Let's get a move on with the final chapter of the Viking Arc!


Encounter Number 12: Enemy Shaman

Airi stood in the ally, her body completely still. She shut her eyes tightly, hoping she could just disappear and escape the situation. But she couldn't, and she had to face what was to come.

She watched as tears fell from Emora's eyes. Her hands clamped over her mouth tightly, muffling her crying. She was wearing nothing but some flimsy silk pants, leather shoes, and a white cloth shirt. Her hair was loose, flying freely in the light wind.

"E-Emora...I—"

"Airi..." The Warden spoke.

Airi fell silent. The sound of the Knight's voice saying her name so painfully stabbed the Nobushi's heart with deep guilt.

Emora slowly took her hands off of her mouth. Her lips were slightly parted, trembling with horror.

"W-What...Did you do..."

Hakushi stayed completely silent. She said nothing as she took a few deep breaths, and looked down at her feet.

"What...Have you done, Airi!?" Emora yelled, raising her voice.

Airi shook her head, feeling too ashamed to speak. Her heart was beating out of control.

"What...The..."

Emora sucked air in through her teeth.

"WHAT THE...FUCK DID YOU DO!?"

The Warden charged forward, grabbed Airi by the collar, and brought her face close to her own. Their noses were mere inches apart. The Nobushi stared at Emora, her expression full of fear and regret. The Knight's eyes were teary with rage, her hazel eyes reflecting a deep, unrelenting fury.

"WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM, AIRI!? WHY WOULD YOU...Why...Why would YOU KILL ALBAN?!"

With an amount of strength that seemed almost inhumane, Emora pushed Airi back and smashed her into a wall. The Nobushi's body deactivated entirely, succumbing to the superior force.

"AAH!" Airi cried out, a bit of spit getting on Emora's face.

The Warden was seconds away from venting her anger out on Hakushi physically. The huge amounts of emotion drowned Emora's common sense, and every single one of them was different. She didn't know whether to feel horrified, scared, miserable, angry, vengeful, unforgiving, depressed, or completely empty.

"Why Airi...Why would...I...I don't get it...What pushed you so far?! What did he do to you, damn it! WHAT DID HE DO?! WHAT WERE THE LIMITS OF YOUR PASSIVENESS?! IS THIS WHAT YOUR JEALOUSY CAUSED YOU TO DO?! YOU'RE FUCKING CRAZY! YOU'RE SICK, YOU'RE INSANE, YOU'RE BROKEN, YOU'RE...YOU WERE DRIVEN WILD BY YOUR FEELINGS! LEARN...TO CONTROL THEM, YOU IDIOTIC PIECE OF SHIT!"

The Warden yelled harsh words of hurt into Airi's face. The Nobushi stared into Emora's eyes throughout all of it. She wouldn't break eye contact. She wanted to absorb every word that the Warden threw at her. With every syllable that came out of Emora's mouth, Airi's heart broke a little more.

"HE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING! WHY COULDN'T YOU TALK TO ME?! WHY COULDN'T YOU BE MORE FUCKING RATIONAL, HUH? TELL ME! SAY SOMETHING! SAY ANYTHING! WHAT, DID ALBAN RIP OUT YOUR VOCAL CORDS TOO?! WAS HE REALLY THAT BAD?! WAS HE!? IS THAT WHY YOU...WHY YOU KILLED HIM!?"

Airi's eye began to twitch. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she looked at Emora with eyes full of pain.

"AIRI! SAY SOMETHING!"

The Nobushi's lips slowly opened. She let out a desperate sob as she leaned closer to Emora.

"Emora...Why...Why don't...W-WHY DON'T YOU GO AHEAD AND SAY SOMETHING!"

The Warden snapped out of her anger, confused about the sudden outburst of power from the Nobushi.

"What the hell do you mean?" Emora asked.

"I saw everything, Emora. EVERYTHING!"

The Knight's face turned red. She shook her head rapidly and began to spew out flustered words and sounds. Her composure seemed to break completely as Airi grabbed ahold of her arm.

"I saw him confess to you! I saw it! Behind the armory, I fucking saw it! I saw him get you against that wall, I saw him calm you down, I saw him make you blush, I saw him KISS YOU! I saw everything Emora...And you didn't tell me ANY OF IT!"

Emora took a few steps back. She was crying quietly, trying to hold back loud sobs that were begging to come out.

"He even told me himself about it. You know what he said?! He said he's happy. He said that he's fine with you not loving him. He said he's fine with the place he's earned in your heart. Don't you see you dipshit?! Everyone in your life is lucky as all ever to be part of it, yet you don't take it seriously! YOU CAN GO TO HELL!"

"AIRI, STOP! I-I'm sorry, okay!? I'm sorry for not telling you anything...I'm sorry for not talking to you...I'm sorry for not being able to show my face in front of you for all this time!"

Airi clutched her fists; she took a few steps forward, her face scrunched up with anger. "Alban even went as far as wanting to help me. He wanted to help me earn you back...He wanted to help us! He wanted to help us be together again!"

Emora wiped tears from her face as she began to yell back, louder than Airi. "Earn me back...? Airi what fuck are you talking about!? You never lost me! I love you! I love you, maybe a little too much! I was just...I was ashamed of myself. I was drowning in my own sorrow...My own self-hatred...I couldn't face you Airi...I didn't want to..."

"Tsk. Alban told me that too. He said you were ashamed and miserable because of the way you treated me. He said you felt guilty and at fault. The way you completely ignored me...Neglected me...Forgot me...Abandoned me!"

"And for that, I'm sorry Airi! It's true...I did do all of that...But I want to fix everything! I want to be with you again!" Emora cried out.

"SHUT UP! You forgot about me all because of Alban! He's the one who got in the way, he's the one who made me jealous, he's the one who pushed my limits by kissing you, he's the one who took you away from me and tore my entire life apart! That's why I killed him! That's why I can never forgive myself for doing something so stupid and selfish! I'm full of myself and I only care about myself and what I want! I was blinded by my own greed, and driven insane by my jealousy and malice! I'm a horrible person, and I DON'T FUCKING DESERVE ANYTHING!"

"Airi that's not—" Emora began, but Airi was far beyond a point of self-control.

"I DON'T DESERVE THE COMFORT OF ANYONE! I don't deserve any of you! Not Elea, not Katsue, not Apollo, not Cyrus, not Cinder, not Cindra, not Alban, not fucking ANYONE! I don't deserve to be part of this legion, I don't deserve to be alive, I don't deserve...I don't deserve...You...I don't deserve YOU Emora! I don't...I'm not worthy of your love...I'm not worthy to be a part of your life anymore..."

Airi let out a loud sob. She dug her face in her hands and cried passionately. She quickly dashed away, running out of the backstreets and into the main road.

"Huh!? AIRI STOP! WHERE ARE YOU GOING! AIRI!"

Emora took off at a full sprint. She turned the corner and spotted the Nobushi running through the narrow gap between the buildings they were behind. She exhaled as she quickened her footspeed and pace. She got up behind the Samurai and leaped forward, tackling her to the ground.

"Airi, stop running! Stop! Talk to me, please! I need to talk to you...I want to apologize!"

"You already apologized! I just can't forgive myself! I'm a horrible person Emora...Just let me go!"

Airi rolled onto her back, causing Emora to fling to the side. She rolled to a stop and managed to grab ahold of the Nobushi's hand before she could run off.

"Listen, Airi. You've made mistakes...Maybe some too big to forgive. But...I...I can't help it...I still love you Airi! All this time...We've grown distant. Every goddamn day was torture for me without you! The only thing that made it better was Alban's company. That's why I'm so fond of him! Today was awesome...I was with everyone! Cyrus, Apollo, Katsue, and Alban. But...I felt like something was missing."

Emora paused; she looked Airi in the eyes, tears trickling down the faces of both girls.

"You...Were missing. Airi, I love you."

The Nobushi couldn't speak. She slowly closed her quivering lips. She swallowed her saliva and tried to speak. Her eyes were shining with her tears. The different feelings surging through her were overwhelming. Airi shook her head, unable to return the words Emora so desperately needed to hear.

"Emora...I...I don't deserve you. I don't want to be with you...I can't. After all I've done...How can you still love a demon? You're twisted, Emora. Don't you see? I killed Alban. I've killed one of your best friends. He sought for your love. He loved you, Emora. We both...Competed for you. But he stopped...Just to make me happy. He wanted to make you happy too. He put his own feelings aside...Just for us. And now he's dead. That's something I can't forgive myself for. That's something YOU can't forgive me for."

Emora couldn't respond. She slowly stood up and fell into Airi's arms. She sobbed desperately into the Nobushi's neck. The Warden nuzzled her face deep into Hakushi's body, fighting to stay warm and close to her.

"Emora. Please let me go." Airi said firmly, holding back more tears.

"N-No! I don't want too! Please, Airi...Stay with me! I can't...I love you, please stay!" Emora cried.

"I won't let you forgive me. We've reached a point of no return. We can't fix things anymore. I've ruined everything. Emora. Let. Me. Go." The Nobushi repeated.

"NO! I WON'T! Don't leave me...Please don't..." The Warden sobbed.

Airi's eye twitched.

"You're going to regret this. Let me go Emora. Please."

The blonde Knight's patience snapped. She looked up at Airi, holding her tightly in her arms.

"I SAID NO!" She thundered.

Airi flinched. She sighed deeply and closed her eyes.

"Airi...I just want to—"

Emora suddenly stopped herself. She felt a sharp pain erupt in her stomach. The feeling paralyzed her and left her breathless. She felt a warm feeling slowly spread through the overall area of the pain. It was almost soothing. The soft feeling of the warm sensation oozing out of her body and staining her clothes, the sound of it dripping it onto the floor slowly, drop by drop.

"Agh...Ggh...Aha..."

Emora's dilated eyes glared at Airi with a deep hurt. The Nobushi's face was straight, completely empty. The longer the Warden looked at her, the more the Samurai began to cry. Tears escaped her eyes and made their way down her face.

"...A...Ai..ri..."

Emora looked down to see Airi's hand deep within her stomach. She was holding onto the knife she had bought at the armory. She was holding it tightly inside the Warden's body. Her hand was covered in Emora's warm, beautiful red blood.

"I told you that you'd regret it. Emora..."

"Auh...Oh..."

The Warden felt as a bit of blood escaped from her mouth as Airi pulled the knife back. The Nobushi stood with her hands at her sides, one of them holding the small blade that was covered with Emora's blood.

The Knight clamped her hand over the wound. She felt as her hand became soaked with fresh blood. Emora coughed a single time. Blood shot out of her mouth and splat onto the floor in front of Airi.

"A...Airi..."

Emora stumbled back, trying to stay standing. She failed quickly after trying. The Warden slouched against the wall and fell onto her back. She reached out for Airi, her hand weak.

"D-Don't...G-Go..."

Emora's vision was blurry. She watched as Airi put the knife away, and wiped tears from her eyes. She turned around to run, but before she did, she looked over her shoulder one last time.

"I'm sorry. Don't come looking for me. I'll miss you, Emora."

With those final words, Airi disappeared from the Warden's blurred vision. Emora cried out her name desperately, her voice broken by her intense sobbing and crying. She tried to speak loudly, but she was losing blood rapidly. Her words were slurred and unintelligible. She could feel as her own consciousness began to fade away.

"Airi...I-I need to get up...I need to! Someone...Anyone...Please help me..."

Just as she was about to close her eyes and fall into an eternal sleep, she felt someone grab her. Their grip was gentle but firm. Their voice was familiar.

"Emora...What the hell happened to you!? Gah...Get up Emora, you have to try and stand up...I'm hurt too you know..."

The Warden's strength returned as her heart began to race. She recognized the voice clearly and immediately began the struggle to stand up.

"Agh! Dugh...A-Airi...She...She..."

Emora felt as the source of the voice helped her stand. She looked up into its eyes, the familiar color made her smile. She slowly began to laugh with joy.

"H-How...I thought you were dead...You lived! H-How did you...Live?! Alban! I'm so happy!"

The Highlander was holding his heart, his expression full of pain. His breathing was raspy, and his face was full of bloody scratches. He was smiling at the Warden, painfully, but it was still a smile.

"I'm a little harder to kill than that. AH FUCK! It still hurts though...I'm pretty sure my heart stopped...Luckily it was able to start back up again."

"Thank the Lord it did! Alban...I-I thought you were dead! I thought she had killed you! I thought Airi...I thought she fucking killed you!" Emora cried. She desperately wanted to hug the Highlander, but her wound was bleeding, and she had to do everything she could to stay conscious.

"She didn't...I'm fine now. It'll take me a little while to recover from that technique she used...God...It nearly ended my life. What was it?"

Emora shook her head. "The one-inch punch. It's a finishing move that the Samurai use. It's meant to kill. She knows how to do it perfectly...Maybe she...Maybe..."

The Warden's eyes widened as she came to the realization. Alban smiled as he nodded his head.

"She held back. She spared me. Airi isn't a bad person. She was just blinded by all the emotions she was feeling. But now it looks like she's reached a point of no return. Was she the one who did this to you...?"

Emora slowly nodded her head. "Yeah...But...She was crying when she did it. She warned me...She said that I was going to regret it. I didn't want to let to go of her...She did this so she could escape me! Alban, she's gone! NO! AIRI!"

The Warden turned around to chase after the Nobushi, who was likely long gone. She staggered forward, wincing in pain with every step she took. Alban grabbed ahold of Emora's hand; he weakly pulled her back, shaking his head.

"Emora...You can't go after her, you're hurt. Airi did this to try and save us. If we had made her stay...She wouldn't be the same. In the mental state that she was in...She likely would've killed both of us if we forced her to stay among us."

Emora shook her head, crying. "No...That can't be! W-Where would she go?! Where is she!? I need her, Alban! I need to go after her!"

Alban paused. He looked Emora in the eyes, his determination rising.

"Emora...When Airi and I fought...I told her that I had a mission. My mission was to reunite both of you. I want to make up for what I did...For ruining your precious relationship. I want both of you to be happy. I want everyone to be happy. I'll do whatever it takes Emora. We'll find her. Trust me."

The Warden nodded her head, her eyes filled with hope. Suddenly, she felt the violent urge to cough. When she did, she doubled over, throwing up streams of blood that painted the floor with crimson.

"Emora! Come on, we need to get you medical attention! Let's go!" Alban yelled.

The Warden's body felt weak. She moaned quietly as she fell into Alban's arms. Her hearing nullified and her vision went blurry. She felt herself losing consciousness as Alban picked her up, his voice faint.

"Stay with me, Emora! You'll be fine. We'll find Airi...We'll get her back. I promise."


The next day...

Emora opened her eyes abruptly. Her first instincts were to sit up and look around, but as soon as she tried to, she felt the stabbing pain in her stomach. She exhaled as she relaxed her body on the bed she was lying on.

"H-Hello? Is anyone there...?"

As soon as she spoke, the noise in the surrounding area increased. The sound of excited murmurs and wooden chairs being shuffled around filled the room.

"Emora! You're awake!" Apollo cheered.

"Yes! Oh my gosh, you're alive!" Katsue said happily.

"Holy shit! Emora, my girl! How're ya feeling?!" Cyrus asked.

The Warden couldn't help but smile at the fact that most of her close friends were around her, and comforting her. She sighed as Apollo carefully helped her sit up.

"I'm fine...Thanks for looking after me...All of you."

The three Heroes nodded their heads.

"Hey, what the hell happened? We all almost had heart attacks when Alban walked into our rooms looking like absolute shit, telling us that you were bleeding out in the lobby. We all rushed out in the middle of the damn night to alert the medics." Apollo said, his voice full of concern.

"Yeah Emora, can you explain what happened? Because we're all really worried. Alban said he would explain once he got some rest, but we want to hear it from you. Can you tell us? Who did this to you? Why does Alban have a huge purple bruise on his heart? Why is he all scratched and gouged? He was bleeding badly too you know!" Katsue exclaimed.

"These two got a point Emora. It would be pretty great if we all knew what happened. You mind telling us?" Cyrus asked.

The Warden nodded her head. The three Heroes backed away from her, letting Emora throw her blankets off of herself, and hang her legs off of the side of the bed.

"Well...To be short...It was Airi...Who did this to me." She said, her voice dull and bland.

The three Heroes all showed off shocked expressions. Cyrus with his mouth wide open, Katsue with her hand over her mouth, and Apollo looking angry and confused.

"A-Airi?! No way. Airi Hakushi?! The Nobushi!?" Cyrus squealed.

Emora nodded her head.

"Oh hell nah..." The golden Warden shook his head and sighed.

"I don't get it! Why the hell would she do that? W-What would make her...Fucking stab you!?" Apollo yelled.

Katsue was shaking her head in disbelief. "I can't believe this...Airi wouldn't do this...No way...W-Was she the one who hurt Alban too?! I recognize the size and look of that bruise on his heart. It's tender, and it hurts him when we touch it. It's a one-inch punch. She did that?"

Emora nodded her head again.

Cyrus, Katsue, and Apollo all groaned, showing expressions of deep disbelief.

"B-But relax! It's...It's not for the reason you may be thinking." Emora stammered.

"I can't even begin to comprehend why she would stick a knife into you! She loves you doesn't she?" Apollo asked.

The Warden's heart went dark. Her eyes down-casted, not knowing what to say. She shrugged and sighed, her entire soul feeling empty and unsure of everything.

"I...I don't know anymore..."

Everyone went silent.

"What do you mean you don't know? Emora, what have you been hidin' from us?" Cyrus asked. Emora looked up at the golden Warden, her eyes showing her sorrow. She felt scared, not used to seeing the laid-back Cyrus act so serious.

"Guys...I...I'll tell you everything. It's...It's a bit hard to explain...But...I can try."

Emora felt the tears coming, but she sucked everything in, trying to stay composed.

"In short...The day we left Fort Diamond on this dangerous and mighty mission...Something happened that changed our relationship completely."

"And that was?" Apollo asked.

Emora paused. She was fidgeting nervously, her heart racing with anxiety.

"It was...Alban. H-He...He's...Ugh...I don't...How the fuck do I explain this? Listen, guys...Ever since we were on this mission in Valkenheim, Airi and I have grown so distant. Airi...She got jealous of Alban."

"The fuck?! Why?" Katsue squealed, her voice angry and confused.

"Because of everything he was doing! The way I was so fond of him, she was jealous of that. She thought I was going to fall in love with him, and forget about her. She thought I wasn't going to love her anymore..."

"I'll beat the shit out of that guy!" Apollo turned around, Cyrus and Katsue panicked and quickly grabbed onto the Centurion.

"No! Apollo, stop! It's not his fault! It's my fault Apollo! Don't hurt him!"

The Centurion calmed down as he sensed the deep sadness and despair in Emora's shaky voice. He could tell the Warden was on the verge of crying.

"A-Alright. Sorry."

Cyrus patted Apollo on the back and grinned. "Don't get too rowdy now." He joked.

Emora sighed and dug her face in her hands.

"This is all my fault. The thing is, I did end up ignoring her. I began to forget about her...I began to pay less attention to our relationship. I was too distracted with trying to get to know Alban better...So that only made everything worse."

"For that, I apologize dearly."

Everyone in the room turned to the voice in the doorway. The Highlander stood there, he was topless, and he had a bandage covering his heart.

"Woah! You're supposed to be in bed Alban! What are you doing here!?" Katsue shouted.

"I'm sorry, Katsue. But I want to share my take on this too."

Apollo crossed his arms and frowned. "Fire away."

Alban cleared his throat and glanced at Emora, who was gazed at him with her hazel eyes. The Highlander immediately noticed how miserable the Warden looked. He quickly became frustrated with himself, hating himself for getting in the way of everything.

"Please...Don't think that Airi is a bad person. She isn't, in any way. I want to take fault in this as well."

"But—" Emora began, but the Highlander quickly cut her off.

"Stop it, Emora. I'm afraid you can't change my take on this. I should've stayed away from you. I knew you were with Airi, yet I still tried to get close to you. I should've respected you two more, and I'm selfish for not realizing it sooner. Emora I...I too was blinded by my feelings. Just like Airi."

Cyrus raised an eyebrow. "Wait what."

"Your feelings? The hell are you on about!?" Apollo yelled angrily.

"Apollo, I have feelings for Emora."

The Centurion's face reddened with rage.

"WHHAAAT?!"

He lunged forward, his fist out to strike the weak Highlander.

His strike was stopped by a stronger force. The room went silent as Apollo released a short gasp. He turned to Emora, who was holding onto his wrist tightly. Her eyes filled with a fury deeper than what he felt.

Alban was shaking as the Centurion's fist was mere inches away from his jaw. Emora was standing; the wound in her stomach was like a minor scratch to her resolve.

"Don't hurt him Apollo. He already told me. And I've given him my response."

"W-What...?" Apollo muttered, his voice full of confusion.

"I love him too. As one of the closest friends, I'll ever have. I love all of you, and that's not ever going to change." Emora said firmly.

Apollo's strength disappeared as he backed off. The entire room of Heroes couldn't help but feel a warm fuzziness in their hearts from the Warden's words.

"But...Alban's right. Airi was blinded by her strong emotions...And...She was pushed to her limits when Alban kissed me."

"H-He kissed you?" Katsue asked, her eyes wide.

Emora nodded her head. "As part of his confession. And I'm fine with it. As long as it left you content, Alban."

The Highlander's face went red as he rubbed the back of his neck. "It was all I ever wanted to do for a while. My conscious is free now. My mind is set on reuniting you and Airi."

Apollo sighed. "Damn. You want to help them get back together, even after you confessed your love to Emora? I mean...She basically friend-zoned you...Yet you still want to help?"

The Highlander laughed. "Heh...I'm happy with my place in Emora's heart. I'm sure we all are. I want to make sure she's happy. She wants Airi, not me, and that's perfectly fine with me. As long as they're happy, I'm happy."

Emora's eyes grew teary with purity. She hugged the Highlander tightly, digging her face into his chest.

"Thank you, Alban..." She sobbed quietly.

Cyrus, Apollo, and Katsue all exchanged grins and came to an agreement.

"Emora. We all want to help you too. Alban's right. We're happy being a part of your life. Hell, to us it's a goddamn blessing. We want you to be happy. And if being with Airi is what it'll take, then we'll do whatever it takes to make that happen." Apollo clutched his fist.

"Right on! We'll go through hell and back for you Emora! Whatever it is you need us to do, we'll fucking do it. We're honored to be your allies and friends, you do so much for us, and it seems like we barely do anything in return! Well, now it's time to make up for all the shit your heart of gold has done for us!" Cyrus crossed his arms and smirked.

"I'm with you guys too. Emora, I look up to you as the ultimate master...You're my full-on role model! Everyone loves you, you're respected in the Azure Legion, you're a great fighter, you're a beautiful person, you're favored by the Generals, you're amazing! I want to do everything I can to continue being by your side!" Katsue smiled cheerfully.

"We're all here to help you, Emora. I've forgiven Airi for everything because I myself know what she went through. Bottling up emotions that you feel so strongly isn't healthy at all. I tried to bottle up my love for you...But I knew I couldn't. So I decided to go for it and confess. The same thing with Airi. She tried her best to bottle up and suppress her jealousy and hatred...Until she finally couldn't hold it back any longer...And attacked me. We're more similar than I thought...And I now realize how much she loved you."

Emora was in tears, all of her friends looking at her with dedicated smiles on their faces.

"She loved me...And I abandoned her. By the time I finally wanted to apologize...You were on the ground, on the verge of death. She spared you, Alban...Even with all that maliciousness...She didn't want to kill you...But...She would've if I had made her stay. She warned me...She told me to let go...But I didn't...And now this happened."

The Warden placed her hand on her stomach; the bloody bandages stained her fingertips.

"I told you she wasn't a bad person. She finally came to her senses and did what she thought was right. She decided to run away from us in order to keep us safe from herself. She didn't want us to get hurt. She wanted us to forget about her. She wanted us to move on without her." Alban explained.

Emora shook her head, sobbing more intensely. "No! No, I can't do that! I don't want to move on!"

Cyrus put his hand on the Warden's shoulder. "You won't have to. Not with our help."

Alban nodded his head in agreement. "Airi still loves you. But she hates herself now."

Emora let out a desperate sob as she rubbed her eyes. "She does! She said she lost me! She said she lost all of us! She said she isn't worthy of us! That she doesn't deserve us!"

"Bullshit!" Cyrus yelled.

"Fuck no!" Apollo shouted.

"Never!" Katsue bellowed.

"She's wrong about herself. She feels guilty about everything that she's done. That's another reason why she left. But she's wrong. If she needs anyone, it's us. Airi needs you, Emora." Alban said firmly.

"And I need her..." The Warden replied.

"Then that's what we're doin'!" Cyrus confirmed.

"We're in Emora. What do you want us to do?"

The Warden stopped to think. The attack on Einar's fortress was coming up, and the Azure Legion needed to act quickly before it was too late. The last thing they needed was to get cornered in Viking territory. Emora turned to look at Cyrus, Katsue, Alban, and Apollo with a stern look, a familiar look:

The look of a true Warden.

"You four. Tomorrow at noon, you'll attack Einar's fortress without me, along with Mayako and Xaltar. Make sure to complete all of the objectives. Meet up with Elea, and then take the outskirts back to Ashfeld, in the paths between the two Outpost Gates. Do you guys understand?"

The four Heroes stood in front of the Warden in shock.

"E-Emora! No way! We can't let you go after her alone!" Katsue cried.

"Katsue's right, Emora. There's no way I'm letting you go after her alone." Alban said sternly.

"What do we do after we take down the Warborn? If we even can without you by our side!" Apollo asked.

"That's what I was about to tell you all. I'm not going far. I'm going to return to Fort Diamond. It's the only place where she could've gone. I'm going to ask every goddamn person there is they've seen or heard anything about her. I'm following her trail, and I'm going to find her."

The four Heroes exchanged glances.

"Well...That doesn't sound bad. So...We'll rally up with you at Fort Diamond?" Katsue asked.

"Correct. After you've all completed the attack of course. The Warborn will be torn apart, and with their leader dead, they'll eventually all be wiped out. The Elio Legion will have a bad reputation with the Vikings so we won't have to worry about them for a while." Emora answered.

Alban put his hand on the Warden's shoulder.

"Are you sure about this?"

Emora nodded her head. "You guys will be fine. Airi...She was my responsibility. And I'm the one who wants her back...I'm the one who loves her. I don't want to forget her...I don't want to move on from her...I don't think I ever can, and I never will! I'm going to find her! I'm going to get her back! I'll do whatever it takes; I put my life on it!"

"HOORAH! We all got your back Emora! We'll be right on your tail as soon as we destroy Einar and the rest of the Warborn." Apollo cheered.

"You got this shit Emora. If anyone can handle themselves, it's you. We'll help you find your girl, even if it kills us!" Cyrus laughed.

Alban chuckled and nodded his head.

"When you find out where she went, we'll be with you the entire way. We won't leave your side, we promise it." The Highlander said with a genuine smile that filled the Emora's heart with vigor and determination.

"Alright. Make sure Elea hears about this. We'll need all the help we can get." The Warden turned to the three other Heroes.

"We got it. When do you plan on leaving?" Apollo asked.

Emora touched her wound. She narrowed her eyes as she winced a little, feeling the ache in her body.

"I'll get my bandages changed, eat somethin', get packed up and saddles with a horse, then leave when the sun sets. I'll ride in the dark, so I don't get spotted by Elio Legion patrols that are probably making their way up the mountain."

"Sounds like a plan. Be careful Emora." Alban said, his voice full of worry.

The Warden smiled. "I will. You be careful too. All of you, take care of yourselves."

Cyrus scoffed.

"Relaaaax! We all got this. On god baby, Einar is about to get his shit pushed in. We all got this, easily. We'll get ahold of Elea and make our way back to Fort Diamond as soon as it's over." The golden Warden boasted.

Emora laughed but quickly stopped because it made her stomach hurt.

"Oh shit! My bad.." Cyrus jumped.

"Heh...I'm fine. But...We should all start getting ready. Let the soldiers know that they're attacking tomorrow. It'll be the fight of their lives."

"Copy that." Alban nodded.


A few hours later...

The orange-pink sky showered a golden light over all the Heroes as Emora walked out of the armory, fully armored, her helmet on her head, her visor open, revealing her serious expression. Her eyes reflected the warm light of the sky, giving them their bright golden flare.

"Ready, my Lord?" Alban asked as he stood next to Emora's horse.

The Warden let out a small giggle. "You haven't called me that in a long time." She smiled.

"I know, but it feels appropriate right now." The Highlander replied with a smile.

The Warden mounted her horse. She looked back at Alban, her other friends standing alongside him.

"See you in a bit Emora!" Cyrus waved.

"Wish us luck!" Katsue laughed.

"Be safe out there, okay?" Apollo saluted.

Emora nodded her head as waved goodbye.

"I know you can all take down the Warborn. Work together, as a team! Fight like your life depends on it because it does! See you all soon!"

With those words, she turned away from her waving friends, closed her visor over her face, and gave her horse a small kick as she galloped off down the mountain's rocky path, back on the road to Fort Diamond.

The sky was still orange as Emora went down a small slope. She rode on, avoiding major paths, and instead took the outskirts. She reached the forest by the time the night had come. The stars had come out and a full moon was out. The sound of wolves howling made the Warden's spine tingle.

"The last thing I need is for one of those to attack me." She said to herself.

Through the entire ride, all she could think about was Airi. The way she completely forgot about the one she loved. She wondered the way she was feeling right now, and where she was in the world. Was she okay? Was she happy? Was she even alive? The Warden's head raced with thoughts of the Nobushi. Both with beautiful memories in the past and arousing moments in the bedroom.

She sighed.

"I miss her so much...God damn it Airi, I'm so sorry. I'm sorry for everything. If only I had given you more attention...If only I had actually shown my love for you...If only I wasn't such a coward! I should've talked to you...But I didn't want to! I felt like I couldn't! But I could've...I'm just too much of a failure."

Emora galloped through the forest, the trees were covered in a light layer of snow. A cold breeze made the Warden shiver a bit. She then remembered the forest where she fought Alfar, the Berserker. She remembered his words, and what he had said. Her heart came to a stop as she realized that what he had said and warned her about was true.

"Shit! Alfar was right! I don't believe it...He warned me about this!"

Emora began to panic. The thought of not being able to get Airi back entered her mind, and she grew anxious and scared. Loneliness crept its way into her head, and a future state of depression lay ahead if she were to fail her objective.

"The pain he said I would feel...I-I'm feeling it right now! My heart...My soul...I'm suffering without her! But—I didn't do anything to try and fix everything! I didn't do fucking anything!"

The Warden's thoughts turned into words she said out loud. Her eyes welled up with tears as she began to hyperventilate.

"I failed him! I told him I wouldn't feel the pain he had felt...But I am! I'm worse than he was! I'm a horrible fucking person! I didn't do anything to help Airi...I didn't try to fix anything! I let everything spiral into the mess that it is now! Airi is gone! She's left me! Deserted, alone, depressed, and vulnerable...I'm nothing without her..."

Emora began to sob loudly, her horse coming to a stop in the middle of the path. Her sobs were loud and boisterous in the silence of the night. She lost vision inside her helmet and soon threw it off of her head in anger. It clanged loudly on the dirt path, not too far away from her horse.

"Maybe I should've listened...Maybe I should've just left. M-Maybe I should leave right now! I'll let Airi do what she wants...She doesn't love me...How could she after the way I've been to her. Alfar was right. Everything is worse than it was before..."

The Warden's shoulders drooped in defeat. Her own doubt took her over as she looked up at the night sky. The tears on her face slowly began to dry in the wind, leaving her cheeks moist and wet.

"Where do I go now...?"

Suddenly, the Warden grew alert. She heard the ruffling of leaves and branches nearby. She looked over in the direction she heard it from, to only see nothing.

"What the hell...?"

Emora looked around more, unable to see anything. Just then, she heard more rustling and immediately turned to investigate. She grew impatient and anxious.

"Who's there!?"

The Warden panicked, she was about to reach for her longsword on her back when she heard heavy, fast-paced foot-steps charging towards her.

"Huh—WHAT THE—AHH!"

A strange hunter of some sorts, a woman from what it sounded like, had charged head-on into Emora's horse. The steed neighed loudly as it toppled over, knocking the Warden to the ground. The savage quickly stood up jumped over the horse at Emora.

As the Warden's ride quickly stood back up, it galloped down the path, disappearing the farther into the forest it went.

"SHIT! NO!" Emora cried.

"HAHAAH!" The savage cackled as she landed on top of the Knight, clawing and gnashing at her. She was laughing with her tongue out, flailing spit and bad breath everywhere. Emora desperately wrestled against the savage, neither of them being able to gain the upper-hand. The wild savage had surprising strength, but Emora was also wounded, making her less effective in battle.

"I could smell your tasty blood and salty tears from miles away! Your crying was awfully loud! You woke me up just in time for my midnight snack!"

"Wait what!?" Emora cried.

She watched as the Savage leaned in, her mouth wide open, revealing her disgusting pair of broken teeth. She was heading right into Emora's neck, ready to sink her teeth into her delicious flesh.

"AHH! STOP!"

Emora grabbed the woman by the throat; she took a good look at her and realized that it was a truly wild Shaman, far beyond the point of normal recognition. She had been in the wild for many years and became adapted to hunt, kill, and eat anything that moves.

"GAH! LET GO!"

The Shaman pushed Emora's arm away and continued to push towards her neck. The Warden whimpered and squealed in fear as she tried to pull her head back away from the Viking's jaws. The Knight stuck her hand into the Shaman's face, trying to poke her eyes and claw her face.

"GRAH! STOP FIGHTING!"

"GET OFF OF ME!"

The Shaman grabbed Emora's arm with both of her horribly dirty hands. She began to laugh as she began to tug on the Warden's gauntlet.

"W-What the—STOP! WHAT'RE YOU DOING?!"

The Shaman ripped Emora's gauntlet off of her hand and threw it over her shoulder. She stared at the Warden's soft palm and smooth fingers like it was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen.

"I love your hands...They look so juicy! RAAH!"

"OH HELL NO!"

The Warden quickly curled her hand into a vicious fist as the Shaman was about to bite down on her fingers. She reeled back and launched her knuckles right into the savage's teeth.

"AUH!" The Shaman fell back, her mouth bloody.

Emora scrambled to her feet, she reached behind her, grabbed the handle of her longsword, and ripped it out of its back-strap. Her ponytail flowed in the wind; her heavy breathing caught the attention of the Shaman as she stood back up.

"I don't like it when my snack fights back..." She growled.

"Yeah? I don't like it when someone tries to eat my hand! You want a taste of my fingers? The only one you're getting is this one!" Emora yelled as she stuck up her middle finger.

"Oh really? I'll eat more than just your hands! You look absolutely...SCRUMPTIOUS! My mouth is watering just looking at you...Oh, you look like a whole snack! I'll eat everything...Your hands...Your face...Your arms, legs, feet, neck, nose, thighs, even those plump tits you got! COME HERE!"

"TGH—OH GOD!"

The Shaman grabbed a sharp and crude looking tomahawk and dagger from her belt. She charged forward, the way she ran in and of itself, scared the Warden, but she stood in guard. Remembering why she was out in the forest in the first place.

"Sorry...But I already have someone who I want to eat me if you know what I MEAN!"

Emora charged forward. The Shaman leaped into the air, her tomahawk out to the right. It came at her with a tremendous amount of force and speed. Emora quickly placed her longsword in the way of the weapon, parrying the attack. Suddenly, she felt as the Shaman plunged her knife into her ribs.

"AAAHH!" Emora cried, staggering back. She swore under her breath as she held the fresh wound. She watched as the savage Viking slowly lifted the knife to her mouth and licked the blood off of it.

"Your blood is...Delectable! My stomach is growling for you...I could drink your blood for years on end!" She yelled.

"Sorry, but I need that blood for something that doesn't include using it as a beverage for savages like you!"

Emora rushed forward, her sword raised. The Shaman leaped forward, attempting the same technique. This time it was different. Emora dodged the Shaman's tomahawk and parried her knife. She cut her across the thigh with her sword and then brought it back around to strike her across the chest.

The Shaman staggered back, two large cuts on her body. She angered and snarled like a wild dog. She got down on all fours and leaped forward, somehow jumping forward multiple meters.

Emora yelped as she dashed to the side, dodging the fearsome charge attack. She grabbed ahold of the Shaman's arm and twisted it down using her elbow, causing the savage to cry out in pain. Emora then snapped the Shaman with an armored backhand, and finally two quick slashes across her torso using her longsword.

"GAAH! DGH—STOP HURTING ME! I'LL DEVOUR YOU NO MATTER WHAT!"

The Shaman ran forward, this time coming from the left. She dug her tomahawk into Emora's side, then ripped it outwards. She thrust her knife into Emora's chest and simultaneously brought her tomahawk down on the Warden's shoulder. She repeatedly interchanged attacks using both of her weapons, every single time coming from a different direction.

Emora cried out with every blow she endured. She staggered back, getting continuously pummeled by rapid-fire attacks. The Shaman dug her tomahawk into the Warden's thigh and went in to stab her using the knife. Emora quickly caught the savage's wrist, stopping the knife. She whipped her fist across the Shaman's face, causing blood to flail out from her mouth. The savage staggered backward, holding her mouth.

"GHAH!"

Emora launched the knife forward, striking the Shaman in the shoulder. She harshly gnawed the tomahawk out from her thigh and ran forward with it in one of her hands, while the other one was sliding her longsword across the floor.

The Warden plunged the tomahawk into the Shaman's ribcage. Blood splattered onto the path. Emora followed up with a huge upper-slash attack. Three large streams of blood flew into the air and showered down behind the Shaman as she lunged backward.

"AHHH!" She cried out. She grit her teeth and ran forward with her fists. "COME HERE!"

Emora threw her sword aside.

"We're doing this like this then?! FINE!"

The two launched their fists forward at each other. They collided, hurting the knuckles of the Shaman, due to the Emora's fist being armored. The savage retorted, rubbing her hand in pain. Emora rushed forward, one of her hands unprotected.

She began to pummel the Shaman with all sorts of punches and jabs. She decked her once across the face, and then came back around with a right hook that broke her nose instantly. Emora uppercut the savage, causing her head to cock back. With all her strength, the Warden sent her fist deep into the Shaman's gut, striking her liver.

"AAUUHGHGHH!"

The savage came forward, her hands over her stomach. Emora jumped up into the air, she clocked the Shaman on the back of the head, bringing her to her knees. She then grabbed ahold of her skull, toyed with it, then slammed it full force onto her kneecap.

With her entire face bloody, the Shaman fell onto her back.

"NO! I'M NOT DONE YET!"

The Shaman backflipped, she wiped her face of blood and raised her fists. The two pranced around, their fists flying, legs kicking, bodies dodging and sidestepping.

Emora's footwork was swift and accurate, while the Shaman was faster and surprisingly unpredictable. The Shaman reached forward, her fist colliding with Emora's forearm as the Warden blocked it. She returned with a strong punch to the savage's cheek. The Shaman staggered back a bit, not yet deterred.

She threw a huge right hook that Emora ducked under. The Warden returned with a swift 1-2-3-4 hit combo. All four hits landed firmly on the Shaman's gut, right cheek, left cheek, and then jaw in that order. Emora twirled around and performed a powerful back-kick to the Shaman's chest.

"BLLAAUH!"

The savage staggered back. She held her chest as she fell onto one knee, coughing up blood.

"Dgh—You...You won't escape my hunger!"

The Shaman reached for the knife and rushed forward. Emora stood perfectly prepared to counter. She swiftly knocked the savage's arm aside using her left arm and quickly grabbed onto her hand using her right arm. Emora disarmed the Shaman and turned the knife onto her. She thrust the knife into her shoulder, forcing a loud shriek of pain.

Emora then elbowed the Shaman in the nose, stunning her. The Warden followed up with a powerful kidney punch that caused blood to spill out of the savage's mouth and splash onto the floor. She kept pushing forward with a flurry of punches that all connected perfectly.

"HIRAH!" Emora yelled out as her foot made contact with the side of the Shaman's head. The savage staggered to the side, giving time for Emora to set up a follow-up kick, which catapulted her leg deep into her stomach.

"AAAHGH!" The Shaman gut out as she flew backward and landed on her back. She tried to recover by rolling over, but she only managed to get onto all fours. As she looked up on her knees, Emora was charging forward, yelling angrily.

"DIE!"

The Shaman's jaw cracked loudly as Emora kneecapped her using the momentum from her charge. She fell onto her back, unable to recover at all. She felt as the Warden picked her up by the throat, and choke-slammed her down onto the dirt path.

Spit and blood burst from the Shaman's mouth as she was smashed into the ground. She desperately slashed her nails across Emora's delicate cheek, leaving three small cuts. The Warden flinched and put her hand over her face in pain. The Shaman scrambled out of Emora's grip and got behind her. She wrapped her arm around her neck, in an attempt to strangle the Warden.

"AUAUH! GAH—GCK—KAAUH...!" Emora choked. She gasped and wheezed for air as she slapped her hands everywhere, trying to find the Shaman's arms. When she found a good grip, she bent over and pulled forward with all of her strength.

"PHAH!"

The savage landed right in front of Emora after being thrown off of her back and right in front of her. Emora quickly tried to choke the Shaman from behind as she had just tried to do to her, but the savage fought back ferociously, clawing and scratching at the Warden's armored arms. She managed to break free by elbowing Emora a few times in the ribs.

The two wrestled while standing, both trying to gain control of each other's throats. The Shaman leaned forward, her horrid breath entering Emora's nose. She felt the savage's sticky tongue lick her cheek of dried tears and blood.

"MAH! So tasty!" The Shaman harshly jabbed Emora in the throat,

"GAAUHHH—UHH—UAAHGH!"

Emora staggered back, unable to move.

The Shaman laughed insanely as she jumped on top of the Warden, her mouth wide open to bite her.

"AHHH!"

Emora put her forearm in the way, the arm which was missing her gauntlet. The Shaman's teeth dug into the Warden's chainmail and began to make contact with her soft flesh.

Blood oozed out of the bite wound the harder the Shaman bit down. She began to laugh happily as Emora's blood entered her mouth. She savored the taste of it on her tongue as she giggled rapidly.

"AHH! GET...OFF!"

Emora cracked her fist into the Shaman's face, knocking her back. She quickly recovered and leaped back onto the Warden, this time with more control. She leaned in and sealed her lips onto Emora's exposed neck.

"NOO—AAUUH!"

The Shaman was milliseconds away from sinking her teeth into the Warden's throat. But it was too late. She barely managed to tongue it as Emora quickly grabbed the Shaman's skull with full strength.

"FUCK OFF! YOU BEAST!"

Emora rushed forward towards a tree and smashed the Shaman's head into it. Blood went everywhere as the savage's head flew back, covered in blood. The Warden repeatedly banged the Shaman's head against the tree's hard, rough bark. With every collision, more blood splattered out.

Emora threw the Shaman onto the ground; she glared at her, holding her own neck.

"I'm not letting you fucking eat me, you sack of shit! I'm not the midnight snack you were looking for! You should've chosen something else to eat, like something that isn't another human being!"

The Shaman panted heavily as she sprawled out on the ground.

"But...How can I resist when delicious...Scrumptious people like you exist out there?! Your blood is divine...Your flesh is firm and lean, your skin soft and delicate...Perfect to chew on! Let me get a taste of that arm again!"

Before the Shaman could even stand, Emora had slammed her head down into the ground with her boot.

"The only thing you're getting a taste of is my boot. Go to hell, you disgusting savage."

Emora put more pressure underneath her boot. She felt as the Shaman's laughing turned into terrified shrieks of pain. She screeched and howled in agony as her skull slowly cracked and fractured.

Like stepping on a large, crunchy bug, Emora crushed her boot down. A loud crack went off, along with a disgusting squashing sound. The Shaman's skull had turned into a huge red puddle of blood underneath the Warden's boot. Bloody, pink pieces of the Shaman's flattened brain stuck onto the bottom of Emora's foot.

"Ugh. Now I've made a huge mess." Emora said to herself, panting between every word.

The Warden could see bits and pieces of the Shaman's skull and brain. Blood was everywhere, painting the dirt all around the area with a deep crimson. Her boot was covered in blood, and her armor was pierced and torn in some places.

"Agh...Well...That was interesting."

Emora picked up her gauntlet and looked at her hand, which was now dirty and bruised. She secured the armored glove and clutched her fist. She looked over at her helmet and frowned.

As she picked it up and looked at it, she became self-conscious.

"I still have a mission to complete...Alfar...Things may look bad now...But I'll keep my promise. I'll show you that I can fix everything. I just need more time..."

The Warden picked up her sword, strapped it into the back-strap, and then swung it onto her back. She began to walk down the path with her helmet under her arm. She found her horse grazing after a few minutes of walking.

"Oh. What a pleasant surprise."

Emora pet the horse, politely greeting it. The Knight took a small break to drink water, eat a few pieces of bread, and bandage up her wounds, especially the bite injury on her forearm.

She mounted her horse and looked up at the sky.

Emora's eyes were narrowed. Her expression one of determination and strong willpower.

"Airi...I'll come to find you. I want to make things right. Please just give me another chance, it's all I need."

The Warden paused. She kicked her horse as she began to gallop forward at a fast speed.

"I'm coming, Hakushi!"


Elsewhere...

It was raining heavily, but the Samurai still stood on the trail, five of them. All of them donned gold and black colored robes and armor. Two of them were elite Kensei, the guards of the Supreme Emperor. The other two, who stood on either next to the one in the center, were a Shinobi, and an Armusha, both of them the personal assassins of the Supreme Emperor.

The Shinobi was named Miyazaki Kiyoshi. He was the deadliest, quickest, quietest, and by far the best Shinobi in the Myre. The Armusha was named Matsuda Zhao, he was the most efficient, skilled, and experienced Armusha the Samurai had ever seen arise, he was a Ronin for many years, before finally being recruited by the Supreme Emperor of the Urutora Clan.

The Last Samurai in the middle was the Supreme Emperor himself. He was in his middle-ages and was getting a bit too old to fight. But he was still respected as the Supreme Emperor of the best clan in the entirety of the Dawn Empire.

The Urutora Clan was at the top of the food chain in the Myre. They ruled over every other clan and were in charge of much of the Myre's economy and population. They had the most powerful armies, the best weaponry, and the most advanced battle techniques.

The Emperor took a step forward. He bowed lightly at the single Samurai that stood in front of him.

"I see you've finally decided to return. It is good to see that you're doing...Fairly well." He spoke out, his voice deep and powerful.

The Nobushi bowed lightly in respect. "Good to see you're doing good as well, Atsuto."

The Emperor exhaled, he looked at the Nobushi with curiosity.

"Now tell me, Airi. After all this time, what's making you finally come back to the Ututora Clan?"

The Nobushi looked down at the ground, her face emotionless. "I've come to my senses. I want to go through with what you proposed to me."

The Emperor's eyebrows rose. "Oh. I see. Well then...That's good, my dear Airi. You're making the right choice. I'm happy you finally realized what awaits you in the future."

Airi nodded her head. "Yes." She responded.

The Emperor walked forward, he placed his hand on the Nobushi's shoulder. He was smiling.

"I'm proud of you, Airi."

The Nobushi closed her eyes and bowed.

"Thank you..."

She opened her eyes and looked up at the Emperor.

"Father."


END OF VIKING ARC! Tell me what you thought of this chapter and the Arc as a whole; it'll really help me see how crappy my writing is. Onto the next and final Arc!