It took every ounce of her skill to get through the gates leading to the palace, that is also including the mass of people all entering in and preparing to leave the city. Even more so with the Order's pesky mage inquisitors who had training in detecting mamono, no matter if they were hidden or disguised. She had to admit there were a few close calls, but she did eventually get to the archives.
As she entered the archives, she realised there were hardly any other people around. So, under her fake alias and disguise that she casted on herself, she searched the archives. Eventually, she found the entrance and was greeted by a tired-looking man.
The man kept pestering her with questions, but eventually, she was able to get past him and get into the once hidden passageway. Save for the torches, everything looked rather ancient. The walls and stairs themselves looked to be on the verge of crumbling with all those cracks on them.
When she reached the bottom and went through the next creaky old door, there were two pathways in front of her. Yami first looked into the pathway at the right and found a room filled with texts in languages she could not read. Quietly she grabbed one of the texts and placed it in her satchel. Who knows, it might have some interesting info in it. Or maybe not, she honestly didn't know for sure.
Yami then went over and peered into the pathway to the left. In the room was another human, a woman to be more specific. Save for a few tables with notes on them and empty chairs, the room was almost completely empty.
She entered the room and was now able to see a glass window on the left side of the room. Yami realized the women was staring directly at the window for some reason.
Slowly Yami walked further into the room and was now standing next to the woman. Yami's eyes widened at what she then saw on the other side of the window.
It was... well she did not know how to describe it other than to call it a monstrosity. It was some sort of large insect thing, its legs and arms stretching across the walls and floor of the chamber. Its chest was bloated beyond belief as if it was about to burst. Its long black hair almost touching the floor.
The creature looked up, allowing Yami to see its face. It was so pale, and so pitiful looking dark beady eyes. It almost looked human.
"What is that?" Quietly asked Yami, startling the woman.
"Wha-" The woman stopped herself, taking in a deep breath, "Sorry, I thought every else left to evacuation" She then looked up and down at Yami, "Strange that they sent someone new in such circumstances though."
Yami replied coldly, "And what makes you say that I'm new?"
"Because I've never seen you here before." The woman pulled her hand out, "Apologies, I'm Thea."
Yami reached over and shook Thea's hand, "Teneb."
After they both let go, Thea looked back at the creature, "Now to answer your question, we don't know for certain. The most we can put together is that it's a monster from before the current monster lord that has somehow remained... unaffected."
Yami was surprised to hear that, but that shouldn't be possible. Even dragons were affected as they were normally in their more human-looking form. But if it's unaffected by the monster lord... Fear started to run up her spine, just like it did when she met him. "Are we safe with that thing in there?"
Thea then pointed to the floor of the chamber, "Of course we are Teneb. As long as that rune down there remains, it cannot break free from those chains."
The fear left Yami a little, but only a little as even she could notice the rune's time was almost up. The symbol fading in and out constantly. Thea continued, "The Order is hoping that the rune will completely fade when Druella storms the palace. They hope it will put a dent in her forces while buying us time to evacuate to the nearest Order city."
"Why are you still here then?" Asked Yami.
"Why are you here?" Yami could not reply to that.
Suddenly the room shook as the faint sound of war horns, and panic ensuing amongst the humans were faintly heard from outside. "Alright, we need to lea- Wait, the rune!" Yelled Thea.
Within the chamber, the rate the ruin was flashing suddenly began to speed up rapidly. Then in a blinding burst of light, the seal was gone. Thea and Yami shielded their eyes from the bright light.
As they unshielded their eyes, the creature slowly raised its head back up and glared at them. "Ahh...yes...yes... I remember now..." Spoke the creature in an ominously calm voice. The chains snapped as it broke free of them
Slowly the creature rose from the ground, the candles slowing growing dimmer as the sounds outside grew fainter, "Let the feast...begin."
The creature immediately went over and bashed through the window with its long-disfigured arms. Yami and Thea rushed to the exit. Suddenly two blue mythical branches slammed into the door, causing the wall to crumble and block the two from escaping. Thea hurried to the wall and desperately tried to remove all the ruble in a vain attempt to escape. Fear growing in her eyes.
Yami however just stood there and stared at the monster. As it climbed out of the chamber and into the room, Yami started seeing the image of the Red Hood instead of the bug before her. "Teneb, what are you doing!?" Yelled Thea.
Yami looked back at Thea. She couldn't help but see Yuri in her somehow. Was she going mad? "Teneb!" Came Yur- no Thea's voice.
The creature had now fully climbed out and was now into the room. The sound of metal being unsheathed echoed across the room, "Wait, that's not normal steel. Teneb... are you a monster?"
Yami did not reply, holding her two demonic daggers tightly, its purple metal glistening in the light. "Yuri..." Muttered Yami before looking back at the giant, its head almost touching the ceiling.
The difference in power between her and this beast was clear as day and night. She was so powerless back then but even then she could have saved her sister. She could have stopped her... but she didn't. The Red Hood had taken everything from her, and somehow, she could sense his presence in this thing. Did he somehow do this? Just to finish her off now? To show her that she couldn't even save another living being.
Yami smirked, her weapons would probably have no effect against this thing. Hehoteb, Inpu, everyone in Lahara, Dalhu ...Yuri... She had failed to warn and prevent them from being slaughtered by him. But even if she were to die here, maybe she could save someone. For once.
Like the wind, she charged at her target, who then summoned two more branches and lunged at her right when she moved. Yami slid underneath the attack and gave a cut to its abdomen before leaping back to avoid another attack.
As Yami prepared to do another attack, the creature turned around and fired white projectiles from its thorax. She did not want to think about what that was, especially after it grazed her leg a little.
She charged again at the creature and barely avoiding the bug's blue weapon being lunged at her. Was she getting slower? No that can't be, she did not sense magic from its 'attack' and it only grazed her leg. It couldn't have been slowing her down. She shook herself out of her thoughts as she delivered another blow, pushing her blade straight up its chin. Once again, however, it did nothing.
The creature tried to smack Yami, but she reacted and ducked underneath. Soon right after the attack, the creature then swung the branches sideways. Yami was only able to move fast enough to block the attack, however, the force was strong enough to send her to the wall.
Yami slammed into the wall as she grunted in agony, trying to ignore the pain. Before she had time to recover, the creature swung its weapons at her again. She tried to block the attack again, but it was no use. The attack broke through her guard and slammed her even harder against the wall.
Each time she almost recovered, the creature attacked. It would not leave her a chance to breathe. It would not let her escape its wrath. Eventually, she got too tired to raise her weapons to block in time as the creature swung at her again.
She could feel the energy that composed the branches burn her. Pain of unimaginable magnitude began to spread throughout her body as she was sent flying through the wall and into another room. Yami slid across the dark, unlit room and was stopped by a stone pedestal.
Yami couldn't move, every ounce of her body was screaming in pain at her. Her strength was gone and spent. There was nothing to do but watch as the monstrosity slowly walked towards her.
At the same time, Thea finally cleared up enough rubble to crawl through. Then she saw someone she wasn't expecting. "Etail? What are you doing here!?"
"I was coming to check on the new person, then I heard something, so I rushed over here." Said Etail
Thea shakily pointed over towards the giant bug, "Teneb bought me time but she's using demonic steel weapons. Somehow the thing is immune."
Etail was shocked. Not only did that thing get out, but this new person was just a monster. A monster that came to stab them in the back, and yet... No that did not matter. She gave Thea time and deep down, he couldn't just let her get killed.
Etail pulled out a smaller dagger he always kept with him. He had only gotten it for self-defense, but he had hoped he would have never needed to fight. "Etail, what are you doing? We need to go!"
"You get out of here."
"W-What! No, no, no, we need to go. Teneb didn't sacrifice herself for nothing!"
Etail sharply looked back at Thea, "Go!" Thea merely stood there in disbelief, unsure of what to do. Etail however would not waste any more time.
Fear plagued Etail's mind. In a desperate attempt to get rid of it, he tried to do a battle cry as he ran at the back of the monster. The monster turned its head at him as he lept onto its back. Etail held on for dear life as he raised his dagger and stabbed the creature where he thought its neck was.
He expected it to roar in pain or something, but no. It merely made a quiet grunt as its long hands quickly grabbed him and threw him into the wall. "Etail!" Screamed Thea
Etail rammed into the wall hard, his vision going dark as he collapsed to the ground.
(-)
Countless bodies of mamono littered the streets and next to many of those bodies, a human would be collapsed on the ground as a mamono would force out their seed repeatedly. Windows and doors to buildings were all broken or bashed open. With every inch of ground they made, the mamono hungrily searched the buildings for their mates, but save for a few buildings, all of them were empty.
Surrounding the palace was a large anti-magical barrier barely being held up by human mages as demonic spells were casted at it nonstop. At the edge of the barrier itself, a tight defensive formation was formed, preventing any mamono from getting in.
"Hold the line!" Yelled Mersé at her soldiers before looking up to see a horde of harpies, "Harpies are trying to get through! Don't let them!" Commanded Mersé. On command, the second row of spearmen and onward behind the main line of defense averted their attention to the harpies as they flew down at them. Half of the archers as well averted their aim towards the harpies and attempted to shoot them down.
The harpies began to fall but now their forces were split in half, one against the horde on land and one against the horde in the sky. Slowly the soldiers were starting to be pushed back as they began to fall to demonic corruption one by one. "Dammit. WHERE ARE THOSE MAGES!" Yelled Mersé as she chopped down a harpy.
Wilmarina leapt and chopped a harpy's head off behind Mersé, breathing heavily. "Almost all of the mages are out of mana, the other few are keeping this barrier up. Without it we'll be done for!" Wilmarina took a deep breath, "I'll see what I can do."
Once again Wilmarina leapt into the air and casted a ball of flames at the horde below. As the mamono screamed in agony from the flames, the Order Soldiers were able to regain some ground. Once again, they were back to square one in holding the border. Wilmarina landed on the ground, her legs shaking heavily alongside her heavy breathing. "Th... There...That's all I can...do."
"Alright, men! we can do this, don't quit on me now! Just a bit more and your friends, family, and loved ones will have escaped!" Spoke Mersé, giving a huge boost of morale to the soldiers. They all began to hold off against the mamono with all their might. Even if they would fall today, they would at least save those they were fighting for.
Such hope kept the soldiers going, but it was soon diminished. A single dark beam of demonic energy shot forth, moving past the mamono and into the barrier. Instantly the barrier shattered as the mages in the palace collapsed to the ground, exhausted and not having even the strength to stand.
Mersé's eyes widened in horror as another beam was shot at her own men. On contact, the beam exploded, leaving behind a dark purple cloud. As the cloud cleared, Mersé could see many of her soldiers were on the ground paralyzed as mamono rushed to them.
Their newly formed hope had now just died, they were outnumbered, the barrier was destroyed, and their formations were in tatters. Whatever men were left were scattered about defending themselves. And through it all Mersé could see a lone, white-haired Lilim walking past the mamono towards her, a smirk on their face.
(-)
The screams and moans of monsters could be heard outside of the orphanage. So far no mamono had yet busted in or even tried, but that was probably soon to change. Sasha watched through the windows at the battle outside as the children were boarding up the windows and the door. Despite how small and fragile they were, they worked diligently.
Sasha gripped her sword tightly. Only now, after she saw the truth, did she regret her decision to help Druella. She was such a fool, but she had to make up for what she did, "I need to get out there," Spoke Sasha as she started to make her way to the door, but soon realized she didn't have the strength as she felt her legs give out.
"Mistress Sasha!" Yelled the children who hurried to Sasha.
"I'm fine. But I need to help them." Sasha tried to get up again but still, her legs were too weak, causing her to collapse to the ground again. Her sickness was too great now. Whatever it was, it was draining her of her very strength.
"Mistress Sasha, it's too dangerous to go out there. You need to rest!" Spoke one of the children.
Sasha looked up at them, "No, I don't need to rest. I need to help them."
The child got in front of Sasha before she could leave, raising both arms, "No! You need to rest, please? We'll make sure to keep those monsters out!"
Sasha sighed in defeat. She didn't want to admit it, but they were right. As much as Sasha wanted to help, she needed to rest. "Fine, you win." Said Sasha.
Two of the children went over for Sasha to support herself on them. Slowly they helped Sasha up the stairs and into the room before helping Sasha lay down on her bed.
"Thank you." Muttered Sasha but she doubted they heard her as they closed the door behind them. This was it, soon the monsters would come and have their way with them, and it was all because of her. There was nothing she could do save for... Sasha forced herself to place her hands together and spoke as loud as her weak voice would let her.
"Please... God... save us. These people don't deserve nor desire this fate. Please... Forgive me..." She could feel herself getting even weaker, "Please... deliver us... Please... have mercy... amen..."
(-)
In the distance of Lescatie, on a hill overlooking the city, Gael was looking down upon a city in ruins. Trails of smoke rose up from the city as the echo of a battle could be heard, even from where Gael was. He watched as mamono shot forth spells at a giant barrier near the city's centre but to no avail.
Gael pondered what to do. At this point, he had a rough idea of the mamono's goal, which was to claim as many mates as possible no matter what. However, he had no idea what the goal of these, humans? To be honest he was unsure if they really were human. Sure, they looked human and acted human, but they did not possess even a scrap of humanity. How could that even be possible?
He would have just walked by at this point, but he could swear something was calling him to the city. No, what was he thinking? This was not his war, this was not his battle. He would not just throw himself into a war he knew nothing about. Reluctantly he decided he would just watch, but then he heard that voice again. "Please... God... save us. These people don't deserve nor desire this fate. Please... Forgive me..." The voice started getting weaker and fainter, "Please... deliver us... Please... have mercy... amen..."
Gael felt his heart sank at the weak plea of the voice. What was he doing? Is he just going to walk away from this city and let these people become nothing but cattle? No, no he would not let that happen. Besides the call is in the city, not beyond. Therefore, he will join the battlefield, even if it could do more harm than good. Even if Velka was dead, he could only pray that his actions do not do more harm than good.
Leaping of the cliff, he walked through the bodies strung about the field in front of the wall. All of them giving the same face of horror or surprise. Gael could only wonder what sort of commander would foolishly keep attacking a city with this many dead. Then again, he too had such commanders.
Eventually, he made it to the gate and could see more bodies, but also a lot of rubble. Then he saw something absolutely horrid, countless men, being raped as they cried for the mamono to stop. It was disgusting.
They didn't notice Gael at first, that is until he started ripping and killing off each and every mamono he came by. One by one he freed the men, adding new bodies to the field of corpses. "I bet you like that...what th-" The mamono was instantly severed in half by Gael.
A flying bird mamono looked down from above Gael "Wait! We are being attacked from behi-" without hesitation a bolt found its way into her lungs, causing her to collapse and choke on her own blood. More and more mamono started to take notice but it was pointless, especially since they were all busy enjoying their spoils.
An angry voice suddenly came from behind Gael, "Stop right there! You will seice this slaughter! I, Captai-" in a flash Gael had turned and thrusted his blade through her chest. This was a captain? He was expecting someone like that Dalhu he fought a while ago.
Gael pulled back his blade and turned around, a line of mamono forming in Gael's way. No matter, he was going to purge this place clean.
(-)
Mersé's grip around her halberd tightened. That sick...whore... She would pay for what she has done. She would not get away with this. Mersé began to walk towards the lilim, her eyes bearing daggers at her.
"Mersé, wait!" Yelled Wilmarina, trying to stop Mersé.
Not one mamono tried to stop Mersé as she approached the Lilim. "So, you-" The Lilim dodged as Mersé thrusted her halberd forward. Right away the lilim casted a dark orb of energy but Mersé leapt over and swung downward. "So much hate in your eyes." Said the Lilim as she avoided the attack, "Don't worry, soon you will know a better life." The Lilim summoned one of her swords and blocked an attack from Mersé.
"I will never fall to your corruption, whore!" Yelled Mersé as she swung her blade again.
"Whore?" The Lilim quickly opened a portal and went through, reappearing behind Mersé before slicing her back. "Says the one who has such interesting...'ways'... of training her soldiers. Strange you don't realize it would have the opposite effect than you intended."
Mersé gasped as she fell to the ground, "Shut...UP!" Roared Mersé as she pulled herself up. Again and again, she attacked the Lilim. Each time the Lilim parried the blows until casting a spell, pushing Mersé into the nearby wall as demonic energy began to enter her body.
"Keep your hands off her!" Came the voice of Wilmarina behind the Lilim. The Lilim blocked the attack and looked dead into Wilmarina's eyes.
"That was rather foolish. Attacking me, Druella, in such a state as yours." Muttered Druella before disengaging her blade for Wilmarina's before stabbing straight through the heroin's chest.
The hero collapsed onto the ground as Druella pulled her blade out. "That settles that, now to take care of you." Druella turned her attention back to Mersé who was desperately trying to move but could not find the strength to do so. Druella lifted the captain's chin with her blade and looked into her eyes, "It's okay… Soon it'll feel good."
Druella raised her weapon before bringing it down. Time slowed down for Mersé as the blade came closer to her. Then as if it was an answer to a prayer, a bolt flew by and into Druella's hand at lightning speed.
"Gah!" Grunted Druella she dropped her weapon. "Just who-" Druella stopped as she looked to see who dared fire at her. Druella's eyes widened as she saw who it was. A giant of a man, whose face was hidden by a blood-stained red hood. His cape looked like it was made of thousands of long red hairs all fused together. Then there was that sword if you could even call it that.
"Your him, aren't you?" Druella forcibly ripped out the bolt from her hand, "The Red Hood." Druella's fist tightened as she said that her hand almost fully healed.
"Why?" Came an ancient voice from the giant. She was confused for a second at that. She was expecting to get a simple yes or no but instead she got a question.
"Why... what?"
"Why are you doing this? I assume you are the leader, so why?" His voice seemed to almost echo around her.
He must have been it; the one Hel had warned her of, she summoned two demonic steel blades. "I am doing this to bring coexistence between our people. For too long the Order has slaughtered us, refusing to accept our love. That is all we want, to love."
The Red Hood interjected, a hint of anger in his voice "So you do it by enslaving them? Against their own wills, taking away their freedom and dreams?"
"Humans are always suffering, always killing, and always fighting amongst themselves. They need to be shown how better a future is at our side."
"And if they don't want your future?' Asked the Red Hood, his voice getting louder.
Druella gritted her teeth, she was not used to any opposition on this matter. "If they don't accept the alternative, we will make them. Besides, it's for the greater good."
"Be warned, the path of Izalith was paved with good intentions." Replied the Red Hood, raising his blade and pointing it at her. Druella could feel the threat in his voice.
"I do not know of what you speak of, but I will not leave empty-handed! I cannot!"
The moment those words left her mouth, the giant charged at her. Druella leapt back, barely avoiding the blood-stained blade as it slammed into the ground, "Then it is settled. Today you shall learn the consequences of your actions."
Druella ducked underneath to avoid another swing from the giant before landing a cut to his hand. The Red Hood raised his foot and stomped hard causing the ground to turn to rubble as Druella moved out of the way. However, the Red Hood would not let up as he then swung his blade again.
Druella almost did not react fast enough, forming a barrier to block the blade. The moment the blade made contact with her barrier she was sent gliding backwards, a small crack forming on the barrier.
"Geh, the barrier... just how strong is he?" Muttered Druella who then leapt over the giant as he thrusted his blade forward, destroying the nearby building behind her. Druella threw down her demonic steel weapons at the giant as she began to descend to the ground. The Red Hood managed to block one of them in time but not the other as it sank into his back.
A smile formed on Druella's face as she resummoned her blades. If he was a hero of the Order, he would have fallen by now. But after that first attack she landed at the start, Druella knew it would take a lot more to win. And at this rate, the battle was in her favor.
Soon he will- Druella snapped out of her thoughts as the giant surprised her. In a moment's notice he had turned around and slashed at her with his blade. Druella grunted as she formed another barrier to block the attack, an even larger crack than the previous barrier forming.
Once again, she had to jump up to avoid the Red Hood as he attacked, destroying another building.
Druella began to use her wings to fly upwards. After getting high enough she stopped. "What? Is he getting faster? How can that be? My weapons were of the finest quality, at this point he should be at least a little tired." Muttered Druella to herself. Quickly she raised her hands and summoned a mass of demonic orbs, "Seems I will haft to end this now! FALL!"
She brought her hands down and aimed at the Rood Hood who stared up at her. He didn't have time to get out of the way as the area was bombarded with row after row of demonic energy. The area began to get covered in large amounts of smoke.
Druella took a deep sigh of relief, that is until the smoke cleared to reveal the Red Hood covering Wilmarina and Mersé. "Seems he was fast enough to prevent those two from becoming corrupted, oh well no doubt he's taken out from that. Huh, is it getting dark already?" Muttered Druella looking up before looking back down at her defeated foe.
She looked hard and saw something. Some sort of red energy was seeping out of him, but what she couldn't tell. Druella wasn't able to figure out what it was as the giant immediately turned and fire his crossbow at her.
Druella and the Red Hood began to have a shoot-out against each other. At first, Druella had the upper hand, avoiding all of his bolts and landing her hits. But then the tables turned as over time his accuracy somehow improved and started to avoid her attacks much more often.
"What is this? I can't be losing in a fight such as thi- GAAH" Druella screamed in pain as two bolts tore holes into her wings. Quickly she started to descend but Druella would not let that happen. As fast as she could, Druella created a barrier to use a platform and then used another to block the volley of bolts sent at her.
"Finally, room to breathe. That monster, I've already used up a good amount of mana already. At least he can't get me up here."
Druella immediately regretted those words as she saw a disc of light zooming at her. Her eyes widening in terror as it tore through her barrier and straight at her. Quickly she jumped off, but not fast enough as the disc grazed the side of her chest.
As she descended, Druella looked down to see the Red Hood right under her with his crossbow. She looked behind to see the disc coming straight for her again from behind. As the disc got closer, the Red Hood fired. It was a pincer attack, an attack she should have expected.
"No, not yet!" Yelled Druella, forming a portal below her and reappearing through another portal near the ground feet first. Druella had hoped the Red Hood would have been confused for a second, but no. The second her foot touched the ground the giant turned and charged at her. "Why is he so fast!?" Druella dashed back, avoiding another swing of his blade.
"I won't yield, not yet. I can still fight back!" As if she was a one monster army of mages, she started summoning countless waves of demonic orbs. Druella didn't stop firing, even when the entire area in front of her was nothing but purple smoke. It didn't seem to do anything as the Red Hood rushed out of the smoke and towards.
To be honest, she expected this, but she had one last idea left. Before the Red Hood's blade reached her, she created another portal and went through. Instantly she appeared a little ways behind the giant. With one hand she casted more energy spheres of demonic energy, and with the other, she began to prepare a spell.
She just had to last long enough for it to be ready. This spell was her last bet to subdue this monster. Druella remembered when her mother taught her this spell. One day her mother would use the complete version of the spell to turn the chief god in an instant. Even still in its unfinished state, Druella knew it was very powerful.
Again and again Druella fired demonic orbs and teleported out of the way. More and more of her mana was being used, but Druella would not stop now. If she did, she would be slain in an instant. After teleporting again, Druella sent another volley causing another burst of purple smoke to cover the area. Then her moment came, the Red Hood came out of the smoke and thrusted his blade forward.
"NOW!" Yelled Druella who predicted the attack and dashed to the side. A bright purple light emanated from Druella as she raised her hand at the giant "UNHOLY SUBJUGATION!"
At those words the spell was casted, a giant beam of demonic energy shot forth from Druella and at her target. The giant did not have time to react as the energy slammed into him and slowly pushed him against a wall.
The Red Hood was against the wall. Pushing against the force of her power, he took a step.
Druella could feel her mana being rapidly drained as she held the beam, trying as hard as she could to maintain it.
The Red Hood took another step forward.
Druella's arms began to burn. Just a bit more.
Another step.
She could feel her entire body burning as she kept firing it. Just a little bit more...
Another step.
Druella was almost drained of mana, but she would not yield yet. She would not lose.
Another step.
The Red Hood was now almost in front of Druella, her energy continuously pouring itself at him. "That's... close enough! NOW YIELD!" Druella spoke the final part of the spell, causing an explosion of demonic energy and pushing the Red Hood back.
Druella collapsed, the smoke from the explosion slowly clearing. Druella was breathing heavily, "Did I do it? Is... huff... is it over?" With a thud, she fell on her knees exhausted. Almost all of her mana was used in that spell, at the very least she had enough to use one more teleportation spell but that was it. Using one of her swords as support, she shakily rose from the ground.
As the smoke cleared even further, she saw the Red Hood standing there. When the smoke was fully gone, she could see his hood had been pushed back, which surprised Druella. His face... it looked so human. His eyes were filled with so much pain and his hair and beard were stained with so much blood. He looked so, so pitiful.
That soon changed as a dark red aura seemed to surround him, his hood coming back on its own. It was as if his hood was alive and was crawling back onto its owner. When the hood got back on, all Druella could see underneath the hood was a dark void.
"I... Impossible. H-How?" Asked Druella. This man, what was he? No, she could not think about that now. She needed to get out of here, she needed to flee. Druella looked at her wings to see they had now fully healed; this was her chance.
As fast as her body would take her, she leapt into the air and tried to fly off. But the monster behind her was somehow even faster than before as her tail was suddenly grabbed by him. Druella screamed in pain as the monster threw her to a wall, ripping off her tail in the process.
Druella fell onto the ground and looked up. Druella had to escape, she had to use the teleportation spell. But this monster was too fast, he would most likely enter the portal before she had time to close it. Even if mother and father defeated it, the damage done would be too high. She needed to get some distance first.
Desperately with the last ounce of her physical strength, Druella got up and tried to fly away. But once again she misjudged the Red Hood's speed. The moment her feet left the ground, the Red Hood grabbed her by her hair and tugged her down hard. Druella screamed in agony as it almost felt like her scalp was about to be torn off.
While still holding tightly to her hair, the Red Hood then slammed her to the ground. Druella rolled over as pain echoed throughout every inch of her body. All she could see was a heartless monster staring her down. In utter fear, Druella started to crawl away, but the Red Hood was having none of it as he slammed his blade down.
Desperately Druella raised her hand and summoned a barrier. Her thought that it would have stopped the blade was proven wrong. The giant blade easily cut through the barrier as red energy seeped out of it and chopped off Druella's hand. Once again, she screamed at the pain.
Before she could continue to crawl away, the giant then chopped her legs off with his blade. "GAAAH!"
Without giving her any more time to breathe, the monster dropped his blade and got on top of her. Without a shred of mercy, the giant began to bash his fists into her skull constantly. Many of her teeth were sent flying out as she started tasting her own blood. Suddenly the beating stopped as she laid there in a pool of her own blood, her regenerative abilities barely keeping her alive.
The monster reached behind her, which almost looked like a hug. That is until she could feel him tearing off her wings. Druella was now sobbing in agony. The pain was too much, she was... she was going to die. She did not want to die.
Druella felt the air being stopped from entering her lungs as the giant then lifted her off the ground. His grip around her neck was a strong as iron. Drualla's vision slowly began to get blurry as she felt her neck being crushed.
(-)
Yami looked up at the bug monster that was walking to her. She was done for, this was it, this was her fate. She muttered to herself, "Yami, I'll be joining you soon."
However, this was the end for her yet. The human she had met at the entrance suddenly appeared and stabbed his blade inter the creature's neck. Yami was expecting the creature to scream in pain, but not it merely threw the human without any hesitation next to her. "Etail!" Screamed Thea who was still at the entrance.
What was she doing here? She needed to leave, or else this would have been for nothing. Suddenly she heard a loud clang right next to her. Yami looked to see a strange blade had fallen next to her. "What? Was that thing on the pillar?" With a shaky hand, she grabbed it and looked up. The bug was looking away and staring right at Thea.
Yami pulled herself up, holding tight to the strange dagger in her hand. She would not give up yet. She would not let someone die because she refused to do anything while she had the strength. She would not let what happened last time to happen again.
"HEY!" Yelled Yami, causing the bug to turn around, "I am not done with you yet!" Yami began to run at the creature who immediately summoned another blue branch and swung at her. Yami predicted this and dodged the attack before stabbing straight into where she thought its heart was.
For the first time, the bug screamed a sickening roar as strange dark energy began to be soaked into her blade like a sponge. Yami kept pushing in deep as the creature roared, and then suddenly the blade stopped as if it has reached its limit. The bug looked at her for a second before bashing her into the ground with its fist
Yami still held onto the blade, but before she got up to attack again, she felt one of those branches being pressed up against her neck, the skin on her neck burning. If she so dared move that creature would only haft to push a little and she would be dead. As it stared into her soul with its pitch-dark eyes, it spoke, "I SHALL PARTAKE"
The bug pulled back the branch before thrusting forward. Yami closed her eyes in anticipation of her death, but nothing happened. Slowly she opened them to see the tip of the branch almost touching her eyes. She did not move, but only sat there motionless in shock.
In front of her eyes the blue branch dissipated as the creature turned around, "The dark... calls for me." It began to walk away. Thea and Yami could only watch as it left, simply ignoring them.
(-)
"Pleaskgae...Mercljkady." Choked Druella as her life flashed before her eyes. But then at the last second, the Red Hood dropped her. Druella gasped for breath as she fell back into the pool of her own blood, like a fish who was out of the water. As she regained her breath, the Red Hood grabbed his blade and loomed over her, his blade hovering above her chest.
The bastard was doing the barbaric execution of drawing and quartering her. But suddenly, he turned around. Druella looked and saw some sort of bug thing walking through the gate, dragging the bodies of two of her captains. The bug man dropped the bodies and kneeled in front of the Red Hood who she could tell was now distracted.
Without a second thought, she used the last bit of her mana to summon a portal before losing consciousness and falling into it.
(-)
"Oh at last you have come. For so long I searched for you." The bug looked up at Gael, "I beg of thee, make me one with thy most holy body" The creature looked down and bowed all the way to the ground, "I fear not the dark, my friend. Please, let the feast begin."
Gael placed his hand on the bugs shoulder before bending down. With a sickening crunch, he bit into the locust's flesh and began to feel himself absorb its dark soul. Unbeknownst to Gael, his consumption of the locust rippled throughout both the physical and divine world.
At Pandemonium, the Fallen God's divine gift began to ring with an ear-piercing sound. The fabric of reality that held Pandemonium together began to waver. The Fallen God's servants and citizens within Pandemonium found themselves ageing at a rapid rate as time flowed back into Pandemonium. The purple skies and borders of Pandemonium were transformed into a dark abyss.
The seas of the world became violent with horrible storms as Poseidon lost control over her trident. Countless lives died at sea, both human and mamono, as the waves almost seemingly went out of their way to wreck ships and harm those nearby on land as the coasts became flooded.
Those who worshipped Ares suddenly became enraged with a wave of unknown anger and hatred. Order soldiers found their strength multiplied tenfold as they slaughter mamono. Same as well for the mamono who worshipped Areas, who started to kill humans instead of mating with them.
Bacchus and Eros found themselves unable to influence the thoughts of mortals. Massive fights within bars and churches of Bacchus suddenly erupted. Instead of love spreading across cities that Eros was influencing, it was hatred as normal human men found themselves acting like beasts as they attacked any nearby sentient being.
Hephaestus dropped his hammer from the pain that was spreading across his hand that held the divine hammer. The dark material of the hammer glowing with power as mortal smiths found themselves writhing in agony on the floor, unable to do their work. All the equipment recently made in dedication to the gods began to glow as well before melting into a puddle.
Bastet's bell began to ring at an alarming rate as it grew hotter and hotter, burning Bastet's neck. All feline creatures suddenly found themselves feral and destroying everything in relation to Bastet that they could find.
In Hel, many of the threads of fate began to burn, fade, and disappear as the dark liquid within its core began to break out of its container. The runes placed upon it began to flash before suddenly bursting. Hel's servants quickly flew over to the core to place new runes which barely kept the dark liquid inside the core.
Then in an instant, the ancient runes placed up the gifts glowed with a brilliant light. And then, it was all silent. The divine gifts were calmed, and the gods regained control over them. The gods could not understand what happened or why. It was as if the world itself had been building up a seething hatred, and at long last had released it. If only for a moment.
(-)
Yami laid there for what felt like forever. In her mind was only one question, why? Why was she spared again? Why her? Did that monster have a sick sense of humor? denying her chance to see Yuri again? Yami grunted as she heaved herself up, using the stone pedestal as support. "
"EY EVERYTHING ALRIGHT DOWN THERE!" Echoed a male voice, probably from near the entrance.
Realizing her disguise spell was still active, Yami took a deep breath, "NO, WE NEED HELP DOWN HERE NOW!"
"ALRIGHT WERE COMING!" A few moments later a group of Order soldiers and healers arrived. They looked around before noticing Thea who was just sitting there frozen, and Etail who was unconscious on the ground. Without hesitation, the healers hurried to check on Etail while one of the soldiers went over to her, "Is there anyone else?"
"No," Muttered Yami.
The soldier pointed at her wounds, "You, you're injured. You need healing, come on."
Yami raised her hand in opposition, "No that won't be needed. Just, just make sure they are alright. I will manage." The soldier simply nodded and went over to Thea. They were so busy with those two that they didn't bother to look at Yami, or the strange dagger in her hands as she left the room limping.
As Yami slowly left the room and walked up the stairs, she looked down at the blade in her hands. She didn't realize until now that she tried to take a life. After all those years of training, being taught, and avoiding death, she had betrayed all of her teachings in the span of a month. Honour was everything to her and her clan, yet she gave it away. She used to want a husband like any other mamono, but now she didn't know what to think. And to never kill... she had just tried to take a life.
She was less than nothing, worthless and without honor. Yami pushed the door open and left the battle-torn archives of the palace. Yami looked up at the sky to see the sun over the horizon and came to a realization. Yes, she was weak and without honor, but she had saved a life. And until something comes up, she will figure out what's out there other than seeking a mate. She was Yami, the kunoichi without honor.
(-)
At the center of the Royal Makai was where the Demon Lord's fortress and home resided. It was a capital of love and pleasure surrounded by an endless forest of tentacles, protecting it from any invaders. Though it didn't really need the defenses, especially with how much demonic energy was in the very air.
However, today was not a day like the others. Within the great hall before the throne room within the fortress, a portal facing downwards formed. Each and every mamono there looked to see if Druella was arriving to report of her victory. However, she arrived in a way they did not expect.
First, a trickle of blood came through the portal, forming a small pool of blood until a barely recognizable Druella fell through as the portal closed behind her. Every one of the mamono gasped and hurried to their princess, "WE NEED HEALERS IN THE GREAT HALL, NOW!" Yelled one of the mamono before checking her pulse, "She's still alive. In the name of the Demon Lord, what has happened?
Author's Note.
Finally, I finished this chapter. Hope it was worth the wait. This ends the first, I guess you would call, arc of this fanfic. Even though its not over yet, I'd like to thank you all for reading this far.
I would also like to thank Darklord331 for being my beta reader for this chapter. Hopefully, we did not miss anything.
Anyway, I'm gonna take a week or so as a break, mainly so I don't get burnt out from this and because I have other projects I need to do. Anyway, see you later.
New author's note. Those reviews saying Yuri probably mean Yami. I got em mixed up in this chapter and I have corrected it.