Kuroinu - Rise of the Guardian

by websplorer

Thousands of years after the fall of the Edenian Empire, the last Sentinel awakens in a world devastated by the war between the Seven Shields Alliance and Queen Olga Discordia's demonic armies. With the help of Claudia Levantine and her fellow Shields, this warrior out of his time will save Eostia from a dark future and rediscover the meaning of being human.

12. 12 - Apex predator

"Drop your bow or the boy dies," Ophelia ordered Alina while she held the human boy in front of her. The young hostage whimpered in fear. He didn't understand what she was saying, but the knife pointed at his neck made her intentions clear. Meanwhile, Ophelia tried not to show how much she hated using such a dirty tactic. She had nothing against the boy, but unfortunately Alina was a better fighter than her, forcing the dark elf to make a split-second decision when she dove behind his haystack to dodge an arrow.

"I'm quite confident I can hit you without harming him," Alina replied calmly while holding her bow with a knotted arrow aimed at the dark elf's face, ready to draw and shoot it with inhuman speed.

The boy was fourteen years old at most and still relatively short, especially compared to an adult elf, so his head was basically nestled between Ophelia's breasts, meaning that part of the dark elf's upper body was still exposed. 'If it wasn't for the knife pointed at his throat, I'm sure he would enjoy this moment.'

"That may be true, but all it takes is a small twitch of my hand to cut open his throat," Ophelia replied, gently pressing the blade of her knife against the boy's neck, just enough to prove her point without drawing blood. "Are you really willing to risk that?"

"No… however, who assures me that you or one of your friends won't kill us as soon as I comply to your demands?"

"You have my word that no harm will be done to either of you."

Alina raised an eyebrow. "Hmm, the last time I trusted what you said, you still ended up stabbing my leg, sooooo… how about you let the boy go and tell your friends to stop whatever they're doing?"

"I'm afraid I have to refuse your offer."

"And I can't just let you steal that food."

Ophelia sighed in annoyance. "Then it seems that we've come to an impasse."

"Yup," Alina said before looking at the young hostage. "Don't worry, kid. She's a bitch, but she's not completely heartless," Alina reassured him, speaking in Common, before glancing at the two corpses lying unceremoniously in a corner. "Even if it's really hard to believe that."

Ophelia had the decency to look guilty, even if for just a brief moment. "It's not our fault. The humans-"

"They were just protecting their food for the winter," Alina brusquely interrupted her. "I know why you're doing this, Ophelia, but it still doesn't justify killing people."

"We had no choice."

"Lies! There's always a choice. You could just trade with-"

"We cannot trust their kind, not after all they've done to us! The humans are as much to blame for our current situation as the demons."

"And yet, you're the one raiding settlements and using a scared child as a meat shield," Alina pointed out.

Ophelia glared at her, but she looked more frustrated than angry. "I'm only doing what I have to do to keep my people alive."

"Tell that to the families of the knights and soldiers that are dying out there, fighting against the Dark Legion."

"Alright, I've had enough of this farce," Matias suddenly declared, blasting Alina across the warehouse with a concussive spell.

"I told you to take care of the glyph," Ophelia said annoyed, glancing at the other mages. As soon as Harriet and Ophelia started fighting, they had summoned a magic barrier around themselves. It drained a fair deal of mana and slowed down the casting of the teleportation spell, but it would ensure that nobody could disturb them.

"You were taking too long for my tastes. Thanks for distracting her, anyway" he said smugly before looking at the human boy. "That doesn't look like a rat to me."

"Your point?"

"Nothing," he said with a shrug. "So, what do we do with them now?"

"Nothing. They're not a threat to us," Ophelia declared, gently yet firmly pushing the boy toward Alina.

"Killing them would be an act of mercy, considering what the demons or Harriet would do to them."

"We're not killing them!" Ophelia ordered.

"Did you just say Harriet?" Alina coughed as she slowly got back on her feet with the help of the boy. "Green eyes and a personality as pleasant as a rabid badger? That Harriet?"

"You know her?"

"Yeah, she once slaughtered an entire caravan I was traveling with. They were good people that deserved a better fate. Especially the children." Her gaze became sterner. "So, that's how it is, huh? She kills humans and you steal their stuff?" Alina summarized with a displeased tone. "I was a fool to believe you were an honorable thief trying to help her people. In the end you're just a glorified grave robber."

"I'm not the one that commands the demons!" Ophelia exclaimed defensively. For some reason, Alina's words hurt her.

"That doesn't make you innocent! You're still profiting from their actions!" Alina shot back.

Before Ophelia could reply, the doors of the warehouse were kicked open, revealing an imposing figure clad in heavy armor.

"Drop your weapon and surrender. You have ten seconds to comply," the Sentinel ordered sternly, aiming his thunderbow at Ophelia.

Taking advantage of his distraction, Matias fired a magic dart at the Sentinel, only to watch in shock as it only left a burn mark on his breastplate.

"What the-?!"

Clay instantly shifted his energy weapon toward the dark elf mage and fired a shot at his chest, killing him.

"Matias!" Mildred screamed from inside the energy barrier.

Realizing that the Sentinel was not an enemy she could fight, Ophelia made a dash for the magic barrier, joining her comrades behind the shimmering wall of energy.

The Sentinel walked up to the barrier and placed the palm of his gauntlet on its shimmering surface. The energy field reacted by pushing him back and he felt a faint tingling sensation on his skin through his armor.

"It's useless," one of the sorceresses told him in heavily accented Common. "Only dark elves can cross this barrier and it's powerful enough to withstand-"

[MANA DISRUPTOR FIELD: ACTIVATED]

The next moment, the Sentinel's fist struck the barrier with enough force to make it flicker.

"What?!" The same sorceress exclaimed in disbelief as the barrier struggled to keep its integrity. The Sentinel then proceeded to punch the barrier again and again, each strike compromising more and more its integrity.

"I-impossible!"

"How can he do that?!"

"Who cares?! Get us out of here!" Ophelia ordered in a panicked tone.

"What about Matias-"

"He's dead! And we'll be too if we don't leave now!"

The three mages exchanged a quick look before starting chanting as fast as they could. Right before the magic barrier finally collapsed, the five dark elves disappeared in a bright flash of light, leaving behind a circular burned mark on the ground.

"Are you alright?" Alina asked the boy, who blinked a few times to readjust his vision before nodding meekly. "Good. Stay here," she said before walking toward the Sentinel, who was examining the burn marks left on the floor by the teleportation glyph. In the end, only half of the food had been stolen, but Alina wasn't sure if it was for lack of time or because Ophelia had decided to have pity on the people of the region.

"Thanks for the help. How did you know I needed assistance?"

"I didn't. Their spell was drawing so much mana that it acted as a beacon. Anyone trained in the magic arts or with the right equipment," – he said while tapping his helmet - "could easily detect it from a few miles of distance." He looked at her. "You and that dark elf seemed to know each other," he commented with a note of suspicion.

"We've fought each other several times in the last few years," Alina explained. "She's not exactly a saint, but she's neither a bad person. The reason why she steals food is a noble cause… even if I strongly disagree with her methods."

"Is the food situation in Nidavellir really so desperate?"

Alina widened her eyes. "How do you-?"

"It's the only logical conclusion." His eye slits flashed once, signaling that he had just used one of his magic scanners. "Anyway, this is not our biggest issue right now. The demons are inside the town."

Alina widened her eyes. "The church!" She gasped in alarm.

---

"Hold the line! Don't let these bastards get close to the church!" Maia shouted to the few dozens of men and women she was able to hastily gather to protect the civilians.

While the Alliance army was busy fighting against the trolls, a group of demons composed mostly of ogres had managed to punch through their defenses and storm the town's northern gate.

Being the closest commander and realizing the danger, Maia gathered all available troops, a mix of mercenaries, regular soldiers, and a few knights, and rushed to intercept the demons before they could reach the church. Luckily for her, the chaotic narrow streets of the town slowed down the enemy, so the humans were able to mount a defense in the market square in front of the church, using carts, crates, barrels and even abandoned vendor stands to erect makeshift barricades.

The enemy, however, was determined, numerous, and above all physically stronger, resulting in a violent brawl that saw the humans at disadvantage.

"I really wish Gwen was here! We could really use her magic," Milena lamented after shooting an ogre in the face with her crossbow. Its friends were a bit too close for her tastes, so instead of wasting time reloading her crossbow, the eye-patched woman shouldered it and drew her trusty tomahawks instead.

"Less whining and more killing!" Maia shouted right before kicking violently an ogre in the dick, eliciting a wince from all the males in the vicinity, both demons and humans alike. The unfortunate aberrant dropped its weapon and fell on its knees with a surprisingly high-pitched cry of pain, only to have Maia use both her swords to cut off its head with a scissor motion.

"Fuck! I know it was just an aberrant, but hitting a dude in the nuts is still a big no-no," a familiar voice chided her.

"Hicks? What the hell are you doing here?" she exclaimed surprised. His short swords were covered in blood and judging by his sweaty hair and beet red face, he must have run to get here.

"What do you think, you butch? I'm here to save your ass," he explained, dodging an orc's mace before cutting the tendons behind its knees.

"I don't need your help!" Maia shot back while finishing the orc by stabbing its heart.

"Bullshit! Even back at the orphanage, you always acted without thinking! If it wasn't for me, you'd be dead already, you stupid crybaby!"

"Asshole!"

"Bitch!"

"Dick head!"

"Cow girl!"

"How dare you?!" Maia gasped outraged. She hated the nickname that the older boys at the orphanage gave her. 'I mean, it's true that puberty hit me like a sledgehammer, but my boobs are not that big! …right?'

"Just take a room and fuck already!" Milena shouted in the distance.

"Shut up, Milena!" Maia and Hicks shouted at the same time.

"Huh, sorry to interrupt, but more demons are coming!" Simon informed them from the other side of the square.

"Hold that barricade until help arrives, blondie! We'll take care of this side."

"Yes, lady Maia!"

Hicks looked at her confused. "We?"

"Yeah, you and the other soldiers."

"…"

"You know, the ones that you brought with you."

"…"

Maia squinted her eyes and stared at him. His stunned silence was somewhat suspicious. "You brought reinforcements... right?"

"Weeeeeeell, about that…"

"Seriously?! And you dare to call ME an impulsive idiot?"

"I was in a hurry, alright?!"

Maia sighed. "Whatever. Let's just try to get out of this mess alive."

"Just like old times, uh?" Hicks grinned as they stood back against back against the horde surrounding them.

"Yeah," Maia muttered before noticing with the corner of the eye a humanoid figure running on the roof of one of the houses that overlooked the square. It was too small and graceful to be a demon, yet too fast to be a human, which means it could only be- "Look out!" Maia exclaimed while the dark elf jumped off the roof toward one of the knights.

Unfortunately, her warning came too late.

"What the-?!" The knight's exclamation was cut short when the dark elf landed on his body to cushion her fall and plugged a dagger deep in his throat.

"Fucking cunt!" Another knight stepped in front of her and swung horizontally his battle axe to cut her in half, but the dark elf leaped in the air and delivered a powerful roundhouse kick to his head that not only deformed his grand helm, but also broke his jaw and neck.

A trio of mercenaries armed with spears charged at her, only to be all killed in the span of a few seconds as the dark elf used her superior agility and speed to slip inside their guard and stab each one of them with her sword.

Once the last man was dead, the dark elf turned toward Simon and ran toward him with a cruel bloodthirsty smile. Before the psychotic woman could turn him into a human kebab, the young knight finally snapped out of his stupor and managed to raise his shield to block her attack. The elf's blade easily punched through the wood and steel of his shield, grazing his vambrace and stopping uncomfortably close to his face.

The woman kicked his shield to free her blade, throwing Simon to the ground, but quickly forgot about him when she saw Hicks and Maia running toward her. Instead of looking concerned, the dark elf smirked coldly and lunged at the man with her sword at the ready.

Hicks tried to parry the dark elf's attack, but he was too slow and cried out in pain when her sword pierced his right shoulder.

"Hicks!" Maia slashed her swords at the dark elf, forcing her to retreat before she could finish the merc. "Shit," she swore with concern.

"I'll live! Don't worry about me," he hissed in pain, gritting his teeth while he used his left hand to keep pressure on the wound in order to stop the bleeding.

Tossing a small vial full of healing potion at him, Maia quickly studied her opponent. Like most elves, the woman was tall, with a lean body covered in leather armor that gave her a certain dangerous beauty. Her green eyes burned with hatred and her lips were twisted into a sneer of superiority.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't Maia, the queen of mercenaries herself. It's truly an honor to finally meet you," the dark elf said condescendingly.

Maia narrowed her eyes. "Trust me, the feeling is not reciprocal, huh… you."

"My name is Harriet and it's the last name you'll ever hear," the dark elf informed her arrogantly. "However, if you beg for mercy, I might spare your pathetic life and just let the demons rape you until your mind is broken."

"You really suck at negotiating," Maia deadpanned. "Here's my counter offer: take your army of depraved freaks and get the fuck out of here or I will kick your ass so hard that you'll taste the horse shit I've stepped on earlier."

Harriet's smile instantly became colder without losing its arrogance. "We'll see if you'll still be so cocky once I'm done with you, mon'keigh."

"All I see is a bitch that's all bite and no bark," Maia shot back, raising both swords in a defensive stance.

Harriet wasted no time and lunged at the redhead, aiming for her heart. Maia used both swords to block the attack before trying to kick the dark elf in the stomach, but Harriet was faster and managed to retreat before her boot could reach her.

"Too slow!" Harriet taunted her before attacking again, trying to catch Maia off-guard while her balance was still off. Using her left sword, Maia managed to swat aside Harriet's blade before it could pierce her thigh, then swung her right sword, hoping to remove Harriet's head from her neck, but she only managed to cut-off a lock of black hair.

What followed could only be described as a beautiful yet deadly dance between two experienced swordswomen, however, it quickly became clear that Maia was barely able to keep up with Harriet.

Even with Celestine's blessing, she was still slower than an elf, meaning that she had to rely on reading her opponent's body language and using her own experience and wits to predict Harriet's moves.

"That's it? Is this really the best humanity has to offer?" Harriet laughed mockingly. "Your inferior species never fails to disappoint me."

"You really like the sound of your voice, don't you?" Maia taunted as she blocked yet another of Harriet's attacks using both swords.

The dark elf pushed Maia back and brought her face closer to hers. "What can I say? I enjoy music," she declared with a sickeningly sweet tone. "So… SING FOR ME!" Faster than a snake, Harriet used her nondominant hand to draw a dagger and stab Maia in the hip. The redhead screamed in pain as the blade pierced her reinforced gambeson and bit into her vulnerable flesh. Luckily for her, one of her ribs stopped the dagger from reaching her organs, but it still hurt like a bitch.

Taking advantage of her distraction, Harriet shoved Maia to the ground then straddled her lap to pin her down, bringing her bloody dagger to her exposed throat. "Do you have any last words?" The dark elf asked with a sadistic smile, certain of her victory.

What she didn't consider, though, was that Maia was not a noble lady raised following the teachings of chivalry codes, but an orphan that grew up in the streets.

Giving up was not part of her nature.

"Yeah," Maia grunted right before spitting a glob of blood and saliva into her eyes. Harriet instinctively flinched. Maia quickly slapped aside her dagger, then grabbed the dark elf by the hair and pulled her toward her, before slamming violently her forehead against Harriet's nose with a loud satisfying crunch.

"Aaaaaaaargh! You bitch!" Harriet screamed in agony as she fell off Maia.

"First you kill your enemy, then you can monologue, you dumb cunt," the Shield of Ansur said as she quickly scrambled back on her feet and drew her daggers from her forearm holsters.

Harriet glared at Maia with pure unadulterated hatred. The blood flowing out freely from her broken nose gave her a feral appearance. "I'm gonna scalp you while you're still alive, you filthy failed abortion!" she snarled in her mother tongue.

'I have no idea what she just said, but it probably was something very rude,' Maia thought while the other survivors gathered around her in front of the church to make a last stand.

Before Maia could formulate a plan on how to defeat Harriet and a shit ton of demons without dying in the process, an arrow struck one of the bigger ogres in the heart, killing it instantly. Following the trajectory of the arrow, they saw Alina on the roof of the church, shooting her bow with deadly precision at the demons.

"What the- You?!" Harriet exclaimed. "I thought I killed you!"

"Hi, Harriet! What happened to your nose? Did you fall from the tree of bitchiness and hit your face against every branch?" The elf ranger taunted her as she kept thinning out the ogre ranks.

"I'm going to kill you, damn tree-hugger!"

"Oh, I don't think so," Alina casually replied, hitting an ogre in the eye. "Bullseye!"

"You really think you can defeat me this time?"

"Nope! I'm just here to distract you and buy him some time."

"Him? Who are you talking about?" Harriet demanded before several ogres were shot in the back by what appeared concentrated bolts of mana, opening a path through the horde and revealing an imposing figure clad in heavy armor caked in the blood and guts of demons.

The Sentinel holstered his thunderbow and glared at Harriet with his helmet's glowing lenses. "Priority target identified," he growled before charging at her.

The dark elf was briefly stunned at the Sentinel's size and appearance, but quickly recovered and threw a dagger at him, only to watch in astonishment when Clay caught the dagger and threw it at a nearby ogre without slowing down.

Her brain was still processing what she just saw when she realized that the Sentinel was already in front of her. He swung his massive sword with inhuman speed. Instinct, Harriet tried to block the attack with her sword.

It was a mistake.

Not only did her arm go numb for the impact, but it threw her several meters away. The dark elf landed heavily to the ground, losing her sword in the fall, and rolled a few times to dissipate the residual kinetic energy.

Still dazed, Harriet raised her gaze, only to see the Sentinel's sabaton coming down toward her. She frantically rolled to the left, barely avoiding being squashed like a cockroach under his foot, which cracked the ground instead, before rolling to the right to avoid being stabbed in the stomach. Jumping back on her feet, Harriet ran straight toward her sword, grabbed it, and quickly dodged another devastating slash.

'How can he be so fast?!' She thought as she started panicking. Never before she had fought an opponent that made her feel so the first time since that fateful day when she finally escaped from slavery, Harriet was afraid.

And she absolutely hated that feeling.

'No.'

Her soul started burning with anger like a raging fire.

'No more.'

She was not weak anymore.

'No more!'

She was not a helpless victim anymore.

'NO MORE!'

Screaming in rage, Harriet pounced at the Sentinel and swung her sword at his neck. In response, Clay simply raised his left vambrace, deflecting her blow with an explosion of sparks, before swinging his sword horizontally, trying to behead her, but Harriet managed to duck under the blade by such a narrow margin that she felt it cut through the air above her head. Realizing she only had a couple of seconds at most before the next attack, she frantically studied her opponent, looking for a weakness.

'There!'

From past experience, she knew that the most vulnerable spots of any plate armor were its joints, so she tried to stab the Sentinel between his breastplate and his waist protection. However, much to her surprise, her magically-forged steel blade, a family heirloom which she took as a trophy from the corpse of the first knight that she ever killed, failed to pierce the black material of his undersuit. Thinking fast, Harriet cartwheeled to put some distance between the Sentinel and herself, but Clay was right behind her, ready to run her through with his sword.

'Perfect,' Harriet thought, dodging the attack at the last possible moment.

The sword missed the dark elf and struck instead the chest of an ogre standing behind her.

Before Clay could extract the blade from the body of the unlucky demon, Harriet quickly spun around and slammed her steel-reinforced boot against the side of his helmet with all her strength, but instead of dropping dead or ending up with a concussion, the Sentinel barely flinched before firmly grabbing her leg. Harriet had barely the time to widen her eyes in horror before the Sentinel flung her several meters across the market square, crashing through a vendor stall before slamming with her back against a wall and dropping gracelessly to the ground.

Coughing up some blood, Harriet tried to get back on her feet, only to wince in pain and sit against the wall instead. Elves were surprisingly durable and harder to kill than humans thanks to their special biology and higher mana affinity, however, the woman could easily tell that several of her ribs were either cracked or broken, while her ankle was probably sprained.

'How… How is it possible? What in the Giant's Name is he?' Harriet thought while a large number of soldiers bearing the mark of the Kuroinu arrived, quickly overwhelming the surviving ogres with their superior numbers and coordination.

"It's over. You've lost," Maia declared as she cautiously approached Harriet with Milena, who kept her loaded crossbow pointed at the dark elf.

"No." Harriet glared defiantly at the humans before pulling out an egg-sized blue crystal from a pocket. She quickly muttered a few words under her breath and the crystal started glowing brightly. "This isn't over!" she declared, disappearing in a flash of light right before Milena fired her crossbow, hitting the wall.

"Dammit!" the woman cursed.

'A teleportation stone, huh? Clever,' the Sentinel thought before noticing that a few demons were still alive.

"Oh, fuck," an orc groaned as it realized that they had been left behind by their leader. "Huh, we surrender?" An ogre asked nervously, raising his hands like he often saw humans do.

Clay drew his thunderbow and shot each demon in the head without the barest hint of hesitation.

"Yup, totally deserved," Hicks commented as he observed the Sentinel, trying not to wince as he pressed a gauze soaked with a healing potion around his wound. Watching the Sentinel fighting against those trolls had been impressive, but his fight against the dark elf was completely insane. 'I wonder what kind of war requires warriors like him?'

The distant sound of a horn resonated in the air.

"Alina, what's going on?" Maia demanded.

"The demons are retreating!" The high elf shouted excitedly from the roof of the church. "We've won!"

---

A couple hours later, Helen and Clay were in Claudia's tent to give her an accurate account of the events of the battle after she was incapacitated. The woman sitting in her cot with her back leaning against some pillows and with her injured ankle wrapped in clean bandages soaked up in healing potions.

With the help of a couple of mages and their water spells, Clay had managed to wash away all the blood and gore covering his armor, while its maintenance spell had already repaired all the damages from the battle, returning it to its original conditions.

Once Helen finished her report, Claudia nodded satisfied. "Very well. Thank you, Helen. You can go now. Clay and I need to talk in private."

"Yes, ma'am," Helen said, glancing in confusion at the Sentinel before leaving the tent.

"Please, remove your helmet, Clay," Claudia asked with a polite yet firm tone. The Sentinel hesitated for a moment before complying, revealing a pale youthful face with gray eyes and hair. "I believe you owe me an explanation about why you almost attacked me," the knight-commander said sternly, only to soften up when she saw him wince in shame. "Even though we haven't known each other for long, I know you wouldn't hurt me... voluntarily, at least. And I know how you fight. You're cold, precise, and calculative, but while sometimes you can be brutal, what I saw today… that wasn't you," she said with a tone laced with concern. "Tell me what really happened, Clay. I promise I'll try to keep an open mind and not to judge, but… I need to understand."

Clay remained silent for a while before he finally spoke. "We call it Blood Rage. When Sentinels experience high levels of stress during combat, our bodies react by releasing certain hormones – which are particular chemical substances – into our bloodstream. These substances enhance our aggressive response and increase our strength, speed, and endurance, allowing us to fight harder and for longer time even if we're grievously wounded, however, in certain situations it can also be triggered voluntarily."

Claudia nodded slowly. She wasn't a scholar like her husband, but Clay's explanation was easy enough to understand. "You said it makes you more aggressive. Is this what happened before?"

"While the Blood Rage allows us to keep fighting even after suffering devastating damage without dying of shock, it comes at a price. It clouds our judgment, reducing our self-control and basically turning us into berserkers that react violently to anything they perceive as a threat, meaning that we may also attack our own allies without even realizing it. Our armor helps keep our minds in check, but it's not a perfect system. Furthermore, fighting for prolonged times with such ability cause permanent damage to our bodies and minds: it can drive us mad, cause brain hemorrhages, or simply kill us with a heart attack."

Claudia stared at him horrified. "How many times did you experience it?"

"This was actually my first time. And… It frightened me. I felt like I wasn't the one controlling my body."

"If you knew the risks, then why did you use that ability?" She demanded.

"You were in danger."

Claudia widened her eyes in shock. "Excuse me?" She sputtered with indignation. "You risked going insane or even dying just because I was in danger?!"

Clay blinked. "Yes," he said as if it was the most obvious answer in the world.

Claudia felt her blood boil with anger. "Why? Why would you do that? If this is just because I'm your commanding officer, then-!"

"Kindness," he said quietly, interrupting her rant.

Claudia fell silent and blinked, not sure if she heard him correctly. "What?"

"When I woke up in this era after you and Klaus found me, I was completely lost. Everything and everyone I knew was gone. Including my purpose." He looked down at his helmet and brushed its smooth, angular surface with a thumb. "I literally had no reason to live. That was the closest thing to despair I ever felt since I became a Sentinel. But then, right when I thought I had just reached the lowest point in my life, you asked me – not ordered, but asked – to come with you. You could have used me as the weapon I was intended to be, a nameless, faceless instrument of war, instead you took care of me, welcomed me as a member of your family, helped me fit in a new alien world, and gave me a new purpose. And a new name." He took a deep breath and looked up at the woman in front of him, the person he respected the most in the world. "I am forever indebted to you for everything you've done for me. When I saw you in danger… that was all the motivation I needed." He swallowed and for the first time Claudia saw how emotional his cold gray eyes could be. "You're my commander, Claudia. The woman I swore to serve. But… I also consider you a friend. And I would not hesitate to sacrifice my life in order to protect you."

His words left Claudia speechless.

On one hand, she was deeply touched by his loyalty and affection. On the other, she was deeply saddened. What kind of life has he lived so far, if all it took to earn his trust was to show him some basic human decency? Seeing the Sentinel so vulnerable awoke something inside her that could only be described as maternal instinct, in a similar way to what she felt toward Alicia.

"Thank you, Clay," she said softly. "Your words really mean a lot to me. I finally understand why you were so hesitant to discuss this topic, but rest assured that my opinion of you has not changed. We may have known each for a short time, but I also consider you a friend, and I would not hesitate to trust you with her life. However… I want you to promise me that you won't use that ability ever again," she asked pleadingly. "I know that we have our differences in our way of thinking or our set of values, but… you are not a machine or a weapon. You are human. And I want you to give more importance to your life. There are people that would be saddened by your death. Including myself."

"…I will try."

The woman sighed. "I suppose that's the best answer I can get from you."

"I'm sorry," he said before looking at her bandaged leg. "Are you going to be alright?"

"We're short on potions, and there are many people that need a healer more than me, so I'll just let nature run its course. I'm sure that Helen can take care of things in my place for a few days, but I'd be glad if you could help her for the rest of this operation."

"Of course. Is there anything else you require?"

"No, you're free to go."

"Then, if you would excuse me, I'll go see if they need my help. There is still much to do."

Claudia nodded and offered him a smile. "Alright, but try not to overdo yourself. It wouldn't do if the Alliance's new hero suddenly passed out of exhaustion.

Shortly after Clay left her tent, Claudia received the visit of her father-in-law.

"I've heard what happened from one of your knights. How are you feeling?" Grave Levantine asked with genuine concern. Claudia was honored to be among the few people he truly cared about, even if over the years he had grown colder and stricter.

"I'm fine, father," Claudia reassured him, smiling warmly at the man who adopted her and took her as his squire. "The healers say that my wounds are not too serious and I'll be back in action in a couple of days."

"Good, good," he hummed with relief. "I'm glad that you're alright."

"You need to thank Clay for that. He's the only reason I'm still alive… and unspoiled," she said while trying not to think how she was almost raped by those ogres.

"Oh, I will," he promised before furrowing his bushy brows. "Hmm, this is the second time that he saved your life, right?"

"Even the best warrior can run out of luck," she argued, quoting one of his first teachings.

"True, but try not to make it a habit," he said half-jokingly.

Claudia rolled her eyes. "I assure you that I have no plans of turning into a damsel in distress. "

"I hope so. Speaking of Clay, he really exceeded my expectations today," Grave said with a more serious tone. "A single Sentinel can change the course of a battle. If only we had a few more like him, we could probably end this war in a few weeks."

"That's exactly what I think," Claudia said before frowning. "And yet, despite having hundreds of Sentinels, the Edenian Empire still fell."

"Well, luckily for us, our enemy is not a dark god," Grave grunted. "Olga Discordia may be powerful, but she's still mortal. She can be killed, just like anyone else," he said, making a sour face as he looked at the distance with a vacant gaze.

"Father, are you alright?" Claudia asked, looking at her mentor with concern.

"Hmm? Oh, yes. Forgive me, Claudia. I didn't want to worry you. It's just that what happened today made me reflect. If Clay wasn't there to save you, it would have been the end of our family."

Claudia's look of concern quickly turned into a frown. She already knew where this conversation was going and she didn't like it one bit. "Grave-"

"Don't get me wrong. The day you became Celestine's Paladin was one of the happiest of my life. However, I know better than anyone else how dangerous the life of a knight can be. I'm not asking you to step down from your position of knight-commander, but after serving Eostia with loyalty for so many years, your priority should be to continue our family's bloodline," Grave continued, growing more and more agitated with each sentence. "You're a woman with all the right requirements to bear strong, healthy children, and yet, you and Klaus have not yet produced an heir! I know that you also wish to be a mother, so it must be yet another of his stupid ways to oppose my authority!"

"Do you really think that we haven't tried?!" Claudia shouted, unleashing her anger and frustration, only to instantly regret her outburst.

Grave briefly widened his eyes before narrowing them. "…so, it's true," he muttered. "I hoped it was just a bunch of nonsensical rumors spread by my enemies to hurt my pride and reputation, but it turns out that my useless feeble son is indeed as sterile as a brick. Ah! That boy's ability to always find new ways to disappoint me is truly remarkable," he said with a mirthless laugh.

Claudia glared furiously at Grave. No one, not even her mentor, was allowed to insult her beloved husband. "I must ask you to leave, general," Claudia said coldly. "I'm tired and I wish to rest."

"...As you wish, knight-commander," Grave replied, throwing her one last disappointed look before leaving her tent.

Only once she was sure to be alone, Claudia slumped onto her bed and turned on her side. "Oh, father. Why can't we just be a happy family?" She sobbed quietly.

---

'What have I done to deserve this?! What kind of sin have I committed to be punished by the Goddess with a useless son like Klaus? And how can Claudia have the audacity to defend him? Is she blind?' Grave thought as he walked away from Claudia's tent fuming with anger. Once he was far enough, he stopped and took a deep calming breath. 'No. Claudia is not the problem.' The woman was innocent. Since the day she became his student, she had never disappointed him, following his teachings without complaints as he trained her to become the best knight that Eostia had ever seen. She was everything he could hope for a daughter to be, and when she married his son, she officially became a member of the Levantine family.

And yet, it wasn't enough to fill the void in his heart left by the knowledge that his bloodline was doomed to die out.

'All because of Klaus… my son.'

Each time he thought about that insignificant little man as his own son, Grave felt sick.

Things weren't always like this.

When his wife died giving birth to Klaus, Grave tried not to blame him for the death of the only woman he ever loved. However, any kind of affection Grave may have felt for him disappeared completely once it was clear that the boy had no hope of becoming a warrior.

If only Bridget had given birth to a strong baby instead of a sickly bundle of skin and bones before she died. Or better yet, if only he were the one who died. Then things would have been different.

Grave noticed Vult in the distance, shouting orders to his men as they helped the militia collecting the bodies of the demons to burn them. The leader of the Black Dogs was undoubtedly one of the greatest warriors of this era, probably on the same level of Claudia. 'I wonder what a child born from their union would look like,' he thought before quickly banishing that idea. Even if he adopted Vult into their family, like one of old friends once suggested him, a child born from the union of two of the strongest warriors in the kingdom would only be a Levantine by name, without sharing even a single drop of blood of his family.

Another idea Grave had often toyed with was to remarry, but because of his pride he had always discarded that plan. There was no woman alive who was worthy of being impregnated by his noble seed and giving birth to a son worthy of the Levantine name.

Well, technically there was one… but unfortunately, she was already married.

---

"We really kicked their ugly asses today," Maia said as she walked with Clay near the western bank of the river. The stab wound to her hip had been healed with magic, leaving behind a faint scar, but judging by her cheerful mood, she didn't seem to care about it.

"By my people's standards, today's battle was just a skirmish," he replied while he scanned the area looking for survivors. So far, he'd only found a couple of demons that were not yet dead, but a single shot to the head with his thunderbow immediately put an end to the problem.

The redhead looked at him in disbelief. "Dude, you've single-handedly stalled the enemy attack in one of the most difficult sectors, killed at least ten trolls, fought off a dark elf without any support, AND you've even saved Claudia from a group of ogres. If that's what you consider just a skirmish, then I'd really hate to see what you'd consider a full-scale battle."

---

"Noooooo! I don't want to die! I don't want to-!" The panicked elf priest's screams were brutally interrupted when the Blemmyes bit him in half with its grotesquely big mouth and started chewing him alive. Dropping the elf's twitching legs, the gluttonous carnivorous beast reached out to grab another victim, only to scream in agony when its single eyes exploded in a geyser of blood when Clay fired his overcharged thunderbow.

"Fall back!" He ordered the surviving soldiers while his fellow Sentinels finished the Blemmyes off with their swords. The scene around them could only be described as apocalyptic. After days of intense combat, the once magnificent city had been turned into a smoking pile of rubbles with rivers of blood running down its streets as the last survivors fought desperately against the seemingly never-ending hordes of demons while clinging to the faint hope of salvation.

The ruins of the Temple of Knowledge were among the few bastions still standing as a handful of soldiers tried desperately to protect the few civilians they managed to rescue.

"By the gods, Sentinels? About damn time you guys showed up!" The halfling officer leading the survivors exclaimed with equal parts of anger and relief at the sight of the six armored behemoths, briefly stopping firing her mana musket at the approaching horde of shambling undead.

"Where's the rest of your unit, captain?" the leader of the Sentinels asked, completely unfazed by the disgusting moans of the walking corpses.

"We're all that's left! The rest of my unit is either in the stomach of a Blemmyes or was turned into zombies," the halfling replied, shedding bitter tears as she shot in the head a zombie wearing standard imperial armor. Like the rest of the survivors, she was covered in grime and her once bronze-colored armor was now dull brown.

"Hold this position," the Sentinel ordered before turning on his vox-comm. "This is Draco-Leader, I require an evac portal at my coordinates."

"Negative, Draco-Leader," someone at the other end of the line replied with an anxious tone. "All gateways are saturated. You'll need to hold your position until the reconciliation values are satisfying."

"Affirmative." The team leader cut the transmission before looking at him. "Draco-Six, assist Draco-Four on the western side."

"I obey," Clay replied curtly before his scanners started screaming in alarm. "Contacts!"

"Wraiths!" A panicked voice screamed as several spectral figures warped right in the middle of their crowd of refugees and imperial soldiers, killing anyone unfortunate enough to be close to them by literally draining their life force and souls. They hovered a few feet off the ground, covered in long tattered hooded robes that left exposed only their bony claw-like hands.

"Activate mana jammers!" The halfling captain ordered before she screamed in agony as one of the wraiths plunged its spectral hand through her chest and literally tore her soul from her body. The woman instantly collapsed lifelessly to the ground with her face frozen in a grimace of terror.

"SSSSSSSSSSOULS FOR THE DAAAAARK LORD! FLEEEEEEEESH FOR THE HORDE!" The wraith screeched with its double-toned voice before summoning a pair of hellblades and diving on the terrified crowd with the rest of its nefarious brethren.

"PURGE THE ABOMINATIONS! PROTECT THE FAITHFULS!" The Sentinel team leader ordered as the super soldiers moved to intercept the wraith, their blades glowing brightly with holy power, while the surviving combat priests chanted protection litanies.

---

"…trust me: you don't want to know."

That response made Maia incredibly uncomfortable, so she decided to change topic. "A-anyway, we're gonna celebrate our victory with a feast this evening. Wanna join us?"

"Negative. The enemy is still out there and the demon tamer is still alive. Lowering our guard would be inadvisable. Furthermore, we still need to burn the corpses of the dead demons before they rot and start spreading diseases."

"Oh, come ooooon! It's gonna be fun! I promised to offer you a drink when we were in Feoh, remember?"

"I do. However, the mission is not over yet."

"Man, you sound like Claudia," Maia sighed in annoyance.

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"Look, I'm the first one that takes pride in a job well done, but we all need to have some fun once in a while. If you don't experience what it means to be human, how can you know what you're fighting for?"

Before Clay could come up with a proper reply, he suddenly stopped and looked towards the river.

"What is it?" Maia asked while reaching for her swords.

"I'm detecting the life force of a human. It's very weak." As soon as he finished his sentence, Maia rushed toward the river bank without hesitation. Clay followed her and soon they reached a grove of tamarisks growing near the water. Maia moved a few branches aside and found a naked girl about Prim's age lying unconscious on the ground. Her skin was covered in bruises and cuts, and judging by the wet mud on her body she must have crawled in the mud after emerging from the water.

Maia knelt down next to her and started shaking her gently. "Hey, hey! Can you hear me?" The girl slowly opened her eyes and looked at Maia, then moved her lips to speak, but no sounds came out.

"What?" Maia leaned closer until her ear was right in front of the girl's mouth. Even so, she was barely able to understand what she was saying. "Please, resist. We just need to-"

"Too… late… for me. Please… save them," The girl said weakly before closing her eyes forever.

---

"Before dying, the girl told me that the demons abducted several women from the villages in the valley on their way to Edengate," Maia said to the people in the tent. Lord Hawkins was conspicuously absent, but that was expected, after the reprimand he received from Grave for disobeying orders and abandoning his men.

"Many farmers were hesitant to abandon their homes or did it when it was too late, while others simply never received the evacuation order," Helen commented bitterly.

"How did she get here?" Claudia asked. She was still recovering from her wounds and fatigue, so she was sitting on a chair in order to keep her dignity and not appear weak to her allies. Helen and Clay stood dutifully by her side.

"Unknown. Either she managed to escape on her own or the demons decided to dispose of her," Clay replied with a cold monotone voice. "Taking into account her conditions, she most likely clung to a floating trunk and let the current carry her downstream."

"Do we have any idea where the other captives are?" Grave asked brusquely, ignoring Claudia's irritated glare. It was obvious that they had argued, but nobody dared to ask the reason behind their disagreement.

Maia shook her head. "She told me about a place with walls made of rock and "a cruel dark lady with pointy ears," which probably refers to Harriet, the same demon tamer that Clay and I fought earlier."

"That's a very vague description. There are many places in this area that fit it. It could be a cave, an abandoned mine, or even the ruins of a castle."

"That may be true, but it tells us a very important detail: Harriet and the captive are in the same location," Clay pointed out. "If we find the captives, we also find the demon tamer, killing two birds with one stone."

"Only if we manage to find their base before that dark elf manages to escape," Grave argued. "All we have are the words of a dying traumatized girl. We need more details."

Claudia gritted her teeth at his callousness, but she wasn't in the mood to argue again with him, especially in front of so many people.

"Furthermore, we have no idea how many demons she still has under her command," Grave continued.

"Well, they can't be that many, probably a thousand at most," Hicks said.

"How can you be so sure? Your last report didn't mention trolls or gargoyles either," Helen asked with an accusatory tone.

"Hey! I risked my life to gather information!"

"And many people died today because it was incomplete," Helen replied unimpressed.

"Tsk! That's the typical attitude I'd expect from a noble, always pretending results without thinking about the poor bastards doing the job."

"Oh? Is that so? Then how about you join us the next time we perform a frontal charge? Unless it's too dangerous for your tastes."

"Why you-?!"

"Enough!" Claudia shouted, slamming a fist on the table. "This is not the time to argue like children! We need to find that damn dark elf's lair and save those people as soon as possible. Do we have any idea?"

"Well, Harriet was not the only dark elf that was present in the raid," Maia pointed out.

Alina nodded. "Yes, but she's the only one that actually fought against us. The raiders who snuck in the warehouse were only there to steal some food."

"Hmm, teleporting great quantities of objects over a long distance is not an easy feat, even for a powerful mage. It requires a lot of time, skills, and mana," Gwen said.

Kean nodded in agreement with the female mage. "Indeed. Considering the type of magic glyph that they used and the fact that they were in a hurry, they probably teleported their loot to their temporary base before sending it to its real destination in Garan, which means we have at most a couple of days to find them before they're gone."

"You said that your armor detected their spell when they prepared to teleport the food. Can you use it to find where they reappeared?" Alina asked the Sentinel.

Clay shook his head. "Negative. My mana scanners don't have that kind of range."

"Well, that's a bummer," the elf sighed.

"Maybe we could interrogate a prisoner," Simon suggested.

"Hmpf! Good luck trying to capture one," Vult scoffed, crossing his thick arms over his broad chest. "All the demons that weren't killed during the battle have escaped into the forest. The last thing I want is sending our men into an ambush."

"Then why don't we let them come to us?" Maia suddenly suggested.

"How?" Claudia asked curiously. "Do you have a plan?"

Maia nodded and quickly explained it.

"Absolutely not. It's too dangerous," Clay declared firmly as soon as she finished.

"Do you have a better idea?" Maia shot back.

"Let's do it," Claudia said before Clay could object furtherly. "You're right, Maia's plan is risky, but the more time we waste looking for Harriet's base, the more those poor women will suffer."

"…I'll be on stand-by and check the situation from afar using my scanners. If anything goes wrong, I will not hesitate to intervene," he declared firmly.

"Alright," the paladin said, knowing that nothing would change his mind. She then looked at the emissaries from Thorn standing silently in a corner, as they waited patiently for orders. "We'll need your help."

The two cloaked women bowed their heads. "We are at your service, Levantine-sama," the taller one said. "Just tell us what you need."

"Let's start with spreading some false rumors around the camp…"

---

'Security is a joke,' Gob-Blood thought as he and his fellow Redcaps silently slipped into the human war camp under the cover of darkness, easily avoiding the few tired sentries gathered around the dying embers of the campfires to ward off the cold night air. The rest of the human army were fast asleep in their tents or wrapped in blankets outside, exhausted from the battle and from partying late into the night to celebrate their victory.

'Fools. I hope you enjoyed tonight's celebrations, because tomorrow you will feel the bitter taste of despair!'

While the other demons had cowardly fled north into the forest, he and the other assassin goblins had stayed behind to covertly observe the humans, gathering intelligence and waiting for the right moment to strike.

Gob-Blood's original plan wasn't actually very original: steal important documents, kill a few nobles in their sleep, steal some stuff, and maybe rape a couple high-ranking knights to traumatize them for life.

You know, basic stuff.

However, things changed when, overhearing some conversations between the human soldiers, they discovered that Claudia Levantine had been seriously wounded in battle and was now recovering in her tent. Gob-Blood couldn't believe their luck. Having one of Eostia's princess knights within arm's reach and vulnerable was a one-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so he wasted no time and came up with an audacious yet brilliant plan to infiltrate the Alliance camp at night and kill the knight-commander of the Dawn Templars.

The five goblins suddenly stopped in alarm when they heard muffled sounds coming from the tent they were using for cover, only to relax when they realized it was just the sound of a man fucking a woman.

Any other goblin would have stopped to peek inside and jerk off a bit, but Gob-Blood and his comrades were not common goblins. They were Redcaps, highly skilled and disciplined assassins and spies, the best of the best of the goblin race. So, once they were sure that the path was clear, they set off again towards the heart of the camp, skillfully avoiding the few sentries, until they reached the tents of the Dawn Templars.

"That's our target," he whispered to his fellow goblins.

The paladin's tent was guarded by a pair of Dawn Templars, but they didn't seem particularly alert.

'Stupid bitches,' Gob-Blood thought while the five goblins moved behind the tent. 'I wish I could see their faces when they discover the dismembered corpse of their leader in the morning.'

Using his trusty scythe, Gob-Blood carefully cut a gap in the thick fabric large enough for him and the other goblins to sneak in. As soon as they were inside the tent, the Redcaps were welcomed by the intoxicating scent of a woman mixed with what they assumed were healing herbs, but thanks to their superior goblin discipline, they ignored their instinct and quickly looked around for threats. Meanwhile, Gob-Trick the shaman quietly chanted a spell to prevent any sound from leaving the tent. This way, even if the woman started screaming or tried to call for help, nobody would notice.

Once sure that the tent was safe, the six goblins slowly approached the cot on which Claudia Levantine was sleeping. Her blanket must have slipped on the ground at some point, exposing her body clad in a simple silk negligee that exposed most of her limbs and a good amount of cleavage.

'Look at her. Sleeping peacefully like a baby, completely unaware that she's about to die for her crimes against goblin-kind.' How many goblins did she kill in her career? Dozens? Hundreds? Maybe thousands? Who knew, but he doubted that she had even bothered to keep count. Most species saw goblins as nothing but pests, but once the world knew that the best warrior in Eostia was killed by goblins, things would change. The world would look at his species with fear and respect and even Olga Discordia would be forced to acknowledge their true value. Who knows, maybe he could even become the supreme warboss of the Dark Legion!

'Focus, Gob-Blood!' He mentally chided himself. 'Don't let your bright future distract you! First, we need to kill this woman.'

However, the more he stared at the sleeping woman, the more he found himself enchanted by her beauty. Her youthful face, her wide child-bearing hips, her toned arms and legs, and…

'Man, look at the size of those tits!' Blood-Gob thought, watching mesmerized at the way Claudia's voluptuous chest rose and fell with each regular breath.

"She sure is beautiful," one of the goblins commented in a hushed tone.

"It's almost a pity that we have to kill her," another goblin said. "A woman like her should spend the rest of her life as a breeder."

While the other goblins nodded in agreement, Blood-Gob gulped as he imagined a heavily pregnant Claudia Levantine lying naked on the ground while she gave birth to a small army of goblin children.

"Hey, boss? Can't we have some fun before killing her?"

Gob-Blood wanted to say no. For real. However…

'Fuck it! I'm so hard, I could use my dick as a mace!'

In the end, his instinct won.

"Alright, first we rape her, then we kill her."

"Yes! You're the best, boss!"

"Shhh! Be quiet, idiot!"

The goblins put down their weapons and quickly removed their robes.

"I call dibs on her mouth," the shaman announced eagerly while stroking his stiff cock.

"In this case, I'll go for her tits!" Gob-Blood reached out for Claudia's breasts, but before his callous hand could even touch her negligee, the paladin suddenly opened her eyes wide, pulled a knife out from under the pillow, and slashed his throat with a lightning-fast movement before throwing the knife at the shaman's heart.

The next moment, a pair athletic feminine figures jumped seemingly out of nowhere and pinned two of the remaining Redcaps to the ground. The last goblin frantically tried to lunge for his weapon, only to end up with a kunai buried deep between his shoulder blades.

"Good job, ladies," Claudia complimented the two kunoichi as she calmly stood up and covered her body with a bathrobe. Both Easterling women wore tight-fitting dark catsuits with maroon arm guards and masks covering the lower half of their face.

"Let me go, stupid bitch! I'm the one supposed to be on top!" One of the goblins protested, only to stop struggling when the purple-haired kunoichi punched its ugly face, knocking him out.

"Shut up, hentai!" She hissed at the unconscious goblin, before grabbing the shaman's staff and snapped it in twain over her knee, breaking the silence spell.

"Are you alright, Levantine-sama?" The other kunoichi, a woman with spiky orange hair, asked with concern.

"Yes, Sakura," Claudia reassured her while Helen and four other Templars entered her tent.

"Take them away and find out where's their hideout," Helen ordered to the knights before grabbing one of the sickles lying on the ground. "I'll never understand why these sadistic idiots are so obsessed with farming tools," she scoffed.

"They're demons, what do you expect?" Claudia replied with a shrug.

"Hmm, fair enough," Helen conceded before noticing that her friend looked a bit shaken. "Are you alright?"

"I'd be lying if I said that acting as bait was a pleasant experience, especially what happened earlier today."

"You didn't need to accept."

"It was for a good reason," Claudia said resolutely.

Meanwhile, a short distance away, Maia and Clay watched the knights take the two surviving goblins away.

"See? I told you that my plan would work," she said smugly.

"I still think it was excessively risky," Clay argued.

"Look, I get it, but what other alternative did we have? Scout the entire forest until we found a warband, capture their war boss, and beat him up until he revealed the location of their base?" she asked rhetorically.

"..."

"...Of course, you'd do that," Maia sighed. At this point, she wasn't even surprised. "Come on, let's interrogate those goblins."

---

"Hey, Zork! Where the hell are those stupid Redcaps?" Harriet demanded to her only surviving ogre chieftain while she tried not to wince in discomfort as one of the mages finished to heal her broken nose. The rest of her bones had been already healed, but because the surviving mages were almost out of mana, her body was still covered in bruises. "They were supposed to contact us hours ago."

The scarred ogre shrugged. "Maybe they were caught," he grunted unhelpfully with a bored tone.

"Humph, whatever," she huffed dismissively. The Redcaps had proved useful in the conquest of High Rock, but in the end, they were replaceable, just like any other demon. "I don't need idiots who get themselves killed."

"Does that include Matias, you insensitive bitch!?" Mildred exclaimed angrily.

"What did you say?!"

"Leave her alone," Ophelia, who was leaning against a wall, said in defense of the mage. "She's just upset about his death."

"People die in war."

"We've already told you that we're not here to fight. Not that you have any say in the matter, considering that you abandoned your troops to go after those civilians."

"I was trying to break the morale of the enemy."

"No, you just wanted to slaughter a bunch of defenseless women and children," Ophelia said accusingly before the corners of her mouth turned slightly upward. "Instead, you ended up running away with your tail between your legs."

"The only reason that human won is because he took me off-guard!" Harriet practically screamed in her face. "Just wait and see. Next time he won't be so lucky!"

Ophelia stared impassively at her for a moment before turning around and walking away. "Come, Mildred. Let's see if Tanja and Varvara need our help."

"Can I go now?" Zork asked impatiently, obviously eager to join his brethren and rape one of the captives they kept in the cellars.

Harriet shot him an irritated glare, but decided to ignore his insubordination. "Yeah, yeah. Do whatever you want." Just like the other demons, he was in a bad mood. They had expected an easy victory and lots of loot and women, but instead they ended up suffering a crushing defeat, thanks to the Alliance's unconventional tactics… and the warrior in gray armor.

Just thinking about that unusually large human was enough to make her shiver in fear.

She hated that.

It reminded her how pathetically weak and vulnerable she was when she was a sex slave.

After her escape, she worked hard to strengthen her body and mind until she was powerful enough to hold her own even against one of Eostia's princess knights.

And yet, it still wasn't enough.

'What the hell was that human?'

---

"Castle Sparrow," Maia said while tapping her pointer finger on the map. "That's where they're hiding."

"Are you sure?" Claudia asked.

"Yup. The goblins were in no condition of lying," she replied while nodding toward Clay, who had fresh blood splattered on his armor.

"I see. What do we know about that place?"

"I've been there a few times, several decades ago," Alina said, stepping forward. "It's located a few miles north of the Forest of Ironbark, about a day's march north from here. It was abandoned fifty years ago, when house Hawkins inherited this province after the death of the last member of house Sparrow."

"What about its defenses?"

"It's located on a cliff on the side of the valley, with a winding road carved in the stone leading to the main gate, which is protected by a portcullis. The bright side is that the walls are not particularly tall or thick, but that's because the terrain in front of the castle is steep and devoid of cover, leaving anyone trying to attack the castle exposed."

"Do we have any idea how many enemies we should expect?" Claudia asked while studying the map.

"According to the goblins, the dark elves left behind a garrison of about a hundred demons, but considering the size of the castle and the survivors from the battle, it's safer to assume that the actual number is closer to five hundred, at least five times that number," Clay replied.

"We didn't come here expecting to perform a siege, but I can have my carpenters build a few battering rams and ladders by dawn," Vult informed them. "Still, we're going to lose a lot of troops in this operation."

"Not necessarily, Captain Vult," Alina said. "You see, the front gate is not the only entrance. There's another access point, an emergency escape located on the cliff under the southern wall."

"In that case, we can stage a fake frontal assault to distract the demons while a team infiltrates the castle and opens the doors from the inside," Maia quickly suggested.

"That sounds like a good plan, but who's going to infiltrate the castle?" Grave asked.

"Me," Clay instantly volunteered.

"I hope you're not planning to go alone," Claudia said with disapproval.

"We're coming with you, Sentinel," Helen said, as she and a few other Dawn Templars stepped forward.

"Me too," Alina chirped casually. "You'll need a guide, after all."

"We're talking about infiltrating a place guarded by an unknown number of enemies, following probably outdated information. There's a concrete chance that some of you may not survive."

"We're aware of that, but we're still going. When we joined the Dawn Templars, we all took an oath."

The most cynical part of his mind wondered if it was worth risking the lives of five highly experienced knights to save a handful of villagers, however, it wasn't just about saving the captives. The idea of leaving a fortified position so close to the breadbasket in the hands of the demons was unacceptable, so the Alliance needed to reconquer Castel Sparrow at all costs.

"Alright, let's get to work. I want our troops ready to move at dawn," Claudia ordered.

"Guess I can say goodbye to my beauty sleep," Maia sighed in resignation.

"I'll have the servants prepare something to help keep us awake," Claudia assured her. "I've recently bought a shipment of coffee beans from Eldonia."

Maia instantly perked up. "I love having rich friends!"

---

It was the afternoon of the next day when a panicked imp informed Harriet that a small human army had found their hideout.

"How did they find us so quickly?!" She demanded, narrowing the eyes when she noticed the imp squirm uncomfortably under her gaze.

"W-well, we didn't want to alarm you, but…"

"But what?! Speak, you walking scrotum!"

"You see, we were kinda bored, so we took one of the prisoners and threw her in the river for fun, but then the current swept her away. Huh, guess she didn't drown, eheh," the imp laughed awkwardly, scratching the back of its head.

The next moment, Harriet crushed its skull under her heel.

"Fucking useless idiots! I'm surrounded by morons!" she yelled frustrated, stomping repeatedly her boot on the imp's face until it was an unrecognizable mass of bloody flesh. "Get ready to fight," she ordered Ophelia.

"No."

Harriet slowly turned around and glared at Ophelia. "What did you say?"

"I said no. We're not here to fight against the humans. We're leaving," Ophelia declared. "And you cannot force us to stay." Meanwhile, the mages behind her made it very clear that they were ready to use their magic if necessary.

Harriet clenched her teeth. Compared to their previous confrontation during the conquest of High Rock, this time their roles were reversed, so she tried a different tactic.

"Is that so?" Harriet asked, looking each dark elf in the eyes. "After all I've done for you, now you're just abandoning me?"

"You talk as if we're comrades, while I clearly remember you express your disdain for anyone that doesn't follow your same bloodstained path. You always talk about being a victim, but the truth is that you enjoy watching people suffer!"

"What do you expect me to do!? My hatred is the only reason I'm still alive!"

"It's not too late. Abandon your hatred and come with us. We can leave you somewhere safe, where nobody will find you."

Harriet remained quiet. For a moment Ophelia thought she was actually considering her offer, but then she glared at her. "Get out of my sight. And pray to the gods that we'll never meet again," Harriet hissed.

"Farewell, then," Ophelia declared as she and mages walked past the demon tamer to leave the room. 'Well, at least I tried.'

Without sparing them a second glance, Harriet turned around and glared at Zork. "What are you waiting for?! Get the troops ready for battle, you useless idiot!" She snapped. "I swear, you demons are so dumb that you can't even find your asshole without a map!"

"As you command… mistress," the chieftain growled with ill-concealed irritation before leaving the room. 'Arrogant whore. If it wasn't for her mark of command, I would breed you until you're sterile.'

He entered the castle's great hall, where the rest of his kind was gathered around a table covered with the remains of their last meal, a mix of stolen vegetable, venison, and a couple of women that didn't survive being constantly abused.

"Oy! The humans are coming and Harriet wants everyone ready to fight!" Zork ordered before pointing a thick finger at a goblin and an imp that were playing dice in a corner. "You two, go wake up Gronk and the other scalies!"

"Oh, come on, boss! Why us?"

"Because I said so!" the chieftain growled. "Now go, before I decide to use your skins to wipe my ass."

Grumbling under their breath, the two small demons headed towards the castle's basement.

"Stupid ogres. They think they're better than us just because they're bigger and stronger," the imp said.

"Yeah, we deserve more respect," the goblin said in agreement. "We're the ones doing all the hard work while those dumb lazy bastards get all the fun."

The imp suddenly widened his yellow eyes. "Hey, I just had an idea!"

The goblin looked at his friend skeptically.

"No, no, for real! Everyone is going to be really busy fighting the humans, right?"

"Yeah, so what?"

"That means that we can rape those women as much as we want!"

The goblin grinned excitedly. "That's a great idea! I had my eyes on this busty farmgirl for a while, but the boss always keeps her for himself."

"Oh, I know which one you're referring to! Personally, I want to fuck that knight lady we captured in that town. Sure, she's already broken, but she's just so… hmmmm! You know?"

While they kept talking about their tastes and fantasies, it didn't take them long to reach their destination.

"Alright, here we are," the goblin said. "Be careful. They get cranky when someone tries to wake them up."

"Yeah, yeah," the imp replied dismissively as it opened the door, revealing a pitch-black room from which came the sound of several creatures sleeping soundly. "Wakey, wakey, sleepyheads! We've got work to do!"

The only reply he received was more snoring.

The imp huffed in annoyance. "Hey! Wake the fuck up, overgrown geckos! Harriet wants everyone ready to-"

Suddenly, a big scaly hand grabbed the imp and dragged him into the darkness.

"Hey, what are you doing?! Let me go! Wait- NOOOOO!" The imp's panicked screams were brutally cut off when the lizardman shoved the smaller demon in his mouth and briefly chewed him alive before swallowing. Its terrified companion tried to flee, only to share the same gruesome fate shortly after.

A few moments later, a tall reptilian humanoid covered in crocodilian scales with a thick muscular tail emerged from the room.

"Time to fight," it hissed as more of its kind emerged from the dark room.

---

"The diversion worked. They fell for it," Helen said, watching the demons hurriedly take position on the walls of the castle.

Despite having an obviously advantageous position, their lack of discipline was painfully obvious, as they exposed themselves too much, becoming easy targets for the human mages and archers. Meanwhile, the troops led by Maia and Vult were slowly advancing toward the front gate, using shields and mobile barriers to protect themselves from the enemy projectiles. What the demons didn't know was that it was mostly for show.

Clay studied the castle. It was ancient, dating back to before the founding of the Holy Shield Alliance, when the various human kingdoms were still divided and often at war with each other. It was located on a tall rocky outcrop, with the only obvious access consisting of a narrow road that connected the main gate with the bottom of the valley. Despite being abandoned for years, it was still in good condition and its strategic position provided excellent control over the surrounding area.

'If they didn't plan to use it anymore, they should have destroyed it,' Clay thought critically. Abandoning a perfectly functional fortress was extremely stupid. What if, instead of demons, a group of bandits decided to use it as their base?

"Come on, follow me," Alina urged her comrades before leading the Sentinel and the six female knights through the woods. Her moss-colored cloak blended almost perfectly with the surrounding vegetation, making it difficult to spot her when she stood still.

As the humans followed the elf through the thick vegetation, Helen decided to ask a question that has been bugging her for a while: "How did you know about the secret passage?"

"Well, you see, a few decades after I started exploring the world-" the elf ranger paused briefly to duck under a branch "- I became a good friend of the local baroness. One day, she told me that she wanted to spice up things with her husband in bed and give him a special present for their wedding anniversary, so-"

"Alright, alright, too much information!" Helen exclaimed frantically with a flustered face.

While the other Dawn Templars observed in amusement the exchange between the ranger and the vice-commander, Clay kept scanning their surroundings for threats. There were no signs of demons in the area, but it didn't hurt to be careful. After all, an ambush could happen at any time.

A short while later, vegetation thinned brusquely and the infiltration team reached the base of a steep rock face.

"The entrance is up there," Alina said, pointing up to a ledge located over thirty meters above the ground.

"Oh, dear," Violet muttered intimidated while a few knights around her gulped nervously.

"You've got to be kidding me! How are we supposed to get up there?" Agatha exclaimed.

"I've got it," Clay declared calmly before he started climbing up the cliff with disconcerting ease, jumping from one hold to the next one if they were too far to reach conventionally, or creating new ones by digging his gauntlets and sabatons in the limestone rock if he reached a point without a suitable one.

"Oh, come on! Now he's just showing off," Agatha exclaimed annoyed.

"Just give up and stop comparing yourself to him, or your hair will turn gray," Abigail casually told her while patting her shoulder.

A few minutes later, Clay finally reached the rocky ledge. It was quite spacious, about ten meters wide and six meters deep, with a few bushes growing here and there. In one corner of the ledge were the remains of a wooden chest with a long rope ladder inside, but he ignored it entirely. After being exposed to the elements for all these years, the rope was probably rotten and would instantly snap if anyone was insane enough to try to use it. Instead, Clay took off from his shoulders the long coil of rope he had brought specifically for this kind of situation, then made a double bowline knot at one of the extremities and lowered it toward the knights waiting for him at the base of the cliff.

Grabbing the rope, Helen slid each leg into a buttonhole, then grabbed the rope with her left hand and waved at Clay with the other to signal that she was ready. Nodding back at her, Clay started pulling the rope, hoisting the woman up the rock face like she weighed nothing. Once she arrived, he waited a few moments to let Helen get out of the knot before dropping the rope again and repeating the process with the other knights.

"Weeeeeeeeeeee!" The elf ranger laughed playfully when it was finally her turn. "That was fun!" She declared once she arrived.

"Be quiet," Helen scolded her.

"Sorry," Alina quickly apologized with a sheepish tone. "Alright, if I remember correctly, there should be a door hidden behind one of those bushes."

"Found it," Abigail announced after moving aside a thick bush, revealing a sturdy-looking door made of iron and wood. "It's locked," she said after testing it.

"How long will it take you to open it?" Helen asked while the other woman knelt in front of the door and pulled out a few lockpicking tools from her pouch.

"It doesn't seem to have protection spells and the lock is a fairly simple model, so I just need a few minutes to-"

Clay kicked the door in, ripping it off its hinges and literally sending it flying through the air, before walking inside without hesitation.

"…or we can just do that," Abigail finished her sentence lamely before letting out an annoyed sigh.

"You stupid brute! We're supposed to be quiet!" Agatha scolded the Sentinel after rushing after him, only to pause when she noticed the crushed bodies of a few goblins under the heavy door. "What the-?"

"I apologize for not warning you, but I couldn't risk them raising the alarm."

Alina looked between Clay and the dead goblins with a puzzled expression. Even with her keen elven hearing she hadn't heard the goblins behind the door. "How did you know- Oh. Let me guess: you armor?"

The Sentinel nodded.

"Good job, Clay," Helen said, throwing an annoyed glance at a now flustered Agatha before ordering the other knights to light up the torches they brought.

Clay frowned a bit, knowing that the lights of the torches would alert the enemy of their presence, but unfortunately, with the exception of Alina, his allies weren't able to properly see in poorly lit environments. 'Maybe Claudia can ask a mage to enchant their helms with a night vision spell.'

Aside for this detail, Clay couldn't help but be positively impressed by their level of professionalism. Knowing they would be mostly fighting in an enclosed environment, the female knights had swapped their usual equipment with short swords and small round shields strapped to their forearms, allowing them to carry a torch without sacrificing protection. The only exception was Violent, their combat cleric, who brought her tower shield and her mace, as her main role was to protect and heal her wounded comrades.

Speaking of which…

"Isn't your sword a bit too large for fighting indoors?" Jane asked him, looking at his claymore-like sword.

"Don't worry. I have these," the Sentinel replied before drawing a twelve-inches long knife with the same utilitarian yet practical design of his sword from a hidden compartment located under his left pauldron.

Jane blinked in surprise, before noticing that he had another knife under his right pauldron. "Oh, that's handy."

"Alright, we're ready to go," Helen declared. "Clay, you take point. Alina, watch our backs and provide support. Everyone else will stay in the middle."

"Affirmative," the Sentinel replied, keeping his thunderbow ready in one hand while holding a knife in a reverse grip in the other.

The group followed the tunnel for a while, until they finally emerged into what had once been the castle's wine cellar. In the middle of the cavernous room there were five rows of empty bottle racks covered in dust and spiderwebs, while on both sides they could see several rotten barrels of various sizes.

The group advanced cautiously, keeping their eyes and ears alert for the slightest sign of danger.

"This place gives me the creeps," Samantha muttered. "Am I the only one feeling like we're being observed?"

"Contacts!" Clay barked suddenly, raising his thunderbow and firing a couple of shots into the darkness, briefly illuminating the silhouettes of two hobgoblins before they both dropped dead on the ground with a smoking hole in their chests.

"Dammit, Samantha! You just had to open your mouth, didn't you!?" Jane exclaimed in annoyance as several goblins emerged from their hiding spots. While a single goblin was hardly a threat for an experienced knight, the problem was that they usually attacked in groups, which was particularly problematic in enclosed environments. To make matters worse, in addition to the common goblins the size of a child, there were also several Hobgoblins, mutated creatures with a stronger physique and almost the size of an adult man.

"Don't let them surround you! Stay in formation!" Helen shouted to her sisters-in-arms. The stern pink-haired woman used her sword to block the clumsy yet surprisingly powerful swing of a hobgoblin, then drove her torch into its face, burning its eyes and setting its greasy hair and beard on fire. The overgrown green aberrant screamed in agony as it dropped its weapon and tried to extinguish the fire with its hands, only to be finished with a quick stab to the heart.

That's when Alina's sensitive ears detected the faint sound of flapping leathery wings coming from above. The elf looked up and saw several child-sized red-skinned creatures perched on the support beams.

"Watch out! Imps!" She yelled in alarm as the little freaks dived towards them while laughing like lunatics.

One of them flew right toward Helen, but the experienced knight simply bashed it aside using her shield, leaving a bloody smear on the shield's surface.

"I really hate these annoying little bastards," she said in annoyance.

"You're not the only one!" Abigail exclaimed in agreement. Because of their wings, the imps tried to harass the Dawn Templars in order to distract them and make them more vulnerable to the goblins, but luckily for the women, they had two talented sharpshooters with them.

"I bet I can hit more imps than you," Alina told him with a cheeky smile right before skewering two imps with one single arrow.

"This is not a competition, lady Alina," the Sentinel calmly replied while he kept blasting at the little freaks with his energy weapon.

The elf stuck his tongue out at him. "You're not fun! You really need to loosen up a bit."

"Why do people keep telling me that?" Clay asked with genuine curiosity.

Alina merely rolled her eyes, before shooting a goblin shaman in the neck.

"Ah! Get it off me!" Samantha suddenly cried out in pain when one of the imps managed to remove her helmet and started pulling her hair while laughing like a maniac.

"Ahahahah! Scream bitch! Scream! I'm gonna fuck your pretty mouth and-!"

The next moment, the upper half of the imp stopped existing when Violet swung her mace at him.

"Eww, yucky!" Samantha whined, more upset for the blood covering her face than the fact that Violet had just swung a spiked block of iron only a few inches above her head.

"Sorry," the cleric apologized before quickly casting Purification to remove any trace of demon blood from her skin.

Despite the numerical advantage, the goblins and imps were no match for the team and it wasn't long before the last of them was killed, crushed under Clay's sabaton. "Sector clear, lady Mistral."

"Excellent. Let's move," Helen ordered. They climbed up the stairs and emerged into what must have been the banquet hall. The once elegant room had been vandalized by the demons, but what truly shocked them were the human remains scattered on the table along with other scraps of food.

"Are those…?" Samantha was unable to finish her sentence.

"Filthy beasts. They will pay for this," Agatha snarled angrily.

Helen gritted her teeth in impotent rage, but managed to suppress her emotion. "Which way, now?" She asked Alina. There were two doors at the end of the cellar, one left and one right.

Alina squinted her eyes in concentration. "Huh, left, I think. No, wait, right!"

"Are you sure?" Helen asked skeptically.

"Yes. Maybe?"

Agatha was not amused. "You don't remember?" She asked in disbelief.

"Hey, it was a century ago! I'm an elf, not an elephant!"

They were too busy arguing to notice a faint distortion in the air behind them. Without wasting time, Clay rushed forward and used his body to shield Agatha.

"Hey, what-?!"

The knight widened her eyes when something slammed against the Sentinel, sending him crashing against a wall.

"No, Clay!" Instinctively, Aliana drew her bow and shot an arrow at the invisible assailant, breaking its magic field and revealing a slim lizardman with an arrow buried in its shoulder. The creature tried to grab the arrow to pull it out, but Jane and Samantha were faster and, after tackling it to the ground, they repeatedly stabbed its chest, visibly enraged for what it did to Clay.

"Damn you!"

"Die, demon!"

"How's Clay?"

"Is he dead?!"

"Oh, no! What do we do now?"

"Calm down!" Helen ordered before her comrades could start panicking. "Violet, check Clay's status. Everyone else, with me!"

From the left corridor came the sound of clawed feet running on stone and a few moments later, a group of six lizardmen arrived in the hall. Their leader, a particularly big brute armed with two curved swords, glared coldly at the humans, and hissed menacingly.

Meanwhile, the veteran cleric had reached the Sentinel, who was already getting back on his feet.

"Oh, goddess, your arm!" Violet exclaimed concerned when she saw that his right arm was dislocated.

"I'm fine," Clay said curtly before he slammed his shoulder against the wall, snapping his arm back in place. Ignoring the look of shock and disgust of the combat cleric, he locked eyes with the alpha lizardman and drew his sword. "Stand back. HE'S MINE," he declared before charging at the big reptile, who roared defiantly and ran toward the Sentinel. While the two titans engaged each other in a vicious fight to the death, the rest of his team had to deal with the other demons.

Violet blocked a lizardman's club using her mace, then swung her heavy tower shield at its scaly muzzle. The impact broke several of its teeth, but it seemed to only anger the demon, who then proceeded to knock the woman to the ground.

"Huh, girls? I could really use some help here!" She asked with urgency while she struggled to keep the demon at bay using her shield.

"Hold on, I'm coming!" Shirin rushed to her aid, jumping on the lizardman's back and firmly grabbing one of the spikes on its back. The humanoid reptile hissed indignantly and tried to shake her off, but the Eldonian-born knight was used to tame unruly horses and managed to keep her grip. Holding her short sword with her other hand in a reverse grip, she plunged its blade repeatedly into the thick neck of the demon until it finally died. "Whew, that was a tough ride. Are you alright?"

"Yes, thank you. Does Clay need help?"

The alpha lizardman roared and brought down its swords, but the Sentinel blocked the attack. The two behemoths remained briefly locked in combat glaring at each other, before Clay swiftly drew a knife and repeatedly stabbed the demon's stomach. The lizardman roared in pain and staggered, giving Clay the opportunity to cut off its head with one single swing of his blade.

"Nah, I think he's fine," Shirin said, just as a second lizardman tackled the Sentinel and pinned him to the ground. Ignoring the drool falling from the jaws snapping right in front of his face, Clay jabbed his knife in the demon's eye socket, then wrestled it to the ground until he was on top and proceeded to punch its head repeatedly until its skull burst open like a melon.

Looking up at his gaze from his defeated opponent, he looked at his allies to see how they were faring.

The answer was: surprisingly well.

The lizardman was big, fast, and powerful, but the Dawn Templars were highly trained and disciplined, using their teamwork to bring down their opponents, save for one single lizardman that had managed to corner Helen after knocking off her sword. Clay drew his thunderbow, but because his allies were blocking his aim, he decided to take a different approach.

"Helen! Catch!" The Sentinel shouted before tossing her the energy weapon.

Instinctively, Helen caught the energy weapon, aimed it at the lizardman and pulled the trigger, blowing up half of its face. Sidestepping the falling corpse, the woman looked down at the weapon and let out a whistle of admiration. "I'd really like to have one too," she said before returning the thunderbow to the Sentinel.

"Get in line," he replied before turning his head toward the left corridor when they heard the sound of more lizardmen approaching. "I'm detecting eight more hostiles."

"Dammit. We're wasting too much time," Helen said frustrated, well aware that there were people fighting and dying outside.

"I'll hold them back. Continue without me, I'll catch up with you as soon as possible."

"Are you sure?"

"Affirmative. Now, go!" He briefly watched the women leave, then put away his knives and drew his sword, right as a new wave of reptilian demons arrived.

---

"Do you think he'll be alright?" Violet asked concerned while she and the other women ran after Alina.

"Of course! I've seen him bring down a troll with his bare hands, I'm sure a few overgrown geckos are no match to him," Jane assured her. "Right, Agatha?"

"Huh? Oh, sure…" The woman muttered before throwing a concerned look over her shoulder. "How much further, Alina?"

"We go down this corridor, then go up the stairs, take the second turn left, take more stairs, and finally we reach the mechanism that opens the portcullis."

"Oh, joy!" Jane exclaimed sarcastically. "You can never have enough stairs!"

"Look at the bright side, sister! At the end of the day, we'll have amazing buttocks!" Shirin laughed.

Helen rolled her eyes, but refrained from scolding her comrades. They were all worried for Clay and this was just a way to distract themselves.

A few demons tried to stop them, but they barely managed to slow them down.

"There it is!" Helen exclaimed when she finally saw the large winch operating the castle's portcullis.

"Come on, let's hurry!" Alina exclaimed as she made a dash for it, only to stop abruptly when Harriet and several ogres suddenly appeared and blocked her path.

"End of the line," Harriet declared as she and the ogres stood between the Dawn Templars and the winch. "Did you really think I would fall for your stupid diversion?"

"Honestly? Yes. You don't exactly strike me as a tactical genius," Alina casually replied to her rhetorical question. She had run out of arrows, so now she had to rely on her short sword.

"I'll take care of you too, tree-hugger."

Helen stepped defensively in front of Alina. "It's over, Harriet. Our forces outnumber yours and you have no escape. Surrender peacefully and I promise you a fair trial for your crimes."

"You're awfully confident, mon'keigh."

"You're not the first dark elf we've fought and you won't be the last," Helen calmly replied.

"I'm going to cut off your heads, put them in a basket, and send it to your goddess," the dark elf spat contemptuously. "Then I'll burn the rest of your kingdom and spread salt on its smoking ashes."

"That's not going to happen," Helen declared resolutely.

"Oh? And who is going to stop me? You?" Harriet asked mockingly, eliciting a laugh from the ogres as they leered at the female knights, only to frown in confusion when Helen smiled coldly at her.

"No. Him."

Harriet's confusion turned into fear when the Sentinel arrived with his armor once again covered in blood and gore.

"Lizardmen neutralized, ma'am," he declared before fixing his gaze on Harriet. "Take care of the ogres, I'll deal with her."

"Alright," Helen nodded before she found herself facing a big scarred ogre armed with a mace.

"You!" Harriet snarled with hatred as she glared at the man that dared to humiliate her. "I'll kill you!"

"Negative," he curtly replied as he effortlessly parried her attack.

While the dark elf and the Sentinel were once again locked in combat, Alina and the knights fought against the ogres.

"Stay still, you fucking pixie!" Zork growled as he tried to crush Alina with his mace. The elf ranger nimbly dodged the attack, then slid on the floor and slashed at his leg.

The ogre chieftain grunted in pain and fell to one knee. "You elf bitch! I'll choke you with my dick!"

"Hey, asshole!" Zork turned around, just in time to see Helen before she punched his throat, crushing his windpipe. "Choke on this," she spat, leaving the ogre to choke on the ground. "Nobody messes with my elf," Helen grumbled under her breath with a faint blush, only to scowl embarrassed when she saw Alina grinning at her like an idiot. "S-stop smiling and help me kill these demons!"

Meanwhile, Harriet and Clay kept fighting without respite. The dark elf had hoped that this time things would go differently, using her speed and agility to quickly move around the room, but it was all in vain. Jumping off a wall, she managed to slash her sword at his helmet, leaving a long scratch on his faceplate, but the Sentinel ignored it and threw a fist aimed at her chest, only to punch a hole through the wall when the dark elf managed to dodge it at the last moment.

'I've got you!' She thought as she stood behind the Sentinel before lunging at him, planning to stab him in the back where two armor plates met. However, she once again underestimated his reaction times.

Two things happened. First, Clay grabbed her sword's blade and snapped it in half with a quick twist of the wrist, leaving Harriet with a useless stump barely longer than her hilt and throwing her off balance. Then, while the dark elf was still stumbling forward, he slammed violently the pommel of his sword against her lower back, right above her pelvis, breaking her spine with a loud crack.

Harriet instantly dropped her broken sword and fell to the ground with a cry of pain.

"NO! My legs! I can't feel my legs!" Harriet screamed while she tried in vain to move her unresponsive limbs. After a brief moment of denial, she finally realized that she was effectively paralyzed from the waist down and the mask of the arrogant bloodthirsty warrior that she had so painstakingly crafted over the years shattered, exposing the same traumatized woman that cried herself to sleep every night after being raped. Panicking, she tried to crawl away using her hands, only to be firmly pinned to the ground by a sabaton pressed between her shoulders.

"Nooooo!" She screamed desperately, knowing what was about to happen. "I don't want to die! I want to li-!"

Clay mercilessly pulled the trigger and shot the woman in the head, silencing her mid-scream.

"Target neutralized," he announced mechanically before marching toward the winch and starting to single-handedly turn the mechanism to open the portcullis.

Helen and the other women stared at him aghast, unsettled by his brutality and utter lack of hesitation as he basically executed an incapacitated opponent.

"I'm detecting more hostiles in the next room," he informed them.

Helen hesitated, staring for a moment at the smoking hole in Harriet's skull before she managed to look away, hoping that the image of the dark elf's brutalized corpse wouldn't haunt her dreams later at night.

"Come on, let's go."

---

What followed was a swift yet brutal clean-up operation. With the help of the Kuroinu and the Red Roses, Clay and the knights were able to eliminate all the remaining demons in the castle and safely evacuate the abducted women. Some of the captives started crying tears of happiness when they realized they were being rescued, while others barely reacted as they were given blankets to cover their bruised bodies before being led to the wagons waiting outside. Their blank, unfocused gazes and the clear signs of sexual abuse told a sadly common story to the people of Eostia, especially those living close to the Frontier.

Following Clay's suggestion, before they returned to Edengate, Helen ordered the castle set on fire in order to prevent its capture in the future. When they returned to the town the next day, they found a crowd of refugees gathered in front of the northern gate, waiting anxiously for their return in the hope that their loved ones were among the people rescued. Among these people was also Simon, who was holding a little girl in his arms to help her have a better look at the women getting off the wagons with the help of a few Red Roses. The child frantically scanned their faces with eyes full of hope, until her gaze finally fell on a woman with dark raven hair, just like her own. "Mommy?" The little girl muttered in disbelief before running toward the wagons as soon as the young knight put her down. "Mommy!"

Hearing the sound of a familiar voice, the woman slowly turned her head toward her. "Daisy?" She whispered as life seemed to return into her empty gaze.

"Mommy!"

"Daisy!" The woman knelt down and the two of them hugged each other tightly, crying tears of joy as they were finally reunited.

"Moments like this are the best kind of reward one can hope for," Maia said softly, wiping away a tear as she watched the heartwarming reunion from a distance with Claudia and Clay. Meanwhile, similar scenes were taking place all around them, as people were reunited with their loved ones after losing all hope of ever seeing them alive again. "All thanks to you, big guy."

"It wasn't enough," Clay replied quietly. While several people had been reunited with their loved ones, there were still plenty that were not as lucky. A man fell on his knees in front of a body wrapped in a blanket and started crying. Other people didn't even have a corpse left to bury. "It's never enough."

"I know. But it's still something, though," Maia argued somberly.

"Maia is right, Clay," Claudia said in agreement. "You should be more proud of your accomplishments. If it wasn't for you, a lot of people wouldn't be here now."

"Hmm," he grunted non-committedly. While he was glad that they were able to rescue these women, from his point of view the battle of Edengate had been just a tactical victory without any real consequences on the overall course of the war. How many children will lose their mothers and sisters before the conflict was over and the demon threat was eradicated? "What happens now?"

"Well, I don't know about you, but I think we've earned the right to celebrate a bit," Maia declared. "After all, you guys owe me a drink after the all-nighter we pulled the other day.

Claudia smiled a bit. "Yes, I suppose it's fair enough. It will definitely help keep up morale."

---

"To our victory and the souls of the fallen!" Claudia declared out loud, holding her goblet of wine up in the air.

"To our victory and the souls of the fallen!" The knights and soldiers in front of her repeated, before taking a drink from their own cups.

A short distance away, Clay quietly observed the people celebrate the effective conclusion of this campaign and, in some cases, their imminent return home.

"I heard that Agatha finally apologized to you for being rude," Helen commented while approaching him. She had left in her tent her helmet and armor, allowing her long pink hair to fall freely past her shoulders.

"Yes, shortly after we returned."

"It took her a while, but I'm glad she finally went past her insecurities and accepted you," Helen said before taking a sip of wine.

"I'm afraid a disgruntled knight is the last of my concerns. If what Archbishop Bern told me is true, there are many powerful individuals who will not be happy once they learn the truth about my identity."

"Well, no matter what happens, know that the entire holy order of the Dawn Templars is with you," the woman said seriously. "We already accepted you as a comrade, but after what you've done for Claudia and the rest of us in the last few days… well, you're now basically a brother to us."

"I'm honored to serve with you and your sister-in-arms, Lady Mistral," Clay said, outstretching a hand toward Helen. "And I would gladly accept your friendship."

Helen stared at him in surprise for a moment, then offered him one of her rare smiles and grabbed his big hand, shaking it. "Likewise, Sentinel."

"Hey, Clay!" Maia called him, waving enthusiastically her arm. "Some of the boys here are still skeptical about the whole 'super soldier' thing. Come here and show us that super liver of yours!"

"I suggest you indulge her," Helen sighed humorously. "She can be quite insistent."

"I know," he grunted as he followed the redhead.

"Hey! I heard that!" Maia exclaimed with mock indignation while the rest of the people around her laughed.

"It seems that Maia managed to make him loosen up a bit," Alina hummed humorously as she joined Helen.

"That woman has a rather charming personality. It's difficult not to like her."

"Oh, my. Should I be jealous?"

Helen rolled her eyes. "You know what I mean, dummy."

Alina giggled and hugged her from behind. "We've worked really hard these past few days and risked our lives several times, so..." She brought her lips to her. "How about we have a little victory celebration on our own?" she whispered in a husky tone that sent shivers down Helen's back.

The knight gulped loudly and finished her wine in a single breath. "…let's find a quiet place," she said, grabbing Alina's hand and leading her away.

---

Another drunken man collapsed to the ground, knocking a few empty tankards of beer off the table in the process.

He was the fourth one so far who had challenged the Sentinel to a drinking game.

"Fucking hell, man! You weren't joking when you said you had a super liver!" Hicks exclaimed in disbelief as the Sentinel calmly finished his drink.

The flavor wasn't bad, but he still couldn't understand why people would purposefully intoxicate themselves when there were more constructive ways to spend your time.

"Alright, who's the next challenger?" Maia, who was collecting bets, asked eagerly to the crowd, only to huff in annoyance when nobody stepped forward. "Really? You guys are not fun."

"Why don't you try?" Gwen asked teasingly, smiling under her hood.

"Nope! The last time I got drunk in public, I ended up flashing my tits in front of everyone."

"Best Winter Solstice's gift ever," Hicks said with a dreamy gaze while grinning like an idiot.

Maia was about to punch his face, but luckily for Hicks, fate had different plans.

"Come on, Maia! Sing us a song!" A drunken Milena asked suddenly, quickly gaining the approval of the crowd.

"Hell, yeah!"

"Make us dream, fire-nightingale!"

"Hmm, weeeeell, I don't know~," Maia replied teasingly.

"Boooooh!"

"Not cool!"

"Alright, alright!" Maia laughed while someone handed her a guitar. "But only because you're so insisting."

The redhead sat on a barrel, plucked the guitar's strings a few times, and cleared her voice. Then, once everyone was silent, she started playing the guitar in a way that would make a bard jealous, and started singing.

"I caught a glimpse of your light

When I was empty inside

And through the nothingness

I found this world

I'll wander calling your name

Until the end of my days

'Til I find the answer!"

Even someone without experience in music as Clay could easily tell that Maia was a surprisingly talented singer. Her voice was just like her personality, strong and passionate, like fire. Without even realizing it, he found his mind captivated by her performance and started thinking.

"Right through my fingers, I'm losin' the light

Why can't I ever do anything right?

This is the time

Throw it aside

Take all your scars and just leave them behind

I'm gonna get through it dead or alive

But on my own, I cannot survive

I don't wanna lie to myself!"

The people of Eostia may not have the knowledge, power, or resources of the Empire, but there was something that his people severely lacked: hope. No matter what happened, at the end of the day they were still able to laugh and wish for a better future, instead of simply trudging forward with the only purpose of delaying the inevitable.

"Keep on the fight that's right

I'll never lose and cry

Keep running day and night

It's time to rewrite

No matter what anyone says, I'll find my way

Yeah, never go away!"

The Edenian Empire, its people, his comrades… they were all gone.

"Nobody can stop me, no way

That promise is engraved in my memory

We'll take it back, you just watch

Everything that we lost

Rise up in this world

The end of our journey is on repeat

But I won't let it stand between you and me

What are you fighting for?

'Cause it's not over

Rise up in this world!"

However, it was thanks to their sacrifice that the feeble flame of life was able to survive the darkness… and that made him happy.

---

The next morning, while the army was preparing to leave Edengate, Claudia was in front of the eastern gate discussing some details with the local mayor, Maia, and a burly bearded man with the physique of a lumberjack called Randal, the Kuroinu's chief engineer.

"How long will it take to complete the wall?" Claudia asked him while several men started tearing down the glorified fence that surrounded the town. Its place will be taken by a stone wall on top of a rampart, surrounded on the outside by a ditch.

"With enough materials and the help of the locals, I reckon we should finish the job in three months, Lady Levantine," Randal replied as he drew a crude map of the town on a small wooden board using a piece of charcoal. "Provided we get properly paid, of course," he added with a knowing smirk.

"Money is not an issue," she replied curtly, unfazed by the mercenary's attitude. "All I care about is that the job is completed as soon as possible, but without compromising its quality."

"Worry not, ma'am. I may be a greedy bastard, but I still take pride in a job well done," the big man assured her before he went to give instructions to the other workers.

"See? I told you Randal was the right man for this job," Maia said as the two women walked back to the camp.

"I'm still a bit worried. Won't Vult be upset that one of his best men will be unavailable for a while?"

"Nah, relax! The Kuroinu have a flexible hierarchy. Stuff like this happens all the time. That's how they're able to take multiple jobs at the same time."

The paladin was still a bit skeptical. "If you say so…"

"Trust me, it's totally fine. Hey, look! It's Clay!"

"Greetings, Maia," he saluted her before addressing Claudia. "Preparations for our departure are proceeding smoothly, ma'am. We should be able to leave Edengate in a few hours."

"Excellent," Claudia nodded, visibly satisfied.

"There's only one problem."

"What is it?"

"They keep following me."

"Who are you talking about?" Maia asked with a puzzled expression, only to smile brightly when she looked behind the Sentinel. "Aww!"

Claudia looked at Maia in confusion, only to have a similar reaction when she followed her gaze and saw a group of curious children spying on the Sentinel from behind a bush. While some tried to be discreet, one of the youngest children just covered his eyes whenever the Sentinel looked at them, following the true and tested principle of "if I can't see you, you can't see me."

'Oh, my goodness, they're so adorable!' Claudia mentally gushed.

"I don't understand why they're so interested in me," the Sentinel said with genuine confusion.

Maia chuckled. "What did you expect? After all, you're a hero that kills monsters and saves people."

"I was just doing my duty," he objected.

"Why can't you just take a compliment?" She huffed before grinning. "Well, we have some time to kill anyway, so how about we indulge them a bit? They can probably use some fun, after what they had to go through in the last few days."

"That sounds like a lovely idea, my friend," Claudia hummed in agreement before following the younger Shield Princess. Contrary to what some people may think, despite her tomboyish personality, Maia actually loved children. Back when she still lived at the orphanage, she helped take care of the younger ones and so, she ended up becoming a sort of big sister for them.

"Hello, kids!" Maia saluted them with a big friendly smile.

"Hi," a little boy that couldn't be older than five returned her salute.

"What's your name, sweetheart?"

"Toby," the child answered shyly.

"Toby? That's a beautiful name! I'm Maia, the Shield Princess of Ansur, and the pretty knight lady next to me is Claudia, the Shield Princess of Geofu!" The queen of mercenaries introduced themselves, striking what she believed was an epic pose for dramatic effect.

Claudia chuckled at the antics of the younger woman. "Hello, children," the paladin saluted them with a warm smile.

The children returned her salute enthusiastically, happy to meet in person two Shields Princesses. However, they kept stealing glances at the Sentinel.

"So, a little birdie told me that you're curious about my friend over there, but you're too afraid to talk with him. Is that true?" A few of the braver children nodded. "I see." She knelt down and motioned them to get closer. "I need to tell you a secret," she whispered loudly with a conspiratorial tone. "He may look scary, but he's actually really nice."

The younger children widened their eyes and gasped in disbelief, while the older ones merely smiled and played along with her.

"Really?" A little girl carrying a worn ragdoll asked timidly.

"Of course! Hey, Clay! Come here and say hello to my little friends!"

Claudia smiled at the looks of amazement of the children as they watched the Sentinel approach them.

"Greetings. My name is Clay." The children were caught off-guard by the artificial tone of his voice and a few of them stepped back in fright, but thanks to Maia and Claudia's encouraging words, they quickly recovered their courage and got closer to have a better look at him.

Then, they started asking questions.

A lot of questions.

"Wow, you're huge! Did you eat a magic mushroom to get so big?"

"Are you a knight?"

"Where are you from?"

"Why is your armor gray?"

"Does your sword have a name?"

"Have you ever fought a dragon?"

"Who's your favorite princess? Mine is Prim, because she's so kind and pretty!"

"Nuh-uh! Alicia's cooler!"

"Do you like apples?"

"How fast can you run?"

"Mommy says not to eat the yellow snow."

Clay tilted his head in confusion at the last one, before looking at Maia for help.

"Alright, alright, calm down, kids," she said while trying not to laugh. "One question at a time."

"Do something cool!" A boy exclaimed excitedly.

"Yay!" His friends shouted in agreement.

"You know what? That sounds like a great idea! Come on, Clay. Show us something cool!"

"Like what?" The Sentinel asked, hoping for guidance.

Maia blinked a few times and rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "Huh… something awesome, I guess?"

'How helpful.' The Sentinel suppressed the urge to sigh in frustration and looked around until he saw a wagon loaded with crates and barrels. He marched toward the wagon, grabbing it firmly, and he lifted it above his head. "How about this?" he asked without the slightest sign of strain in his voice.

The children and all the nearby adults that were attracted by the commotion stared in astonishment at him before the little ones started cheering enthusiastically.

"Huh, yeah, that- that will do," Maia said with a faint blush as she watched his muscles bulge under his black undersuit. 'Damn, if Luu-Luu was here she'd totally jump at him like a thirsty bitch in heat.'

As soon as the Sentinel put down the wagon, the children swarmed him again for a new round of questions. Clay tried to answer as best as he could, however, he didn't miss Claudia's melancholic smile as she watched as she watched the children with a longing gaze.

"I demand an explanation!" Lord Hawkins shouted enraged as he walked through the camp, followed by a small entourage of servants and guards. "Who's the idiot that authorized the construction of a wall without informing me first!?"

Startled by the sudden arrival of the enraged nobleman, the children sought refuge behind Clay and Maia.

"That would be me, Lord Hawkins," Claudia calmly replied. As soon as she spoke, Eugene instantly lost all his bravado and went pale. "Recent events have shown that the town's defenses are painfully inadequate, so I decided to take matters into my own hands and do what your family should have done a long time ago."

"L-Lady Levantine, I can assure you that my family was already planning to improve this town's defenses, but the cost of such a project was just too expensive!"

"Funny that you would mention money, Eugene," Claudia said without referring to him by his title. "I've seen your family's manor. It's very nice. A little too nice, for a noble that always laments about the poor state of his finances, so I asked one of Maia's friends to break into your father's office and inspect your account registries."

"What?! You can't do that! Even if you're the knight-commander, this is an abuse of power!" He exclaimed outraged.

"The only people guilty of abusing their authority are you and your family, Eugene. Gwen already showed me the substantial discrepancy between tax money collected in this region and what actually ends up in royal coffers," the paladin said as she struggled to control her temper.

"I-I have no idea what you're talking about!"

"Lies! Over the years, your family has systematically plundered this region to finance their lavish lifestyle, undermining our defenses and endangering countless innocents! Do you have any idea how many people have died because of your greed and incompetence? And that's without even considering the soldiers that died during the battle when you ordered that stupid charge!"

"They were just peasants," he protested nervously, wondering why she was so upset.

"Just peasants?" Claudia growled before punching Eugene in the stomach without warning. The nobleman doubled over in pain and would have fallen to the ground if Claudia had not grabbed him by the scruff of his expensive jacket. His attendants were about to help their master, only to freeze when the tall female knight shot them an icy glare.

"The wealth that you love to show off comes from the hard work of the commoners! Our duty is to protect and lead them, not to use them as disposable items! Without these people, we are nothing!" She yelled before dropping him in the mud like a piece of trash. "When I get back to Ken, I'll file a formal complaint with the council of lords and the high queen to assign this province to someone else."

Lord Hawkins paled in horror. "You can't do that!"

"On the contrary, it is well within my powers as knight-commander if I believe the security of the kingdom is at risk."

"My family has powerful friends in the capital, Lady Levantine!" He shouted in a desperate attempt to intimidate her.

"As do I. And mine are more powerful than yours," Claudia replied coldly. "Get out of my sight," she ordered without even trying to hide her contempt.

"That was incredibly satisfying, but I really hope you're ready for the political shitstorm that awaits you in Ken," Maia said while they watched the noble and his little entourage retreat.

"I face death on a daily basis, Maia. I'm not afraid of a few corrupt nobles throwing a tantrum."

Maia smirked. "Well, no matter what happens, me and the other girls will always have your back."

"Thank you, my friend. Now, how about we have a little game of kickball with these children before we leave?"

"Ah-ah! Prepare to lose!"

---

Author's notes

I think that this was the most challenging chapter I've written so far. I love writing Claudia, she's such an interesting yet underrated character, but it's not easy to write about her relationship with Clay without turning it into romance. Their relationship is a Platonic friendship based on mutual respect and admiration, however, in some respects I think it's closer to the bond between a mother and her son. Maybe I'm rushing Clay's development too much, but humans are incredibly complex and surprising creatures, so who knows?

I decided to name Klaus' mother Bridget because it's similar to Brigid, the name of an ancient Irish goddess associated with healing, which is the opposite of dying… which usually leads you to a Grave. It's a dumb joke, but I didn't have a better idea.

The scene with the goblins in the tent was inspired from a scene in the VN, where the player can choose to let a group of goblins be to ones to have their way with Claudia, instead of Grave. Being a fan of Goblin Slayer, I couldn't resist giving those little disgusting freaks their moment of glory before crushing mercilessly their delusional dreams of grandeur. MWAHAHAHAHAH! (Speaking of Goblin Slayer, am I the only one that thinks that Maia looks a lot like Cow Girl, the big tiddy farmer/childhood friend of our favorite goblin exterminator?)

The idea of Clay using a rope to pull the Dawn Templars up the cliff (DON'T DO IT AT HOME! Mountain climbing is a serious sport that requires proper training and equipment) came from rewatching the movie Hacksaw Ridge. It's not easy to write an infiltration mission in a fantasy/medieval setting, but I think I did a decent job.

The design of the wraiths is basically an amalgamation between a Dementor and a Nazgul, with a bit of a Summoner from the latest Doom games. In the future I'm planning to write more flashbacks from Clay's past to show how bad the War of Broken Heavens was.

Anyway, Harriet's dead. Yay, I mean, oh, no, how sad…

When I created Harriet, I wanted to create a tragic yet unsympathetic villain, a woman mentally broken from years of sexual abuse whose sole reason to live is desire for vengeance, but to be honest I feel like I ended up writing her as a generic edgy villain that thinks she's entitled to kill people just because of her painful past, so I decided to just have Clay go full Adam Smasher on her to show how different he is - psychologically speaking - compared to the other characters. He's a hyper-lethal war machine, not a knight in shining armor.

Finally, the song that Maia is singing is the English cover of RISE from the anime "The Rising of the Shield Hero" sung by AmaLee. You can find it on Youtube, give it a try, because it's awesome :)

See you next time!