The battle was going so well at first; the Mamono's counter attack had been blunted somewhat by the walls of pike staffs, banks of smoke from rifleman firing from the rear line drifted across the battlefield like fog, and the roar of the cannons had broken up any large masses of Mamono foolish enough to stand together. The Order was winning at the start.

…Then why did it all seem to go tits up? Jacob asked himself this question as he fought through another wave of lust crazed Mamono. Ah. I know, because of that damn moron of a noble… Damn him for running off like that!

The man kept running it over in his head, how the flow of the battle had been turned against them. Even as he swung his hammer up to intercept a metal club of an Ogre Jacob recalled everything he could to see if there was anything he could use to help regain the initiative…

About a minute into the battle and Jacob had lost sight of the golden prick. At first the man didn't really pay it any mind, Roderick had his own men to babysit him after all, and there wasn't much one could do while waist deep in giant warrior women. However, that soon changed when the Mamono used some sort of concussive magic blast on Jacob's formation. The effect of the blast wave had shattered many of the wooden pikes while sending the men and women reeling backwards into those standing behind. Fearing the enemy would use this as a chance to push the advantage and sweep through their ranks Captain Jacob Valdis rushed to the front ranks to lend his hammer in repelling any giants that sought to drag away any poor soul within reach.

While there had been Humans dragged off during the battle to be taken to the Mamono rear for their depraved acts, the moaning and lewd screaming still being heard now, their numbers hadn't been too severely depleted. Or, at least that had been the case with Jacob's men. As he had swung his warhammer through the skull of a Red Oni attempting to drag a man by his pants the Captain saw that a few other formations hadn't been so fortunate.

The Order's left flank was starting to crumble, as whatever had blasted them earlier had been aimed more so in that direction. Oni and Cyclops had already pushed deep into their lines, using their bulky muscles and crude iron bats to push aside any remaining pikes. While the expected lewd displays of open fornication did take place amongst the broken unit, something else seemed to be going on as well. Blood was being spurted into the air by over zealous Mamono, who swung their battle instruments into groups of Humans. Other times it was because they had grabbed a man they had fancied and gripped them too tightly in their meaty fists. Jacob swore as he witnessed the butchery.

"That's not like Mamono to straight up kill Humans!" a panicking trooper who had also seen the gory display openly voicing his shock, "By the Chief Goddess! We're mincemeat if they attack us like that!"

Jacob rounded on the voice, a young Private by the looks. Snatching up the trooper in his own mighty gloves, the burly man let his voice project louder so as everyone nearby could hear "Then we'll fight them off with just as violently! None of you are gonna have their heads stolen by those villains! Not if I don't have anything to say about it first!" To accentuate his point Jacob raised his hammer to the blood red sky and roared, many others who had once nearly been on the verge of routing saw their fearless leader and held their weapons up in the air in a similar display.

While Jacob's men had their morale temporarily boosted by his battle cry, the left flank had their own leader attempting to preform damage control on the situation. Unfortunately it was Roderick Ainsworthy that had decided to put on that mantle. The young Duke's son had charged into the melee, golden armor shining and sword in hand. To those that lived to witness it they watched as the boy atop his steed rushed up to the largest Oni Mamono amongst them, spouting off rote about the 'glory to those that fought against the demons'.

It was rather anticlimactic when said beet red skinned monster swung her mace down on top of the horses head, killing it instantly and sending it's rider sailing through the air. Roderick landed in a crumpled heap not too far away, the golden armor he had adorned was now ruined by the impact, several gems that had been encrusted flew off and the purple cape he had worn was now covered in blood and mud.

Attempting to stand back up the young scion glared icy blue daggers up at the wall of bestial ladies that now surrounded him. "You'll pay for what you've done! You filthy monsters!" To which the Mamono present scoffed and giggled.

Using his gilded Holy sword as a crutch, the young boy playing at Hero rose to his feet. The women noticing this parted enough to allow a ring of sorts, with the only ones still standing in the center were Roderick and the Red Oni that had sent him flying from his horse. She stood a good head taller than the rest of her cohorts, with two horns that jutted out a good foot and a half from her head. A rather large gauntlet and vambrace made out of a foreign style of slat armor covered only her right arm.

The leader of the Ogre unit held a wicked grin on her mug as she eyed her opponent up, "A little young, but with some proper meat and drink you could shape into a fine Husband. How's about you give up already and share some sake with this Onee-chan!"

"I would sooner bite my tongue off, Vermin!"

The Oni chortled as she raised her mace up in her grip, "Beef tongue is actually pretty good too! But enough talkin! Let's let off some steam before we get busy! For some reason my blood feels like it's on fire tonight, and I need to get me some release here!"

Roderick barely had a moment to blink before the spiked metal bat was swung into his midriff. The kinetic force enough to send the boy cartwheeling back through the air until he hit some of the Ogres making up the ring. The Mamono women were sturdy enough that they barely budged, and instead cheered as they picked the scion up and set him back on his wobbling feet. He hacked up some blood, barely managing to stay conscious, if it weren't for the holy wards placed on him and his armor Roderick would have been sliced in two by such a strike.

Starting to realize how out classed he was the Princeling looked up upon the Oni with a measure of fear. All those stories he had been told about Heroes vanquishing evil monsters… Seeing his big brother become a Hero and return many times after defeating Mamono… Of all the swordsmanship Roderick had mastered to one day stand beside his brother. All of it, all was a lie before the raw strength of fighting a real monster.

"Oh hoh? Getting weak at the knees there lad?" The Oni seemed a lot more intimidating now, as she slowly stalked towards the young Hero. "Can't stop now. No. Not after we just started this party!" The muscular woman was on Roderick in a flash, this time she swung at him with her fist in a left hook. "Grit your teeth now!" The fist slammed like a mallet into the blonde pretty boy's face, sending the Human reeling to the side.

His world ringing between his ears Roderick felt disorientated, as unbearable pain threatened to crush his skull from the inside out. His gums bled from the impact, the tissue on his cheek already starting to swell up. The black eye he had probably stood out of place amongst his fair skin.

I'm going to die... Roderick realized with clarity, I'm going to die here in the streets of this miserable city, like a rat in a gutter… Tears began to pour out of his eyes as the boy began to quietly sob. Some of the Mamono present shifted uncomfortably as they saw what it was they were actually doing here. Some even looked down in horror at the blood on their hands and realized what it was they had done not a few moments earlier to other men near their feet.

Even the Red Oni looked a bit taken aback at the boy she had just been wailing on, rubbing the back of her head at the awkward scene. "H-hey, you alright there kid? Do… Do you need a minute to soak up those tears? We can continue when you're ready…"

Wiping away his tears Roderick Ainsworthy, noble son of the Duke, second heir and brother to the Hero Nathaniel Ainsworthy picked himself back up from the mud. A fresh look of determination crossed the light blue eyes that pierced from beneath sticky wet blonde locks. He would not let his story end just as it started. "…Go take that pity and shove it beast."

The leader of the Oni blinked in surprise, until she saw the serious look in the boys eye and grew a toothy grin to match any Cheshire Cat. "'Bout time you started taking this seriously! Let's start again, introductions are in order it seems!" Slamming a fist across her breast the giant Red Oni addressed her opponent, "I'm Captain Ibaraki; leader of this mercenary band of Oni from Zipangu, I'm twenty four years old, I love sake, enjoy long walks along the beach, and there's nothing that matches the thrill of battle!"

"…Roderick Ainsworthy… By my honor as a Hero and son of the Duke I will be the one who'll kill you." From that point it was nothing but a one sided fight, the victor had been decided before it had even started. Still, Ibaraki looked pretty satisfied as she walked back to the castle with the beaten and bruised body of the boy Hero slung over her shoulder.

When word of the enemy strolling away with their Hero held captive had reached Colonel Brigg he immediately ordered any available forces to storm the breech to retrieve Roderick, before it was too late and their grand plan took effect.

And so it was that Jacob's unit was the only fighting force close enough and able to commit to the rescue attempt. The Captain mused on the irony that the Order was going into Castle Kharstien to rescue an Ainsworthy for the second time… He just wished that they made it out this in one piece, unlike the first group of Heroes.

Torture, while an immediate source of information, was usually not the preferred way of syphoning intel from someone. Pain usually distracted the 'torturee' and clouded their mind, not to mention that a person would say anything in their power to avoid more pain, leading to misinformation. But Milo was running against the clock, so he had to use what methods he had, even if it unsettled him to do so.

The Mamono maid he had captured had proven to be quite the find however, as before she had woken up Milo had done a search of her few belongings; it was quite interesting to find a locket with Camilla's picture in it; the regal bearing of the platinum haired Mistress of the Night stared straight at the viewer, uncannily enough her eyes followed you, no matter which angle it was viewed from…

Camilla was not alone in the miniature painting however, as she was standing next to another Kikimora maid. Though this one seemed to be much more mature than the one Milo had tied up, there was an unmistakable resemblance between his captive and the Mora in the locket. The ruby red hair and feathers of the maid was speckled with grey along her floppy ears and a streak of pure white ran down the side of her long braid, but aside from that it matched her daughter's hair pretty well. There was also a certain feeling of warmth emanating from the gentle smile she adorned.

"Well now, how does a servant end up painted alongside their master?" Milo dangled the trinket in front of the now awake Kikimora, who's teary eyes bulged at the sight of her stolen belonging. With a panic the girl attempted to fight off against her bindings, but she'd never be able to reach for it with her hands neatly tied to the chair.

"You bastard! That doesn't belong to you!"

Realizing the futility of her struggle after half a minute the Mamono settled for stabbing him through with her eyes. They were a nice shade of green.

Milo shook himself as he broke free from that train of thought. She was a Monster! Not some cute village girl you'd find at the pub! He needed to act with more haste, as the concentrated miasma inside the castle was starting to effect him, even with his mask still on.

"Tell me how your family is so close to my prey, and maybe I'll give it back."

A war was fought within the girl's head as she weighed up giving her connection to her current master, or to deny the murderer the information he sought. "…And why should I tell you?"

"Because if you don't…" Milo flicked the locket up in the air before catching it on the blade of his dagger. He lazily swung the chain around on the blade like a hoop. "Then I don't have any further use for you." That got the Kikimora's attention quick, her long feathered tail quaking with the implication of what would happen if he didn't need her anymore.

"F-Fine… My… My mother was once the Head Maid to the Kharstein family. She was given this locket as a token of her service to Lady Camilla." The red fluff of her ears seemed to droop even further as she gained a far off look, "Please… Please give it back to me. It's all I have left to remember her face by."

Milo stopped flicking the locket around his dagger, with a nod he dropped the chain back into his hand, "As a reward for being so honest… I'll give you your treasure back." With his free gloved hand the Hunter tucked it into the front chest pocket of the maid's apron… He most certainly did NOT feel anything soft behind the fabric, though the crimson blush of the young girl belayed that she would have said otherwise.

Leaning back Milo distanced himself from the Mamono to prevent things from getting any more dicey, more so for his own chastity than her own. He busied himself with inspecting his weapons, making sure to keep them in view of his captive. "Now, speaking of 'treasure' I have to ask if you could tell me anything more about this… Special horde your Mistress seems to be hiding. I've heard of it a few times. Perhaps you could help me get a look at it? I'm sure it's quite radiant."

Glancing back at his red haired detainee Milo was unexpectedly met with as fierce of a snarl as he could have ever imagine, belonging more so to a mother tigress protecting it's cubs than on the habitually mellow and docile Kikimora species. The Hunter had to remind himself that there was no way for her to remove her bindings and that he didn't need to grip his blade so tightly his knuckles hurt.

"YOU WILL NOT HUNT THE LADY'S TREASURE!" The formerly meek servant growled, actually growled! Her fangs were bared, and Milo noted the sharp canines on both the top and bottom row of her pearly white teeth. "I WOULD RATHER DIE THAN LET YOUR NEAR HER!"

It was time to switch up the method of interrogation. Previously Milo had refrained from using more violence than was necessary, but that bellow had more than likely alerted any nearby guards. In fact there could be heard distant running steps fast approaching the vacant guestroom they occupied.

In a flash Milo was up in front of the Kikimora, with the dagger in his grip he slammed it into the headboard of the wooden chair, slicing off a thick lock of red downy hair next to her left ear. The maid howled in both anger and shock at the immediate reprisal. "Shut up!" The Hunter backhanded the girl across her cheek, "You will NOT bare your fangs at me again! Or, so help me Goddess, I will pluck every last feather from your body!"

Suitably cowed by the level of violence the Human was willing to commit the fire in the Kikimora's eyes dwindled to mere embers as she shook in terrified silence. Milo let his bone mask stay a mere inch from the girl's face, before slowly pulling away with a finger to his lips. His body dissolving into shadows as he backed away.

The footsteps were now outside the door, by the sound of it there were roughly two or three of them. A rough knocking pounded against the refined wooden door. "Anybody in there?! We heard a commotion!" When nobody replied the door was quickly bashed inwards and a pair of Living Armor sets followed by another Knight Mamono, judging by the way she seemed to carry herself she was their leader.

Once the Knight laid eyes on the tied up maid she immediately drew her sword and began searching for the perpetrator. "Get out here and show yourself fiend!"

"If that is what you wish." A swift stinging sensation burning in the middle of her back greeted the Undead Knight. She slowly looked over her shoulder to see a bone white owl face staring back at her with soulless eyes.

The Living Armors both turned back to see their Sargent run through with a Human's blade. Their weapons were simultaneously drawn, but they hesitated when the owl like creature kept their leader's body stuck between them as a living shield. They helplessly watched as the Hunter drove his long knives into the Undead Knight's back over and over again, until her body slumped to the ground without a trace of life left in her. Though they did not make any outward noises due to their discipline, both Mamono were seething in fury.

Flicking the blood off the tips of both blades Milo made his advance. The first one to attack was the armor on the left, she attempted to run the Human through with the end of her sword. As the ghostly blue metal spiked towards him Milo ducked beneath the strike, ending up within the armor's line of defense. Normal blades wouldn't have made any difference towards spirit Mamono, only silver could penetrate their ethereal bodies, and it was two silver engraved daggers that slammed into both eye sockets of the armor helmet.

Following the strike the spirit residing inside the armor set was freed from it's container, resulting in the different pieces of armor dropping to the floor in a clatter.

Milo had to drop to the floor as another sword was aimed at him. The whistle of air being cut by the keen edge of the blade made the skin on the back of his neck crawl. There wasn't a chance to repose these strikes, as the living armor kept up the barrage of stabs and slashes. There didn't seem to be any openings in the ghost armor's assault.

Then in a stoke of bad luck Milo backed into the body of the fallen Knight, causing the cloaked Human to fall onto his back. Not missing the chance the armor stabbed downwards. There wasn't enough time to roll completely out of the slash.

The thing about Mamono weapons, was that they were made out of Demonic Silver, an enchanted alloy only smelted within the borders of the Demon Realms. The good side about weapons made out of this material was that it effectively made them non-lethal. The bad side however was the reason behind they were made non-lethal…

The bastard sword came down on top of Milo's dagger, which only barely managed to deflect the hit to the side, but not enough to stop the silver from grazing his left arm. As the cursed metal 'sliced' through the Hunter's thick grey overcoat the magic it was laced with snaked into his body like an aggressive venom. The rage of emotions now flooding through the 'cut' threatened to overtake the man's rational side. He could even feel his trousers get a little tighter around the buckle as a hunger unlike anything Milo had ever known seeped into his thoughts.

Panting with exertion and the effort to keep himself in check the owl masked Hunter jumped up off the corpse he had fallen on. The Living Armor seemed to have noticed the hit had landed as well, her stoic face ever so slightly flushed with excitement. Both the Kikimora still tied to her chair and the haunted armor's face glowed a bright shade of cherry red when Milo ripped off his belt straight off in front of them. Fully expecting things to progress to the Mamono's next stage of their 'sparing' the Living Armor dropped her sword and unlatched her cuirass to reveal a pair of perky blue tits made out of ectoplasm. She advanced upon the Human with open arms welcoming him into her bosom.

What nobody was expecting was for Milo to immediately wrap his belt around his infected arm; twisting the leather strap tight in a tourniquet to prevent the tainted blood flow from reaching any further. With his free arm he pulled out a menacingly large syringe from some hidden pocket, the medicine had a red Order cross labelled on it. The liquid contents sloshing inside were glowing in a faint golden holy aura.

Without much delay the needle was jammed directly into the arm being corrupted by the Demonic Energies. No thought was given into directing the needle to a vein or to take the heavy clothing off first. The Human grunted in agony as the needle found purchase in the soft muscle beneath the cut. The Mamono present began feeling rather queasy at watching the rough administration. With his thumb the Hunter began releasing it's payload of holy water and other recovery medicines, the now empty injector was tossed aside.

Milo hated using the blessed water in such a way, it seemed a bit of a perversion of what was meant to be a holy act, but now used as a battlefield combat aide. Not to mention the severe aches and shakes he'd get soon after using the blessed drug. It made him feel like the marrow in his bones was being scooped out, 'Bone Crusher' syndrome as it was often called. It made him hate using it at all, but it was better than to allow any Demonic corruption to take root.

Meanwhile the Living Armor stared aghast at what she had seen the Human willingly do to himself. As the blank eyes of the bird mask turned it's attention back to her the ghost took a trembling step back.

Not a second later Milo had dashed forwards to the now disarmed armor set, silver blade in his still able right arm. Without any chances to defend herself the short blade cut through the neck of the Mamono. The empty armor crashed to the floor a moment later.

"…You're hurt."

"No shit." The man grunted as he set himself down on another chair. His back was deliberately turned to Diana, so she could only see his black hooded cloak shift as he rummaged around in his pockets.

The distinctive rip of several paper packages echoed in the room. The bandages contained inside were removed and the Human was most likely attempting to patch up the gash in his left forearm.

"I can help, you know…" Diana didn't know if she could, but she felt the need to offer it regardless. "It is rather difficult with one arm, so why not use mine?"

The sounds stopped, as the white beak of the Hunter peaked over his shoulder. The cold black glass of the mask's lenses quirked at an angle, as if he was raising his eyebrow at her. "Why? So you can escape or violate me? No thanks."

Diana sputtered, incredulous heat rising to her face. "No! I-I would never do-"

"It's in your nature to do so." The Hunter cut in, moving his mask back to his task at hand, namely patching himself up with only one hand. "A Mamono will always prioritize forcing sex on someone over anything… Even if it's against their better interest." There was a hiss to his words as he poured an alcohol solution to the wound. "To you, men are nothing more than walking sperm banks."

The Kikimora didn't have anything to say to this, she wanted to deny it as a baseless stereotype and the product of Human prejudice, but she couldn't. It was no small secret that every single Mamono fed upon Humans in one way or another, usually through the extraction of a Human male's bodily white essence. Even those that could use other means of obtaining life energy, such as her own Vampire mistress through the consumption of blood, were a threat to non-Mamono. At the end of it all it was still a fact that Mamono used a Human as nourishment, if not to also propagate their own species through breeding.

Looking down at her own bindings Diana sighed, "…Perhaps you're right. We do use you Humans as a food source, and although I swear that I've never… Well directly partaken from a Human, we Kikimory collect the ambient mana emitted by Humans, cleaning their homes in the process. It's why we're almost always maids."

This confession seemed to gather the attention of the Hunter, who had actually turned his chair around to face the Mamono. "Huh, I guess that's something I haven't heard before. Makes sense, but still doesn't excuse the whole rape thing."

"I know it's hard to believe, but my species doesn't actually… Rape anyone…" Diana cringed as she said the words out loud. "We're actually an emotionally psychic Mamono, we can feel every emotion of a person. If we cause them anguish we would in turn feel the same. Oh! And don't worry, I can't read your thoughts or anything finite, but I can feel your pain as my own."

The Hunter scoffed at this, turning his beak up In the air as he glared down at the tied up maid. "First time I've heard of a Mamono that regrets hurting others. Then tell me, what am I feeling at this moment?"

Diana had to screw her eyes shut as she concentrated her mind's eye upon the Hunter. His odd clothing and gear seemed to prevent her from probing too deeply, but she thought she could at least get the surface emotions the Human cared to allow her to see.

"…You… You're tired. The exhaustion of the night grows on you. There's a lot of… Anger, directed towards Mamono and… Oh… You're annoyed with me right now, aren't you?" Diana felt a bit more downcast as she looked back at the Hunter, who nodded for her to continue. "There's a curiosity there still, tempered by doubt and suspicion. You also feel familial love, for a good friend perhaps?" The girl scrunched her eyebrows in a tight knot as she attempted to delve deeper into the layers the man had built up around him. "…You regret killing?"

The Hunter shook his head as he crossed his good arm under his poorly bandaged one. "And you thought all Humans were psychopaths? Now who's being a bigot?"

"B-But! You've just killed several Mamono right in front of me!" Diana couldn't understand the reason he kept killing if he regretted it that deeply in his psyche.

"Yes, and I'd gladly do it again if it meant that I or other Humans would be kept safe from having their souls and Humanity robbed from them."

Hazel eyes tried searching the Human over again, trying to find the same entry into the mysterious killer's emotions once more. But the hole had been plugged, his walls raised perhaps even higher now that he knew she could sense what was going on inside his head. "But… There has to be another way for you to not… Murder…"

"Trust me, many past Heroes thought the same, but they're either turned into Mamono or met their end by now. Humanity and The Order have tried being half assed, but that nearly lead to our whole extinction." The Human strolled next to the room's massive window as he talked, peering out at the blazing city below. "Ask the ashes why 'sympathy' and 'mercy' means so much to you. This is the real monster you Mamono have created, you pushed a dog into a corner and you have the gall to ask why he lashes out?"

For the first time Diana could see behind the black lenses of the owl mask; two gold eyes shone through them, boring into her own with an intense glare. The immense feeling of tiredness and rage washed over her again from the dark figure, it was enough that the Kikimora flinched and shied away from the Hunter.

"You disgust me."