I let out a resigned sigh as I stared out of the window of the inn, Eclair was asleep in the only bed in the room, I took the floor much to her protests. It didn't matter anyway, it seemed like being unable to sleep at night may become a theme with me, and it sucked too. I was exhausted, my wounds were healed and my hp and mp was back at it's max but that didn't affect my overarching condition.
Oh well, at least the night sky was beautiful. I never got to see the stars or moon in Japan, or really in America due to the worlds pollution, but that was a different story here, there wasn't the severe pollution that made the world boggy. The world was… healthy and so alive, from the monsters to the fauna to even space itself. The stars were bright and colorful, giving what normally was the darkness of space a colorful hue of it's own. Even the moon itself, cascading it's luminescence down on the world... was bright and unhindered by clouds.
I wondered how Noah would have reacted to it, when he was actually getting healthier he talked of his dreams of being an astronomer and going to space to find other life… I never listened. I was too focused on my own… pettier goals of being a singer and pianist and completely ignored my little brothers dreams. Even worse so when everything started turning to shit, turning my resentment and pain onto him because I just couldn't fathom all the rage I had for all my parents.
I should have listened… I should have been better. It was toxic and I should have been better. God I wish I'd had, but It's too late for that now… I was a horrible brother, and barely a functioning guardian after our mother decided drug abuse was more important than her kids. And now they're gone. More accurate actually… I'm gone.
I turned away from the window and buried my head in my hands. I was getting emotional now. My eyes were burning from a mix of un-shed tears and exhaustion. I debated going back to bed but already knew it wouldn't do me any good, down below me were the thumps of other patrons of the bar living the night to it's fullest. I was reasonably sure the other heroes had gone to sleep as well, the only other heroes being in this inn being Motoyasu and Naofumi, with Ren and Itsuki asleep in the inn literally right next door.
It was kind of amusing to think of the shield hero, Myne had clearly been trying to make a move. Unlike most anime protagonists though he actually rejected her attempts to get him to drink and her attempts at seducing him, though Naofumi clearly was attracted to her. I debated on waking the Spear hero up, the guy may have been a bit of a dumb-ass simp, but he had an older brother vibe to him and was really friendly.
I decided against that as well, might as not make other people suffer just because I can't sleep, donning my armor and cloak. I looked at Eclair one last time, making sure she was asleep, I didn't want to wake her from what seemed to be a deep sleep. I briefly wondered how long it had been since she was able to sleep comfortably. A week? A month? She'd been imprisoned for around that long right? Dammit, I couldn't remember.
Her investigative efforts were never able to come to pass, Myne was never alone long enough for Eclair to listen in, there was a moment where Myne started laughing a little darkly at something. But neither I or Eclair could figure out what, and the rest of the night moved without event.
I fiddled with the ring on my finger as I sat in a chair on the second floor balcony, I couldn't take the damn thing off, but if I thought about It hard enough I was able to switch fingers it was on.
Surprisingly, with the cool wind blowing across my face I began to feel my eyes drifting shut. Tiredness finally catching up with my exhaustion and I decided to fall asleep right there, I figured I'd be okay. I didn't think there would be anybody to attack a Hero for no reason other than bandits, and common sense would indicate they aren't in cities.
I think I was asleep for maybe an hour before I heard a scream that scared me awake, I nearly leapt over the balcony to my death out of sheer frustrated spite before my brain caught up with my body.
Wait, a scream? I thought. I turned sluggishly to see Myne stumbling out into the hallway… of a different room? Did Naofumi pay for separate rooms?
Wait, why was Myne naked!? Suddenly wide awake I rushed forward to the terrified girl. Eclair burst out the room with her sword at the ready and armor already donned… god damn she was fast.
"Myne! Myne what the hell happened!?" I asked, she buried herself in my arms sobbing and I wrapped my cloak around her to protect her modesty.
"T-th-the shield hero tried to rape me!" She cried, then pointed to the room. "He jumped out the window when I screamed!"
Suddenly, Motoyasu was up the stairs and by Myne's side as I ran forward and looked out the rooms window, I saw a figure running off into the darkness… with a shield and no other weapon. I felt rage build within me, I trusted him. Partied up with him, and he's this type of person!? I'm supposed to be good at spotting lies, clearly fucking not!
"Son of a bitch!" I shouted. I turned back to the others. "Motoyasu, Eclair. Get her… fucking somewhere I don't know!" without waiting for a response I leapt out the window, losing a small chunk of Hp as I landed then took of running after Naofumi.
"Naofumi stop!" I yelled, it didn't work but I didn't expect much. I realized he was running in the direction of the city gates, I couldn't see him exactly, but I could see his shield, and I was gaining on him.
But I was getting tired, and the bastard didn't look like he was, the shield must have gave him more stamina, I'd have to use a skill. "Naofumi I said stop!" I held my hand out and began to chant a new spell I'd learned from leveling up to level 7.
"Fuse together origins of time and space, bend to my will as the Ring hero and freeze my target in their tracks! Time stop!"
Naofumi froze mid run, the spell would only work for 2 seconds, and only until the target was touched by anything. It was enough, I tackled the shield hero to the ground just outside the gates and held him down as best as I could, he tried to smack me with the shield but I dodged it and slammed my fist into the back of his head, he cried out In pain and I froze.
This… wasn't Naofumi, that voice was to high pitched to be his, I turned the person over and saw not Naofumi, but a messy black-haired woman instead. "Your… who the hell are you!?"
The strange woman glared at me, then smirked. Suddenly I was bashed in the side by a club, and I cried out in pain as a warning appeared on my status concerning the drastic Hp drop, as if I already didn't know that thanks status.
I scrambled to my feet and leaned against the railing, my breath caught at the sudden realization of how high we were in the air, at least fifty feet, my anger built as I slowly realized that I had been tricked… Myne, no… that bitch lied.
Which meant Naofumi was about to be in serious shit, despite my position I was grateful Eclair was there, she'd likely see through the lie faster than I did, dammit I should have seen through her lies.
"I-I don't know who the hell you are, but I assume attacking a hero is a serious crime."
The girl snorted, and a bitchy smirk came to her face. "Oh but we weren't attacking you sir Ring hero, we were just defending ourselves from the brainwashed Ring hero." she threw her shield over the railing and pulled a pair of knives from behind her back.
the one who hit me with the club came out of the shadows, a stocky, balding man with an equally as bitchy smirk. "You had your chance kid, you shouldn't have partied up with that devil, now you have to die in the name of the church."
I tried to think through my anger, but it was hard when all I could think about was ripping the spine out of their backs. Nevertheless I managed to come up with an idea. I began to whisper the chant for 'Chaos lightning.'
"Oh, no you don't!" the girl rushed forward, her hair whipping in the wind as she spun with her daggers in a fast arc, I couldn't stop the grin that came to my face.
Despite me being hit earlier, there was one thing about my stats that I neglected to mention, my agility stat was 78, and since I was gaining on the girl earlier, that meant I was faster than her.
I leaned back nearly off the railing and grabbed her hands as she missed her swipes, then pulled with all my strength and flung her over the railing. I heard her scream as she thought her life was ending, but I held on, she had dropped her daggers from fear and suddenly…
I couldn't hold back the laugh anymore. "Your life… is in my hands now." I said through the giggles, and turned back to the guy who was debating on rushing me or not. "Ah ah. You attack, she dies."
"You… you wouldn't dare, your a hero!" He growled, I shook my head. My smile widening.
"True… but like you said, I'm brainwashed aren't I? I can't control my ACTIONS!" I let go just enough for her to slide down to where she literally had to hold my hand to stay alive. The club guy couldn't see it, but the girls screams and pleading let him know I wasn't bluffing.
"W-what do you want Ring demon!" He howled, I snorted. Ring Demon? How tacky.
"Tell me why the hell you're doing this? I thought that was fucking obvious, dumbass." He wanted to attack, my god he wanted to attack me. It was glorious, he was smart enough however, to sit on the ground with his hands held up in a gesture of peace.
"Okay, I-I'll tell you everything. But pull her back up and let her go."
"No."
"Y-you can't just-"
"DID YOU FORGET WHO'S THE ONE IN CONTROL!?" I shouted. I almost let the bitch go out of spite, but didn't. I needed his information to save Naofumi, so I figured I'd let him go.
"O-okay, just… just don't drop her, please." He began to talk while I held the girl, she'd passed out from fear.
After he finished… my anger overcame me. I dropped the girl and killed the man by shocking him to death after he realized what I did and tried charging me. Then I began to march towards the castle, intent on many things… not sure which I should attempt to do.
Line Break Third person.
Eclair had nearly had a heart attack when she saw Lucatiel's health drop down to the red, only calming down a little after she saw it slowly start regenerating. She was just barely holding her rage back as she was forced to watch her hero be convicted of rape, and watch the kind heroic young man turn hateful and angry as something inside him died.
"Screw that! I'll figure out a way to fight the waves myself!" Naofumi yelled as he flung several soldiers off of him. Which immediately tried to pile back on him. "GET THE HELL OFF ME ALREADY!"
Eclair looked at the other three heroes in despair, but found a remarkable surprise. Itsuki was looking at him in complete disgust, Ren looked extraordinarily conflicted and Motoyasu looked a mix of both, but was still yelling and pointing his spear at Naofumi.
Her king was enraged, even more so than when other citizens are convicted of the crime. Which confirmed Eclair's suspicions that Myne was actually Malty, the second princess of Melromarc.
"Where! Where did you hide Lucatiel's body!?" Motoyasu suddenly yelled out. "How did you kill him!"
"HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO KILL SOMEONE WITHOUT ANY ATTACKING POWER YOU BASTARD!" Naofumi was screaming so loud his voice was cracking. "WHY SHOULD I CARE ANYWAY!? YOU'RE ALL PROBABLY AGAINST ME!"
"That's not true shield hero-sama!" Eclair couldn't keep it together anymore, she had to say something damn the consequences. "Spear hero-sama! You saw Lucatiel-sama jump from the window, and the knights claim they found Naofumi in the hallway! Why would he come back if he really did that!?"
Motoyasu flinched, and his spear wavered, the king suddenly stood from his seat. "SILENCE Seaetto! You're just brainwashed, you don't know what you're saying!"
The throne room doors suddenly opened, causing silence to descend as in walked a limping Lucatiel, severely injured. But he was alive. "S-sorry I'm late, I'm kind of dying here."
"L-Lucatiel! Your alive!" Motoyasu nearly dropped his spear in relief as The Ring hero walked forward while downing a potion.
"Yeah, just kept opening my wounds with how fast I was running." Eclair looked at his health and felt terrible to see that it was in the red again.
"R-ring hero, what happened?" The king asked, he was sitting again.
"What happened…" Lucatiel trailed off, then suddenly he raised his whole body and pointed at Myne angrily. "SHE'S A LIAR! That's what happened your majesty."
Lucatiel very quickly began to explain. According to Lucatiel, Myne had planned a fake rape with the false culprit being Naofumi, and enlisted the help of some church assassins to kill Lucatiel and get Eclair imprisoned again.
"That's not true your majesty!" Myne began with the fake tears again and leapt into Motoyasu's side. "He's gotta be brainwashed, protect me Motoyasu!"
"Y-yeah, you've been brainwashed bro! That couldn't have happened, Myne wouldn't do something like that!" Motoyasu protested in Myne's defense.
Lucatiel's next words got very dry. "Then why am I half dead bro?"
"I'm not saying you weren't attacked! I'm saying that Myne wouldn't have the connections to do that!"
"She would… if she was the second princess of Melromarc, Malty… isn't that right King? Malty?" There it was, the hidden card Lucatiel had that he just played.
Lucatiel had backed them into the corner with a few simple words and now straight up ignoring the truth would look bad on them. Malty had failed in her petty plan. Of course, there was the chance that they would both just call him brainwashed anyway. He chanced a look at Naofumi, who had so much hate in his eyes it made him flinch, he was too late to save Naofumi's humanity, but perhaps he could save his reputation.
It was oh so bittersweet to watch Malty and the King fumble and stutter. Eventually Myne went after the crocodile tears route again. "H-how can you believe him!? He's brainwashed! He probably conspired with the shield hero to help rape me!"
"Oh now you're just reaching!" Lucatiel's eyes widened, it wasn't him that said that. Suddenly Ren was walking forward to stand beside Lucatiel. "I was conflicted until you said that load of garbage, you weren't raped at all. I don't know why you did this. But I won't be a part of it."
"S-sword hero…" The king stuttered. He never got to finish his statement, Naofumi suddenly stood up and turned to leave. "WHERE DO YOU THINK YOUR GOING SHIELD!?"
"Leaving, to get stronger without you trash."
"Hey wait a minute!" Motoyasu suddenly sprinted forward and grabbed Naofumi's arm. Lucatiel suddenly realized that he was wearing Naofumi's armor, he wondered if Myne had stolen that from him.
"Get off me, I'm really weak you see? I got to get stronger quickly." With that Naofumi ripped his arm away and left the room.
Lucatiel sighed in relief, it didn't pan out perfectly. Naofumi was too enraged and angry to think straight, but when he calmed down enough hopefully he would see that he had three allies still. Lucatiel himself, Eclair, and Ren.
"Thank you, for believing me." Lucatiel turned to Ren and smiled. Ren jumped like he was called on to answer a question in class, but turned to him and smiled back bashfully.
"Well, to be honest… I was beginning to believe Myne... Malty, until you showed up. It wasn't until she tried to frame you that I decided you were telling the truth… speaking of, what happened to those church assassins."
Lucatiel smiled, but it was a little more evil than Ren expected. "I killed them."
"Jesus!" Ren shouted, but managed to bring himself under control. "I know they're just NPC's man but… wow."
He didn't get to finish that thought, he was suddenly embarrassed by Eclair leaping into Lucatiel's arms, much to the surprise of the ashen-haired boy. "Thank you so much Lucatiel-sama."
Lucatiel chuckled and patted her back awkwardly, there was a part of his brain that felt very happy about being hugged but the rest of it was just satisfied that she was happy that her hero's reputation was saved.
Speaking of… "Eclair, would you like to go with Naofumi?" Lucatiel asked. At her look of confusion she elaborated. "He'll need someone as powerful as you, I'm not saying I don't want you. But… he's your hero, the one you worship and your hero needs your help."
Eclair looked like she was going to cry. "A-are you sure Lucatiel-sama? You wouldn't have a party member at all."
"If I may interject… he could join me." Ren suggested. "I'm disbanding my party after this fiasco, I don't want anybody that Trash King suggests. I'll still take his money though."
Lucatiel disbanded the party he was in with Eclair. "Go, I'll be okay. I'll just let Ren get hit in the face by balloons instead of me."
"Gee thanks."
Eclair hugged Lucatiel one last time. "Thank you, your an amazing person Lucatiel-sama, you too Ren-sama."
Ren blushed, but nodded profusely. He sent Lucatiel a party invite after disbanding his original party, who rejected it once just to mess with him, and watched Eclair sprint out of the castle to try and find Naofumi.
"Welp, she's gone. And I was just starting to fall in love with her too." Lucatiel joked.
"What!?" Ren squeaked. "Why did you let her go then!?"
"Dude. I'm joking."
"Come on man."
A/N: Well that's the end of that chapter, I feel like I could have written that a little better but oh well, hope you enjoyed that regardless. I'm very happy with the reception this has gotten so far.
25 Favs, 31 follows and 8 reviews. It's more than I could have expected featuring a story with an OC, I'm glad people also like the idea of the ring rather than just replacing Naofumi with a different character, not saying those stories are bad at all but they feel lifeless a lot of the time, that isn't what I'm going for here, I'm going for something more original.
Anyway, stay tuned for the next chapter.