Chapter 8: The Demon Fatalle
The party were at Puetax, they managed to escape the fortress with their lives with Zerva, brother of Fyuira and Leo suggested a plan on what to do with the Frontier War. However, Zerva didn't like that idea one bit.
"Ask for support from Rigulus? Are you mad?" Zerva frowned. "What can Rigulus do? They comfortably ignore our problems, separated from us by the Keystros Mountains. They've had any number of opportunities to attack Gridamas, had they wanted to. And even if they have no intentions of attacking Gridamas, they've certainly had their share of chances to help us!"
"You think asking for support would be a fool's errand? You would fail before you even begin." Leo frowned, closing his eyes and continued "I see. You refuse to even try. Now I understand why your men die in droves in every battle you fight."
"What do you know?! How can an oppressor know how the oppressed feel?!" Zerva growled in anger as he got up in Leo's face in rage.
"Whoa! This is getting intense! Leo and Zervy are having a heated argument and Leo is winning this one!" Neptune's eyes turned white dotted when she and the others see this argument between Leo and Zerva. The others remained calm and watched.
"Emotions should never govern a battle. One who is charged with the lives of others should never take war lightly. Have you tried your best? Have you done all that you could possibly do? Do you understand that their fate rests on your answer?" Leo stated calmly.
"Do you think..." Zerva looked down in anger. "I would be willing to risk my own life if I wasn't prepared to take responsibility?!"
"Then do what you can, even if you think it in vain. That is the price that protectors of life bear." Leo told him calmly again.
Zerva was silent as he looked away, avoiding Leo's graze.
Vira-Lorr looked at Leo and commented "You seem confident in your words, could he be trusted?"
Leo replied with "We must let the people of the Frontier know what is happening to their lands. If I tell them I was once a general of Gridamas, perhaps they will listen." Leo suggested.
"That could work. After all, if you also tell them you have betrayed Gridamas and is fighting for the people of the Frontier, that will help you earn their trust even more." Yuri stated as he leaned on the doorway.
Leo nodded and said "Besides, if worst comes to worst, I always have you to rely on, Vira-Lorr."
Vira-Lorr smirked and replied "You are more devious than you appear."
Dyshana stepped forward and stated stolicly "Perhaps, but he is being realistic. Many still see Leonhardt as a Gridamas general. Without a guard, he will be captured, not granted an audience."
"With my help, however, we can at least void capture." Vira-Lorr nodded in agreement.
"That is if we can reach Rigulus safely. This world may be crawling with enemy soldiers, monsters or Them who serve that bastard Summeril." Saya frowned as she folded her arms.
Ellis looked at Leo seriously and stated "Don't try forcing me to stay here. I'm coming with you, like it or not." Leo nodded to her.
Zerva got up from his seat and stated "I am going as well. You could still betray us. I will see that does not happen." He frowned.
"Leo saved my life, Zerva. My trust in him gained a little. If you're going, then I will too. Don't try to convince me to stay either." Fyuria stated seriously, a determined look on her eyes.
"Looks like we're all going together. Now all we need is a planned route to Rigulus." Renee nodded as she stood up from the bed she was sitting on.
"Soldiers from Zelzagun Fortress are deployed across the Frontier... Our only choice is to break through there..." Leo pondered.
"Or we could continue north and traverse the bay by boat." Zerva suggested.
"It is dangerous, but time is of the essence. We must break through where their defense is weakest." Leo suggested.
"Alright, we head there tomorrow morning." Kirito smiled.
Later that day...
Leo, Renee, Fyuria, Ellis and Prinny were at a general store, getting some supplies for the journey ahead.
"With this much food, we will make it to Rigulus in five days!" Ellis smiled.
"Not if Neptune gobbles up the food first, dood!" Prinny joked.
"Don't worry, me and Borgnine will hold her down." Fyuria smirked.
Leo laughed. "True. Even Prinny has eating problems." He mused.
Suddenly, "Found you, Leonhardt!"
Alarmed, the five heroes turned to see Etna waiting for them. Prinny screamed in fright.
"Mister Prinny? What's wrong?" Ellis asked him.
"It's... I-It's her, dood! The mean flat chested bitch who treats me and my brothers like shit, dood! Etna!"
"Etna?" Leo raised an eyebrow as he looked at the demon fatale.
"That's right. I'm Etna. One of Summeril's six Dark Generals." Etna pointed a thumb to herself and smirked evilly.
"Wait a minute... Those clothes and that bracelet... Are you like us?" Renee glared as she transformed and pointed her whip at Etna.
The demon fatale frowned and shouted "Don't compare yourself to me! I'm a demon. I came here to this land to not only kill Leonhardt, but to take back my servant, Prinny. Now come along, you worthless maggot." She ordered.
The penguin was silent for a moment till he shouted "...No way, dood! I have a new and kind master now. Her name is Ellis, dood! And she's way nicer than you, dood!"
"Um... Stop it, Mr. Prinny, you're embarrassing me." The elven girl blushed.
"Is that so?" Etna frowned as she got out a spear and pointed it at the gang. "Then, prepare to die along with this weak ass human! Yaaaaaahhhhhh!" She charged at Leo.
Leo blocked her spear and slashed her four times.
"Crap!" Etna growled as she kicked Leo's legs, knocking him to the ground. Etna thrusts her spear down on him, but Leo dodge rolled out of the way and slashed Etna in the back.
Etna growled angrily and thrusts her spear at Renee, hitting him 10 times. Thanks to the trinket she was wearing, her wounds healed instantly.
"You'll pay for that..." Renee frowned as she shouted "Silver Slash!" She lashed her whip at Etna, knocking her into a building.
The dust settled and Etna came out, looking very pissed.
"I'm gonna get you for that, you big boobed bitch!" Etna concentrated and summoned penguins that are like Prinny, and fired them like they were missiles!
The party did their best to dodge, in the end, none were hit and nothing was damaged except for the ground.
Ellis concentrated and a glowing aura appeared around her.
"What the hell...?" Etna gasped in shock as Ellis shouted "Shine Storm!" (A/N: I may have gotten the name wrong. Please forgive me!)
A powerful burst of energy appeared beneath Etna and hit her for maximum damage! Etna screamed in agony as soon as the attack was finished, she panted heavily and kneeled on the ground.
"Damn it! How could I lose?!" Etna growled before turning to Renee and her friends. "This isn't over! I'll be back to kill you, Leonhardt and that traitorous stuffed bird!" With that, she ran off.
"Shouldn't we go after her? She's one of Summeril's minions." Ellis asked Leo.
Leo shook his head no with a smile and said "No. We will run into her again. I believe Summeril has brainwashed her and made her one of his Dark Generals. The next time we see her, we'll persuade her to join us in our fight against the Demon King."
"I hope so, Leo. I hope you will be right about this..." Renee sighed.
To be continued...
Next chapter: The Descender