apart. The flames ripped through her eyes, nostrils, and mouth. The surrounding zombies flinched back in horror to witness the Silver-Blue Knight could even take down an undead dragon and fled away.
"Damn, I wish I'd learn Pyromancy," Elen comments before she comes face-to-face with another hapless zombie. "Well then, I suppose you're next."
In a flash, Elen cleaves the zombie in half until another enemy approaches from her left flank. She dodged a swing of some blade, and Elen caught the movement of her new challenger. The undead swordswoman was swift and Elen deflected her attacks while making some quick steps to gain some distance away and caught the appearance of her adversary.
'Wait... this one has armour, samurai armour. Then that means.' The Dhampir then scrunched her brows. 'An Ochimusha? Way out here from the East? Huh, she must be a hired sword.'
"Hoho~! You dodged my swings without flaws. Now that was impressive!" The Ochimusha grinned with pride as she prepares her blade for another attack. "Now take this!"
The Ochimusha dashed forth with blinding speed. Elen caught her opponent's strike, then quickly parried off the Ochimusha's blade with her crescent dagger, and leaped back when the Undead Mamono takes another uppercut swing. The Ochimusha then relentlessly rushed forth and drew her blade in a horizontal swing, but Elen slides down and twirled her legs upward, kicking the sides of the Undead Samurai and sending her flying against the wall.
Yet the Ochimusha grunts in annoyance as she stood up as if nothing worse that happened and Elen took a fighting stance, ready for her next move
"Heh... Ha! Hahaha! Now I felt heated up~!" The Ochimusha laughed with her arms spreading out. "Impressive for a human woman such as thee to beat me back like this!"
"For your correction. I'm no human," Elen replied nonchalantly, which gave a surprise to the Ochimusha. "And I'm not any of the likes of you."
The Ochimusha stood in question until she used her nose for confirmation to smell the scent of body odour through the air, and to her bewilderment; her enemy is indeed a mamono, a Dhampir. Yet her existence alone baffled the Ochimusha and Elen saw an opportunity to attack while the undead samurai was distracted by her revelation.
"You... don't reek of demon spirit!" The Ochimusha uttered out in disbelief. "Then how are you alive-KUH!?"
In an instant, the Ochimusha felt her body numb and her knees fell to the ground until blood bursts out from her body. The undead warrior of the far east looks up to the dhampir as she whipped off the blood from her bastard sword. The Undead Samurai coughed out blood as she loses consciousness.
"H-How dare you... s-such dishonour...!" The Ochimusha scowled in fury. Humiliated that her honour as a warrior was sullied. She muttered her last words under her last breath. "A-Attacking me without... warning...!"
"Tch, the moment you talked. Then you're shit out of luck," Elen muttered under her bandana while heading straight for her next target.
In the southern district of the town, Andre wields a large blacksmith hammer and bashed several zombies coming through the workshop's windows while Maughlin helped to raise a barricade on any elements of entrances while hammering the nails with wooden planks. On top of their workshop, Reginald dodged a swing from a large machete of his enemy and he sprints forth to his opponent with blinding speed, thus cleaving her arm that was holding a weapon.
His opponent, a Redcap, screamed in agony until she got silenced by Reginald's Bastard Sword as he swiftly sliced off her head apart. Then he looks back and saw two unexpected allies, Sandra and Daniella. Two dhampirs countered their foes, which comprise three Redcaps. The Goblin Mamonos readied her machete before a blur sped through them in an instant. The Redcaps were suddenly sliced into pieces.
The two Dhampirs felt relief until they reeled back at the sight of their dead opponents with disgusted looks.
"R-Reginald... w-why can't you let us spare them?" Daniella quivered as if she felt bad for them once they let him end their lives. "These monsters are looking for a husband... not to fight..."
"... Seriously. Why can't you two understand that this is a battlefield..." Reginald grumbled while slapping his forehead, feeling irritated by her unreasonable statement. "This town is under siege, for Lord's sake!"
"I know! But this amount of bloodshed is hurting them!" Sandra spoke up, pleading for him to spare them. "Please! We must stop this and resolve this peacefully! This is too much!"
"These monsters are trying to turn this town into a Demon Realm once we lay our arms down and saw their opportunity to catch us off guard..." Reginald growled, which made both Daniella and Sandra flinched back as if they saw a shadowy image of an enormous wolf behind his back. "If you cared for these invaders, then what's the point of helping me out!?"
The two Dhampirs felt their hearts were struck by arrows as if his words brought them pain and never cared for the lives of the invaders. Reginald's scowl remains while turning his gaze away from them in spite. Daniella felt hurt when he did that and felt the tears swelling in her eyes. Their reasoning of sparing the invading monsters would make him angrier rather than just to understand it... yet their words were indeed unreasonable.
"I know what you two were thinking about... But the world's changing." Reginald said as he laid his bastard sword over his shoulder while looking down at a horde of zombies trying to get inside the workshop.
"But Reginald..." Daniella, still fearful of the wrathful anger that emits from him, then she cautiously walks up to Farron Swordsman. "Just... give them a chance to live."
"It's too late for them. They just came in the town and they just reap what they sow..." Reginald replied with no regrets, filling his voice. Then he turns his glance back to the Dhampir, staring right into her eyes. "And do you think the people of Gaul will appreciate it... when this place turns into a Demon Realm? No, my type of kind doesn't."
Daniella's shoulders fell while looking down in sadness. "Then... you don't give them any mercy, do you?"
Reginald didn't say another word before dropping his feet down into the horde and slicing the zombies into bits. The surrounding undead saw the swordsman slashed many of its kin until they ran away in retreat and left the barricaded workshop unscathed. So far, he has slain twenty zombies in total. Sandra walks up to Daniella and wrapped her arms around her, hugging her poor fellow compatriot in comfort.
"Daniella... are you alright..?" Sandra whispered until she caught the sight of tears running down. "Hey... you're crying! Please reconsider it. I think it's not the best to anger him further... Daniella?"
"I... I feel hurt, Sandra. I-Is this really him right now? The boy that I w-was once in love with...?" Daniella stuttered out in tears, as she felt her heart was on the verge of breaking apart. Sandra felt saddened to see her bursting down to tears before her compatriot slumped to her knees on the floor. "Why... Why was my fate tied to this...!"
"... Perhaps you should apologise to him. We know he doesn't care about monster values, which is indeed questionable to humans," Sandra said while kneeling down. "Look. We've told him something that angered him further. But an apology might be your only hope that he will look up to you."
"... R-really?... That helps?" Daniella asked, and Sandra returned with a nod. "Apologising him after killing mamono...? Was there any forgiveness for his actions?"
...
"Over there! From the skies!"
"Quick! Cover them!"
From the skies, several zombie dragons dived through to dispatch the Silver-Blue Knight's rampage through the streets until several lightning spears tore them apart. Gerome and Arcturus hurled their miracles at the skies to protect Ash, Sasha, and Olivier from incoming aerial attacks until an explosion full of dust erupted behind them. The three knights were staggered by the sudden blast and then turned around to see two zombie dragons landing near their positions. Both of them had angry frowns on their faces. Shows that they were here to avenge their fallen brethren.
"You... no husband...?" One of the Zombie Dragons croaked with a tone filled with rage towards the Orc. "You... murderer!"
Then, out from the blue, Elaine stepped in to challenge them with an enhanced Greataxe with lightning imbuement. The first zombie dragon takes her action while lashing out towards the orc. Yet Elaine countered as she heaved her weapon up, taking out the first dragon once her weapon cleaved the dragon's head apart. The other Zombie Dragon was caught off-guard by the sudden death of her kin and then swings her claws to strike against the orc.
Fortunately, Elaine dodged while rolling back until the Zombie Dragon let out a breath of unbearable stench. The stench alone assaulted the orc's nose in much to her disgust and grew irritated.
"Ugh! Oh for fuck's sake! Don't do that to me with that unwashed mouth of yours!" Elaine yelled with rage and with her strength, she cleaved the Zombie Dragon in retaliation as her enhanced Greataxe sundered the mamono apart without hesitating. The orc gave out a few heavy breaths while wiping off her sweat and her nose caught the stench coming from the white tabard of her armour. "Ugh, I'd better take a bath and clean my armour after this. It stinks!"
Gerome chuckled. He grew a cocky smile after seeing his little sister's complaints before looking back down on the streets. The zombie's numbers are dwindling and yet, some groups remained while most of its fighting force had already fled out from the town due to the constant rampage made by Sif who did a number on their biggest ranks.
Somewhere in the narrow town streets, Junayd faced three redcaps and a single Lich in front of him. His eyes steeled at his opponents, letting out an aura that caused intimidation among the mamono, while the Lich flinched back as her entire body trembled out in fear. Not just do they have to face a warrior, but a formidable one who came from Carthus Tribe.
She knew the men of Carthus were not a force to reckon with and they're more likely to be the reapers of death to the men and mamono on the battlefield, which gives the Heroes a shiver on their skins. The lich gritted her teeth while pulling out a spellbook to search for any effective spells to eliminate him and the Redcaps rushed in to give the caster some time.
Unfortunately, Junayd disappears from their sights as he rolled in, catching the Redcaps off-guard, and stops their assault. They stood in confusion until they felt their bodies grow numb and Junayd reappears behind the trio, which gave the lich a nasty surprise.
"I applaud your bravery..." Then Junayd raised his hands and snips his finger. "... to face a Swordsman of Carthus."
Within an instant, the Redcaps exploded into bits. Organs, blood, and limbs were strewn around the alleyways, and the Lich trembled further back as the Junayd came closer. The Mamono spellcaster frantically turns several pages of her spell book until she casts her magic.
"Glow Barrier!"
A barrier appears before him and encased the mamono like a bubble shield. The Lich smiled for her opportunity to fight back and casts another spell.
"Prisoner Chains!"
Junayd noticed several portals appear around him, and purple chains shot out. The Carthus Swordsman evaded the incoming chains before disappearing from her sight and the Lich trembled. Losing her sight from the Carthus swordsman would mean an incoming death, and she will not let destiny decide her fate.
The lich spun around frantically to find him and the mamono spellcaster knows that sensing for his signs of energy is deemed useless. From what she learned in her studies; the men from Carthus lacked any signs of spiritual energy and the more she studied about them, the Lich knew why the Pharaohs and the Apophis in the desert regions feared them most since they first appeared over a hundred years ago which Ares would never again intervene when they were around.
'This is bad... where is he!?' The Lich darts her eyes around under tense pressure to search her enemy until Junayd appears above her. "What!? from above!?"
Thus, the world around her slowed. Junayd threw a Duel Charm, and the item smashed against her shield before it shattered. The Lich widened her eyes in terror once she felt her magic energy within her system was blocked and she saw the eyes of the warrior, showing pity for her meaningless existence of this world and then the aura of death heaved his scythe as Junayd drew his Carthus Greatsword.
The Lich desperately waved her hands. "W-Wait! I surrender-AUGH!"
But her pleas didn't give her a chance, and Junayd cleaved her body apart in one swift motion. He knew full well that a Lich is one of the most dangerous mamono spellcasters who can convert big human settlements in an instant, even without using her spellbook. If she was to be kept alive, then in her turn; the entire settlement would turn into a demon realm as an act of revenge.
"Dangerous as Dark Mages," Junayd muttered and then he looked around to the corners of the alleyway, seeing groups of zombies were fleeing from the town. "Huh? They're in a full-blown retreat already?"
At the west side of the district, the battle was still raging on. Sasha sticks together with Olivier and Sieglinde while utterly surrounded by zombies. Sasha then casts out her blessed magic as she raised her staff.
"Blinding Light of the Gods!"
The light flashed out in an instant and the zombies covered their eyes, blinded from her holy magic before Olivier moved in to dispatch several zombies with her rapier in swift, clean cuts while Sieglinde took out three while smashing on their heads with a ladle.
"Impossible! You took them out with a ladle!?" Olivier gawked after witnessing the Waitress had done the impossible. "Just what is that made of!?"
"Uhm, Andre made this for me as a gift since my fifteenth birthday." Sieglinde fidgeted nervously. "It's made with Geisteel, which is why it's very durable. I s-sometimes took out burglars with this!"
Olivier couldn't comprehend out of her incredulities until she noticed another zombie come straight towards Sasha from the rear.
"Sasha! Look out!"
Sasha turns around, and she was caught off-guard to see a zombie charged straight at her in an ambush as the mamono opened its mouth to bite the priestess. But fortunately, the zombie felt a kick through the stomach and was sent flying against the wall. She looks up and turns around to see her saviour. She flinched back in surprise.
"Hey, you alright?"
"A-Alameria!?"
Alameria helped Sasha to stand her on her feet and then she dusted the dirt off her long blue skirt. Sasha raised her brow in concern. She couldn't believe that a monsterized dhampir would provide their help in battle.
The former priestess then asked. "Alameria... did you just come to help us?"
"Hmph! Just what are you saying? It stings my heart when you tell me we're still enemies~!" Alameria moaned out shamelessly while fidgeting. "After all, we're friends, are we?"
"But you worked directly for Druella as her subordinate!" Sasha spoke up in an objection before Olivier stepped forth between Sasha and points her rapier at the dhampir, giving off a scowl on her face.
Olivier then spoke in a stern tone. "Then how are we sure about your loyalty?"
"H-Hey Ollie! No hard feelings!... Alright?" Alameria waved her hands innocently. "Look, why don't we reestablish being friends again from the start, huh?"
Her words didn't faze Olivier to change her mind, and the human Musketeer didn't lower down her rapier while still giving Alameria a cold look until Jennifer came around, armed with an Ornament Bow and Arrow. While seeing an angry Olivier who never lowers her weapon and felt an intent to kill her former ally. She breaks up the tension between the two before it escalates.
"Olivier, stop! I was the one who gives her a chance to fight with us." Jennifer interfered. After listening to her words for a few seconds of silence, Olivier slowly lowered her rapier while giving the tavern owner a death glare. "Listen, I know your former ally is a mamono. But please, can't you see she's lending us a hand to fend off these zombies, or would you like to argue further until you'd turn back into a mamono, this time as an undead? Do you get what I'm saying?!"
Olivier couldn't reply but turned her glance away, turning her face down with scorn out of shamefulness. In the meantime, Sasha heard sounds of a hundred footsteps coming from nearby and saw a massive group of zombies, redcaps charging forth as the heroines came to face them with weapons drawn until a blur sped past through them. Olivier then caught the sight of a Demon Mirrah Knight and the mamono made a single snip of her fingers.
The redcaps in the front were suddenly blown into bloody bits. The undead and the goblins halted their tracks and flinched back in bewilderment and fear until another individual sprang from the rooftops and gracefully landed in the middle of the charging mob. Adelmar drew his wooden staff and an aqua-green light materialises out of thin air. It turned into a form of a massive sword and swung his sword horizontally, cleaving his surrounding enemies in half. A few redcaps survived the onslaught as they fled. But their unfortunate deaths came as they were taken out by throwing knives coming out from the shadows.
"Good throw, Lucena!" Adelmar praised with claps of his hands.
"Pffssht! That was nothing but an understatement!" Lucena replied with a cocky smug before turning to Lucrezia in excitement. "Big sis! I've seen from what you had just done was outstanding! Is it a new skill you've created?"
"Heh, I've been doing it in training and get around with new tweaks and tricks," Lucrezia said while giving her younger sister a smirk. She sheathed her falchion while turning her gaze to the heroines. "Huh... aren't you the friends with the Knights of the Sunlight?"
"Oh!... Uh, Y-Yes! Yes, we are!" Sasha replied as she breathes out in relief and then turned to Alameria and Olivier. "At least the Knights of Mirrah are here to help us."
"This is the first time I saw them," Olivier muttered with concern until her eyes gazed at Lucrezia. "Are you sure is that demon on our side?"
"Of course she is, and there is no question!" Jennifer replied while placing her hands on her hips. "A mamono who never emits a single hint of demonic energy is definitely someone we can rely on."
While in the midst of their conversation, an explosion blows out from a nearby area, and the ground rocked. Sasha caught the sight of a large puff of smoke and debris shot upwards into the skies, caught the sights of two flying figures fighting in a dogfight pattern as they exchanged attacks with a flurry of magic projectiles.
"Well, well... someone just caught the big boss red-handed," Lucrezia comments amusingly while tipping her trimmed hat.
...
"Take this!" Aedra extends her right arm and aimed towards Ilassa. "Lance of the Dark Moon!"
"Lilith's Barrier." Ilassa calmly chants her spell and a barrier materialises out of the blue. The magic beam coming from Aedra was deflected, then Ilassa's eyes glowed blood red. "Devils Rain!"
Ilassa reaches out her hands forth as she summoned hundreds of magic arrows, flinging towards the Wight. The Undead Noblewoman merely dodged Ilassa's attack and chants her spell for a counterattack.
"Skulls of Nightmare!"
Several ghastly skulls appeared on both Aedra's flanks and went straight to the Lilim upon release. Ilassa disappeared before the skulls could reach her and explode. The Wight lost sight of the Lilim until she reappears behind Aedra. The Lilim then stretches out her palm and a magic projectile went past through the Wight's magic barrier struck her dead centre. Aedra felt the amount of force as if she was punched through the gut and forcing the air to release from her lungs. The Wight soon spirals downwards to the ground.
'Sh-shit! She's too strong!' Aedra grits her teeth while bracing for impact.
Ash saw the dogfight and caught the sight of a Wight crashing down. Upon impact, it produced large puffs of clouds of dust and specks throughout the surrounding areas and then he saw her standing up. The Wight groaned in pain while gasping heavily for air before she looks up to see the Silver-Blue Knight standing who was standing right in front of her.
"You!... So, you must be the Silver-Blue Knight which Druella has been talking about!" Aedra growled with a scowl on her face and her lips formed a wicked smile as she clenched fists and her magic formed a pair of transparent claws. "Even so, you're just a human. I might take you out before I'd retreat and tell the Demon Realm of your demise!"
The Wight then flung herself towards the Silver-Blue Knight at blinding speed, but Ash caught her move right on time. He raised his shield and swung it to the left, parried her attack, which caught the Wight off-guard and stunned in her place.
'Wh-What the Hel!? This doesn't make sense! HOW DID HE PULL IT OFF!?"' The Wight widened her eyes at the knight in disbelief, as if the world around her went slow in motion. 'There's no way... that this "ordinary" human... could possess the strength of a hero!'
Ash drew his talisman and immediately casts a lightning miracle imbuing his right fist and struck the Undead Noble hard through the chest. The mamono couldn't help but scream out in agony as she was sent flying and crashed through multiple walls. The pain surging through her body is unbearable and her remaining strength slowly fades out. Her eyes glimpsed at the Silver-Blue Knight and a Lilim landing beside him until her vision went blank.
...
Present Time.
...
"So Aedra... You know what might happen if you bring an army into the neutral territory, do you?" The Wight yelped in fright when the Lilim glared down on her with an intimidating scowl. "The King of Gaul and the Federation wouldn't like to see their sovereign region to be turning into a Demon Realm with no forms of a declaration of war."
"Please... don't tell my mother about this!" Aedra pleaded as she squirmed for mercy. "I beg you, this will bring shame to my family's honour!"
"Aww~! You don't want to get into trouble with your parents, huh?" Ilassa then smiled devilishly. "Tsk, tsk! You almost started a war that will bring the Demon Realm into a two-front war... no wait, it will be a three-front war if those Monsters from Pimor counts. But I'm not sure about them either~!"
"So the reason why you wanted to occupy Viola region is to restore the Second-Borne's honour and only that?" Ash said with discontent in his voice. "This region itself is already teeming with monsters which had emerged from the dungeons and unexpected convolutions taking place somewhere else... I doubt the Demon Realm could handle a severely distorted place."
"You... you don't care for your mother and your sisters... do you...?" The lilim's gaze went hard as she met Aedra with a lack of empathy, only anger that builds up her heart. The wight felt her tears welled up, knowing the Lilim no longer cares for the Demon Lord's ideal of love paradise for both humans and monsters. "Just tell me... why did you leave the Demon Realm and why are you so against the goal of your mother who had long fought for us...?"
"Listen... I don't give a shit about that so-called paradise in which you crooks are doing nothing but harm and abduction. Like dogs chained to her ideals." Ilassa spoke harshly while scrunching her eyes as the Wight felt her words were as sharp as knives that brought a painful pang into her heart. Then Ilassa leaned forwards. "As I say the reasonable truth, you wouldn't resist yourself from admitting. Heck, when I told this to my sisters and my mother, if they were here, they wouldn't dare to listen."
At that moment, her words caught the Wight's fearful curiosity. "What... reasonable truth...?"
"When humans were monsterized... their real souls are imprisoned in their conceptual dreams of paradise," Ilassa answered while giving out a sigh. "There, that's my answer to your question. Now... anything to ask?"
"No... that's not possible, right?" Aedra stared down in disbelief as if the words of the lilim weren't lies. "Monsterized humans still remember their memories from who they are!"
"Except their monsterized souls are, in fact, the manifestations of their desires. They get those memories as copies of their original souls and mimicking themselves as if they were their real loved ones," Ilassa replied before providing another dark explanation. "There are already over a thousand cases coming from former monsters who were now living in the five factions. In my interviews with those women and men, there is none. Not one soul knew what they did in their lives as monsters."
The Wight felt shaken. The Undead wished the Lilim was wrong. But picking up her senses betrayed her expectation in which a powerful presence of emotions that emitted from the Lilim was serious that no lies were detected in her words. Interrogation with the humans was easy for a mamono to sway them to do some 'special-type of interrogation' by seducing their captors and freeing themselves, but doing it with a mamono is a different matter.
"You're telling me..." The Wight croaked when she felt her gut becoming more nauseous. "These whole things I used to believe in... were all lies?"
"Now you get what I'm getting at." Ilassa then closed her eyes. She knew her methods never fail when she tells this "Truth". Her words have caught the Wight's curiosity, and it conflicted with their prisoner's mind. "The Demon Lord knows what I was telling, yet she opted to ignore it and refuse to see it for herself."
"I can't believe this... No, that's-..." The Wight abruptly tries to get her words out from her mind and then shakes her head erratically. "No!... I refuse to believe this! No! There's no way we're forcefully imprisoning humans!"
"Huh? Just words were enough to break her down?" Elen cocked her brow in confusion. "This interrogation was quick, and it isn't even five minutes."
"Well, she wouldn't believe any single word what you're about to spout because you're born with Outsider blood," Ilassa explained while shrugging off her shoulders. "And if you're born as a native human with mana like Sasha Fullmoon, there's no doubt they will detect lies if you claimed yourself to beat a bear without a fight... just as an example. Interrogations like this were handled by the most trustworthy mamonos, like me~!"
"So, what should we do with her?" Ash asked while pointing his thumb at a broken Wight. "Don't tell me we're going to let her leave?"
"She's already broken and couldn't handle the words of the truth." Ilassa sighed at the Wight in pity while the Undead tries to shake off those thoughts until it slowly broke her down to tears. "If she went back to her home, it will only bring trouble to her family and the demon society around them."
"How bad could that be?" Elen raised a brow. "I mean, I thought the mamono can only sympathise with a broken individual."
Ilassa's eyes then went blank where sympathy now lacks. "You know I am the only daughter of the Demon Lord who rebelled her."
Elen then opens her mouth in realisation. "Uh-huh, yeah. We know it, but..."
"... If any mamono who encounters a traitor like me and told them the truth," Then Ilassa continued with a heavy sigh, filling her heart with guilt. "They can't go back to their homes and they aren't the same anymore. What awaits them is constant harassment; they will be mocked, smeared with harsh words as traitors who spreads out "heresy" without question and it was dealt with by my mother herself. Even worse, they will be dropped into prison for eternity when they spill out the beans by mentioning my name and title as the thirteenth-borne Lilim."
The Dhampir then reeled back in shock. "Wait... really?"
"I've visited the Demon Realms while being undercover for some time," Ilassa replied with a nod. "And yes, they are for real. Except for Court Alf and Dragonia, they're both fine with it when they mention my name... except that I won't spill out the Truth."
"Huh... that's unexpectedly dark," Reginald said with a stunned manner. "Is telling the truth really that dangerous in the Demon Realm?"
"While Mamonos have keen senses to detect lies through their emotions," Elen stated further, and her head lifts upwards in realisation. "Then there is no doubt that they will be convinced by it, right?"
"Yes, you're correct. My mother had made that policy after I had a family argument with her from seventy-five years ago and forbid any mentions about me." Ilassa answered with another sad sigh. "She knows that the truth I was telling is never a lie, and she saw me as a dangerous usurper against her ideals. The truth which I and Artos had uncovered is indeed a dangerous weapon which can cause a ruin into the Mamono Society and it was capable enough to halt the spread of the Demon Realm."
"Hmph, sacrificing a world for her ideals of a lustful paradise to achieve "coexistence" between the two races..." Ash then stated while closing his eyes for a while. "This world is indeed dealing with an actual hypocrite."
"If it weren't for Solaire's sudden existence that led to Artos, along with other Outsiders... Then I'd remain the old me who's preferring to monsterize humans whenever they wanted." Ilassa chuckled bitterly. "Haah~ Things have changed a lot from the past seventy-five years. After this interrogation, I'd decide to bring Aedra to Arum Sedis."
"Huh, you are way too nice for this fool," Ash said while looking down at the silent Wight. "Do you think she'll change her ways?"
"Of course! There's no denying it~!" Ilassa smiled with a wink. "I've faced many monsters who tried to challenge me in my travels and get their daily dose of therapy treatment... by me~!"
"You mean breaking their minds with your words?" Elen smiled back, catching the Lilim's sense of humour. "Say, what's the payment for that?"
"It's actually free~!" Ilassa playfully sticks out her tongue while taking a light punch on top of her head by herself. "Looks like the time of my visit is up. I'd better get back home and pay a meeting with Grandmaster Olswald of Vinheim and the Carthus Chieftess Myza."
...
Gerth, late midnight.
...
"So you're leaving?" Sasha asked Ilassa, who was now wearing her usual ragged cloak. "It would've been fun if you had stayed longer."
"I know, but I'll be coming back sooner in case there's anything new." Ilassa smiled before placing her arm on top of poor Aedra's shoulders, which caused the undead to yelp a bit. "I'll bring this troublemaker with me and this time, she won't regret having a new life in Arum Sedis... Don't you think?"
"Uhh... umm, I'm very sorry for what I did." Aedra apologised meekly with a bow. "Despite the humiliation which I receive from our last battle. I hope I could atone for my actions."
"You see~! Now we're friends!" Ilassa cheerfully hugged the undead and then turned to Ash. "Oh! I still have a lot to talk about something... I would also likely know more about him, too."
Ilassa points her index finger towards Sif, the Greatwolf, then tilts his head sidewards in much of his bewilderment.
"He's so big, cute, and fluffy!" Ilassa jumped up like a spoiled toddler. "He even talks too, unlike any beasts! Oh, I envy you for having him as a pet!"
"Watch your tongue. I am the most respected companion to Sir Artorias of Anor Londo." Sif straightens up, showing his pride to the Lilim. "And as a companion of Ash Cyrus and his band of warriors. They saw me not as their pet but as their trusted comrade. Remember that."
"I... I never knew a large wolf could talk..." Olivier gawked at Sif, catching his word through his telepathy while slowly turning to Sasha. "From where did you guys find this type of beast?"
"Hoho~! This dog is well-mannered like a knight itself. What an interesting fellow, indeed." Ilassa said with amusement until she walked away with Aedra and waved her hands to bid them her farewell. "Well, then. I'm off! See you guys soon~!"
With that, the Lilim and the Wight vacated the town and disappears into the darkness. Ash and Sasha may not know when will the Lilim comes back, but only time will tell.
...
Divine Pantheon of the Great Seas.
...
"What is this...?" Poseidon gawked as she stared at the City of Al-Mar through a magic visionary portal. "I've received so many prayers, yet why didn't I hear them?"
After her meeting with the Goddesses Bastet and Hel, who're both in their regards, discussing the fate of the Fallen God. Poseidon was mortified by the screams of her followers upon arriving home in her main pantheon and witnessed the state of the White City had been razed down from a massive, wide-scale raid. She saw spirits of humans and monsters mourned in agony as they wandered into the Underworld. Which will mean Hel is having a field day to raise another place of an afterlife where the agonizing spirits could find comfort.
Poseidon wanted the Goddess of Life and Death to resurrect her followers. Unfortunately, Hel couldn't find an alternate way to resurrect them, as if some foreign power blocked her control over life and death. Then, even worse, Hel discovered the only way to resurrect the dead could only be achieved to offer a blood sacrifice; whether they are human or mamono. This sort of method required a sacrificed soul in exchange for value for the dead to be resurrected. But alas, the two gods threw such barbarous knowledge away.
"This isn't fair... I want them back! I want them to live with prosperity and happiness!" Poseidon clenched her hair out of fury and screamed. "Whoever you are, Fate! I won't let you control over my beloved followers!"
At her constant rage, the Goddess felt her heart race until flame vessels that hung on the walls blew out. Her throne hall became deathly silent as darkness slowly took over, then an icy chill brushed through her skin as if her body felt vulnerable. She felt cold and shivered where the deity was standing until her mind couldn't comprehend how vulnerable she became.
Like a mortal, the freezing temperature rose and the Goddess soon realises that this power was out of this world. From there, she saw a tall figure standing at her doorstep. It stood taller than any human and wore demented armour. The Goddess scrunched her eyes and watched closely before the figure took a slight budge as it raised its head and flashed its flaming eyes. Now staring directly at the Goddess with death looming over her.
"NO!"
Poseidon screamed as she reached her arms for the heavens, and then; nothing happens. She straightens herself up and finds herself sitting on her own throne, and the flaming vessels on the walls were still lit.
'A dream?' Poseidon took several deep breaths before slumping back. 'What was that? That... was no dream...'
The Goddess felt hands trembled and raised them up, looking at them as if they were fragile.
'But... It's all too real... Yet why... do I tremble in fear like a mortal...?'
...
Kingdom of Valaria, Sanctuary City of Lindt
...
"Is this true?
"Indeed, the traitor isn't found anywhere else in the Demon Realm of Lescatie."
Inside a specific building on the holy sites of the city. Members of the Inquisition Branch from the Holy Order of Valaria have read through the documents that their latest attempt to recapture Lescatie has been recovered. A priest in his 50s scanned through the listed names of the most wanted men and women with a magnifying glass.
"All of their names have been confirmed by our agents' eyewitnesses that most of these people have turned over to the Demon Lord before the invasion." One inquisitor informed while pointed out their names. "But there is only one person left who hasn't been monsterized, and it's highly likely a well-renown hero who had escaped from the Kingdom."
"Sasha Fullmoon... Age of twenty-one and a Hero Priestess born in a church and raised in an orphanage within the slums of the city." The Elder Inquisitor reads the bio out loud. "Her crime is committing the greatest treason against the Kingdom by providing information to the Monsters and sheltering monster children right under their noses. By the chief god, looks like we have a heretic to hunt."
One inquisitor wondered. "But where she could have gone, Sir Blazh?"
But the other one argued. "And how do we know where she went, Grigorii?"
"Silence, you two loud fools." Blazh raised his voice, silencing them both. "There has been a mass influx of refugees fleeing straight into Gaul since the Kingdom fell. There's a chance that a traitor is hiding in there."
"So we have to take her out for abandoning her duty?" One inquisitor inquired while raising her hand.
"That might be difficult and after all..." Blazh then paused for a moment before turning around. "This heretic is a former hero, and it requires a hero to take her out and Gaul is hard to bypass their security since they are part of the Federation."
"Unbelievable. Gaul used to be an Order Nation," Grigorii stated while expressing concern.
Then Blazh turned to see two individuals at the dark corners of the room and called out their names. "Royse... Jack. I'm assigning you two to take out that traitor. Her crimes should never go unpunished."
"Yes, my lord." The two assassins bowed monotonously before disappearing into the darkness.
Once the inquisitors left the room, Blazh chuckled while gracefully spinning his golden goblet full of wine.
"Heh heh heh, I pity that poor girl."
...
Chapter 27: ends.
AN: This chapter will be updated in case of errors.