Milo woke with a world splitting headache. His eyes watered beneath his mask, as the pressure in his skull threatened to pop his eyes right out of their sockets. Every bone throughout his body tingled as mana flowed along the many fractures he'd sustained, the searing warmth in spots being indicators that there was much repairing to be done there.
Well, at least that means I'm still alive…
Suffice to say there were better ways to come back to the land of the living. "Oh… Fuck me…" Milo groaned.
"Easy there big guy, sit back down and don't move, alright?" A gloved hand rested on the man's shoulder, it's massive size and power belonging to only one man he knew.
"…J-Jacob?"
"Yep, in the flesh! …Though, your flesh seems to have been pulped pretty bad there friend." Even if Milo couldn't open his eyes yet, he knew when the big lug had a giant shit eating grin on, "I heard you went head to head with a statue, and lost!"
"That's… That's not how it went-" a fit of coughing erupted from Milo, the taste of bloody phlegm was overpowering, not that he had never choked up blood before, but for some reason the taste was more raw and metallic… Something definitely ruptured, the trick was to figure out which organ it was and if you were going to internally bleed in minutes or hours.
"Easy easy! Here, take a breath then sip," a water skin hose was pressed underneath Milo's mask, the water was stale and the canteen probably needed a clean, but to Milo he couldn't get enough. When he was done he replaced his mask promptly over his mouth, less he drink in the Demonic Energy prevalent in the castle.
"Thank you…" Milo handed the water skin back.
"N-no w-worries!" That soft feminine voice, like breathy whispers… It had become familiar over the course of the hellish night.
Milo shot his eyes wide open, the searing feeling in his retinas be damned. With a loud creak of joints popping the Hunter's mask was rotated to glare at the pale faced Kikimora nervously holding the water skin. "What. Is. SHE. Doing. Here!" Milo hissed through grit teeth.
The bulk of a massive solider stepped in front of the maid, the beak of which leaned down to Milo's eye level. "Because I asked her to stay."
Despite his wounds, and even the protesting of a healer that had been applying a spell to his leg, Milo sat up from where he had been laying. The broken statue still towered over them, so they hadn't moved him it seemed. The Healer squawked about how he had just finished mending his bones, but Milo ignored him to give dagger eyes to his much taller friend, or more accurately the girl that was hiding behind the muscle brained Order Captain.
"She's a Mamono, she shouldn't even be alive with your men here... Why?"
Jacob shrugged, stepping aside to leave Dianna without her cover, the girl shrank back but the man placed a large glove on her shoulder and pushed the red headed Mamono forwards, nearly tripping her. "She was quite helpful, even saved your life you know? If it wasn't for her stemming the blood and giving you a Holy potion you'd be nothing but a corpse. How could I just kill my best buddy's little guardian angel?"
A few tense seconds passed before both men began to chuckle, Dianna for her part looked at both Humans with confusion and a smidge of apprehension.
"You always had a soft spot for red heads!"
"And you always have a soft spot in your head!" It hurt to laugh too much, but Milo couldn't help it, it had been a long night and it was a relief to see his friend once more. Meeting a friendly face amongst all the killing of the evening put the Hunter at ease, the only other smiles being those of demented Mamono seeking to defile and fornicate with the unwilling, so it was nice to finally have something genuine.
With the help of the Healer, still fuming at his work being disturbed, Milo sat up properly against the statue's plinth; however, this time he felt less like a broken sack of bones than the last time he was put against the cool stone.
The Hunter beckoned his friend closer while glaring at Dianna, the Kikimora maid flinched back and kept her distance, but still kept near, as every passing Order soldier still looked at her much worse by comparison. Noticing Milo's want for discretion Jacob pulled his mask in closer so that they could whisper without anyone present hearing. "…What's the real reason why you didn't kill Dianna on sight? Our standing orders are to eliminate all Mamono within the castle, I'm sure you must have dealt with more than a few non-combatant types before you reached me. So, why?"
Jacob let out a long tired sigh, when Milo looked back into the glass lenses he saw a man that had aged more than a lifetime in a single evening. Weary eyes looked back into Milo's own, and he could already tell the answer. "…I-I'm… I'm done Milo. There's been too much death tonight, forgive me for not adding to the pile already."
A weak hand reached up to lightly tap a closed fist against the bigger man's chest, "I know… I know… It's the devil's work, but we're nearly through it. Just think of Lisa, you'll be home soon big guy."
"…I hope she can forgive the blood on my hands," Jacob shook his head morosely, "there's no washing away what we've done here."
"She will, Lisa's a good soul." Milo grinned beneath his mask, "What you really should be worrying about is all the suitors that'll be ready to pounce while you're away."
"By the Chief Goddess, I would break any limp dick that tries anything funny with my little flower!" Jacob half joked, the light slightly returning to his eyes. "Speaking of flowers… What's with you and the maid? Normally you're too shy to even chat up the barmaid, yet here you are, somehow swooning the enemy to the point that they risk themselves to keep you kicking."
"It's… It's a long story. We don't have time for me to tell it all."
"Come now, not even how you got to first name basis with her?"
"S-shut up!" Milo was ashamed to feel a bit of heat light up beneath his mask at the teasing.
"Getting flustered and bashful? Now I know something happened to you, the Milo Kautz I knew was hardly a juvie in the midst of their first tryst… Are you alright there Milo?" Jacob halted his teasing, eyes turning serious as he looked his friend over again. "Do I need to call a Priest over to rid you of any-"
"No! No… I'm just, I think I'm just getting too tired for all this as well. Plus, think that red bitch knocked more than a few screws loose. Had the worst nightmare imaginable while I was knocked out, about a prick in a gaudy suit that wouldn't shut up and something about black birds, got me on edge."
"Must have been one heck of a bad dream to get our fearless Hunter to act up," Jacob grunted as he stood back up to his full towering height, dusting the gravel off his pants. "Alas, you and the adorable lil miss mentioned the Oni Commander, however her body hasn't been spotted yet, so I'll need to keep my men on guard till we're away."
"…I think I hit the Oni with one of my trick weapons when she nearly pulled my mask off, a lightning enchantment, she'll be wounded at least. Think it stunned her enough to chase her away, she also might be weak to similar attacks." A wolfish smile clung underneath the Hunter's mask. "Let me know if you need another rune shard, and I'll fry her again with pleasure."
Jacob nodded at the tidbit of info, he wasn't sure how useful it would be, as he didn't actually possess any similar magiks or tricks, but just knowing that she was winded at least ebbed the large warrior's worries. "Thanks for the heads up Milo, but I'll be taking on the fights from here on. Just follow whatever the healers say and we'll get you patched up in no time."
"Any more patching and I might as well be put on a pole as a worn out scarecrow," Milo chuckled.
Jacob guffawed, slapping a heavy hand over Milo's shoulder (thankfully the least injured one) "That's the spirit! You just keep being the spookiest tattered suit around and I'll get us out of here in time for harvest season!"
With that the jolly brute left Milo to the medics in order to find his second in command. From his seat Milo watched as Order soldiers scour the courtyard for clues to their missing Prince, as well as patrol for any Mamono forces still lurking nearby. Time was running out, Milo knew all too well, but for once the Hunter didn't seem to mind. Jacob knew how to get things done, and if he said he'd get them out of this mess he would try his damnedest to see it through. The battered man let out a tired sigh as he looked up to the roiling dark clouds above.
A shadow soon obscured the man's vision however, causing him to grunt at his respite being disturbed. "…What do you want?"
Dianna flinched at his tone, but stayed where she was. She nervously wrung her hands back and forth as she prepared her words. "Um… I'm sorry you had to fight… I hope you get well soon. A-and umm... Thank you."
Milo continued to stare up at the sky for a good moment, allowing his pause to become awkward for the maid, who anxiously shuffled where she stood. One word did come to his mind however, a simple question that irked him beyond measure. Tipping his owl shaped mask down enough so that he could peer at the Kikimora along his beak Milo asked his million gold coin question. "Why?"
"W-whuh-Why?" Dianna stammered, slightly taken aback by the word.
"Yes, why did you save me? You could have easily left me to rot, used me, or even just finished me off yourself." The Hunter tilted his head to the side slightly, "…But you didn't. You saved me. So, why?"
At first Dianna didn't know what to say, not because she didn't have some excuse already lined up, but because she too didn't truly know why she let her emotions run to the point of saving the Human. If anything, all she could remember from that moment was the intense feelings of suffering from the Hunter as he had laid broken from the battle. Perhaps it was her empathetic powers as a Kikimora, but even then she could have left far enough for the linked feelings to dissipate… Yet she stayed, even rushed to his aid. It was a stupid choice logically, and now looking around at all the hostile Order soldiers that surrounded her she was slightly regretting her choice… But… She didn't think she could have lived with herself if she hadn't stepped in when she had the choice.
"I guess..." Dianna began, her green emeralds staring directly into the Hunter's yellow beacons beneath the shadows of his mask, "I guess I thought it was the right thing to do."
Milo let out an exasperated sigh, shaking his head in bewilderment. "I would have died doing my duty, an honorable death. And now I'm nothing more than a liability to my friend and his men. You have prolonged my suffering and theirs..." Dianna's ears flattened at hearing such, looking down at her feet dejectedly. "…But all the same… Thank you."
The girl immediately snapped her eyes back up to the Hunter, not quite believing her ears, but the look the Hunter held for her wasn't that of scorn or disgust. The yellow eyes seemed to glare just a bit less harshly as his posture relaxed somewhat. He had also relaxed his emotional barrier enough to allow Dianna to sense the faintest glimmer of gratitude from the Human.
A few stray tears still remained in the young woman's eyes, for all this long night she had been crying from sadness, anxiety, and terror… But for once the tears were warm, much like how her heart felt deep inside her chest. "…You're welcome."
For the first time since they met, Milo saw the girl before him in a new light. She brought her soft lips up into a gentle smile. He would never admit it, even under the pains of death, but the disheveled, exhausted, happily crying Mamono at that moment looked perhaps one of the most adorable sight he had ever seen.
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From up on her perch Bielka watched the Order soldiers scurry about, something seemed to have lit a fuse underneath their behinds. Fiery eyes danced from one beaked soldier to the next as they hurried about with unseemly haste.
Just what has gotten them all so spooked? The Hellhound pondered, still clutching her prisoner under her armpit. Did they find out I'm still here? Or… What was it something that Hunter told their leader?
The answer soon came as two of the foot soldiers scampered beneath the tree the Hellhound hid within. Bielka held her breath as both Order men went beneath the red maple's branches. One of the soldiers wielding a halberd grabbed his companion by the shoulder, halting his frantic dash. "Just stop Pile! We need to head back!"
The other beak masked soldier shot a glare back at his comrade, slapping away the offending grip. "No! I'm not going to just leave another man behind!" the other Order soldier protested, "Even if he's a little shithead, I'm not gonna abandon him. Not after- Not after what those bitches did to Stephan..."
The Halberdier shook his head, "Sod this, we should be back with the Captain, everyone's ready to retreat at a moment's notice. If we're still searching by that time we'll probably be doomed!"
"We can't! Not without the Prince! We need to keep searching!" Pile shouted back, completely unaware of the unconscious boy mere feet above their heads.
"Bugger the Prince! He got himself caught up in a fight beyond his league! Maybe the Chief Goddess will be kind and reincarnate him as someone more humble next time, but we shouldn't stick around to see if he makes it to those pearly white gates!" There was a pause as one soldier glared down another, neither seeming to convince the other of their goal's necessity.
There was a gruff shout from back within the group, most likely one of their officer ordering them back in line.
Pile shook with impotent rage, slamming a fist against the tree trunk, "Damnit all to Hel!"
Bielka could somewhat empathize with the little loyal soldier's plight; as much as she thought of herself as an indestructible fighting machine, for the most of the siege the Hellhound had been relegated to baby sitting duty with both Herma and now the little Hero napping in her arms. It grated on her nerves that she was perhaps the only Mamono to never have taken part in the battle. Heck, even Herma and that Kikimora maid fought each other for Lilith's sake! Once she had slipped away and delivered her package Bielka swore to herself that her claws would taste blood by morning!
As both soldiers began to make their way back to their lines, fate had somehow heard the black furred Mamono's wish. Beneath her arm Roderick began to stir.
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Roderick felt himself come to life… No, it was more that he felt alive for the first time ever.
Golden sparks danced across his vision as his eyes fluttered open. The memory of meeting the Chief Goddess inside his dream still resonated within him; he could still feel her golden aura as it blessed him. The blinding light of her radiance could only be described as witnessing the very sun come down to wrap you in it's embrace! His soul was set ablaze with his Holy mission, one ordained to him to save not only himself, but countless others!
He needed to kill Camilla Von Kharstien at all costs. His god said it must be done, so it will be done! Through his hands Justice will be dealt to the heathens!
…Speaking of, he was still in the clutches of one at this very moment. The Hellhound bitch noticed her captive's awareness, fire laced red eyes going wide. She was about to slap her furry paw over Roderick's mouth to silence him, before he could call for help or cuss her. Instead the young Hero flashed the wolf his canines in a broad grin, gaining a creeped out shiver from the Mamono, before slamming back his elbow into her grey skinned mid section. Bielka had a decent set of muscles in her abs, the toned body feeling like Roderick hit rock, but the strike caught her by surprise.
"Ghuk!" The wind was blown straight out of her with the force of the strike, her grip too was loosened. Roderick wasted no time in making his escape, wrenching himself from furry arm he regained his freedom…
…Only too late to realize they were up in a tree and he had just jumped out of one of the higher branches.
"Shit!" The Prince shouted as he braced himself to either be impaled by a branch or hit solid dirt… Only nothing happened. There was a distinct feeling of warmth running along the boy's back, like the rays of a Summer sun, and then Roderick found himself intact, standing beneath the maple tree.
Looking quite puzzled Roderick patted himself all over, making sure he hadn't lost anything in the fall aside from a bit of his sanity. Though nothing was found missing or injured, there did appear to be two new and uniquely fluffy items now attached to the center of his back. Glancing over his shoulder Roderick saw something that made his jaw drop.
Sprouted from between his shoulder blades were two equally puffy sets of wings. The plumage were an iridescent white, the kind of which the Chief Goddess and her Valkyries possessed.
It seems that it wasn't just her benevolent protection the Chief Goddess had offered him, but a grand blessing the likes of which no other past Hero had obtained: she had bestowed him with her very Grace. She had made the child Hero into an avatar of her will! Roderick almost started to hyperventilate as the enormity of just what he had been blessed with took root in his consciousness. He didn't get much of a chance to take it all in however as a black furred being crash landed right on top of him.
Hardly injured, but still shocked by being forced into the dirt Roderick began thrashing at the muscled wolf, who had most likely lost her own footing on the branch and had unintentionally dive bombed the ascended boy. "GET OFF YOU CRETIN!"
"OW! STOP POKING ME WITH-OUCH FUCK! STOP STABBING ME WITH THOSE PIGEON FEATHERS!"
"HOW DARE YOU BLASPHEME THE GODDESS'S GIFT! THEY'RE DOVE LIKE AT LEAST!"
As both youths began tussling in the grass the noise the created drew the attention of nearby soldiers, soon the men of the 52nd were surrounding the bout with their pole arms raised and rifles primed. None of the Order soldiers could quite believe what they were witnessing, but as they waited for the orders to engage two things became evident: First, that Prince Ainsworthy was still alive. And second, despite growing a shiny new set of wings that radiated Light magic similar to that of Holy blessings, the boy sucked at fighting.
Bielka pulled the boy's legs back as she squatted over him, some of the soldiers watched cringed as they watched the Hellhound preform a Screwdriver on the downed Hero. Roderick screamed out as he felt his back pop and bend in a way he never knew it could. "Take that you goldie boy!"
Gritting his teeth Roderick utilized his new appendages, flapping them furiously, it didn't bore them both aloft but it did knock the hound off his back. Shakily getting up to his feet Roderick brought both his fists up just in time to guard against a black paw coming in hot, the fiery glare of the Hellhound right behind it. "I'm a little pent up from being held back from the fight most of the night, so indulge me a bit more your highness!" The right cross coming in right behind the jab catching the Prince behind his guard and in his shoulder.
The pain seemed to dissipate rather fast, as far as Roderick could tell, perhaps it was just another boon from her Holiness, but it allowed the boy to have the energy to keep retaliating after every hit he took. From what he lacked in fighting skill he more than made up for it in sheer zeal. With a war cry Roderick flapped his wings once more, at least enough to bore him aloft by a few feet, once airborne he used his momentum to preform a backwards flip, kicking out at the wide eyed Hellhound. The heel of his boot made contact with her forearms that were crossed in order to block the blow. The Hellhound howled in agony as the force of the kick knocked her back into the trunk of the maple tree.
A cheer arose from the gathered men, seeing their side win against the odds seemed to strike a cord within them, despite their relative feelings of animosity towards the Duke's son. A few bets were even exchanged as the fight seemed to be rather self contained.
Jacob had made his way to the front by now, gawking at the circus that was being made out of the fight. "What in the name of the Goddess is going on here!?"
Sargent Gaffin approached to his Captain's side, having just previously pulled out a few coins for the betting pool. "Well Sir, it seems that our missing Prince has returned with some shiny new feathers in his cap. Also, that Mamono appears to be rather dead set on fighting him mono a Mamono as it were. As the fight seems rather bloodless, and all parties are enjoying the display, it's being used as a good chance to release some steam."
"…Ah. So then why aren't we getting in there and ending this?"
"Because I think we can all agree that seeing the Blue Blood over there getting his ass beat is rather entertaining."
Just then the Hellhound let out a roar as she picked a rather purple bruised looking Prince upside down. Two muscled arms gripped his midsection as she squeezed his screaming head between her thighs. With a little hop the Mamono landed on her ass, with Roderick's head now stuck into the soft grassy ground via the massive impact.
The crowed erupted in a wave of shock and astonishment, most feeling sympathy for the Prince now, but a few were worryingly starting to cheer for the Hellhound wrestler.
"Alright, think that's enough for now." Jacob slammed his war hammer's shaft on the ground several times, the thuds echoing across the makeshift ring. "THAT'S ENOUGH! Stand down, and surrender before we have to put you down!"
The black wolf girl spat a glob of bloody to the side on the dirt, flaming eyes glaring at the Order soldiers and their leader. She took note of the doze of halberds and muskets aimed right at her, the jovial murmur of the crowd from before no where to be found. "Must not know your Mamono, 'cause we Hellhounds don't just give up that easily."
Jacob sighed, he really didn't want to fight any more tonight, but they needed to get the Prince that was currently cosplaying as a dandelion, and she was between them and him.
"…Suit yourself."
Lifting up his massive hammer in both hands the giant Order soldier charged forth.
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