WELP! If things weren't crazy before, they're definitely gonna get crazy now!
Onwards!
Melromarc Castle town… to think I would have returned so soon. Petting River's now massive wing, I walked her to Bargram's tavern as I had no trust in the castle to care for her correctly. The many stares River received had put her on edge as we walked, her shivering an indicator that she was unused to her new size. Talon however held no such reactions, a constant air of dignity and grace radiating from her despite her necrotic skin.
There had been jeers of course, but littered throughout had been eyes of wonder. Children mostly, but wonder nonetheless…
"Hey mister! Can I pet it?" A well dressed young boy asked before being pulled away by what was no doubt his parents, "But mom! I want to pet the giant monster!"
"It could be dangerous… we don't know where it's been," The mother chastised as River's head drooped. It mattered not the thoughts they had. What mattered was our skill and our purpose. Happier once more, I took her head as she craned it next to mine as we walked.
The peering eyes had lessened the closer we came to Bargram's tavern… until they returned in full.
"What is going on…" It had seemed that several adventurers as well as what seemed like nobles had started to congregate near and around Bargram's tavern.
"Oh! Sword Hero!" Millie had called out, "Fancy meeting you here! Is that a dragon? Where'd you get the fluff ball? You here on break like I am?" The shop keeper girl asked spiritedly, "No no! Don't tell me. You're here to see… a girl!"
Both River and Talon flinched and hissed at the girl, Millie seeming not to care, "I am on business," I replied as we began to ease through the crowd, the many prospective patrons having lined up to enter the raucous food hall.
"Come on, just business?" Millie complained as she took my arm, River and Talon's anger and patience now thoroughly tested, "I know, you can buy me and the girls a drink! It'll be fun~"
"Hey! Get that guy and his dumb animals out of here!" One of the patrons shouted, a simple swordsman with a sword far too large for him to comfortably wield, "There's a line for a reason jackass!"
"Idiot! Don't you know who that is!?" A nobleman next to him shouted, "That's the Sword Hero!"
"Ooh, looks like you're famous Bug Boy~" Millie teased as we reached the doors to the Tavern proper as the crowd began to explode with noise.
"Sword Hero?" The tavern's bouncer asked, "Bargram not with you?" Shaking his head, the armored man shook his head and ushered me in but kept River outside much to her growing fear, "Doesn't matter, just get in here quickly! I'll have someone care for yo- WOAH!?"
A great flash of light blinded the world, River having been obscured by the great lighy, "MAAAASTEEEER!" A voice called out, piercing through the light as a young maiden only a head taller then Wyndia slammed into with incredible force, "Master, I'm sorry!" The maiden pleaded, "Please don't leave me anymore!"
"Oi! What's all this commotion!?" I heard Eyra shout as she walked towards my current group, "Hollow? With a small dragon and another Demi-human to boot," Sighing, the handmaiden had me on my feet as Talon wrapped herself round my neck and the young maiden held onto my left arm for dear life.
"Master…" The maiden groaned, "You know who I am…" Had I? River?
"What… what is happening right now?" Millie asked, hunched over and eyes the size of saucers. Eyra only rolled her eyes as she led us through the tavern's everyday debauchery. River holding onto me tightly as we were brought to our usual room. Thankfully, Millie was left outside so as not to confuse her further.
"Alright, Hollow," Eyra began as she sat us down, "I'm guessing you have a good reason to be here. Don't be shy now, out with it."
"I had originally come to leave River in your care," I replied as the Filorial turned maiden dug herself into me, "That plan has complicated itself."
Eyra only nodded as she looked at River. Her skin was like a human's, only pale in coloration. Silver eyes looked at the world, midnight black hair dropped from her head as if a veritable river itself. Though, the strangest thing of all was the fact that she wore a Vessel's cloak, a white Slave Seal painted along her only piece of clothing. It was stranger still as, at certain angles, it almost looked as if the very stars shined within her cloak.
"Complicated… you mean this young lass with the Slave Seal who keeps calling ya Master?" Erya asked of me.
"I can hardly believe it myself but this is-"
"Eyra it's me! River!" The maiden replied spiritedly.
"Aye, and I'm-"
"Queen Melromarc," Both River and I replied in tandem as we interrupted the handmaiden.
"Look, if you don't believe me-" Jumping off, River took to her feet and turned to us before assuming her giant form, squawking loudly before changing back, "Ow! Ow ow ow ow! How come no one told me I'd hit the roof…" She whined as she tackled into me, Eyra flabbergasted at what she saw, "Master… kiss my head to make the pain go away…" Talon only hissed at her, receiving a hiss from River in reply as well.
Eyra had thankfully taken this all in stride as she shook away the shock, "Will you be staying long?" She finally asked of us.
"No, as it stands, we may be behind schedule," I replied quickly as I stood, River quickly taking my arm in her own.
"Alright… seeing as how you'll be… sticking to the girl… you won't need to leave her here, right?" Eyra asked.
Nodding, we all said our goodbyes, River hugging the proprietress for good measure as we walked away. Thankfully, none of the patrons bothered us as we left, though the many outside did try and speak to us as we left.
"You're the Sword Hero, right!?"
"Hey! Let me into your party!"
"Was that giant bird yours!? What species was it!?"
"Why does that girl's cloak have a Slave Seal on it!?"
"What's up with your dragon!? It's skin is falling off!"
These had been only some of the many comments thrown at us as we left. Of course, we had not left unscathed.
"HEY! HEY SWORD DEMON!" A seemingly random masked adventurer shouted as he drew his blade, "The church of the Bow and Spear have marked you for death, and the Inquisition obeys!"
Inquisition? I don't believe I had expected a Church Inquisition…
"Master, I don't think anyone expects the Church Inquisition," River stated as she reached for a weapon that was not there, "Oh no, I forgot! I wasn't born with a Nail!"
"Archers! At the ready!" The masked Inquisitor declared as seven archers appeared along the roof tops, chaos and confusion soon taking this corner of the castle town.
"Come on! They'll never keep up with me!" River declared as she pulled me along, throwing me up and colliding into me in her giant form, "HANG ON!" With a grand roar, she had burst forward as if propelled by Moth Wings.
A flurry of arrows had only narrowly missed the tail end of my mount as she quickly dove back down. Moth Wing flight… dash mastery…
"Like that's all I can do!" River cheered as she ran through the streets.
"STOP, FOUL BEAST!" A group of six heavily armored soldiers cried in tandem as they were bowled over by the rampaging Filorial. Several cries of pain echoing forth with at least one shouting about their leg. Unfortunately, more soldiers crawled from the alleys, these carrying massive Needles.
"Hang on, Master!" River shouted as she jumped, dashing onto a roof and continuing her escape jumping from building to building, "Castle, right!?" River questioned as she cleared an especially wide gap before dropping down… right in front of the castle steps.
"That… was faster than I-"
"HALT! BY ORDER OF HIS HOLINESS!" Another Inquisitor shouted, a group of ten having crowded around us, "Nowhere to run, foul monsters!"
"Master… I'm going to kick you up…" River whispered. Talon did not like this plan if her alarmed shouting meant anything.
"I shall see you inside?" I asked as I readied the Griffon Wing.
"Duh, I'm following you in~" She cheered before she jumped skywards. Upon the apex of her jump, I had jumped off enough to render a bit of distance between us as she tilt her body to the side, delivering a powerful kick to my breastplate. The impact had sent me flying, but she had somehow changed back to her human form and took hold of my leg as we flew over the castle.
Despite the incredibly unearthly damage that was no doubt inflicted upon me, I ensured that our flight was not overshot. Once we had been directly over the open roofed training area, I had managed to stop our acceleration by way of an Air Strike Sword, a massive ethereal blade cushioning us mid-air.
Thankfully, there had been no sign of the Inquisition once we landed, but I had now learned to expect them and so kept my Nail at the ready at all times. Having been bonded to Fera for such a long time, most of her knowledge had more or less imprinted itself onto my being, and so it was that I lead River through the halls of the quiet castle.
"Hey, Master?" River spoke as we walked, "Why aren't we going to the throne room?"
"Excellent question," I replied as we rounded a corner and into a flight of stairs, "Aultcray will be in his study at this time of day," The maiden gave an 'O' in response, humming a familiar and gentle tune as we made our descent. It was not long until we found the single, heavy wooden door and rapped upon it.
"I was told I was not to be disturbed!" The voice of Aultcray shouted as River hurriedly opened the door and rushed in.
"Uncle Cray!" The maiden cheered as she ran up to the confused king and embraced him.
Surprise had quickly become rage as he raised a cane into the air, "U-uncle Cray!? Insole- Hollow?" At least until he took sight of me.
"Greetings your highness," I replied with a dignified bow of respect, River happily returning to my side, "I apologise for the disturbance."
"Ah, no no… I was simply caught off guard," He replied shakily, "Though, I'm afraid the location of this room is known only by trusted advisors and the maids of the castle. How did you find me?"
"Fera Is bound to me, mind, body and soul. Her memories of this castle have brought me here," I replied simply.
"Indeed…" Sighing, he had hidden away what was no doubt a ledger for the kingdom as he gave us his full attention, "Sir Hollow, I would like to apologise for that day. I had meant no ill will towards you."
"Your ire for a soulless weapon has since clouded your judgement," I stated calmly, watching as his features hardened.
"Hollow, even I was willing to put aside my fury for the Shield Demon, but what he did to my daughter is unforgivable!" He shouted before reigning in his emotions, "However, you are not here to speak of the Shield Demon, are you?"
"Am I a Demon in your eyes as well?" I asked, River looking up to me with worry before looking to Aultcray.
"I understand that to us, you are not exactly what we expected, but the Legendary Sword had chosen you to carry it's legacy for our defense," He explained calmly, a hint of sadness in his voice, "What the Church has branded you, it is unfortunate and I am doing what I can not to have the Sword stricken from our nation's history."
"But Uncle Cray! They're trying to kill us!" River shouted, the frustrations of the situation having finally caught up to her.
"I'm sorry, but… may I ask why you continue to call me such a thing?" The king asked, rage no longer present in his voice.
Smiling excitedly, River took hold of my arm in embrace as she leaned her head upon me, "C'mon Uncle Cray~ We both know you see Master as a son!~" The declaration caused the king to choke and cough, her words having caught him by surprise, "And… You'll be happy to know, I am Master's betrothed~" She declared haughtily as she placed a hand upon her breast. Talon had not taken too kindly to her declaration as the two soon began to hiss and claw at the other from afar.
"Be-betrothed?" Aultcray managed to ask as he regained his voice.
"Regardless, the true nature of our visit is much more grave than you no doubt believe."
This statement had allowed Aultcray time to readjust, "Grave? May I ask as to why?"
"King Aultcray Melromarc the Thirty Second… how much gold is needed to live one's life upon a day to day basis?" I asked as his surprise returned slowly.
Folding his hands in thought, Aultcray shook his head, "The average villager has the ability to live their life upon a single silver per day. Why do you ask?"
"What would happen to a town if a heavy tax were levied? One of five gold to exit the village, and another five to enter?"
"The town would soon crumble and decay," He replied readily, "What has occurred, Hollow? Why ask me this?"
Before I could respond, the shadows themselves bent to an unknown force as a cloaked human akin to those in company of Malty appeared, "Listen not to this demon's lies, your highness!" The shadow shouted, "He seeks to infect your mind to his will! There is no Inquisition in Melromarc's Capitol!"
"Inquisition?" Aultcray questioned, "What the devil are talking about?" The Shadow's only response was to draw a blade against the king. In the span of a second, Aultcray had been rendered to his knees, cane holding back a blade, "You… I was told you would be loyal to my family…" The king growled.
Having seen enough, I sought to pin the assassin with a Soul Needle only for it too to be blocked by a second hidden blade. Growling, I dug deep and found the ability to launch my very Soul against him. A Revenge Soul soon slammed the assassin into a book case as River and I ran to Aultcray.
"Come, there is much to see…"