Dark Territory Army, Second Group

"Lord Sigurosig, Lord Shibori, and Lord Kosogi have all been killed in battle."

Dee Eye Ell, leader of the dark mages, scoffs in her seat at the news reported by one of her subordinates. "Damn, so useless. Just a bunch of dim-witted demi-humans, after all! Were you able to pinpoint the Integrity Knights' position?"

"We've already located the three we spotted on the front lines. We found three more in the rear, but it'll take some time to get a fix on them."

"Still only six? Or are there only a few of them to start with? Still, whatever it takes, we must slaughter those five without fail… Okay, release the minions. My command is… Fly for 700 mels. descend to the ground, and then, unlimited annihilation."

"The demi-human unit of the front lines would get caught up in the fray at that distance."

"I don't care."

"Yes, ma'am. How many do you wish? Currently, we have all 800 of the hatched minions on site."

Dee Eye Ell takes a wine glass served to her and smirks as she faces the canyon. "Let's see… All 800 of them."

Bercouli

"They're here," Bercouli says as he gazes up towards the sky. From the red barrier-like light that stands in place of the Eastern Gate, he can see the sky littered with flying creatures. Minions, dark creatures of the dark empire. Alice told him the Central Cathedral had some on the outside itself, though he hadn't investigated it.

The minions don't fly too far from the gate ruins. Matter of fact, that is how far they come before their descent to the front lines. Bercouli thinks nothing more about it as the armored commander draws his large sword and holds it skyward. "Time-Piercing Sword! Air Slash!" Bercouli swings the blade, killing every single one of the minions in one attack.

Alice

"That was the Time-Piercing Sword under the Perfect Weapon Control art. Uncle made his move, I see." Almost time to make hers as well. Alice condenses the ball of Sacred Power to fit her hands and begins to recite a spell.

Dee Eye Ell

"How can that be? No one told me that the enemy had a mage unit of that power!"

"I'm not sure...what happened."

Dee Eye Ell calms down. So be it then. She won't underestimate the enemy again. "The enemy's flying dragons haven't appeared yet, correct?"

"Correct. As of now, not a single dragon has been sighted in the skies above the battlefield."

"Which means...that must be it. That was the Integrity Knights' secret weapon, Perfect Weapon Control art. Still...who knew it was this… But using their weapons in that manner should consume a massive amount of life. They couldn't keep up a barrage."

"Chancellor, we've pinpointed the position of the three Integrity Knights in the rear. We now have all six in our sights."

"Good." Ell keeps her cool and walks back to her throne. Consuming a glass of wine, she issues out her orders. She's looking forward to her first glory. "Ogre archers and dark mages brigade! All hands, advance! Once you've entered the ravine, begin the wide-range incineration projectiles incantation!"

Alice

"Why? Why is it that not only the humans of the Human Empire, but also the souls of the demi-humans, are generating a sacred power that's so warm and pure? If the people of the Human Empire and the monsters of the land of darkness have essentially the same souls… If the only difference is whether you were born on one side of the mountains or the other… Then why are they...are we fighting?"

"It's not that simple, Alice." Alice turns her head to see Jaymes floating beside her, holding his sword out towards the orb and expelling sacred power. "Souls are not as black and white as we think they are. Babies are born innocent, raised a certain way, and however the world around them is warped is how we mold our souls. It doesn't matter where you are born, one side of the mountain or the other, a high caste or a low one..."

Alice faces down in sadness. "Kirito...as long as you're safe… No, this is my duty. My responsibility as the one who turned her sword on the Pontifex and undermined the authority of the Axiom Church."

Amayori barks, in which Alice and Jaymes look down to see a unit's worth of dark mages and ogres in the ravine. Jaymes, done with his donation, sheathes Falchion. "I saw Bercouli wipe out the minions. I just wiped out a goblin unit with Linel, Fizel, and Renly. Could you take the mages all at once?"

"On my own, I'm no match for the capacity of thousands of dark mages to maintain elements. Not only that, but merely converting sacred power into Thermal or Cryogenic Elements wouldn't be a potent enough sacred art to deplete the spatial resources in the ravine. But if I were to trap Luminous Elements inside a mirror and reflect them infinitely…"

"They wouldn't be able to cast any spells...but that means you all can't either."

"It was Fanatio's idea, and not everyone is affected by this. For now, we have an advantage." Alice closes her eyes and thinks to herself about the burden of taking countless lives for the sake of one. A burden she has to carry on her shoulders. As Jaymes flies away, she draws the Osmanthus Blade and holds it up. "Bloom, my flowers!" Alice projects the flowers in combination with the mirror, creating a huge, supercharged petal. "...Burst Element." The mirror shatters, unleashing a beam of Luminous power from the petal to the mage and ogre forces in the ravine. A fiery trail of destruction is left behind, and though it saddens Alice...it is her burden to carry to protect the Human Empire.

Dee Eye Ell had seen the destruction with her own eyes, but to hear it is something else. "Due to a drought of spatial power of unknown origin, our wide-range incineration projectiles failed to activate. Immediately afterward, a large-scale attack by the enemy destroyed 90% of the demi-human unit, 70% of the ogre archer unit, and over 30% of the dark mage unit."

"What do you mean 'a drought of unknown origin'? That ridiculously massive formal art is what absorbed every drop of spatial dark power in the ravine! But that's impossible! An art of that scale, not even I… So who was responsible?"

"Welcome back. You did well." Alice hears Fanatio's praise but succumbs to her exhaustion as she climbs off Amayori. Fanatio catches her and continues to brief her. "The enemy has retreated. You brought us this victory."

"Lady Fanatio, the battle isn't over yet. We must use healing arts to consume the sacred power that formal art generated so the enemy can't reuse it. After all, their main forces, the dark knights, and the pugilists guild are still untouched. For now, we just have the advantage of Jaymes being present."

Fanatio nods and turns to the soldiers. "Everyone who can move, take the wounded and fall back. Monk unit, focus on healing the wounded until all spatial power is depleted! And watch for any movement by the enemy! Alice, I'm going to report to the Knight Commander. Can I leave things here to you?"

Alice nods and walks over to her dragon, petting his snout. "You did well, too, Amayori. Go back to your bed and eat your fill." Amayori growls softly and flies off towards the west.

"Mentor."

Alice turns around and gasps as she bears witness to a blood-splattered thirty-first knight. "Eldrie! You're not injured, are you?"

"Right. I haven't sustained any major wounds. But I should have perished in battle."

"What are you saying? Your duty is to lead the guards until the battle is over."

"I failed to carry out my duty. Not only was my camp breached by the goblins, Lady Medina was forced to abandon her unit to assist, Sir Jaymes held them off from further breaching, and their chief was brought down by Sir Renly. How shameful is that? I betrayed your expectations of me… I have no right to call myself your disciple!"

"You… You did well! I, the guard unit, as well as all the people of the Human Empire need you. Why are you being so harsh on yourself?"

"Need? For my strength? Or…" A noise from the burning side of the ravine gains the two knights attention. It happens to be the snarl of an ogre, a survivor of Alice's format art. Alice and Eldrie stand prepared to fight as the wounded monster approaches them.

"Your life must be almost depleted. So why are you standing there unarmed?"

"I'm the chief of the ogres, Furgr."

"The chief of the ogres? A member of the land of darkness' Council of Ten?"

"I saw. That light art...it was you who unleashed it. That power, that appearance… It's you, the Priestess of Light. If I take you back with me, this war will end. The ogres can return to the grasslands."

"What are you talking about? Priestess of Light? This war will end?"

Eldrie draws his sword. "Curse you! You lowly beast, how dare you spout such drivel!" Eldrie starts to attack but is held back by Alice grabbing his arm. "M-Mentor? Why?"

Alice ignores her student and steps forward. "I am indeed the Priestess of Light. Tell me, where will you take me? Who is it that seeks me?"

"Emperor Vecta. The emperor only wants the Priestess of Light. He'll grant any wish to the one who captures and delivers the priestess. The ogres will return to the grasslands. Raise horses, hunt birds, and live."

"You don't resent me? It was I who massacred your people."

"The strong carry a burden as heavy as they are strong. I also shoulder the burden of chief. That's why I'm going to capture you and take you with me!" Furgr roars and attacks, but his wounds make him slow enough that Alice ends the fight as quickly as it began. Sheathing her sword, Alice collects his sacred power. "This soul, at least, can fly to the grasslands." As she scatters his soul with Aerial Element, Alice stares at the sky with one thought in mind. "Emperor Vecta."

Jaymes

"There you all go, good as new." I help the soldiers to their feet and nod as I assist in tending to the wounded in the rear left unit. Alice's attack forced the enemy to retreat, for now, giving us some time to heal and regroup. Per the vice commander's orders, we are to use the spatial resources before the Dark Territory takes it for their gain.

I turn towards the gate ruins, still a burning mess visible from this far out. I wonder what the enemy forces plan on doing, now that they've suffered a massive blow to their power. Sure, we're still outnumbered but in terms of power… I look to my hands, generating Thermal Element without the use of resources. My ability is not endless, but it will prove useful should the occasion calls for it. As long as I have the stamina, my Incarnation known as Alfheim will work.

"So there you are." I hear a familiar tone of annoyance behind me, one that I've been avoiding for days, but I did come to her location. No point in avoiding her any longer. I turn around, seeing Medina's eyes ignite with blue fire at the sight of me. "Where were you all this time?"

"...In southern regions of the Dark Territory."

"Why?"

"I needed to get to where my objective is, once this war is over. You know how my travel ability works, so it takes care of that."

"Why didn't you say something? Didn't you know how worried I was? I thought… I thought it was because of me and what happened… But I guess I should thank you for warning me about Rulid. That's all I have to say to you." Medina turns around and walks away. I should probably go after her, but who knows how long this reprieve will last. And at this point, I should explain everything to everyone, but first I need to confirm what my gut is telling me, what Mr. Higa warned me.

If the Dark Territory is being led by a diver from the real world or not.