AN: A somewhat longish chapter? Anyway, hope you enjoy reading~

Chapter 6:

The light outside had brightened as a soft mist hugged the ground, allowing for Killia and his companions to use the sky to their advantage. Twin Dragon Buddy was able to take the combined weight of Killia and Samuel, with Slumbering Cat Aloe Vera, with ease despite his young age. In fact, the dragon seemed eager to be of use, which was something Killia could empathise with.

Killia sat in the middle, with elderly Aloe Vera in front of him acting as a guide and with Samuel behind him, arms around his waist in order to hold on. Killia himself has his own wings but felt it best to stay with his companions. He had already been separated from five of his allies already, through reasons that were unknown. He could not risk another separation.

Not until he reached the battlefield with Samuel, at the very least.

Speaking of which, after they liberated Sleeping Willows, their next task was to find a way to back to the Pocket Netherworld. He would imagine that their companions would be worried.

Especially since he wasn't in the best of shape.

Killia glanced down idly when Samuel readjusted his grip around his waist for the umpteenth time. But he did a doubletake when he noted something white peeking out from beneath Samuel's glove.

Bandages?

Killia grabbed at Samuel's left arm. "Samuel, let me see your hand."

Behind him, Samuel tensed and instinctively tried to pull his arm back. "What?"

"Your hand," Killia reiterated as he tugged at the glove. "Let me see it."

"We're mid-air, Killia," Samuel replied stubbornly. "You can look at it later."

So, he was hiding something.

"We're also about to engage in battle," Killia retorted, just as stubbornly. "You've been favouring it. Did you injury it?"

Unexpectedly, Aloe Vera turned around and helped in the removal of the glove, easily removing at the latches and even taking hold of the glove to allow for Killia to push aside the bandages that were obviously administered in haste, though there was a slight scent of medicine, so there was an attempt at healing.

As the bandages fell away, he was surprised by the level of bruising and lacerations that encircled Samuel's wrist and arm. Deep purple and black bruises dotted around his arm, from his palm to his elbow, and tears followed where the skin pulled taut over the skin. As if created when something rigid and unforgiving was pulled tightly along the length of the arm.

Something like…chains? From the constant use of Yo-Yo Trick?

"What happened?"

Samuel reached around to roughly tug the bandages back on. "It…from Dark Testament," he said simply.

Killia furrowed his brow. He did not remember him gaining such injuries while battling their way through that battleship. Was it…sometime after he had received his injury from Bloodis? "Since then?"

"Ah, yeah."

"Can't you heal yourself?"

Samuel was silently, stubbornly refusing to answer.

"Samuel?"

He finally uttered a sigh and thumped his forehead against Killia's back. "I can't heal myself, Killia."

And his response surprised him. "Why?"

"Because healing requires caring about a person. And self-healing isn't an easy thing to do." Samuel shifted uncomfortably behind him as he slipped his glove back on. "Happy?"

"No." Far from it. Did he just admit that he didn't care about himself? "This entire time you were healing me while you were in pain?"

"Not exactly true. It only hurt when I used it or bumped it."

Killia rolled his eyes. "Don't get technical."

"Look, over there," Samuel suddenly announced, using his very bruised and battered left arm to point toward the ground.

"Samuel." He wasn't about to let the warrior off the hook that easily.

"I'm serious," he insisted, though did have an air of amusement in his voice. He soon turned stern, however. "It looks like an encampment."

Killia immediately turned his attention to where Samuel indicated and soon caught sight of what he meant. In a parting in the mist, he saw rows of tents and pavilions sporting the Lost Army insignia, surrounding improvised cages and pens made of razor wire and steel, trapping and confining large groups of demons and monsters. Inhabitants of Sleeping Willows, no doubt.

"Prisoners of war," Samuel murmured as he pressed himself against Killia's back. "Why do you think they've kept them alive?"

"To torture them for fun, most likely," Killia grimly replied.

If they willingly followed Void's orders, they were likely to follow his vile morals and principles. They could even be rounding up more fodder for Demon General Majorita. Not that she needed any help rounding up more soldiers.

All the more reason to interfere, however.

"Buddy, can you get us a little closer?"

Buddy, the Twin Dragon, gave a low bark in response and flapped his wings. He hugged close to the mist to ensure they maintained their secret advantage. As they drew closer, it was evident that there was an incident occurring.

At the centre was a warrior, positioned on his knees, with his arms pulled behind his back, and his head forcibly pushed down in a bowing motion. Pushed in a submissive manner at the feet of an Armor Knight. Who, no doubt, considered herself the leader of that faction of the Lost Army.

They weren't about to stage an execution, were they?

Killia gritted his teeth when the Armor Knight gleefully planted her boot atop of the warrior's head, clearly laughing at the power she held over him.

He was not about to let her, or her Lost Soldiers have their way.

"Gravity Hammer and you fry them from above?" Samuel suggested.

Killia nodded. "Sounds good. Be careful."

"Got it." Killia didn't need to turn his head to see the confident smile on Samuel's face. "Go in low for me, Buddy."

Buddy growled lowly and gave a sharp flap of his wings to do a nosedive toward the ground. Samuel took this opportunity to unfurl his arm from around Killia's waist and with his legs, pushed up from Buddy, and leapt off into the air, swinging his axe into the air over his head.

The Lost Army below barely had any time to react before Samuel appear, landing on the ground directly in front of the captive Warrior. The force of gravity was unforgiving toward the Lost Soldiers that surrounding the two, throwing them into the ground, breaking the shattering the rock and soil beneath them.

Gravity Hammer to push back the Lost Army and to protect the Warrior.

Time for Killia to get involved.

Unfurling his wings, Killia pushed off from Buddy and turned his attention toward the Armor Knight he assumed to be the leader of the faction. She was surrounded by several other soldiers, but Hellfire Shot should make short work of them.

Killia sent several fireballs toward the ground of Lost in rapid succession, giving them absolutely no time to respond, to defend themselves let alone retaliate.

Landing heavily on the ground, Killia issued one last large explosion toward the ground. He breathed he a sigh and straightened his posture and idly rolled his shoulders, waiting patiently for the smoke and flames dissipated.

Though, he may have accidentally set some of the tents on fire. At least he roused Lost Soldiers out of slumber. Need to ensure they got every single one of them.

As the flames of the epicentre of the attack died down revealed nothing by an empty crater, Killia breathed another sigh. The leader of the band and her closest cohorts had been defeated. Just needed to deal with the stragglers now.

"You ok there, Samuel?" Killia asked as he glanced over his shoulder.

"All good here, Killia," Samuel immediately replied.

Samuel then picked up a discarded sword and used it to free the warrior of his bindings. "Can you use a sword?"

"Y-yeah," the Warrior stuttered, in shock by the sudden rescue.

"Then free the others and stay back," Samuel ordered as he handed him said sword. "We'll do the fighting."

The warrior shook himself out of his shock, likely thankfully that he was given an order that allowed him to be of use and retrieved the sword from Samuel readily. He pushed himself to his feet and headed directly toward the nearest of the pens just as Buddy landed in the open area in the middle of the camp, Aloe Vera perched safely atop of his back.

Out of the rapidly burning tens, more Lost Soldiers stumbled out. And upon seeing this, Samuel quickly made his way to stand by Killia's side, his axe posed in his hand while Killia quickly pulled himself into a fighting stance.

"Rabblerousers?!" a Shroom shrieked.

"No, just the Rebel Army," Killia retorted.

That, somewhat unexpectedly, caused the Shroom's anger to dissipate. "R-Rebel Army?

Wh-where's Mistress Jennifer?"

"Oh, the Armor Knight?" Killia asked coolly. "She's already been defeated."

The Shroom began to sweat as they began to back up hastily. "D-defeated? Y-you're lying?"

A commotion behind Killia and Samuel caused the Shroom and those who stood with the mushroom monster to well and truly panic. And it soon became clear why when the Warrior Samuel protected returned, with the freed prisoners of war.

It seemed the Lost didn't like it when their prisoners start an uprising.

"G-Get back in your cages!" a Nether Noble tried to order.

Killia took a purposely threatening step forward. "No. How about you and your brethren get in the cages instead?"

"Now, that sounds like a good idea," Samuel added as he, too, took a step forward. "You guys are rather fond of the saying "Obey or die." Maybe you can show us what it means, hm?"

Unsurprisingly, it didn't take much to have to the rest of the Lost Soldier throw themselves at their feet, begging for mercy. While Killia wasn't exactly in a charitable mood, he did grab them by the scruff of their necks and throw them into the same pens that they had so callously kept their own prisoners.

Ok. They had some prisoners of their own. But they would deal with them later. First thing first; free Sleeping Willows from the iron rule of the Lost Army.

Aloe Vera hopped from Buddy's back and tottered over toward them. "You two are quite efficient, meow," she said. "We are fortunate you had found your way to Sleeping Willows."

Killia had to agree. Fortunate for the Warrior and the other prisoners of war.

"Aloe Vera, what are you doing?" a Cleric asked suddenly, concern evident. "It's far too dangerous, you must flee!"

Aloe Vera turned toward the former prisoners and shook her head. "No, enough fleeing. It is time to get Sleeping Willows back."

"B-but…"

"Where are your granddaughters?" a Valkyrie asked.

Aloe Vera pointed toward the east. "Safe in the village of Wellspring. You all, make you way there, meow. We will liberate Sleeping Willows."

The Warrior that had been on the verge of a possible execution shook his head. "I'll stay here and make sure these guys don't escape."

A few others promptly volunteer to help prompting Aloe Vera turned to face Killia and tilted her head. "Will this be useful?"

Killia nodded. "Yes, we appreciate it. We're not like the Lost Army. We'll take prisoners if and when necessary."

But they also won't show mercy toward those who take joy in causing pain and suffering in others.

"You're quite the beloved figure, Aloe Vera," Samuel commented.

Aloe Vera lifted a paw toward her face and seemed to chuckle. "I am considered a grandmotherly figure, meow."

Then they needed to keep Aloe Vera safe. With the Overlord gone, having abandoned everyone the moment everything got tough, beloved figures like Aloe Vera were needed more than ever to help Sleeping Willows through the war.

But first.

"Let's hurry. We've still got to get to the main basecamp."

Samuel and Aloe Vera both nodded in agreement and the three of them quickly made their way over to Buddy. They climbed upon the Twin Dragon's back and took to the sky once more.

After a few moments of flying, Aloe Vera pointed forward. "There, meow. Just as I thought; they're residing in the overlord's former residence."

Killia leaned forward to assess the situation. The basecamp appeared similar to the one they had just liberated with cages and pens of downtrodden and demoralized Sleeping Willows inhabitants. Only difference was that Lost Soldiers were guarding the north and south entrances. With another band gathered in the centre of the camp.

Were they getting antsy about something?

One thing for sure; another prisoner camp. More lives to save.

The real fight was about to start.

"A Gravity Hammer and Hellfire Shot combo?" Samuel suggested.

"Sure. Worked well last time."

"Right. Aloe Vera, stay in the sky with Buddy," Samuel instructed. "We'll take care of things from here."

"Understood, meow."

Buddy uttered a low growl as he dove toward the basecamp, Samuel dislodging first as he swung his axe over his head in preparation of his attack. Killia flared his wings as he followed up with his own attack.

Once again, the Lost Army didn't see them coming.

Killia couldn't help but smirk to himself as the Lost Soldiers scattered and then scrambled to composed themselves. If they were expecting any kind of an assault, they would be expecting a land invasion.

"Wh-who would dare attack the Lost Army?!" a Nether Noble demanded as he picked himself up off the ground. The way the other Lost Soldiers gathered around them; it was reasonable to assume they were the leader of this little operation.

A Winged Warrior flapped their wings frantically, despite one wing and their torso being heavily bandaged. "It's that impudent Warrior!"

Samuel perked up. "Oh, so mothman over there did manage to escape. Not unscathed, however."

Killia didn't know the entire context to that comment, but he assumed it was when Samuel had faced off against a band of Lost Soldiers while he was still recovering.

"You did this to me!"

"And I'm about to do a lot more," Samuel warned, rather good-naturedly.

"And who are you," the Nether Noble demanded one more. "Explain yourselves."

"Us? We're just members of the Rebel Army," Killia answered simply.

And received a scoff in response. "Rebel Army? You dare to attack a Lost Compound? And just the two of you at that?

Killia nodded. "The two of us will be more than enough."

"Do not make me laugh. I am Nether Noble Stefan. You cannot hope to defeat me."

"Never heard of you."

Nether Noble Stefan spluttered, his face turning beet red with rage and stamped his feet in a temper tantrum. "How dare you! Don't just stand there, you fools; kill them!"

Killia and Samuel immediately turned, standing back-to-back as Lost Soldiers surrounded them.

"Don't hog all the wins, Killia," Samuel said, playfully.

The corner of Killia's mouth twitched into a smirk as he pulled his body into a battle stance. "Then try to keep up."

"Right, right. Let's try to have some fun."

"And let's make it quick."

It was easy to fall into the rhythm of battle. And somewhat satisfying to start landing some decent blows and attacks on his enemies as they tried to attack him. His battle against Void was infuriating; the other man mocking him, insulting him, offending him in every way imaginable.

This war…

There was no end in sight, was there?

With a chain wrapped around the neck of an orc, Samuel pressed his back against Killia's. "How's the ribs? Any pain?"

Killia deflected a punch and added an uppercut of his own. "They're fine. I don't even feel any tenderness."

Using the chain like a whip, Samuel stepped to the left and hurled the orc toward a maid, knocking them both out. "What do you think of these guys?" he asked as he used the momentum of the chain to ensnare an imp out of the sky, slamming them straight into the ground. "Not much for fighting, are they?"

"The Lost must have invaded several days ago," Killia mused as he stepped to the right, digging his heel in as he ducked the twitching hands of a Wrestler and punched him directly in his right kidney, dropping him instantly. "Those that remained either wanted to for a cushy job or just because they wanted to torture the inhabitants a bit more."

A bit of both perhaps.

"What do you say to totally ruining their day?"

"Sounds good."

Killia took to the sky directly above Samuel with the use of his wings, directing a Hellfire Shot toward the leader while Samuel performed another Gravity Hammer to take out the Lost Soldiers that had managed to surround them.

One final attack to put an end to the Lost's occupation of Sleeping Willows.

Killia landed on the ground with a thud as he waited for the flames of his attack to die down. He took a moment to glance over his shoulder. "Samuel, free the prisoners. I'll deal with Stefan here."

Samuel nodded his head sharply. "Right."

"H-how?" the leader shuddered. "There…was only two of you."

Killia turned his attention back to the Nether Noble. "This proves the power of the Rebel Army. Just the two of us was more than enough to dismantle your entire operation. The inhabitants of Sleeping Willows are now free from you and your evil intentions. And they will remain that way. The Rebel Army will ensure it."

And that was a promise.

With one last shudder, Stefan and his cohorts disappeared into the ether. And Killia breathed a sigh. Finally. Another Netherworld freed from the Lost.

Many more to go.

"You did it!" Aloe Vera hurried over to him. "Meow, you actually did it. We are finally free. How will we ever repay you and Samuel for what you have done for us?"

Killia closed his eyes for a moment as he considered his words carefully. "I do have a request."

Aloe Vera tilted her head to the side. "Oh?"

Killia nodded as he turned toward her. "This war has many victims, and many more to come. I would like to make the request to turn Sleeping Willows into a place of refuge. For the victims and for the injured. A safe place of healing and security in a universe of pain and suffering. And return, the Rebel Army will protect and safeguard Sleeping Willows with our lives."

Aloe Vera fell silent as she weighed up her options. She then, perhaps somewhat surprisingly quickly, nodded in agreement. "We can see that the Rebel Army truly cares for the lives of others, meow. We would be honoured to help you and be your allies."

"I'm glad to hear that."

Both Killia and Aloe Vera turned as Samuel approached them, with him the freed prisoners.

"You are the one who convinced me of that, Samuel," Aloe Vera revealed. "You aided me and my granddaughters without even knowing who we were."

Samuel nodded, uncharacteristically sluggish and distant. "Everyone is safe now…"

Killia couldn't help be surprised by his own concern. "Samuel?"

Samuel didn't respond. His eyes slid closed and his knees suddenly buckled underneath him. Killia reacted immediately; darting forward and catching him in his arms before he crumbled to the ground.

"H-hey, Samuel!" he stuttered as he held him against his chest. "What's wrong?"

"He's exhausted, meow," Aloe Vera was the one to respond as she pawed lightly at Samuel's leg. "I am not surprised. He's been awake the entire time. Healing you. Watching over you. Watching over everyone. Didn't eat. Didn't sleep. Not even for a moment. Fought against the Lost, even while injured."

That surprised him.

The entire time? Since…since before Sandcano, if he was remembered correctly.

And he never complained…

"You have a very loyal friend," Aloe Vera added. "Or a martyr. Perhaps a bit of both."

Yeah. Perhaps a bit of both.

Aloe Vera moved away from Samuel to address the recently freed prisoners. "He's needs rest, meow. Can someone bring him a cot to lie on?"

"R-right away!" someone from the crowed replied.

Killia wrapped an arm around Samuel's shoulders to secure him against his chest as he leaned down to slip an arm beneath his knees. He effortlessly picked Samuel up into his arms and waited patiently for someone to retrieve a bed for him. Not just a bed, but one that would be comfort for him.

As he stood there, he couldn't help but look down upon Samuel's face. And muse about how and why he would go to such extremes for him. For someone like him.

He didn't understand it.

When a bed was suitable, he carefully laid Samuel upon it and was content to leave Aloe Vera to comfort and give orders to the inhabitants of Sleeping Willows. As he had his own issues to sort out.

He had to find a way to contact the Pocket Netherworld and the Rebel Army.

"Killia!"

Killia stiffened. What? That voice? There was no way he'd mistake that bewallowing baritone voice. "It's ok, I know that voice," he immediately reassured, before he turned on his heel and headed toward the outer perimeter of the camp.

He breathed a sigh relief when the flaming red hair of a certain Red Magnus greeted him. It was him. And the others. They were safe. It was a relief.

"Killia!" Red Magnus bellowed in a way only he knew how, even as he was well within talking distance. "We've been looking everywhere for you! Have you been here the entire time?"

"We've been so worried, plip!" Usalia added, throwing her hands up into the air to embellish how concerned she truly was.

While Seraphina bristled wildly. "Sir Killia, where have you been! How dare you not return to the Pocket Netherworld along with the rest of us!" She, however, didn't retrieve her guns, so that was a testament to her concern, he supposed.

"You guys…" Killia wasn't entirely sure of what to say. "How did you-?"

"My clairvoyance was finally able to track you down," Christo revealed. "The fog and mist of this world is surprisingly effective at cloaking presences. Though, I'm surprised to find you up and about, seemingly unharmed."

"Yeah, that's right! Bloodis attacked you, didn't he?" Zeroken approached him as he studied him carefully, his gaze narrowed in on his chest and stomach, which was a little disconcerting. "Bro, you're ok?"

Killia nodded. "Yeah. It was all thanks to Samuel."

Christo readjusted his glasses, somewhat sceptically. He clearly used his clairvoyance skills as he soon looked baffled. "Your injuries have been healed?"

Killia gave another nod of his head. "Yeah. Samuel has some healing skills."

"Samuel is here, too, plip?" Usalia asked as she looked around. "Where is he?"

"He's over there." Killia motioned everyone to follow him back into the camp. He may have walked a little quicker than normal, but he wanted to get back to Samuel. To ensure that he was safe. Just like he had done for him.

He was still on that cot. Pale and still. But breathing quietly, and it was a relief to see him.

"What? What happened?" Zeroken was the one to ask.

Killia uttered a sigh. "He saved my life," he said simply. "He went above and beyond for me. I may not be standing here if it wasn't for him."

"Wh-what do you mean, Sir Killia?" Seraphina practically demanded.

"From what I understand…" He gave them a brief version of everything that had transpired, from Dark Testament, to landing on Sleeping Willows. And then what Aloe Vera told him, how he had taken them in, watched over them while simultaneously watching over him, healing his injuries while dealing with the lost.

It must not have been easy for him.

"You were transported to this world instead?" Christo mused. "I knew something strange had occurred the moment I activated the teleporter. Why just the two of you, though?"

Seraphina pouted, puffing out her cheeks. "And why him and not me?"

"Bloodis must have done something," Killia mused aloud. "But why…?"

And how?

Christo turned his gaze away from Samuel to look around the basecamp and arched an eyebrow. "These are Lost memorabilia, if I'm not mistaken. Did you just liberate a Netherworld in your spare time, Killia?"

Killia was unable to prevent a quiet sound of amusement. "It looks that way, doesn't it? But, yeah, we did."

As if they could turn their back on a peaceful Netherworld in trouble.

"We've been given permission by an elder to turn Sleeping Willows into a place of refuge, for both those running from the Lost Army, and those who are in need of healing," Killia revealed. "I want both healers and bands from the Rebel Army protecting this Netherworld."

Christo placed a hand on his hip as he readjusted his glasses with his other hand. "Is this your command as Rebel Leader?"

He was stuck with that title now, wasn't he?

"Yeah, that is my command as Rebel Leader."