Volume II: Unforgiving Kingdom

Chapter III: Imprisoned

Location: ?

In an unknown area, footsteps could be heard approaching. Upon reaching the area, it was clear to see who these footsteps belong to. The man that entered the room was greeted to the sounds similar to boiling water or molten lava flowing down from a volcano. as for the man himself, he wore a black shirt and pants wrapped with many belts, and wore a long red overcoat over that. He had white, spiky hair and Heterochromia iridium eyes, one red and one green. This man was Ragna _ _. As he entered the room, he stopped in front of what looks to be a giant cauldron, and stared at it cautiously. He soon relaxed himself soon after, not taking his eyes off of the cauldron.

"So th_ _elt_ng is al_ead_ comp_eted. . ." He said to himself.

A door on the apparent cauldron soon opened, and fell off, falling into the lava boiling pit below. From the hole in the cauldron, someone had stepped out. It appeared to be a girl that appeared at the opening. Soon the girl floated out from where she stood and started in the direction of Ragna, who grit his teeth upon seeing her. The girl has long silver hair with a single braid that had a blade attached to the end, and a single red eye, as her other eye was covered with an eyepatch. She wore a light blue jumpsuit with what appears to be a white cloak with two rings attached to it, and was also barefoot. This girl, was _-_.

_ floated straight down from the cauldron and landed on the area of ground right in front of Ragna, her feet touching down as her long hair and cloak float down slowly.

"Loading... Loading..." she began to say repeatedly in a monotonic voice. "Loading... Loading... Al_ _stems onl_ne. _ra_um_ activating"

_ slowly opened her eyes as she saw Ragna, staring at him with a very serious expression in her eyes. However, that expression soon lifted and became softer.

"Ragna!" _ suddenly said, her voice now having a different, more excited and innocent tone. Ragna slowly gritted his teeth again at this. "Come he_e to k_l me again, si_y?"

"Ki_ing's for people." Ragna replied to the girl in front of him. "Y_ get broken."

_ looked up at that comment, and continued to stare at Ragna with a slight blush across her face.

"Oh Ragna, I l_ve it w_ you ta_k dir_y!" She said to him as she held out her hand. "Come here! L_'s _ay!"

Suddenly, a giant device crashed down behind _ as a giant gust of wind kicked up, obscuring the girl from Ragna's view. When the wind vanished, the device was gone too. However for _, she had changed. Her outfit had changed into what appears to be a light blue battle suit, in which her feet and arms also became blades. Over her eyes was a visor with one single red eye in the middle. She had several sword surrounding her. _ let out a slight giggle as she rushed at Ragna.

"?! Dammit!"

Ragna quickly pulled out _, his large sword that was formerly on his waist, and held it out in front of him as all of _'s swords went straight at him, all being blocked away by Ragna and his blade. Soon _ reached him as well, and collided her arm blade with his weapon. Ragna gripped his sword with both hands and swung with all his might, stopping the girl's attacks and sending her flying backwards. _ however, quickly regained herself and floated in the air, her eight swords floating with her. Ragna readied himself, and soon jumped in the air to meet _, who rushed at him as well. Soon the two were dancing through the air, _ giggling as they swung their blades back and forth at each other, as if she was enjoying this. However, both were unaware that they were being watched during their entire fight.

As both returned to the ground, _ laughed as she rushed at Ragna, with him letting out a war cry as he does the same. Soon his blade collided with three of _'s swords.

"Hehe!"

_ giggled as she suddenly held up four more while Ragna's sword was preoccupied, and pointed them at him.

"?!" Ragna looked surprised and pissed off at this. "S_n of a-!"

Ragna quickly held up his right arm, the Azure Grimoire, at the blades, in which soon a glowing light could be seen as he attempts to activate it. However, he was cut off as a sword drove through his back from behind, through him and impaling _ as well.

. . .

. . .

. . .

"That's where it ends..."

Location: Goldenian Imperial Dungeon, 17th Floor

Inside of a dungeon in Goldenia's seventeenth floor, there laid Ragna on the floor of the dungeon room he was held in. The man's eyes were closed, and slowly began to open when he spoke. Ever since the incident of the eleventh floor with Prime Ministers Alexiel and Freesia von Bismarck, Ragna had been arrested and thrown into one of the imperial dungeons until further notice. During his time in the dungeon, he would spend his time trying to regain his memories, specifically a memory he obtained while in this world. The memory was of him being stabbed through his chest by someone who appeared to be a girl. With the unfortunate free time he now has on his hands, Ragna spends his time dreaming about that memory whenever he got the chance. Soon, it began to form into a full memory. Little by little, Ragna was putting together the pieces of the memory, as everything played. He had learned a lot. He learned that the person responsible for stabbing him through the chest was indeed a woman. He learned that person was fighting against him at one point. But even after all of this, he couldn't remember why he was there, why they were fighting, or what the girl's name was.

"That's where it always ends, everytime." Ragna sighed quietly to himself. "Even after all of that I still can't figure out who the hell that girl was, or why any of that has even happened."

Ragna slowly sat up from sitting among the floor and placed a hand on his head. He sighed as he looked around, seeing that he's still inside of the dungeon cell.

"Make things worse, I'm still stuck in here. Now, not only do I not know where I'm from, but I'll never find out."

Ragna groaned as he stood up and walked over to the bars at the front of the dungeon cell. Out of anger he clenched his fist and slammed them up against the bars.

"Dammit!" He exclaimed. "Why?! Why did this happen like that?! I trusted that bitch and she just. . . . . Dammit!" Ragna punches the cell bars once again. "The next time I see her, I ought to-"

"Ragna. . . Give it a rest. . . please. . ."

Ragna turned around to the other side of the cell. Over was Monika, laying on top of the broken bed in the cell, wrapped up in her coat. The woman had a sad look on her face as she sighed, thinking about the recent events.

"There's no point." She said to Ragna.

"What, am I not allowed to be angry?" Ragna asked.

". . . I'm not."

"Huh?"

"I'm not angry at Feena. I'm just... a little sad, because I didn't take the time to try and get to know my former subordinate. If I'm being completely honest with you and myself, I absolutely don't know shit about Feena. I don't know anything about her whatsoever honestly. But, what she said to me after she shot me only showed me that even more. I know that she did this for a reason... I just..."

"You wouldn't understand... I wouldn't expect you to understand."

"Let me TRY! Let me... try... dammit...!"

". . . I just want to know why."

"Can't you tell?" Ragna asked, causing Monika to look up at him. "She had her own goals just like us. We were just her pawns in all of this, and we're no longer useful to her."

"Wh-What?! Feena wouldn't do that! We all said it, we were friends!"

"How do you know?"

"I. . . . I-I just know! I don't believe that she's fully betraying us!"

"Monika. You said it yourself. You know ABSOLUTELY nothing about her. Nothing! You can't possibly know what she's thinking or how she truly feels about us! You realized everything else, now why won't you accept it?!"

Monika keeps quiet, and just curls up into a ball, turning away from Ragna. Ragna eventually sighed.

"Monika, I'm-"

"It's fine." Monika said, cutting off Ragna's apology. "I just..." Monika could be heard sniffling slightly. "How did it all come to this... How did we end up like this...?"

"That's what I'm trying to figure out. . . " Ragna sighed. "I shouldn't have come here."

"What?"

"No offense, but your kingdom's a bunch of assholes. If I had known they would be this difficult to listen to, I would've just kept going on my own. I'd rather take my chances with the outside world than this damn place."

". . . I don't regret helping you Ragna."

"Excuse me?"

"I knew that there would be consequences if I return here with a Demon. I took that chance. I don't regret it."

"Why's that?"

"You should know by now I don't talk about my past."

"Oh, I get it. So you have a little 'history' with Demons, don't you?"

Monika's face suddenly went red.

"W-Wait what?!" She said, sitting back up and looking over at Ragna as he started laughing. "Wh-What do you mean by that?! It's d-definitely not that! Not that at all!"

"Relax." Ragna replied while smiling. "I was just messing with you."

Ragna continued to laugh as an angry Monika jumped on him.

"You dick!" She said.

"What? I couldn't help myself!" He laughed.

The two sighed, now in a better mood, as they got from off of each other and set in front of the bars.

"Do you at least wonder what she's up to?" Monika asked.

"Well..." Ragna began to say. "I will admit, I am curious..."

Location: Tavern, 5th Floor

Far away from Ragna and Monika, who were wondering what the girl in question could possibly be up to, Feena could be found at a tavern inside of Goldenia's fifth floor, consuming another round of beer. The newly promoted Lieutenant groaned as she placed her mug back down on the counter, along with her head colliding with said counter as well.

"Another one." She said.

The bartender poured her another drink. Feena slowly lifted her head as she started to drink it, and soon began to down it all in one gulp. The woman sighed as she put her head back on the counter. Meanwhile, nearby, several of the other bar patrons had been watching her, amazed at how much she was able to drink at once.

"How the hell can that woman possible down so many beers at once?" One of the soldiers in the tavern asked aloud. "She's been going ever since she walked through the door!"

"This woman's got one hell of a liver!" Another soldier said.

"Isn't that the new Lieutenant?" Asked a female soldier. "What would she be doing in the tavern drinking so much?"

"See, it's just like I told you!" yet another soldier said in reply. "All those damn promotions and shit is nothing but a lot of stress. I don't blame the Lieutenant for wanting to drink that away!'

As they said that, Feena had soon finished another glass full of beer, slamming her glass back on the counter, once again asking for another round.

"Although..." A second female soldier said in concern. "She does seem to be drinking an awful lot. A lot more than anyone should ever consume at one time."

"Well that is true." A soldier said in agreement. "Maybe someone should go over there and say something."

"I'll do it."

As Feena once again downed another glass full of beer in one gulp, she placed her mug on the counter again, asking for even more. While waiting for another round of beer, she slowly looked over to her left, hearing footsteps approaching her. She turned around to see a familiar face walking up to her. She slowly sat up, turning herself to face the blue armored male.

"Oh. Hey. Lancelot." She hiccuped. "What are... you doing here?"

"I was just here wondering if you were alright, that's all." Lancelot answered. "You've... been drinking quite a lot..."

"Oh this?" She responded. "Bah! Bullshit! This isn't nothing!"

Lancelot looked surprised at Feena's answer, not expecting the woman to be that strong of a drinker.

"I... guess that this is something that you're used to." He replied.

"Yeah... I usually... drink like all the time. It's gotten to be something I can do with no problems at all." The bartender bought over another filled glass for Feena, who proceeds to drink the entire thing once again in one gulp. "Although..."

"What is it?"

"I haven't... seen you in a while have I?" She hiccuped, pointing at Lancelot.

"Well, I can't really say you have. It hasn't been that many days since I finally got back to Goldenia."

Feena whistles drunkenly. "Man, you must've had one hell of a mission, huh?"

Lancelot rubs the back of his head at Feena's obliviousness. "Guess, all that drinking must've made her forget..." He thought to himself as Feena downed yet another full glass. "Feena you..." He spoke aloud. "You do remember what happened, right-"

"Say, what do they reward you with, huh?" Feena asked, with her face turning red from her drunkenness finally kicking in. "How's about they give you one of these?"

Lancelot moved back startled, as a drunken Feena threw herself onto him, unconsciously looking for a kiss. Eventually due to all the movement she caused, Feena managed to fling herself off of the stool she sat on, and knock down Lancelot as well.

"C-Commander?!" A soldier called out.

"Someone take her outside!" A female soldier commented.

Soon an entire group of soldiers all rushed over to help up Lancelot, and pull Feena off of him, taking her outside in the progress.

Several Minutes Later. . .

Several minutes had passed since Feena was dragged outside. The woman was now leaning up against the wall outside of the tavern, groaning loudly as she slowly accepted her hangover and the headache she had from falling off of the stool. Also outside was Lancelot and two other soldiers, keeping an eye on the girl.

"Man, am I glad I'm not that much of a drinker." Lancelot said. "I don't know how i would be able to deal with something like this if I was in your position."

"Like me..." Feena groaned. "You just get used it. Sorry about... what happened in there, you know?"

"Don't worry about it. No need for any apology."

"Glad to see that we seem to be on good terms now."

"Huh?"

"Oh yeah. I calmed down a little bit. Now I'm starting to remember what took you so long to get back to Goldenia." Feena winced slightly as she held her head in slight pain. "Sorry... about all that back then."

"I'm not one to hold grudges. It's fine. Don't worry about it."

"That's good to hear."

"But, on another note... I heard that Monika's... been arrested, huh?"

Feena nods.

"...Him too?"

Feena nods again.

"Damn. The Imperial army didn't waste any time, I see."

"They sent out Prime Minister Alexiel, of all people, to deal with us. I didn't think they'd go that far. If I hadn't joined with her back then, I'd probably be rotting in a jail cell too. I can't afford that." Feena sighs. "Well at least not right now..." She uttered quietly to herself.

"Why's that?"

"I have my personal reasons. Sorry, Commander, but I'd rather not share them."

"That's fine. I won't ask." Lancelot walked up closer to the girl. "Do you need someone to escort you back home? You... still look like you're a little out of it. I would hate for something to happen to you on your way home."

"No. No I'm fine. I can manage." Feena winked and gave Lancelot a thumbs up, as well as a smile. "This isn't my first time being like this. And it sure as hell won't be my last time either!"

"That's... a good thing in it's own way..." Lancelot said awkwardly.

"Well then. I should probably get going."

Lancelot and the other soldiers who were outside all stood there as they watched the drunken woman make her way to the closest lift to head back to her place. Soon Lancelot sighed as he and the other soldiers returned to inside the tavern. Feena glanced back at them for a moment as they went inside, and sighed afterwards.

"Dammit..." She said to herself. "What happened back there? What got into me? I can't even remember the last time I got that drunk..." Feena then clenched her head. "Great. And now my head's throbbing. Can't remember the last time I ever got a headache from drinking a lot either. I really need to head home..."

Soon Feena found herself at the nearest lift. Without wasting a beat she hopped on and activated it, trying to get down to the first floor as soon as possible.

Location: Goldenian Imperial Dungeon, 17th Floor

With Ragna and Monika, after their recent conversation, the two found themselves just wandering all around their cell. Not having any chains or anything tied around them, they were free to move, but still had no way to escape.

"Hey, Monika?" Ragna asked.

"What's up?" Monika responded.

"Any idea what's gonna happen to us?"

"Any ideas that I do have regarding that. . . You're probably not gonna like them."

"That's a long way of saying I'm probably gonna die here."

"Unfortunately, I. . . Can't argue with that. I don't know specifically what will happen to you, but before I fainted the Prime Minister said that she would make it so that all I would have to do is serve out my sentence here in the dungeon. She didn't say how long though... I think..."

"Nothing about me?"

"If she did, then it must've been after I fainted."

Ragna sighed upon hearing that and leaned up against the cell door.

"I'm sorry I can't be of any more help Ragna..." Monika apologized as she sat back down on the bed. "I wish I could be of any more assistance, but..."

"Don't worry about it. It's fine."

". . . What do we do now?"

"The only we can do is just sit here and wait. If we try to break out now, then that redhead is bound to just show up again and stomp us back into the ground. Not to mention, both of us are unarmed and all I have is the Azure Grimoire. And I'm still trying to figure this damn thing out, so it's useless to us right now too."

Monika looked over at Ragna and sighed, wanting to say something but decided not to. She then turned around and stretched out across the bed, preparing to lay there until she falls asleep. Ragna looked over at her for a moment as she did so, then continued to look through the cell bars.

"You're gonna pay for this one day, you traitor." He said to himself. "But... just how the hell am I supposed to get out of here to make sure of that...?"

Location: 1st Floor, Goldenia

With Feena, the woman groaned as she laid in her broken bed, trying to shake off her headache.

"Ugh...!" She groaned loudly. "How long is something like this supposed to last...?! I can't stand this goddamn-Huh?"

Feena looked up to see Goblin Mage crawling up on top of her.

"Feena..." She said softly.

"Goblin Mage?" Feena asked as the girl was now in her face. "What are you doing? I just put you to bed a few minutes ago."

"I wanna talk to you..."

Feena sighed. "Can this wait until the morning? I told you already. I've got a real nasty headache, and I really wanna try and sleep this off."

"But that's what I wanna talk about...!"

"Huh?"

"You've never come home like this before. What happened? I wanna know! Pretty please?"

"I doubt I could even tell you anyways, Goblin Mage. That's the first time something like that has ever happened to me. I don't know what could've happened."

"You've been acting very... different lately... Don't you think?"

"Huh? 'Different'? What do you mean?"

"You're not your usual, cheery self. You've been like this for the past week. What's the matter? Why are you acting weirdly?" Goblin Mage puts her hands onto Feena's face. "I wanna know...!"

"Goblin Mage, stop! I can't breathe!"

Goblin Mage removes her hands as she and Feena sit up on the bed.

"Look, Goblin Mage..." Feena started to say. "I get it. You're concerned for me. I understand that. I do. But I'm telling you that just because a few things are off, that isn't anything for you to make a big deal out of. Trust me. I'm still the happy-go-lucky mercenary you've always known on the inside!"

"But Feena..."

Feena blinked as Goblin Mage continued to stare at her with a pouting look on her face. It was clear to see that wouldn't be enough to satisfy the little girl.

"Oh, alright. I'll keep talking. But you'd better be listening if you're making me go through all of this with a massive headache." Goblin Mage nodded as she prepared to listen to Feena's explanation. "Look, there isn't much I could even tell you about my 'weird' behavior even if I wanted to. All I know is that this happened after Monika and Ragna were arrested about a week ago. I don't know why it happened then, but all I know is that it's caused me to-"

"Guilt."

"-Pardon?"

"That sounds like guilt."

". . . What's guilt?"

"It's when you feel bad about something bad you've done."

"Well then, what in the hell does guilt have to do with how I'm feeling?"

"Maybe it's your body telling you that maybe betraying those two was the wrong thing to do."

"I don't see why. You already know why I'm here in Goldenia, and what my reasons are for being in the Imperial Army. Besides, they were just my friends. They were bound to do the same to me one day."

"Feena. . . That's not what a friend is. . ."

Feena had a confused look on her face as Goblin Mage made that last statement.

"It's not?"

"No!" Goblin Mage pouted as she looked up at Feena. "Aren't I your friend?"

"What? No! Of course not! You're someone that I care about. Someone who's important to me. Someone who's always had my back ever since we've been travelling together. I've seen what friends do Goblin Mage. They say that they're on your side, but that's just until you no longer fit their needs. And when you don't they turn against you fast than you run towards shiny objects. That's what a friend is, you know?"

"No! No no no! That's not right Feena! That's not what a friend is supposed to be! That is not it at all!"

"Well how am I supposed to know that? The only friends I've had are the ones I just described to you!"

Goblin Mage sighed.

"We need to have a talk about friends, Feena."

"Oh alright, fine. If it'll make you happy. But can't this wait until tomorrow?" Feena lays back down. "I've still got this massive headache and I don't feel like doing anything right now."

Goblin Mage pouts and continues to crawl until she was on top of Feena's face, in which the woman groaned in response.

"Alright, I'm listening Goblin Mage." Feena said in defeat.