Chapter Six: Priestess of Light
11:37 P.M. 3rd of the Eleventh Month, Year 380 H.E.C. – Human Empire Army Encampments near the Eastern Gate ruins, Commander Bercouli's tent
Bercouli was having his much needed meal, but received Alice immediately as Fanatio told him the young knight had acquired some insight into the dark forces' schemes.
"Priestess of Light?" Bercouli asked curiously.
"Yes. I don't recall ever seeing such a name in any history books, but it's no doubt what the enemy commander is after."
Silence filled the tent fleetingly as both the commander and his deputy contemplated Alice's words.
"Their commander…the Dark God Vecta, huh?"
"I find it hard to believe," added Fanatio as she poured a drink for her superior. "A resurrected god."
"Little one, let's assume that the Dark God Vecta has descended to the Dark Territory, that he's seeking the Priestess of Light, and that priestess is you." Bercouli said. "The question is, how will that affect our battle?"
There's no question that the five tribes of the land of darkness are after the Human Empire. But if Vecta's objective is the Priestess of Light…Alice mused.
"Uncle, I shall breach the enemy lines alone and head to the edge of the Dark Territory." Alice answered. "If it is me the enemy commander seeks, he's sure to pursue with a considerable force. Once enough distance has split them, you'll be free to counterattack and annihilate the remaining forces."
Not to mention…the World's End Altar is in the Dark Territory…
Alice recalled the brief moment when Kirito had apparently conversed with whoever was also from another world.
"All right, as soon as the transmission ends, I'm going to return the FLA rate to 1000. So take Alice to the World's End Altar!"
"What do you mean by –"
"Listen, once you've exited the Eastern Gate, the altar's due south…"
If I go there, perhaps…
"Fine then," the commander relented after consideration, "but you are taking a third of our forces with you."
"But…" Alice protested, "I can't have you spare a third of your men!"
"The enemy has around thirty thousand men left," Bercouli stated calmly as he finished up his meal, "Which means they still outnumber us around ten-to-one. I doubt that many will follow if you are the sole decoy. We'd only get them to split up if a big enough number strike together."
"You do have a point, but…"
"Also, there's one more condition."
"What's that?"
"I'll be joining the expeditionary force too."
Alice's face twisted slightly in surprise, but found no argument as Bercouli gave her a confident grin.
"Alright, let's see to the details then." Bercouli said while heading to a table covered in plans and maps.
The two women immediately followed him but paused when Bercouli stated, "We cannot simply charge without proper tactics. The way I see it, since our goal is to split the enemy forces and thereby destroy them, after we've passed through the Eastern Gate, the soldiers, the monk unit and the Supply Corps are to head south immediately. If there's favorable terrain, we'll deploy the troops and get into position."
Alice agreed. Or so Fanatio heard? She was not very sure, as she was not entirely focused on listening to the plan to give any opinion. While Bercouli and Alice exchanged ideas on the following operation, Fanatio simply gazed. Somehow she had always enjoyed watching him working. The determination on his face captivated her. But she was not staring merely out of infatuation. She was only inches away from death this evening, and she wasn't sure if it would come to her any moment. Dying itself did not frighten her, but the knowledge of being parted from Bercouli was an idea too unnerving for even the mighty vice commander. If death is to come, she thought, I hope, at least, we can stay together in my memories.
"I see, then we elite knights must act as a diversion." Alice added, agreeing to the plan.
"Indeed, but our forces won't be enough. To have them fight effectively, I believe no less than four knights are needed to lead the attack." Bercouli concluded.
"I shall go with you then," Fanatio said quickly.
"No, that's too dangerous!" Bercouli turned towards her sharply, but looked away before continuing, "I mean…it would be best if you continue to direct the battle here."
"My Lord…do you doubt my strength?" Fanatio asked with a somewhat breaking voice, stepping towards him in the process.
"You know it isn't…" Bercouli replied after a sigh, "At any rate, we'll need a knight of senior rank and experience to direct the counterattack as we drive their forces asunder." He turned to hold Fanatio's hands as he continued. "Please, will you stay here and take command as I push their lines back?"
No more words were needed, Fanatio understood, logically and emotionally. Instead of raising any more protest, she tightened their grab a bit before nodding reluctantly.
Alice blushed rather profoundly. It was certainly not easy to witness one's parent figures acting with such intimacy. So she directed her eyes to the ground and remained silent.
A second later, the pair broke away. Bercouli gave Fanatio one last glance as he stepped outside to personally select the elite forces he would need for the upcoming battle. Alice followed, hoping to assist in the commander's efforts, but was stopped when Fanatio called her.
"Alice."
"Yes, Lady Fanatio?"
The vice commander looked at her intensely. Alice was a bit intimidated, but soon realized her gaze was one of concern and understanding.
"Alice…emotions…aren't easy or simple. And what we do, who we are, mean only we have so much time for them." Fanatio said at last, "I know I haven't been as close to you as I should have. Nor have I been a role model in such matters. But know that it is my most sincere wish that your feelings will bear fruit."
"I…I thank you for your kind words Lady Fanatio, but…how did you know…?" Alice stammered.
"Whenever the black-haired young man is brought up," Fanatio smiled warmly, "you always have the same look on your face I did as I first met the commander."
Alice turned red again. "Is that so…? Then…would you tell me how I can…"
"From what I can tell, it's different for everyone." Fanatio added gently. "I'm sure you will find your own path, which you shall not walk alone. Have you told him?"
"I have…I think he heard me also…" The memory returned to Alice, however, the smile she cracked soon disappeared. "But Lady Fanatio…when he knew me, it wasn't the one who had just massacred thousands. I introduced myself as an Integrity Knight, an agent of justice. If not, at least I was human, someone who respected laws and lives. Now…I am just another blood-stained soldier."
"Tell me this then, Alice. Am I not also stained with blood?"
"I…that's not a fair comparison, Lady Fanatio."
"Is it not? Over the years I've hunted so many dark knights and orcs and who knows what that I've lost count. And if you speak of justice, I've also executed citizens, men and women with families all because their actions were deemed criminal in the eye of the Taboo Index."
Alice wanted to retort, but stopped herself before the argument could come. "Lady Fanatio, please speak plainly."
"Lord Bercouli and I, we've both done things too horrid to account. Yet we move pass them. We understand that sometimes, we must act in spite of our own judgement. But when it comes to our emotions, it must not be clouded. Bottom line, what do you think that young knight would have done in your position?"
"…He would have done the exact same thing."
"And would he have blamed himself for it?"
Of course not…he wouldn't have blamed himself much like he did not fault me for my identity…much like he wouldn't have blamed me for what I've just done.
"Thank you, Lady Fanatio." Alice finally said. "Truly…thank you."
To Alice's surprise, Fanatio suddenly took her into her arms and whispered, "It's alright, all will be well." She continued while slightly patting Alice, "I sense what you feel, your love but also your fears. Worry not, I'm sure he will return, if not for anything else, he will for you…he will for you."
There was great cheering at the front. Every soldier was elated and hailed their leaders. For the first time in centuries, the Human Empire was no longer on the defensive. Instead, the Integrity Knight Commander would personally lead the imperial army into unknown land, aiming for victory.
Bercouli himself as well as Knight Alice, Renly and Sheyta served as the vanguard, leading the expeditionary force at the head as they rode on their dragons. An army of around a thousand men followed closely, with infantry, cavalry and the Supply Corps' wagons keeping up as fast as they could.
Alice was at first unwilling to take such a risk, but Bercouli persuaded her that Kirito should also join them for he remained convinced that the young knight shall be safe. Either their tactic works and he is shielded from danger, or he shall return with his full might.
Vice commander Fanatio looked on uneasily, still not very comfortable with the mission, but voiced no objection as she knew that was the only way victory could be achieved.
"We're going to defend this line with our lives!" Fanatio declared sternly, "All hands return to your positions!"
As the Human Empire Army marches towards the dark forces, their foe had their own scheme underway.
Roughly the entirety of the Orc forces had been summoned, congregating not to prepare for an onslaught, but to serve as sacrificial offerings.
Just outside the entrance of the ravine where Dee Eye Ell's own chariot was also stationed, they were surrounded by the Dark Mages and prepared themselves for death.
"System Call. Transfer Human Durability. Area to Self." The mages began without wasting a moment's time. With the ritual in progress, a lilac light encompassed the Orcs and they began to feel life slipping away from them in the most excruciating way possible.
"Generate Umbral Element. Form Element. Worm Shape."
Having one's life drawn out by Dark Arts instead of falling in battle meant not only did they share no glory in fighting their hated enemies, it meant also they would feel their bodies, while still strong, be torn to pieces by a force they could not even comprehend. Blood oozed out of their figures while they had sustained no wound. The powerful Orcs suffocated as air still surrounded them. One by one, the Orcs fell and became tools for the Dark Mages to use as they willed.
As the Orc leader watched helplessly his people being massacred by their fellow Dark Territory armada, and falling to his knees in shame, the Dark Resources generated by his erstwhile army grew steadily. The Dark Mages continued their chanting, quickly absorbing all the energy overflowing, upon which an orb of purple hovered over the burst-opened carcasses and began to transform into gigantic form of worms.
Alice steeled herself, exhaling with effort as the vanguard, with Bercouli at the helm, drove forward. The group was nearing the end of that shadowy and claustrophobic valley where countless had already perished. No corpses were left behind as they were all either transformed into Sacred Art Resources or burnt to ashes. Still, Alice had opted not to look down, unwilling to bear the sight of the greatest massacre in history. So she was considering in her own mind, if a quick and decisive victory could be won if they struck fast enough, when suddenly she became cognizant that the purportedly empty valley was no longer silent. Rather, a wave of deep, sinister voices echoed all about.
"This sound... a group chanting an art?" Alice questioned aloud before sparks of Dark Resources flowing around confirmed her fear. "Impossible! There is not enough sacred power left in this area to cast a large-scale art!"
Bercouli seemed to have realized how this event came to be as his rigid face twisted in disgust. "Those bastards! What have they done?"
A piercing noise then sounded all throughout the dark forces' camp as the power harvested by the Dark Mages had grown to its zenith. From the lilac power spawned hundreds of massive and mindless worms, radiating a shade of purple themselves. The creatures born of Dark Art now awaited the command of their masters, already showing their destructive nature as they writhed in the skies, screeching a beastly tone.
"Oh, what power!" Dee Eye Ell squealed in excitement and in observation of those freshly mustered monstrosities. "Ah! How magnificent!"
As she marveled in arousal, the chancellor snaked her arms around and over her own unreservedly exposed body.
"Madam Chancellor," The Archmage interjected her rhapsody, "there are Integrity Knights approaching ahead."
"This deathworm curse can't be blocked by any sword or armor!" Dee Eye Ell exclaimed with a high pitch as she turned towards the valley, "You're about to see what we're capable of, you damned Integrity Knights!
"Don't rush it! Let them get close enough!" she cried as the Integrity Knights had yet to emerge from the valley. "Not yet…not yet.
"Now! Fire!" She shouted once the knights appeared.
The creatures sprang into action as the Dark Mages let loose their leashes. With each of the worms at least thrice the size and strength of a dragon, the Dark Territory's ultimate dark art weapon rapidly advanced towards the Integrity Knights.
The aerial monstrosities announced their presence rather grandly as their lilac shade and deafening screeches were unmistakable. Seeing their imminent destruction, Bercouli hastily ordered, "Get close and lure them this way!"
In a second, the four dragons pulled into a tight formation, but still flying straight towards the worms.
Barely a second before contact, Bercouli commanded, "Pull up!" Then, as the four knights stretched the reins as if synchronized, the dragons instantly evaded the dark creatures and flew upward so abruptly a great thunder was created by the overlapping air.
As the knights ascended, Bercouli took a quick peek to see if they had successfully baited the worms. To his dismay, while a great cluster of dark art was approaching their unit, it was only because the Deathworms had split into two, one to hunt the Integrity Knights, the other to continue straight towards the defenseless expeditionary force caravan.
"No…"
Before Bercouli could even give another order, Alice had already begun chasing the second cluster of Deathworms on her own.
"Little one, that move won't work!" Bercouli warned. But Alice was in no mood of obeying.
Kirito! In Stacia's name I will not let these grotesque monsters near you!
To her great despair, no matter how much she pushed Amayori, and in fact, no matter how much her dragon thrusted forth, the Deathworms refused ever to be outpaced. The purple cluster prevailed visibly in speed and agility and Alice could only watch as the deathly shadows began covering the ground troops.
All of a sudden, another light was approaching her. Only this time it was from the opposing side.
"Eldrie?"
Alice exclaimed in shock as she witnessed her student driving forward in full speed to intercept the curse.
"Forward!" Eldrie commanded at the top of his lung. And in an instant, Takiguri's wing flapped with such force, countless rocks in the valley were blown away in a violent wind.
Alice shouted, "Eldrie! Stand down!"
"O divine ancient serpent!" Eldrie could spare no attention even for his mentor, "If you claim to be the king amongst snakes, then prove your worth by devouring that horde of mere worms whole!"
Before a second could pass, Eldrie pulled the reins of Takiguri, and the two shot up to the heavens in lightning speed.
"Release Recollection!"
The instant Eldrie activated the greatest of his powers, the sudden burst of divine might, as predicted, drew the worms as moth to fire. While still climbing with all his strength, Eldrie now saw clearly both clusters of Dark Power gradually began to re-amalgamate into one, extricating not just the caravan, but also the Knight Commander's unit.
"This way! You vile insects!"
With a slash, Eldrie unleashed his Frost Scale Whip. The weapon, then transformed from a silvery whip to countless roaring, luminous snakes, plunged towards the dark creatures.
The next moment was something describable only as the greatest quadrille dance of light in history. Squashy sounds of flesh-eating exploded while the snakes shooting out from Eldrie's direction quickly engulfed the innumerable Deathworms. But those dark creatures were not as thoughtless as previously imagined; they again broke into legions of divided worms and attempted to envelop Eldrie. Realizing the danger, the knight zigzagged through the skies, evading the trap as the divine serpent now wrestled with the worms, both groups circling and striking each other.
Two more circular maneuvers and the continued ascent left all other knights too distant to offer help, but that was exactly Eldrie's strategy – to take the Deathworms as far away from the main forces as possible. With the knight now hopelessly isolated, the worms again formed into a single cluster, and shot up as speedily as they could, flying ever closer to the lone knight. Eldrie's snakes met them head on, sinking into creatures and crushing them. However, this time, with no more room for navigation, and numerical superiority enjoyed by the worms, the dark creatures managed to let the snakes eat away only parts of their forces, the rest of them then broke into two smaller groups and struck straight at Eldrie himself.
The searing pain Eldrie suffered as the worms fed on his body was unfathomable. His lower half practically decayed like a carcass and he could feel his bowels being liquefied. As his body continued to absorb the power of the Deathworms, he let out yells of pain that could be heard all across the valley. His Life was declining to a critical point, but the worms were not relenting.
By the time the dark power had reached his neck, Eldrie had exhausted all his life force, and let out one last growl before his eyes shut and his body slacked, barely hanging on his dragon's saddle.
However, before death could claim the young man, Eldrie felt a gentle touch on his back.
This warmth…
Eldrie opened his eyes, grabbing with all the might he could muster Takiguri's reins, and pulled once again.
"Not yet! I can't fall just yet!"
The reinvigorated knight then cried out, led the dragon even closer to the heavens than before and continued to soak up every last bit of the Deathworms' curse. If Eldrie had knowledge of the gods, then he would know by the time the creatures were nearly all spent, he had given them at least a hundred men's worth of life. All eroded because Eldrie's Incarnation had lent him holy powers.
Knowing his goal had been reached as he felt the power of the worms rescinding, Eldrie let go of his dragon, before plunging himself entirely into all that was left of the Deathworm curse.
From below, Alice could see a single spot of light absorbing the lilac cluster. That light then fell off as the creatures had all dissipated. Before Alice could react in any way, the cascading light exploded; creating such a spark, the skies were temporarily lit while an air blast blew all over the ravine below.
Realizing what was happening, Alice called out like no voice had ever achieved,
"Eldrie!"
Alice spent no time in changing course to her descending apprentice, pulling her dragon's reins in the most urgent way possible.
The man now Alice was hurrying to, despite pain indescribable, was oddly at peace. His body was cut in halves, and was traveling through a sea of conflagration as he fell from the blast, but his face showed no more indication of sufferance.
In another moment, Alice finally reached Eldrie with Amayori having shot up like a missile. Only barely, Alice took hold of Eldrie's metal gauntlet, and with strength like she had never mustered, she pulled the man onto her dragon before descending quickly to the ground.
As Takiguri soon rejoined, the two dragons landed hastily. Wasting no time, Alice pulled Eldrie into her arms, and demanded with tears, "Eldrie, your eyes…please open your eyes!
"I won't allow it! You are not going to leave me like this!"
Ever the dutiful student, Eldrie, despite a life long exhausted, opened his eyes, and asked with a voice as fragile as his body,
"Mentor…are you safe?"
Shocked by his frail tone, Alice opened her eyes wide before answering, "Yes…yes! I am safe, thanks to you! Didn't I tell you that I needed you?"
"Lady Alice…there are more…far more people who need you. I was such a selfish person…to think I could keep you all to myself."
"I'll grant you whatever you wish for! So come back!" Alice cried as tears rolled down her cheeks, "You are my disciple, aren't you? So heed my command!"
"I have already received more than enough…"
"Eldrie! Eldrie!"
Alice all but screamed as her disciple had begun to close his eyes again.
"Don't cry…" Eldrie painfully wiped the tears away from Alice's eyes as he uttered.
There, he finally saw it. The figure that he had briefly seen before the battle begun, also the figure that had given him that little push as he was being devoured by the Deathworms. How radiant and gentle she looked.
"Mother…"
With that final word, Eldrie smiled one last time, and his body slowly turned into glowing Sacred Power before flying towards the heavens.
Takiguri roared melancholically as he witnessed the passing of his master. So full of grief and dejection was that cry, knights from far and wide realized a profound tragedy had just crushed the heart of a mighty dragon.
"Eldrie…" Alice whispered as she caressed the weapon left behind by her student.
"After all the havoc you've wreaked…" Tears bursting in heat and in anger streamed and Alice cursed, "I would hope you know you're going to pay!"
Drawing her sword as she allowed rage to consume her, "Amayori, Takiguri, charge at full speed!"
With the order sounded, the wings of the two dragons spread with a rumble as they charged at top speed towards the now exposed Dark Mages.
Witnessing their greatest trick reduced to nihility, Dee Eye Ell screamed with disbelief, "It can't be! Impossible!
"They extinguished the Deathworm curse! By its priority level it should have annihilated the Integrity Knights and the ground troops…just what the hell kind of art did they use?!"
Before Dee Eye Ell could spend any more time researching her failure, two dragons, creating thunders as they flew past the ravine, had arrived.
"Retreat! All hands, retreat!"
Dee Eye Ell shouted with panic, fully aware doom was impending.
The Dark Mages' flight turned into a disgraceful rout as screams of terror washed across them. The Dark Mages' flight turned into a disgraceful rout as screams of terror washed across them. The loyal mages were loyal no more, responding to neither orders nor pleas from their officers. All they could do, and did do, was to fight each other to flee. Before they could so much as run, Alice had begun her retribution.
"Don't let even one get away! Fire!"
The dragons opened their bestial jaws, and down poured the deadliest inferno ever seen. The great flames, in but seconds, rinsed through their targets thoroughly. So potent was their vengeance, the ground on which the mages had once stood was molten into a lake of fire, even the experienced ones who had survived Alice's previous Sacred Art now burned to their deaths in a crimson plain.
As both dragons continued their assault, revenge soon dawned upon even Dee Eye Ell's chariot, tearing it apart in no time. The defeated chancellor was blown off of her vehicle, now lying unprotected on a ground as harsh as reality. Looking up towards the knight hovering above with horror, she could hear only so scarcely Alice chanting with cold fury:
"Enhance Armament."
A great bouquet of golden flowers then exploded from her sword, pouring down with equal destruction as the dragon breath.
The aureate storm pounded what was left of the mages as mercilessly as the worms had murdered Eldrie. Some defiant, if not foolish mages attempted to retaliate by casting Dark Arts, but the manifestation of Alice's wrath, combined with the divinity of the sword trampled all opposition. Soon enough, the chanting of art too distorted into a symphony of bellowing. Any who tried to prevent the inevitable turned out minced by the golden petals before being burnt to cinders by the dragons.
With her forces wiped out by the fire, and Alice's flowers approaching ever so closely. Dee Eye Ell sat on the ground with her head buried in hands and screamed,
"God fucking damn it! I'm not going to die! Not in a place like this! I'm going to be the empress of the world!"
Then, with sudden sounds of flesh cutting and blood oozing, two of her mages were impaled by Dee Eye Ell's own hands.
"Lady Dee…what're you doing…"
"Please…stop…"
"System Call!" Dee Eye Ell paid the dying servants no mind as she chanted with a twisted grin, preparing whatever it would take to preserve her life.
Not giving any more thoughts to the mages as she had burned and slashed every inch of the ground, Alice then led the dragons past the scorched, smoky land and towards the main forces of the Dark Territory.
Legions stood still and faced the mounted knight as she declared aloud:
"My name is Alice! Integrity Knight Alice Synthesis Thirty!" she threatened with a drawn sword, "I am the messenger of the three gods who protect the Human Empire, the Priestess of Light! Let it be known that all who stand before me will be vanquished by my sacred authority!"
Author's notes:
Here we go! Just made it in time for the weekly update. The next part will be...a bit difficult since I have to keep the story intact while adding quite a lot of my own thoughts, so I'm afraid it might be slightly later than usual in terms of being updated. Anyway, until next time.
Playlist:
"this is the price of war"
"dark mages"
"it's time to say goodbye"
"the Human Empire Army"