Chapter 17: The Mutant of the Shield

Where we last left off, Melty tries to stop Arthur from leaving and wants to know more about the coup that is threatening her family. Arthur refuses as he knows what is gonna happen. When Melty tries to ask and plea, her bodyguards spring into action as one of them try to kill Melty while the others try to use a crystal ball to record. But Arthur have Raphtalia use flash of light to blind them, he use some spell that cause a large block of gold to crush them and Filo stops one of them escaping.

Filo tosses the soldier against a boulder for everyone to interrogate with his hands tied up.

"Now then." Arthur says as he cracks his knuckles and the others watch. "Care to tell us why yo-" The boy chuckles, "I'm sorry! I already know why, but it's for her." he nodded his head towards Melty.

Melty approaches the soldier, "Tell me. Are you involved with the conspiracy against the kingdom?"

The soldier looks away, "I can't answer that."

"He is." Arthur says while looking down on him, "We'll take that as an admission of guilt". He pulls out a pair of extremely large garden sheers from his shield and threatens the soldier, "Now tell us the truth." He smiles with his eyes close while doing a few snips, "Tell us the truth or you're gonna have to say goodbye to the 'family jewels'."

"My family doesn't have any..." The soldier realizes, "Oh." and gets scared, "Oh shit." as he sweats a lot...and pisses his pants. He tries to resist at first, "I refuse to answer to you, Devil. All you do is mess with the natural order of things."

"Right." Arthur aims the scissors to the man's crotch, "Time to chop them off then."

"Wait!"

Back at the castle, some of the mages try to frame Arthur for abducting Melty. But due to the flash of light and the crystal ball being shattered, it is impossible to get any good images and fake them. It's like trying to edit a video with sound effects and some cgi but it is impossible without the footage and some scenes.

"Damn." one of the mages swear, "This will not be possible."

One of the other mages say, "Let's just do the posters and hope for the best. Those that are still faithful to the Three Heroes Church will help us."

But another mage has some doubts, "But without the image of the princess' abduction, it will be difficult."

The first mage says, "We must have faith."

Wanted posters of Arthur, Filo, Gwen and Raphtalia have spread throughout the kingdom...and they are completely inaccurate on what they look like as if they were made by someone that despises them more than anything. Many of the guards try to spread word even without the recording. Some of the people aren't even buying it because they know better. But that doesn't stop a few death threats.

In one of the borders of the kingdom, Raphtalia over hears that she and her party are wanted criminals while disguised in a red hood and cloak as she heads back to meet with the others.

In one of the checkpoints at the borders, many of the guards check every wagon, every cart and anyone wearing hoods and cloaks to catch Arthur and his party. But up in the hills, Arthur watches through his binoculars and sees that every checkpoint he can see are doing thorough examination of everyone that goes through. He lowers his binoculars as he tries to find a way out to get out of the kingdom. In the meantime, he heads back to regroup with the others.

Over at the ruins in the middle of the night, Melty is sobbing a little while sitting next to Filo. Raphtalia is leaning against the cart while Gwen is sitting on top of the tree looking out for anyone that might come close.

"Mel?" Filo asks out of concern.

But some rustling was heard near some bushes as Arthur approaches.

"Arthur." Raphtalia says.

Gwen jumps down from the tree, "Is it bad as we thought?"

"Yeah." Arthur nods. "Even with no altered recordings, entering into town will be risky." The two were expecting this but Arthur seems to have his mind on something else. "Listen, sis."

"Hmm?"

"When the time comes, I'm gonna have to swap you out."

"Huh?!" Gwen is surprised.

The other girls are wondering what is Arthur talking about.

"Swap me out!? Are you kidding me!?" Gwen is unhappy about what she just heard.

"Look, if Motoyasu is brainwashed again, we need to break him out and to strike terror to that bratty princess." He looks at Melty, "Not you, your sister." Then he turns his attention back to Gwen.

"But who are you gonna switch me out for!?" She thinks about it for a few seconds before she realizes what Arthur has planned. "Wait. No. No-ho-ho-o. Anyone but her. Did you tweak her settings?"

"Yes." Arthur bluntly answers.

"Hell no!" Now Gwen is really upset. "You are not swapping me out for Jack the Ripper from the Fate series!"

Melty stands up and asks, "Who's Jack the Ripper?"

Gwen says to Melty while being frustrated, "And infamous serial killer. But this version of Jack is from the Fate series and is even more dangerous than the real one."

Melty gasps the idea of having a serial killer with them and is terrified of it. However, the Jack the Ripper from the Fate series is far more dangerous as she is able to produce poison fog, have any memory of her image disappear from people's minds, and her noble phantasm is the stuff of nightmares.

AN: Well to me, it was scary.

"Why would you do something like that?" Raphtalia objects to the idea. "If she is that dangerous than it's best that we don't."

"To me," Arthur explains why, "I think it is the best shot we got at keeping Malty away along with her party when we meet them. I had thought about flying over the walls with something." He looks up at the sky, "But it is a full moon tonight which means they can see us as clear as day." Then he looks back at everyone, "I thought of digging underneath the walls, but the digging equipment is too noisy and they can actually feel something if I try to use earthbending."

"What about invisibility?" Gwen asks.

"They do have mages with them. Even if we were invisible, they can still detect us."

"Did they really think that far ahead?"

"They did." Melty says, "There were some incidents that thieves and murderers try to get in through concealment magic."

Filo jumps up with her arms extended, "How about I smash the walls down!?"

"Nope." Arthur says to Filo. "It is the fastest but that doesn't stop them from hunting us down and the wagon will be destroyed." 'Plus there are far too many variables that was outside of the show. Who knows what else there is waiting for us to slip up.'

Arthur may have some good points. Things have been happening off script from the main series.

"Listen. We're gonna have to find a way to get to another country somehow." He turn his gaze at Melty, "What would you do?"

"I will return to the capital and tell my father-"

"Not going to happen. In case you forgot, the Three Heroes Church is using your father as a puppet and will kill him, you and Malty in one stroke. So I ask again: What would you do?"

Melty looks at Arthur, "I'll come along with you. If I return, then both my father and I will be killed. If I don't, my father will stay alive."

Arthur smiles as he pets Melty's head, "That is a wise decision, Melty. Glad that Melromarc's future will be in capable hands one day."

Melty smiles and blushes a little from Arthur's praise.

Filo cheers and hugs Melty, "Yay! I'm glad you're coming with us!"

Gwen is still a bit upset with her arms crossed and eyes glaring at Arthur, "But there is still the issue of using Jack the Ripper." Arthur heads towards the wagon. "I'm fine with some other heroic spirit as long as it is not someone like her or Giles de Rais. Or anybody like them."

"We'll talk more once we leave before dawn." Arthur goes through the wagon, "Best to be ready by then."

Raphtalia says to Arthur, "I don't feel comfortable about the idea of switching out Gwen for a complete stranger."

Arthur gets the bedrolls ready, "Wish I could summon two people at once, but..." Arthur looks at his shield and to check his current level. He checks to see how many more levels he has to obtain to have more than one heroic spirit. "...I'm two levels behind. So if I need someone else, I have to swap big sis out."

Gwen looks away and pouts.

The sun's light has barely touched the landscape as dawn approaches. Before anyone head out, Arthur tells them that they are gonna leave the wagon.

This upsets Filo, "I'm not leaving the wagon! I have too many good memories with it!"

"I'm sorry, Filo." Arthur apologizes as he talks to Filo at eye level, "But we have to leave the wagon here. If we travel along the landscape, it will be smashed. We don't want that to happen, do we?"

Filo understands but is still upset.

He pets Filo's head, "Don't worry. I promise we will return for it."

Arthur, Gwen and Raphtalia try to camouflage the wagon with branches and leaves to make it appear like everything else in the forests.

Arthur looks at the mountains as he says, "Let's roll out."

"So we're Transformers now?" Gwen asks.

Arthur and his party continue to traverse the rocky landscape as some of the guards made it to the ruins where his party were staying at as more soldiers are being called in to help with the search. While traveling, Arthur and Gwen continue their argument about using Jack the Ripper with none of them finding any common ground. When the sun is setting, Arthur stands on some cave that looks like it was man made with a bunch of rocks stacked neatly but slowly crumbling to ruin. But they set up camp to prepare for another long walk across the mountains and use the cave for shelter.

Filo heads in first as Arthur pets her head, "We'll continue in the morning. Let's rest up here."

Filo smiles, "Okay!" and walks in.

The Arthur looks at Melty, "You doing alright, Melty?"

Melty sighs, "I'll be fine." and heads in.

Raphtalia approaches, "She must be tired." Then she looks at Arthur, "Arthur, why did you choose Shieldfreeden? Wouldn't it be alright in the Kingdom of Siltvelt? We are heading there first and Shieldfreeden is in the opposite direction."

"Because I don't exactly like countries that deal with slavery." Arthur replies. "Sure its safer over there but I prefer democratic countries with no slavery." He looks down, "After everything that I saw..."

"I see." Raphtalia understands with a sad look on her face and her ears down.

"Glad we're going somewhere nice." Gwen smiles as she approaches, "But we have to cross Siltvelt to get to Shieldfreeden in order to give the Three Heroes Church the slip. Not to mention that Siltvelt has better security."

Raphtalia thinks about it for a moment, "Good point."

It is nighttime as they are all gathered around the lantern. Filo is sleeping on Melty's lap to rest up. However, Melty couldn't sleep. She looks sad as she looks at her locket that has a picture of her mother and father.

She looks at Arthur, "Arthur? I would like to know why my father hates you."

Arthur was lying down on a rock but sat straight up and turn to face Melty. "Alright. Here's the short version. Your father was a member of the Faubley Family but an incident involving Hakukos which caused him to run away with his sister, Lucia. Your aunt."

"I didn't know I had an aunt!" Melty is surprised to hear something like that.

"That and he wanted revenge on the people of Siltvelt. But the Faubley Kingdom refused so he left and lived in Melromarc until he met your mother. As for your aunt, she was taken by a Hakuko, they both fell in love, got married, and have children. But she is dead. Back on topic about your father, you may already know about how he fought against the Siltvelt Kingdom and restore peace. However though, that peace made him easy to manipulate. And that is where the Three Heroes Church comes in. Since they are fanatics and people started to question their beliefs because of my own interference, they are planning to overthrow the crown."

Melty holds her locket tightly after hearing that. She is frightened by the nation's own religion trying to go as far as killing the royal family in order to enforce their own beliefs.

"But there is something else you should know." Arthur added, "You have two cousins. Both half human and half Hakuko. You'll see them in the future. Trust me."

"How do you know?" Melty asks. "How do you know so much? Can you see into the future?"

Gwen, Arthur and Raphtalia sense a disturbance as they hear flocks of birds fly by as if they were spooked.

Arthur has a serious look on his face. "We'll talk about that later." He grabs the lantern, "Right now, we're in trouble." and turns the lantern off. "Time to move."

The five leave their cave as soon as they could. They traverse in the middle of the night in order to avoid getting caught. Yet at some point, Raphtalia stopped and looked back. She could've sworn she heard or sensed something but ignores it and moves forward. Hiding behind one of the boulders is one of the Queen's Shadows who is keeping an eye on them. As they pressed forward, they see light coming from the forest so they take cover behind some rocks as they see shadows move about.

"They're not over here." says one of the soldiers.

"They cannot have gone far. Find them!" one of the other soldiers order.

Arthur signals his party that they're gonna have to move quietly as they head down a path close to the cliffs. They're gonna have to follow a very narrow path on the edge of the cliffs in order to avoid detection. Above them, torch lights can be seen as a commotion of soldiers can be heard as they looked up.

"Damn." Arthur says. "Guess we can't go that way." He looks at his party, "We're gonna have to find another way."

They back track across the ledge but Melty steps on a loose piece of stone. Luckily, Gwen managed to save her and covers her mouth before she lets out a small scream as they lean against the cliff. Arthur looks up to see if any of them noticed, but they haven't.

Arthur sigh in relief, "That was too close."

However, one soldier at the end of the cliff where they saw the lights sees them, "I found them! They're down here!"

"Oh come on!" Arthur says in disappointment and frustration. He looks back at his party, "Time to run!"

The five head over towards a big rock with a tree growing on it as soldiers on horses chase after them.

"Filo!" Arthur says as they approach the edge of the cliff.

"You got it!" Filo transforms into her Filolial-form as they run towards the end.

However, some sort of metal brace was thrown and latches onto Filo's leg. It glowed purple as Filo was transformed into her humanoid-form.

Filo trips as she says, "Hey!" she looks at the brace, "What is this thing!? I can't transform!" Filo tries to force it off of her but to no avail.

"Ah crap." Arthur says aloud.

They all stop as the clouds move to show the full moon that light everything there is.

Itsuki approaches, "Hello, Arthur." he speaks in a calm and steady tone of voice as Ren approaches as well. "We have you surrounded."

Ren looks at Arthur, "But can you explain on what is actually going on? There are rumors that you kidnapped the princess."

Melty steps up, "That's not true! Sir Arthur saved me from a coup that is conspiring against the royal family! Sir Arthur protected me from an assassination on my life from my own guards. Please listen, Sir Heroes."

"Say what?!" Itsuki is surprised.

"Okay, that's cleared up." says Ren.

"Sir Arthur has nothing to gain from abducting me and he pledged to protect my life." Melty speaks as Arthur nodded in the middle of her sentence. "The Queen told me: this is the time for all of us to work together. It's the only way to thwart the catastrophes. Our world cannot stand these ridiculous, pointless conflicts! Put your weapons away, please!" That last part sounded like a demand than a plead.

Arthur point his fingers at the soldiers, "Not only that, the soldiers you have there are working for the conspirators against the crown. They are working with..." Arthur realizes something, "Wait a minute. Where's Motoyasu?"

"He's with me!" Malty is there among the soldiers with Motoyasu by her side. "And I command not to listen to him!"

However, Motoyasu's eyes are glazed over as if he is under a powerful spell that is controlling his mind.

Arthur pouts, 'Of course.'

"This lying devil possess a-"

"Oh shut up!" Arthur shouts at Malty and points at her, "You're the one that is doing all the brainwashing! Look at Motoyasu! He's clearly under the control of a spell!"

Itsuki and Ren look at Motoyasu's eyes and noticed.

"What the hell?!" Itsuki steps back and has his bow aimed at Malty.

Ren steps back and point his sword at her, "The hell did you just do to Motoyasu!?"

Arthur whispers to Gwen, "Sis? About what we talked about?"

Gwen sighs in disapproval about what is gonna happen. "Fine." she whispers back at Arthur with a hint of disdain, "But you better bring me back."

"You got it." Arthur access his menu and swaps out his sister for Jack the Ripper.

Gwen's body glows white and blue as everyone notices.

"What's that devil's sister doing now!?"

Raphtalia grabs Filo and takes her over to the others. Gwen's body becomes pure light as she disintegrate into white particles to reveal a little girl of a white-hair, green-ish eyes with a scar over her left eye and a scar on her right cheek that goes to her jaw. She dons a black vest, black panties and black stockings and pink shoes. Both her arms are bandaged but only her left hand wears a black glove.

"Hello there." says Jack. "Nice to meet all of you." She acts like an innocent child until she pulls out her daggers.

"Ren! Itsuki! Run for it!"

Ren and Itsuki follow Arthur and his party.

"They're getting away!" Malty states, "After them!"

Jack springs into action as she slice the throats of some of the soldiers in blinding speed. Some of the soldiers charge at her, but Jack's acrobatics are too graceful for them to land a strike. Jack evilly smiles as she stabs one soldier in the head and another through his belly. She does a high speed twirl and cut up the soldiers.

Malty is freaking out, "What kind of little girl is that!?" She then yells at Motoyasu and points at Jack, "Don't just stand there like a useless mountain, kill her!"

Jack goes, "Yay! Some new playmates for me to toy with!"

Over where Arthur is along with his party, Ren and Itsuki, they run with Ren asking, "Just what was that?!"

"We'll talk later!" Arthur tosses the rosary of the Three Heroes Church, "Here!"

Ren catches it.

"If you want to know more, try the damn church! But be warn, they have a trap set up to kill you guys!" Arthur warns Ren, "The resting place of the weapon is a trap! Remember that!"

Filo breaks free and transforms. Arthur and his party jumped onto Filo and run off, leaving Rena and Itsuki behind in the dust. Ren looks at the rosary and is a bit confused. However, looking at it, he realizes that the Three Heroes Church are the conspirators after hearing his warning.

"Just what the hell is going on?!" Itsuki asks.

"I don't get it myself." reply Ren, "But we should be more cautious from this point on."

Arthur and his party made it to safety as they rest up somewhere in the forest. While recuperating, they hear leaves rustling.

Without looking, Arthur says, "Was wondering when you will reveal yourself. One of the Queen's Shadows."

Raphtalia looks at Arthur and goes, "Wait, what?"

"Let me guess, I am requested by her majesty to meet with her?"

"I dare say, Sir Shield Hero, you seem to know a lot. I dare say."

"You can drop the 'I dare say' stuff now. Since you're here, best that we do meet with the queen and nip this thorn in my arse."

"You mean it?" Melty asks Arthur, "You're going to meet with my mother? No hesitation or refusal?"

"Yep." Arthur stands up and stretches, "She maybe in the opposite direction but I'll have to deal with it. Plus this is Plan B since we screwed the pooch on this one."

Filo asks, "Screwed the...pooch?"

"It's a figure of speech. Anyway..." Arthur looks at the mountains where Jack the Ripper and Motoyasu are fighting, "Wonder how the fight is going over there."

Nephalem speaks, "If it does go to plan, it will be alright. Plus if she dies, or any summoned ones do die, their energy returns to this shield I'm stuck in."

"You're shield can talk!?" Melty says in surprise.

"Long story."

Back at the cliff side, Jack and Motoyasu are still fighting with Motoyasu trying to stab Jack but Jack just toy with Motoyasu by deflecting Motoyasu's attacks.

"What do you think you're doing?!" Malty scolds her brainwashed slave, "Kill the damn girl already so we can move on to more important things! Like me being queen!"

Motoyasu then stabs Jack's abdomen. Malty smiles evilly on the success of the fight.

Yet Jack smiles, "Oh dear." She waves her left index finger, "You really shouldn't have done that."

What happens next is that Jack explodes into fog that spreads all over. Malty coughs as she inhaled as she also smells something foul in the air.

Motoyasu smells the stench and breaks free from his brainwashing. He coughs before pinching his nose, "Ah man! That reeks!"

Malty and Motoyasu look around as the fog reveals old street oil lamps, Victorian-style buildings, grime and filth claim the alleyways, and an overwhelming stench of industrial pollution and the rot at the River Tames. Prostitutes are seen wearing Victorian-style dresses as they await for a customer, shady drunkards are seen at the tavern with bottles of alcohol in their hands, a carriage being pulled by a horse, and orphan children hiding among the filth. They hear a bell being rung from a large clock tower.

Malty looks around and asks, "Is this...Faubley?"

A newspaper fly right into Motoyasu's face. He takes it off and reads: Jack The Ripper Strikes Again! "No." he says while looking at the paper, "This is London. 1888." Motoyasu gulps, "What is going on?" Motoyasu is completely confused on what is going on after awakening from his brainwashing. "The last thing I remember is..."

"AAAAAHHH!" a voice of a girl screams from an alleyway.

Motoyasu looks at the alleyway as he charges in like a hero...or an idiot, "Hang on! I don't know what's going on, but I'll save any maiden!"

Malty catches up as she reaches out to him, "Don't leave me here!"

Motoyasu charges in and sees a girl around thirteen wearing an orange dress, blonde hair with two braids, and wearing makeup as a man tries to push her to do...well...I'm pretty sure you all got what happened to kids during that period in London.

"Stop there, fiend!"

The man turns and sees Motoyasu and runs off. The girl, being in a frighten state, runs off to the street.

"Hey wait!" Motoyasu tries to stop her and follows.

Unfortunately, as she runs out to the street, she gets run over by a speeding carriage pulled by two horses. She gets run over and her body gets twisted and mangled as blood comes out of her mouth. Her body drops right into the Tames as Motoyasu watches in horror alongside Malty as Malty throws up from such a sight. Motoyasu is shaken by what just happened in front of him with his eyes widen with fright, jaw quivering in terror, and gripping his spear tightly in terror.

"This is the world we lived in. A world where hope dies and children are used and abuse." Jack the Ripper approaches as a smaller girl while wearing a pink sweater with sleeves longer than her arm while speaking in a creepy tone that is monotone yet so full of despair that is creepy.

Malty is getting an uneasy feeling as the toddler-size child approaching that has a few blood stains on her face.

"All is that is fair is foul and all that is foul is fair." She looks at Motoyasu and Malty as both the dead girl and the carriage with the horses float down the river. "Tell me. Why did you kill me?" she asks right before her eyes glow red and look demonic.

AN: Hey guys! Hope you all enjoy this new chapter and yeah, I was planning this part. I have been planning this particular ending of this chapter since the beginning. For those that didn't see Fate/Apocrypha, Jack the Ripper's noble phantasm when she nearly dies creeped the hell out of me when I first saw it and I do apologize for spoilers. Back on this, nothing like striking terror into Malty and make her life a living hell, right? And trust me when the next chapter comes out, the terror and trauma will get there.

But here is a schedule:

For this week, it is this series and From Remnant Huntresses to Pokemon Trainers.

In the next two weeks, there is Survival in a Strange Galaxy and Shokugeki no Saiba: Food Wars!

An Isekai in RWBY will appear when the new chapters come out as always.

And for Q&A, for stylo1, I am actually 27 and have autism. I do apologize if my English isn't to your taste but there are times when I get something in my head that distracts me, lose my train of thought sometimes, and have to do work, house chores, and among everything else while living alone. Plus I usually write lore to some of my own works. Like this one that was inspired by RWBY except it takes place on Earth five thousand years after an apocalypse that transformed them into creatures based-off of mythology and the supernatural like fairies, yokai, angels, demons, psychics, stuff like that. Unfortunately, I'm not good with scripts so I try to write stories but sadly, I'm unable to write the script for the show I wanted and this was back in 2012. So I'm afraid that series is being shelved.

Anyway, hope you guys enjoyed this latest chapter. See you guys later! Stay safe and...*sighs* hope that things will be better around...probably December. Hopefully.

Additional: I'm uploading it early because of what I have to do on Sunday. I got to head somewhere away from all the chaos and it will take a while to get everything and head out in hope things will be better.