Marius's new army marched to their next destination by their warlord's orders. Leading them on the front, Marius rode on horseback with Henri by his side and his two trusted bodyguards.
The stoic face of the steel masked on the centurion cemented the image of the infamous warlord himself. Yet inside, Marius was full of despair and regret after what he said to his son. He was devastated when he found out from Henri that Icarus truly have left. Then, Mercy arrived on horseback.
"The heroes are still fighting the wave. If we hasten our pace we might be able catch them." said Mercy.
"Is the Spear Hero there?" said Marius.
"Yes. Along with his companions and the Shield Hero."
"Good."
Marius gazed at the far in the distance and saw the wave happening from the horizon.
The terrifying skies that accompanied the waves quickly disappeared and was replaced by the peaceful warmth sky.
"Looks like Motoyasu-kun did it." said Naofumi. He looked around and was relieve that all the villagers were saved.
"Yay! We did it!" said Keel in his little humanoid dog form, jumping up and down in excitement.
Then, the clear skies suddenly rained fire. Soon, the damaged village was destroyed by the barrage as it burns everything down. Smoke started forming around them, obscuring their vision.
"Sakura! Keel!" Naofumi called out to them.
The sound of panicking villagers was suddenly deafened by the sound of war horns. The ground beneath Naofumi gradually shook and he started hearing horse galloping towards them. Then out from the smoke, several soldiers on horseback started appearing. And by Naofumi's observation they looked nothing like the knights of Melromarc. One horse ran Naofumi over and he fell hard on the ground.
"Naofumi!" said an angry male voice.
Naofumi looked up and saw the centurion on horseback looking down on him. And in his hand was the darkened sword blessed, or corrupted, by the goddess of revenge. The centurion dismounted and approached Naofumi. The Shield Hero got up then raised his shield.
"What do you want from us!" said Naofumi.
"Give me Motoyasu!"
Marius charged towards Naofumi but was immediately blocked by the pink filolial queen Sakura.
"Don't you dare lay a finger on Naofumi!"
Sakura took on Marius by herself yet despite her skills, she was no match to the warlord. Marius was able to broke through her defense and pushed her away with a powerful kick. Sakura was able to land on her feet and as she was about to attack, Jormungandr electrocuted her with his hammer causing her to fall on her knees.
After the electrocution stopped she turned her head to looked at her attacker. She raised her sword but Jormungandr swung his hammer to disarmed Sakura and her sword escaped her hand before she got kick in the face and Jormungandr put his foot on her neck.
"Let them go!" Keel jumped out of the smoke towards Marius but was caught mid-air by the Hitokiri.
"You don't scare me!" Keel blurted, but the Hitokiri responded with her creepy laugh.
As Naofumi tried to get up to save his friends, Henri put his blade on his throat.
"I won't do that if I were you." said Henri.
Naofumi watched helplessly as Marius approached him. The centurions's weapon then transformed into a spear before he stabbed Naofumi's shoulder.
"Where is Motoyasu!" Marius shouted as he remembered Naofumi's betrayal.
"I'm not telling you anything!"
"That is what your friends from Siltvelt said to me. And you will join them soon." Marius pushed the spear deeper into Naofumi's wound, "If you do not tell me where he is."
Naofumi started screaming in pain as the spearhead dug deeper into his wound.
"Tell me where he is and all of you will be spared!"
"Don't tell them anything nii-chan!" Keel blurted.
Marius turned his head at the Hitokiri and nodded. She then threw Keel to the ground before pinning her with her foot. She lifted up her weapon above Keel and waited from the centurion's order to drop the blade on the helpless Keel.
"No! Let her go!" Naofumi exclaimed.
"Then tell me where he is!"
"Please, just let us go! What did I ever do to you?!"
Marius took off his helmet to show his face, "Do you remember this face?"
"I already said I don't know you!"
"But I know you. And I know what you did." Marius mouth quivered, "You betrayed me... You took everything from me..."
"What did I do?"
"You killed her, Naofumi... You killed Filo."
Naofumi's eye widened in disbelieve, "W-What? But Motoyasu said you killed her!"
"Lies! Motoyasu was delusional! But I know you did it! She died infront of me yet you did not care... To you she's nothing more but a pet..."
Marius gave Jormungandr a hand signal and he puts more pressure in Sakura's throat, slowly suffocating her.
"I do not care if you remember what you did or not... But you will feel the same pain I felt that day." Marius raised his hands and the two bodyguards waited for the execution signal.
"Father-in-law!"
Marius heard Motoyasu from a distance behind him. He turned his head around and saw Motoyasu slaughtering through Marius's armies.
"Motoyasu-kun!" Naofumi blurted.
Marius violently pulled the spear off Naofumi's shoulder, spreading his blood on the ground before him.
"Do not let them escape!" Marius ordered his bodyguards as he turned around to fight Motoyasu while puts on his helmet.
As Motoyasu fought off the armies with ease, Marius grabbed the kite shield from his horse and transformed his weapon into a sword.
"Marius! You will feel my wrath!" Motoyasu charged towards Marius.
"And this is my retribution!" Marius activated the kite shield and unleashed the darkness around Motoyasu.
Motoyasu stopped dead in tracks by the sudden darkness. He readied his weapon and waited for Marius's move. His ears picked up the swooshing sound coming from is left side and immediately shifted his weapon to the left, blocking Marius's sword.
Their weapons collided, causing a spark that illuminated the centurion's steel face for a split second. After Marius disappeared in the darkness, Motoyasu went back into defense mode and anticipated another attack.
Marius silently moved to a different position and transformed his weapon into a spear before launching another attack. But Motoyasu once again parried him, leaving Marius confused on how he anticipated him despite being inside the darkness.
The spear tranformed into the sword and Marius grazed the tip of the blade on the ground, making the irritating scraping sound while he circled Motoyasu. He watched as Motoyasu stood still but saw his eyes following the sound.
Marius ceased the sound of metal on dirt after he was right behind the Spear Hero while he continued walking in circles. Marius saw Motoyasu bracing himself with his head slightly turned and his eyes trying to look behind. Marius transformed his weapon into a bow and he pulled the arrow back as he aimed at Motoyasu's head.
Marius saw a clear shot and was about to released the bow when something soft crashed into him with violent force and the darkness surrounding them dissipated. Marius recovered from the impact and saw his shield shattered under a foot of a filolial queen.
"You will not hurt Motoyasu-sama!" the large bird exclaimed.
Marius groaned and got up with his weapon now a sword without taking his eyes off the filolial queen infront of him. The large bird dashed at Marius with incredible speed and swung her talon, which Marius blocked with his vambrace. Marius pulled his sword arm back to stab the filolial but something tried to snatched the weapon of his hand.
Marius looked to his right and saw another large filolial biting down his word who tried to took the weapon off his hands but Marius strengthened his grip. With the blade still in the bird's beak Marius forcefully twisted the bird's head and punched it's eyes, causing it to released the blade from its beak.
But the other filolial kicked Marius away. Marius was thrown back by the strong force and his weapon escaped his grip. After he hit the ground, Sakura lunged at him and plunged her sword into his shoulder. Marius then grabbed Sakura's collar and headbutted her before kicking her away.
After he got up, he felt two blades pierced his thigh. He looked down on his leg and saw Keel with her two daggers dug deep into his legs. Marius back handed her away and tried to pull the sword out of his shoulder when Sakura came and pushed the sword deeper. Marius punched Sakura's guts before pushing her off him.
Then, out of nowhere, Naofumi bashed Marius's abdomen with his shield. Marius grabbed Naofumi's wounded shoulders and dug his thumb deeper into his wound to cause great pain. Marius pulled his head backward before delivering a headbutt at Naofumi's face, causing him to fall on the ground with his nose bleeding.
Marius managed to finally pull the sword from his shoulder and was about to kill Naofumi when suddenly, he felt his whole body getting weaker. Marius looked down to see several holes on his cuirass. He then looked at Naofumi and saw his shield was wrapped in spiky vines.
The poison quickly took its affect and Marius's looses his grip in the word. His knees began to tremble and he fell on his knees as the poison slowly kills him. But Marius tried to fight back poison effect and he felt something burning him within him that wanted to get out.
Yet the poison was too strong for him to resist and Marius's body becomes completely weak, and he feel on the ground on his chest. Feeling like death as come to him again, Marius's breath became slower and his eye blurry. And the flames within him disappeared along with Marius's vision as everything went to black.
The sound of the morning birds from outside woke Marius up. He opened his eyes to the familiar sight of the ceiling of his room. He groaned and he got up, rubbing eyes after a goodnight sleep. Marius heard a familiar voice beside him.
"Good morning, my love."
Marius looked to his side to see Filo, his wife.
"Same dream again?" said Filo.
"Uh... I cannot even tell what my dream was anymore. But it matters little now." said Marius.
Filo got up then pressed herself on her husband, "Let's sleep a little longer."
Marius looked at the window to see the beautiful morning view, "Even on this morning?"
"I want to stay here more with you."
Two of them then heard someone running towards the door. Suddenly, a little boy with dark hair and a small cowlick on his head barged into their room.
"Harvest day! Harvest day!" said the little boy as he jump on his parent's bed.
"You heard that? Today is harvest day." said Marius.
Filo lets out a groaned, "Alright. Come here, Dienekes."
The little boy leaned closer to his mother and received a kiss to his forehead.
"Wait for me in the kitchen. We'll have breakfast first then we'll head to the farm." said Filo.
"Yay!" the little boy then jumped out of their bed before running out of the room.
"Let's not keep him waiting." said Filo as she was about to got out of bed until Marius gently grabbed her from behind
"I thought you wanted to stay a little longer?" Marius said while he kissed Filo's neck.
"Changed my mind. How about we finished today's work first?"
"Very well."
Marius went back to his side of the bed before planting his feet to the floor. He got up and headed towards the window to opened it. From the window he could see the beautiful sight of the ocean view. Marius inhaled deeply to smell the fresh air before getting ready for the day.
"Papa! Mama! Let's go!" little Dienekes said as he eagerly ran towards the farm while carrying a small basket.
"Slow down, my child." Filo followed him behind.
Marius, with farming tools in hand, watched his wife and son heading towards the large farm he worked on. While it was not as big as the farm he grew up in his childhood, it was enough to feed him and his small family.
And so they started harvesting the fresh crops they grew together with Marius's guidance. With every crops they harvest they taught young Dienekes more, hoping he will carry the lesson to his adulthood when he took over the farm in the future.
After dusk as arrived, the family of three rested on the porch of their villla. Dienekes fell asleep with his head rested on his mother's lap after eating a basketful of fruits while Filo gently stroked her son's head.
"He reminded me of someone." said Marius.
And Filo chuckled in respond.
"He takes after you alot."
"Well, beside the hair."
"And he has your beautiful eyes."
"He does." Filo cherished her son's cheek, "Do you remember when he hatched from his egg?"
"I do. He tried to eat my hand." Marius placed his hand on his son's shoulder, "And he has grown alot. Soon he will be old enough to join you hunting."
Marius suddenly felt like he was watched. He stood up and scanned the area until he saw a man standing in the distance. Marius then walked towards the stranger to get a better look and noticed the man was wearing a golden hoplite armor.
Marius took another step and he heard a loud rustling under his foot. He looked down and saw the vegetation below him as turned dark. He lifted his foot up and the grass he stepped on as shattered into pieces.
Something's not right, Marius said in his head. He doesn't know how or why but he felt as if everything around him is not real. But then something grabbed his hand from behind. Marius turned around to see Filo with her hand gripping his.
"Marius. Dinner's ready." said Filo.
Marius turned his head to see the stranger was no longer there and the grass returned to it's green color.
"Marius? Is something the matter?"
Marius shook his head, "Nothing."
"Come. Dienekes is waiting for us."
Marius smiled and followed his wife, yet the feeling of something's not right still lingered in his mind.
At the dinner table, the mother and son blissfully ate their dinner. Meanwhile, Marius just stared at his food without touching. The feeling of everything's not real grew stronger in every minute he kept it in his mind.
"Marius?" Filo placed her hand on Marius's.
Marius recoiled. He looked at his family but not with love but suspicion. Without any hesitation, Marius got up from his chair and left. He looked left and right at the walls of his home that he slowly felt mistrust upon, questioning in his head whether everything he saw and felt is even real.
"Marius?" said Filo with a worried look, "What's going on?"
Marius turned around and walked back slowly.
"Papa!" Dienekes ran pass his mother and wrapped his arms around Marius's leg, "Please don't go!"
Marius's heart turned soft but only for a second until the feeling of mistrust took over. He forcefully pushed his son away that the young boy loosed his grip and fell backwards.
The little boy looked at his father in pure shock. Dienekes got up and ran to his mother's arms for comfort
"Dienekes?"
Marius tried to reach out to his son but the feeling of regret soon filled Marius's heart and it conflicted with his suspicion, leaving him unable to do anything except staring at his distraught wife. Marius swallowed his guilt and stormed out of the villa.
As he walked far away from his home, he saw his farm and the grass on the ground turning black and withered yet Marius's head was in chaos to care. And faint obscured started memories flooded his head. Then Marius was stopped by the same figure in golden armor.
"Who are you? What is this place?" said Marius.
The figure extended its hand to Marius.
Marius was hesitant but he slowly walked closer to the figure with his hand slowly reaching it.
"Marius."
Marius heard his wife calling for him. He turned around and saw Filo with her look of concern.
"Who are you?" said Marius.
"W-Why would you say that? It's me, Filo. Your wife."
Marius shook his head, "I... I do not know what's going on! Are you even real!"
"Please... Don't say that..." Filo said with her eyes in tears.
Marius's tongue was tied and decided to ignored her and turned around.
"Remember our wedding?"
Marius stopped and turned around.
Filo smiled while the joyous memory played in her head, "I have to stand on top of a crate so you don't need to bend over to kiss me? And when they brought in the wedding cake." Filo chuckled, "I lost control and ate half of it?"
"I-I do..."
"It was the most happiest day of my life. Because that was the day that I will be with the man I love."
"Filo..." Marius approached his wife and fell on his knees infront of her, "I remembered all of it."
Marius then wrapped his arms around Filo while feeling guilty for what he did and said.
"I'm sorry... I don't know what came to me."
"It's okay. I'm here with you, my love."
Marius stood outside of his son's room with the door half open while little Dienekes slept on his bed with his small arm around a toy of a legionnaire. Marius just looked at his son with heart full of regret.
"I... I want to apologized to our son..." said Marius.
"There's always tomorrow, my love." said Filo, "Come."
Marius gently closed the door of his son's room before Filo held his hand and took him to their room. Marius closed the door behind him and Filo sat on their bed. Marius then sat beside her before the two started passionately kissed and embraced each other. After their lips separated, Marius gazed at his wife's cute face and all his worries, his gruesome past and the atrocities he saw vanished in his mind.
Then Filo suddenly disappeared before him. Shocked, Marius looked around for his wife but realized he's inside a dimly lit jail cell.
"Filo! Dienekes!" Marius shouted.
"Father?" said a voice of a young man beside him.
Marius looked to his side to see Icarus with his hand extended, attempting to calm the confused man down.
"Who are you?"
"Father, it's me."
"Dienekes?"
"It's me, Icarus. Don't you remember?"
"You're not my son. What is this? Where am I?"
Those words upsets Icarus but he hides it.
"Where's my wife and son? Tell me!"
"Hey!" Henri shouted while holding a firearm weapon, "What's the hold up!"
Henri then aimed his weapon at the approaching guards and the thundering sound of explosives filled the air with bright firey sparks coming out from the weapon.
"Marius, you have to come with us." said Icarus.
"My wife and son! What happened to them!" said Marius.
"Your..." Icarus hesitated to speak, "They're with us. They are safe."
Marius got off from his knees, "Take me to my family... Please."
Icarus then gave a sword to Marius and the two joined Henri who was waiting for them outside of Marius's cell. Henri then took point, taking down any guards with his firearm while Icarus and Marius followed behind him with their weapon in hand until they reached the top of a keep tower.
Henri then lets his firearm dangled on its sling as he reached out from his satchel and took out a small metal tube with a string at the end before aiming it at the sky. He pulled the string and the metal tube shoots out a ball of fire at the sky before it exploded like a firework.
"Let's hope they saw that!" Henri exclaimed.
Soon, a large airship flew above them and it was immediately showered with arrows from below. Then, came a firing line of women in sexy outfits harmed with the similar weapon as Henri. They started opening fire at the archers as the airship slowly descends down and hovered above the three men. One of the women kicked down a rope ladder for the three to board.
"We must go!" Icarus escorted his father to the rope ladder.
After the father and son climbed the ladder, the airship slowly ascended and Henri quickly ran towards the ladder for the extraction. With his one arm holding the ladder Henri continued to open fire with his other arm.
Soon the airship was high enough away from the keep and it flew away from the scene.
Marius was escorted by Icarus as he hoped to see his family again. Icarus then stopped infront of a door, and he turned to his father with an anxious look.
"They're inside..." said Icarus.
Without hesitation, Marius opened the door to a room with a bed and a desk yet no sight of his wife and child.
"You lied! Where are they!" Marius shouted as his rage built up inside him.
"They... They are not real."
Marius rage grew stronger as he approached Icarus.
"After you were defeated back at the Lute Village... You were captured and instead of execution, the Spear Hero had you locked up while under an illusion spell."
"What? No... No no no, that cannot be... They are real... The memories-"
"You were under that spell for too long that you can no longer feel or see reality. That's why everything felt so real yet it's not."
Marius knees weakened and he sat on the bed while still trying to process the whole thing.
"But we managed to find you before it got too severe. You should be able to remember everything now that you're not under the spell."
Icarus just looked at his father who only looked at the floor, still in shock by the revelation.
"Please... Leave me be..." said Marius.
Icarus nodded before closing the door.
Tears then flowed from Marius's eyes and he started sobbing as he buried his face in his hands. Marius was unable to accept that all the sweet memories with his family was all but an illusion to keep him contained. Then he parted his hands from his face and saw the centurion armor. The steel face of the helmet looking back at him as if it was waiting for its master to return.
Soon, he started to remembered everything that had led him to this fate. From Naofumi's betrayal, Filo's death, Motoyasu's time looping, to his defeat at Lute Village. Remembering all that, Marius's sorrow turned to anger. His sobbing turned to a snarl as the rage built up inside him and he clenched his hands that was still wet from his tears.
Marius then shuts off his sadness and quelled his fury. He got up and walked towards his armor. He grabbed his helmet and gazed at the empty eyes of the steel mask. The very face that saw all the wars Marius as fought and all the brutally he committed including what he did in this looped timeline.
As Marius put on his armor, his mind was fixated on stopping Motoyasu by any means necessary. Even if it means slaying the Spear Hero.
