CHAPTER 13:

ZURRANON'S DEMISE

Harry grimaced as he looked at the brutalised corpses of what had once been the Adventurers known as the Swords of Darkness in what had been the Baleare apothecary store. "Can they be resurrected?"

Momonga shook his head. "Ninya can be, assuming that's her real name. I was a little surprised to see that she was actually a girl, but given Lukrut's comments, as well as Shizu's own, I shouldn't be. But the others…they were turned undead, and I don't know how to, beyond re-reviving them as mindless undead."

"Bastards," Harry snarled. "I assume you're going to track those responsible down?"

Momonga nodded, handing magic scrolls to Shizu. "They stole their Adventurer plates. I can track them that way. And Shizu? Don't forget to use the anti-Divination scrolls as well."

"Understood," Shizu said in her flat monotone, and began activating scrolls. Of the Pleiades, she was the cutest, being a short, petite redhead with military regalia on her maid outfit. She wore an eyepatch over one eye, and the other seemed artificial, with crosshairs in them. She was a gynoid, an automaton introduced to Yggdrasil as part of a controversial update that introduced more science fiction elements to the game.

Shizu then pointed to an area of a map of E-Rantel. "There. In the middle of the graveyard. I will use the Clairvoyance and Crystal Monitor scrolls."

Harry watched as the image floating in mid-air revealed Nifrea, a boy with dark blonde hair in a pudding bowl cut, dressed in a diaphanous robe, surrounded by undead. But he recognised the delicate jewelled filigree on the boy's head. "Momonga…that's the Crown of Wisdom, the one Clementine took. Those bastards have used it on him. That shouldn't be possible, but he's wearing it. But…" His eyes widened. "Holy shit! Momonga, Clementine stole that damned thing from the Theocracy! There were rumours she was part of Zurranon, and Zurranon has caused an incident like this before, where a city was overrun with undead!" He looked over at Ninya's mutilated corpse, and scowled. "I'll bet you any money Clementine is the one who tortured her. I am sending that bitch to Demiurge once we're done."

"Enzo, calm down," Momonga said, but Harry glared at him.

"Momonga, I am as calm as I am ever going to be. These people were tortured and murdered by Zurranon for kicks. And we can't save any of them, except Ninya. I'm angry, and we need to stop this from getting any worse, right now."

"I know, but…I intend to use this incident to bolster my reputation with the Adventurer's Guild. I need you out of sight, at least for now." Momonga rubbed at his helmet. "…Enzo, get out to the graveyard and assess the situation from the air. Don't act until we arrive. And when we do…use Legilimency to get what you can from the ringleaders. Then, I'll let you have Clementine."

Harry calmed himself with a monumental effort. "Got it. I'll see you there…"

Finding the perpetrators was ridiculously easy from the air. Harry had kept an eye on the layout of the structures below, and once he found the spot Shizu had indicated, he could see the small circle of magic users. He'd cast a Disillusionment on himself just in case, but he kept an eye out for Clementine.

Momonga, clad in the plate armour he had conjured with Create Greater Item, and followed by Shizu, arrived. As Momonga greeted them, Harry took that as his cue to drop in. The leader looked too much like Voldemort without reptilian features for his liking. Harry used Legilimency on the old bastard.

The decrepit-looking man was Khajit Dale Badantel. Long ago, he had turned to necromancy as a means to revive his mother. Now, he was little more than pure evil, who didn't care about the means by which he gained power, just the ends, no matter what suffering he caused. And that orb he wielded, a powerful magical artifact, he intended to pry it from Khajit's cold, dead hands.

"And who are you?" Khajit sneered, not realising that he had a brief headache from Harry's raid on his memories.

"One who would love to be your executioner, Khajit Dale Badantel, but Momon and Shizu will have that honour. No…I'm more interested in dealing with that Slane Theocracy slattern you have with you. Well? Are you going to keep hiding, Clementine?"

There was a chuckle from the nearby mausoleum, and a face he had only seen in others' memories until now showed itself from the shadows. Blonde hair, cropped short, framing a beautiful face that nonetheless seemed perpetually twisted into a sadistic, feline smirk. Crimson eyes peered at him with amused contempt. "Oh? And what did I do to piss you off?"

"How long a list would you like? That being said, it's a shame I couldn't bring my daughter along. I'm sure she would have loved to have made your acquaintance again." As she blinked in confusion, Harry flung out his weapon, and it wrapped around her.

He didn't often use weapons, preferring to use magic. But after discussing matters with the other guild members, he decided on what was basically weaponised chains. He kept the on-attack effect off, to avoid damaging her too much, but he grinned viciously, even as Clementine struggled, before bellowing, "GET OVER HERE!"

With a yank of the chains, she was sent flying. He then flung her away, carefully ensuring she would only be flung a few hundred feet away. "Momon, Shizu, have fun!" he said, before pursuing Clementine. He came to a halt where she, upon being released from his chains, was getting up and dusting herself off.

"I get the feeling I'm missing something, but I don't know what. Are you pissed at how I tortured and killed those pathetic Silver-Plate Adventurers?"

"Oh, immensely, but your existence pisses me off on general principle," Harry said, his expression cheerful even as he felt so much anger towards her. "Don't get me wrong, fleeing the Slane Theocracy, I can get behind that. But you're just a sadistic bitch who should have been put down like the rabid dog you are ages ago. And the thing is…you'll be the fifth Black Scripture member I have seen put paid to tonight."

Clementine blinked. "…Sorry, what? Did I just hear you spout some stupid bullshit? I thought I just heard you say you killed four members of the Black Scripture."

"Not quite. I killed Kairé and took her World Item for my own. A colleague of mine killed someone who likes spying on people with magic, not sure what her actual epithet was, but two of her comrades died trying to protect her, and…"

Clementine snorted. "Okay, I can actually believe you killed the old hag and…oh, what's her title again? Right, Thousand League Astrologer, that's her epithet. They were weak as piss. But did you think you could kill me?"

"I don't think, I know. But I'm not going to kill you, Clementine. You're just going to wish I had by the end of tonight."

Clementine snorted again, her contempt plain to see. "Yeah, right," she said, shucking off her cloak, revealing her costume. Harry had heard of the so-called chainmail bikini, but Clementine seemed to be wearing one…covered in metal plates that looked familiar. "Your bark is worse than your bite, and…"

"What the hell are you wearing? Those metal plates…those are Adventurer tags, aren't they?" Harry demanded in horror.

Clementine blinked, before smirking. "Yep. Why, you mad?"

Harry merely chuckled darkly, his anger cooling to something like a blizzard. "Well, you made a fatal error in keeping them as trophies. They were how Momon traced where you were. And yeah…I'm mad."

"Well, whaddya gonna do about…" Whatever retort Clementine had was cut off when Harry Apparated behind her and sent her flying with a Banishing Charm. He Apparated ahead of her, halted her with another spell…and then used Legilimency. He regretted doing so, but he needed more intel from her.

And once he was done, he hissed a single word. "Crucio."

Clementine convulsed, a strangled scream coming from her lips, before she went limp, her crimson eyes dull and unfocused. "Feel that, Clementine?" Harry hissed. "I wonder, was that even a small fraction of what you put your victims through?"

"Fuck you," she rasped.

"Not even with someone else's dick. Crucio."

Once more, she convulsed, making a rasping whine of pain, unable to scream properly. "You think you're hot shit, don't you? No, you're just a worthless shit of a human being," Harry snarled. "Just like everyone else high up in the Slane Theocracy. You just left because even they have some small standards, standards you don't have. Crucio."

She convulsed and screamed hoarsely, before going limp. He dropped her to the ground, and she flopped like a puppet with its strings cut, spasming and twitching. Normally, he would have qualms about using the Cruciatus on anyone. But his Fallen Angel body, combined with past experiences and betrayals, had darkened his heart. And in truth, she deserved it.

In fact, she reminded him of Bellatrix Lestrange. He remembered her taunting after he tried and failed to use the Cruciatus on her after she caused Sirius' death. For a moment, he grinned. If Lestrange was alive…she would be left a drooling, hollow mess for what she did, to Sirius, to Neville's parents, and to so many others.

He heard a roar in the distance, and looked back briefly, to see a pair of Skeletal Dragons. Looks like Momonga will have to break out the big guns, he thought, before turning back to a twitching Clementine. Those are immune to anything short of a 7th Tier Spell. Hope he shows me the look on that Voldemort-wannabe's face in his memories afterwards.

"Incarcerous Maxima," he sneered as he realised he had to restrain his guest, and she was wrapped in chains. This seemed to revive her a little, and she began to struggle weakly.

"You can't get away, Clementine. This is the last night you are free, to do harm to others as you please, you disgusting bitch. From now on, you will not breathe a single breath not free from agonising pain and suffering, and you will beg for the mercy of a death that will never come, not for a long, long time."

"Bastard…coward…fight me properly," she hissed.

"Even if I did, the outcome would be the same, your defeat, and probably your death. You see…I forgot to mention…you left the Theocracy not long after my daughter did, didn't you?"

"…I don't see the point."

"Oh, you knew my daughter. Not very well…but she kicked your arse very handily." As her eyes widened in shock, he smirked. "That's right. My daughter, by adoption, but my daughter regardless, is Antilene Heran Fouche…though you knew her as the Extra Seat of the Black Scripture, Zesshi Zetsumei. And guess what?" He gave her a sadistic leer. "I'm stronger than her."

"IMPOSSIBLE!" Clementine screamed shrilly. "NO WAY THAT HALF-ELVEN SLUT WOULD HAVE SOMEONE STRONGER THAN HER! I…"

Harry simply Silenced her, leaving her to rant mutely. "You're a boring conversationalist, anyway. And rude to boot. Gimme a moment, and I'll arrange your new accommodations."

He activated a Message, and a certain unctuous, mellifluous voice answered. "Yes, Lord Enzo?" Demiurge asked. "How may I be of service?"

"Oh, Demiurge, this time, I'm of service to you. Tell me…how do you feel about having your first guinea pig? Jircniv's yet to approve the transfer of condemned prisoners…but I have someone whom you can give the entire works to. My only proviso is that you keep her alive for as long as possible."

He could hear the smile on Demiurge's face in the demon's voice when he replied. "Ah, so you have found someone who has truly angered you? I have at least one experiment in mind to start off with, involving testing the limits of healing spells."

Harry grinned viciously. "Splendid. I'll be sending her to Nazarick by Gate, fully restrained. Oh, and I may be bringing Antilene to visit her. They've met, I want them to…catch up a little."

"But of course, my lord…"

Harry went over back to where Shizu was poking around the remains of Khajit, his allies, and the Skeletal Dragons. On Harry's unasked question, Shizu indicated the mausoleum. "Lord Momonga is retrieving Nfirea. What of Clementine?"

"I sent her to Demiurge. Momonga can say she got away."

Shizu nodded, and Momonga chose that moment to emerge, Nfirea in his arms. "I destroyed the Crown of Wisdom," he explained. "It's a valuable artifact, but I swore to retrieve him for his grandmother, and driving him insane would violate the spirit of the deal. Destroying it prevented it from destroying his mind. What of Clementine?"

"With Demiurge. Just tell them she escaped if you have to tell them anything."

"…Good. I've also healed his eyes, they destroyed them for some reason. Probably that bitch being a sadist. Or maybe they needed it for him to control the undead. Hamsuke's probably waiting and fretting."

"…Hamsuke?"

"The Wise King of the Forest," Momonga said. "I gave her a name. And yes, I regret it, and yes, she's female. Harry, meet me back at Nazarick. I'll find a way to get Ninya's body back so we can revive her…"

The deeds of the Dark Warrior Momon and his associate Shizu that night had elevated their notoriety, especially as they had halted a Zurranon plot. But that, as well as the decimation of the Black Scripture, had drawn attention from various corners. Including a certain Platinum Dragon Lord, who was looking for signs that more Players or their NPCs had arrived.

But even to the paranoid beast's eyes, these incidents weren't enough proof, and investigating them did nothing. Even the Slane Theocracy, having more information, such as it was, could do little more but send out more feelers to try and figure out what was happening, and who was this powerful new enemy. They didn't know it, but the first premonitions of their overdue demise and destruction had come. Time would tell if it managed to eventuate…

CHAPTER 13 ANNOTATIONS:

More butterflies. Ninya will be revived unlike canon, don't worry. But now, we'll be doing something of a timeskip. A couple of weeks, to shortly before what would be the fourth light novel volume, and the beginning of the second season of the anime.

Review-answering time! Dragon Man 180: Harry already has prior notice about Downfall of Castle and Country, and thankfully, so has Shalltear. Once she got out of her Blood Frenzy, she was able to act rationally enough, and even though her Household was wiped out, while pissed off, she didn't go into her berserk rampage again. Instead, she investigated the situation carefully, remembering what was said about World Items, and found what she wanted. Keep in mind, while not a genius on a level with Albedo or Demiurge, Shalltear is a smart cookie, especially if, as in many fantasy RPG settings, magical power is linked to some degree to intelligence. Look at what she did while facing the Quagoa, as she had learned from her previous mistakes.

Mugen-Muse: True, but Brita's Adventuring team still were mostly wiped out, and Harry doesn't intend to resurrect them. He doesn't know them, and resurrecting them after both Brita and at least one of her colleagues saw them being wiped out might draw attention (unlike with the Swords of Darkness, whose deaths were hidden, so Ninya's resurrection could be covered up, or with the Carne Village, where it was a one-time deal). So Harry is showing a slightly callous nature here, or at least apathetic, but he won't knowingly harm innocents, and he will ensure Shalltear doesn't do so again. And no, Momonga didn't really have that much of a plan around Baharuth, though Demiurge did…and Demiurge was surprised that Momonga vassalized them so quickly, not knowing that it was a mistake born of Momonga's sales pitch to Go-Gin and Jircniv's paranoia and fear.

Sultan Asil Arslan-Hiatus: Umm, I've never heard of that meme where Overlord is concerned. I know of the 'Sasuga, Ainz-sama!' meme, but that's about it.

Nathair1: I thought so too about Neia, but it can be hard to tell with anime characters. I asked because maybe a Harry/Neia fic might be on the cards. Neia's fate in canon is pretty bad, not helped by the fact that Remedios is a self-righteous and total bitch who bullies Neia at every turn, and her other subordinates tell Neia to suck it up and get on with it.

framfrit: Now, that's a very good point. I did remember from canon that Jircniv seems aware that Renner is wearing a mask to some degree, and that she frightens him. I didn't realise he actually implemented some of her own reforms, though, and a quick look at the wiki confirmed this. I didn't know she was using him as a test bed for her reforms in another country, and I would like a source, please, preferably from the light novels. That being said, I am sure Jircniv was smart enough to implement some reforms on his own. He strikes me as someone who would better the lot of the common people, if only to ensure he stays in power.

Have a Little Feith: Her name was Ninya, but that was an assumed name derived from her older sister's full first name, Tuareninya/Tsuareninya. Her true name, according to the Mass for the Dead game (admittedly of dubious canonicity, but Antilene's true name made its debut there, albeit as a truncated nickname, so it's probably Maruyama's real name for her), and the one used here, is 'Celicia'.

As for punishment, there's little that would affect Shalltear. I think the best punishment I saw (aside from my own) was in Lords of Ooal Gown, where Peroroncino forbids Shalltear from padding her chest for a period of time, much to her embarrassment. Punishing Shalltear for what she has done is tricky, and Harry knows that, intellectually, she is not affected by killing innocents, so he can't punish her for that, because it wouldn't stick. What he's punished her for was losing control and letting Brain get away, which she would understand. And because she's kinky as hell given Peroroncino copying and pasting a list of fetishes into her backstory…well, he needed to be creative.

Skull Flame: Indeed Clementine does have an older brother. He is actually mentioned as far back as the second novel, when Khajit, in retaliation for Clementine being annoying, compares her unfavourably to her brother. He isn't seen properly in person (aside from brief glimpses: you can just barely see him in the background of the scene where Shalltear kills Kaire, and I think he is second from the bottom left of the image of the Black Scripture in the first opening titles) until The Witch of the Doomed Kingdom. Unlike his sister, he is calm and reasonable…but he is also known as 'One Man Army' amongst the Black Scripture. And when someone succeeds in trolling him…well, he may be more measured than his sister, but he still gives off more menace than his usually affable demeanour suggests.

As for Jircniv, he's still a paranoiac, though that is due to his position and reputation. But his dealings with Nazarick are still far calmer. Honestly, while he's scared of them, the one he's scared of most is not Momonga or Harry or Albedo. It's Demiurge, and rightfully so. In canon, he was scared of Momonga more, but here, he's scared of the devious genius Demon.

No numbered annotations this time.