Disclaimer: Fate series and Persona series belongs to their awesome owner. I do not own anything.
"A first-rate gambler only makes bets that he is 100% sure to win"
- Opera Vectra from Star Ocean: Second Evolution
The battle continues for the French army against the lord impaler army of corpses. The front line force leading by Gilles de Rais and Roland wielder of the Durandal is currently fighting to their hardest, but the battle their facing is endless.
These living corpses keep coming back from their grave. But the French army will not surrender they will keep fighting until their last breath.
"Hah!" Gilles shouted as he kicks one zombie in front of him, bringing it down in the process. It drops the spear it using. Mindless as they seem, these creatures know how to use their weapons. The said zombie on the ground tried to find his spear.
"Go on, you can get it." Gilles encourages his opponent. The smile he showing toward him is similar to how a sadist. Gilles toyed his opponent as he once again kicks the zombie that is already on the ground.
"Help!" One of the French soldiers cried for help. The said soldier is currently getting out powered by two zombies his facing. Gilles who is just meters away to help this soldier ignored his men in danger.
Instead, he keeps toying his opponent.
"Sir!" He tried to get Gilles attention for help. Gilles turned around and look at him. But he just smiled at him and watch him getting impaled several times by the zombies his fighting with.
"Back to you." Gilles once again stalks his prey. He cannot stop himself from being amused. There is no fun seeing your opponent dying easily, they should struggle first before dying and Gilles enjoyed seeing his opponent doing this, he also enjoys giving them false hope be it an ally or enemy.
"Everyone, we cannot fight them here!" He heard a voice coming from a distance. Soon a large group arrives with Charlemagne and Astolfo leading this said group. "We need to fight them on high ground or else they will just keep going back."
"Did you figure something out Charles?" Roland asks his king after he finished slashing the three zombies his facing. Charlemagne nodded in his direction. "This whole place is surrounded by blood and our opponent using it to control this corpses. We need to go on the high ground near their castle."
"Very well then. Take the lead Sir Charlemagne." Gilles told at the paladin.
"Men follow me we will march through their castle!" said by the paladin as he rallied everyone to Vlad III castle.
The French army marches through against the tide of blood below them and slashes through any living corpses trying to block their way. No matter how many are on their way, Charlemagne leads the French army strongly on the high ground that his talking about.
Soon they reach the place and intermediately, Gilles commanded his men to make a line formation to cover the whole place. "Brace yourselves men!" Gilles shouted and in the distance, a large group of zombies is charging at them with spears in their rotten hands.
"Charles I think I heard fighting near us. You and Asltofo should go we will cover this ground." Roland said as he raises Durandal in the air. The legendary sword glows brightly as its light shined through the army of France.
"Are you sure Roland?" Astolfo asked his cousin in concern.
"Who do you think your talking into?" replied by the paladin with a smirk on his face.
"Alright then be careful everyone!" Charlemagne shouted before looking back at Astolfo. "Let's go, Jeanne and Ren might need our help."
"Take the lead," Astolfo said without any protest.
As soon as Roland saw the two go. He looks up at the shining Durandal on his hand. "Oh, my friend. Give me and these men the power to fight back this evil force that's approaching. Give us your blessing!" After that, the French army who is shone by the light of Durandal felt their strength coming back. Their wounds also healed in the process.
Gilles after getting the blessing of Durandal he felt the same feelings that his soldiers receive. He also felt that its time to show this creature who Gilles De Rais is. He closes his eyes and focused his energy, once he finishes gathering the power he needed.
He opened his eyes and chanted. "Its time of us to advance! Rally upon the holy banner and roar! Saint war order!" He suddenly felt a strong surge of energy flowing inside him. This power makes Gilles smile, there is no chance for him to lose now.
Soon the French army and the controlled corpse by Vlad III meet each other again and clashed against each other. Roland leaps up in the air and slammed Durandal down and exploded in impact. Bodies of the Vlad III army flew away from them. The paladin then charges recklessly toward them and swing his sword left and right killing every single one of the zombies. Gilles followed the paladin rampages and made his way on the approaching force.
'I'm going to enjoy this' Gilles de rais told himself as he hides the smile that is forming in his face. He continued to hack and slash on his enemy forces and every time he kills one, his wicked smile grew wider.
The fight between the saint of Orleans Jeanne d' Arc and the blood countless Carmilla continues. Both of them are not showing any sign of exhaustion from their clashes. Jeanne who's in the defense right now is using her flag to deflect every spell that Carmilla throw at her.
"Think you can handle this!?" said by the blood countless as she swings her staff on the ground and suddenly a wave of crimson-colored sphere charge at the saint of Orleans. Not having enough time to evade the coming sphere, Jeanne braces herself for coming impact.
The sphere exploded in impact in crimson color and covered that area in smoke. Carmilla laughs after seeing the saint exploded on her sight. "Such a good girl. You took it huh, country girl!" She said in amusement. Her laugh continues but got cut off when she noticed a shadow above her.
Below her, was the saint who's spinning her flag like a fan. Once she saw where Carmilla is, she quickly descends on her and going to slam her flag at the blood countless. Luckily Carmilla manages to transform into a flock of bats and create distance.
The ground explodes in impact. Jeanne immediately back to her feet and look to where Carmilla is now. Seeing the vampire, she suddenly pulled her flag and swing it. It sent a crystal colored magical wave at Carmilla who challenge it with her crimson-colored sphere.
But Jeanne wasn't done yet. She draws the sword on her waist and sent a second wave to Carmilla who didn't expect coming. The blood countless is surprise as she stared at the wound she receives from the saint of Orleans.
"You'll pay for that!"
Jeanne this time run away from the coming barrage of crimson sphere on her. Each crimson spheres exploded as soon as they hit something, but they didn't manage to hit the saint. Seeing the failure of that attack, Carmilla now cast a magic circle that summons crimson spikes at the ground.
The saint of Orleans with the flag on her hand she dashed toward Carmilla while avoiding every magic circle that is appearing on the ground. She charges toward Carmilla with the sharp end of her flag at the blood countless direction.
Carmilla then surrounds herself with magic circles. Using the spell for her defense and to surprise the saint of Orleans who's still charging at her. But Jeanne saw what she's planning.
Using her all her strength to make herself stop before the activation of Carmilla spell. She then swings her flag at the crimson spikes that surround the blood countless. Jeanne swings the flag with all her might destroying the spikes and hitting Carmilla in the process.
It sent Carmilla flying into a wall and crushing into it.
Jeanne catches her breath as she staring at where Carmilla flew into. She knew that wasn't the end of her. So she waits for Carmilla to recover, she also needs to recover her strength on that assault she sent on the blood countless. 'O' Lord, give me the strength to keep fighting.'
Carmilla pulled herself up from the crumble of stones. She has bruises now and cut on both the face and the body. The mask she's wearing is now gone and Jeanne now seeing the full face and the angry expression of the blood countless on her.
"You'll be going to pay for what you did on my body!" Carmilla roared at Jeanne's direction. "I'm going to tear you apart, you country girl. I'm not gonna stop until I saw you dead!" the blood countless hold the grip on her staff and pointed it at the saint direction.
Jeanne after recovering her strength holds her flag both on her hand strongly. She didn't mind her opponent threats. Her mind and body are ready for another clash. She also needs to finish this now, Ren might need her help against their real opponent.
"That defiant look on your face disgusts me!" Carmilla said after seeing the gaze that Jeanne sending her. She lifted her staff in the air and multiple magic circles appeared on the ground. Jeanne runs away from the magic circles appearing below her.
"Dance saint, Dance!" Carmilla cast more magic circles and followed everywhere Jeanne goes. "Eat this!" She then simultaneously cast multiple crimson spheres to where Jeanne is about to go. The saint saw what is happening and knew she's going to get cornered if she didn't do anything about it.
Jeanne jump high in the air then spins her flag fast. She then uses this to hover herself then landed somewhere safe. "No wonder they call you a top servant," Carmilla commented the saint skills. "I wonder why someone like you ended up here? Not that your answer will stop me from killing you."
"I could ask you the same. What's your business here Carmilla? I do not think your someone that wanted to share a home."
"I'm just about to leave this place after my visit here. But then some people decided to cause some problem."
"Who's this people your talking about?"
"Your people who else?" Carmilla said. "Regardless I already got dragged into this mess." the blood countless prepared another set of spell barrage at the saint. This cycle will never end unless Jeanne manages to get closer to Carmilla. The saint notice that Carmilla isn't moving when she casting her spell. So she made up her mind to take advantage of that.
Carmilla fired her spells off on the Saint. But Jeanne just stood there with the flag on her hand. She started spinning the flag in front of her and then charges at Carmilla. Using the spinning flag to parry upcoming projectiles on her, Jeanne keeps her charge.
"Nice, truly splendid." Carmilla chanted. "All lies on a plate of illusion, yet the girl rests in this case." Carmilla's eyes glowed in crimson as Jeanne stared at the smiling vampire.
"Phantom Maiden!" Carmilla revealed the name of her noble phantasm at the saint of Orleans. The iron maiden floats above Carmilla's head, the moment it opened. Multiple chains suddenly find there way and entwine to Jeanne's hand. Then afterward it started to pull Jeanne closer towards Carmilla's waiting noble phantasm.
Jeanne tried to fight back against the chains attached to her. But the saint effort only leads her to delay the force that pulling her. On the other hand, Carmilla walks behind laughing at the saint who's still fighting back the force.
"You think you can easily charge me like that?" Carmilla eyed her struggling victim. "Oh dear me, you're just one step away from your death Jeanne. It a shame I didn't taste your blood."
"I can't lose like this," Jeanne said as she struggles against the chains that pulling her. She needs to think of something fast or else she won't able to see everyone. She cannot let that happen.
"This is where you'll end Jeanne d' Arc." Carmilla lifted her feet and going to kick Jeanne from behind. "Goodbye saint of Orleans."
"No, you don't!" Carmilla suddenly heard a voice coming behind her. She turned around and saw a pink-haired person with a sword on his hand pointing at her. The blood countless immediately jump away from it but her problem didn't end there.
"Charles!" The pink-haired person shouted.
"Holy knight emperor: Activate!" said by the person behind Carmilla. Due to her position, Carmilla didn't have enough time to make a move on the azure wave that sent on her. She once again sent and crush on the wall.
"Astolfo and Charlemagne. Thank goodness your here." Jeanne happily said after seeing the two paladins. "Yo Jeanne! It seems you find yourselves attach to those chains." said by the paladin Astolfo.
"Now isn't the time for joking around!" Jeanne shouted at the paladin. "Do something about that thing over there." She said then pointed at the Phantom maiden floating above them.
"Hold still!" Astolfo replied. "Show us your true power, Hippogriff!" The paladin summoned the monstrous beast and quickly ride the beast. "Let us go and blast to that thing!" The beast roared and show its feathered wings and flew behind the Phantom Maiden at a fast speed.
With the lance on his hand. Asltofo and the Hippogriff charge through the torture machine and easily destroyed it. The chains that attached to Jeanne disappeared afterward and the saint is finally free to its hold. She picks up her weapon on the ground and thanked the paladin from saving her.
"You!" Carmilla emerges from the crumble of rock as she felt that her noble phantasm got destroyed by the paladin. She glared angrily at Astolfo who's currently flying around with the beast he summoned. The paladin notices the blood countless glare.
But instead of getting scared. Astolfo smile grew wider and sent a peace sign on her. "Peace peace! don't get mad at me, Vampire miss!" Astolfo practically sings when he said that.
Astolfo jump from the beast and landed beside Charlemagne. Jeanne walk toward the two paladins and joined them. Now the three is now together they stare at the Carmilla who is starting to look more angrier than before.
"Three against one? That doesn't seem fair don't you think?" Carmilla asks while maintaining her glare towards the three. "We don't have time to argue with you," Jeanne replied back.
"Its time to finish this Carmilla!" Jeanne said as she raises her flag and shines brightly. "Everyone behind with me!" the saint said as she spins her flag in front of her once again.
"Then finish me if you can!" Carmilla said as she prepared every single spell she knows and throws it at the three that slowly marching toward where she is. "Charlemagne, Astolfo get ready to jump in, on my signal," Jeanne told the two paladins behind her.
Jeanne push through the barrage of spells getting thrown at them with full force. She keeps her flag spinning to deflect every spell and little by little they are getting closer to Carmilla. But the closer they are the more powerful the spell becomes.
"Just a little more," Jeanne said while fighting back the storm of spells. "Just a little bit more!" the saint put all of her strength for the final push they needed. "Now!" she said after then swing the flag with all of her might, clearing the storm of spells that Carmilla sent instantly.
Charlemagne and Astolfo jump and thrust through toward the shocked Carmilla who didn't believe what happened. Their attack connected at Carmilla and put the blood countless down on the floor.
"I've lost," Carmilla said while on the floor. "I've lost against her," she whispered.
"Don't feel bad about it. I didn't beat you alone." Jeanne replied as she started walking towards Carmilla. "Forgive me for that. But I need to help my friend quick." She said.
"That boy?" Carmilla ask. "Does he have any idea who's his going to face from the top?"
"We have a person in mind on who it was." said by the paladin Charlemagne.
"Yet he still goes alone. He must be a fool."
"Hey don't talk about Ren like that! You do have any idea what his capable of doing to that leader of yours." this time it was Astolfo who speak up to defend his phantom thief-paladin in training friend.
"Leader? I don't recall having to have one."
"But didn't you make this group to cause fear in France?" Astolfo asked.
"We, Causing fear? That is only common when a human hears about us. But we didn't do anything on your people."
"What do you mean?" Jeanne ask.
"You do not have any idea?" Carmilla look up and stared at Jeanne. "Huh, well that is interesting to know." she made a chuckle before passing out.
"Don't pass out after saying that!" Astolfo tried to wake the vampire but ended up with no results.
"She might just be tricking us." Charlemagne made a suspicion. "Regardless if Ren is already on the top, we better head there now!"
"You're right," Jeanne answered but started to think about what Carmilla said before passing out. "That doesn't matter right now." She whispered under her breath. Ren safety is more important than what Carmilla told them.
"Let's go." The three-run toward the highest floor to help Ren Amamiya against the one behind all of this. Little did they know, Carmilla is only waiting for them to go before making her escape on this castle. Seeing her chance, the vampire transforms into a bat and fly through an open window.
The battle continues even at the top of the castle. Two powerful individual clashes at each other and no one is showing any sign of giving up. The fight between the Phantom thief Ren Amamiya against the lord impaler Vlad III continues and started to show more of their powers.
"Show him your power, Arsene now!" Ren commanded the persona behind him. Arsene opened his clawed hands and pointed it on Vlad III, then suddenly cursed spheres appeared on the ground and tried to pierce into the lord impaler body.
But Vlad III won't let that happen as he summoned his own. This one is made on blood adding aesthetic about Vlad III origin. Both spheres clash at each other and explode in impact. The resulting smoke from the explosion covered their vision.
Then Vlad III saw a bullet coming straight to his head. He immediately moves around as he heard multiple shots coming at him. Once the gun stop shooting, the persona Arsene came from the smoke and attempt to kick him in the face.
The lord impaler duck to avoid the kick from the persona.
But then Ren also came upon the smoke from his side, with a dagger on his hand. The phantom thief tried to stab Vlad III on his side. Vlad III made a quick move and transform in a flock of bats and appeared behind Ren. This time it's his turn to move and he's going to impale his spear in this boy's body.
He lifted the spear high in the air and about to impale it through his back. Little did he know, the phantom thief is just hiding something behind him. He's holding his gun behind his back and ready to shoot as soon as he turns around.
"Your back is wide open thief!" Vlad III said and thrust the spear at Ren back who is still about to turn around. The lord impaler forgot that his fighting two opponents. Arsene immediately stops the coming spear with his hands, Ren then turns around and pointed his gun at Vlad III head.
"Saw that." The phantom thief said with a smirk on his face showing his cocky attitude at his opponent. He's about to pull the trigger but Vlad III showed him the strength of a vampire as he breaks the hold of Arsene on his spear. Ren quickly reacted to it and jump back away from the lord impaler.
"Don't get cocky with me, thief. I'm just getting started."
"Look at that. I'm doing the same." Ren said with an overly confident in him.
"That attitude of yours. I'm going to enjoy wiping that smirk on your face thief."
Vlad III once again transform and appeared beside Ren. Kicking him in the stomach and disappeared once more. Ren tried his best to recover from the hit on his stomach but he didn't notice Vlad III fist coming straight on his face. He got hit once again and felt a little dizzy from the impact.
"He really did wipe the smirk on my face," Ren whispered under his breath. Recovering once more he tried to look where Vlad III right now. Even with Arsene guidance they both having a hard time to pinpoint where his going to appear next.
"What's your plan?" Arsene asks the one who summoned him. "Surely you have one aren't you Joker?"
"Watch my back and get ready," Ren ordered his persona. "We need to catch him off guard." He softly said at Arsene. The phantom thief readied both of his weapon on his hand. He closes his eyes and tapped into his senses. Unlike the others, Ren activates his sixth senses.
He searches on the area and tried to find Vlad III. Nothing came up so far, Ren can tell that Vlad III is taking his time on when to attack. But that also gives Ren time to look where he is. Then he felt something that coming at their side. He slowly pictures it on his mind.
"Spear?" He guessed.
"Arsene on my left now!" Ren commanded his persona as he pointed his gun on that direction and shoot, Arsene, on the other hand, throw his curse spells on that direction as well. Vlad III who's in the process of ramming his spear on the thief gotten surprised when they turned on his direction.
The lord impaler crashed into a wall after charging head through Arsene spells. But he quickly came back to his feet and dusted the dirt on his shoulder. "You have skills thief. You manage to surprise me with it. But it doesn't look like you can last long."
'He can tell?' Ren thought to himself. It's true that his starting to run out of energy to keep his persona active. Even though his just using Arsene at the moment. He felt that his using way too much more than what he normally needed to summon a persona.
He needs to figure it out since he's going into fight more often. But right now he's going to use what is left to beat Vlad III.
"What are you talking about? I'm just getting started." said the Phantom thief. "Then let us continue." Vlad III replied then slam the ground with his spear and then suddenly a line of multiple spikes spawned in the ground and it's coming straight at Ren.
Not wanting to get impaled by spikes. Ren rolled out of the way of the spikes but he saw another one coming at him and luckily his instinct kick in and move his body away from the coming spikes. But it doesn't look like that Vlad III going to stop as he throws more at his direction.
Ren acrobatically moves around the area to evade the coming spikes on his way. This process continues and Ren knew that he cannot keep this up for too long. So he mentally sends Arsene at Vlad III way who focuses on him. But Vlad III knew whats coming at him and shifted his attention at Arsene.
The clash between the lord impaler and the pillager of twilight happened. But Vlad III clearly winning against Arsene against strength as he sent the persona crush on a wall. Ren felt his persona returned on the sea of the soul after losing to Vlad III.
His opponent look at with eager on his eyes and wanted to bring him down as well. Vlad III once again spawned spikes on the ground and coming to the phantom thief direction. "Not again," Ren whispered under his breath as he moves around the place once more.
He cannot keep this up. His body will soon give up from moving around so much. He needs to stop Vlad III but he cannot get closer at him. But he has something that will bring him down as he looks at the gun on his hand full ammo and ready to fire.
"Persona!" Ren once again summoned his persona while simultaneously used all his gun ammo to put the lord impaler down. Successfully hitting all the spots needed to put Vlad III on his knees. Ren rush toward him alongside three persona his very familiar with.
The pirate captain Kidd, the seductive dancer Carmen, and the outlaw Zorro came on his side and joined him on a sequence of attack that may end his fight against the lord impaler.
"This will end this!" Zorro shouted as the four surround Vlad III and attack him in every direction. Vlad III felt each slash, whips, and smashes on his body as Ren and his persona continued their all-out-attack. Once the phantom thieves finish, Ren walks away with a smirk on his face from Vlad III while adjusting his crimson gloves on his hand.
"That show over-" The phantom thief got cut when he saw Jeanne with Charlemagne and Astolfo at the entrance staring at him with wide eyes. "You ruin my moment," Ren said at the three who is still staring at him. "Are you guys going to keep staring at me?"
"What was that?" Astolfo asks as he runs toward at Ren. "Is that a noble phantasm? Why are you posing like that looking much cooler than Charlemagne?"
Charlemagne heard what his fellow paladin just said. "I can do something much cooler you know." He replied clearly offend by what Astolfo just commented.
"Are you okay? You have bruises all over your body." Jeanne said after seeing the bruises Ren receives from Vlad III. "It just bruises nothing to worry about," Ren assured the concerned saint.
"By the way is he dead?" came from Charlemagne as he stared at the lying Vlad III on the floor.
"So our suspicion is correct. It's really Vlad III the one behind this." said the saint of Orleans.
"For real? And Ren manages to beat him alone?" The pink-haired paladin look at Ren in disbelief. "That's awesome! Your super cool Ren!" he said showering the boy with praises.
"Then we should check-" the paladin Charlemagne got cut off when Vlad III rise up from the floor. "You almost got me Phantom thief Ren Amamiya. Your skills and abilities are impressive. That look in your eyes, It feels like looking in the mirror, perhaps we go through something similar in our life. A shame to be honest, maybe if your fighting for my side at that time, then perhaps my imprisonment will be avoided."
"You seems not fond with your history lord impaler," Charlemagne commented at Vlad III as they watch his wounds started to heal. Vlad III began to stretch his arms after his healing process then chuckled after hearing the paladin comment.
"Don't get me wrong, I do not hate what happened on my past. What I hate is the legend that came alongside it. What stained my name and honor." He replied. "But your all here to stop me for whatever crime France sentence me isn't that right?"
"Are you seriously not aware of your crime!?" Astolfo cried in disbelief.
"You four can tell me all about it while we're fighting." The ground suddenly shakes as Vlad III gathered energy from this land. They saw how his body absorbs the energy of this land and felt the increasing strength of Vlad III every second.
"Now you will taste my true power!" Vlad III announce and made everyone felt his true strength as he released a gush of wind at the four servants. They struggled to keep their feet on the ground against the wind and They felt the sudden change of Vlad III strength. He's not holding back anymore, his going all out against them.
"Don't let it faze you, we can beat him together!" said by the saint of Orleans as she the first one who recovered. "Ren, Charlemagne, Astolfo. France entrusts their hope on us, we better stop him now!"
"Of course!"
Jeanne d' Arc charges first at Vlad III who is confidently standing and waiting for them to make a move. Charlemagne and Astolfo run beside her and preparing to flank the sides of the enemy servant, Ren, on the other hand, prepare his gun for cover fire.
"That's right, come at me!" Vlad III roared as he swings his spear with all his might against them. It sent Jeanne, Charlemagne, and Astolfo flying away from Vlad III. Leaving only Ren who didn't expect what happened, Vlad III came in front of him and challenged Ren with his weapon.
The clash between the phantom thief dagger against the lord impaler spear didn't last long. As Vlad III might is too much for Ren alone to challenge, a knee strongly hit his stomach and almost make Ren choke of blood. Vlad III grabs him in his collar and throws him on the ceiling and fall flat on the floor.
Vlad III about to curb stomp Ren who's on the ground. But Charlemagne came to the rescue. The paladin charges at Vlad III while throwing quick slashes at his enemy. The lord impaler keep his composure, he spins his spear parrying every hack and slash Charlemagne throw at him.
Astolfo joined his friend and tried to find a blind spot to attack. But Vlad III is too fast and strong for the two as he grabs Charlemagne on his neck and throws him at Astolfo, crushing both of them on the floor. Seeing his enemy focus is on the two, Jeanne took that opportunity attempted to attack from behind.
The lord impaler senses the charging saint and then transform in a flock of bats and teleported behind her. Vlad III grab the saint on her neck after she turned her back. He pointed his spear at her body and tried to pierce her with it, but Ren finally recovered and shot the hand that holding Jeanne.
After losing his hold on the saint. Vlad III shifted his attention on the phantom thief who shoots him. "You are still up after all of that?" He said as he made a chuckle. "I took a much harder beating compared to that," Ren said as he picks up his dagger on the ground.
"Then I'm going to enjoy beating you up thief!" the lord impaler then charges toward Ren. "Do your hardest!" replied by the phantom thief as he also charges toward his opponent. They meet at the middle once again challenging each other might.
"You cannot challenge me, thief!" Vlad III said as he pushes his opponent on the ground. This made Ren stand on his knees as he fights back against the force that Vlad III giving him. His opponent enjoyed seeing him losing on his knees while struggling to fight back.
But Ren Amamiya won't give up easily. He gathers all the remaining strength he has and slowly came back to his feet. This surprise Vlad III as he slowly seeing his opponent fighting his might. "I'm not going to lose to you, Vlad!" Ren roared as he pushes the spear away from him.
He then pulled his gun out and pointed it at Vlad III. The lord impaler stared at the defiant gaze from the thief as he pulled the trigger and used all the remaining ammo at him. The world around Vlad III suddenly become slower for him as the image of that gaze keeps playing on his mind.
It scares him but he doesn't know why. He never felt something like this before. Just looking at the boy's eyes sent shiver on his spine. Why does someone like his posses such gaze? What did the boy go through to be able to do that? Maybe there was something more than Ren Amamiya is showing.
'This feeling irritates me!"
Vlad III stop himself from falling as he immediately back to his feet and face the phantom thief once more. He punches him on the side of his face then kneed him in the stomach. Putting the thief on the floor he then pressed the phantom thief head on the ground with his feet.
Charlemagne came back to his feet with Astolfo to help their friend. But Vlad III just send them on the nearest floor and crushing their hard. The lord impaler is too irritated to put his time against those two. His focus is on this boy beneath his feet. He still doesn't know why he felt fear against him, his clearly much stronger than him and he's showing it right now.
He wanted to know why he felt that. What made this boy cause him fear. He's just a fancy thief, what made him felt that way. As he ponders over these questions, Jeanne d' Arc swing her flag at the unsuspecting Vlad III pushing him away from Ren.
But Vlad III keeps his hold onto the flag. He has enough with these servants who keep pestering him. He pulled the flag and immediately grab the neck of the servant who used it. "I'm starting to get irritated by all of you!" He said then choke the saint harder on her neck.
"I hate this, I hate this feeling I having right now!" He roared and then tighten his hold onto Jeanne's neck. The saint struggle from the lack of air as she tried to fight back. Vlad then pointed the tip of his spear at the struggling saint. "I really hate this feeling." He whispered. "But I do not know why."
He pulled the saint up in the air and readied the spear in his hand.
"Stop," Ren said as he tried to get back on his feet.
But Vlad III didn't listen.
"I said stop dammit," he said as his legs struggled to get back up. Ren slowly walks towards Vlad III to stop him. But he doesn't have left anymore, his body is already beaten and his mind is getting dizzy as well. The only one left is his spirit who still wanted to get him up.
The lord impaler then aims the spear and about to impaled it onto the saint.
"I SAID STOP!" Ren shouted then charge towards Vlad III and rammed his body into him. The lord impaler drops the saint and immediately turned to face Ren. Vlad III pointed his spear and shove it into the chest of the phantom thief penetrating everything and existed on his back.
"I'm not done!" shouted by the phantom thief as he pushes through the pure energy he desperately built with his remaining strength onto Vlad III chest. It exploded upon impact and the whole castle has begun to shake from the explosion. The whole floor got covered by smoke and no one has any idea of what just happened.
"Are you guys okay? I heard a huge explosion from the bottom floor and then-" Roland one of the paladin finally came to help Charlemagne and his friends. But he cut himself mid sentence when he saw the damage that explosion cause. "What the hell happened here? This place is a huge mess." He manages to say.
Jeanne stared in horror at the event that happened in front of her. She saw Ren run into Vlad III and got impaled by his spear in the chest. Then everything went fast after that as the place got covered by a blinding light then the explosion came next.
Then Ren wasn't there anymore. Only the huge whole revealing the world outside the castle and the remaining debris from the explosion. No sign of Ren anywhere she looks. She called out his name many times but he didn't answer, she tried once more and the result is the same.
The ground started to shake once again and it seems the whole castle is going to collapse any moment now.
"We need to go. This place won't last long." Roland said as he tried to wake the two paladins from the corner. "Astolfo are you awake?" The pink-haired paladin nod to answer. "Good, seems only Charlemagne got knock out." Roland then carried the unconscious paladin on his shoulder.
"Miss saint we need to get out of here."
"But what about Ren? We still haven't found him!" Jeanne protested back at the paladin.
"We can find him once we know we're safe. Right now we do not have time for this. This place is going to collapse any moment, I hope you realize that." Roland argues back.
"But-"
"Jeanne, Roland's right. We need to get out of here. We can look for Ren afterward so please." Astolfo tried to convince the girl as he walks towards her. "Please Jeanne." he extended his arm to help the saint to get back on her feet.
"Fine," Jeanne answered but not convinced about it.
"We will find him, don't worry," Astolfo assured. "Ren isn't someone that going to leave us suddenly."
"He better not." The saint whispered.
"Hello everyone, I hope you realize our situation so we need to go right now," Roland yelled to get their attention. The group then leave the scene and find their way out of the collapsing castle of the lord impaler Vlad III.
Vlad III found himself on the ground surrounded by the debris from his castle. He looks around and only sees the same thing and he can tell that his castle is just a ruin now. He tried to stand but felt an extreme pain coming from his chest. He remembered what happened earlier, what Ren Amamiya did and the explosion that came after.
He checks his chest and saw how badly his chest got burned from that. The smell of his own flesh and how horrified it look like. The numb feeling he gets from trying to move his left shoulder. How uncontrollably his left hand is shaking.
This isn't just some normal degree burn. Compare to the other part of his body, everything else is already healed, except his chest who is still burned due to what Ren Amamiya did.
He wonders if its a light spell that burn evil in touch or perhaps a high level of arts on holy spells, seeing how badly the burn is maybe that it is. But then something tells him it's not. He should at least feel it when Ren Amamiya charge toward him.
Perhaps its a fire base spell seeing that the only thing that possible to do it. But then he knows what a fire looks like at first glance. What Ren has is nothing but white, like pure energy forming in his hand.
"Then what kind of energy is that?" He asks himself. He never seen it before and never heard of a spell like that. Vlad III made an effort to stand up even with the pain he's feeling on his chest. He walks around the area and stumbles something on the ground.
He saw the body of Ren Amamiya impaled with a spear on his back. He's not moving nor breathing when he saw him. Vlad III made a sigh after seeing his opponent body on the ground.
"Shame you didn't make it thief." Vlad III said at the phantom thief. "I'm very disappointed, you put a great fight. I'm actually hoping to have another one with you someday." He said then grab the spear that impaled on Ren body. "I hope you find peace in your death Ren Amamiya."
Vlad III then pulled the spear out of Ren Amamiya lifeless body.
Looking one last time at the thief that makes him fear of something. He slowly walked away and about to leave but then he heard something that made him stop.
"Why don't we have one right now. If I win you will answer all my questions."
He turned around and saw Ren Amamiya lying on the ground staring at him in the eye. "You're still alive?" Vlad III asks in disbelief. Just a moment ago he saw his body not moving or breathing.
"What are you?" He asks after seeing the thief back on his feet as nothing happened. "You cannot be just a phantom thief like what you claimed."
"You should be dead. This spear impaled through your body! So how come your still alive Ren Amamiya?"
"To be honest I thought that Megido I threw at you should be enough. But then again I used everything on that but its power wasn't enough to be on spar on Megido."
"What are you talking about? Megido what is that?"
"The thing I used. Well, it is not as powerful as it originally was. But I guess I could try again."
"It is not powerful like it originally was?" Vlad III said while staring at the burned chest he got from it. "Then how did you survive after what I did to you?"
"Enduring Soul," Ren answered without explaining much about what it was.
"You are full of surprises Ren Amamiya of the Phantom Thief. I cannot believe you survive after all of that and looking cocky as well." The lord impaler pointed his spear at Ren Amamiya. "Fine, let us fight once more Ren Amamiya. Show me what tricks you still have!"
"I am thou, thou art I," Ren said as azure flame covered the whole area and become the arena of the two. Vlad III notice the sudden change around the area. The feeling he felt from earlier, the one that confuses and irritates him from having.
It is coming back. But its much stronger this time around. The cocky smile at Ren Amamiya face, the aura his getting from staring on what happening in front of him, the different eye pupils his staring right now.
Suddenly a large dark flame appeared behind Ren Amamiya back. "From the sea of soul, I come." He heard coming both from Ren and the being that getting materialize behind him. "A demon born from the lust of humanity responsible for twisting humanity sexual desires."
"Rejoice as I, Asmodeus one of the king of nine hell will be your opponent Vlad III lord impaler or should I say "Count Dracula". "
Asmodeus demonic laughter has been heard after he revealed himself. He spread his arms and the dark flame changed the colored of the azure flames that surround the two.
The dragon head crimson armored skeleton, Asmodeus revealed his true form and his staring straight at the eye of Vlad III who still cannot believe what his seeing. "When I'm done with you Dracula, you will just become another fairy tale in a book."
Vlad III cannot move his body as he stared at the demon Asmodeus. He felt his body shivered when he heard the demon laughing at him. But everything becomes worse when Asmodeus slowly approached him. His mind is shouting at him to move but his body didn't follow.
His soul as a warrior wants him to fight Asmodeus but he cants. But his body doesn't want to move. His heart almost skips a beat when the presence of Asmodeus is just in front of him.
"Are you afraid Dracula? didn't you ask for this?"
"I'm not afraid of you demon." He told Asmodeus as he started building the courage he has. He cannot let fear take over him now that his facing a powerful demon. "I'm not afraid to you demon!" Vlad III then look into the eye of the demon in front of him.
"Then why aren't you standing there Dracula?"
Vlad III tightens his hold in his spear and suddenly he disappeared and appear behind the demon and tried to pierce him on the back. But his spear didn't even manage to connect as Asmodeus grab him on his feet and slammed on the ground.
Vlad III felt the inside of his head shake from the impact. Asmodeus didn't let go on his feet as the demon lifted and slammed him on the other side. The process continued as Vlad III tried to get out at the demon hand. But he only gets out when Asmodeus threw him on standing debris.
"Where's your energy from earlier?"
The lord impaler tried to stand back on his feet but he gets greeted by the flying knee of Asmodeus. Vlad III tried to recover but Asmodeus didn't let him as the demon stomp him on the ground.
"That is enough Asmodeus," Ren said as he appeared in front of Asmodeus who is about to stomp him further on the ground. "Why are you stopping me? Isn't his your enemy? Why are you showing mercy when he almost killed you and your friends."
"It's better to get rid of him. Didn't he cause a problem for the country your helping?"
"The final decision will not come on you Asmodeus. I hope you keep that in mind."
"That courage coming from you." The demon laughs from amusement. "No one has ever told me that manage to live." Asmodeus lifted his feet and about to stomp Vlad III below him. But Ren Amamiya pointed his gun onto the demon head. "Don't you ever ignore my order Asmodeus. Even though you are my persona, I want you to know I won't hesitate to put you down."
This act made the demon laugh much louder. "That what I wanted to see. Thy rage coming from you thou. Why can't you show this side of you more often."
The trickster lowered his gun after the demon put his feet down.
"Let me ask you a question. Why don't you just take over this whole world? With 'Him' on your side, you can easily conquer everything here. We demons even follow you on your crusade 'trickster'."
"Simply because I'm not like you," Ren said as he removes the crimson glove on his left hand.
"That hurt my feeling trickster. But let me remind you what you and us 'demons' have in common. Especially that you have 'him' that pretty much tells your story."
"That also tells why the archangels treat you that way. Because you have him." Asmodeus chuckled as he pointed that out.
"Can't you see? You and us the demons are not very different."
"I think you forgot something important Asmodeus."
"What is it?"
"I'm a trickster that alone tells how different you demons to me," Ren said at the demon as he felt its presence slowly returning to the sea of soul. He heard him laughing in amusement.
"But before I completely return to that place. I want to leave you with something to keep in mind. This world will not let this thing go. If you go much further, then death is coming to you." The demon said his goodbye before returning completely to the sea of soul.
Ren keeps what the demon said on his mind. But right now something else is important. He needs to get answers on Vlad III, he said something that took his interest and wanted to know more. He opened his palm and used his dagger to cut a wound on it.
Ignoring the pain, Ren let his blood drip into the vampire's mouth. Hoping that this will heal him, he continued until Vlad III suddenly woke wide eye open and get up on his feet.
He also looks like ready to hurt someone.
"Where are you demon!" Vlad III shouted as he looks around the place searching on the whereabouts of the demon Ren summoned. He felt something tapping in his shoulder and immediately turned around and pointed his spear on whoever that was.
Seeing it was Ren Amamiya all along, Vlad III lowered his weapon but keep his guard up.
"Ren Amamiya. What are you?" He asked while tightening his hold onto his spear. "You summoned a king of hell in your side. What spawn of hell are you Ren Amamiya?" He then raises his spear and pointed into Ren's neck.
"Answer me!"
"I believe you should be the one answering my question. Considering you lose and I stopped him from killing you." Ren answered without any sense of fear from the spear pointed on his neck.
"Stopped him?" Vlad III asks in disbelief. "But how? His a demon king, how someone like you stop him?"
"It's a long explanation and your probably going to ask furthermore for answers."
"Answer me!" This time Vlad III shove the spear closer to Ren's neck. "Demons like him will never follow order even to the one who summoned him, so how did you stop him!?" He presses for an answer. Then his eyes grew wider when he realized something. "Not unless your much as powerful than him. But then only a beast type could have that much power."
"You monster-!" His about to thrust his spear but Ren beat him as he pointed his gun on his forehead. "I do not have any idea of being a beast. I'm Ren Amamiya a Phantom Thief a servant from the ruler class."
"I'm not any beast you are trying to claim me to be. If you wanted an answer then I'm a trickster."
"Trickster?"
"Surely you heard stories about them. I become one after accepting a contract to avoid coming ruin and free the world."
"I may able to summon and control a demon. But I want you to realize that I'm not using this power to harm this world." Ren said as he slowly pulled his gun away from Vlad III.
"I wanted to ask a question. So please cooperate."
Vlad III look at Ren Amamiya. He still wasn't sure if he could trust him, but his sincere explanation about who it made him hesitated to do anything. Does he really not gonna harm this world? It's not that he cares about it, but maybe his warrior spirit wants him to act.
"Fine go ask away."
"Thank you very much." Ren makes a bow to show his gratitude at the lord impaler.
"What I wanted to know is about what you said earlier. Are you really not aware why France decided to attack you?"
"I'm living in this place peacefully but those French just raid this castle for no reason. They are not some civilian or thief, but from their clothing, I can tell that their soldiers from France."
"So they just came here and attack you? Do you perhaps know the reason for that?"
"I do not have any idea. I tried to scare these soldiers away from my home at first. But then I saw something strange. These soldiers are in extreme pain from the way they hold their chest and the blood they coughing."
"Did you do something about them?"
"They are already dead when I'm about to act. This keeps happening and more and more soldiers with a similar condition came."
"What about the impaled bodies around your castle?"
"Those are the bodies of the soldiers that came here. It mercy killing, to be honest."
"Mercy killing?" Ren curiosity picks up from that word.
"Yes, it was because of the cause of the pain those soldiers felt. Is due to a parasite creature that eating their organ slowly. I see this creature burst out inside their chest."
"In a way to help them. I killed them through impaling. But it doesn't look like that was enough to kill these creatures."
"What do you mean?"
"See this land? It wasn't like this before, it supposedly dries not submerge from water. But it looks like this creature infested this area."
"But we didn't see anything like that on the way here."
"That is because I finished marking this area. It's my territory now and I drive to creatures away from my land. That explained why these creatures are not here anymore."
"After that, I haven't seen any more of that creature. But if I'm gonna guess they probably found another place to infested, somewhere with water I assumed."
"What about the soldiers? Did they stop coming here as well?"
"Yes exactly as the same time I drove those creatures away."
"Something not right here. What are those soldiers doing here and why are there in pain."
"Gilles de rais probably has the answer to your question. From what I know the majority of the French army is in Gilles command. His group is the only one who's patrolling outside their territory."
"I see, thank you for cooperating." He bows once again.
"If I'm on you Ren Amamiya, I will not trust that man."
"I'll keep that in mind."
"Then I will take my leave." Vlad III turned around and about to leave. "I also wanted you to know that I still do not trust you and your power. But something told me you are saying the truth." He said before transforming into a bat a fly away.
"I will not," Ren said before he suddenly felt an extreme headache. It made him fall into his knees as he tried to recover from the pain. It looks like the effect finally kicks in. At least he finishes everything before this, he didn't expect that Asmodeus really keep his word before he summoned him.
"Ren!" He heard from the distance but he cannot fight it anymore. He let the pain take over and fell unconscious on the ground.
Gilles de rais found himself sweating and uncontrollable shaking. His hide himself under the shade of the tree and keep mumbling the same word over and over again while biting the hard steel of his armored gloves.
"His a demon, a demon, a demon, why there is a demon here, a demon, a demon." He keeps mumbling about. Gilles then started smashing his head several times at the trunk of the tree. "a demon, a demon, I saw him talking to a demon, I saw him summoning a demon, his a demon, his a demon."
His forehead started to bleed from that action but Gilles didn't mind as he continued doing it. "Why, why, why, why is he with Jeanne, why, why, why. Why Jeanne is with a demon like him, his dangerous, his a demon, Jeanne is in danger, what to do, what to do."
"Sir there you are." A soldier came behind him.
"What do you want?" He said not showing his face at the soldier.
"I have something to report to you about. It is about the underground sewer here in France. We saw several body parts of a creature who seems living there." The solider then showed a monstrous looking tentacle behind Gilles.
But he didn't look at it as his mind is into something else.
"We should do something about this sir or else it will become a problem." The soldier said.
But Gilles didn't answer.
"Sir?" He tried again.
No response coming from his general.
"Are you okay sir?" He asks trying to get Gilles attention.
"Don't touch me!" Gilles shouted at the soldier who is about to tap his shoulder.
"I'm sorry sir."
"But your right, your right, your right, very right. We should deal with this before it becomes a problem. That right, that right, very right."
"Sir?" The soldier said starting to get creep out by how his general is acting.
"Gather a large group tomorrow. We're going to search for this monster." Gilles said back to his serious composure. "Yes, sir!" The soldier said giving a salute before leaving Gilles alone. Little did he know the smile his general has on his face right now.
"I will save you, Jeanne. Just wait for me." He said as he once again smashes his head on the tree.
Author Note: Finally done with this long chapter! Took me the whole afternoon to write this down and make a rough edit (Hopefully it went okay.) This chapter is the climax of this Arc and I'm getting excited to write the remaining chapters before we move on the next arc. For those who are expecting the Archangel to come on this chapter. Do not worry they will come (Since I already know what to do with them, so its all set.) I just need to lay the remaining plots before they came.
But the Archdemon will come first and oh boy this will lead our protagonist with many problems.
Also made a candidate who should appear in this chapter. Between Samael (Which is an archangel so he's out), Astaroth, and Asmodeus. Well I need someone that is big but not too big that everyone will see him also someone that Gilles de Rais will know and then Asmodeus won (HE ALSO LOOKS COOL)
Also, I wanted to point out that only Vlad III and Gilles de Rais (Who is hiding somewhere on that scene) saw Ren summoned Asmodeus. For what reason you may ask? Well for the plot of course.
Another thing is that Ren mana consumption. I made the world into a passive skill that (Which give Ren many abilities) of course working automatically which Ren wasn't aware of.
Lastly, I wanted to establish Ren relationship with his persona. Like what do the Archdemon and Archangel think of Ren? (We can tell that the demons favor him the most here.)
Well that is for me today! leave a review, hit the follow and might as well add this on your favorites! see ya! (Also don't tell Vlad III that he recovered due to Ren blood)