AN: Hello y'all! Here, we have one of the LAST 3 CHAPTERS of the 5th Arc!
Yup, we're getting close to the end, and both the triumphs and consequences resulting from this conflict, will become clear.
The title, is yet again, from another Foreigner song.
So please, do yourself a favor, and enjoy!
Arc Five: The World War
Chapter 28: Long, Long Way From Home
GUSTEKO THEATRE
In the overly furnished, luxurious throne room, the man swirled a glass of liquor. It swirled, coating the cup in the expensive liquid, and he stared.
The Crazed Prince, Dimitri Zhukov. His deep red eyes stared out, luscious blue hair tied into a bun, matched well with his white suit.
He took a sip, letting out a relaxed breath, as a humble servant of his, stayed in a bowed position.
"Now then, what do I make of this?"
"Sire?"
"What do I make of what I am looking at? Hm? Just how do I describe this, truly-"
His calm eyes sharpened, finely expressing the anger he felt.
"-Awful display?"
What he was he seeing?
The Capital, being attacked on two fronts, from the south it was Lugnica's forces, and from the north, it was the rebellion which made great strides.
His last remaining loyal defenders, were being easily overwhelmed by the experts laying siege to the well constructed city.
If not on fire, or being bombarded, the buildings were a fine example of architecture, like that of Czar Era Russia, and even had attached wall to wall buildings like the Dutch had...laid to ruins and in flames.
His hand crushed the glass and he moved away from the window.
"The sheer incompetence of our commanders, our generals! And our most powerful warriors proved to be nothing but fodder!"
"But sire, we still have our mages, the ones who specialize in curses-"
"-Quiet sow! I knew we still had that!"
She got scared and bowed in apology, but saw the stern look he gave as he facepalmed.
"But I received a message, that their heads were found floating down one of our rivers, not only that, but the Kaspars Familie, our most powerful mages, are undone."
"What? The family? The mother, father, and two sons?"
"Our soldiers found their burnt remains in the mountains nearby, just before the invasion."
"How?"
"We suspect that either the Sword Saint, Genau, or both had done the deed."
The servant covered her mouth, horrified that a family was annihilated, yet she knew that the rebellion going on right now, was most likely doing the same.
A knight stormed in and bowed to his king.
"Well, a report to us then?"
"Yes! We are being pushed back, and are now on the defensive against the rebels and Lugnicans."
"Typical, rush your men at them, kill as many as you can."
"But sire, I-"
"-DO AS I SAY."
"...Yes sir."
"Good, anything else?"
"Yes! It is unfortunate, but the nobles have become targets by the rebels!"
"Oh?"
"Yes sir, we must do something! Every second wasted, they are looting their homes, raping their daughters and mothers, and lynching the men of the house! They have already hung thirty men, leaving them there! Please sire!"
"No, we must keep me alive, only through my life, can this country function again."
"Sire! Please! Innocent people are getting killed!"
The fiery glare from Dimitri shut him up, and he bowed again.
"I will do as you command."
He got up and left, leaving Dimitri to look on.
The knight rushed out of the castle as he had a garrison of 330 men, with pikes aimed out, and a single magic cannon. Ahead they could see the lynched bodies, the young daughters of nobles being dragged by the hair, and people setting fire to the houses.
He had enough.
"150 of you, come with me, we shall defend the city!"
"Yeaaahhh!"
"Save as many people as you can and get them back to the castle! GO!"
They charged and got locked into a brutal battle, which showed how far this war was coming. At some point, the knight got his side shot, so he retaliated by grabbing the rebel by the face, and snapping his neck with a hard twist, he got the Metia Rod, reloaded and fired, killing another.
But was shot in the back.
He hurried away and found an alleyway, where two daughters of the nobles were hiding. He got close to them, as the alleyway was filling with men and women chasing after them.
No options left, no way out...he saw the terror and sadness in their eyes, and the fate that would befall them, once the men caught them.
"I'm sorry."
He used his sword to stab them both in the head, sparing them, in some way.
He flung himself to the crowd, slicing and dicing his way, before he was overwhelmed by the time he reached the middle of these people. He was skewered to death and beheaded, his head kicked away, like trash.
Finally, Genau landed in the battlefield, he attacked here and there...but noticed a desolate looking building and heard something. He went in and found two men hidden in the shadows, doing something. The light of the moon making it clearer, he saw her.
A small blonde haired girl with pink eyes, her dress ripped open, her eye swollen and the fat, smelly man with his pants down, moving in a suggestive motion. This was a motion, he once caught Subaru doing with Rem, which made him get a scolding.
He recognized two things.
One, the girl looked to be in utter suffering, even as the other sickly, bearded man grabbed her face and kissed her harshly.
Two, the girl was young...quite young...about, Petra's age.
In a flash of thought, he imagined it was Petra being assaulted, and flew into a homicidal rage.
The men noticed his gurgling roar, and were too slow as he began to rip them apart.
Their 'members' were bitten off in hideous fashion, and of course, their faces were chomped into mush.
Finished, he glanced at the mind broken child, she reached out and he obliged, letting her pet his face.
"Please, kill me."
"...Okay."
A knife construct stabbed into her head, putting her into peace at last. Genau used a hand construct to close her eyes, and he walked away.
Emerging from the shadows, all of these men, even his allies, flinched in terror seeing the Red Lantern sulking from the darkness. His red eyes, glowing, as it left a trail behind him, like flames on a torch.
Reinhard jumped down from a building collapsing, as Attero ran through a building, making it break apart as well.
"Genau, we need to assault the castle!"
"I know, but the element of ssssurprise is gone, right?"
"Then go in, with a flashy spectacle!"
"EXACTLY! And I have jussssst the thing!"
Making his eyes glare up at the imposing looking castle…
"Hang on to me."
Genau grinned in yet another hideous manner.
Dimitri retrieved his cutlass sword, right as his maid pointed at the window.
"WHAT IS THAT?!"
Dimitri noticed the room getting darker, and turned his head to see-
"GROOOAARRRR!"
Genau in his Juggernaut form, with Reinhard and Attero riding on his back. He slammed into the castle, making the Crazed Prince jump back, and the maid to be flung across the room.
Dimitri jumped out the window, using his fingers to break into the wall allowing him to hang on. Genau saw him and had an array of weapon constructs fire at him. He broke them apart, but Reinhard jumped out an adjacent window. Dimitri swung his sword, making Reinhard hop back. Then, the Sword Saint kicked off the wall, leaving a giant dent on the side of the castle, and began drawing his Dragon Sword.
It shined and beamed as it was being drawn, like there was a light show inside the sheath. Genau returned to normal size and flew at Dimitri, Attero jumped from the top of the castle, right at him.
Dimitri pierced up with his sword, shooting a hole through Attero's shoulder, making him growl in displeasure, but gave Reinhard a chance to try and kick him. Dimitri ran across the wall and let out a sword slice, which carved a large section of the city below.
Reinhard spun around and used his Dragon Sword to clash with his rapier, causing the entire side of the castle to begin collapsing.
Genau flew through the rubble and used his Revenga Art: Overkill, to help Reinhard out. Dimitri then did a massive rapid piercing strikes with his sword, going so fast and brutally, it sounded like let engines firing off.
Reinhard blocked them, but still got shallow holes on his face and forearms.
Genau coughed blood, even with his aura surrounding him, the impacts made the entire right side be filled with dents.
Genau hurled out napalm, of which Dimitri masterfully spun around, and eloquently stabbed him in the face.
Or so he thought.
"Oh well!"
Genau snarled, as the blade only stabbed through his cheeks, leaving him to fume in anger at him.
Reinhard landed a kick and made him crash through a few sections of the castle, landing in the kitchen.
Genau was the first to fly at him, making sure to use his tail to create spike constructs to attack. Yet Dimitri skipped past them and had his blade strike ferociously, with such force, clouds were parting in the air.
Genau did not give up, even as the rapier was landing gastly blows and wounds on him, the blood trickled around him.
The maid from earlier was getting back on her feet, lucky that she was spared from the collapsing castle. She crawled away and headed down the spiral stairs. Just for Reinhard to slam through the wall, his face covered in blood.
He quickly glanced at her, sending her into a fright, but he reassured her pleasantly.
"Sorry maa'm, please leave while you can."
So he dashed out of there, out through the hole he made, leaving her to run again.
As she exited out, Attero ran across the grass in front of her, dodging projectiles slashes Dimitri launched at him, making her trip. Shaking her head, and springing back up, she made her way to the entry gates, running like hell.
Glancing back, she saw violet slashes from Dimitri, crimson attacks by Genau, and pillars of blue light by Reinhard.
They danced around in the buildings that made up the castle, she was entranced for a moment, but something flew out of the havoc.
Landing by her, the maid could see the Red Lantern and his white fur completely covered in blood, stitching constructs keeping his body from falling apart.
But it was when he hopped up, her lovely blue eyes shrunk, witnessing him.
The moon behind him, the smoke hovering around it, made it look majestic.
For when he hopped up, the blood sprinkled and jetted out of him….the light of the moon, and the slow process of her time, made it look like blood red angel wings.
"GROOOAAAARRRR!"
"Ah!"
Genau flew around her and back to the fight.
Dimitri was bloodied as well...no longer in the castle, but high up in the adjacent mountains, leaving the totaled castle, along with entire sections of the mountains, broken apart.
It was like an entirely different war was going on.
Attero struggled to his feet, the large dark lion, had blood seeping from wounds on his chest.
Yet he bared his fangs at the Crazed Prince, whose dark burgundy eyes seemed more exhausted, scanned around.
"And where is that...ah, there he is."
Genau flew against him, clashing weapon constructs against his insane, speedy swordsmanship.
Genau activated his second Revenga Art Slipknot, but backed away, as Reinhard used a massive chop attack...just to distract him.
Genau once again grew to enormous size and…
"SSSSSLIPKNOT!"
The drilling spike constructs fired out leveling the entire capital, and even nearby towns and cities. Worse than any natural disaster that could've befell this city.
Genau returned back to normal size, panting and heaving, Dimitri stabbed him in the head, right near where his ear was. But saw why he did not go deep enough...Reinhard had caught his arm.
The Sword Saint, whose uniform was completely a mess and torn apart, kneed away his arm and grabbed his Dragon Sword with both hands.
With all his might he swung the sword…
Dimitri activated the Cursed Sword he had, which made any injuries he inflicted onto others become activated as healing magic towards himself. He relished as he was back to fighting-
"Huh?!"
"FACE THE MIGHT OF THE ASTREA LINEAGE! THE MIGHT OF LUGNICA!"
The blue ray of light which blasted out of his sword swing, looked as though it would reach the moon, cutting off Dimitri's arm and burning off half his face.
Genau, with the sword still stuck on his head hurled blood at his abdomen, melting most of it away.
Attero got behind him and bit off his trapezius muscle, Dimitri angrily slammed his palm back, denting the top of Attero's head slightly in.
Attero, growled happily, when he turned to see it it was too late.
Time slowed to a crawl, emerging from the smoke was Reinhard.
"Impossible. I am chosen, the prophesied one, emperor that shall rule, he who would not yield. All things the snow touched were mine. Why? Why then? WHY THEN?! SWORD SAAAAAAINT!"
He readied to strike back, but Reinhard...let go of his sword, and pressed his feet down, getting into a squat. Dimitri missed his punch, Reinhard flattened his hand...and pressed the lance of a hand into his face.
His eyes caved in, right as Reinhard, clenched a fist.
"Begone, mad king."
"You'll never-"
Weakly, his voice was, at that moment.
And Reinhard punched his head into a dent, with a single punch.
He got low again and grabbed his face, and with an incredible hop using his entire leg muscles, and devastating the land behind him with the sheer velocity, landed a headbutt on Dimitri.
This completely destroyed his head, ending it once and for all.
Reinhard walked away and grabbed his sword, the resulting attack tore away all his upper clothes, but still ripped up his pants. He looked over to Genau, who nodded in agreement.
Reinhard gave a nod, so Genau could inform the world itself.
"GRRRRROOOOOOOOAAAAR!"
Genau let out the victory yell, it had been complete.
His roar echoed out, drowning out the sounds of war, the sounds of flames and all such things. Genau was now seen, flying through the air, having the body of Dimitri levitate next to him.
Everyone saw this; the maid, the fleeing civilians that stopped dead in their tracks, the soldiers that ceased their fighting.
The rebels walked through the crowds and watched as Genau dropped Dimitri's body on the ground, and sure enough Reinhard landed safely next to him.
With a stoic composure, he raised a fist.
"THE PRINCE OF GUSTEKO IS DEAD! THE GREAT SPIRIT IS DEFEATED! ALL FORCES OF GUSTEKO, SURRENDER AT ONCE!"
Genau was still defensive about what should occur...but with the echoing orchestra of weapons dropping onto the gravel floor, Reinhard shut his eyes.
However, he opened them again and raised his fist even higher and mercifully declared it, a tear forming near his eye.
"THEN IT IS DONE! THE WAR IN GUSTEKO, IS OOOOOOVVVVVVEEEEEERRRRRR!"
The Lugnican men did not cheer or anything, they were simply too exhausted to do so, yet they felt a quiet joy and relief, that they could finally begin going home.
The Gustekians, felt both relief and anger. One hand, this life consuming horror was finally done, yet it was once again the rich that forced their hand and made their unwilling sons, brothers, daughters and sisters fight a battle, that no one wanted any part of.
Attero began walking down the mountain, tired and weakened, he felt the grass and snow, and relished the comfort it gave him.
The maid from before saw him, and felt no fear, simply turning around to her defeated nation.
The Monarchy of Gusteko, that which controlled since so long ago...was no more.
A new era for this country had begun.
A few days later…
The rebels had begun helping in repairs, and even the countrymen that fought against them helped. Genau sat on a roof watching, glancing over at the completely destroyed castle on the mountain, and then back to the people aiding the wounded.
Reinhard was in a fur coat, watching funeral processions, of the families who lost loved ones in this horrifying disaster.
Reinhard saw their stares, ones expressed with gratitude...and hidden fright.
He accepted it as much, and continued to watch.
Attero laid in the snow, eating some meat given to him, staring as people began having an outdoor debate about the future of Lugnica.
Futile.
Attero knew that once all was said and done, large swathes of this nation would be absorbed into Lugnica, and they'd be too afraid to fight back.
He simply ate away, caring nothing for the feeble Gusteko concerns.
The snow did not blanket them, did not fall once that day.
There was no need, the sense of an eerie chill, was already there.
Battle of the Best
Lugnican Casualties: 15,100
Gusteko Casualties (Including Rebels): 702,000
IN TOTAL:
With the various stages of battles that occurred in these northern snow covered lands, devoid of the beauty the other nations were blessed with. Not just the men with Reinhard and Genau, but the other divisions that traversed the mountains and valleys of this kingdom, they faced their own dilemmas and hardships. It was evident that sickness, malnutrition, gross mistreatment of villages, and skirmishes between rebels and the empire, caused more lives to be lost.
It could only be rounded up to a rough estimate…
Lugnica Casualties: 150,000
Gusteko Casualties: 2,500,000
Meanwhile, southward, before the end of this theatre...was…
VOLLACHIA THEATRE
Jolokia did nothing, he couldn't, as the Blue Lightning rocketed at him, lightning streaming out of his body.
Time was slowing to a crawl, but he could sense it.
DEATH.
He was staring death in the eyes.
And it had blue hair, wore a japanese attire and smiled like an innocent boy.
He could sense it.
Despair.
Callaloo hugging him.
Moussaka grabbing Juel to run away.
Lisette being pushed back by Bougatsa.
The men struggling to aim their Metia Rods at him.
Sagittarius running forward with her cloned sister Pisces.
It was useless, Jolokia's instincts as a warrior, knew this quite well.
He would die in less than twenty seconds, and all his friends would be slaughtered without mercy.
In his head, he quietly whispered into himself.
"Please, you can kill me as violently as you want, please, let the others die quickly."
He shut his pulsating red eyes, waiting for it to end.
"GUAAAAHHHHH!"
Yet that sudden scream and the sound of shattering glass awoke him.
He turned and saw it, the crimson light of hope.
Wilhelm.
Mimi.
Carlous Rex.
They leaped in through the window, letting smoke and flames follow behind them.
Cecilus redirected himself with a spin and had his sword clash with Wilhelm's.
The resulting shockwave, made the entire room crack, and shoved them all back.
Mimi had constructs of spinning tops attack Cecilus with incredible speed, but he quickly destroyed them, only for Carlous Rex to begin hurling his flame breath at him, Cecilus leaped through it, but met with Wilhelm instead, who created many sword constructs and had each of them attack. Mimi slid across the floor and had earth spikes fire out of the ground.
Cecilus chuckled as electricity flowed around his body destroying the rocks.
But a gloved punch hit him in the face, surprising him, it was Wilhelm, who tried to follow up with a rapid flurry of sword strikes. Cecilus zipped around it and cut open his back. But Wilhelm twisted himself in a circling motion and had his sword land against his.
"Open your eyes young man."
"HUH?"
He puked out napalm blood which melted his sword, opening him to a frog leap headbutt, just for Mimi to create a giant fist construct which blasted him through the entire palace.
Wilhelm floated up, right as Sagittarius began firing her special Metia Rod, giving them the solid idea, Cecilus was still up.
LIGHTNING SHOT OUT!
Slicing open Wilhelm's chest, cutting Mimi's face, slicing open Carolus Rex's leg, injuring Sagittarius in the back...and blasting Pisces' head off.
The Lewes Clone evaporated into light.
Wilhelm saw the death of their faithful servant and glared at where Cecilus landed.
"You will pay for that."
"This is a war, ain't a distinction really, is there?"
"I suppose not, but your death is still assured."
Cecilus drew another sword, with blood dripping down his forehead.
They began to fight again. Mimi had a hula hoop construct around her, then four more spinning rapidly. Their sharp edges were evident to anyone who saw them.
"Mimi's Revenga Art Number 2! Jagger Moves, Moves!"
She raced at him, and the constructs would be spinning faster and faster keeping Cecilus to use his sword to keep blocking her. Carolus Rex sliced at him, but an electric shock pushed him back.
The electricity got him pushed back in a defensive manner, when Sagittarius fired shots at him, bouncing him a bit.
Wilhelm got his second Revenga Art, and had the giant blade slam down, completely collapsing the palace right on top of them.
All warriors emerged out of the rubble, right as Cecilus jumped into the air with two swords, his innocent smile ruined by his eyes shining bright neon blue. A torrent of storm like electricity flowed around himself as he raised his swords higher.
He howled happily, like a child on a swing, and struck down.
A blinding light.
Jolokia and the others, ran for it...but it was fruitless. The light, blinding and ferocious, sounding like the growl of bear, encompassed them. Each one looked back, as they feared what came next.
A SINGLE LIGHTNING BOLT, SO MASSIVE IT DWARFED THE RUBBLE, STRUCK DOWN.
The resulting electrical bolts devastated the capital, sending buildings crumbling off the ground and people to go flying.
An tactical nuke, would do just the same.
Walking through the smoke, Cecilus grinned and brushed his hair...just to sense bloodlust.
He had his sword guard him, but the red sword swerved and got him in the side of his neck. He forced it out and backed away.
There stood Wilhelm, with his shirt completely gone, showing off the shocking build he had, looking ever healthy and strong even at his age.
Mimi stepped out as well, her sleeves completely gone, and with a black eye.
Carolus stepped forward, missing some of his fangs and drooling blood.
Sagittarius stepped out, completely nude, but still holding onto her Metia Rod close.
Cecilus laughed.
"Ahuhuhuhuhuhahahaha! This is what I've always wanted! The struggle that may very well bring forth the sword I have been searching for! The Red Lantern Corps is truly strong! Very strong! Oh, I must thank the Empire for starting this war! Now I shall achieve the Heaven's Sword, and become the one in the pinnacle of strength!"
"...Your endless prattle is irksome boy. Ready your sword already."
"Wait, sword?"
He looked down and saw his katana crumble to dust, heat escaping from it, an obvious reddish substance.
"How clever."
"Come then."
All of them charged at Cecilus who readied himself. He swung his blade, with Mimi blocking it with her forearms, it saved her, but her arms became black and purple. An obvious sign they were broken.
Wilhelm pressed down and spiraled slices at him, some did cut Cecilus, but others missed completely. Cecilus did the same, a piece of Wilhelm's right ear, the side of his face, his left pinky and the tips of his three left toes came off.
Wilhelm pressed on, and so did Cecilus, their speed was cosmic.
Wilhelm backed away, just as Carolus used his claws to strike at him, landing a single cut on his right shoulder. And with a downward swing with his katana, lightning came down from the sky, blasting the Ma-Beast's head off.
Mimi watched as Carolus' body began falling to the ground.
Remembering his birth in the experiment grounds.
The times she teased him, their running around, eating meals sitting on his back.
And she began to cry.
"MIMI IS NEVER GONNA FORGIVE YOU, SPARKLY GUY!"
Wilhelm once again traded rapid strikes, but with electricity aiding him, he cut off his left hand.
Using his ring's power, he created a hand construct to replace it and began to once again fight again. Even gogin as far as to fire a beam at Cecilus, only slightly burning his right cheek.
But they both felt something as Sagittarius jumped at him firing her Metia Rod rapidly. Cecilus balanced and used his sword to cut off her left arm, making it evaporate into light.
But this was it, the moment Mimi needed.
And she flew right at him.
He prepared to block it,...instead, he took the hit.
You see, though Cecilus had the speed of lightning on his side, which could be calculated at 750 miles per hour; there was a difference between his speed and a Lantern.
Lanterns were required to fly through space, meaning the distance say, going from Earth to Mars, means great speed must be attained.
This may mean wormholes, but it in reality, this can mean so much more. It means by traveling to a planet such as Mars...it's clear that lightspeed was possible.
And it was.
Even as her muscles tore apart, her eyes became bright white and bloodshot, her skin was ripping...the ring made her fly, for just a moment, at lightspeed.
Resulting in her small body blasting a hole through Cecilus, and in turn making Mimi crash land, miles away, unconscious.
Cecilus tried to focus, his hair wild and strewn about, blood trickling out of his mouth.
His eyes wide, his formulating plans and contingencies as rapidly as humanly possible, trying to figure out what he was going to do next.
Then Wilhelm dashed at him, Cecilus swung his sword right at his eye, Wilhelm headbutted, utilizing his ring's aura to snap it into pieces. Cecilus drew a short sword, of which Wilhelm used a bent wrist thrust, combined with a steel pad construct over his hand construct, to smash it to pieces.
Cecilus fired lightning from his palm in a karate style palm heel punch, Wilhelm got his shoulder burned, but he then grabbed his wrist and used the momentum to swing his own sword.
Cecilus smiled, as he quickly drew another short sword.
So when he blocked the sword strike, he was caught by surprise by a massive kick to the face by Wilhelm, the very slab where the tip of his toes were supposed to be, broke the warrior's nose, and made him reel back.
"You are truly at my grandson's level, and beyond the love of my life. HOWEVER! You are too arrogant in your power, leaving you open to even the most basic of martial arts!"
Wilhelm was following with a elbow strike to his chest, Cecilus yet again smiled, shooting electricity out of his mouth.
Wilhelm had a sphere aura protect him, but this gave Cecilus the moment to draw out his last katana, aiming to slice Wilhelm's head in two.
That elbow strike, a feint, a fake.
Wilhelm used that motion to quickly parry Cecilus' wrist away from his face and with his fist by his waist, fired a out of nowhere beam with his ring.
It tore through flesh and made a singe, a smoldering hole in his right lung.
Cecilus, did not relent, he did not falter.
His victory was assured, as it always would be, there was no way he would lose.
Not even the Sword Saint was able to actually kill him, how could he lose to his grandfather?
Preposterous!
The Blue Lightning, was destined, fated to defeat those who dared to attack the king and kingdom.
"I WILL WIN!"
"I RESPECT YOUR RESOLVE! COME! EN GARDE!"
They made their last charge, hoping to use what they could at their disposal.
In this moment, a warrior of any class, any fighting style or sword style, within seconds of getting close, begin formulating a couple, to a hundred different scenarios of what may happen. And what to do to counter it.
Wilhelm and Cecilus were no different.
They both yelled, screamed at each other, as they were moments within striking distance.
A spark, one that spiraled of red and blue ambience, which let out the screech of a hawk, stopped any fighting dead in its tracks.
Everyone looked, stared.
No swords moved, nobody moved, hearts skipped a beat. If there were clocks, they skipped a turn.
Then from the smoke...they saw it.
"Hahhhhhh, Cecilus Segmunt. You, were truly strong."
A sword stabbed through Wilhelm's collarbone.
And his final Revenga Art stabbed through Cecilus….THREE TIMES.
His Cheek!
His CHEST!
HIS NECK!
Six arm constructs, with different kinds of blades; rapier, machete, cutlass, the works! They porttutuded off of Wilhelm's back, moving around almost sickeningly, as if they were made of jelly.
REVENGA ART 3! EXODUS - ASHURA!
Cecilus had barely a moment to even articulate how much he messed up, when his mouth was sliced open by another arm, making his head fold open, barely hanging on.
A ghastly sight, his teeth were shown, his tongue stuck out, and his body fell over.
"GRAAAGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!"
His constructs dissipated and his sword raised, though covered in blood as much as he was, Wilhelm let out the roar needed.
Jolokia barely getting to his feet, did the same.
AND LUGNICA'S MEN AND WOMEN CHEERED!
The Vollachians, caught in disbelief, watched, letting them go as they ran to Wilhelm and at the rubble where the Royal Palace was.
It was over.
No matter what they did, there was absolutely no way, they could win.
The brave, mighty, well-trained and proud men and women of Vollachia, began to drop their weapons. Falling to their knees, some grown men weep, a commander fell on his behind as his men watched on hopelessly.
ALL GOD GENERALS HAD BEEN KILLED, AND THE CAPITAL HAD BEEN TAKEN.
Vincent Vollachia, was already in a secret tunnel trying to escape.
"Oho! A secret tunnel, huh?"
Turning his head, right behind him, was doom.
Even being strong as he was, even with his summoned Crimson Sword, the same as Priscilla once held...he knew it was not worth it.
"Ovidius Loman."
"Oh c'mon, after everything our boys and girls did, you really thought we'd let you get away with this? We can't have you coming back a few years down the line, and causing an uproar now can we?"
"...My bloodline-"
"Already taken care of."
Pulling out a sack, he dropped the contents, showing the Emperor of the destroyed nation...his children. Spread across the country, it was a process in which the children would eventually grow up and battle for the throne, who ever remained in the end, was crowned. Now it was useless, they were all gathered there.
Well, their heads were, as they rolled over to Vincent's feet.
"YOU SHIT OF THIS WORLD!"
"We have to take every precaution, make sure Vollachia suffers an absolutely, humiliating defeat."
"Vollachia will rise again."
"Truly so, after we force it to, right?"
Vincent charged at him, aiming to use his sword to cut through Ovidius...noticing a white haired woman, beautiful, with a long black dress and an overly long pink scarf around her neck.
"AL SHAMAK!"
Darkness enveloped where he stepped...but he smiled, he was strong, fast, and could never fall for such a measly magic spell. He ran across the wall...only to find Ovidius tackling him through a sudden Blood Portal.
"You can't outplay me, Emperor."
He found himself in outer space, floating, running out of breath, freezing to death. Ovidius shoved him away, making the emperor realize something was dragging him away.
Gravity.
The gravitational force, of the sun itself.
He tried with all his might, but yielded no way of escape.
Ovidius waved goodbye at him, eyes and expressions hidden still by his helmet, goggles alit by the blaze of the sun.
"Goodbye Vincent-san, and don't worry, we'll make sure to take good care of your home for ya!"
"DAMN YOOOOOOUU-"
He began burning up, boiling skin, eyes popping and teeth crumbling...and in a few seconds, he bursted to dust, leaving nothing behind.
Ovidius placed his hands on his hips, nodding at the fine work he had done.
"How lovely, heh, heh."
Going back to the tunnel with another Blood Portal, Beatrice leaned on a wall and brushed her hair.
"All good, I suppose?"
"Yup."
"Then let's head back, Emilia will need to be informed."
"Right, right."
Beatrice and Ovidius slowly walked away, the convenient escape tunnel, empty of all life...never to be used properly.
It had ended, no matter how much the Vollachians dreaded it...THEIR EMPIRE HAD LOST THE WAR.
Three days later...
Moussaka sat next to his brother, and watched as the men and women of their army went around surveying the damage, carrying off the wounded and transporting enemy prisoners.
The capital was completely destroyed for sure, not a single building, structure or house was left standing. But at least the flames died down.
Juel was being transported in a carriage, so Mousakka rushed over to see her. He held her hand, which was badly burned.
In fact, half of her body, minus her face, was hideously burned as a result of Cecilus's massive lightning attack.
"You'll be okay?"
"Yes, thank you."
"I'll come see you soon."
"I understand."
He gave her a small kiss on the forehead, and the driver nodded seeing this, making the Ground Dragon begin moving. Even as the carriage began to slowly move, he tried to keep holding onto her hand, but eventually he had to let go. The carriage rode away, leaving Moussaka to be comforted by Runther, who rubbed his head on his leg.
Bougatsa had Lisette resting her head on his lap. She suffered from a black eye, but he didn't mind in the slightest, he would comfort the girl who saved his brother as much as possible.
Jolokia looked at the tarped over bodies of his soldiers, his own left arm being held by a cast.
Two in particular, he gazed at deeply, sadly.
It was the tarped over bodies of Bertha and DuPont. He nodded, and Callaloo, who only had a bandage over her shoulder, crawled over and placed two flowers on them.
Jolokia patted her head and they began walking away, from the thousands, countless even, tarped over bodies.
Inside the rubble of the Palace, commanders of the Vollachian Armed Forces, at least those that survived, faced one side. As the surviving Lugnican commanders, which included Jolokia, faced them a few feet away.
The ceremony had begun.
Representatives of the Lugnican and Vollachian council met with them, and a table was set up. Wilhelm and Mimi stood on an unbroken pillar, watching carefully.
The councilmen signed a paper, which was already blessed with the signature of Emilia.
After a few minutes, a council member stood up.
"Then let it be known, to all witnesses, and those hearing currently in the capital through the Metia provided by Ovidius Loman. After nearly a year of battling, the time has come to put our swords down in the south. Though brave and battle-ready, we have seen the outcome, and it is clear."
"...Hm."
"As of this signing, the death of their emperor and the annihilation of their capital….VOLLACHIA HAS NOW FORMALLY SURRENDERED! THE WAR IN THE SOUTH IS OVER!"
The men cheered, cried and applauded the ending given to them. Yet it was of course the Vollachian witnesses and civilians, that cried, cringed and angrily looked away.
From a simple villager, to a highly decorated commander...they were humiliated.
With the papers signed, Vollachia was forced to undergo several reprimands.
1.) Vollachia would surrender around 40% of its northern territories, to be absorbed by Lugnica.
2.) They would begin a process of disarming for the next two years, until the border settling was established.
3.) Reprimand payments would be paid yearly, until all debts were paid off.
4.) They were not allowed to be ruled by an emperor and would have elections that Lugnica itself would oversee.
5.) All islands, archipelagos and small mounds of water based lands, would be dissolved from Vollachia and be turned into Puppet States.
6.) All prisoners would be given re-education, for the purpose of reintegrating back to their new society.
This made the powerful nation, a mere footnote under Lugnica, again, HUMILIATING.
Then a Lugnica soldier ran forward and yelled, screamed and applauded happily.
"GUYS! Guys! I just got news! We did it! Again, we did it! We just conquered Gusteko! WE WON THE NORTH!"
More cheering, more applause, more pride!
Even the councilmen were overjoyed to hear this.
The Vollachians were mortified, an ally within the Triple Alliance, had also fallen, no doubt meaning that their Prince had been slain.
This meant as clear as day; Kararagi was alone, left to be the sole full attention of the Lugnican war machine.
It felt hopeless, and it would be.
Many civilians feared what came next, with some people too ashamed to live on.
The country would see a high rise of suicides, with entire families dying in shame and panic.
Even the commanders there, given trust to defend their home from the invaders, would find half of their survivors hanging themselves.
And, their mighty flag, which carried the symbol of a defiant white wolf impaled by a red sword, with blue and orange triangles making up the rest of it...fell, and replaced, by the golden symbol of two dragons facing away, a red jewel in the middle, purple making up the rest of it; being raised instead.
Next to it, obviously, a red flag of the Red Lantern Insignia, also stood tall.
IN TOTAL:
The killing would end, after dissenters tried many times to take back their home...only to be crushed. Some towns tried to rebel against their conquerors, only to be decimated.
Vollachia would struggle less, and less, until it finally...lost the will to fight anymore.
The results, were horrifying.
Lugnican Casualties: 427,000
Vollachia Casualties: 5,000,000
"I didn't know you smoked Jolokia-san."
"Grrrr, Not really, it's a herb, cause my nerves are inflamed. Apparently, it's supposed to help, but we'll see."
Moussaka ran into Jolokia as he sat on some of the rubble of the palace with a tobacco pipe, he decided to join him.
"I can't believe it's over."
"Is it really, Grrrrrr?"
"Hm?"
Letting out a puff, the grey furred sabertooth, stared out at the jovial men that celebrated the end of their campaign, and sighed.
"We have conquered two of the aggressors, but that leaves just one nation left."
"Kararagi…"
"And their capital is notorious for being well protected, even more so than Rupanga."
Moussaka rubbed his nose noticing Bougatsa leaning on a wall, sipping on his own mug of ale, hugging a clearly drunk Lisette.
"So what will you do now Jolokia-san? What are you-"
"-I'm not going home Moussaka."
"HUH?"
Jolokia tapped his pipe and got up, grabbing his laid down battleaxe.
"What are you talking about?"
"Unlike you and your brother, I am a warrior through and through, I simply will not be rested, when I know this war is not over."
"You've done enough. You're a legend among the entire Vollachia forces, you killed a God General, and led us all into the palace. Please, I do not want to seem rude or foolish on this matter, but honor be damned...out of everyone here, you should be going home."
Jolokia glanced down at the desperate Moussaka, who slightly trembled out of impatience with him, making the tiger smile.
"I appreciate your words Tzatziki, but I'm not one to give up a fight."
"Our fight is over."
"No, your fight is, as is your brother, Juel-chan and Lisette-chan, even Runther."
He peeked up and saw the Red Lanterns floating up there.
Wilhelm nodded stoically and Mimi gave a peace sign, flying away. Jolokia couldn't help but take it as a sign…
"I'm afraid the Crimson Truth that flows in me, asks me to do so."
"That religion talking, or you?"
"Both, it's a part of me."
Moussaka couldn't keep up the argument, and just gave up, hugging his knees in disappointment.
Jolokia patted his shoulder and made his way out, Callaloo jumped off a roof and walked next to him.
"Shouldn't you stay as well Callaloo?"
"Nope! I stay with Jolo and never leave his side!"
"Hmmmm, is that really what you want, grrrr?"
She nodded happily, making the God General sigh, letting the stowaway accompany him.
Bougatsa watched on, simply quiet about the overheard conversation.
Later, Jolokia stood in front of three companies, four hundred men and women each. Recognizable faces here and there, the female mage, the burned arm lizardman, the men with Vollachia flags and the skull masked Dragon Rider.
All of them personally requested to be sent to the Kararagi frontlines and help their fellow countrymen in the offensive push.
Jolokia had them sing their national anthem, letting the defeated and low morale Vollachians hear it…
"Darkness falls
And the terrors fade away
Home of the dragon
And the home of the brave!
Facing the storm, battered and torn
Fighting for our Glorious Land!
Come take our hand, together we stand
Defending our Glorious Land!
HAIL TO LUGNICA!"
The men and women loudly repeated the pledge.
"HAIL TO OUR SAVIORS! THE RED LANTERN CORPS!"
They once again loudly repeated this pledge.
"Let's go."
They began to march forward, out of that desolate city, when a group stopped in front of him.
"You gonna leave a bunch of old workers like us behind?"
"You guys?"
Bougatsa, Lisette, Runther and Moussaka were there in their uniforms waiting for him.
"No, grrrrr. You should be heading home."
"Stern order sure, but we can't follow it. We just can't leave a buddy like you behind."
"But...grrrr…"
"Jolokia-san, we came to the war with you, we'd like to see it end with you."
Stunned by this he glanced around seeing the nods of approval from the men and women he was a part of for what felt like years.
Moussaka smiled at him…
"You guys are a bunch of damn fools, grrrrrr. Can't help it."
He motioned them to catch up, and they followed. Zeppelins flew over them, baring paintings on their sides of many different things; dragions, eagles, skeletons of wolves or just the Red Lantern insignia.
So they marched out of the capital to see the carriages that would help transport them to their next destination, hopefully their last.
It was time.
Jolokia looked up to the clouds, and he could see the faces of his comrades, his friends.
"Bertha, DuPont, Midge, please watch us."
And he faced the front again.
"We're going to finish what we started, grrrrr."
In a way, this was merely a different route, to return to their kingdom, to the parades, the food, the beds and families that awaited them. And what a long, long way from home, it truly was.
At the same time, Reinhard, Genau and Attero were leading half of their men and 120,000 Rebel volunteers to the western border, which entered the eastern section of Kararagi.
All the players were being set, as the entire might of Lugnica was bearing it's claws towards the neck of Kararagi.
Yet…
KARARAGI THEATRE
"Show me a lovely time!"
"If you mean a brutal death, I can do that and more for you."
"EVEN BETTER!"
Garavito charged first, but Federica kept up her low jiu-jitsu stance...and the time came, she slid down, clamped her legs on his back right leg. Using her might she yanked him down to the ground and proceeded to ground and pound him. But in a remarkable move, he twisted his leg and kneed her on the side of the head.
She got off her mount on him, but tried to backflip kick him still, amazingly he got in a handstand and had a kick collide with hers. Back to their feet they began to trade punches and slashes.
Garavito had his finger knives aim consistently for her eyes, yet it was one strike that Frederica grabbed his arm and flung him to an arm toss...not to notice he actually momentarily dislocated his own arm and clawed her back open, making her not follow through.
He hopped back to his feet putting his feet back to normal...JUST TO EAT A HIDEOUSLY MASSIVE RIGHT HOOK RIGHT TO THE FACE.
Even a two page spread in a magazine, could not detail the sheer volume of power behind this punch.
But it only brought joy to Garavito.
He stepped his foot down and marvelously sliced forward, cutting up the earth behind Frederica, like a bazooka fired off behind her. She blocked it with her arms, but it cut them up badly.
He launched a overhead kick which she ducked under, only for him to kick off the ground and land a flat kick to her face, breaking her nose.
Taking advantage she reached her arms out, hugging his leg and slamming him to the ground, as he got up she kneed him the face, so he used both hands to stab her leg. And she elbowed his head. Still stabbed in the leg, she was rapidly stabbed over and over again.
Two chops to the head, made him stop and she palm thrusted him away.
Garavito was elated in the damage he took and dealt...but was silently disappointed in one fact.
"Not serious."
Frederica at no point used her ring against him whatsoever, she had not at any point used a construct or fired a beam or even hurled out napalm blood, using only brute force.
"Come on! Come on! Take me seriously my love! Maybe then I'll make you my girlfriend!"
"Worthless Kara-scum, shall I tell you then? I see no point in using my given gift upon you. Not an ounce of it, why should I for a mad beast like you?"
"HUH?!"
He seemed irked by this.
"Really now?"
"That's right, you are a simple pebble in my way, and a pebble requires no effort to kick away, does it?"
Both of them covered in blood, both of them waiting for the other to make a move.
Frederica's left eye and cheek were swollen, and her right eye was partially blind from blood, her arms were streaming blood out.
Garavito's face had cuts all over his cheeks and deep lashes on the top of his head.
HE SMILED.
"Fine, I'll make you take me seriously."
His left eye suddenly shined and two golden streams of light, like whips, zipped around and cut apart the ground, Frederica leaped back, but the top of her left thigh was cut off, oozing blood and making pain reach into her brain.
He faced her.
"LIKE IT?! No one on this entire world could get a Metia implant like this! EXCEPT ME! ME! ME! This is what makes me different! THis is what makes me handsome and great! THIS IS WHAT HELPS ME KILL SCROES OF PEOPLE! YOUNG, OLD, WISE, STUPID, IT DON'T MATTER! DON'T MATTER! I KILL, BEACUSE I AM ALIVE! RIGHT!?"
.
.
.
.
.
"I see, I apologize for calling you a pebble."
"Hahaha, yup."
"...YOU ARE AN ANT."
Now he was insulted, his long tongue dripping saliva and blood.
"RUN THAT BY ME AGAIN!?"
"An insect. That is what you are, nothing but a small thing that bites and flies around. Poison can be a factor, so can speed, and maybe even a frightening appearance too. But it is still the same, you are a bug, meant to be nothing more than squashed."
Now in a hitman boxing stance, she grinned mockingly at him.
"Prepare to be stepped on, you mere cockroach."
"...I….I LOVE YOU!"
Garavito charged at her, the glowing whips still coming out of his eye.
He was not an ordinary person by any means.
When Garavito was a child, he was actually born to a well known kimono sewing mother. Though single, she had her dates and flings, but still found time to take care of her child.
He adored her.
But he was picked on a lot, mainly because he was socially awkward with other women.
They did not act like his mother, talk like his mother or dress like his mother.
He became isolated and sad, but it was something his mother said that truly spoke to him.
"You are alive Garavito, that means you should live it to the fullest. Whatever speaks to you."
So he did.
He began murdering women.
It was always brutal, and he kept a body part with him, hidden in a box in his room.
Fingers, eyes, lips, nose, clitoris, ear, whatever he fancied.
They were his friends.
But when his mother accidentally discovered it, she verbally chastised him, asking him to turn himself in...so he raped her, and strangled her to death.
His mind was now completely broken.
Yet no punishment was given to him, the strength he exubrated was sought after by the Kararagi officials, and he was made into a Warrior, being only the third next to Halibel and Delirante.
He was given the joy of killing, slaughtering and attacking others.
He found those joys in battling the Great Spirit Zarestia, clashing with Capella and getting into a scuffle with Lengua, nearly resulting in a war.
But his urges could not be kept under control and one day he slaughtered everyone in a restaurant he frequented, leaving all thirty patrons dead.
Thus he was hunted down, and a battle ensued, all of the Warriors Elite were brought in to capture him.
The battle resulted in the deaths of 22 people caught in the crossfire, but he was jailed nonetheless.
Until this war started, and he was set free yet again.
A man, who had the qualifications of joining the Witch's Cult, and even being appointed as the Sin Archbishop of Wrath, was free to kill again.
"I'll show you what a HUMAN like me is capable of!"
"By all means."
He swung his bladed hands, as Frederica moved to the side trying to land a punch on his ribs. His mana whips targeted her, which made her spin away instead. He sliced her cheek open, but ate a powerful uppercut to the jaw, a whip spiked through her shoulder, and another through her thigh wound.
"AGHK!"
So she headbutted him, using the top of her head to smash his nose. Freeing herself from the impaling whips, she had dodge their mad swipes and pierces with every second of this fight going on and going. A whip clipped her side, making her lose some footing, giving Garavito the prime moment to stab at her face, she sacrificed her forearm, letting it get stabbed to save her face.
He then tried to use an uppercut motion to get her jaw, and had no choice but to use her leg to guard against it, blood spraying out of the wound.
And yet…
"You are so simple."
Frederica grinned madly.
Using her left hand she jabbed three areas on his neck with two strong fingers, making him unnecessarily move his neck right, making the whips miss Frederica.
"TH-THIS IS!"
"Blood is key to us, so what do you think, I did with your friends?"
Instantly, he recognized the attack as the ancient martial art Delirante implemented in his fighting.
And just as instantaneous, he realized her words. She drank his blood and became knowledgeable in the very same art.
Then, his mind sparked, coming to the startling conclusion.
Every Warrior Elite, Every Squadron of Death member, and Every God General...their blood must have been drunk by the corresponding Red Lanterns that killed them, in a brutal bid for upping their power.
YET HE WOULD NOT STOP.
He used his free arm to try again, but freeing herself yet again, she did a ballerina twirl and elbowed him in the ribs, before nerve attacking his entire left arm.
His left arm was useless.
He tried to force the nerves to make it work again, a barbaric fashion for sure. Frederica took the chance, letting out a click of her tongue, as she landed a heel kick to his neck, setting it back upright, then grabbed his head and bit off his nose. And for good measure kneed him in the face.
The whips coming of his eye tried to attack her, destroying and ripping apart large swathes of the earth, the ground, trees, hills...all were destroyed but Frederica.
"I commend you, but, I have things to do."
She finger locked his left fingers, broke them apart, and through the beautiful madness of combat, she used those four finger knives to impale his eye, breaking the Metia inside as well. It erupted into white flames, making him growl in ecstasy and used his arms to bear hug her.
"FUCK! You got your left arm working again?!"
"Oh my lady! Such Paaaaaain! Such injurieeeesssss! I...I LOVE YOU!"
He then kissed her, deep throat and all. His long tongue assaulting hers, all the way down her throat, stealing such a precious moment in her life.
Absolutely startling her, she felt tears build up in her eyes...she would have loved to do this with anyone else but him...NOW SHE WAS MAD.
"MNHF!"
"BRHK!"
He moved his head back...AS FREDERICA BIT OFF HIS TONGUE AND KICKED HIM IN THE CROTCH.
He used his right hand to stab his finger knives onto her buttocks.
"C'mon! Hkkkkkk! K-Ck-K-C'mon! I'll be gentle! F-First time, will be-GOO-"
"-THAT IS THE LAST JOY YOU WILL EVER FEEL!"
Having spat out his tongue, she headbutted him rapidly, at least ten times, before kneeing his crotch and stomach.
Letting out a howl he tried to scrape his knives upward and carve open her back...but with extreme flexibility, she raised her leg up and kicked his arm down, freeing it out of her.
With superior pressure, she pushed his arms off of her and landed two strong hook punches on his face, breaking most of teeth and shutting his other eye closed.
Now a blinded beast, he spun and spun around with his finger knives.
Waiting, waiting, patiently, expertly, quietly….NOW, she charged.
Pouncing down in a jiu-jitsu rush, she grabbed his leg and brought him down, before mounting him and punching him over and over again.
He swiped at her rapidly, but she flipped away and expertly had his legs rest on her shoulder, using her newfound endurance, she ripped her fingers into his sides and lifted him up, his abdomen touching her face...there was reason for this strange lift.
You see, one of the many discussions Frederica had with Subaru, about his homeworld, was in martial arts.
He went through many traditional and nontraditional ones in their conversations...it was for sure she could use judo and silat, but never planned on using Turkish Oil Wrestling or Qigong, ever.
However, one spectator sport that caught her eye, and the legendary move always and forever associated with it...was Pro-Wrestling, and the move?
Oh, well...it was…
THE POWER BOMB.
Using the move for the first time in her life, his head slammed onto the ground, causing such destruction, one would've thought that a meteor crash landed instead.
As the dust settled, Orlena stumbled over, having Nijino lean on her shoulder.
THere they saw Frederica standing upright, as Garavito laid there, head barely hanging onto his neck, and turned a disgusting position.
He was in no condition to do anything.
"I-I-"
"Hm?"
Yet he still smiled.
"I loved it."
Next to Fredrica, no one else saw it, but the specters of those women he killed, including his mother, were there as well...slowly reaching out to him.
"I loved my li-"
Frederica stomped his neck in, completely detaching the head off…
She spat on him, and walked away stroking her hair and licking the blood on her hand, his blood.
"Enjoy hell, you filthy unnamed beast."
Orlena quickened her pace.
"Frederica-sama!"
"Don't move so much, you're injured."
"Don't worry about me! Look at you, you're so covered in wounds!"
"Nothing serious, some healing will close them up easily."
Frederica patted her head and smiled weakily, but checked on Nijino.
"You alright?"
"I failed…"
"No, you were just fine."
"No, I failed...I failed Subaru."
She began to cry.
"Please kill me."
"No."
"Why?"
"Subaru-sama, if I know him well enough, would be heartbroken if you were to become deceased."
"But I-"
"-Nothing you did today, warrants such an extreme outcome Nijino. I can attest to that."
"Frederica…"
Frederica hugged her neck and patted her head.
"Let's go get some rest, okay?"
"O-Okay…"
The three ladies, the only survivors of Garavito's mad massacre began walking away, the breeze blowing around them as the birds of prey began pecking at the Bloodthirsty Madman...his thirst finally ended.
The Rumble of Kaede Forest
Lugnican Casualties: 103,000
Kararagi Casualties: 150,120
The battles, getting closer and closer to the capital, were only to get more intense.
Subaru sat in a tent writing with a feathered pen.
"Excuse me, Natsuki-sama."
"Hm?"
A soldier entered in and bowed to him.
"Hey c'mon, I ain't royalty or anything, please don't do that."
"Yes sir, I beg your pardon, but a few hours the warriors Frederica Preistella and Nijino Josho have arrived."
"Oh, are they okay?"
"Injured, but nothing truly life threatening. Our healers are overseeing them, sir."
He placed his pen down and tapped his chin.
"Alright I'll go see them in a bit, just tell the men to keep their guard up and help with transporting provisions. Oh and also try and get in touch with Emilia and ask her to send me some documents I requested, please."
"Understood, I'll get right on it!"
He nodded and left the tent, leaving Subaru to sit back on his chair.
"May as well…"
Levitating out of the tent, he floated around the busy soldiers as they gathered weapons and kept a close eye to the twin mountains in the distance. A desert like environment welcomed them here, but up ahead there were sporadic oasis lakes and the surprising amount of cherry blossom trees. It was evident that they were nearing the cherry blossom capital…
Going into the tent, Nijino sat up, bandaged up heavily.
"S-Subaru-uh, I'm-"
"-Hey, it's okay, you did good out there."
Patting her head, she began to tear up, leaning herself on him….never seeing the eeire grin on Subaru's face.
In the capital, Halibel sipped on a cup of sake, right as the Sultan himself slammed his cup onto the floor.
"How could this have happened?! HOW?!"
"My lord, please calm down."
"NOT NOW HALIBEL! This is a complete disaster!"
He held his head, pacing back and forth, cherry blossoms floating in gracefully from their outdoor gardens. Guards were indeed there, dressed in ceremonial red samurai armor.
The Sultan sat down on the floor and punched the ground.
"We've lost the initiative, and now with the rest of the Triple Alliance being defeated...we're all by ourselves!"
"Truly awful."
"Our warriors are dead! All of them, even Garavito was unable to kill any of the Red Lanterns!"
"Hmmm."
"And then we received that audacious request!"
He picked up a glass and chugged back his sake.
Halibel pulled out the request in question.
"They're demanding our complete surrender, monetary compliance...and, well…"
"They are demanding we publicly execute you!"
"Really picky about it, huh?"
"...As if we could agree to such demands."
He put the cup down and stared out to the overpopulated capital, people arming themselves, with the mountains having magic cannons aimed in different directions.
"If we can hold them off, even for a year, their public will grow tired of this war...and if we have you complete your task, their morale will fall."
He slammed his palm down and stared eye to eye with Halibel.
"In the coming fight, you are ordered to kill Natsuki Subaru!"
"Roger that…"
Halibel got up and leaned himself on the wooden rail of the room, looking out at the densely beautiful capital city...the cherry blossoms fluttering, dragonflies buzzing around.
"So you're almost here, huh?"
Smoking his golden kiseru, Halibel slowly opened his slit eyes, reminiscing about the Warriors that stood by him over the years...and how now they were all dead.
Jingo Jungle, and his tendency to over order at restaurants? No more.
Wu Tang, and his love of window shopping? Never again.
Nassau Bonney, and her dazzling skills at traditional japanese dancing? Not anymore.
Delirante Knochu, and his absolutely gorgeous calligraphy, which was housed in museums? None to be made again.
Schiebe, and her tendency to collect flower petals into a notebook? That book would never be finished.
Even...Garavito...and his kimono crafting, that which he learned from his own mother, and would stun everyone who saw them? None would be made again.
His team, his brothers and sisters...were gone.
And he could do nothing to save them from the vicious deaths they suffered. His eyes, the ones he usually hid from others to fully see, looked up at the amber sky, wondering, speculating.
NOW, his eyes widened terrifyingly, his teeth bared and clamped down hard, cracking his kiseru pipe a bit, and he screamed.
"COME AND GET SOME, NATSUKI SUBARU!"
The pressure he exhibited was immense and powerful, causing the wooden floor under him to crack and crumble apart, shaking the entire building he was in.
This pleased the Sultan.
"Prepare yourself, Natsuki Subaru. For out of anyone in the entire world, of the four mightiest warriors."
He grinned, shadows obscuring his eyes.
"Halibel is the closest to Reinhard's strength."
And Halibel stood there, a dark aura surrounding him, as his eyes shined like death filled orbs.
And at the same time, Subaru was looking out his tent, still keeping his heinous grin formed.
"Time to die Halibel."
In a few days, the invasion of the capital would commence, and the World War would reach a violent conclusion.
Underground, in that odd realm at the world's core, Volcanica was laying there, having been uninvolved and solitary amidst the World War.
But something was stirring there...he raised his head and looked at one of the Lanterns, the ones buried underground.
He noticed something, a quite peculiar issue, that he hoped was nothing more than a small happenstance. His wings raised and white smoke escaping his mouth.
One of the Lanterns was cracking, and he could swear...that it was as if, something was trying to break out.
TO BE CONTINUED…
AN: Two chapters left...
NEXT TIME: Ch.29..."FACE TO FACE", see ya then!