Inside Van Reichnott's mansion, each heroes were given a separate room for them to rest.
"Finally. A comfy bed." said Elena as she climbed on a bed.
Rino, still tired, flopped on the bed face first then fell asleep. Leandros took off his gear and leaned on a sofa to rest. While Gretar gently laid his back on his bed, staring blankly at the ceiling.
Meanwhile, Marius was looking out of the window as he was trying to figure out a way to make peace with the Shield Hero party.
"You should really take a break. We've travelled far enough." said Leandros.
"I will rest later." said Marius. He then walked towards the door, "I need some air."
After exiting the room, Marius navigated his way in the mansion by memory until he reached the very balcony that he remembered.
From there, he could watch Filo who was playing with Melty while Hanzo watched over them, just as Marius remembered.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" said Reichnott.
"Yes... She is." said Marius.
"What I meant was the view from here."
"Then we are not looking at the same thing."
"Curious. Who exactly are you refering to?"
Marius stayed quite for awhile, then he turned towards Reichnott, "If you do not mind. May I borrow your kitchen?"
"An odd request. What are you planning to do?"
While they were running around playing catch, Filo's stomach suddenly grumbled.
"What's wrong?" said Melty.
"Filo is hungry but master is still resting." said Filo.
Then, Filo caught a scent she knows all too well.
"Master's cooking!"
And Filo followed the scent inside the mansion, bringing her to the kitchen where she saw Marius cooking her favourite dish
Filo tilted her head, "Spear Guy is cooking?"
"Yes." said Marius while he stirred the stew, "It should be done soon."
Without hesitation and with the promise of food, Filo took a sit and sat down while resting at the counter. Almost an hour later, the stew was finished and Marius took two bowls, one being larger and two large slices of bread. He poured the stew into two of the bowls and began serving them to Filo.
Filo eye's sparked and the two began eating their bowl of stew with bread, ignited the memories Marius had eating with her.
"Spear Guy."
"Yes?"
"How did Spear Guy know Filo's favourite food?"
"Uh... Lucky guess."
"Oh."
"Now. No talking with your mouth full. Eat first."
"Mmmh, that's what Raphtalia always say."
"And she is right. Now eat." Marius gave her another piece of bread.
As the two were eating, Hanzo and Melty were peeking behind the kitchen door.
After they were finished, Marius put away the emptied bowls to be cleaned.
"You should go back to your master." said Marius.
"Spear Guy... Why does master hate Spear Guy so much?" said Filo.
Marius sighed, "Because... I was misguided. Now I know that your master is innocent. If only he knew."
"Then Spear Guy should apologized to master!"
"Perhaps but not now. He is resting and we are still on the run."
"But it's safe here."
"For now."
After Marius dried his hands, he went on his knees infront of Filo and hesitantly held Filo's hand.
"I promised once all of this is over, I will never hurt you, your master and Raphtalia ever again."
"And?"
"And I will apologized to your master as well."
Hearing his words, Filo smiled at Marius. And Marius, without a second thought, pulled Filo closer and their foreheads touched.
Marius closed his eyes, cherishing every moment he has with Filo now close to him. After that, Marius parted himself and placed his hands on Filo's cheek.
"Filo... Can't remember who Spear Guy..." said Filo, "But Spear Guy remembered Filo?"
"Filo." Marius, longing for the filolial queen, slowly leaned towards her face for a kiss.
Suddenly, both of them were startled by a small sneeze coming from outside. They turned their heads and saw the door slowly opened to revealed Melty holding her nose after sneezing and Hanzo behind her.
"How long have both of you been stood there?" said Marius.
Melty cleared her throat, "Long enough. And what are you doing with Filo?"
"Lunch. We were having lunch." Marius turned towards Filo, "You should go now."
Filo nodded and leaved the kitchen. After the two girls left, Hanzo glared at Marius before closing the door. As Marius cleaned the kitchen, the corner of his lips curved to a smile.
Morning rises. And just as Marius expected, the knights have raided the mansion and everyone went into hiding. And much like before, Marius and Filo hid in the attic, along with the rest of Marius's party. All of them sat on the attic floor as they waited for the knights to finally leave.
"I can still hear them. How long are they gonna search the mansion?" said Leandros.
"They will leave soon. As long as they don't find the attic we will be safe." said Marius.
"And if they do find us."
"We know what to do."
"Spear Guy." said Filo.
"Yes?"
"Filo is hungry."
Knowing what to do, Marius took out a piece of dried meat from his satchel then gave it to Filo. He then took more and shared it to his companions.
"This will keep us filled."
"Is master and big sister going to be alright?"
"They will."
"... Spear Guy?"
"Yes?"
"Was Spear Guy... Trying to get Filo pregnant?"
The entire Spear Hero party were shocked to hear those words and Rino quickly covered her mouth from gasping loudly.
"Marius." said Elena, "I think you're rushing this too much."
"That's not what she meant." said Marius.
"Big sister said if a man kisses a woman, the woman will get pregnant." said Filo.
"That is not how it works."
"Then, how do a woman get pregnant?"
Marius's companions looked the other way to avoid answering the question.
"To get pregnant." said Gretar, "A woman and a man must-"
"We will not speak about it." Marius interrupted.
"Then how will she know how to have children?"
"Gretar!" Elena blurted then shut her mouth with her hands after she raised her voice.
Everyone stayed quite and all they heard from below was silence. Marius got up and looked through the attic window and saw the knight have finally left with the princess and her bodyguard.
"We can leave now." said Marius.
They opened the attic door and Leandros was the first to come down followed by Gretar with both their weapons drawn as they scanned around.
"It's clear!" said Leandors.
Elena and Rino started climbing down from the attic, followed by Marius who helped Filo climbed down.
"Filo!" Naofumi yelled.
"Master!" Filo followed her master's voice.
"Where were you hiding?" said Naofumi.
"Filo was hiding in the attic with Spear Guy." said Filo.
"What?" Naofumi then saw the Spear Hero party infront of him.
"If we move now, we can rescue princess Melty before they can harm her." said Marius.
"Thought I told you to stay away from Filo!"
"We do not have time for this."
"Master! We have to find Mel!" Filo cried.
"If you do not want to save her, then we will." Marius shifted his gaze at Filo, "I promise I will save Princess Melty."
Marius turned around followed by his party members.
"Hey!"
Marius stopped and turned his head.
"I made a promise with the princess. And I'm not about to break it."
"Then you will catch up with us."
Night fall and both parties have arrived at the cliff overlooking Idol Rabier's estate.
"Wait, I know this place. This is Idol Rabier's domain." said Elena, "I've heard rumors of his terrible treatment towards demi-humans."
"That explains the angry mob." said Leandros.
From afar, the demi-humans have flocked at the gates after their beloved lord were taken by Idol Rabier and the knights gathered at the other side ready to fend them off. Then they saw someone broke through the gate and began fighting the knights that stood guard.
"Looks like someone managed to broke through." said Leandros.
Marius turned towards the Shield Hero, "Naofumi."
"What?" said Naofumi.
"We will help the demi-humans. You go save the princess."
Naofumi turned his head to look at the demi-human storming into the compound.
"Fine. But how will you-"
Naofumi saw Marius and his party teleported away.
"How did..."
"Master! We must save Melty now!" said Filo.
"Right. Let's go!"
The Spear Hero party teleported to the gates and they joined the demi-human mob. There they saw some of them were pulled away after being wounded by the knights.
"Rino! Help them!" Marius commanded.
"Right!" Rino went to offer her help to the injured demi-humans.
"The rest of you! Break their lines! Charge!"
Leandros leaped over the demi-humans and threw his daggers at the knight, hitting most of them before landing on top of one and started slashing his daggers at them.
Gretar smashed through the knight's defenses and terrified them with his savagery while Elena fought the knights alongside the demi-human mobs, taking out the knights with her quick rapier swing.
As Marius penetrated through the knight's defensive line, he saw an old warrior in scale armor cutting down several knights with a bardiche. When Marius finally got a good view of the warrior's face and bald head, he stood there in complete shock.
"Cross?" Marius said.
Upon hearing his name being called, Cross turned his head and saw the former Blackstone warlord still alive.
"Marius!" Cross finished off one of the knight and approached Marius with his weapon ready.
"Cross! Wait!"
Cross charged at Marius, swinging his bardiche from the side then Marius quickly blocked it.
"Cross! Listen to me!"
Cross ignored Marius and continued attacking him. The sudden hostility stopped some of the demi-humans as they watched the great Gryphon suddenly attacking the Spear Hero.
The fighting then stopped by one of the demi-human who stepped in.
"Wait! Stop!" the demi-human plead, "Why are you attacking him? He's the legendary Spear Saint!"
"A saint? Him?!" Cross pointed his weapon at Marius.
Marius placed his hand on the demi-human's shoulders to assured him before walking pass him to confront Holden Cross.
"I am not here to fight you, Cross. I am here to help the Shield Hero."
Cross glared at him with a hint of disbelieved after seeing Apollyon's cruel successor alive and breathing before him.
"How do I know you're not lying?"
"I do not bear the Blackstone coat of arms no more... I have long forsaken it."
Suddenly, more knights poured in to stop the mob.
"You will have to proof it to me."
Cross turned to face the enemy reinforcement and Marius stood by his side. The two soon charged and broke through the knights with their combined might.
Soon, the knights retreated into the estate and the mob began taking over.
"We got them running. What's next?" said Leandros.
"Help the mob as much as you can." said Marius.
"And what about you?"
"I need to catch up to an old friend."
Leandros looked at Cross then back to Marius, "Alright. We'll meet up at the courtyard."
Leandros led the rest of the party, leaving Marius with his former mentor.
"They trusted me, Cross."
"So were many that followed you before."
"I know you do not trust me still... But I must tell you that the warlord that you saw fell into the river as long died... And I could not thank you enough."
"I have my eyes on you, Marius." Cross walked into the estate and Marius followed him.
His entire body engulfed in stinging pain after falling off the window and into the hard paved ground. But as if by twisted miracle, Idol somehow survived the fall and began limping away.
"That damn demi-human! Knights! Knights!" Idol shouted.
Then, a knight ran around the corner and towards him.
"You there! The Shield Hero is inside my chambers! Seize them!"
But the knight ignored him as he ran frantically from something and accidently bumped into him, causing the knight to fell on his face.
"Are you blind?! I said seize the Shield Hero!"
The knight still ignored him and quickly ran away.
"Hey! Where are you going! Come back here!"
Suddenly, Idol heard metallic footsteps approaching him. He turned his head and saw Cross and Marius approaching him, and immediately recognized the spear Marius was holding.
"Y-You're the Spear Hero! Please help me! The Devil of The Shield and his wretched slaves attacked me! You have to stop him!"
The two glared at the wounded nobleman without a hint of sympathy for him.
"This one?" said Cross.
"Yes." Marius replied.
Cross then walked towards Idol with the full intent of executing him.
"W-Wait! Wait!" scared for his life, Idol tried to run away but his legs give out and he fell, "Please! Please spare me! I'll give you anything! Slaves! Money! Anything! Just let me live-"
Cross decapitated Idol with one swoop of his bardiche and took Idol's severed head, "It's done."
Marius looked up at the window where Idol broke through, remembered what will transpired next.
Cross glared at Marius as he tied Idol's head with a rope to fastened it on his belt, "Tell me... Why are you the hero of this world?"
"That will not be your concern."
"It is my concern, Marius. After what you've done in Heathmoor."
"I have been atoned for my sins, Cross."
Cross furrowed his brow, "Then we will talk later."
And Cross walked pass Marius and headed towards the courtyard.
Somewhere far away, Fitoria stared at the horizon. A lone filolial came to her and delivered her the news. She stood up, ready to meet the heroes when a tall woman donning shining greek armor stood behind her.
"Athena." said Fitoria.
"All of Olympus have forgiven you." said Athena.
"Thank you, old friend... But it's not their forgiveness that I seek."
Fitoria began to walk forward while Athena disappeared and returned to Olympus.
With their lord dead and his estate overtaken, most of the knights under Idol's purse either surrendered or deserted their post. Many have gathered at the courtyard after the raid, where the ancient monster was sealed away by the monument beneath the courtyard grounds.
There, the Shield Hero party ventured into the underground dungeon where many of the demi-human children were kept imprisoned by the now executed nobleman.
After Naofumi's party entered the dungeon, Marius's party soon followed with Holden Cross following behind them.
"Is this where he..." Rino said, loosing her words.
"The rumors about him were true." said Elena.
"Steel your nerves." Marius advised his companions.
The entrance led them to the very dungeon where Raphtalia and her friends, along with many other demi-human children were tortured. Both the hero parties soon began releasing the captives.
As Leandros search through the empty cells one by one, he saw one of the cells holding a little wolf beastmen boy inside. He immediately recognized the boy's fur and ran towards the bars.
"Conan?" Leandros called for the boy.
His little ears perked up from Leandros voice. The little boy struggled to lift his body up and turned his eye but managed to get a good view of his father.
"Papa?" the boy whimpered.
"Conan!" Leandros tried to pried the door open when Marius came to help.
Both men forcefully opened the cell door and straight away, Leandros ran to his son and cradled him.
"Papa?"
"It's okay. Papa is here."
"Papa... Where's mama?"
Tears started flowing from his eyes and he hugged his son. As Marius watched Leandros reunited with his son, he thought of his own son, Icarus. Meanwhile, seeing all of Idol's captive filled Cross's heart with rage. Soon, both heroes party had freed all of the captives including one young beastmen boy.
"That should be all of them, right?" said Elena in an distressed tone.
Suddenly, Raphtalia's cries echoed through the dungeon just as Marius anticipated.
"Not all..." Marius said solemnly, before walking towards the exit and the rest followed suite.
"The bastard who did this..." Elena gritted her teeth, "Where is he-"
"Dead." Cross showed Elena Idol's severed head before walking away, wishing that he had dragged Idol into his own dungeon and gave him a slower execution.
All the demi-human children were gathered in the courtyard and were treated. Rino helped healed little Conan and was given food by his father.
"So what now?" said Elena.
"We need to bring them to Lurolona village. It's their home." said Marius.
"That's the village where the First Wave occurred."
"Yes."
"Then allow me to bring them there safe." said Reichnott.
"Not without protection, lord Reichnott." said Cross.
"The mighty Gryphon. Yes, Perhaps the presence of a noble warrior would make it easy."
"You know him?" said Marius.
"He helped me go through this new world... And told me about the sick treatment the demi-human suffered here. So I helped."
"Marius." said Leandros, "I know the journey hasn't ended yet but my son-"
"I know. Think of your son first. Join them." said Marius.
"Thank you, brother. I will never forget this."
Leandros and Marius held each other forearms firmly before letting go and joining Reichnott's group. Now leaving Marius with three party members.
Later that night, the joint heroes party left the estate and set up camp in the middle of a grass field. Marius realized this was the very same field where he and his family fought the monster before they first meet Fitoria, the Queen of All Filolials.
Marius sat on his spot, his eyes still fixated with Filo. Suddenly, Gretar senses something approaching and he gets up with his warhammer ready.
"Gretar, was is it?" said Rino.
Gretar scanned his surroundings and sniffed the air, "... Birds... Plenty of them."
Marius stood up, "Stand down."
Both parties then felt a small tremor growing closer to them. Then a flock of filolials appeared from the bushes and surrounded them.
"They're not going to peck us to death, right?" said Elena.
"No. But do not draw your weapons." said Marius.
Then, two filolials stepped aside and Fitoria walked through them. Her eyes glanced at Marius, who glared at her with hatred.
