Inside the royal palace, the king watched the footage of Marius defeating the Soul Eater through the orb.
"Impressive. Your heroic deeds have ended the wave." said the king, "And you did it all by yourself. Perhaps you don't need followers after all."
"With all due respect, your highness. But my companions are as important to me as the other three heroes." said Marius.
"Very well then. Your reward will be sent to the inn where you are staying. You are dismiss."
Marius turned around and walked towards the exit.
"Oh, one more thing."
Marius stopped and turned his head.
"My daughter, Princess Malty, requested that she willl be rejoining your party."
"Will she know her boundaries?"
"Well that's really up to you to find out." the king said with a nervous tone.
Marius groaned and exited the throne room. As he went his way to the exit, he was approached by Lady Ingrid who blocked his way. And behind him, a kensei and a raider came out to block his escape followed by Mercy jumping from the ceiling and her crossbow aimed at Marius.
"Do you know who we are, Blackstone?" said Lady Ingrid.
"You were Iron Legion." said Marius.
"Then you know why we came for you."
"I do not want to fight. Not right now."
"Neither do I. Not in the palace."
"What do you want?"
"You're maybe a hero in this world, centurion. But none of us forget what you did back in our homeworld."
"You would put this world at the mercy of the Waves for vengeance? I have long abandoned that path. I am no longer Blackstone."
"We'll see once the crisis is over." Lady Ingrid walked pass Marius.
The other two warriors followed behind and the peacekeeper walked closer to Marius.
"Is it true of what you said? That all of this at already happened?" Mercy whispered.
"How did you know?"
"You know me, Marius. I am everywhere."
And Mercy walked passed the Spear Hero. Marius turned and find out she had disappeared while The Order were already far away.
"Malaka." Marius blurted.
At night, in the inn where the Spear Hero Party were staying. They gathered around a table with drinks served for them, with Princess Malty and Lesty now rejoining them.
"I want to say thank you again for accepting me back into your party. I promise I'll be in my best behaviour." said Malty while holding a glass of wine.
"Marius." said Elena, "Can we talk? Outside?"
"Very well." said Marius, "All of you stay here."
The two got up and headed towards the exit, leaving the others at the table.
Curious, Malty was about to get up to follow them when Gretar slammed his hammer on the table, glaring at Malty and growling at her.
"We stay here. Chieftan's orders." said Gretar.
"Why is this animal in our party?" said Malty.
"Just sit down like the rest of us. Marius gave you two a chance. So don't waste it." said Leandros.
"Fine. But I'm sure the king would like to hear your treatment of me." Malty scoffed.
Leandros rolled his eyes and took a sip from his ale.
"Should we tell those two?" said Elena.
"No. I cannot trust those two with the knownledge. I fear she may use it for her own benefit." said Marius.
"She's a villian? Can't say I see it coming."
"She conspired against the Shield Hero and used Motoyasu's foolishness. But we will not be her tool. We will abandone her if we have to."
Marius looked up at the building roofs and the darkened skies.
"Return with the others." said Marius.
"What are you gonna do?" said Elena.
"Make preparations."
And with that, Elena turned and walked back to the inn. Marius walked the other way then enter a dark alleyway. Marius looked up again and scanned the roofs.
"I know you can hear me. I need to talk to you right now." said Marius.
He waited and waited for any signs but all he got is the deafening sound of silence and distant noises. Knowing nothing will come, Marius turned around but was met with a tip of a blade on his throat by a hooded peacekeeper.
"What do you need to talk about, centurion?" said Mercy.
The knight showed how Naofumi kidnapped Princess Melty while the two slaves attacked Melty's escorts through the orb. But Marius knew the truth as he was there before.
From the corner of his eyes, he saw Princess Melty's bodyguard. The Orochi, Hanzo, with a worried look in his eyes.
"Enough." said the king, "I knew from the start that the Shield Hero would bring evil to this world. But to kidnap one of my daughter?"
"Father! We must do something!" said Malty with her fake tears.
The king stood up, "Then we must take action and bring the Devil of The Shield to Justice! Plaster their bounties on every town and every village in Melromarc! And any citizens that associated with the Devil will be interrogate! And you, The Spear Saint!"
Marius perked up his head.
"Please. Find my daughter. And punish the Devil and his slave for his treachery. Let Princess Malty and her knights help you in your mission."
"Very well. I will bring them to justice." said Marius.
"Thank you. I promise you a great reward if you succeed."
Princess Malty approached Marius with the same shackle that subdued Filo before.
"Something for that fat bird of his." said Malty.
Marius took the shackle from Malty's hand before storing it in his satchel.
The knights under Malty searched through the woods looking for the Devil of The Shield, with the three other hero party leading them.
Further away, Marius found the wagon trail leading deep into the woods. Then, he heard the sound of sheathed blade and felt the cold steel on his nape.
"I know who you are." said Hanzo, "Do not think your status as the Spear Hero will-"
"Save your breath. The Order already warned me." said Marius.
"Why would the Spear picked you?"
"I have already faced retribution, samurai. I have been redemned."
After a few seconds of silence, Hanzo sheathed his katana.
"I assure you. Princess Melty is in safe hands. If you want to protect her, keep her away from her sister." Marius continued following the trail.
The search party followed the trail till they found the abandoned wagon.
As the search party continued with the search, Marius went towards the wagon to look at the inside before lamenting.
Worried, Rino held Marius's hand to give him comfort.
"Marius... I know you don't want to do this." said Rino.
"I have to. I cannot change fate any further." said Marius.
"But this will make them hate you more."
Marius sighed. He took out the shackle from his satchel, "I know..."
"Filo! Now!" Naofumi commanded.
And Filo transformed into her beast form. Everyone quickly climbed on her and she jumped away with Naofumi's help.
Suddenly, something caught Filo's leg and she reverted back into her human form, and all of them started falling to the ground.
"Rino!" Marius shouted.
Rino used her magic spells and the Shield Hero party started to slowly descend gently into the ground, with Filo landed near the search party.
Scared and confused, she tried to take the shackle off and she heard footsteps closing towards her.
"Filo. Please, I am not trying to hurt you." said Marius as he carefully approached her.
"Marius!" Rino shouted.
Marius turned his head and saw the water attack coming from Melty. Rino quickly countered the attack with her spell.
In the middle of the chaos, Filo eacaped to the woods. Marius saw her and immediately went after her, followed by Rino and the rest of his companions.
"Wait! Where are you all going?!" said Malty.
Without her strength, Filo resorted into hiding from the Spear Hero party.
"Filo!"
Hearing Marius's call getting nearer, she got out of the bushes and the rustling got Marius's attention.
"Wait! Filo!"
Filo ran through the bush until she found herself in an open field and a wall of rocks.
"Filo."
Filo turned and backed away to the walls upon seeing Marius. Marius threw away his spear as he walked closer towards the scared girl.
"Just listen to me." said Marius.
As Filo's back were against the wall, she found her strength gauntlet on the ground. She quickly put it on and threw a punch towards the Spear Hero.
But her punch was caught by Marius with his hand strengthed by the flames.
"Let me help." said Marius.
Mariua then felt a blunt force on his crotch from Filo's kick. He fell on the ground and Filo made her escape.
"Filo! Wait!" said Rino as she got out of the bushes.
Gretar emerged from the bushes then chased Filo while letting out a loud guttural roar.
"Gretar! Stop! You're scaring her!" said Elena.
Leandros got out of the bushes and went to Marius.
"You're okay?" said Leandros.
"Do not... Loose her..." Marius got up while enduring the same pain Motoyasu felt.
After she as weakened Malty, Raphtalia escaped and reached a trail on the cliffside.
"Filo!"
"Big sister!"
Raphtalia heard the filolial queen's helpless call and she saw her hugging her waist while crying. Then she saw Rino catches up to them and Raphtalia pointed her sword at her.
"You! What does he want with Filo!" said Raphtalia.
"Just... Please... Hear him out..." Rino said while panting.
"Why should we?"
Gretar and Elena reached Rino and Raphtalia readied herself for a fight.
"You have to listen to us. We're trying to help." said Elena.
"And why should we trust any of you?" said Raphtalia.
Then, they heard Marius and Leandros running towards them. Behind them, the Sword Hero party along with some knights followed them, and both of the slaves escaped.
"We need to loose them first." said Leandros.
Marius looked at the approaching knights and then to the cliffs. He stuck his spear on the ground and unleashed the Flames of Ares.
"Get off the trail and do not loose them." said Marius.
Marius clamped his fist together and slammed the cliffside. Crack started to form with rocks started tumbling down destroying the trail and the Sword Hero stopped dead at their tracks.
Once the dust settled, they saw the trail completely destroyed by the falling cliffs. On the far end, Ren saw Marius with the Flames of Ares vanishing.
"Marius! What the hell are you doing!" Ren shouted.
Marius just turned around, grabbed the spear off the ground and went to his companions who were still after the two slaves.
After they were far away enough from Malty's search party, the Shield Hero party, along with Princess Melty and her bodyguard, made a stop within the woods to recover.
While they rested, Naofumi tried to free Filo from the shackle on her leg but he could not do so as a warning sign kept appeared on his interface in greek.
The sound of rustling alerted them. Hanzo and Raphtalia drew their blade. From the bushes, the Spear Hero party emerges. Naofumi got up and readied his shield.
"We are not here to fight. Let us help." said Marius.
"Why should we?" said Naofumi.
Marius slammed his spear on the ground and shackle on Filo's leg detached itself.
"We need to get off this country. We are no longer safe here."
"Yeah. I'm planning on that."
The Shadow appeared out of nowhere, just as Marius anticipated.
"Isn't that the queen's Shadow?" said Rino, "I though they were only a myth."
They then heard Leandros appeared from the woods.
"They spreaded out far and wide but they're not getting any closer." said Leandros.
"Then we will rest here and wait." said Marius.
The Spear Hero party rested not far away from the Shield Hero party, who were planning their next move.
While waiting, Marius sat and gawked at his beloved Filo from his spot. Unable to get near here like before without getting pushed away or scaring her.
Her youthful beauty and the memories he had with her, Marius did not noticed he had a smile on his face.
"No matter how long I look at it... I still can't get used to him smiling that big." Elena whispered.
"It's the longest he ever smiled." Rino whispered.
Then, Filo noticed Marius was watching her and got scared. She hid behind Melty and everybody noticed it and started looking at Marius who's smile disappeared and he started looking at the ground.
"Marius... I don't think you should stare at her like that." said Elena.
Marius stayed quite.
"I know you missed her alot."
Then, Leandros heard and smelled something burning in the air.
"A fire?" said Leandros.
All of the two parties saw a bright orange glow at the distances.
"It is no longer safe here. We must go." Marius turned his head towards Naofumi, "Now."
Naofumi glared at Marius, "Let's go."
As they were about to leave, Marius found the shackle he used to capture Filo. He picked it up and throw it away towards the fire at the distance before rejoining the others.
After avoiding every guarded checkpoints, the heroes party have reached the very edge of the farm Marius remembered.
While they hid from sight, Gretar put the tired Rino down on the ground.
"I've never... Walked that far before... I miss Pipin." said Rino.
"Who's Pipin?" said Leandros.
"My horse... You don't give your horse names?"
"It is better if we stay hidden. Horses will draw too much attention." said Marius.
"Is that why we have to left them at the capital?" said Elena.
"Yes."
"So we just follow wherever the Shield Hero goes?"
"I know where he will lead us. It is best that we follow them."
"Sure. Let me do all the planning for you." said Naofumi.
"And what would you rather have us do?"
"Hey! You're the one who decided to backstab them! Why should we do all the work for you!"
"I do not want to quarrel, Naofumi!"
"Then when are you going to tell me why you're doing all this!"
"I will tell you when the right time comes!"
And when is that? Or are you just doing all this to get your hands on Filo!"
Furious, Marius got up and grabbed Naofumi by the collar then pinned him on a tree.
"You keep her out of this!" Marius shouted, and the farmers tending at the farm heard him.
"Then what the hell do you want from me?" said Naofumi.
"I hope this is the right time to intervene." said Reichnott.
"Lord Van Reichnott." said Hanzo while he bowed.
"Hanzo. Glad to see you again. And you as well, your highness."
"It's been a long time, Lord Reichnott." said Melty.
"Now then. How about we don't attract any unwanted attention, please?" said Reichnott.
Both Naofumi and Marius glared at each other before Marius let go of Naofumi's collar.
"My name is Lord Van Reichnott, the lord of this domain. Now, allow me to take you all to safety." said Reichnott.
As Naofumi walked away and his party member followed, Filo walked pass Marius who glared at him before walking away.
"Sir Spear Hero?"
Marius turned his head towards Reichnott.
"You are welcome as well."
"Just keep them away from us." said Naofumi.
Van Reichnott turned around and led the Shield Hero party. Marius tried to calm himself down and in a burst of anger, punched a hole on the tree.
"He really shouldn't have done that." said Leandros.
Marius ignored him and walked forward, with his companions followed him afterwards.
