Author's Note: Okay so first week back at work, not as bad as I'd thought it be. Read, Review, Favourite and Enjoy!
Chapter 43: Progressing Slowly But Surely
The light from the summoned room glowed out indicating the arrival of one of the heroes, opening up the door Tanya was revealed to be present, alongside Trash.
"There's a matter to discuss with the Queen." Trash stated glaring at the man with a withering seriousness. "Bring us to her."
The Queen was looking at the reports distressingly. Arrayed before her was everything that her shadows had been able to gather about the four Heroes. Three of them come from world's with magic in them, a rarity based on the stories from the Heroes about their worlds. The Spear Hero's world was nothing worth noting about, their own ability to use magic was severely limited with only one magical affinity per person, and even then limited to a severely few number of people, compared to their two per person, and with much greater frequency, and no ability to mix in other magics either, according to the girl herself her own natural affinity, earth, was so weak it wasn't even worth writing about, perhaps then the Queen should consider it a blessing that it appeared that the least powerful of the four heroes was the most prone to losing her temper.
It made for a almost comical contrast with the Sword Hero with her ability to turn magical power into solid objects, albeit only ones that had a strictly temporary existence, and the vast number of objects she could create at that. Thus far reports make mention of knives erupting from a victim's body, a dagger that can forcibly part a hero from their weapon, and a pair of holy/cursed weapons which she's somehow manage to bind to one of her companions, who she also saved using some method that involves the story of one of her world's more prominent kings. Exacerbating the issue is her husband's belief that the Hakuko girl she saved is his niece from his sister, which now binds her to three royal families of this world and was believed to be the Hero's lover.
Then there was the Bow hero, who if her aide was to be believed was currently inside of this castle. The focus of her world's magic seems to be on mass manipulation, making objects heavier to have more punch, or lighter to enable flight. She was also in her world's military, a orphan girl allowed nobility because unlike in this world magic in that one was extremely hard to come by, and had been helping to develop their technology.
But in terms of unpredictability, that honour went to young Kaede the shield Hero, who within twenty-four hours of her summoning turned the most mundane and underestimated feature of her legendary weapon into a violently effective one hit kill attack, and within hours of that discovery used that ability to nearly eat the castle town in self defence. Since then the Queen has learned that Maple has unlocked shields that allow her to turn into a dragon, spew poison all over the battlefield and fly through the air using the recoil of various gun shields, which were just as effective as a means of attack or so she had been told. Maple has no attack power like the Queen has no authority in her kingdom.
"I've read enough." The Queen stated putting the files she had been reading away. "Let them enter." Tanya and Trash entered and were seated in front of the Queen's desk. "Based on the fact that you're here instead of mounting corpses in Cal Mira I assume that there is a matter of some urgency happening." From what the Queen was made to understand they managed to get both the Hero of the Whip and her reinforcement method on their side, which meant that Tanya had gone through a considerable effort and was wasting valuable XP to come here.
"A wave is about to hit Cal Mira." Tanya stated prompting a suspicious brow from the Queen.
"I assume you've sent someone to either Shieldfreeden or Siltvelt already?" The Queen asked cocking a vaguely interested brow.
"Kuro took Maple, Katarina will take her to Shieldfreeden as soon as they get back." Tanya replied prompting a snort of derision from the Queen.
"A mistake." Tanya cocked a brow suspiciously at the older woman. "Siltvelt and Shieldfreeden have been at each other's throats for years." The Queen looked amused but her eyes told a different story, a unpleasant memory. "Shieldfreeden was originally founded as Siltvelt's castoffs. You are aware of the Demi-humans ability to crossbreed yes?"
"Yes. The mutant in Kuro's party, and the little girl that Kuro's been plowing. What about them?" Tanya asked brow cocked suspiciously.
"The presence of human blood be damned the latter is a better example than the first." The Queen explained as she leaned her chin on her folded hands. "Crossbreeding is a haphazard process taking parts from creatures with almost nothing in common and sticking them together expecting them to work."
"The Slave trader explained already." Tanya raised up one finger. "Organ failure." A second. "Insanity." A third. "Sterility." If that was what Shieldfreeden had to deal with concerning their people it was a miracle they could function at all.
"Which is the reason why crossbreeding between certain races is effectively outlawed in Siltvelt, and which led to Shieldfreeden being founded in the first place." The Queen explained however she was not yet done. "That wound you understand is old and deep, but another newer one has been allowed to fester and rot, concerning the entity the two countries worship."
"The Shield Hero." Tanya stated, and sensed they weren't talking about Maple.
"Which also puts them both into contention with my own country, considering the fact that my husband there killed him." The Queen confirmed Tanya's suspicions while she indicated the man that came with Tanya. "Kearu's mistreatment and the madness that ensued is well documented and has built a lot of contention between the two nations."
"Because of the way Siltvelt treated him?" To Tanya's question the Queen shook her head in the negative.
"Because Shieldfreeden was also in on the scheme." The Queen stated prompting a wide eyed look of surprise from Tanya. "The goal of the project, at least at first, had little to do with trying to create the ultimate Demi-human and vastly more to do with trying to research the reasons why Hero Genetics are so resistant to the defects that plagues Shieldfreeden." Which if they can figure out then... It snapped into place perfectly, the majority of the individuals that was being kept inside of the laboratory that Kuro destroyed were hybrids in a country she now understood held them in contempt, which made the entire point of the research hypocritical coming from Siltvelt. "Mind you the majority of Siltvelt's or Shieldfreeden's people don't know the full extent of the research." The tension over there would be winding and ready to snap if that were the case. It would be the equivalent of the masses learning that Jesus Christ had been dissected alive to see if they could find a way to cure cancer, in first century Jeruselem, there would be rioting in the streets and would see the deaths of nations. Well not that they weren't already familiar with that after what they did in Zeltoble and Faubrey, which made for a good point of reference for the current subject.
"How is Faubrey and Zeltoble doing?" Tanya asked cocking a suspicious brow.
"Faubrey has finished butchering itself." The Queen stated leaning back into her chair, and glaring at her husband. "The nobles who were interested in fighting each other for power have all been killed, only those that have some interest in the continued existence of the country are left over. The existing infrastructure was left largely intact and new more favourable negotiations have started with the ones left behind." Trash shrugged his shoulders as if he thought that fact was a shame, that the legacy of the people who nearly destroyed his family would live on when a good size chunk of his family would not.
"Speaking of Faubrey, how's your Daughter?" Tanya asked the implication that she wasn't asking about the girl's health was obvious.
"We don't know." The Queen stated letting out a tired sigh. "It is quite likely that she recognised a sinking ship when she saw one and chose to abandon it." She said quite likely, almost certain was more like it, it was only a matter of time until they found the traitorous little whore, no doubt already weaving a web of lies to tell her parents about being kidnapped and raped by Takt, or better yet how she bravely infiltrated his ranks to provide them vital information. "As for Zeltoble it's been doing well." The Queen even had the reports to back up her claims. After the destruction of the three largest sects and the slave trade drying up the country was forced to change it's main focus into construction and weapon production in order to defend from monster attacks. The slaves taken from the church were distributed according to the Queen's whims: the majority of the children had already been shipped over to Shieldfreeden for adoption, the gladiators were being put into the army's Melromarc, Shieldfreeden and Siltvelt while the majority of the slaves were being used in or retrained for labour.
"You people adapt fast." However the fate of Shieldfreeden still demanded addressing. "Tell me about Shieldfreeden." Tanya stated though the Queen let out a sigh.
"They've attempted to adopt a system of governance from the world of the Heroes." Tanya cocked a suspicious brow at the other woman as she elaborated. "They've failed."
Katarina had just finished rounding up another group of adventurers, and after paying them in Mana point assignment she tasked them with going out to get another group rounded up. For now though Katarina noted that she was on a vaguely Hawaiian Resort island on a fantasy world, and so was left wondering how she still ended up in school.
"As you and Maple will be going to Shieldfreeden within the next couple of days, we'll talk about what you should be in for when you get there." Elena stated as she drew a vaguely Shieldfreeden like shape on the blackboard behind her.
"Do I have to?" Katarina asked slamming her head against the table. "The last time we were there they couldn't get rid of us fast enough." Katarina stated recalling how the most they saw of Shieldfreeden was the forests where they hunted animals until the wave wooshed them away.
"Likely because they hadn't decided on what to do with us yet." Elena stated causing a look of confusion for Katarina. "Shieldfreeden calls themselves a democracy but I get the feeling that their definition of a democracy and yours are two vastly different things." Elena stated as she sat in front of Katarina, for once expecting a lecture instead of giving one.
"Um, if memory serves once every few years every one gets together and votes on who is going to be the one in charge..."
"And there lies the difference." Elena stated having already found what was different between Katarina's original world's government and that belonging to Shieldfreeden's as soon as Katarina uttered the sum total of her knowledge about Democracy. "Shieldfreeden has no leaders. It has votes, by everyone, for every thing. From foreign policy to domestic. No opinions by experts, just a squealing horde and a lot of death sentences for anyone who fails to deliver."
Oh this was bad. This wasn't democracy, or at least as democracy as Katarina recalls it. At the very least she remembers fewer executions of public officials in her home world. What little Katarina realised was that Shieldfreeden's current system of democracy had more in common with the first iteration back in the birthplace of the political system back in ancient Rome, where following the fall of it's last dictator the public was reluctant to entrust so much power to a single entity and so attempted to spread it as far as possible before eventually realising that they were never going to get anything done in a timely enough fashion to matter like for instance which Hero to entrust dealing the wave to. What Shieldfreeden also practice was further coloured by their founding Hero's poor opinion of the practice after having to put up with so many corrupt politicians in charge back in his world.
"Were we actually suppose to deal with their wave then?" Katarina asked looking confused.
"If you didn't they'd be up to their armpits in Kobold's and crystal lizards by now." Elena stated flatly. "But convincing them to do anything for their own good is like trying to herd a bunch of screaming Angroratch's: Unproductive, dangerous and it makes you feel stupid." Katarina had no idea what a Angroratch was but she reasonably assumed it was a bad thing.
"I will be honest with you, the situation over there is not the best that it could be." Queen Mirellia was turned to face the window having just given Tanya explanation on the governance of Shieldfreeden, however the most serious part was yet to come.
"The four of you have already broken two countries over your knee already, Shieldfreeden was aligned with Faubrey in it's folly through the Aotatsu chief." So now they fear they'll look at their most self destructive habits, fear they will get in the way, and so like any other screaming mob arm themselves with what vaguely threatening objects they have at hand and come after them first.
"If Maple was the one to talk them down?" Tanya asked brow in the air.
"Then you may stand a chance at talking them down." The Queen replied simply. "Provided she doesn't stay too much longer in Siltvelt."
The plan that had been decided on in advance was that Kuro would stay behind in Siltvelt in order to transport their army over when the wave hits while Maple would be taken over to Shieldfreeden by Katarina when she got back to Cal Mira. However when Maple's group did arrive aboard the ship she landed with a loud thunk as every pore of her body hurt from the beating she just took, a shape shifting monster equipped with the forms of four creatures each of whom seemed tailor made for beating off heroes, a huge turtle monster for defence, tiger for offence, a dragon for long distance attacks, and a pair of fiery phoenixes for recovery. It was a brutal and ugly thing the beating that Maple's party had taken, Maple most of all with the Shield of Compassion meaning that each blow landed on her companions struck at her instead. Beating that thing would require some work to be done.
"Ow." More important than that though was the creature's mastery of Ki manipulation, which meant that as soon as Maple could feel her limbs again she was going straight back to training with the old lady until she could do something about these damned Ki attacks. It wasn't long until Katarina came rushing out after her too, looking at the battered shape Maple and the others had been in.
"Are you okay?" Katarina helped Maple to her feet while looking around at the others. Rishia was there, but Kuro and the Hakuko siblings weren't.
"We found another dungeon." Maple cracked her neck. "The monster was some kind of shape shifter with a bunch of super powered monster forms to choose from. We could barely do a scratch on it and almost got torn apart instead." Casting healing magic on herself Maple helped Rishia to her feet. "Let's get you back to the island. Elena can explain what we're in for on the way over."
After getting Elena's lecture on Shieldfreeden's and it's broken political system Maple was asked to wait at least a couple of hours to heal. In the mean time the girl had reunited with the rest of her party and were currently drinking in the bar. Apple Juice to be precise, well mostly Apple Juice.
"Should I be concerned that one of our designated drivers is passed out drunk on the floor?" Maple asked recalling the two people who had been dragging the lot of them around the Cal'Mira Islands for the past couple of days in the boats.
"Don't worry, she has a high alcohol tolerance." Raphtalia stated reassuringly before Sadeena at least tripled in mass by turning into a humanoid killer whale. "Especially when she does that." "Hail to the conquering Heroes!" Maple and her group looked around to spot a familiar looking man and woman approaching them.
"Oh it's the ones we saw outside of the ruins on the islands." Maple stated looking over at the two people in question.
"Yo Kid!" L'Arc affectionately rubbed Maple's head. "We were worried about what happened to you guys after you disappeared back on the island."
"That's a not unreasonable concern to have." Maple admitted as she looked up at the taller man.
"Buy you guys some drinks?" L'Arc asked with a admittedly charming smile.
"I'm not doing much drinking. I'm not opposed to more apple juice though." Maple stated prompting a chuckle from L'Arc.
"Coming right up!" L'Arc went over to the bar and picked up some mugs for the girls and brought them back, all but one with a tablet dissolving in the bottom of them.
"Well, I suppose this is what dad means by not having too much fun drinking." Maple draped a animal skin over Raphtalia's shoulders like a blanket as the rest of her party all went to sleep for a bit.
"You hear? The legendary Heroes have been grinding on the islands this week." L'Arc stated prompting a amused chuckle from Maple.
"I know." Maple replied holding up her shield.
"Lotta strange things I've been hearing about them." L'Arc admitted with a grin. "Apparently the bow Hero can fly."
"Well I assume that's not uncommon with magic." Maple stated scratching the side of her head. "It's what she uses: earth to make herself lighter and wind to push herself around."
"Yes. I suppose when you say it like that it is pretty common after all." L'Arc smiled bitterly as if he was confirming something. "The Spear Hero can use some rare magic related to monsters."
"Keep that to yourself please?" Maple asked making a shushing motion over her lips. "I don't think Katarina likes the idea of everyone knowing she can use cursed magic." Maple knew she wouldn't.
"Cursed magic?" L'Arc asked looking deeply concerned.
"Um how does it work? She can take bits of her experience points and use that to summon the monsters she's killed." Maple tried to explain though said explanation made L'Arc out right horrified. "Right." L'Arc stated though he was interrupted by his companion when he attempted to ask about the last of the four of them.
"And the Sword Hero?" Therise was the one who chimed in this time, as if the subject has genuinely peaked her interest. "We hear that the Sword Hero is some kind of master smith."
"I'm not sure if that's technically accurate." Maple stated as she tried to explain what little she knows about Kuro's Magic. "Kuro's power is to make copies of things that she sees. Usually that's sword's made using her mana and spirit, though she can also take physical matter and reshape that too." Therise nodded her head in understand, perhaps a touch disappointed, though Maple continued with her explanation anyway. "The really dangerous stuff though comes from what she's seen back in her world." That made them concerned.
"What has she seen?" L'Arc asked sensing that they were on the crux of something that was truly important in this conversation.
"Noble Phantasms I think she calls them." Maple scrunched her face as she tried to figure out the correct explanation. "Think of them as weaponized bits of history forged from the collective consciousness of the people of her world." That explanation did absolutely nothing for them. "I copied a few of them into my shield. A shield from a general who led three hundred men into battle gave me the ability to summon three hundred shields." They were beginning to understand how that worked though not how it happened. To be fair Kuro had not explained it either, near as Maple could understand the entire process seemed to leave her with feelings of mild horror and outright disgust which was another way of saying 'stop asking questions you won't like the answers.'
"Some low ranking general with only three hundred men to his name got you something like that?" L'arc ask sounding slightly disbelieving.
"It wasn't a low ranking general." Maple stated sounding offended though she wasn't sure why. "He was one of the greatest kings of Rome and after being forced to send most of his men away to fight other battles he made intelligent use of terrain, strategy and sheer tenacity to beat back three times their number in one battle." A warm feeling of approval filled the young hero and she looked down at her shield wondering where that feeling was coming from and how the information appeared in her head.
"Maple!" Katarina shouted prompting Maple to look over to the entrance to the bar. "Are you ready to go yet!"
"Umm..." Maple looked around at the rest of her unconscious party passed out drunk she presumed, even Filo and she didn't even think that she liked to drink.
"I am I don't think the others are!" Maple shouted in reply filled with genuine concern. "Um, can you guys help me get them into bed?"
"Sure." L'Arc stated as he slung Raphtalia onto his back, and did his best to ignore the feeling her breasts wrapped in leather armour on his back. "But where are you two going?"
"Shieldfreeden, we want to grab some extra people before the wave gets here, and if we're lucky we can figure out where the local dungeon is like we did in Siltvelt too." Maple stated rather impressively carrying both Filo and Keel at the same time.
"That seems... logical." L'Arc stated nodding his head in ascent. "And dungeons always sound like a recipe for a good time. Mind if we tag along instead?"
"Sure." Maple stated smiling brightly at L'Arc, which only served to make his heart throb with guilt, considering he was the one who deprived her of her party and why. "What's the worst that can happen?" The two of them helped Maple bring her party members to bed.
She was such a nice girl, the rumours about her make her out to be such a monster but she's so sweet it's impossible to imagine, but the description Glass gave them lined up with her, well they'll just have to see her in action then, maybe they'll get a better idea of what exactly she can do with her powers, before they ultimately have to kill her anyway.
Outside of the newly founded court of Faubrey, a young woman walked up to the building where the king use to live, currently under reconstruction after a series of attempts to take it over left large swath's demolished. Flaunting red hair and wearing one of the dresses whose colouring and jewels indicated a position of rank within the kingdom she smiled at the guards who crossed their axes so that she could go no further than she had.
"I am Malty Sophia Melromarc." The woman in question stated, all teeth and challenge. "Daughter of the King of Faubrey who has abdicated thereby making me it's rightful ruler by dint of inheritance." And in that moment a cold wind flew up the collective backs of the world. "Take me to my throne."
Author's Note:
Captain Imaginat: Too much to reply to but yes. Heroes don't bring their friends with them from their world when they're summoned.
RonaldM40196867: I have some ideas.
Halo: 'Shrugs Shoulders.'
Kisame Hoshigaki: So long as you understand.
ReviewerDJW: By definition all the Links are master's of arms.
Nightshadegirl: I didn't. If memory serves Shield Link 1 was Skyward Sword Spear Link 1 was Breath of the Wild Bow Link 1 was Linkle from Hyrule Warriors and Sword Link 1 was from Majora's Mask. Shield Link 2 was from Ocarina of Time's adult timeline, and I don't think I decided on anything specific for the remaining three.