Pain would have been the first thing one would expect to feel after blacking out due to immense trauma, however Milo's bleak anticipation was for naught, as his whole body felt… Well it didn't feel like he had his bones crushed, so maybe being pummeled into a stone statue broke his spine. At least in that case he needn't worry about having his body used against him if he could never get it up again… That sure was a comforting thought.
This theory was soon put to rest as the feeling in this hands and feet slowly returned to him. Milo could tell he was also floating across a body of water, the weightlessness combined with the gentle tug of a current told him he was at least not out at sea, but perhaps a lagoon or a lake. His clothes were soaked through with warm water and the ripple of the fluid hit against his face.
His face…
In a sudden bout of panic Milo slammed his fist over his unprotected mouth, fighting the urge to breathe as his hands covered his face like a vice. If he were to inhale the miasma of this Demon Realm he'd surely be done for! The fumes had been so powerful at points during the night that had he not had his mask he'd have already turned into an Incubi within seconds!
Then the seconds rolled by, as Milo floated along before the realization that he felt no change in his body or soul to those of the dark powers… If anything he could hardly detect any Demonic Energy in the air above the water. Letting go of his mouth Milo tentatively took a small breath, he found it rather cool and fresh as if he was floating by on a mountain top lake on a spring evening.
That of course raised the question of if that was exactly where he was now, or if that was just an illusion that someone or something wanted to project for him.
At first Milo tried opening his eyes to the world around him, but there was no change from the pitch blackness he saw, it dawned on him that he had already had his eyes wide open; he was just stuck floating in an eternity of darkness.
"…Just where am I?"
The inky blackness stretched forever in every direction, there was nothing to see or use to orient himself on. If it wasn't for the fact he was floating on the surface of the water he'd not even know which way was up either. The lack of reality started to make Milo nervous… Maybe he was blind? But surely that shouldn't be the case, he didn't take that many hits to the head… Right?
Panic was starting to set in again. Milo began thrashing about trying to angle himself in a direction to swim, any direction, it didn't matter so long as he could swim out of wherever he was trapped in!
"Help! Somebody, anybody!" The Human cried out, "Help me!"
There must have been some sort of echo in this dark abyss, because Milo heard a similar plea coming back to him. It was unmistakably male, though much younger. The distressed cries came more as choked sobs than coherent words… Something tugged at Milo's heart and he knew that he needed to put that child before his on predicament.
"H-hang on! I'm coming!" Milo was never much of a swimmer, but he still put all his effort into reaching the drowning boy. As Milo got closer to the sound of crying with each stroke something started to appear out of the shadows above the water. At first it was a small outcrop of stone that broke the water like a reef, yet as the young man paddled closer it remained shrouded in darkness, but the outline of it appeared to be lit by some faint light.
With nothing left to do but continue paddling Milo struck out for the outcropping. Soon enough the Hunter was dragging himself out of the abyssal waters and onto dry land, heaving and groaning as his body felt like it had been set on fire from the effort of swimming the distance. The wet leather and cloth of his outfit clung to him like a straight jacket, hampering his movements on land with how laden they were with the black water; he couldn't remove them yet however, as who knew if what little protection the coat offered would save his hide… At least he hadn't worn any metal armor, as that would have meant a death sentence back in the water.
As Milo righted himself up he had noticed that his distressed companion had stop making any sounds. Save for the slap of wet boots against stone there was dead silence amongst the abyss.
"Are… Are you still there?"
No reply came. Milo instantly felt around for his tools, any blade that might offer up some offence to a beast, his hands grabbed at empty holsters and sheathes causing the young man to violently curse his luck.
"Watch your tongue, boy, that is no way to speak in the presence of Our company."
A chill ran up the man's spine, the voice was unnatural, inhuman, and came from almost everywhere at once. It was like a flock of birds chirping in unison to speak a human tongue. In an instant the young Hunter readied himself with his fists raised, head jerking back and forth to see where the voice originated from. Nothing came from the gloom though. Only the wailing child could still be heard once again.
"W-who's there! Reveal yourself at once!"
Tense seconds passed before Milo gave up on waiting for a response. The knowledge that something was watching him from the shadows made him sick, he didn't like being at another creature's mercy, any moment that… Being could strike and there would be nothing he could do to prepare for it. However it did seem to hold itself in high regards, even to the point of demanding others spoke in a certain way. Milo thought through his mental encyclopedia of Mamono, trying to recall any being that fit that description. None came to him off the top of his head… He needed to unfortunately wait for it's next action to reveal any more details, then he could plan out a means of defending against such a monster. In the meantime he had to just keep wary of any tricks…
With nothing else to do but move forwards the Hunter crept along the stone outcrop, the jagged obsidian underfoot eventually smoothing out into a polished sheen surface. The glow grew brighter as Milo neared the source of the boy's crying, it didn't sit right with him, it felt too much like a trap or something that the Voice had wanted him to go towards.
Eventually, what could have been mere minutes lf walking yet felt like hours, Milo neared a door frame standing by itself in the middle of the obsidian plateau. There were no walls or structures the door was connected to, just that it stood by itself in the emptiness. Light shone through the frame however, casting dim ember like glows into the void it sprung out of. The pleading words of the young boy came from inside the portal.
"…I know a trap when I see one…"
"Oh? Do you now?" The Voice returned, the bird calls still made an unholy choirs in Milo's ears, "The Hunter sets the traps for his prey, when he sees a simple door he must delay? Surely you jest!"
"Come out and face me then! Otherwise you can continue to mock me from the shadows like the coward you are!"
The Voice tittered in an unusual laugh, much like a raven's call. It sang in a melody and rhyme in a tone that belayed it's cheshire amusement, even though he couldn't see it's smug grin Milo knew it was as wide as a canyon.
"Bait is best for those that bite, no use for those out of sight!
Barking and snarling is no use here, snipping and snapping at one's fear!
No harm will come, no battle be done.
As compatriots we meet, at a table we will seat.
Through the door you shall see, tell no lies I promise thee!"
The Human snarled, he hated being toyed with in such a manner… But if whatever being had dragged him from Kharstien, mended his broken body, and had power over this domain wished to speak to him in person then fine… He'll play along, for now…
Turning to the portal Milo tentatively reached up towards the red glowing light. Almost immediately a faint hum of magical energy filled the air, hot embers shot out from the door to encase the startled Human, they burned like coals on his bare skin as he screamed out in agony. And then the dark cloaked Hunter was dragged into the open door. The abyss soon returning to it's undisturbed peace within mere moments of the events passing.
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The next sensation Milo knew was that of a distinct lack of pain. Not a feeling of wellness, more that his skin didn't feel like it was being seared off by a thousand burning coals all over his body. It was so rapid a change in fact his legs gave out beneath himself, falling face first into the dusty packed dirt beneath him as he gasped for air.
"Ehehe! In one piece you did arrive, of sterner stuff you were to survive!"
Milo clenched his fists as he snapped up, he really did feel like wringing this fucker's throat. "Enough with the bullcrap already! Stop this lame rhyming game and show yourself!"
The Voice took on a sharper edge to it, the birds sounding as if they were cawing instead. "I told you not to act to uncouth, act so rude and you may never know the truth!"
"Aggh! Fine!" Milo snapped, rubbing the dirt from his eyes. "I apologize for my foul mouth, we don't need to confuse that with an already fowl mouth…"
"Oh hohoh! I see you also enjoy a bit of word play too! Very good, very good!" The Voice chimed with song birds, tittering with joy. "Language is what separates us from unthinking machines! Even the birds and the bees need to talk it out amongst themselves! But alas, you seem to be in no mood to accommodate me in my pleasure, so I shall be benevolent and talk as you mortals do."
Thank fuck for that… Milo thought frigidly.
When the man had scooped out enough dirt from his eyes he saw that he was sitting on a patch of dry dirt next to a thatched hovel… A familiar looking hovel.
Getting back up Milo realized that the little boy's cries for help hadn't ceased, and now he could pinpoint it's location to within the wood and clay hut. The boy cried out for anyone nearby to aid him, for he did not know what to do, a feeling Milo could distinctly feel empathy for.
Stepping cautiously forwards the Hunter approached the old hovel, all around him were signs of poverty: rusted out ploughs no longer fit for service, broken furniture dismantled for firewood, disused tough for goats that could no longer be fed on the slivers of wild grass that poked out of the dry soil. A famine had swept through the region, the lack of manpower to maintain the fields and levies being the main cause.
The place looked near abandoned, and that day it would be one step closer to becoming such.
Milo shook as he approached the entrance, the door hung ajar allowing him easy access into his old home. There on the floor an eight year old Milo cried over the still pile of loose clothes fitted over bone like limbs, the younger Milo no better off than his little brother laying before him… It was like watching a skeleton morn it's fellow.
Hot tears ran down the man's cheeks as he relieved the lowest moment in his life, his body trembled and his hands gripped and then opened themselves repeatedly. He wanted nothing more than to rush over to the starving boy and wrap him in a hug, to tell him he wasn't to blame for anything, and that it was going to be all right… But his body wouldn't listen, it was frozen near the door, unable to move so much as an eyelid. The younger Milo was paralyzed as well by the phenomenon, caught mid sob, still as a grave statue.
A moment passed before a small black bird swooped in through an open window, it hopped along the ground next to the scene, head twitching this way and that as if inspecting a ripe berry. The thrush bobbed its head as if nodding to itself, confirming it's own hypotheses… If a simple bird could even do so. Milo briefly wondered if it was actually a scavenger bird, here to collect its meal from the tiny corpse laying before it.
"Such a pity," the thrush suddenly spoke in a soft voice, it's head bowing to the scene before it, "So young, and already… suffering so much."
Milo stood mouth agape, wrapping his brain around what was happening and reeling in his unsteady emotions. He watched as the small black bird hopped up into the air and flew to a hover before the young Hunter's face.
"Well, mine curiosity hath been sated enough here, I shant pry too much into old wounds." The bird chirped.
In a flash Milo's home disappeared in a black mist along with his old self and his brother. The Hunter felt like screaming as the vision of his dying family was ripped away from him once again… Even if it was but a mere illusion it pained him to see those once precious to him slip out of reach. If he was perhaps stronger back then, maybe he could have found some more food for them to survive off of…
As the mist swirled around both him and the talking bird a new setting materialized out of the shadows. Polished marble tiles swept along the floors to reach high arching walls, paintings from various talented artists depicted scenes of battle and creatures of legend. In the center there sprung up a dinner table set with all manner of delicacies; roasted pork glistening with spices, steamed vegetables of all colours and varieties, dumplings and deserts too sweet to look at. It was a feast fit for a king… A stark contrast to the famine of Milo's youth.
The small black bird flew across the room to take a seat at the head of the table, though through his flight he had used some sort of sorcery to alter his form into that of a well dressed gentleman. His body took that of one in his late thirties; tall with a thin body, swept back black haired but with greying speckles along the sides, gaunt cheeks with two narrow black eyes that glinted in the candle light. He was dressed in rather flamboyant clothes that looked too colourful for the man's rather gloomy features, or would have rather suited someone still in their youth.
"Come come, take a seat now. Although I may be a guest to you I shall not have one stand so rigidly in my presence!" With a wave of his hand Milo found himself flung through the air and into one of the accompanying chairs at the table. "I hope you don't mind my 'redecoration', I'm sorry to say that your mind was rather too depressing and abysmal for my liking."
Confusion and discomfort swirled inside the young man's head, it was obvious now this was the owner of that unnatural voice… But to appear as such a small bird and then create such illusions… Demons and gods were supposed to be more grand than this. "W-what? Who, or what, are you?"
The man who was once a little bird tittered, as if Milo had just made a joke. "That my mortal compatriot shall be answered shortly, for time is ticking and we still have much to discuss!"
"W-what do you mean?"
"I mean that your body is currently bleeding out on the cobblestones my good chum. Despite my own efforts to slow your perception of time from inside your unconscious mind events are still playing out."
"Wait… You mean to tell me that," Milo gestured to everything around him, "This was all just you poking around in my head? Invading my deepest memories… And that I'm still alive at Castle Kharstien?"
The man nodded once, "Exactly!"
"…Why?" Such a simple question, and it felt like it was the most important Milo had ever ask.
The being before him hummed as he put on a coquettish smile. Milo did not like that look one bit…
"I suppose I may have been kept out of the loop for a few millennium! Been ages stuck in a spot you would never wish to imagine, and when you pop back up briefly you find the whole place has changed beyond recognition! I mean, what's with all the breasts on the beasts?! Did you Humans fornicate with the monsters and make an explosion of half naked monster prostitutes? You lot should know better than to stick your manhood inside fangs and claws!"
There were many accounts of believers in The Chief Goddess being visited inside their dreams, where the benevolent goddess would impart visions or prophesies… But there was never any mention of the Chief Goddess taking the form of a small vocal bird or a middle aged aristocrat…
"W-what are you?"
The mysterious being's eyes twinkled with bemusement, his grin broadened and Milo swore he saw the man's teeth sharpen into razor like fangs. The air around the table felt suddenly cold.
"You my Human friend, may call me Caim."
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Bielka at first didn't know what had happened. Last thing she knew was that she had been running for her life after Herma opened up her face beam, the magical laser has wrought destruction and chaos in its path through the courtyard. The Hellhound had fled as fast as her lupine legs would take her, a arms full with the Prince held against her chest in a princess carry… No doubt she must have looked a sight as she screamed her way through the garden as a deadly light chased after her.
The wolfen Mamono would feel embarrassed later for shamefully running from a fight… For now her priority was to keep their special prisoner out of harms way. How the boy had stayed knocked out during their explosive escape eluded the girl. Dang, Captain really must have left a dent in his skull.
Currently the two were stuck several feet up in one of the garden's Zipangu maples. How she got up there even she didn't know… The little details usually disappeared from memory when you were trying not to get vaporized.
From her perch amongst the red leaves Beilka had a decent view now of the courtyard, which now looked more like a plowed field than a noble's garden. As the smoke began to clear the hound's eyes began to scour the area for any more signs of immanent magical destruction; her fears were put to rest when the prone form of the crazy Gazer appeared. Judging by the slowly growing dark pool and severed tentacles that last attack probably pushed her over the edge, now she lay spamming in the grass as her body went into shock. She'd need medical attention, but otherwise she'd probably live… And continue to be an annoyance to all around her.
What caught Bielka's attention wasn't Herma's twitching form, but what could be seen amongst the debris now clearing up. Several signs of battle stood out; slash marks along shrubs, the spray of blood along the grass, a statue practically turned to pebbles as a body was repeatedly smashed into it. The Hunter lay slumped against the base, red oozed out of many cuts and punctures underneath his tattered clothes, if it was the captain that had done him in then there was no doubt that he was already gone… Bielka felt a bit of pity for the Hunter, it was like seeing the mauled corpse of a bird after a cat had finished playing with it. Shame she didn't get a chance to fight him beforehand.
Then something caused the Hellhound to pause, "…N-no way…"
Across from the dead Human was the smoking red skinned Oni she called her Captain, skin charred across her chest from where a burst of lightning had stuck her down. Bielka could hardly believe it… The Human had managed to best one of the strongest fighters in Camilla's forces, one that not even a whole army of Order wusses could land so much as a scratch in… It was impossible, not even she could defeat Ibaraki who was one of the few beings in the world she respected.
The Mamono shook her head, she must be seeing things! That just wasn't the case! The pounding in her chest increased as she took shallow breaths, the paw holding onto the Prince's chest piece creaked as put pressure down on top of the armor. The boy groaned in pain in his unconscious state, bringing Bielka back enough from her furious thoughts to realize she was hurting her charge, the one that Ibaraki had tasked her with guarding. She eased off the pressure, though still kept a firm grip upon his armor's gorget, pinning him to the branch they sat on… Though a curious feeling started to spread from the boy however, as if he was starting to heat up. Perhaps it was just a fever, Bielka would bring him see the Lich later as she was probably smart enough to know how to treat whatever sickness the blonde boy had caught.
Then there was movement through the dust, it was hard to spot at first, but Bielka could see from her perch the shadow of a maid outfit creeping along the dirt behind a hedge row… It appeared that there was still one who could still stand after the fight.
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Diana had started to wish that she'd been born far, far away from her home in Castle Kharstien. As much as she loved the castle city and her Master in Lady Camilla… She could do without as many near death experiences as she had this night. It was the duty of all servants of her Ladyship to be willing to sacrifice themselves to the continued survival of their Master and their home, that didn't mean she had to like the idea of it.
But, as Diana kept crawling along the muddied ground she thought back to what Herma had called her before she had attacked… 'Traitor'.
No! She was no turncoat! If she could just explain it properly then maybe she wouldn't have to hide from her fellow Mamono that seemed to want her dead now. She was merely following the will of her captor, the Hunter Kautz, and even then all she did was lead him out of the castle keep. Even if she was bringing him to Lady Camilla she would have easily dispatched him, nobody could even dare lay a single scratch on her, she would just blow them away.
…Just like those dead Heroes she strung up outside the walls…
As quickly as the thought had entered her mind Diana shut it down. It was nauseous to recall the rotting corpses outside, she'd feel a shiver run through her each time she pictured the hill top through the looking glasses.
All her life the Kikimora had never seen such barbarity, such cruelty and defilement, even though she knew the Humans were more than willing to see her kind strung up the same it was unthinkable to see the kind and graceful Vampire she had known all her life as someone willing to stoop so low…
I just want to know why… What made you do such a thing Lady Camilla…
The end of the broken hedge came up, and with it a wide open gap between her cover and the next piece of cover. The sound of fighting had stopped by now, but caution was the better part of valor as the saying went. If she could sneak away from Herma then maybe she could explain herself to Camilla in person, she'd under-
Diana froze, dread filling her stomach as she bore witness to the scene a few feet in front of her.
"…K-kautz?"
The owl masked Hunter laid in a pool of his own blood. His body was broken, his clothes were torn, and he didn't move. The pale white owl mask he wore was slumped forwards, still attached to the face, but a slow trickle of red fluid poured forth from the beak.
A painful static pierced through the two fluffy ears on top of Diana's head, forcing her double over. Hot tears and silent screams came out of the emotionally empathetic Mamono, waves of anguish tore her apart from the inside as her body replicated the intense feelings of the dying Human. Diana tightly gripped her head as mentally the Kikimora felt all the pain the Human's abused body had been put through; every hit, bleed, and broken bone Kautz had received the Kikimora's senses picked up on.
The Kikimora species were natural empaths, which is why they made such peerless servants, however their species trait could also be a curse if they ever let their emotions loose control… Seeing the Human she had been captured by, the Hunter that had shown her mercy, the man that had willingly allowed her to see what his emotions were, one that had defended her when her own comrades had turned on her… He's like those dead Heroes… All tattered up and left to rot…
Wait… If I can feel his emotions, that means he isn't dead yet…
Diana had to fight off the mind shattering pain to bring herself back to reality. If she didn't act fast then Kautz would really end up like those crucified Heroes.
Heedless of if Herma or anyone else was still out there looking for her Diana sprang out from hiding. The distance wasn't that far, but Diana wasn't that athletic either, so by the time she had grabbed the bloody collar of the Human the girl was out of breath. "Kautz! Wake up!" There wasn't any response from the Human except to further bleed out.
Hazel eyes burned as fresh tears welled up, "D-don't you go dying on me! Y-you s-stupid owl brain!"
Frantically Diana tried to think of something that could help stop Kautz's immanent death. She wasn't a doctor or even medically trained; undoubtedly that knowledge would have been useful, but as a maid Diana had focused more on how to clean and living up to being Camilla's servant… If she survived the night the young woman promised she'd learn more on the matter, as her lack of understanding just how to treat someone injured was sorely needed right now.
Then she remembered something, a certain syringe the Hunter had used earlier to heal his wound from the Living Armor. At the time the violent method of injecting a healing potion disgusted her, but now if she could find another perhaps she could save him.
Wasting no more time Diana searched the man's possessions. She had to be careful not to open any of his wounds further as she peeled back his heavy jackets. Taking note of the pockets strewn across his attire the Kikimora wondered which one held the syringe. As she reached into the pocket with the red cross labeled on the front there was a clink of glass… Yet the sharp feeling across her fingertips immediately sunk her heart. "No… No no no!" Most of the vials had been shattered, their content oozing out in a glimmering puddle, along with the hope that she could save him.
Diana screamed, she once again felt hopeless and small against the overwhelming tragedy of the night.
The young Mamono was about to curse the gods, when a ray of moonlight passed through the roiling black and red clouds overhead. The beam of gentle moonlight only lit up a small area, Diana rubbed away at the salty tears from her vision to look around quizzically at the change in atmosphere.
She couldn't explain it… But it felt like someone was gently holding her, she felt warmth pass through her as if her mother was hugging her to her chest and sweetly telling her it'd be okay... A sensation Diana hadn't felt since her mother passed away.
Curious Diana looked around, but she couldn't see any being nearby that would have caused her to feel this way. She was alone in the courtyard, just her and Kautz. The light then passed over from the man and Mamono, its movement caused something in the nearby grass to glimmer…
Hope gushed forth from Diana, as she sprung to her feet, her avian claws dug marks into the stonework as she dashed towards to small vial laying on the ground before the moonlight disappeared. With reverent hands she held up the syringe, the holy waters mixed in with other healing concoctions sloshed inside. The potion must have fell out of it's pocket during the fight. It looked like liquid diamonds, and was perhaps the most beautiful thing Diana had ever seen.
"…Thank you," the tearful Mamono smiled up at the sky, she wasn't sure if it was the work of the gods or some other being, but she was grateful none the less for this small miracle.
Returning to Kautz the maid kneeled down next to him. Gingerly she lifted one of his arms into the moonlight and pulled back the sleeve, his clothes were soaked with blood now, but if she removed anything more she felt like she'd risk disturbing some of the more serious wounds.
"Please… Wake up Kautz," Diana pleaded, the needle dug into the Human's soft white skin, releasing the holy elixir.
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Roderick prostrated himself before the Holy being standing before him. She had arrived inside his dream, though there was no mistaking Her for a mere figment of his unconscious mind.
The blinding white brilliance was too much to bear for his unworthy mortal eyes, though there was a gentle warm sensation that filled his very soul just by being in proximity, it soothed his aches and mended his mortal body.
"Rise my child," with a wave of her hand Roderick suddenly felt himself stand back up. Unable to look away Roderick was caught in the divinity of the all powerful being before him. The Chief Goddess's smile was warm and benevolent, like that of a mother watching over her children. Her white robes flowed in an ethereal wind, auroras of every colour slipped between her several pairs of wings as if she had the whole universe wound around her silken smooth body. Ageless eyes bore down into the meek child's own, the boy saw in them that fire and knowledge beyond mortal comprehension. If he stared at her any longer he feared his soul would disintegrate in her radiance. "I have a vision for thee, for tonight with my blessing you shall vanquish the vile being ruling over this city with it's cruelty!"
As she spoke Roderick felt his whole being be set on fire. There was no pain, no burnt flesh or condemnation, rather he felt surged with divine blessings! The pure concentrated godly powers flowed through his veins, altering his very soul down to it's core, filling it completely to become a worthy avatar of The Chief Goddess's will. Knowledge on how to fight became known, skills that should have taken a lifetime to master were unlocked, muscles that were once merely above average became as strong as steel! The Prince felt powerful, unbeatable, he felt like he was being granted what those of legend had all become, like his brother before him: a Hero.
With his newfound boons granted to him Roderick Ainsworthy got down on one knee and clasped his hands together in prayer.
"Your will be done my Goddess! Deus vult!"
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