Chapter 49: A Radical Downfall
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"But why don't we roll in and teach them a lesson? I'm sure the plan will work, right?"
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"No, that's a bad idea. You know what happened to our heroes at the Fallen Tower?"
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"We need to come up with something that we shed no blood and to avoid the Silver-Blue Knight."
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"... WHAT...?"
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A day before the Coup.
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Wilmarina couldn't believe what she was hearing through the magic mirror. The Dark Hero stood in a state of disbelief once she heard Druella's refusal to eradicate the Silver-Blue Knight.
"So then... we'll go with your plan? Perhaps we could hire some Hero Hunters for assistance. I mean, they're professionals at sneaking behind enemy lines."
"Hmm... not quite a bad plan. The plan, however, is its intention that we should not draw our blades." Hearing those words made her heart snap. "The goal is to sneak in and get Elt from that place as soon as possible and remonsterize him back to an incubus. You got that-"
*BAM!*
The Dark Hero of Lescatie smashed the magic mirror into hundreds of shards and threw it against the wall in a fit of rage. She had heard enough and Wilmarina couldn't believe Druella was still going for the same plan that killing is not an option. She knew her enemy was capable of and not even Fate could protect her.
From those repeated failures, the Succubus Hero lost almost everything; she lost her knights; she lost her confidence in her faith as a monster, and then she lost her husband. From that day, when he was taken from her... her Will was diminished and so was her sanity being slowly eaten away.
The Hero thought Druella will liberate her from the suffering she had endured in her old times as a Hero of Lescatie, her entire life being a loyal hound to the Church and the Order of the Chief God while her connections with her old childhood friends were slowly forgotten and the promise to reunify with Elt will never be fulfilled. When she became a monster, Wilmarina followed Druella's plan to liberate others and went straight to her profound love to fulfil her reunification with the love that she desired most.
After Lescatie became a Demon Realm, she adhered to Druella's path to happiness so that the terrible consequences of their depraving actions will not happen since the Order mounted a massive counterattack to recapture the kingdom back in their hands, which only ended in failure.
Their success in defending Lescatie proves no one could topple them... however, when Wilmarina saw "him"... she came to realise that not everything should stand with her expectations.
"W-Why...? Why?... Why?! WHY!?" Wilmarina snarled as her fists clenched, her nails dug deep into her palms. "WHY DIDN'T WE RESORT TO OUR OLD WAYS!?"
Ash Cyrus, The Silver-Blue Knight of Astora, and Sasha Fullmoon, the Holy Maiden of Lescatie, left a pile of bloody marks in their wake. Both of them stood in defiance on their path to Paradise and inflicted the pain on her heart more than ever before. Death, suffering and experiencing many tragedies in their ways and this differs from the last Order's counterattack or the time when her father was still around.
She thought Fate favours the monsters as Druella has taught her. Even when they die, she learned Hel and the gods will revive them from their deaths as means to finish their jobs. These were the lessons she was being taught and kept such teachings to her heart... until loss after loss.
The incident of the Fallen Tower proves it and Anor Londo was another nail that took away her beloved Elt from her. Those blunders were nothing more but a hammer to her fragile illusions about victory over the old shackles of humanity, a fallacy made by the Lilim who conquered her land, and once they tossed the hammer, her foolish expectations were shattered into fragments.
Druella's teachings about the Force of Love, the strength of their desires of monsters and their Fate without consequences... were nothing more but a sham.
"We were... just nothing but pawns..." Wilmarina quivered while clutching her head as her knees hit the floor. "This can't be... there is no way...!"
Being stuck with incompatible dogma in her beliefs, the succubus wanted revenge. She wanted to kill anyone after witnessing the gritty horrors that she cannot overcome.
"Druella... y-you...!"
In her realisation, she knew one thing.
In the Order, she was just a hound... and in the new Demon Realm; she was still a hound to another. Unshackled from the falsehoods of the Order, and shackled once again by the lies of the Radical Faction. The Dark Hero felt her blood boiling from this revelation and could no longer hold the rage within her.
"... You doomed us... You doomed us all from the beginning!"
Wilmarina slammed her fists into the floor and then tears broke out as her heart trembled with conflicted emotions swirling within her. The remains of her depraving and happy emotions were slowly being overcome by the very feelings that it was meant to be kept away. Like a tidal wave, it took over like a ravage blizzard that froze her icy heart tenfold than before. At that moment, Wilmarina cracked a crooked smile and chortled.
"Hah... hahahahaha~! KAHAHAHAhAAaaa~!... Ah-... Uuuuh~... Aaahhh... UWAAAAAAGH!"
"Wilmarina!?" At the dorm's entrance, Eristia barged in and saw Wilmarina lying on the floor. Both laughing and crying hysterically. "L-Lord Governor! What's wrong!? Are you alright!?"
"Hah... hahaha... Eristia..." Wilmarina giggled with a weakened voice. She tries to get up with her arms, quivering as the succubus tries to stand up. "The world... has damned us all..."
When Eristia reached out for the Dark Hero to stand up to her feet, she reeled back by the sudden blizzard that swirled the entire room. The painful emotions that linger here all belonged to the Dark Hero of Lescatie. She understands Wilmarina lost her beloved husband like what happened to her, but this took her to another league.
"Fuck the Order... Fuck Druella and her Radical Faction! FUCK EVERYTHING!" Wilmarina shrieked out loud. The Dark Hero, then looks up at Eristia with teary eyes, leaking out the sadness and anger from her core. "You... I want you to do me a favour..."
Eristia gulped. "Th-then... what is it?"
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"... I want you... to help me... and burn down everything, and kill them!... The ones who's been feeding us LIES!"
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Kingdom of Lescatie, Main Capital. Present Time.
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"This magic ring which Elt pledged me during our betrothal... to bind our love..." Wilmarina muttered silently while staring emotionlessly at the ring on her finger. It was a magic wedding ring which was created by the Radical Faction prior to their wedlock and it stored mana from her husband whenever it needs to boost their magical power. The special ring itself was once a shining spark of life. "... And now... it's a useless husk."
She had spent most of her magic power from the ring during her so-called "honeymoon" trip in Dragonia and her coup against the Radical Faction.
"Without my husband... I can't get powerful." Wilmarina wanted to throw away the ring created by Druella. But she couldn't and still remembers Elt who betrothed her, which signifies their bond of love. "But I can't throw it away... such an irony coming from me."
"... Hah~... and sitting on this throne... Feels like I'm a person born with a royalty." Wilmarina slumped her head to the side, her cheek being held up with her left arm while expressing boredom. "Now it's all set. We still have some traitors to execute and give us some breathing. Then our next step will be conscription and production."
"That's our next plan?" To her right, Eva Mystiv, the Alp Strategist, asked with a curious look. "Huh. I see. Not a bad move. After all, we need more labour, which is trivial."
"My knights have already taken over the Industrial District, to make sure the Gremlins there should stand with us... Or else they will be met with some dire consequences." Wilmarina said, her lips smiling gleefully, radiating out her malice. "With them in our hands, we can produce some effective war machines. I'm surprised when I heard the collected resources which my father, who worked off his butt for this... remains intact."
"Then that means we're off to a good start." Eva smiled optimistically until she heard the doors open. "Huh? Looks like they're here for something."
The Dark Knights entered the royal halls of the palace and greeted Wilmarina with a salute. Then a high-ranking knight stepped forth and bowed to the Dark Hero.
"Lord Noscrim. We found an... unusual guest from the pits of Blighttown." The Knight Captain stated firmly before standing aside. "Stepped forth, prisoner. Your endeavours shall be recognised under our new Lord of Lescatie."
Wilmarina and Eva observed their new guest who stepped forth from the shadows, along with the sounds of chains dangling on his shackled wrists. He appeared to be a large, stocky old man with a beard. He seems to be blunt and his eyes were unusually blank.
The succubus and the Alp that caught his scent are clearly human, but Wilmarina recognises something within him as if he's lacking mana. Like the Silver-Blue Knight and his mamono allies. Thus, from the looks within his blank eyes, her hunch tells her he was some skilled craftsman and there's no doubt. She had seen blacksmiths throughout Salvarision, who had such looks.
"Huh... I'm intrigued... to see my knights gave the human a privilege, to meet with the new leader of Lescatie." Wilmarina said suspiciously as she narrowed her eyes while looking down at the chained prisoner. "What is your name, prisoner? And what made the Knights of the Dark Ice Flower deem you special?"
"My name...? Very well. I am McDuff. A Steady Hand Blacksmith." The old man replied in a gruff tone. "Your... so-called "knights" have barged into my workshop and squandered my efforts to forge weapons."
"... Making weapons... underneath the darkest pits of that distorted place?" Wilmarina raised her eyebrow slightly with interest while stepping down from the throne. "What weapons are you forging?"
"Of all kinds... weapons and armour... I entrusted my work so they shall reach far beyond its mundane capabilities," McDuff grumbled in displease. "Hmph, if your knights didn't barge into my workplace. I should've completed it."
Wilmarina then circled the blacksmith, inspecting the old man with every detail from head to toe. It was said that this stocky old man was deemed of importance, as her knights claimed. She stopped right in front of him while pulling out a shard from her pocket.
"You know what this is... do you?" Wilmarina asked while waving a Titanite Shard in front of his blank eyes. "I'm sure you've been working with this one in your entire life?"
"That's... a Titanite Shard." McDuff raised his brow in confusion while Wilmarina handed the object into his palms. "You desired for my knowledge of Titanite?"
"Oh? So you knew what Titanite is for, huh?" Wilmarina then smiled once her hunch stood correct. The old man in front of her is in no doubt knowledgeable about Titanite and she is sure that he will pave way for their victory. "We have a bunch of simple shards at our disposal. But the unique ones... erm, we require a special hand. Therefore, I have an offer for you which you might like~!"
"I see... then let me return to my workshop and resume my tasks. It shall provide thee of my services," McDuff said while crossing his arms. "Thus, from listening to your words. It seems that you have some trouble with it... Nevertheless, forging with Titanite is no easy feat, and you required my help... from a blacksmith of no renown, such as I."
"Oh, there's no need to go back to your old workshop~!" Wilmarina said while faking her voice of hospitality. "We can provide you with a new one~! Here in Lescatie~!"
"In my workshop, there are special embers which fit the requirements for creating new armaments." McDuff grunts while tilting his head in an unpleasant demeanour. "Without them and my flames, I cannot help you forge stronger weapons."
"Oh? Well then... Knights~!" Wilmarina then snaps her fingers, summoning her two high-ranking Dark Knights and then bowing in front of the Lord Succubus. "Take every bit and piece from his old workshop. He's going to work for us!"
"Yes, ma'am!" The two succubus salutes and then left the royal halls.
The old blacksmith McDuff raised his eyebrow in concern while turning to Wilmarina. "You... seem to be quite a brash leader of your kingdom... no offence."
"None was taken, mister." The Hero Succubus waved her hands dismissively. "My knights shall escort you to a guest room. I'd hope our cooperation will benefit us both~!"
After their small conversation, the knights led the blacksmith through the exit. Once they were out of sight, Wilmarina still kept a smile on her face and behind the facade of her face was nothing more but a power-hungry individual, and her confidence for power grew evermore.
"Hehehe~!... a jackpot! Now we can get rid of that... that wretched Astoran... Hahaha~!" She giggled maliciously while raising her fists victoriously. "Now let's see what he could offer us~? Ahn~! Elt~! I can't wait to reunify our love once more~!"
...
Kingdom of Lescatie, Western Region.
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"This is all the firewood I got," Cask said while dropping a bundle of wood. "Not much is found elsewhere."
"We have a few days' journeys to the nearest country," Mila mumbled while hugging her knees. "At least we're safe from the hands of Wilmarina..."
"Speaking of which..." Cask then turns around to the Werecat, who appears to be cleaning her rapier. "We didn't get your name yet since you saved our necks back then."
"... The name's Cheryl. Just some werecat from the Federation." The werecat, Cheryl, introduced herself to the two Ratatoskr. Cask has some questions to ask, but the spy interrupts. "Before you ask, how the hell did I shed blood? Well, it's hard to tell about it."
"But you're a mamono! Then how did you learn to kill?" Mila asked out loud in confusion. "I mean, we've seen the Knights of the Noscrims killing other Mamono, but you're not one of them! Still! We didn't see another mamono doing that other than the Noscrim Faction!"
"Indeed. That's concerning." Cask nods in agreement to Mila. "You're an odd monster girl, and I thought we instinctively refrain from harming anyone."
"Well, that's not entirely false and... there's a small truth to that," Cheryl smirked, giving the two Ratatoskr some chills on their skin. "It only happens if a monster girl experienced repeated failures without progress... and the results will be catastrophic."
"Repeated failures...?" Mila raised her brow in question. "And by "catastrophic"... You mean..."
"Yep... you know what I'm getting." Cheryl sighed while putting down her sword. "They're out for blood once their foreseeable expectations became unpredictable."
"Then what about you?" Cask asked cautiously while taking a seat on a nearby log. "You drew the blood of the mamono without hesitation. I can say that wasn't something for revenge."
"Welp, the cat is out of the bag. In fact, I'm just born different from the rest of the mamono kind." Cheryl smiled while shrugging off her shoulders. "While there are ordinary mamono living within the Federation... there's another kind of monster girls who doesn't live like one... like me, for example."
Cask and Mila shared their concerned looks before looking back at Cheryl, who moved the burning firewood with a stick.
"Then... what were you referred to as in...?" Cask questioned while leaning forth. "A mamono... who doesn't live like us?"
"We were called "The Blanks". It's what some people call us there," Cheryl answered while scanning her surroundings for potential enemies outside of their camping site. "Ilassa, the lilim of the Federation, gave us that name because of our nature. Unusual to any ordinary mamono."
"An unusual nature?" Mila then leaned forth. "What makes the difference between your kind and other mamono?"
"The thing is... not because that we were born without the essence of mana, our lack of connection with the Demon Lord and living like humans," Cheryl explained as the bonfire produced several muffled cracks. "It lies within our unforeseeable fates, and they remain unknown. A blank slate to the eyes of the gods and powerful monsters, not knowing of our destined future. Even when we act on our own accord and make ourselves known... our future remains blank."
"A Blank Mamono, huh... that's interesting. We never knew your kind exists." Cask stated curiously while casting a worried look. "Wait... when you say being a Blank... does that mean you don't have a fated partner?"
"... Heh, is that what you're thinking about me? My mamono ancestors were blanks." Cheryl smiled, waving off her hands in a dismissive demeanour. "The blood of my forefathers had been passed down for a couple of generations. Also, being a blank doesn't mean I won't stay single. All I have to do is to act."
"Interesting..." Cask noted Cheryl's explanation in her notebook until she asked another question. "But the question remains; how are you able to inflict harm on others?"
"You didn't get my gist, did ya?" Cheryl asked and the two Ratatoskr tilts their heads sideways. "Jeez... the only thing why I can kill anybody is because I neither have connections with the demon lord. Ya' get it?"
The ratatoskr remained silent for a while until both of them opened their mouths. "... Ohhh... We still don't get it."
Cheryl couldn't help but let out another heavy sigh. It will be a long explanation until the two monster girls could understand more about her nature.
'I still have a message and send it over to Ilassa.' Cheryl looked down at her pouch while pulling out the magic mirror. '... about the situation going on in Lescatie.'
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Kingdom of Gaul. Town of Gerth.
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"For a thousand years... I, Druella, the Fourth Borne of the Demon Lord and the Leader of the Radical Faction... who's been terrorising my enemies for the previous millennia... sat on the very grounds which I regret to take a step into..."
"Hey, is the bitch still pondering there?"
"My mission to infiltrate the town that stains the glory of the Demon Realms... Never in my life... have I experienced humiliation!"
"WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY!?"
"... defeated and captured by my younger sister... and the Silver-Blue Knight and his maiden."
"I'll punish you when I get the chance to break off of these chains!" Druella snarled while trying to free herself from titanite chains which suspended her entire body. "You'll regret this! Mommy won't be happy about this if she finds out!"
"Then I ask myself to fate... despite my sheer strength... how... how did I get defeated!?... By mere humans and mamono!?"
...
... Several hours ago...
...
"Quite a nice place for a visit,~!" Druella, in her human form, smiled deviously while looking over the townsfolk doing their daily business. "Humans and mamono walking around as if it were normal... you don't see that often in the lands of the Order."
"To my surprise, the mana in the air feels too refreshing," Mirelle spoke in a relaxed mood while stretching out her arms as the breeze of wind and mana brushed through her skin. "It makes me wish I wanna live here~!"
"Uh, shouldn't we look out for our targets?" Tilly speaks up while raising her hands. "I mean, we're not here for sightseeing."
Mirelle and the other demons snapped out of their relaxed stupor and apologised to the succubus. "Oh yeah! You're right. S-Sorry about that!"
"This town is truly unique on its own. Covered with wild mana which covers our target's senses..." Druella said while cupping her chin in thought and then looking in the direction where the mana is coming from. "It came from there... and that place stood where the wheat fields were supposed to be... Strange, I don't recall this unusual mana flowing out from a local farmstead... I wonder who owns it."
"Oh jee! I heard Siegward's new menu is coming up!" Druella snaps out of her thoughts and turns to a pair of local townswomen. "Why don't we visit Horseback Inn and try it out?"
"Oh, I'd love to, Carla~! I heard pumpkin soup is on the menu~!"
Druella stared curiously at the townswomen and mentioned the Inn, which the women recommended. Perhaps at that place where she can gather info about the Silver-Blue Knight and the Holy Maiden's whereabouts. She noticed someone to her right and walked to the nearest person standing nearby while asking for the location of the aforementioned Inn.
"The Inn is that way, not too far from here." The man said casually while pointing towards the main path. "Just walk down the road and the tavern is just straight ahead."
"Thank you~! I appreciate you for helping us~" Druella thanked the local townsman and then left, leaving a sexual innuendo that made him flush red. "I'm sure you'll be rewarded with a loving wife~!"
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Meanwhile, in Horseback Inn.
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"So they're here... sooner than expected." Ilassa breathed out. "Alright, thanks for the info, Lucena."
"We'll return to our post, Lady Ilassa."
Lucena saluted as the Lilim dismissed the Mirrah Knight and then spun around to Ash, Sasha and the rest of the fellowship. "I suppose you all have to get ready. Druella is a Lilim I knew... and she can unleash unfathomable powers once we threw her into the corner."
"Do you know more about her strengths?" Vermut asked while crossing her arms, casting a worried look on her face. "We have to be damn sure that we'll be prepared for it."
"Y-Yeah... a-a L-Lilim. The one who conquered the Kingdom of H-Heroes, no less!" Luciana quivered meekly in fear. Hoping that she won't get monsterised again if Druella got her in her sights. "Wh-What about her weakness?"
"Well... Druella, despite being one of the eldest lilim and knowledgeable about human values and morality for centuries. She wasn't the brightest of all." Ilassa answered with a smirk. "Hence she's a Radical. She's been really devoted to my mother's beliefs and also, she's brash as my father."
"Your father?" Reginald raised his brow in question.
"The Demon Lord's Husband," Daniella answered while raising a finger. "He's the strongest human hero ever known throughout history."
"Oh... wait, does he have a name?" Elen curiously raised a question. "I know that you folks didn't prefer saying his real name, right?"
"W-Well... he's been called like that since the Demon Lord married him," Daniella replied nervously, with a sheepish smile. "N-Not everyone in the Demon Realm knew his name, except the closest ones to them."
"Pff! Lame! Could've better come up with a better title!" Elaine laughed it off while slamming a mug of beer on the table. "It's kind of funny when folks in the Demon Realms refer to him as "her husband" instead of calling him a Lord or something!"
"They should've called him a "consort"." Junayd guessed while shrugging off his shoulders. "It's a befitting word."
"We shouldn't just stand here and joke around," Gerome spoke up sternly. "Our enemies were coming closer to us and we have yet to get ourselves ready."
"Oh, Ash~!"
Ash jolts up once he heard Dracolinde calling out for him. He turns around and he was taken aback by her sudden new appearance. Sasha followed the suit and felt her jaw drop when she saw the Red Dragon's new look.
From her usual old suggestive attires she has worn in Dragonia, Dracolinde's new outfit comprises a sleeveless orange-brown shirt with a bright red jewel ornament on her chest and a light orange pleated skirt.
"Yahoo~! How do I look~?" Dracolinde bends forth while giving him a flirtatious wink. "Does this new outfit make me look cute~?"
"E-EHH!? You dare to steal him away from me, you thief!" Sasha cried out as steam escaped from her head.
Ash remained silent while Sasha vented her anger towards Dracolinde. The maiden still couldn't help but felt the immense frustration and jealousy ravaging inside her, seeing the dragon's gnarly ambition to capture her knight's heart with her cute outfit. Yet neither Ash would appreciate Dracolinde's new looks when there are more important matters to deal with.
"Girls! Stand down, please." Ash scolded the two before Sasha and Dracolinde puckered their lips to remain silent. The Silver-Blue Knight pinched the bridge of his nose and then sighed. "Ugh... can't you two... just get along?"
Both the Holy Maiden and the Red Dragon shared their hated looks before turning away in opposite directions. Ilassa snickered while witnessing the conflict between Sasha and Dracolinde.
"Ufufu~ I'm sure they will if they got closer enough~" Ilassa smiled, her words catching the attention of the two women that ticked them off.
"W-We're not!/I refuse!" Both Sasha and Dracolinde cried out while glaring at each other until both of them pushed their foreheads as if they were in a personal conflict. "I won't trust this monster whore!/Aren't you too bold to say such words for a "Holy Maiden", you bitch!?"
"ENOUGH!" The two women jolt back in fear once Ash slammed his fist on the table, severing the conflict between the two love rivals. The knight growled while Sasha and Dracolinde hugged each other, forgetting their hate and hoped not to raise his anger further. "When I said to get along... I mean it."
"S-Sorry A-Ash!/W-We'll get along!" Both Sasha and Dracolinde quivered with teary eyes. "W-We're sorry~!"
"Good, then don't make any further ruckus." Ash then breathed out while massaging his temples. "I can't believe you both bicker while we have important matters to talk about."
Sasha and Dracolinde stared down embarrassingly, to think they were making a scene in front of everyone until they shared their glances with each other once more and then turned away as they scoffed. Arcturus couldn't help but snicker. He pitied Ash for having two women falling for him and having two women can cause a rocky love rivalry within their triangle.
"Ah, don't worry, Ash. I hope they'll get along." Arcturus laughed off while patting his back. "Having friends sometimes starts off being rough."
Ash sighed, noticing Dracolinde and Sasha exchanging glares. "If there's a way, these two should put away their hostilities."
"Oh yeah! Ash! Everyone, listen up." Ilassa snips her fingers, calling out for the others to gain attention. "I've spoken with the local blacksmith yesterday to make some useful devices. Andre~! You can come in~!"
"Heh! Nice to see the young folks 'ere, 'ey?" Andre smiled while making a mocking salute and then turns to Ash and Sasha. "Also, nice meeting you two. I heard a new one is giving ya' some shaky relationship."
Sasha pouts in annoyance when Andre mentions the Red Dragon, who's sitting beside her. The blacksmith then continued while bringing out a bunch of objects wrapped around with some rags.
"Well then. Here are some new weapons, as requested by some lovely lady here." Andre smirks while unwrapping the rags. "Wah-laa! Some new Sheathes I've made."
"Sheathes?" Vermut raised her brow in question while grabbing one. "This is... a new weapon?"
"They're all blunt." Arcturus inspected it while making a few knocks. "Although, it's lighter."
"Those sheaths aren't just for decorations nor for killing," Andre explained. "These scabbards are made of lighter steel and infused with Titanite. They're meant for knocking down monster girls... if bloodshed is not needed."
"Huh, so they're just for beating the hell out of their wits?" Gerome guessed. "They seem impressive enough."
"It's a better alternative than having a wooden club," Ash said with a good impression while grabbing a scabbard which has the same size as his Claymore. "These sheaths remind me of an Executioner Sword, and they're blunt."
"Ahem! Excuse me, everyone. I might have a word." Everyone then turned their attention as Siegward entered the bar, along with Alameria. Olivier raised her head in surprise to see her friend stepping forth. "We have a lady here who's going to take by your side."
"A-... Alameria?" Olivier stood up, and the dhampir smiled to see her old human friend. "Y-You're..."
"... Yeah, I had enough of Druella's lies. It took me a while to realise that having friends who were turned into monsters aren't the same guys I'd used to know." Alameria explained before flashing a relieved smile. "Therefore, I'd like to join you guys and help to free my friends from their mental prisons."
"Hooh~? Now, this has taken an interesting turn for her." Ilassa mused with a smile. "Then welcome aboard, dear~!"
...
"... Any signs of them?" Lucrezia asked while looking around the streets from above, standing on the rooftops of a residential building. On her right stood Adelmar, scanning the streets with his binoculars. "They're probably here by now."
"Shh! Stay put. I'm seeing particles of Demonic Energy." Adelmar hushed as he raised his hands, keeping his sisters on a low profile. "Is that them?"
Lucena followed where her brother was pointing and saw dozens of black particles emerging from the streets. She knew those were the strong presence of monster mana that belongs to a strong mamono. The young mirrah knight noticed some disguised individuals blending within the crowd until she saw a succubus with pinkish skin and white hair.
"Yep... that's them," Lucena answered while nodding. "She has that one scary look. We could've seen them in their human forms if we didn't inherit the blood of our forefathers."
"Right, I get the feeling that... Not they're just alone." Lucretia then looks up, seeing a pair of Hero Hunters in a distance, standing on the roofs to guard the Lilim. "Those Hero Hunters took the roles of being bodyguards."
"This reminds us of our previous mission to get rid of that corrupted noble in the city of Amster." Adelmar said with a cocky smile. "So by the way... has anyone told us which next step are we going to do?"
"I'd call the first shots."
The three Mirrah Knights jolt up and turn around to see Elen, who's expressing her mischievous smile once she looked down into the crowd and spotted the radical lilim from afar.
"Heh, she still looks ugly as hell," Elen said with a cocky smile. "Alright guys, we got a plan from Ilassa."
"So, what's the description of the plan?" Adelmar asked.
"We gotta lure her to a specific location. Hidden from the public." Elen explained while scanning the crowded area and Druella's bodyguards. "Elaine and the boys will take care of the rest. Ash, Sasha, Ilassa and our new dragon friend will be waiting at the isolated cross-section of the town."
"Then how will we start?" Lucena asked.
"... I'll be the one who'll give out the signal."
The dhampir left a smug impression before taking a long leap down from the building. Once her feet landed on the ground with a single tap, she took a deep breath and starts calling out to the leader of the radical faction.
"HEY! BIII~IIITCH!"
The yell echoed through the air, and the heavy wind brushed through the crowd. Druella froze once her ear picked up a tone calling out for her, with a familiar voice who had dared to give her a derogatory name since that night.
And she knew one person, a dhampir named Elen Farron.
"Wh-... What?" Druella slowly spun her eyes around while her expression changed from shock to anger. The Lilim balled her fists once she caught the sight of the mischievous mamono. "Y-... YOU?!"
"Didn't expect the slut would come in this place~!" Elen mocked while sticking out her tongue and winked. "Come and catch me if ya' can~!"
Druella felt her anger within her rose to an unprecedented level. She had been called a "Bitch" once. Now the dhampir gave her a more mocking name than the former. Druella stepped forth, expressing her deathly glare that no mamono and humans of the Order would ever face her wrath.
"Elen Farron... so we finally met," Druella growled in a cold tone. "And you still have the gal to slander me?! ME!? The Daughter of the Demon Lord?!"
"Yeah, whatever you or your slutty mom referred you." Ellen casually shrugged off and her slander caused the mamono of the Radical Faction to reel back in shock and disgust that this dhampir has the guts to call their leader like that. "Too bad you're still looking scary as heck. No wonder why men couldn't fall for you after one thousand years... with that face of yours!"
"I will punish you... YOU GODDAMN BRAT!"
The lilim leapt out as her disguise was torn apart at high speed while shrieking out in rage. Druella raised her hand and forms an energy ball, flinging it to the position where the dhampir was standing, resulting in an explosion.
The civilians saw and heard the blast. Chaos ensues as they ran away frantically in a panic. Druella pants out for air while looking down at the crater she just made.
"Aww~! You missed~!" Druella widened her eyes in disbelief and looks up. Seeing Elen hanging on a building with a knife embedded in the wall. "No wonder your sister said that you're the sole loser in your family~!"
Druella furiously gritted her teeth until the dhampir strafed away in a distance while Elen sticks out her tongue toward the Leader of the Radical Faction.
"You... Little... SHIIT!" Druella screamed out in rage and spread her wings. Taking a flight to apprehend the rogue mamono. "YOU'LL REGRET THIS ONCE I'M DONE CATCHING YOU!"
Once they were out of sight, Reginald saw his chance to give the next signal to take out Druella's bodyguards and her hired Hero Hunters. They were stunned by Druella's outrage and went out to follow them. Yet their pursuit to catch up with the lilim was interrupted when Junyad and Vermut threw out the Duel Charms from their hiding places, causing some demons to stumble into the ground as their mana, which enhanced their wings, shattered like transparent glasses.
"*Cough!* *Cough!* Wh-what the hell is this!?" Mirelle coughed while trying to get up. "H-Huh!? M-My mana! It's blocked!"
"My magic isn't working!" Mirelle turns to her right and sees her fellow demons frantically drawing up their spells, to no avail. "What the hell is this smoke!?"
"Everyone, now!"
Mirelle froze in fright when she heard a man's voice. From the pure white smoke, a red-cloaked mercenary leapt into the fray and knocked the demons one by one with frightening speed. Next, a couple of knights and one orc charged in and knocked out the monsters who were trying to escape from their trap.
"M-Mirelle! Let's get the hell out of here!" Mirelle saw her compatriots leapt out from the smoke. "Over here!"
As the demons got out of the smoke, three individuals landed their feet on their backs. Causing their faces to hit the ground, hard.
"Well, ain't that too hard huh?" Lucrezia smirked and then turns around to Mirelle while drawing her rapier. "Looks like we have another one."
'A-A Demon!? W-Wait, they have mamono allies!?' Mirelle gaped in disbelief as she finds herself surrounded by her adversaries. 'Th-This can't be!? Why are they siding with our enemies!?'
"Stand down, lest you value your life," Lucrezia spoke in a tone of authority. "If you don't, there won't be mercy."
Mirelle clenched her fists and leapt forth as she raised her claws. Yet Lucrezia stood unflinching until Adelmar appeared behind the Radical Demon without warning and knocked the wind out of her as the sword pommel struck against her back. The demon fell to the ground with a thud as Adelmar dismissed his weapon and then looks up to see Daniella and Reginald catching up with the Hero Hunters on the rooftops.
...
"D-Damnit! They got them!" Markus cursed as he looks back to their backup group being caught under an ambush. "We have to save them!"
"No time! Look!" Tilly then points out to see a pair of individuals pursuing behind their tails. "We have enemies!"
"Crap! We didn't know there will be an ambush like this!" Aurola cursed while drawing her demonic falchion. "We can't keep it like this unless we fight!"
"Right!" Markus acknowledged while drawing his demonic longsword and sprinted towards Reginald as he raised his weapon. "Take this!"
Reginald then ducked from his sight and swiftly turns around gracefully while avoiding the demonic blade and went passed the incubus until the Farron Swordsman locked his bastard sword with his titanite sheath and then brought the incubi down in one fell swoop, knocking Markus out of consciousness.
"MARKUS!" Aurola shrieked out in anger after seeing her husband being hurt and knocked down by a mere human. "HOW DARE YOU HURT HIM!"
The Arch-Succubus sprints forth while drawing her weapon. However, Daniella appears and parried off the Hero Hunter's sword of a sudden. The Arch-Succubus jumped back while hissing a growl and clenching her weapons tight as her eyes steeled in fury towards the Dhampir.
"You... why... WHY ARE YOU ON THEIR SIDE!?" Aurola yelled in frustration. She couldn't understand why a mamono would side with the ones who handled the deaths of many of her kind. "Are you not ashamed that you supported these murderers!?"
"No, they're not murderers." Daniella readied her blade as she took a defensive stance. "We brought this conflict of ours into their place... So I quit the Demon Lord's ambition."
"Don't you know that joining them will paint your hands with blood?" Aurola's eyes narrowed with spite. "What will your family and friends think about this? Just think about the people who were suffering in this world! Isn't that one of your ambition like us?! To liberate them from their pitiful state!?"
"I know... but my friends say otherwise." Daniella talked back with eyes steeled with fury. "The truth is... the world doesn't deserve what you're offering for it and all of that so-called "Liberation" from suffering was just nothing but an illusion."
Aurola then grits her teeth and felt shaken by the truth in Daniella's words. She couldn't help but hiss toward the former member of the Demonic Intelligence Branch while she raised her deadly intent.
"I... don't care anymore about what you're saying..." Aurola then drew her blade. "... and it doesn't matter when anyone claimed we imprisoned many human lives... we do it for the sake of creating peace so the Demon Lord's dream would come true."
"So that confirms it... you don't care for their lives either," Daniella said calmly while clenching her weapon. "Then that doesn't make us any better than the Chief God's Order who're been telling lies to their own people... and we're the ones who're making it worse than we imagined."
"GRAAAH!"
Aurola cannot stand it. She had been hunting Heroes of the Order for many years and heard their pleas as they were transformed into monsters while accepting her for becoming one. Even heroes who were reasonable in their response could still not stand a chance, as she didn't falter and kept on mocking their pitiful attempts. Many of her targets have already fallen to her blade and drowsed into pleasures to accept the ideas of the Demon Lord. For her, she did not care about their human values as they were seen to bring harm against Love, which the Demon Lord had made for her and her kind.
But this time is different. Instead of heroes, she was facing a monster who was born in a monster realm... And speaking out the flaws of the Demon Lord... the truth in her voice.
All those words she heard sounded true, and the words of disillusion made her soul be brought to the brink, like those humans who have questioned themselves about their beliefs about the Order.
*CLANG!*
Daniella grits her teeth while pressing her sword against Aurola's sudden assault and exchanging blow after blow. The Arch-Succubus leapt back while drawing out her magic, releasing a purple beam filled with demonic energy. Daniella leapt out to avoid the magic beam and cause some collateral damage to some buildings. Thankfully, none of them was occupied.
Daniella was relieved that no one was hurt until she turns around and sees Aurola catching up to her and swinging her demonic weapon while enhancing it with her mana before sending the Dhampir up into the air and crashing against a chimney.
"Daniella!" Reginald sprints forth to save his girlfriend and checked her wounds. Luckily, it wasn't severe. Her head was knocked out after receiving a painful concussion. "Don't worry, I got you!"
"You won't escape!" Aurola yelled while raising her hand, forming another ball full of energy, ready to strike down the couple. "You shall drown in the pleasures like never before-"
*SHING!*
"... Wh-What!?" Aurola widened her eyes to see a Nurarihyon flash before her very eyes. The Blank Youkai has her blades drawn until the Arch-Succubus noticed her ball of energy shattered into a million fragments. "H-Huh!? How did you-"
*THWACK!*
"GAH?!"
Aurola felt the pain that struck her from behind and fell unconscious. Shin held his sword high and then gracefully dismissed his uchigatana into his sheath and then turn his eyes towards Reginald.
Shin asked. "... You alright?"
Reginald held his breath and nodded. "Th-Thanks."
"You're welcome." Hina smiled while looking down at the unconscious Hero Hunter. "Be glad we came for aid against these... Troublemakers."
The two zipangunese siblings then turn their attention toward a mamono. Succubus Tilly was trembling in fear once Aurola and Markus were taken down. As she tries to escape, a blonde-haired knight came running through in a flash without warning and heaved her weapon high.
*BONK!*
"KYAAH~!"
Tilly was knocked out cold when Luciana swings her Titanite Sheathe on top of her head. The Knight of the Ice Flower then cheered as she jumps in victory.
"Yaay~! My first victory over a mamono!... Eh, I forgot I've beaten some of those freaks in Anor Londo."
Shin and Hima exchanged glances in confusion while Reginald flashed his embarrassed smile.
"Ehehe... Don't mind her." Reginald shrugged with a nervous laugh.
...
"YOU DARE TO ESCAPE MY WRATH, YOU CUR!"
While in pursuit, Elen was wall running and jumped at high distances from one wall to another building while elegantly dodging energy beams and homing magic missiles which Druella kept flinging around. Explosions rocked the town, and the townsfolk ran for shelter. Elen lands on the ground and slid her feet underneath a wooden cart before one of Lilim's magical projectiles blew it up, resulting in an explosion.
Yet the target stood unharmed. Druella grits her teeth as her wings speed up, catching up with the dhampir. Elen noticed the lilim coming closer near her tail and flips back, her boots now tapped on top of Druella's head and then kicks it, causing the Lilim to stumble from her flight course.
Druella almost crashed to a solid surface as her feet took the balance, resulting in a rough landing. The Leader of the Radical Faction grits her teeth while her piercing glare saw Elen take to the nearest path to her right and entered an empty alleyway.
"Good thing that no one's here..." Ellen muttered. "Or else someone will get hurt."
Once she sprints past a nearby building, the wall blew off and Elen turns back to see an enraged Lilim blasting her way through.
"Jeez! This girl is nuts!" Ellen cursed while dodging a magic missile which flew past her head by mere millimetres. "Holy shit!"
"I had enough!"
Druella raised her two arms and summoned a large ball full of energy and flings it towards her pursuing target. Elen took a boost from the right corner of a building and take another path. Yet the Lilim doesn't give in.
Once Elen sprung into the chosen path, Druella took a sharp turn and was on the verge of grabbing her. As the world slowed itself, Druella was expecting victory, however, there was another individual which she never has never expected.
The leader of the Radical Faction gaped in disbelief once she came face to face with the red dragon and Dracolinde gave her a hard punch with a titanium-reinforced caestus.
*WHAM!*
"GAH!"
The punch sends the Lilim to the ground and her body bounced off and then crashed against the wall. Druella felt the pain rocking her entire body and this is the first time that she was feeling it. The lilim slumped to the ground and tries to stand up until she looks up to see Dracolinde approaching her with a mad glare in her eyes.
"Y-You... you're a Red Dragon... why...?" Druella was shaken, hissing in anger and confusion. "Aren't we supposed to be allies?!"
"We were... until we notice a troubling dogma in our beliefs," Dracolinde responded with a cold tone. "Didn't your mother tell you anything?"
"No... but why did you take their side?" Druella asked while tending her broken arm as it slowly heals itself. "I... I don't understand..."
"Oh, you'll understand... My sister severed the ties between Dragonia and the rest of the Demon Realms." Upon hearing Dracolinde's explanation, the Lilim widened her eyes in shock. "After our kingdom was on the verge of full destruction. Your mother's beliefs didn't bring us strength, but death. As a result, my sister will raise the empire back to its former glory... my old nation's glory... a time when your mother hadn't sullied its true identity."
"What?... But this will divide us! The world will be brought back to the old cycle!" Druella growled. "Think about the people who are suffering in this world!"
"Suffering has never left us... even as we live as monsters." Dracolinde grits her teeth while clenching her claws. "Dragonia lost many of its people and Hel no longer revives the dead... Until we realise our new enemies are not of this realm... fate no longer protects us this time."
Druella couldn't believe it. As if Dracolinde spoke truthfully in her own words, the Lilim's perception of the world slowly breaks apart. It has been a millennium since her mother became a Demon Lord and created stronger allies by allying themselves with Dragonia and other monster realms. For centuries, the Order mounted countless crusades that proved fruitless and their confidence in victory remains high as the power of Love has always been on her side.
Until Artos and his achievement of creating the Federation along with Ilassa, she didn't know until now and that was the starting point for the Demon Realm's downfall. It also got worse as the near-destruction of Dragonia caused this divide even further and old habits of mistrust resurfaced in the current monster society.
As the leader of the Radical Faction, she will not allow this impossibility.
"You cur... I, Druella, the Daughter of the Demon Lord, won't allow you and your sister to incite this rebellion!" Druella snarled while drawing her magic. "We will turn you back to ensure peace!"
Dracolinde then grinned, mocking the Lilim. "Heh... Try me."
The red dragon's farce caused Druella to sprint forth in an instant from a great leap and raised her magically enhanced fist. As the Lilim was about to bring the dragon down, her attack was met with a barrier with a yellowish glow, which made Druella reel back in disbelief and turn her gaze to the right and saw a green-haired Maiden wielding her staff.
'Sasha Fullmoon?!'
"DRUEELLLAAA!"
Druella spun around and saw a familiar blonde-haired dhampir leapt and received a roundhouse kick against her face, sending the Lilim crashing into a nearby wall. Druella felt her eyes dazed and then looks up.
"A-Alameria?! Y-You too?!"
"Yeah... I joined them as well." Alameria glared at the lilim while drawing her rapier. "Now I'm here ... To kick your butt after I came to understand... at what you had done to my friends!"
'I don't understand... They're pure-blooded monsters like us... And yet they're rebelling against mother?!' The lilim wipes off the blood from her lips as she stepped back. 'This can't be...! Just how... HOW?!'
"You can't be serious?!" Druella cried out while gritting her teeth in frustration. "I have given you everything, which my mother has given to me... and lending her legacy to you so that we all can understand each other and be happy with our lives... Then why... Why are you throwing it away?!"
"That's because you're a fool. Just because you gave them a life to live in eternal happiness... means nothing to contribute an essential meaning for their lives." Druella froze when she heard his voice. "You wanted a peaceful world where only monsters reside... and it doesn't mean about coexistence with humanity."
Ash stepped in as he leaned his claymore over his shoulder.
"Suffering is indeed a bad thing for anyone... but is it that significant to remove it from the world?" Ash said in a cold tone, narrowing his eyes towards the Lilim in spite. "The truth is... it's necessary for a person to understand how the world works... And it helps them what makes a person. For better... or for worse. Depending on who you are."
"Ash Cyrus... So you're here as well. I'd never expected to this day... to meet the infamous knight who brought the death of many innocent monsters and men." Druella hissed once she spun around to the knight. "The one responsible for bringing Wilmarina to the brink and the cause of her suffering... I have no clue why fate would allow you to do such acts."
"That's because I don't stand there and watch." Ash talked back while narrowing his eyes. "You claim your kind to be innocent... after what I have seen, how people turned into your kind against their own will."
"So, what about them? They have accepted for who they are and they are happy with it." Druella grinned maliciously as she clenched her fists. "You're the one who's wrong here! They deserve better lives as monsters!"
"If they deserve better lives... then you shouldn't send them to their deaths." The Lilim then frowned at his point. "Those people that you have transformed and sent to me were your responsibility... now tell me... how many lives will you sacrifice further for just one man?"
Ash waited for her to answer and Druella was silent, shaken to the point until she clenched her fists, calling out her magic.
"I will end this misery and dismantle this pitiful federation which my sister created." Druella snarled in spite as her eyes dilated with anger. "STARTING WITH YOU!"
The Lilim vanished in a flash and Ash caught the wind while promptly bringing his blade forth until Druella's magic claws clashed against Titanite. The daughter of the great temptress leapt back and continued her assault with wild swings while Ash deflected her attacks and skidded back until the Lilim summons a large ball of energy and brought it down. Ash made a quick step and vanished to avoid her attack as the explosion rocked the streets.
Dust and pebbles flew over while Sasha and Alameria shielded themselves from the blast until the priestess caught one big rubble flinging over to her. Luckily, Dracolinde came in a nick of time and shattered the rubble into pieces, saving Sasha.
"Ah!... Th-Thanks, Dracolinde."
"Fufu~! You're welcome~!" Dracolinde smiled with a wink. "Oh! Call me Linde by the way~!"
"Sh-shouldn't we help Ash?" Alameria said, concerning the fight between the Knight and the Lilim. "I mean, he's facing a Lilim!"
Dracolinde looks over and saw Ash exchanging blows against Druella and preparing her claws. "Yeah, we should-"
"No... I don't think it's necessary." Dracolinde and Alameria then look back at Sasha in surprise. "Stick to Ilassa's plan. Ash knows what he's gonna do."
...
Druella flicked her fingers to summon pillars of demonic energy sprouting up from the grounds. Yet Ash dodged her attacks effortlessly while zigzagging in quick steps. The Lilim knew this man was no mere human. He has the strength of a hero. His speed and agility also match the description. But her only concern was his lack of mana and she didn't get why was he even alive.
'What is he...? His nature is a mystery and not even the gods knew,' Druella's thoughts say while focusing on her opponent. 'There must be a way to defeat this man!'
Once Ash comes close, Druella summoned another massive ball of energy in the air and brought it down. Ash took a quick step to the right flank to avoid her attack and swings his claymore, but he missed as Druella steps back and raised her fist. Her next move is summoning a large magic fist and flinging forth. The knight saw the incoming attack and blocks it with his blade and he was sent flying. Ash felt his back land against the floor. He swings his legs forth and flips up to his feet as he skids back a few meters further.
"You're a capable fighter... I've seen some heroes fight like that, but you... are different," Druella said while raising her arms apart. "As you deem a threat to the monsters... then I shall bring forth! A world of pleasures!"
The Lilim vanished and caught Ash in her place. A world filled with a purple sky and dark buildings. From there, monsters of multiple kinds appeared from all places and sauntered over him with their lustful gazes, giggles and laughs.
"Ufufu~! Oh my~! Let's remove his armour~!"
"Ara Ara~! I bet his meaty dick can fit inside me~!"
"Onii-chan~! Let's have some fun~!"
Ash slowly pulls out his claymore from the titanite sheath and clenched his weapon tight. As the monsters come in close, he weaved his weapon, slicing the surrounding monsters apart. Blood, limbs, and guts were strewn over. As he continued to slash them apart, he realised something was off.
The mamono that surrounds him bears no fear on their faces. They continued to smile while laughing as they marched toward him. Normally, a mamono should fear, unless...
'An illusion... no doubt.' Ash's thoughts spoke as he caught one demon bearing the face of Olivier. 'Their bodies felt real and some bear familiar faces... they're fakes, nonetheless.'
The knight continues to hack his way until he heard a tempting voice whispering into his ear.
"So this is what you are... a murderer... a killer... a madman."
More mamono stepped forth, their hands reaching out for him as their smiles widened with lunatic eyes. He gave no quarter and kept marching on.
"You are stubborn, no doubt. But how long will you kill? Just look at them, they want you~!"
Ash paid no heed and pressed forth.
"You are shackled by the flaws of men. Such things aren't needed for the paradise that my mother envisioned..."
The knight cleaved forth another fake. Beheading a deranged young succubus.
"Then why... why are you not accepting it? Answer it from the deepest pits of your heart..."
Another fake was taken down, and blood rained down on his armour.
"Why do you still pressing on? Why are you like this? Is your path to bloodshed not enough!?"
A couple more were taken down until slowly, one by one, the smiles of the fakes trembled as they plodded back, showing fear.
"Answer me! Why do you still insist on killing them? We don't want a war! We only bring peace!"
Once Ash slew another fake succubus, he noticed all of them were standing back, away from him, as he was left standing in the midst of a pool filled with blood and corpses.
"Look at you... Now they're afraid of you! Because you killed them! Are you not ashamed of what you had done?! They want a husband and live happy lives! Liberated from their suffering and free from the consequences of their own miseries! But you took them away with blood in your hands! Do you have any words to say?!"
"That's because the world didn't need your so-called "Peace". You ordered them for the sake of your mother's ideals against their free will. As I had said once, you brought them death." Ash said with no remorse until he spoke in admittance. "And you were right... I am a murderer... A killer... But you forget who I am... I am a knight. I take lives from those who wished to threaten anyone and protect those who cannot fight... It is who I am."
"But the monsters you knew and saw are not malicious-"
"Yet your kind wished for a world where humanity does not see fit. That is the wish your mother wants... the eradication of human nature... The extinction of humanity." Ash stood in defiance as he stands tall, unflinching, and Druella was left speechless to see how this man remains standing with an unfathomable Will that cannot be explained. "Transforming the people into your kind and their words speak nothing but of greed and denial. Your sister had seen the truth behind the facade of the Demon Lord... To sway countless men, women and children for the sake of that so-called "dream" and abandon their goals and their future while others who were left behind had suffered more than you could have imagined..."
In his experience, he saw their intent as if they did not know of their consequences. Back in Lescatie, despite the capital city being impoverished by corruption. The countryside of the nation was no better. Farmers and other people were left to die because of starvation and taxation. Not just because of the Crooked Officials of the Order in Lescatie were at work, but because the root of the problem stems from the continuous raids and abduction of males by the mamono.
"Those who waited for them to come home to tend the sick and feed the hunger that famine shouldn't have happened..." Ash continued."... And letting the strong prey upon the weak. You were using the misery that your kind had inflicted on them, reviving their dead from their slumber to cover your guilt... then taking it as your advantage for that Demon Lord, who wished for "Peace"."
Once Ash brought the tip of his claymore into the ground, a single spark brought the embers forth until the flames emerged from his feet and spread out. The mamono of the illusion stood horrified and ran away as the world around them was razed apart by the ravenous heat and the night skies above fractured.
"Therefore... that dream for a utopia deserved to be burned into ashes."
Druella saw the walls of her grand illusion produce cracks and shattered into millions of shards, finding themselves back at Gerth. She saw the knight standing unharmed with blood washed away from his armour.
The lilim stepped back as fear slowly raised into her heart. For over a millennium, she never had this feeling in her lifetime. She was once emboldened by her mother's beliefs and showed confidence to her enemies to prove how wrong they were and she showed them in return, a world of pleasures and desires which they never had.
But now, this is different. She saw something in his eyes which caught her off-guard. This man has no desire for pleasures, riches, or anything worthy to raise his glory.
All she sees is death, anger and all the emotions emanating from him. Scorning to her mother's beliefs. Hate for the desired lust and depravity, and this man does not hold a single hint of greed. She tries to call fate to see any plausible scenarios for any chances in which she could overwhelm him.
Yet all she found was none... A blank slate.
'A-A blank slate?! Impossible!' Druella felt her body shaken, completely overtaken by fear. 'I have to retreat and tell mother about this! He's a threat unlike we could ever imagine!'
The Radical Faction spreads out her wings and took flight into the skies to escape, but unfortunately, another Lilim appeared right in front of her very eyes. Ilassa stretched out her hand and summoned an energy ball.
"Heya big sis~!" Ilassa mischievously sticks out her tongue with a wink.
Druella then gawked in terror. "I-ILASSA?!"
The energy ball shot out point blank and a powerful blast knocked Druella out of her flight course, sending the leader of the radical faction crashing down into the hard surface, creating a crater. Once the smoke cleared, Ash, Sasha and Dracolinde came to see Druella, who was trying to stand up as her vision was shaken to see three figures coming up to her until she felt a painful sensation slam into her head and went dark.
...
...
...
"Alameria! That kick wasn't necessary!" Sasha cried out in dismay. "You would've killed her if you broke her neck!"
"S-Sorry, I couldn't help it. Ehehehe~!" Alameria smiled mischievously with a chuckle. "At least we brought down Druella for good and Lescatie deserves an act of suitable revenge for this one!"
"Hah~! So this lilim is the one who conquered Lescatie, I presume?" Dracolinde spoke while looking down at Druella. "She's truly a dangerous fighter... and I expect more from her. It seems she held back."
"To be fair, it's a good thing that she has to hold back in order to avoid bloodshed," Ash said while dismissing his weapon. "Else this town will be monsterized, and Ilassa never had a chance to meet her sister alive."
Ash then looks up and sees Ilassa landing on the solid surface.
"Oof! Good. Now we should chain her up before she could wake up." Ilassa said while kneeling on the unconscious Druella. "Tell Andre to prepare the titanite chains."
"Understood." Ash acknowledges and then turns to Dracolinde and Sasha. "Get the others prisoners chained up as well."
Both the Maiden and the Red Dragon nod their heads. "Right!"
...
Present Time.
...
'This is not fair... THIS IS NOT FAIR!' Druella's eyes dilate in anger while trying to shake off the chains, to no avail. 'THAT COULD'VE BEEN MY VICTORY IF I WASN'T CORNERED LIKE THAT!'
While trying to find a means to escape, she heard the door open up and turn around to see Ilassa entering the dungeon. Markus, Mirella, Aurola and other members of the Radical Faction moved away in fear from the Federation Lilim while Druella glared at her younger sister.
"So how's your first time in the Federation, dear sister~?" Ilassa smiled while lowering herself onto Druella's level. "You must've had something to do with this town, don't you~?"
"Mother won't forgive you for this, sister," Druella growled in spite. "Even though... I never expect that we're having a 'pleasant' reunion between the both of us."
"Oh, I'd love to have some talks with you~! It's been quite some time since we haven't seen each other for decades." Ilassa said in a friendly manner with a mischievous smile still present. "Would you like to have some milk tea? It's a special treat in Arum Sedis~"
Druella then spun her gaze away from Ilassa whilst the 13th-borne Lilim kept smiling.
"Tsk."
"Teehee~!"
...
Ilassa exited the room, followed by Druella with chains down. Despite the lack of chains and the free will to move, her wrists were locked by a pair of special bracelets made in a mixture of pure titanite and twinkling titanite. Which prevents Druella from summoning magic.
For Druella, never in her life, she was ever held in captivity and her magic taken away by a device so small that made her weak as a human being.
"This is embarrassing," Druella muttered in distraught and then looked up to Ilassa. "So... what are we talking about?"
"Something that we might discuss." Ilassa then opens the door, leading to another room. "Over here~! There are some people who would lie to meet you~!"
Once the two lilims entered the room, Druella caught sight of a wooden table, plus a familiar-looking knight leaning against the wall. It was Ash Cyrus, no doubt. Also, there are some other individuals standing on the right side of the room. One is a familiar green-haired priestess, Sasha Fullmoon, and the four knights of the Ice Flower. Luciana, Olivier, Vermut and Alameria shared their looks of disdain towards the Lilim and Druella didn't understand.
She knew they were turned into monsters and accepted for who they were. However, this case was confusing for her. Since they all seem to be aware of being monsters once and weren't pleased after turning back to their humanity.
"What's with those looks?" Druella grimaced in concern. "After you were turned into monsters, weren't you all happy with who you were?"
The priestess and the knights felt the discomfort and anger roused within them. Vermut clenched the hilt of her sword, on the verge of drawing her weapon to kill the Daughter of the Demon Lord who conquered her homeland and turned almost every citizen into sex-crazed fiends. Not even the strongest Hero, Wilmarina Noscrim, could overcome the pleasures of monsters.
"No... we were not." Olivier stepped forth, growling at the Leader of the Radical Faction. "We remembered nothing... but we remember what you did to us."
"And to my friends as well," Alameria speaks up, eyes showing disdain.
"I've seen people transforming into monsters right in front of my eyes." Vermut then added to the conclusion. "Such a sight... I will never forgive you for what you had done to our homeland."
Druella then turns to the priestess. "... Sasha?"
"I'm sorry... you have tricked me into believing that you will remove the misery from the people I have sworn to protect..." Sasha felt pity for the radical lilim and sighed. "I have never been so wrong after what you had done and the promises that you should leave the human villages alone... all nothing but lies."
"Grr...! This is your fault." Druella snarled at the Silver-Blue Knight. "You brought them back to their miserable state!"
"You're the one who brought this mess to us." Ash points out and Druella flinched. "After all, it's not my role to be a useless bystander."
"Now, now everyone~! Why don't we chill for a sec and let me have a word with my sister, alright?" Ilassa broke the tension between Druella and the knights of Lescatie before Luciana turned away from the mamono with a scoff. "Alright... so, what brings you here to the Federation, Druella?"
"Hmph... we had a mission is to bring back the husband of Wilmarina," Druella said with a glare. "His name is Elt, a former Knight of the Order."
"Oh, him? He's at our house, taking care of the children." Sasha spoke up while raising her hand and then frowning towards the Lilim. "However, we were not obliged to hand him over as you monsters perceive him as nothing more but a toy."
"Elt remains who he is... not as a monster," Ash added. "He knew nothing after a couple of months since the downfall."
"But Wilmarina is suffering and you're telling me to back off!?" Druella raised her voice in disbelief. "You both are the worst! She doesn't deserve that pain she had! You return that man to us at once!"
"Sorry big sis. They've already answered your demands." Ilassa dismissed while waving her hand, causing Druella to slump down on her shoulders. "At least you're lucky. Some unfortunate event happened to Lescatie when you were gone."
At that point, Druella raised her brow in concern while turning to Ilassa. "Wait... something happened in Lescatie?"
"There's a reason I called you guys to be in this room. Including you, Druella." Ilassa took a seat while summoning a magic mirror and placing it on the table. "Three hours ago, a spy sent me a message and the recordings of what happened in the Capital City... from the last forty-eight hours."
Once the lilim activates the mirror, everyone gathered around the table and saw the recordings played. A static view of the recordings shows the Holy Capital of Lescatie was filled with smoke and fire. Screams and the clashes of weapons were heard, and the visions changed to view another recording, a scene of an execution. A line of monster girls and their husbands were struck by spears, held by the Dark Knights, and weaved death upon their captives.
Sasha, Luciana, Vermut, Alameria and Olivier were horrified to see what has become the Demon Realm of Lescatie, while Druella shared the same reaction as well.
Then the scene changed to Wilmarina, who stood on the balcony while her followers cheered at her, calling out her name and title as the new lord of the kingdom.
"Uuoooh~! Lord Noscrim!"
"She liberated us from the lies of the Radicals!"
"All hail our new Lord! Our only salvation!"
Druella was speechless while watching the scene. "Wh-... what is this...?"
"Our fellow countrymen... sons and daughters of Lescatie. Today, we overthrow the Radicals from our capital! It has been a couple of months since the downfall of the old regime... until now, Druella has been fooling us while feeding us nothing but lies!" Wilmarina declared her speech while the Knights of the Ice Flower and the Priestess felt sweat running down their skins. "As for this day, we brought Lescatie back to us! Our conquerors were nothing but cowards and threw the lives of our kin into the maws of death while pursuing our only enemy!... But not this time... this time, we shall bite back... no more charms and acting innocent... we shall raze our blades and draw the blood of our enemies. Today, we shall have our revenge and tomorrow, we shall make an example of those who stood against us!"
"UUOOOOHHH-"
*PSHW~*
Ilassa cuts off the vision feed and then looks up, witnessing the terrified stares of the Knights of Ice Flower and the Radical Leader. "Now... what more do you have to say?"
As everyone remained silent... Ash decides to speak up. "Well... now this will be an interesting turn."
...
The city of Al-Mar, Temple of Poseidon.
...
'It's been a few weeks since the attack of the Red Wyvern. The Lion Knight Sir Deren and his partner, Sir Anri, became renowned Heroes of our city... and yet, I still held fear... The other islands held doubts about our stance in militarising our city from the impending threats, which are not known to our knowledge...' Arial sighed while writing down sentences with a feather pen in her personal diary. 'From what I've heard. The Great Songstress has already approved of this development to ensure the safety of our citizens and to protect Court Alf, thanks to Deren's efforts... however, Meivia and Asura Mythra were against this... but we had no choice but to fight-'
"P-Priestess Arial! Pardon for intruding on you!" Arial woke up from her thoughts and spun around, seeing the soldier, Rick, came through the doors and knelt down. "A-A message from Queen Diana! It was urgent!"
Arial raised her brow in concern. "Queen Diana...? What happened?"
"It's dreadful... the underwater city came under attack..."
...
Under the deep waters of the ocean, the citizens, both incubi and monsters, fled in a frenzy while trying to escape countless crazed fiends that crawled through the infrastructures of the colossal ship. Many were impaled by black, slithering tentacles and some were infected by the puss as they start to kill more innocent bystanders in their way.
'... By an unknown enemy, they have never encountered before...'
At the port side of Queen Diana, Asura Mythra led her soldiers in a battle against the infected citizens to protect the fleeing people at the submarine harbour. She used her magic to weave the waters to wash off the fiends, but they were many and there are some who stood at towering heights and can withstand her magic attacks... worse of all, they all seemed to be unharmed while the soldiers struggled to fend off the infected with their silver weapons... but to no avail.
"It's no use! We have to fall back!"
"The captain is dead! Retreat!"
Mythra grits her teeth while observing a sea of countless infected citizens and fiends of the Pus, all of them appeared with misshapen proportions. It was nothing she had ever experienced in her lifetime, not even in her time during the Asuramis War. This was different, and the only way she could harm these foul beings was to inflict her lethal magic.
But it wasn't enough. A single fiend was easy for her to eliminate. But dealing with countless of them while trying to avoid friendly fire is another story. As the creatures of the Abyss were rapidly swarming and taking over Queen Diana, she ordered her men to retreat and make hasty evacuations to tell the citizens to leave their belongings behind before heading to the surface. Meivia joined the fight to aid the Kraken while holding off the infected by summoning a wall with her ice magic. However, time is cut short when the towering fiends of the Pus were shattering it down with all of their might.
"These beings... their nature is similar to the Abyssals of Chaos..." Asura then turns to see a Shoggoth, staring emotionlessly at the infected citizens. Yet deep within the eyes of the Abyssal Mamono, it expresses a hint of fear within her heart. "However... they are different. Unlike my masters, they're of pure darkness of malicious intent... ever devouring of all living beings, no matter of whom we stand for... they are here to swallow us whole."
As the soldiers desperately fled to the submarines, Asura Mythra couldn't help but watched helplessly as the citizens who were still left behind were devoured by the infected Puss and some tentacles slithered their way through as they transformed the citizens into malformed horrors. When the Kraken was the last one who fled from Queen Diana, the only thing that was left was the cries of innocent souls who were still trapped in that now godforsaken sunken city. The screams of agony and terror had left a terrible reminder to those who survived and felt the guilts grew within their hearts filled with regrets.
Realising how many lives were lost and many thought that they could've saved them from their doom... only those turned out for nought and fell in despair.
Under a single night... Asura Mythra saw the last moments of Queen Diana was absorbed in the darkness, deep under the waters until the last light flickered out and died. The pain of sorrow and misery was etched within her heart. She gave out her prayers to Poseidon and punish these beings of darkness, to bring back their dead... and the answers she received were silent.
'Did Poseidon not heed my call...?' Asura Mythra clenched her prayers. 'Is this... what Arial has been dealing with...?'
As if the Kraken and the Goddess of the Seas should've realised... the Abyssals of Chaos who was imprisoned in the deep... shaken by the mere presence of the new darkness slithering through the depths of the seas without warning and sought out for their new masters. A never-ending obscurity that will devour any life in their way.
...
Chapter 49: Ends.
...
AN: I posted some fanart I drew in QQ and AO3, go check them out!
AN1: Sorry, there was an error while running an app.