The rest of the journey was a quiet one. They had their few encounters with the same type of monsters. Eizen was getting a little worried over Diana now that she knew how it was to see a malak without free will, she must have a lot to think about now.
"Diana." Eizen said to get her attention. "I know you have a lot to think about now that you've seen what the exorcists have done to our kind."
"Yes, it's a lot to take in but I'm worried about the boy and on something else." Diana answered honestly.
"And that is?" Eizen asked confused.
"My memories before my master sealed my free will." Diana replied, surprising the earth malak and somehow caught Velvet's attention a bit. "Ever since what happened a while ago, I've been starting to regain my old memories and bit by bit I've been starting to remember my life before the Abbey. Right now, I haven't much to go on." Eizen grinned a bit and patted her on the head slightly.
"There's no need to be worried about that. Just tell me if those memories start to bother you and let's talk about it, alright?" Eizen suggested and Diana smiled.
"Thank you, Eizen." Diana thanked him. Velvet eyed them suspiciously before focusing on the road ahead.
As they resumed forward they saw a door that will lead them to the gate fortress. But something was wrong. There was no one guarding the entrance. That definitely wasn't a good sign as Eizen kept his eyes on the area around the gate. Something was off. For a well secured place like Vortigern. There was no way they will leave an entrance unguarded. It was ridiculous when you considered how tight the security is.
"There's no guard. Do we just go in?" Rokurou asked.
"Wait. This isn't what I expected." The pirate malak said and Diana gasped.
The wind blew as a lonely leaf flew towards the sealed gate. It was turned to dust as it was struck by a small spark of lightning. Velvet eyed Diana because of her reaction to the barrier.
"There's a barrier over it?" Rokurou asked a little shocked.
"They must have changed the security." Eizen pointed out. "Diana, can you dispel it with your powers?"
"I'm afraid that isn't possible." Diana answered. "That exorcist barrier can only be dispelled by the one that made it. I'm sorry I couldn't be of help."
"You weren't kidding, were you?" Velvet asked as she glared at the two malakhim pirates. "That scorpion and this barrier, all part of your curse."
"You'll be lucky if that's the worse of it." Eizen said as he turned his back to them while grinning forwards Diana by his side.
"Then, why are you here, Diana?" Rokurou asked the female malak. "Knowing about Eizen's curse and all?"
"That is because I've gotten used to it under the short amount of time with them, so the curse haven't really bothered me." Diana answered with a small smile. "Eizen has always been kind to me, so I know he tries his best to protect me from the curse. I know he think through much, so I try to help by my knowledge that come from the Abbey which can be useful."
"I get it. A direct assault would be a bad idea. What's the plan?" said Rokurou.
"Down the cliff there should be an entrance used during the fortress's construction. We'll check that." Eizen explained to the group.
"You did your research." The daemon woman said.
"I had to, didn't I?" Eizen pointed out with a grin.
The group went down the cliff, heading forwards the other entrance. As the group was climbing down the cliff, they climbed down more vines acting as a ladder. When they reached the bottom they saw the other entrance that will lead the sea fortress. Unlike the other one it had two guards guarding it. Looks like they were in the right place. However, Diana was eyeing the two guards at the gate like something were to happen.
"Is that the way in?" The black haired woman asked.
"This one's actually guarded." Rokurou said.
"If they're guards that means there's no barrier. Let's move everyone." Velvet said as her eyes was set on the guards as the daemons charged in.
"Wait!" Diana exclaimed as she realized something and that also caught Number Two's attention.
"Stop... Those guards are-" Number Two tried to warn them as Eizen saw what the two had seen, malevolence was spewing out of their bodies.
"Careful! They're not what they seem!" Eizen warned.
"They've been consumed by daemonblight!" Diana yelled. "They'll turn into daemons!"
True stated by the three malakhim the two guards have transformed. They no longer had their helmets revealing that both have become lizard daemons. The two Lizardman charged at the two with swords as the malakhim rushed to the daemons as they prepared for battle.
"They transformed into daemons!" Rokurou exclaimed.
"What kind of curse is this, Eizen?!" Velvet asked as she was starting to believe the two pirates.
"I warned you, didn't I?" Eizen said and Diana sighed as a reply.
The five went to battle, overpowering the two Lizardmen in number and strength. The battle didn't last very long as their combined power and artes that made the group didn't really need to use their full power. They were both killed but they were in a hurry to get to those controls and open the gate.
"You wouldn't expect these guards to carry the daemonblight. Is this your curse again?" Rokurou said as he took away his swords.
"Probably." The malak pirate replied coolly.
"If I'd charged in, that might have turned ugly. Thank you for stopping me." Velvet said as she turned to the malak pirates.
"Don't thank me. He's the one who noticed the danger." Eizen replied and gazed at Number Two.
"Yeah, he and I sensed it at the same time but he was faster in warning you." Diana continued with a smile as she looked at the malak boy by her side as he lowered his head.
"In that case, I'll be counting on you to keep watch. After all, we've got a reaper with us. Who knows what else we'll find." Velvet ordered Number Two, who tilted his head in confusion. Diana just smiled at Number Two as she got down slightly to face him.
"She means that you can talk whenever you feel like it." Diana translated easier as the black haired woman walked away. "Not only that but keep on the lookout. If there's any problem then ask."
"Understood... Keeping watch." Number Two replied while he nodded.
Eizen couldn't help but feel proud at Diana's progress and how she's taken up to herself to take care of the malak boy in his journey to get a free will of his own. That's what Eizen liked about Diana now, she can be really kind to many but get her on her bad side is dangerous. The crew haven't seen her angry but they didn't want to take the risk to find out.
When the group walked inside the fortress, they met the sight of daemons roaming the hallways which was a bit shocking since the security usually is really high and tight. This was unexpected by Eizen and Diana but they knew that the misfortune that the curse bring was the cause of the sudden appearance of daemons.
"Hmm... Looks like there are more daemons inside as well." Rokurou said before looking at Eizen. "Don't tell me, Eizen. You're the source of daemonblight?"
"Nope, it's just our bad luck to be around when it spread." The First mate replied.
"So, of course he's not the source of daemonblight." Diana said while pinching the bridge of her nose. "His curse not only affects people but their surroundings as well. This is what it means to walk with a reaper. You've only yourselves to blame in joining forces with us."
"It works in our favor. The enemy won't be capable of an organized response." Velvet pointed out.
"That is true. They'll be too focused on fighting the daemons to take notice of us." The female malak responded.
"And we're a small group. Our mobility will be an advantage in the chaos." The daemon swordsman said.
"So Eizen, how do we open the gate?" The black haired woman asked.
"The controls ought to be located in the upper part of the gate. We'll activate them and then send a signal." Eizen explained to the daemons.
"Got it. To the top of the gate, then." Velvet said while nodding.
Eizen looked at Diana with a grin as the two malakhim knew that worse things were about to happen. They had to fight a lot while walking through the hallways out to the outside which led to one of the towers, however the group noticed a battleship at the port which worried the malakhim. The ship had enough cannons to take the Van Elita, Eizen could see that his female companion started to get nervous over their friends by the ship.
The group climbed up the ladder to the tower with the girls climbing up first as they arrived at the top. Diana helped Number Two up on his way as Eizen and Rokurou came up. A knight guard suddenly arrived while running in panic, he was probably scared of so many daemons roaming around the place.
The knight was suddenly punched in the face by Eizen. The blond malak kept his eyes around the area. There was an opened hallway ahead. To the right, a closed double door. Doing his research of the fortress, this is where they needed to go. But knowing his curse, he was sure the door was locked and the key was somewhere around. The guy he just punched, obviously will not have it. He has come to know his blessing very well, the same goes for Diana. It was never going to be easy when you have a curse like that. The pirate malak walked over to the door.
"This door should lead to the gate. But it looks like they've got it locked up tight." Eizen explained to the group.
Velvet answered with unleashing her daemon arm hitting the door as hard as she could, it had no effect."Well, brute force is out." She replied.
"Looking for the key is our only option if we want to get to the mechanisms." Diana pointed out.
"Intruders! How dare you set foot in our domain!" The knight guard was up glaring at the group.
"Where's the key?" The daemon woman asked.
"I am a proud knight of Midgand! I'm not about to yield to the likes of petty daemons!" The knight replied angry.
"Well, we can't get anything from him." Diana pointed out annoyed. "That's a knight's oath to not speak until they get commands from higher ups."
"There's nothing I hate more than someone else trying to control the direction of my life." Eizen said, approaching the soldier, "My wheel is mine to hold. If I'm not the one steering the ship, then I'm not truly alive."
Eizen continued his slow approach towards the soldier. Much to Eizen's surprise, the soldier wasn't stepping back, staying in position. While his eyes definitely had fear in them, he apparently held enough conviction to stand his ground.
Number Two listened to Eizen's words and murmured softly, "...The one steering..." This got Diana's attention and she smiled as she watched the malak get to work.
The soldier garnered his courage and stood against Eizen, "T-That's right! And my entire life is devoted to the defense of this fortress! I will not yield!"
Eizen couldn't help but grin, "Then you better be ready to accept all that happens to you in the line of duty!"
The next thing surprised everyone. Eizen picked up speed and a quick jab on the soldier's neck staggered him and before he could retaliate, Eizen spun him around, grabbed his right arm and twisted it behind him before shoving him to the wall. Aifread's first-mate now had the soldier in his grasp.
"Now let's see just how deep your devotion truly goes." Eizen threatened.
Diana and the party heard the sound of bone being broken around the hallway followed by the soldier's scream of agony. Eizen repeated the torture by breaking the soldier's fingers one by one until the soldier finally relented, revealing to Eizen and the party where the key to the door was – in a control room beyond their current location.
"One more question," Eizen said to the frightened Midgand soldier, "Which way to the battleship?"
"S-Straight ahead! Up the stairs!"
"Got it."
Eizen released the soldier's arm but immediately followed it up by delivering a swift blow on the head, knocking the soldier out. He got what he needed.
"So Eizen, what's the plan?" Velvet asked.
Eizen cleared his throat and revealed his plan, "Let's go for the ship first. Diana, could you use your powers to locate the docks? We need an actual lead to get rid of the battleship."
"I thought I couldn't use my summons until I've recovered." Diana pointed out, getting everyone's interest.
"Even I can notice that your location spell doesn't use much of your energy." Eizen explained with a grin. "Ready to show them your true power?"
"Ok, then." Diana answered and summoned her book which landed gently in her hands. "Pikario, it's time to come out and help us." The book opened and a sphere of light came out flying around the group, forming into a bird with the same star see through design which landed onto Diana's outstretched finger as she had her book in her other arm. "Lead the way to the docks."
The bird listened to her command and flew away to the direction the guard had said, leaving a blue trail behind.
"There. As soon as we walk passed it, it'll disappear." Diana explained to the group.
As decided, they went to stop the battleship first. So it was to the port where the ship stood by following trail. They needed to take it out of the picture in order for the Van Eltia to travel with no problem once they open the gate. There were more encounters ahead. Lizardman, Wallman and winged creatures like bats. It was getting very busy with so many battles to fight. Velvet and Rokurou were still confused over Diana.
Her powers were a real mystery so Eizen explained her abilities a bit to the three. The First mate didn't say much about her ability to summon the Zodiacs, that is a thing that the group had to find out by themselves under battle when Diana was fully recovered. The female malak hadn't really paid much attention to the others except for Number Two as a fellow malak that had escaped the exorcists, she wanted to help him as much as possible just like Eizen and the others have done for her.
They had to move a boulder to destroy another boulder that was blocking a path. A path that will lead them to the docks. After entering through another door, and fighting more monsters, they were about to reached another door at the end of a hallway. There was someone standing in their way, a praetor. The two pirates knew there were to be exorcists in Vortigern, only a few while the rest of the forces were composed of imperial officers, or rather knights.
Praetors would usually have one to two malakhims. So it will be a challenging fight if not taken seriously. Good thing none of the stronger praetors were present in the fortress. There was plenty of security for the need of any of them. On the contrary to the capital where the Abbey headquarters were located. Everyone was there, including the leader Artorius. This praetor was blocking the way, door were obviously they needed to go.
"An exorcist praetor?!" Velvet exclaimed as she immediately went to a fighting stance drawing her gauntlet blade.
"The docks are up ahead. Like it or not, we're coming through." Eizen said.
"Hey, wait. Are you intruders? I suppose it doesn't matter" the praetor unsheathed his sword" I will cut down any who consort with daemons. Face the fury of the Rangetsu sword style!"
"Rangetsu?" Diana repeated as she blinked, this exorcist knew about Rokurou's last name.
"Stand aside, Eizen." Rokurou said as he went ahead drawing his two swords.
"No, you stay back. I'll take care of this one." Eizen replied and Diana sighed at the older men's stubbornness.
"Sorry, this prey is mine." Rokurou told him as he walked in front of everyone as they prepared for battle.
Diana and Number Two helped each other to take care of the malakhim as well give the others support. Velvet, Eizen and Rokurou fought against the preator but Diana was still bugged about the exorcist knew the daemon swordsman's battle style despite they never met. Once the malakhim was taken care of, the two casters helped with the preator by casting powerful artes.
The match came to a conclusion as both beast type malakhim were defeated. The praetor was the only one left standing and he was trying hard keeping up with the daemon swordsman. The others stood still and waited for a moment. Finally Rokurou sent the praetor back but he looked like he could still fight. But something was wrong. Diana and Eizen could feel it, this exorcist looked stronger than he appears. Holding back seems to be the obvious reason.
"We're running out of time. You folks handle the ship." Rokurou said to the others.
"Careful. Rokurou. He's-" Velvet was cut off.
"I know. He's holding back." Rokurou pointed out, the two daemons had noticed it too.
"Let's go." Eizen replied as he wasn't planning to stick around.
The group left heading for the door before the daemon swordsman turned to the preator.
"Where did you learn the Rangetsu style?" Rokurou finally asked.
"I studied directly under the legate Shigure of the Abbey." The praetor replied.
"Lies. He'd never take on a student." Rokurou snapped, sounding upset. "Let me guess. He taught you a few things one time when he was super-bored, and then crushed you with them." The preator growled before the two fought again.
The group reached the docks, their target, the battleship. They were expecting it was going to be easy to destroy it when they realized the ship wasn't empty. They were received by a large group of Lizardman. No problem as they went for the attack. Without wasting time they relied on stronger artes to defeat them quicker. It barely gave the lizard daemons a chance to defend themselves or even use their shields. Once that was out of the way Eizen went to the storage room and saw quite the amount of gunpowder barrels.
The pirate malak threw the barrels to the ground. Making sure all the gunpowder was all over the ground. Now all it needed was to leave and lit it. Returning outside of the ship, it looked like Velvet, Diana and Number Two were done disposing the rest of the Lizardman daemons. So far everything was going according to plan. The blond malak was hoping his damn curse doesn't stick it's nose now. It will be bad if something goes off that ruins the plan. Better not jinx it.
"That's the last of them." Diana announced.
"Is it done, Eizen?" Velvet asked.
"We're set. It also serves as a good signal for the Van Eltia." Eizen pointed out while looking at the witch.
"Then time to abandon ship." Diana said with a small smile
They left the ship and once they were in a safe distance they went with the next step of the plan.
"Do it, Diana." Velvet told the white haired malak, who nodded before casting a fireball onto the ship.
The fireball hit the ship and it immediately started to spread across the ship until it reached the storage room. By now, the group went back inside as they heard the loud explosion of the ship getting destroyed. When they returned they saw that Rokurou was done fighting the praetor. The body was cut in pieces and placed in a pile, the sight frightened Number Two a bit.
"Is that your doing?" Velvet asked.
"What. Is there a problem?" Rokurou asked confused.
"No." Velvet replied simply, she knew better than to judge him after all.
"A fine companion for the reaper." The first mate said and Diana sighed.
"You don't have to rub it in." She mumbled.
"We have to find that key. Let's get to the control room." Velvet said.
"Right. Time for the final phase of the plan." Diana agreed.
The journey to the control room was nothing new to them. More encounters with the lizard daemons, bats, wallman and the new Wraith. Break artes were most recommended to use against such creatures. They were running out of time before the Van Eltia passes through the canal and the gate of the sea fortress. Though they got rid of the battleship so the pirate crew will be all right, for the time being. But who knows until another is called. Even with the amount of daemon in the fortress, they couldn't risk it.