As the Magic Hero arrived at the entrance of the capital, he was greeted by his devoted party members - Gray Morningstar, his adopted little brother with spikey white hair and wolfish features, and Lillian Rose, a Panda Demi-Human slave he had rescued. Lillian had long black hair and a metal device attached to her left leg, a reminder of her past servitude. Despite their different backgrounds, both Gray and Lillian shared a fierce loyalty to the Magic Hero and were willing to lay down their lives for him.
"Come on, we've got a party to attend," said Balthasar, the Magic Hero's alter-ego, leading the way toward the castle.
Unbeknownst to the Demi-Humans, the Magic Hero had overheard the Knights discussing a celebratory party for the Cardinal Heroes at the castle. Balthasar saw an opportunity to gather intelligence about the King and his daughter. Before entering the castle, the Magic Hero cast the spell "Hide Mirage" on himself and his companions, allowing them to sneak into the party with ease. Once inside, Balthasar released the spell on himself and began eavesdropping on the conversations taking place.
Despite his best efforts, Balthasar Black couldn't glean any information about Rurorona Village or the enslavement of the Demi-Humans. However, his luck changed when he heard a name he hadn't heard since the raid on Rurorona. He looked toward one of the windows and saw the Shield Hero with a Racoon Demi-Human who had long brown hair.
As the Magic Hero weaved his way through the crowded party, he was suddenly struck by a familiar face. "Raphtalia?" he thought, his heart racing at the mere sight of her.
His thoughts were interrupted as the Spear Hero, Motoyasu, confronted and challenged Naofumi, the Shield Hero, to a duel for the freedom of his slave. Naofumi refused but was stopped by the king's knights and forced to accept the challenge when they took Raphtalia away from him. Reluctantly, the Shield Hero was escorted to the arena, with Raphtalia at his side.
Feeling an overwhelming urge to help, the Magic Hero approached Naofumi and reached for a pouch on his belt. "Hey Shield Hero," he said, catching Naofumi's attention. Without a word, the Magic Hero threw the pouch into the Shield Hero's hands. "You might need that," he said quietly before Naofumi left for the arena.
As he watched Naofumi disappear into the distance, the Magic Hero couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. He knew that the upcoming duel would be no ordinary fight and that the fate of Raphtalia and the Shield Hero hung in the balance.
"Gray? Lily?" Balthasar called out, recognizing the familiar voices of his companions.
"What's up, brother?" Gray asked.
"Lily, I need you to follow the king and make sure he stays in his chair during the arena duel," Balthasar ordered, sensing Lillian rush past him.
"Got it," Lily replied, determinedly.
"And Gray, you're with me. If this turns into a duel between the Spear and Shield Heroes, someone will try to ensure the Shield loses. We need to be ready to stop the fight at the first sign of foul play," Balthasar instructed, striding towards the arena to watch from the roof
On the roof, Gray observed the Shield Hero's clever tactics and predicted his victory.
"Indeed," Balthasar agreed, also watching the duel closely. "Although the Shield Hero may lack in raw attack power, he compensates by outsmarting his opponent and utilizing alternative strategies."
As the Shield Hero held two balloons in front of the flinching Spear Hero, Balthasar nodded in approval. However, their moment of triumph was interrupted by the Princess's Wind Spell, which allowed the Spear Hero to charge his Lightning Spear.
Without hesitation, Balthasar equipped his Mirror Magic Staff and jumped between the Shield and Spear Heroes. With a quick swing of his staff, the Magic Hero redirected the Lightning Spear back at the Spear Hero, dealing double the damage. Then, with his free hand pointed at the Princess, Balthasar summoned his newest monster.
"I call forth the unholy beast of flesh and bone, vanquished by magic might, to do my bidding," Balthasar declared. "Chimera!"
As Balthasar finished the incantation, the summoned Chimera leaped over the Shield Hero and slammed its lion paw into the Princess, pinning her to the wall.
"And here I thought you all honored a sacred duel," Balthasar remarked, straightening himself.
"Who the hell are you?" the Spear Hero demanded.
"Simple," Gray replied with a sly grin as he hopped down from the Chimera and stood beside Balthasar. "He's the only one who's seen the truth of Melromarc."
Balthasar raised his head high and announced his name with pride. "I am Balthasar Black, the Fifth Cardinal Hero and the Magic Hero of Melromarc."
"There is..." the king began, but stopped short as a small red line formed on his cheek.
Dispelling the magic around Lily, the king gasped as he saw the tip of her sword.
"I wouldn't move, old man. You might hurt yourself," Lily said with a giggle.
"Now then...where was I?" Balthasar asked sarcastically, a sly smile on his lips.
"Oh, I remember," he said, walking towards the Princess.
"Now, be a good girl and speak," the Magic Hero said, tapping her chin with his staff.
The Princess remained silent, which only made the Dragonoid smile wider. With his weapon in his left hand, he struck her across the face, causing a trickle of blood to form at the corner of her mouth.
"You insolent..." The King began to say but was cut off by Lily.
"Ah ah ahh...don't even think about it," Lily warned, pressing her metal leg against the King's chest.
"Tell them, or next time I'll use the Chimera to hurt you," Balthasar threatened, still not hearing a single word from the Princess.
"Lightning..." As The Dragonoid turned to face the other end of the arena, he heard a voice and saw the Spear Hero charging his Lightning attack.
"Slow learner, I see," Balthasar remarked as he stepped away from the princess.
The Spear Hero yelled, "Spear!" and fired his lightning attack. However, before Balthasar had a chance to swing, the lightning bolt narrowly missed me, thanks to Gray using his Halberd to deflect the attack upwards. Just then, the Bow and Sword Heroes jumped down from the stands.
"Chimera!" The Magic Hero shouted, and the Chimera's tail lunged forward, causing the wall to kick up dust and forcing the princess to scream. The sight froze the Heroes and the king in their tracks. When the dust settled, everyone saw that the snakehead had hit the wall inches from the princess's face.
"I did it," Malty stammered, her voice trembling with fear.
"I'm sorry, Princess. I don't think everyone heard you," Balthasar said, as the Chimera poised to strike.
"I cast a wind spell at the Shield Hero," the Princess admitted.
"Excellent," Balthasar said, dispatching the Chimera to the monster menu.
"Come join us, Lily," Gray said to the girl, as Balthasar noticed a faint blush on his cheeks.
The Magic Hero strode past the other Heroes, deftly swapping his Mirror staff for his Nightmare Oak staff and creating a flight of earth stairs that led to the king's box. Lily stepped down while Balthasar climbed up and faced the king.
"Hand over the girl," Balthasar ordered in a calm voice.
"Who are you to give me orders?" retorted the king.
"You obviously don't understand. I am the Cardinal Hero of Magic," Balthasar said coolly.
"Impossible! The only Heroes are the Four Cardinal Heroes," the king exclaimed, which made the hero crack a grin.
"Very well, if you won't believe me, then perhaps you'll believe my memories," Balthasar said, equipping a particular staff.
The Nightmare Oak Magic Staff was replaced with a pitch-black metal staff adorned with Melromarcian language Glyphs and a large crystal ball that encircled a black jewel.
Crystal Ball Magic Staff
Equipment Bonus: Mana +30
Skill: Double Cast (Passive), Magic Affinity, Clairvoyance, Memory Projection
Pointing the staff into the air, Balthasar projected his memories from before he arrived in this world.
"Feel free to tell me if any of this is familiar to you," Balthasar said while playing back his memories, causing multiple gasps to be heard.
As he viewed a memory of himself and his girlfriend on their anniversary, his cheeks turned red, and he fumbled with his staff before quickly turning off the memory. Recovering from his embarrassment, Balthasar turned back to the king.
Balthasar's eyes narrowed as he faced the king. "I am a Cardinal Hero, and I will not stand idly by while innocent people are mistreated," he declared. "Release the girl, now."
The king scoffed, unimpressed by the Magic Hero's show of power. "Your spell proves nothing," he retorted, standing his ground.
Balthasar gritted his teeth, but remained calm. "Very well," he said, turning his attention to the knight holding Raphtalia. "Cleave and devour."
With a flick of his wrist, Balthasar unleashed a dark mist from his staff that enveloped the knight. The man screamed in terror for a few seconds before the mist dissipated, leaving nothing but bones and armor behind. Balthasar turned back to the king, his weapon trained on the monarch.
"The girl, now, Your Majesty," he repeated.
The king hesitated for a moment, but ultimately relented. "Release the slave," he muttered, begrudgingly.
Balthasar nodded, stepping aside as Raphtalia rushed to the side of the Shield Hero. He watched her go, feeling a sense of satisfaction and relief. But before stepped down, he turned back to face the king once more.
"Your compliance is appreciated, Your Majesty," Balthasar said with a slight bow. "But now this," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "As a Cardinal Hero, I will do whatever it takes to protect the innocent. And I will not hesitate to use my power to do so, even if it means defying your laws and customs."
With that, Balthasar turned and walked away, joining the Shield Hero and the rescued girl on the ground floor. As he dispelled the stairs, the Magic Hero couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. He knew that his actions today would have consequences, and that the King would not take kindly to being defied.
But Balthasar was resolute. He had a duty to fulfill as a Cardinal Hero, and he would not let anyone stand in his way. For better or for worse, he was committed to fighting for what was right, no matter the cost. His resolve unshaken. He knew that his actions would have consequences, but he was prepared to face them. For he was a hero, and heroes never back down in the face of injustice.
Balthasar clears his throat and raises his voice to address the crowd. "I want to make it clear that I have no issue fighting the Wave to protect Melromarc. However," he pauses for emphasis, "if anyone is keeping Demi-Human slaves, hear this: I am the Black Mage, and I will come for you. Free your slaves now, or you will face the consequences."
He then strides up to the Shield Hero and his Demi-Human slave. "You know, I once knew a Raccoon Demi-Human from Rurorona Village who always had a smile on her face, no matter how sad she was," he says, looking down at the slave with a soft expression. The slave stares back at him with wide eyes.
"Balthasar!" Raphtalia exclaims, running up to him and embracing him in a tight hug. "It's so good to see you again. I'm glad you're safe."
Balthasar returns her embrace but wears a forlorn expression. "I wish I could have saved more that day," he thinks to himself.
After releasing Raphtalia from his embrace, Balthasar turns to the Shield Hero and extends his hand in introduction. "I am Balthasar Black, the Magic Hero," he announces.
The Shield Hero, Naofumi Iwatani, takes his hand and responds with gratitude. "Naofumi Iwatani, The Shield Hero, and thank you," he says.
Balthasar is puzzled by Naofumi's gratitude and asks, "For what?"
Naofumi explains, "Not only for the Snakehead, but for the warning, even if I didn't listen to you."
Balthasar nods in understanding. "Yes, I remember. That night, I overheard her plan. I wasn't able to tell you because she took Gray and sold him as a slave," he says as they leave the arena with their respective parties.
Curious, Naofumi takes the opportunity to ask Balthasar, "So how do you know Raphtalia?"
Balthasar responds with a smile, "Oh, that's easy. I was living in her village when the First wave hit."
Naofumi is surprised by this revelation and asks, "Wait...you were in the first wave?"
Balthasar nods respectfully. "Yes, I was hunting with Gray's father when the tragedy occurred," he says, his eyes shifting towards Raphtalia. "May he rest in peace."
Curious, Naofumi inquires, "How did he pass away?"
Balthasar's face saddens. "He was killed by a two-headed dog monster," he replies with a heavy heart. "I owe a great deal to that man. I only wish I could have saved him and his wife."
Their conversation is abruptly interrupted by the sound of approaching knights, weapons drawn. They both turn their attention to the imminent threat.
"Black Mage, you're under arrest."
I quickly respond, "Well, that's my cue, Gray and Lily. It's time to run." I secure my staff across my back.
"Cover us, Lily!" Gray commands, as he charges up an ice spell.
"On it!" Lily replies, as she begins to charge up a dark spell.
"In unison, Gray and Lily command, 'As the source of thy power, I order thee...decipher the laws of nature and blind my target with a cloud of darkness,' and '...decipher the laws of nature and halt my target with a sheet of ice,' respectively," they chant.
Lily finishes her incantation, blinding the castle knights with her dark spell, while Gray covers the ground in a thick sheet of ice from his own spell.
"Excellent work. Now, Gray and Lily, return to the inn and gather as much as you can. Then head straight to Him. Do you understand?" Balthasar orders, as he runs towards the Three Heroes Church.
"What about your mana, Brother?" Gray inquires of the Magic Hero.
Reaching into his jacket, the Dragonoid pulls out a small bottle of blue liquid and reassures them, "Don't worry, I've got that covered." He drinks the mana potion and adds, "Besides, I need to know when the next wave is." Balthasar then runs ahead.
Gray's Pov
Lily and I rush into the room and immediately start gathering the grimoires and the money that Balthasar had stolen from the nobles. As we hastily pack everything into their bags, we hear the sound of armored feet ascending the wooden stairs. We know we have to act fast.
Without hesitation, I slam the door shut and cast an Ice spell to freeze it shut. But the ice isn't strong enough, and it quickly begins to crack.
"We're trapped," I say, looking around for a way out. That's when I spot an opportunity. "Lily, use Blinding Shadows," I order, quickly formulating a plan.
Lily obeys, and the room is suddenly shrouded in darkness just as the door breaks open. With no time to waste, I tackle Lily and we both jump out of the window. We are airborne for what feels like an eternity before we hit the ground hard. The impact dislocates my left shoulder, but I ignore the pain.
"Are you okay, Lily?" I asked, my voice filled with concern for her safety.
Lily responded, "Y-Yeah...we should..."
Suddenly, a knight appeared at the window and hurled his spear in our direction. Without hesitation, I kicked Lily out of harm's way and took the blow myself, the spear piercing my leg.
"Lily, go!" I urged, using my halberd to help me stand up.
"As the source of my power, I order thee to decipher the laws of nature and imprison my target in a block of everlasting ice!" I commanded, casting a spell to defend ourselves.
But to my surprise, Lily was also casting a spell, standing her ground against the knights.
"I told you to run!" I yelled at her in frustration.
"Never," Lily replied with fierce determination, even as the knights closed in on us.
Lily and I cast the spell "Ice Age" together, freezing our attackers in their tracks.
As I looked around, I was awestruck by the extent of the ice spell. Not only were the knights encased in thick ice, but even the surrounding area was covered in a layer of frost. I quickly limped over to Lily and caught her as she began to fall.
"That was a very risky move," I said, concerned for her well-being as we both made our way towards the slaver.
"I'm sorry," Lily replied weakly, her expression reflecting her exhaustion. "I used the last of my magic."
"At least we're both alive," I said, trying to reassure her with a smile despite the pain in my leg.
Balthasar's Pov
Summoning a high-level monster to chase away any church members who got too close was child's play for me. I continued until I stood before the Dragon Hourglass, the jewel on my staff glowing as a transparent beam hit the hourglass and a timer appeared at the top of my vision.
The timer read 46 days, 6 hours, 5 minutes, and 3 seconds until the next wave.
As I turned on my heel to descend the stairs, I ran into a small army of knights. With a smile, I warned them, "Take one step and I will drop-kick your ass."
The knight in front disregarded my warning and took a step forward, immediately regretting it.
Using my go-to skill, I bound all the knights on the staircase with my "Vine Snare" ability. Slowly, I walked towards the first knight with a massive grin on my face.
"I am a man of my word," I declared confidently as I ascended the stairs, preparing for my next move.
With lightning speed, I lunged forward and dropkicked the knight, deactivating my skill as I did so. I landed on the knight's back and rode him down the stairs like a surfer, expertly maneuvering over the bodies that littered the way. Finally reaching the bottom, I hopped off the knight and gave him a sarcastic thanks
"Thanks for the ride," I quipped, delivering a swift kick to his face, knocking him out cold.
Cracking my neck, I surveyed the scene before me. A platoon of royal knights blocked my path to the door, but I was undaunted.
"Y'all really wanna do this?" I taunted, watching as they tensed up.
"(Sigh) Very well," I said, switching to my Nightmare Oak Magic Staff.
As the head of my staff glowed, some of the knights began to back away. But I was determined to make an even greater impact. With a swift motion, I slung my weapon across my back and clapped my hands together, releasing a powerful wave of energy that reverberated through the air.
But that was just the beginning. I channeled even more power, causing a wall of white stone to rise up in the middle of the platoon. The knights were caught off guard as I split the wall vertically, slamming them into adjacent walls with tremendous force. The path to the door was now clear.
Without hesitation, I sprinted towards the door, casting Hide Mirage on myself as I ran. I knew where I was headed - the Slave merchant was waiting for me..
No-One's Pov
Balthasar Black entered the tent and immediately dispelled his magic. Upon entering, he saw Lily tending to Gray's leg with bandages.
"Is everything alright?" Balthasar asked with concern.
"We were about to leave after gathering all the essentials when the knights arrived at the inn and attempted to break in. Lily and I escaped by jumping out of the window, but I was hit by a spear," explained the Wolf Demi-Human. "Then, as we were surrounded, Lily and I used Ice Age."
"Why do you have all the injuries?" Balthasar asked, turning his attention to Gray.
"Gray dislocated his shoulder when he took the fall," Lily replied.
Balthasar sighed as he gently lifted Gray's left arm. When Gray gave him a nod, he prepared to relocate the dislocated shoulder.
"Ready? On three," Balthasar said.
...one...
With a loud pop, Gray screamed out in pain as Balthasar let go of his arm.
"What the hell! What happened to 'On Three'?" yelled the Wolf Boy.
"Simple. It hurts more when you're expecting it," replied the Magic Hero as he checked their packs, making sure they had everything they needed. "Trust me, I know a thing or two about inflicting pain."
"Hey Balthasar, what's the plan?" asked Lily as she finished wrapping Gray's leg.
"Well, now that we've made our mark on the Royal Family, we should find a nearby village to do some level grinding," replied the Magic Hero. "I can't keep relying on my monsters to do it for us. They only give me a quarter of the experience.
"I have just the place in mind - Lute Village," suggested the Slave Merchant.
"Excellent choice," Balthasar nodded. "But wait, do you still have those eggs?"
The Magic Hero's Summoning skill was great in numbers, but the monsters he summoned couldn't be healed and could only take so much damage before disappearing. He needed a monster that could be healed.
As the Slave Merchant pulled out a black box from his shelves, he teased Balthasar with a chuckle, "Interested, are we?"
"Well, in that case, I still have a whole box," he said, opening the box and offering an egg to Balthasar. However, Balthasar declined as he sensed another egg with a stronger source of power.
"I do appreciate it, but not that one," Balthasar said, stepping toward the monster eggs.
Waving his hand over the eggs, the Magic Hero grabbed the one in the top right corner and said, "I'll take this one," handing it to the Slave Merchant, who placed it inside an incubator.
"This one just feels like the right choice for me," Balthasar added.
"That'll be one hundred silvers," the Slaver said as Balthasar handed him a gold coin before slinging all three packs over his shoulder.
"Lily, help Gray up. You'll have to assist him until we get to Lute," Balthasar instructed, grabbing the egg.
"What about the knights?" asked the Wolf Demi-Human, seeking clarification.
"Regarding the knights, what's our plan?" inquired the Wolf Demi-Human, seeking clarification.
"A wise man once said, 'gallant geisio cwrdd â'u diwedd,'" Balthasar replied, stepping out of the tent and scanning the area for any potential knight threats.
"Who said that?" asked Lillian, curious.
"My father," responded the Magic Hero.
"And what does it mean?" Gray chimed in.
"It means the knights can try and meet their end," Balthasar said plainly. He then cast Hide Mirage on his party, concealing their presence, and led them towards the entrance of the capital.
Okay so I know I said we were going to see the monster hatch but I hit my 3000-word limit and decided to end it here,
Live Long, Have Fun, and Never Make Sense
Because
What Fun Is There In Making Sense
