Chapter Forty-Two: Broken Past
Raphtalia ran through the wooded forest. Fast and lithe, unseen because of her illusion spell.
That rumbling. She couldn't hear what it was yet. But she felt something every time her feet hit the ground. The ground gave soft, almost unnoticeable vibrations. Like something large was moving in the distance.
A horrid feeling traveled up her spine. It felt, cold, uninviting...
"So, any guesses about what's out there?"
Raphtalia almost stumbled but managed to stay upright while keeping herself moving. A branch opposite her to the side shook slightly. "Maya, can you see my spell?" Raphtalia asked.
"Not really, I'm not good at perceiving other people's illusion magic yet. You're just making a lot of noise." The invisible Maya commented. "I'd recommend making a lot less. I get the feeling we're not alone out here."
Raphtalia grimaced and made efforts to reduce her noise output. "There, I can hardly hear you now. So want to take a guess what we're running towards?" Maya asked.
"I don't know what it is. But there's a large number of them." Raphtalia said.
"Think it could be a herd of large monsters preparing to attack a town?" Maya asked.
"No… even a hundred large monsters together wouldn't make this much noise so far out."
The two girls said nothing more and continued running through the forested hills. Avoiding branches or kicking rocks and the like. The closer she got, the worse the feeling got.
'Why… why do I want to turn and flee?'
She didn't know what it was. But there was something… very wrong about the direction they were heading. Like her body was screaming at her not to go that way. And it wasn't because of what they were hearing.
They traveled a few miles under the disguise of illusion magic. As they got closer, the rumbling got louder. If it wasn't for the bracelet Naofumi had made for her and a couple of Magic Healing Waters Maya had on hand, Raphtalia would have run out of MP long before they got there.
They stopped at the edge of a hill, looking down on a road cut into the forest. The vibrations through the earth had become more discernible. And the noise had gradually gotten louder and louder as they approached. Still, they could have never guessed what appeared below them.
Down below was an army.
On the wide dirt row, row upon row of knights in shining polished armor marched in sync with each other. Their weapons were sharp and glistening on their backs and on their sides. Their hard stomps with their boots sent pulses of vibrations throughout the land as each footfall echoed with each other like the inside of a drum. Monsters and all other forms of life fled in terror before them.
"What… the…" Maya whispered in shock.
It wasn't only knights. Rows of robed figures were interspersed here and there. Mages.
Several figures also flitted throughout both sides of the forest around the traveling army. One of them passed overhead right above the silent Raphtalia and Maya. Another one jumped through the trees farther back from them. They kept on glancing left and right, looking for the faintest sign of enemies as they continued on.
'Church Shadows...' Raphtalia shivered slightly.
"I'm really glad we chose to keep ourselves hidden," Maya whispered in Raphtalia's ear. Afraid of being overheard.
There were wagons protected by knights on horseback. Pulled by horses, Filolials, and Rider dragons. All of which wore armor and looked bred for war. A lot of the wagons had coverings over them. But there was one wagon with an assembled ballistae sticking out from it.
As they watched, several knights on horseback marched by below their hiding spot. Several of them held banners, inscribed with depictions of the rosary of the Three Holy Heroes.
It didn't take a genius to figure out where this army's loyalty lay.
If they were forced to count. There had to be hundreds, no thousands. Marching in sync towards a location. Like a well-disciplined machine. "How did an army this large get past Van's scouts?" Maya asked in disbelief.
Her question was soon answered.
Another wagon passed. Maya put a hand over her mouth in horror. There were cages in the back. Sitting dejectedly in them were demi-humans. Beaten and battered.
Even from a distance, Maya still recognized a few that Van had had spying on the routes from the Capital to his property. And there was more along with them. Demi-humans who had been living freely in the Capital, who'd had the misfortunate of not getting out in time after the Church's takeover.
"What… but… why?" Maya whispered in disbelief. Where were they taking them?
Raphtalia looked down the road, and she recognized the mountains in the distance.
'No…' She couldn't believe it.
She recognized them. They were the same ones she'd seen only twice. The first time when she had been taken out of a slave wagon and led down into a cellar. And the second time soon after she had been bought and taken at night.
Even in the dark, she could remember the outline of those mountains under the light of stars.
It was the mountain range next to Idol Rabier's Estate.
She'd forgotten how Van's lands were right on Idol's doorstep.
Maya realized it too. "This is bad." For once, there was no joking in her voice. "If they're going to Idol…"
Raphtalia started breathing in and out heavily. Had she not been hidden by her illusion spell, it would have been easy to see how on the verge she was of freaking out. 'No... NO!'
She slapped herself, forcing herself out of the thoughts that attacked her mind.
"Raphtalia, are you alright?" Maya asked in concern.
"I'm fine." Raphtalia looked over the army with growing concern. "Weren't you-" A Shadow paused on a nearby tree. And she stopped talking in fear. But the Shadow quickly moved on after the others. "Weren't you expecting Idol Rabier to attack with an army?"
Maya's ears flickered on her head. "Yes. But only with his local army… but with this many..." Maya backed away, and Raphtalia did the same. They were both running low on MP, and there were Church Shadows around. In fact, another one flew through the trees overhead again right as they got up.
Raphtalia and Maya drank the last Magic Healing Waters Maya had. Then they quickly fled back in the direction of Van's Estate.
Van and the Heroes had to know what was going on.
And Raphtalia had to distance herself before she cracked.
It was nerve-wracking the whole trip back. Raphtalia and Maya ran out of MP a ways away from the traveling army. Raphtalia didn't have her sword on her either. Something she really wished she'd grabbed beforehand.
They almost thought a couple of times when they heard a sound that they were going to get ambushed by Church Shadows, but every time it turned out to be some random monster wandering around in the forest. Fortunately, Maya's daggers were enough to easily dispatch the lower leveled monsters. And Raphtalia didn't have to help.
If she hadn't been struggling with repressing thoughts from her mind. Raphtalia would have been proud of Maya for how strong she'd become.
Despite the lack of Shadows, the two didn't let their guard down. Not until they'd finally gotten to Van's Estate.
When they got back, they nearly collapsed in relief as they informed Eclair about what they'd found. They then sent her and Welt off to find those who'd been training in the forest. And then went in and reported to Van and the Heroes what they'd discovered while they were still in the middle of their meeting.
That was where they were at now.
"... What?"
The Three Heroes looked shocked. Maya and Raphtalia stood at the end of the table opposite Van Reichnott. Van's expression was surprisingly calm.
Melty and Filo, who were still in the room, sat silently at the table. Filo, because she recognized something serious was going on and was staying quiet. And Melty… because she didn't know what to say.
Naofumi looked Raphtalia over in shock and worry. She was still covered in light bruises from her bout with Eclair. She wasn't wearing any armor and was dressed in an extra set of her regular clothes without armor attached to them.
She'd been far too under-equipped for going out to scout an enemy army!
"It looks like the Three Heroes Church sent an army to reinforce Idol Rabier," Maya said. "We didn't get a number. But there were thousands marching down the highway north of us."
"There... there were Knights, mages, cavalry, and a few Church Shadows as well as some armored wagons," Raphtalia said. "I didn't get a good look at what was in the back of some of them. But I saw a Ballistae on one of them."
"... what the hell…" Itsuki looked astounded. "Thousands?"
Van thought to himself. "I didn't think the Pope would send such a large army our way…" Ren said. Van had, at best, several hundred demi-humans and villagers who could fight, along with the Three Heroes and their parties.
"I mean, he doesn't realize we're here, does he?" Itsuki asked.
"It's either that. Or he really hates demi-humans that much." Ren responded with a shrug.
Naofumi was still quiet. Looking at Raphtalia in quiet shock and worry. She noticed his worried glance and gave him a small smile, letting him know she was okay.
Still, he felt oddly concerned for her seeing all those bruises. He wondered how she got them, and maybe it was just him, or did Raphtalia look tense to him? Was there something else she was struggling with too?
Was this what it was like to worry over your girlfriend?
That was a thought his otaku self never thought he'd experience back in Japan.
"As much as I'm worried about the army, I've even more worried about the Shadows going along with them…" Van said forebodingly. "If I know Idol from what my Father told me during the war… he'd order the Shadows to encircle my lands while his forces integrated with his new reinforcements."
Ren started thinking to himself, while Itsuki looked bewildered. "You're saying we're going to have to deal with those guys again as well as this army?!"
Maya looked downcastedly down at the ground. "I… I personally don't think it'd be a good idea to try and fight against that large a force, Sir Itsuki." She suggested.
They'd managed to defeat several hundred knights back in the Capital. But they'd had the element of surprise on their side then. Even if they didn't know the Heroes were here, the surprise factor wouldn't be as grand as the Capital.
"But if we don't fight, then that'd mean we'd have to get everyone ready to flee before they attacked-" Itsuki was saying.
"No, if Van's right about Idol's strategy... fleeing before the attack would be the worst possible thing to do," Ren said seriously.
"And why is that?" Itsuki asked.
"Because if the Shadows encircle Van's lands before we leave, it'll be over," Ren answered before Itsuki could finish.
All eyes turned to him. Waiting for an explanation. "It's a strategy people in my world used against me since… I preferred playing by myself." Ren looked down at his sword. It was weird to find even this lining up with a strategy from the games he played.
Then again, it had been a strategy that real-life players had used on him, not NPCs. It'd make sense for them to do it.
It wasn't a game, but it was real people they were fighting against here. Sometimes, strategies from games mirror real-life strategies. "It's a cowardly strategy. But, sometimes, when large groups attack a solo player or a smaller group, they send scouts to surround an ambush area. That way, if the player catches wind of the ambush and tries to flee, they can warn the main group where he's headed and then slow him or her down. If Van's correct about Idol, they're going to attempt to do the same thing to us here.
"Either they'll kill us here, or follow us to kill us wherever we flee."
…
"That would… fit Idol's cowardly tendencies. According to my Father, it was one of his favorite strategies during the war with Siltvelt." All the heroes looked to Van, who didn't look quite so cheerful anymore. "I'm sorry… this surprise army has put quite a wrinkle in our plans. I'm unsure why my scouts didn't inform me about it…"
Maya looked at him dejectedly. "I saw some of them. Beaten and chained up in cages in the back of one wagon." She said. "There were other demi-humans with them too. I don't know if that was the only wagon holding them or not."
Raphtalia's hand clenched at her side.
"That explains why a couple of them haven't returned." Van looked older than before. "I should have told them to be more careful."
Melty placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "You couldn't have known this was going to happen Lord Reichnott."
"No, but I could have tried harder to keep them safe." Van said, sighing at the end.
Maya and Raphtalia felt fortunate that they'd followed their guts and snuck up on the army using illusion magic. Had they not done that. Had they used their illusion magic even a mile out to conserve MP, they could have been ambushed themselves by a patrolling Shadow before realizing what was coming.
"This is just what we needed. Another thing on our plate of crap that we already had to deal with," Itsuki said grumpily.
"No kidding," Naofumi said dryly. "Just when things can't get any worse, they get worse."
First, they'd had the problem of defending the Estate from Idol Rabier's imminent attack. There were the slaves from Idol they needed to free. Then, of course, there was also the problem Melty had told them about earlier before Raphtalia and Maya came in.
"If what Sir Ren described to me is correct… the Pope is wielding an ancient weapon that's capable of taking on the form of all the Cardinal Weapons.' Melty said.
"A weapon that takes on the form of our weapons?" Itsuki asked.
The other Heroes sat in silence. Listening quietly as Melty explained.
"There's only one weapon I know of that's capable of replicating the skills of the Cardinal Heroes… A long time ago, an unknown alchemist, a genius for his time, tried to find a way to duplicate the four weapons of the Legendary Heroes. He wanted to make an ultimate weapon that could change forms between all four to use the skills of each. But he did so not to help the people, but to use it for personal gain.
"His attempt was successful, and the weapon he created was called the Replica. However, he was ultimately defeated by the Cardinal Heroes summoned back then before he could take over the world. After the battle, the Heroes found his body. But they didn't find the weapon. It was presumed to be lost. And it's been lost ever since… until now."
"... Is it really possible for a weapon like that to exist?" Itsuki asked.
"I can't even imagine the materials he would have needed to create it," Ren said to himself.
Naofumi was quiet, thinking it over. "If it's the stuff of legend, then how do you know about it, Second Princess?" He asked.
Melty frowned but was too busy being serious to throw a tantrum at the nickname. "Anyone familiar with the History of Melromarc, or Church History has heard the stories about it. It was a one-of-a-kind weapon based on your weapons, Sir Heroes."
"I have heard some of the stories myself," Van affirmed. "I wasn't sure if the weapon Ren described was the Replica though. But if Princess Melty believes it to be the case, then I agree with her. Such a weapon would be far more dangerous in the hands of the Pope than the current Waves of Catastrophe."
Itsuki and Ren looked between Van and the Second Princess. Itsuki in disbelief. Ren in anxious acceptance. For him, it was just another shot out of left field that proved how this wasn't Brave Star Online.
"But… if it's really something from legend, then finding it should have been big news," Naofumi said. "That is, unless…" Naofumi thought about it more. "Unless it wasn't lost, to begin with."
"It's likely that the Church stole the weapon in the aftermath of that battle and hid it away for all these centuries," Melty said while frowning.
Her mother hadn't prepared her for any of this.
"If you had a weapon like that. You wouldn't even need to summon the Four Heroes." Ren commented.
"It is powerful, Sir Sword Hero. But it requires a tremendous amount of MP for anyone to use it. It's one of the weapon's few drawbacks. And if the legends really are correct, it wields only a fourth of the power of the original Cardinal Weapons. If the Heroes themselves could barely beat the Waves, then a fourth of the power would never cut it."
'Only a fourth of the power… yet it still used one of my skills to reflect my strongest attack.' Ren thought somberly. 'I probably didn't even see the full extent of its capabilities if it can transform into all our weapons!'
"We're getting a little off subject here. We must deal with the Pope after my neighbor Idol is defeated." Van said seriously. "As long as the Pope's in charge, demi-humans all over the country will be in danger."
"And if my Mother tries to attack the Capital while the Pope possesses the Replica. She and the rest of her soldiers would be annihilated." Melty said.
"That's how powerful it's supposed to be?!" Itsuki asked in disbelief. "But you said it had only a quarter of the power our weapons have!"
"It's said that the heroes of legend were capable of destroying entire mountains with their weapons, Sir Bow Hero," Melty informed him to his shock. "If those legends are true, imagine what someone with a fourth of that power could do."
"If it can use all our skills, even those we haven't unlocked yet… he could trample everyone under his feet," Ren said. "And if it only takes a large amount of MP… then the more people that joined him, the harder it'd be to win,"
"Yes. And right now, the Pope has one of the more populous countries in the world at his disposal. Imagine what he could do if he managed to gather the Church's Followers from all over the country to the Capital?" Van asked.
"... He'd be damn near impossible to stop. Not without slaughtering a bunch of people." Naofumi said to himself.
"Which is why the sooner you face him while his forces are divided. The better your chances are of ending this entire conflict once and for all."
The discussion went on for some time after that. There were details about how they'd draw the Pope out to confront them. Where the best place to fight him would be so he wouldn't be able to easily gather his Followers. And things like that.
But they had been nowhere close to having a plan set up for when that time came before Raphtalia and Maya arrived with their piece of news.
So to list everything off, there was the problem of Idol's imminent attack. There was the Pope taking over the country and being in possession of the Legendary Replica Weapon. There were Gods know how many demi-humans being targeted all over the country. And now, they had an army of thousands right on their doorstep. Ready to wipe out one of their only sources of allies in all of Melromarc. Along with a bunch of innocents.
The three heroes truly looked at a loss for what they should do. Raphtalia and Maya took their seats at the table. Not having anything more to say about what they saw. Both of them felt like they'd put a damper on the Cardinal Hero's moods. Raphtalia still looked somewhat tense. Prompting Naofumi to gently massage her shoulder.
He muttered a quick Fast Heal under his breath. A light green glow surrounded the half-tanuki woman, healing her bruises. She briefly rested her hand on the hand massaging her shoulder, smiling to let him know she appreciated it. But the tenseness didn't go away and she focused on the meeting again. He eventually stopped and rested his hand on his lap again.
Ren gave the two of them a glance but didn't comment.
"Holy Heroes, I am open to your suggestions and great wisdom," Van said after they were silent for a while.
Itsuki and Ren both thought to themselves. "I… ... ... I really don't know what we can do here," Ren said in a defeated voice. "We're just three people against a kingdom…"
Silence surrounded the table for a moment. Naofumi clenched his fist underneath. 'Damn it…'
"... we could try to portal everyone away in the time we have?" Itsuki asked.
"With the skill's cooldown and the limited number of people we can portal at a time. We'd be nowhere close to getting everyone away." Ren said.
"Then we portal away the women and the children," Itsuki said. "And we attack Idol before he attacks us."
"That'd be walking right into his hands. We might make it out alive, but almost everyone else wouldn't." Naofumi said. "And he'd kill those slaves before we broke down the doors… if we made it that far."
It was odd for him to think about it now. He'd spent so much time running away. And here he'd been for the last several hours, trying to plan a stand against Idol and in turn the Pope. Now, with the news of the large army assisting Idol, it seemed like the only option was to run.
Was this what it boiled down to? Was he going to have to run away from all his problems again?
"Should we risk being followed and evacuate the people as fast as we can before Idol attacks?" Naofumi suggested.
Raphtalia's shoulders visibly tensed. But she didn't voice anything.
...
"I don't know if we could evacuate everyone quickly… but, if me, Ren, and Naofumi upgrade our best weapons, we could probably still defend this place long enough for everyone to get away safely," Itsuki said.
"That's suicide. Even with our parties for support, we wouldn't be able to hold back thousands of Knights and mages." Ren said.
"But the Second Princess told us our weapons are capable of blowing up mountains!"
"That's also from an ancient legend!" Ren argued back. "Even if we can get that strong, there's no way we could get there by the end of the day! We need time and materials for that!"
"Fine! Then how about we use the-"
"No." Itsuki and Ren looked at Naofumi. "We're not going to use the Cursed Series. Not when it could risk hurting our own."
Raphtalia, without turning, gripped his hand under the table comfortingly.
...
"Then... what are we supposed to do?!" Itsuki defeatedly asked. The morning had started out so optimistic… and all of a sudden their plans for the defense of Van's estate, the counter-attack on Idol's city, and taking down the Pope had all gone up in flames. "If we can't get everyone away… then all my efforts to rescue those slaves…"
"... Do not worry, Sir Bow Hero. Not all is lost." Van said. "If there is no other choice, then I have another measure at the ready."
"You do Lord Reichnott?" Melty asked.
Filo looked at the noble curiously. "Does it involve food?" She finally spoke up.
"Filo!" Melty complained.
Naofumi almost snapped at his daughter for her rude timing. But, when he thought about it, he couldn't remember the last time he'd personally cooked for her with everything going on.
He'd have to remedy that soon.
Van smiled at Filo's cute comment. "Of course. I was afraid it'd come to this. But if we truly don't stand a chance even with Three Cardinal Heroes on our side, then I have no choice." He looked to Itsuki. "While you brought the rescued slaves here, my people and I have been preparing for the day when we'd have to give up our lands and hide. His face turned a tad serious. "If we can't defend, I can promise my people will be ready to evacuate within the hour. We will be long gone before the Church's Shadows ever arrive to encircle my lands…"
"But… Where would they flee to?" Naofumi asked. "Would they be safe there?"
Van pulled out a map and smoothed it out on the table. "Our planned route would be South to here." He said, pointing at a southern portion of the map. "I've already had runners map it out over the last two weeks just in case something like this happened... There aren't many towns between us and there. And there shouldn't be anyone living in the area. After the Wave that hit the area, as well as the atrocities the Church committed there."
Raphtalia didn't gasp, but her hand gripped Naofumi's hand more tightly when she saw where Van's finger was hovering over. Naofumi couldn't read the characters on the map very well. But… it looked like the region Van pointed at was labeled Seaetto. "My people are industrious. We can use magic to clean our tracks the whole trip there. And, once we arrived, we could turn some of the abandoned buildings into temporary shelters while we planned our next course of action."
"So we can flee now before they have the chance to attack…" Itsuki seriously considered the idea.
"Yeah…" Ren looked surprised. Suddenly, solving this problem seemed to be a lot easier. "We could take the time to flee now. Upgrade our weapons, and then-"
"But what would happen to the Slaves Idol is holding?" Raphtalia asked. "What about the demi-humans that the Knights captured?"
…
The table had gone silent again. If Van's ploy worked, everyone would get away safely. However, if they fled…
"Knowing Idol… he wouldn't be happy about us escaping… so he'd take his anger out on the demi-humans he's holding," Van said.
Raphtalia gripped Naofumi's hand even more tightly, enough that it almost hurt. Her tail bristled behind her. She became taut like she was about to pounce. "Then we can't leave!" She said angrily. "We have to attack Idol and rescue those slaves!"
The other two heroes looked at Raphtalia in surprise. "But they have an army, and we have to save the people here. Why on earth would we want to attack when we can come back another-" Itsuki was asking.
"How dare you!" Raphtalia yelled, shocking the blonde boy into silence. "You put in more effort than anyone else to free this country's slaves! And now you want to flee and allow that vile coward to kill more innocents?!"
"We're not saying that," Ren said in a calming voice. Causing Raphtalia to face him. Ren nearly gulped under the glare she was giving him. He suddenly wanted to melt into the chair and hide, but he stood his ground. "We're saying this is the best course of action we can take right now. We can't prioritize the lives of the few over the lives of the many-"
"You don't get it, do you?! Idol doesn't just torture slaves!" Raphtalia yelled. "He breaks them! He whips them until they scream! He takes away their will to live any way he can! He makes them wish that they'd never been born! And he takes pleasure throughout the whole process! That's what you're dooming those demi-humans too if you flee right now!"
...
The whole table stared at her in shock. The look of anger and hatred on her face was feral. She looked like she wanted to murder someone. "He did that to women! He did that, TO INNOCENT CHILDREN! HE DID THAT TO ME! HE DID IT TO MY BEST FRIEND! I HAD TO LISTEN TO HER AND SO MANY OTHERS SCREAM OUT FOR FRIENDS, PARENTS, SIBLINGS! SOME OF WHOM HE TORTURED TO DEATH RIGHT IN FRONT OF THEM! AND YOU WANT TO RUN AWAY AND LEAVE THOSE PEOPLE TO DIE AT THE HANDS OF THAT HORRIBLE MONSTER-"
Naofumi squeezed her hand, looking at her worriedly. The action caused her to stop yelling.
Everyone at the table stared at her in shock. "Raph… Raphtalia?" Melty said in shock.
"... ... Naofumi… I'm going to go somewhere else." Raphtalia couldn't say more. With eyes filling with tears, she got back up and ran out of the room. Still shaking in almost unrestrained anger and sadness.
Naofumi looked back at her, and then back at the table. All of them were still silent.
Van's plan would save his people. But it'd likely cost the lives of every slave Idol held hostage in his estate... along with the lives of those being transported there right now.
"... Daddy, why is Mommy so angry?" Filo asked.
"I… I think I know why… How about we agree to think it over and meet back in a half-hour to decide on what to do," Naofumi suggested.
"Every minute we spend could be one minute closer to our window of opportunity closing-" Itsuki was saying.
"No, the Shield Hero is right," Van said, interrupting Itsuki. "There are times when we should listen to our emotions. And then there are times when we should listen with calm minds. There are many things troubling us now. Maybe a break and some time to think will reveal a better course of action. I can get my people prepared in the meantime."
Naofumi bowed his head in respect to Van. "I'll be back." He promised. He then got up and quickly left the room. "Come on Filo!"
"Okay!" Filo ran out after Naofumi.
"Wait, I'm coming too!" Melty ran out after Filo and Naofumi.
"I can talk to the parties about what's happening," Maya said to Itsuki. Hopefully, by now, Eclair would have found and brought back the mages training in the forest.
"Yeah, thank you, Maya," Itsuki said. Looking off to the side. Maya ran out of the room. "You can go to Ren... I'm going to stay here to think."
Ren stood up. "Alright." He left to make sure his party members were safe.
Van stood up. "I will inform my people to begin preparing now. And then have them leave when it's decided on what we should do." Van said.
Itsuki stayed silent, pondering over the problem to himself as Van left.
"After the wave… Knights came and killed all the parents in front of their children. They then enslaved me and everyone else that was left... Before Naofumi, I was owned by two different slaveholders. They were both nobles. The first one tried to train me to be a maid, but the second one…" She paused to sniff, and wipe away a tear from below her eye. "I saw him at the celebration last night. I saw you talking to him shortly before the Spear Hero challenged Naofumi. He was the one who tortured me. Idol Rabier." She admitted.
"There were others just like me he owned. Most of them were women and children, including my best friend Rifana. That noble loves to torture others, especially demi-humans… he hates them… And he tortured my best friend, even though she was sick, even though she was only a child. I don't even know if she's still alive or not since it was a little over a month ago when I last saw her..."
Itsuki grimaced, remembering some of what Raphtalia had said in the past. 'If I'd only chosen to go after that large bastard first…'
…
He sighed, putting his face into his hands. 'What is the right thing for me to do here?'
He wanted to save everyone, including Idol's slaves… but how could he save them? How could he save Raphtalia's best friend when there was an army in the way? Wasn't it for the best if they chose to flee now?
But then what if Crystal's friend was held by Idol? Or Marx's family? Or Aksel's friends? Could he live with himself if they were there, and that they'd be killed if he didn't do something about it?
Even if the chances of them being there were low...
Raphtalia stood in Naofumi's party room. Looking sadly out the window at Van's Estate.
'I'm so close… I'm so close, yet I'm so far.' Raphtalia thought sadly, looking in the direction of the mountain range signifying where Idol's Estate was at.
'Ri... Rifana...'
Crack!
Rifana screamed out in pain. And Raphtalia screamed with her too. "No! Please stop it!" She begged the fat noble whipping Rifana. "Please stop hurting my best friend!"
Raphtalia's hands clenched.
"That's right! Scream for me, little demi! Cry as I hurt the ones you care for!"
Crack! "AHHHHHHHH!"
Raphtalia blinked. Her fist was buried in the wall. She'd punched a hole right through it.
It hurt.
She took her hand out, massaging it while trying to hold back the memories again. 'That man… that wretched, horrid, vile man…' She shuddered, a single tear escaping her eye.
It hurt. It hurt so much to think about it. She could almost feel the harsh whip digging into her back all over again... hear the screams of her best friend... see everything she'd held dear being taken away by the monster holding a whip...
"Mommy?"
Raphtalia turned from the window in surprise.
Filo ran into the room. Melty followed right behind her. "Is everything okay, Raphtalia?" Melty asked.
Raphtalia looked away from Van's lands down to Filo. She mustered up a smile and patted the girl on the head. Melty walked up beside Filo. "Yes, everything is okay." She said, trying to appear happy. Trying to hide the fact that she'd punched a hole in the wall and almost broke down in frustration.
"Then why was Mommy so tense during the meeting?" Filo asked innocently. "Why did mommy get so angry? Why is mommy crying?"
Raphtalia looked caught off guard. Filo, surprisingly, was becoming more observant. She was barely over a month old, yet she was making leaps and bounds in growing up. "You did look pretty upset Raphtalia. Is there any way we can help?" Melty asked genuinely.
…
Raphtalia looked sad again. "Yes, mommy is upset." She admitted. "But I'll be fine. I've suffered much worse than what I'm experiencing now."
"Is it something Mommy wants to share with Filo or Mel?" Filo asked, reaching up with one hand to rub one of Raphtalia's cheeks. "Filo knows it's easier to get through sad times when Filo's with family."
Raphtalia smiled somewhat at Filo's attempt to comfort her. "No, I'd rather not share this with you or Mel, Filo," Raphtalia said, hugging the two cute little girls close. "This is something mommy doesn't want to burden you or your friend with." Melty and Filo hugged Raphtalia back. Both girls looked cutely sad together.
"Is it something you'd burden me with?" Naofumi asked calmly from where he observed the three in the doorway.
Plan one had failed. Filo's cuteness and Melty's sincerity hadn't worked. So it was time for him to try.
…
Raphtalia looked up at him, her face unsure. And then she looked down sadly at Filo and Melty again before nodding her head. "Filo, Melty, can you leave us alone for a moment?" She asked.
Filo nodded. "Okay. Filo and Mel will leave. I love you, mommy." Filo hugged Raphtalia one more time, and then she and Melty quickly ran out of the room. Likely in search of some food. Leaving only Naofumi and Raphtalia inside.
When they were gone, Naofumi walked up to and gripped her hands in his. "Talk to me, Raphtalia. What's going on? Why were you so tense during the meeting? What happened out there that made you explode in there?" Naofumi asked like rapid-fire.
He couldn't contain his worry any longer. It felt horrible to see Raphtalia angry, tense, and sad. He wanted to help if only to see her smile again.
…
Raphtalia looked to Naofumi at last. There was anger flashing in her eyes. "I don't… I don't want to flee." She said. "I don't… I don't want any more people to suffer what I suffered in that horrid place." She said.
Realizing how close she was. Sharing these things with Naofumi. Memories unbidden traveled through her mind. Memories she'd suppressed of that horrible time of her life.
Crack!
"Come on little girl!? Scream for me!"
Little Raphtalia hung from a chain connected to the ceiling. Oddly smiling as the whip cracked against her back again and again. Flecks of blood flew off from it onto the floor and the walls. Holding the whip was a fat man that looked like a bad man.
She'd only been here a few days. Yet it felt like an eternity.
She tried to act like it didn't hurt. But whenever she did, the slave crest on her chest burned a bright purple. Inflicting more pain on her already frail body. It drove her crazy. But she couldn't lose that smile, not now. Not after Mother and father had told her to always smile. Not when she had to bear this for her parents and everyone in the village who hadn't made it. So no matter how bad things got. No matter how much she suffered without them there to help. She had to smile. For their sake, and for the sake of everyone around her. She had to.
"Come on! Scream for me damn it!" The bad man holding the whip yelled as he cracked the whip against her back more and more. "Stop smiling you damn demi!"
Blood slowly dribbled down her legs and onto the floor below. He whipped her again, and again, and again in frustration. She still smiled throughout the whipping process.
Was this the day it'd end? Was this the day it'd finally be over? Was this when the mean man would go too far and finally end everything so she could be reunited with her parents again?
It hurt. It hurt so much.
"Fine, if you're going to be boring!" One last whip slashed against her back, and then the chains came off. An assistant bandaged her back, making sure she wouldn't bleed out from her injuries. Then, she was tossed into her cell like a useless rag doll next to her friend. That same broken smile still on her face.
'Mommy… daddy… I miss you so much... I want to see you again...'
Raphtalia trembled at the memory. Naofumi stared back at her calmly. "I don't… want them to suffer as I did." She whispered. Tears appeared in the rims of her eyes.
"I know. I don't want that to happen either." Naofumi said.
"Then how... how can they think about fleeing!?" She bared her fangs as she yelled. "How can they do that knowing what would happen to the slaves that Idol's holding!? How could you go along with that!?" She angrily asked. Looking out the window again in frustration in the direction of Idol's estate.
"AHHHHHHHH!" Little Raphtalia woke with a scream. "Mommy, daddy-"
"Shhhh, *cough cough*, it's okay." A sick Rifana hugged the crying girl close on their shared cot of hay. "It's going to be okay."
"No… they're gone… they're both gone…" Raphtalia whimpered.
Her nightmares. They were getting worse ever since she'd entered this place. She saw her parents' deaths over and over again. Every night like clockwork. They kept on telling her to be strong... they kept on telling her to smile...
"We… We still have each other, Raphtalia. We still have each other." Rifana tried to comfort her best friend. Although she was crying herself.
Raphtalia continued to cry into her best friend's embrace. "Mo-Mommy… I miss you so much."
They told her to be strong. But she missed them so much. Everything hurt so much.
"Just keep smiling for me please." Rifana cried. "Please don't *cough cough* lose that smile Raphtalia," Rifana said, rubbing Raphtalia between her ears. "That's all we have left down here…"
It was getting so hard to smile.
What did this bad man want from them that he'd go to such lengths just to take her smile away?
Raphtalia was clenching up. That feral look entered her face again. "Hey. Look at me," Naofumi said calmly.
Raphtalia put her hands to her head. "I can't leave them! Not after what that vile monster did to me and my best friend! I can't leave without trying to-" Raphtalia was saying.
"LOOK AT ME!" Naofumi grabbed Raphtalia by the shoulders and surprised her by making her face him. "I don't want to flee either, damn it!" He yelled much to her shock. "This… this bastard was the one that tortured you, correct?" He asked. He also looked angry, very much so.
Raphtalia, though slightly surprised, nodded. Her memories of that place still playing in her mind.
Crack!
"AHHHHHHH!"
"That's right! Scream for me! Scream with what little worth you have left rodent!"
Raphtalia watched in shock as her best friend in the entire world was whipped in front of her again and again. The vile man no longer whipped her as often, even though she wished he would so someone else wouldn't have to suffer. He'd learned Rifana was Raphtalia's best friend. And was using that to his advantage to break the demi-girl.
"AHHH!" Rifana screamed in anguish.
"Hahahaha! That's more like it! Scream, scream, and regret your cursed existence you useless filth!" Idol yelled manically.
Rifana screamed again as the whip cracked against her back again.
"Why do you have dreams of a better life?!" The man cracked his whip against Rifana again. "You're just a couple of worthless demis!"
"R-Rifana," Raphtalia sniffed. But she couldn't cry now. Otherwise, she'd never be able to bring herself to smile again.
Naofumi stared at her. Miniature storms brewing in his eyes.
"What did he do to torture you?"
Raphtalia stared at him. "He... he..."
...
"He broke me... he broke me, and then tortured me even after I was broken."
Raphtalia held the weak hand of her unconscious best friend. An empty bowl of soup lay to the side. The only meal they'd get for the day. She'd already fed it to her friend. Hoping it'd give her another day of life.
Hope was so hard to come by down here...
"Hey, demi! You're always muttering about some village, aren't you?! About going back and rebuilding it!"
Raphtalia shakily looked up. The bad man stood behind the bars, smirking in satisfaction. "Turns out, the whole village was destroyed! Here's proof!"
He held out a crystal ball. A beam of light traveled out from it, projecting an image onto the wall.
It was her village. She could recognize the landscape from anywhere. But it was destroyed. The buildings had all collapsed. The bones of the dead littered the ground. The flag she and Rifana had promised to raise one day laid on some rubble. It was tattered and burnt. Surrounded by the bones of those who'd tried vainly to protect it.
"It looks like all your hard work is over. Everyone left the entire region to rot!" The man flashed an ugly smile. He'd gotten Raphtalia to scream in pain. But he'd never gotten her to cry.
"No… ug…" Raphtalia tried to hold it in. She tried to smile. She tried to…
"Wahhhhh!" Raphtalia collapsed to her knees. Bawling at the site of her village, her home being utterly destroyed. Part of her had held out hope that somebody had survived and stayed behind. Like Sadeena, or Keel… or someone…
But no one was left. The village her parents had entrusted to her was gone.
"Hahaha! Yes! Cry! Cry harder!" The man yelled. Laughing all the while at her misery. He pulled her out of her cell, strung her to the chain, and whipped her even more fiercely than he had before as she cried.
Something had snapped in the poor girl. This pain she felt now, it was so intense she thought she would go crazy. Her heart was so empty. Weeks of sadness that had pent up inside her cascaded out like a waterfall as she was beaten, whipped, and psychologically tortured. The projection of her destroyed village was still on the wall.
"I'm sorry. I'm so, sorry." She cried to herself. Fat tears ran down her small cheeks and dribbled onto the floor below.
What felt like hours later, the horrible man stopped. "My work here is finished." He turned off the projection. Dropped Raphtalia to the ground. Turned around, and walked out of sight. Still laughing in pleasure at what he'd witnessed.
…
"Rifana… I can't… I can't do it anymore…"
The horrible man had finally done it.
The smile she'd protected ever since the Wave struck her village was gone.
She had been broken.
Raphtalia couldn't stay silent any longer. She laid herself bare before Naofumi about what had happened in that place. What she'd experienced in Idol's cellar. She felt tears fall from her eyes as she described what had happened. This felt so much worse than when she'd told him about her village. But she couldn't relive it alone in her mind any longer.
She needed someone she trusted to know what had happened, and why she wanted to go back. And she couldn't keep it from Naofumi. Not when his angry, caring eyes begged to help her out.
When she'd finished, Naofumi scowled. "That's it. We're not going to flee." He said. "Not until we rescue those slaves. And punish that noble for what he's done."
Raphtalia looked surprised. Naofumi was taking her side so easily. But then again, this wasn't just some noble torturing people. This noble had tortured Raphtalia. And he'd done it to pleasure his sick, sadistic self.
Naofumi didn't just want to rescue those other slaves now. He wanted to make the fat bastard PAY!
"But, but it doesn't sound like the others would agree to it-" Raphtalia was saying.
"Then I'll make them agree," Naofumi said determinedly. "I'll twist their arms and make them help."
He remembered Malty threatening to have Raphtalia killed by this sick person. He growled in anger. "I won't leave. I won't stop. Not until that bastard pays with his life for what he did to you-"
"Naofumi."
Raphtalia didn't look angry anymore. She gently cut him off. "I… I appreciate that you care about me… but they're right. If we do this wrong, we risk Idol killing those slaves… and we risk getting many other innocent people hurt." She looked sad again.
…
Naofumi sighed and hugged the Tanuki girl close. Even now, she still worked on keeping him in check. Even if she wanted to punish the fat bastard too. "I'm sorry. I'm not sure what we should do then." He said, rubbing a hand through her hair.
Raphtalia rested her head on his shoulder. Snuggling into his embrace. "I don't know what to do either." She said. Tears appearing in her eyes again. "I just..."
"Ra… Raphtalia?"
Raphtalia looked at Rifana. She was staring weakly up at the ceiling.
"What… is it?" Raphtalia coughed after speaking. She had recently caught whatever it was her best friend had.
Maybe that was for the best. There wasn't anything left for her to live for anymore. If the beatings didn't kill her, surely this would.
"Do you… do you wish the Cardinal Heroes would come… come rescue us?" Rifana tiredly asked.
Raphtalia sat at the base if Rifana's cot. "Would the Cardinal Heroes even care about us?" Raphtalia said sadly.
Would they really care about two little slave girls on the verge of dying?
...
"*cough cough* I… I want… I want to go back to our village." She held a small stick, like a toothpick in one hand. Attached was a small piece of cloth. Like a small flag. "I want to go back to raise our flag… and I, I still want to meet the Shield Hero." Rifana said tiredly. "Like we talked about... on the log... before the Waves came."
Raphtalia stared at her friend. How could she still have dreams and hopes? How could she still remember life in the village?
Raphtalia sniffled and coughed once more. "Save your energy, Rifana," Raphtalia whispered. "I don't... I don't want you to die..."
Rifana was all she had left anymore...
Raphtalia sniffed again. "I miss her... I miss Rifana so much." If there was even a chance that she was alive, no matter how small, she wanted to save her.
She wanted to save her most of all.
…
...
"... I miss your armor." Raphtalia sadly said in Naofumi's embrace.
"... What?" Naofumi asked.
"It was uncomfortable to hug you when you wore it, but it was really cool… and I miss you wearing it." She said sadly.
She missed it when things had started out. When it'd been a little more peaceful. When they had been on the run from place to place by themselves. Living off of what they hunted and the mercies of nature itself.
At least back then things had seemed more simple...
"I… I do too," Naofumi admitted. He wished his armor hadn't been damaged to the point that he couldn't wear it until Van's blacksmith repaired it. He wished that they didn't have to be embroiled in such a major conflict when they were still recovering from escaping the Capital.
He wished life could be a little more peaceful for once...
But he was a Hero. If they didn't do something, all the demi-humans here risked being wiped out. But if they did do something, they risked Idol either torturing or killing his slaves… if he hadn't done so already that is.
'Damn it… there has to be some way to get through this… but what is it?' He didn't want Raphtalia put into battle so soon after recovering. He didn't want Filo to have to fight in such a large conflict. He also didn't want Melty or Eclair to get hurt since they were level 19 and 25. Hell, he'd hoped that they'd be able to grind somewhere nearby so they could become stronger by the time the next wave hit, but it didn't sound like they'd have time for that... 'Oh yeah, Raphtalia was covered in bruises earlier.'
"Is it alright if I ask why you were covered in bruises?" Naofumi asked.
Raphtalia chuckled. "I asked Eclair to help me train, and she tested my abilities with a practice duel. She was much better than I was." She admitted.
'Oh… at least it wasn't from a monster or Shadow ambush.' He thought gratefully. Though hearing Eclair had managed to beat his Companion made him somewhat fear the Rose-haired knight a little more than before. She was, what, fifteen levels below Raphtalia and wasn't being boosted by any bonuses from his shield? How had she managed to beat Raphtalia black and blue?!
Maybe he should ask her to take it easier on his girlfriend. He didn't want Eclair to-
"You better not be thinking about stopping me from improving," Raphtalia said. "If it helps me to better protect you as your sword, I won't stop."
"Alright, I won't." She loved him, but she was stubborn and wasn't afraid to speak her mind. He loved that about her. Even though she loved him, she still followed her own wishes and desires. He knew better than to fight against her desire to get stronger.
Though that didn't mean he couldn't worry…
Naofumi rested his head against Raphtalia's. "What do you think we should do?" He asked.
"... I don't know." She couldn't see either course of action working… and if she admitted that part of her wanted to sneak in alone to deal with Idol, she knew that Naofumi would never agree to it. And as much as she wanted to sneak in herself… she knew Naofumi would come charging in after her if she did so. Which would put him, Filo, Melty, Eclair, and possibly the other heroes in danger. "I just… don't want to flee if there's a chance… a chance that she's there, and that she's still alive. Waiting for me to come rescue her."
The door to the cell opened.
Raphtalia weakly looked up, seeing a strange noble lady standing there. Her hair was black. She was dressed in a long dark dress. And she held a fan in front of her face. The fat man was next to her.
"Yes. I daresay, this is the one." The lady said. Dropping a sack full of coins into the man's grubby hands.
"Hohoho, I know it's supposed to be a rental. But…" He counted the silver coins in the bag. "I'm sure this will more than make up the fine for selling it to someone else."
Raphtalia was too tired and hurt to think about what was happening. Rifana was dying. And she'd soon be in the same boat.
She didn't want to live anymore. She'd lost the will to ever since she'd seen the complete destruction of her village.
The bad fat man looked at the noble lady curiously. "Who are you buying it for again?" He asked curiously.
"My employer is none of your concern, I daresay. I can handle 'it' from here." She said dryly, walking into the cell.
"Yes yes. My knights will be waiting to help escort you out." The man bowed happily, before running off to count his new small fortune.
With it, he could rent at least a dozen, no, TWO dozen demis!
Raphtalia stared listlessly at the lady as she approached. She took out a key Idol had given her, and unchained Raphtalia's ankle. Her other hand still holding the fan in front of her face.
"Wh… why…" Raphtalia murmured. She was useless. She had no purpose left. Why would someone want to buy her?
"I daresay, you will not understand if I told you, dear child." The Shadow in disguise said. She then took out a bottle from behind her fan. "Drink this, it will help with your sickness."
"Wh… what?" Raphtalia looked broken and confused.
"There isn't much time, I daresay. I will be taking you to the Capital soon. But first, you must take this. Otherwise, I fear for your survival."
Raphtalia stared at the vial she was given. She still looked sad and broken.
*Cough Cough*
Coughing sounded behind her. Raphtalia turned her head and looked.
Rifana lay asleep in her cot. It was hard for her to sleep because of Raphtalia's nightmares. Which had gotten worse ever since Idol had shown her the destroyed village. Now, instead of cheering her up, her parents were disappointed in her. They told her she was a horrible excuse for a daughter. That it would have been better if she'd died instead of them.
It'd gotten to the point where she believed it.
Yet the sickness was so close to taking her friend…
She looked at the vial, and then at the noble lady again. She sniffed. Tears she didn't know she had anymore entered her eyes. "Please… give it to my friend… take her away instead of me…" She quietly begged.
She didn't have anything left to live for. She was broken beyond repair. Her parents berated her in her dreams repeatedly… her waking hours were like a nightmare on repeat. Hopelessness and despair had been pounded into her soul.
...
But if there was a chance she could save her best friend, she'd rather do that than take the medicine for herself.
At least she'd have done something good before leaving this cruel world behind...
The noble lady stared at her from behind the fan for a long moment. Raphtalia was broken, but she looked determined that she'd rather save her friend first before she saved herself. The disguised shadow nodded. "You are the one I am looking for, I daresay."
She grabbed the vial and walked past the confused, broken Raphtalia. Then, looking around to make sure no one else was looking, she gently lifted her sick friend's head with care. And let the contents of the vial fall down her throat.
It took a moment, but the lady set Rifana's dirty body with the utmost care back against the cot. Whatever she'd given her was already working. Color returned to Rifana's skin. And she looked much more at peace as she stepped back. "If you are willing to put your friend's life in front of your own in this place. I daresay, you will do wonders where you're going, dear child.
"Do not worry about her. She is at the end of her contract too. Hopefully, with this, she will be bought by someone kinder than the man in charge here."
Raphtalia still looked confused. But just like Rifana's skin regaining its color, a little ember of hope burned in her chest again.
It had been so long since she'd seen someone else perform such an act of kindness...
"Now, come. There is no time to waste."
Raphtalia stared, unresisting as the lady pulled her along. Unsure of what would happen now, and what this lady's intentions were. Soon, she stepped out of the cellar into a dark night. The mountains she'd seen before entering the first time came into view. The stars were prettier than she'd ever remembered.
The lady had whispered one last thing to her. Something she couldn't recall. And then she passed out.
When she woke up the next time. She found herself, broken, sitting in a cell in a slave tent. But she hadn't had much time to think about that. As she'd woken up just minutes before someone walked in, and changed her life forever.
Raphtalia looked sad. She hadn't thought about it for so long… 'Why… why did that lady save me…' She had given the medicine to Rifana as she'd asked. But why? For what purpose?
On the other side, Naofumi was still straining his mind. Trying to come up with an idea that would work. 'Come on… there has to be something… there has to be!' He didn't want to give up on these slaves.
…
He sighed, still not thinking of anything. 'Damn it. I can't do it. No matter how I think about it… there are too many people that hate us in the way... This is pointless-'
…
…
...!
Naofumi looked like he wanted to facepalm.
There were people that hated him in their way! HIM!
"Idol Rabier worships the Three Heroes Church, correct?" He asked for clarification. Snapping Raphtalia out of her thoughts.
"Yes." Raphtalia looked at Naofumi confusedly. Sensing he was growing excited.
"Meaning he hates my guts. And he'd want to go after my guts. Along with possibly every other damn knight, mage, and shadow in that entire army." Naofumi really looked like he was getting excited. "I think… I might have an idea that'll work!"
Raphtalia looked him in the eyes. Likely using her mind tricks to figure out what his plan was. "You're not… planning on using yourself as bait, are you?!" She asked quizzically and in fright.
"No, of course not," Naofumi said. "At least, I'm not planning on using myself as bait." He said happily.
"... I'm so confused," Raphtalia said.
Naofumi pecked her on the cheek. "Don't worry. I'm still piecing it together. But it should be ready by the time we meet up with the others."
Raphtalia blushed, and her tail started wagging fiercely behind her. Maybe it hadn't been all bad that she'd been saved that day instead of Rifana. She'd been broken by that horrible man.
But Naofumi had caringly pieced her back together. He'd protected that ember of hope the noble lady had given her and nurtured it with his care and protection until it grew into a blazing bonfire. Giving her a new purpose to live for in life, and a reason to smile.
She still missed her parents. But she no longer had nightmares about them dying. Or about them calling her a disappointment. Her life had changed all because of Naofumi.
"Oh… did you happen to…" Naofumi trailed off, unsure if he wanted to finish that sentence or not, seeing how Raphtalia was reacting to the cheek peck.
"I'm fine!" Raphtalia quickly said. Trying to calm the blush in her cheeks. "I'm fine! I just, get embarrassed when you do that to me out of nowhere!" She admitted.
Oh no, she was the one that was supposed to ambush him out of nowhere! Not admit that it flustered her when he did it to her!
Naofumi smirked, assuming Raphtalia had gotten the talk after all. "Well, as long as someone gave The Talk to you. You'll know that isn't how you get pregnant." He ran out the door of the room.
"Wait, Naofumi, what's the Talk-" Raphtalia trailed off since Naofumi had already run out. 'Ohhhhhh, I guess I can just bring it up another time.' She ran out after Naofumi.
Raphtalia and Naofumi eventually met back up with the other Heroes and Van, half an hour after they had taken a break. "So, have we decided on what course of action we should take?" Van asked. "My people are ready to move."
"I'd like to propose an idea," Naofumi said. "If that's alright?"
"Go ahead, Sir Shield Hero." Van agreed.
"Do you know if Idol Rabier hates the Shield Hero?" Naofumi asked Van again for confirmation.
"With a passion," Van said affirmatively. "I haven't met a noble that hates you more than he does."
Naofumi smirked. "Great. Give your people the order to flee. Ren, Itsuki, how would you feel about the three of us working together to rescue those slaves?" Naofumi asked.
Itsuki went wide-eyed. "But how? They're going to have a freaking army in the way!" He said incredulously.
"No, they're not," Naofumi said with a grin. "Not when the army, Idol, and the Shadows think they're chasing after the Shield Hero."
He outlined the plan he'd come up with while going over it with Raphtalia in the hallway.
Itsuki still looked confused, but Ren started to grin widely. "Naofumi, that's genius."
"Genius? It's crazy! It's insane!" Itsuki yelled.
"Illusion magic to make it look like they're chasing after the Shield Hero…" Van looked impressed.
Naofumi nodded. "Raphtalia told me once illusion magic wasn't just for making objects or hiding. If the illusion is realistic enough-"
Itsuki finally caught on and looked at Naofumi in shock. "You want to use an illusion of yourself to bait them away?" He asked.
"And go through the back to rescue the slaves while they blindly chase the illusion through the forest," Naofumi said.
He'd seen it plenty of times by this point. Their zealousness was so intoxicating that it blinded them to everything logical. He wanted to use that against them so they could accomplish some good for once.
"And if Idol and his commanders stayed back to direct the army in capturing the illusion, Itsuki could sneak into wherever their place of command is and assassinate him and the other commanders. Putting the army in a state of confusion when they finally realize they were chasing after an illusion." Ren said.
"Giving my people all the time they need to get out of my lands." Van nodded affirmatively. "This, this could work."
"... I like it. Don't get me wrong. I want to stop that noble for everything he's done... But do you really think they're going to be that stupid?" Itsuki asked. He'd spent all this time preparing to eventually face down Idol in his fortress.
Would such a simple trick actually work on him?
"Yes," Naofumi said seriously. "Since these are people from the Three Heroes Church. They might be even more stupid than I'm predicting."
"And besides, once Naofumi and I are done evacuating the Slaves. You can use your Portal Skill to escape with your party." Ren said. He wasn't all that comfortable with killing people. But Itsuki had plenty of experience in that regard.
Even if he knew it was real, he was the best one for that job since he had a strong desire to enact justice on those that were evil. And these leaders were definitely amongst the worst of the worst.
Itsuki seriously thought it over some more. "Alright… I'll trust you on this. But I'd want most of your party with me including Wyndia. Just in case they try using ritual magic or something else to block my Portal skill." He also wanted Ren's higher-leveled party members on hand in case Naofumi's illusion trick ended early and they got ambushed.
Ren grimaced but nodded. "Alright. I don't see another option." He said. "Anything else?"
"I just want to say... I'm agreeing to this because Raphtalia's right. I haven't given up rescuing slaves before. I won't give up now if this has a shot of working." Itsuki said seriously.
Naofumi felt proud of the blonde-haired boy. He'd come a long way since the day he was summoned over two months ago. Raphtalia also looked very appreciative of the Bow Hero's words.
Van stood up. "I'll send out the order to begin evacuating immediately then." He also took out five vials from his jacket and handed them to Ren. "Make sure to pour these over the crests of the slaves when you get there. You have no idea how hard it was to acquire a blood sample from Idol Rabier without him realizing it." He said. "That should hopefully be enough if you pour it sparingly on everyone's slave crests."
"Hope is what we'll need if we want this to work. Let's get our parties ready," Ren said, pocketing the vials. "We'll need to make sure we're ready for anything."
"Right!" With that, the First Meeting of the Three Heroes finally dispersed.
Raphtalia looked happier than before. 'Rifana. Don't worry. If you're still there somehow, I'm going to rescue you! I promise!'
Hero Clips!
Clark Kenting
"They can't be that stupid."
"Just watch." Naofumi grabbed his Shield, changing it to the Mask Shield.
The Three Heroes were hiding on the road leading to the gates of Rabier's fortress city. Their parties were hiding with them.
Naofumi put it over his face. And then walked onto the road, approaching the gates.
"Ah, good evening Doctor. Been having a good day today?" One of the knights greeted happily.
Naofumi nodded. Walking past the guards into the city. "We hope you enjoy your time here in Rabier." The other knight greeted happily.
Itsuki and Ren looked at each other in surprise. Were they so stupid as to not recognize Naofumi because he was wearing a mask?!
"Ah, young miss. What brings you and your daughters here today?"
A hooded cloaked Raphtalia with a happy Filo and a hooded Melty had just approached the gates. Raphtalia's sword hung at her side in plain view. She smiled happily. "I'm bringing the kids to see their Father." She said happily.
"Yay! I can't wait to see daddy again!" Filo cheered happily.
"M-Me too!" Melty said, trying to sound excited.
The guards shrugged. "Hope you find your Father then." The group of three happily strolled in. The guards didn't even mind that Raphtalia looked suspicious with the covering and being so obviously armed.
"They… really are that stupid," Ren said in shock.
"Ah, what brings such fine young misses to our fair city?"
It was Rishia, Maya, and Wyndia's turn. Rishia was in the lead and looked very frightened. Wyndia and Maya both wore long suspicious thick cloaks with hoods to hide their demi-human features. "Fueh… we're, um… uh…"
The knight laughed. "No need to look so nervous pretty lady! You three aren't anywhere close to the demis we're looking for."
"That's right. We aren't. Now come on Rishia." Maya said, helping to push the frightened Rishia forward.
"Is it that hard for you to admit we're visiting here with our boyfriends?" Wyndia asked in a deadpan.
"FUEHHHHHHH!"
Wyndia glared at the Church Knights as they walked in. Her tail briefly poked out from behind. But she just grumbled and said something about the stupid sword not staying put while walking in.
THE KNIGHTS BELIEVED IT!
...
"I guess… this might work?" Itsuki looked at Ren.
"I guess?" Ren wore a pair of glasses on his face.
He was still dressed in the same armor and everything. His Legendary Sword and its gemstone were sheathed on his back in plain view!
Itsuki also wore a pair of glasses. His Bow was in plain sight on his back on top of his normal attire.
Literally, the only thing different about them was the glasses.
They finally walked out. Praying that the guard's stupidity would hold out.
They were about to pass under the gate. "You there! Halt!"
The pair stopped.
"Do I… recognize you from somewhere?" One of the guards asked.
Itsuki gulped. "Nope. Just passing through." He said nervously.
"Hmmm…"
...
Just when they thought they were screwed, the guard shrugged. "Sorry, the glasses made me think you were my long-lost cousin for some reason. Enjoy your stay!"
Ren and Itsuki walked into Rabier city.
They were both stunned beyond belief.
"They, really are that stupid."
Ren pulled off the glasses Naofumi had crafted for him. Staring at them in awe. "They didn't recognize me… because I was wearing glasses… just like Naofumi said."
The Church Knights would forever be stupid in their minds now.
Till Next Time
Allen