While the Espada began to settle into the Dragon Kingdom, Cesar and Sajin made their way into beastman lines. Having officially entered the area controlled by the beastmen, they didn't need to walk too long through a forested area until they had arrived at what looked to be a small camp, with a few tents and log built shelters.
Sajin was quick to notice that part of the shelter seemed to have collapsed. However, while at first he wasn't going to think much of it, how Cesar reacted made him change his mind quickly.
"Stay sharp. I will see where the others are. There might still be some people in the area." He said as he moved in the direction of the damaged section.
Sajin did as he was told, unsheathing his katana as he began to examine the area for any signs of hidden enemies. Meanwhile, Cesar arrived at the collapsed portion of the shelter. Quickly looking around the area he was able to conclude that one of the main pillars had been compromised resulting in what now stood before him. Still, his senses told him that there was someone under the mess, and with that he removed his cloak and mask, going to work on removing the debris.
"Come and help me!" He growled getting Sajin's attention.
In the end he didn't need any help, as when Sajin answered his call, Cesar had removed the debris that had buried the person underneath. Surprisingly she was alive, and the duo was now looking at a female beastman, with tiger based characteristics. She looked to be of a somewhat advanced age, but not much as she had a body that was very well shaped, with a medium sized bust, and wore a simple, yet well made gown. While she had some cuts and bruises from the debris, she also had very clear claw marks that decorated her chest.
"Go to the smallest tent, there should be some potions there." Cesar ordered, as he picked up the unconscious female.
Cesar followed this by placing her inside a tent, where a small bed was waiting. Having gotten the potions from Sajin, the beastman went to work on healing the female.
"Who is she?" Sajin asked whilst sitting outside the tent.
"Pantera Leon. Mate of Leo Leon, the previous King." He replied, still focused on healing her.
"Could it be that she was attacked by people on the side of the current king?"
"No. I think the camp would be in worse state in that case. Seeing the marks, how she was left alive… I would say Liger did this."
"Who?"
"Their daughter. She was living here with her mother… I guess what Pantera said was true. She had too much of her father in her…" Cesar replied in a sullen tone.
Having used the potions, he did the best he could to better Pantera's state as Cesar and Sajin waited for her to wake up. After having spent an hour doing so, Pantera woke up, and the former Queen of the Beastmen, erupted from the bed she was resting in, easily brushing Cesar aside. This led to him falling through the side of the tent, as she followed this by quickly leaving the tent, and lunging at the next obstacle in her way: Sajin.
With surprising speed, she clawed at his helmet, but her rampage was put to a quick end when Sajin grabbed both of her wrists in a powerful grip, and lifted her into the air in an attempt to stop her wild thrashings.
"Pantera, that's enough!" Cesar growled, stumbling back to his feet.
"Let go of me! I have to…" She hissed back, just for him to speak over her.
"It's too late! If she went after Kaze, then she's already dead."
At those words she stopped, prompting Sajin to place her back in the ground, and on her feet. She stood immobile for some time, until Cesar approached and spoke to her again in a calm tone.
"You tried to stop her?"
"What else could I do? She has the temperament of her father, and strength to dwarf both me and him. I could only try, and even then, she swatted me aside like I was nothing." Pantera replied in a forlorn tone.
"You knew this would happen eventually. You should have talked her out of it long ago. Not now when she has grown out of your control." Cesar pointed out in a cold tone.
"Watch your tongue, Cesar. A weakling should know better than speak to me like that." She hissed, turning to stare him down.
"Isn't there something that can be done?" Sajin asked, looking at Cesar.
"No. Trying to do anything would take us deeper into enemy territory. We would never make it back." The beastman replied, leaving Sajin somewhat worried.
"You have yet to tell me who this is, Cesar. Few are those who can restrain me like he did." Pantera asked with a scrutinizing glare, looking up at Sajin.
"He came to the Dragon Kingdom along with a group of human mercenaries to help them win the war. He will be working with me." Cesar replied, getting a disgusted growl from Pantera.
"Grumph! It seems that you are not the only one who has put their pride as a beastman aside. Still, what is your name?"
At this Sajin was quick to remove his helmet, presenting her with his wolf-like features, as he took a small bow and introduced himself.
"Sajin Komamura."
Ignoring his pleasantries, Pantera keenly examined him. He was large. Much larger than any other beastman of the same kind she had ever seen. He was also considerably strong, along with carrying a katana. While these things got her attention, they didn't tell her much. What he did, others could have done. Especially with her not being as strong as she was in her glory days, before Leo managed to "convince" her to join him.
"I see. I do hope you came here with a resolve to die, Sajin. I doubt that your strength will do much, or the strength of those humans you associate yourself with." Pantera dismissively remarked, walking to their side.
"Do not worry. We of the Espada, will put an end to this war." Sajin informed with a determined and confident tone.
"We just have to see what Kaze has to say about this."
"Kaze? I have…" Sajin went to say, when Cesar interrupted him.
"The War Troll that killed Leo and took the place of King."
"He has unparalleled strength. Dwarfing even the strongest of our kind." Pantera added with worry and distain in her voice.
"In the end it won't matter. The Espada were hired for a job, and we will see it through." Sajin resolutely added.
"While your confidence is appreciated…" Pantera began, when Cesar spoke over her.
"Are you done?"
"What do you want, weakling?" She hissed back at Casar.
"I understand if you are feeling miserable, but there's no need to push down others."
At this she gave another growl, but didn't do anything to silence or prove Cesar wrong, choosing instead to walk off into the forest. Something that prompted Sajin to try and follow.
"Let her go. She did something like this when Leo died. She will return eventually."
"V-Very well."
"For the time being, let's try to clean up the mess they made."
"Before we get to that, I feel we have yet to properly discuss Kaze or the female hobgoblin. After all, they are the main threats, correct?" Sajin asked, getting a sigh in reply before Cesar spoke.
"There isn't much to say. He is a War Troll. A bit smaller than most of them are at his age, but more intelligent than what you normally find out there. He seems to be the warrior type, but so far I've only seen him fight using his hands. That's what he did to Leo. He broke him down with just his hands, with surprising ease. The hobgoblin is a magic caster name Kana. The type of magic she uses we still are not sure, but some say that she is a necromancer. Is that what you wanted to know?"
"Yes. Indeed…" Sajin replied, when Cesar spoke.
"Good. Then let's get to work."
Still, Sajin wasn't simply going to sit on this information. Having been given a ring for this mission, he proceeded to use it to communicate to the rest of his team, and tell them what he had just learned about the opposition.
The Espada, the Fracción, and Elim's group had arrived at the camp where they would be staying for the duration of their assignment. It was the size of a small village with a sizable fence around it. By the entrance there were small item shops, where the quality would depend on the day of the week, whenever it was close or distant from when they would be resupplied. Inside there were a few places to eat, public baths, and the actual houses.
The houses were mostly wooden cabins that could house two to six people. Each had a small bathroom and they were made to house both men and women. The group finally stopped in front of two houses that could take up to four people each. Meaning they could split their groups in half for their new accommodations.
"Can't say I was expecting much." Carmyn remarked in an obviously unimpressed tone.
"It was the best we could come up with. But at least you all get to stay together in the same place." Elim pointed out reassuringly.
"Very well. The Ranked Espada will go in one cabin, and Fracción will go in the other." Leinas informed in a professional tone.
"Well, perhaps you should first speak with the person staying in one of the cabins." Melle pointed out.
"…"
Leinas was about to speak, when the door to one of the cabins swung open. From inside appeared an older individual who stood slightly taller than the average man, with an enviable physique for someone who was well past 60 years. His short hair was grayish in color, and his eyes were a light brown, looking almost yellowish in the sunlight. He was wearing armor from the waist down, with a white shirt covering his torso. This man was among those sent from the Slane Theocracy. Meaning, his presence made Saida particularly uncomfortable, with Mira doing her best to put her lover at ease.
"So, you're the replacements?" Labrax calmly asked, eyeing the new group carefully.
"What do you mean, old man? And just who are you?" Grimmjow growled in reply.
"Originally the Theocracy was to send one of their elite forces to help the Kingdom, but in the end they failed to see that promise through." Mira dryly replied.
"And that is why you were called upon, Espada." Labrax added.
"That does not answer his question. Who are you?" Leinas coldly remarked, causing the elder to chuckle.
"No need to get aggressive, I was just getting to that. My name is Labrax Vega Belenus. I'm among some of the soldiers the Theocracy had sent to deal with this mess."
"I see. Still, it's surprising to see someone from the Theocracy here, among us grunts." Carmyn pointed out with a somewhat mocking tone.
"What can I say? Me and the few others sent in advance are also seen as nothing more than grunts, so we don't get special treatment. Either way, I do think someone as strong as me deserves better quarters." Labrax pointed out while lazily glancing at the cabin behind.
"Don't make me laugh. As if someone like you is anything of note." Nnoitra hissed in a mocking tone, getting him a raised eyebrow in reply from the elder.
"Don't be fooled by my age, boy. In my prime I could make the likes of Gazef Stronoff look like children. And as I am now, I still have more than enough to teach brats like you a lesson."
"Keh! Is that so?"
"That's enough, Nnoitra! You will have to share the same cabin as him, so behave." Carmyn growled.
"F-Fine."
"Praise the Great Lord of Darkness who led the Six. He seems to have a brain on top of that oversized body of his." Labrax said with a laugh as he stepped back into the cabin.
"How pleasant." Carmyn remarked with a raised eyebrow.
"H-He seems to have a very specific worship." Mira said uncomfortably.
"Well then, you should begin settling in now." Melle suggested.
"Agreed." Leinas remarked while getting off her horse.
"I take it we can put our supplies in our cabins?" Carmyn asked.
"You did bring a lot, but for the time being I think you can." Elim replied while cupping his chin.
"Alright people, get moving. I want these things in the cabins as soon as possible." Leinas growled in a serious and commanding fashion.
Eventually night fell, and several events were set into motion. In the capital of the Beastman Country, Liger had finally made her way closer to the residence of the current King, Kaze. The capital was rather sizable, but made out of simple stone and wood buildings, with mostly dirt roads and paths. In the center was the palace, that was once the residence of Leo, but now housed Kaze and Kana, with the structure having suffered some changes to accommodate the War Troll.
Liger, using some of her own abilities and experience gained while she lived in isolation with her mother and Cesar, had managed to sneak her way through most of the capital. For some this was a rather surprising feat, given her impressive and imposing build and size for a female. However, as she was moving through an alley, the young beastman was surprised when a figure fell down and blocked her way.
Cursing herself for having been detected so close to her goal, Liger then placed all her attention on the new arrival. He stood as tall as her, with a smaller frame, his features showing him to be a thylacine-type beastman. He wore baggy pants, with a large sash at the waist, with his upper body covered by light armor and a piece of cloak that covered his right side, which made obvious his lack of an arm. Also, on his right side was a katana, a sort of trophy from a battle he had partaken in long ago. His name was Nato.
"Hehe. What do we have here?" He said with a laugh.
"Out of my way." Liger hissed, to which he frowned.
"Come on. There's no need to rush. We can do this all nice and slow. No one has to get hurt." Nato pointed out, with a cool and laid back tone.
Liger hissed, practically baring her claws at him to get him to move. His calm attitude simply annoyed her. The fact she had at least seriously injured her own mother, was alone in her endeavor to dethrone Kaze, and now someone came along who was making a fool out of her, made her boil with anger.
However, her anger was quickly put aside when she felt the ground vibrate slightly under her, as if something massive was approaching. Quickly turning around, Liger came face-to-face with a giant of fur and muscle. It was the "Stone Bear" himself, Tomo. The massive bear-type beastman, who stood a good 11 feet tall, was truly a behemoth among their race. He had a small snout and overall black fur, which showed several signs of growing lighter with his already advanced age.
Unlike others who seemed to grow weaker with age, Tomo was known for never having distanced himself too much from the strength he wielded in his prime. It was said he had never lost a fight. That was until he too bent knee to Kaze. Without counting that incident he had only ever suffered a draw. This draw had come by the hands of Leo, the former King, who had left upon Tomo a large claw mark upon his chest, right over his heart. However Leo had grown weaker with time, while Tomo stayed mostly the same.
"Subtle entrance as always." Nato mumbled wryly.
"I will not be stopped by this." Liger hissed, standing tall and defiant.
"Don't misunderstand. We are not here to stop you. As is we should be capturing, or killing you." Tomo calmly informed.
"Then, what do you want?" She hissed impatiently.
"For you to turn back." Nato replied, with a more serious tone.
"Are you serious?" Liger asked in shock, looking back at him.
"As you are now, you are not as strong as Tomo. And I'm pretty sure I can take you. So, Kaze will destroy you." Nato replied in a somber tone.
"With only one arm? You're underestimating me."
"And who'd you think took my arm!? Us two were lucky the bastard was in a good mood when he faced us. From what we've heard, the lack of challengers has been making him displeased. You'll get massacred." Nato said as he growled at the memories.
Liger looked back at Tomo for a moment, then back at Nato. Her hands tightened into fists, with her frustration and anger beginning to come forth once more. Was she supposed to take even more humiliation? She was the daughter of King Leo. She was meant for greatness. To be at the head of her people. As she was now, she was certain her power surpassed her father. Even if she was weaker than Tomo, she was certain her abilities would take down Kaze.
"Reconsider. You can still grow stronger." Tomo said in an unusually soft tone for a beastman.
"I... I have waited too long for this. I'm stronger than my father was, and I won't be taken over by my ego and status. I'll do what both of you failed to." Liger growled.
"Hmph! You compare yourself to your father when he was killed. That'll cost you. Leo had become a shadow of his former self by that time." Tomo flatly pointed out.
"The only reason he stayed in power was because of respect and his past achievements. Honestly? It was a matter of time before someone tried to take over. It could've been me." Nato remarked with a chuckle, before he then added...
"Of course, I wouldn't put myself through something as boring as being a king."
"Noted. Now let me through." Liger replied, as her voice seemed to take on a permanent growl.
"You dumb…" Nato went to speak, when Tomo interrupted him.
"Fine. If you insist. Nato, let's go."
"Her funeral." Nato shrugged, walking past Liger to join Tomo as they began to walk away.
She would prove them wrong. She was certain of it. Liger pushed aside whatever doubts they had formed in her heart, and proceeded to make her way to Kaze's palace. As the duo of Tomo and Nato walked away, the smaller beastman spoke breaking the silence between them.
"What a waste."
"It's her decision."
"I know…" Nato remarked, falling into silence before speaking again.
"So... females?"
"No."
"Drinks and females?"
"No."
"Drinks?"
"…Yes."
"Fine…" Nato sighed, not too pleased with the choice, but went with it.
Not long after, Liger found herself next to the wall that separated the King's palace from the outside world. Looking around, she decided that stealth was no longer necessary. Meaning, that with one impressive jump, Liger found herself on top of the wall. An action that almost immediately got the attention of some guards below her.
"Int…!"
One of the guards was about to call out when Liger landed on top of him, and quickly slashed at his throat. His companion went on the offensive, but he was nothing in the face of the intruder, who quickly sliced through his neck. Letting her wilder side take over, Liger went on a rampage, taking out as many beastman guards as possible, in the easiest ways possible, as she didn't want to risk getting tired.
For what seemed to be an instant, Liger found herself painting most of the gardens crimson in the process. Calming down from her frenzy, Liger looked around and saw that she had killed nearly two-dozen guards. A feat that elicited a proud smirk as she made her way to one of the palace entrances.
Then a [Fireball] landed right in her path, forcing her to jump back before being caught in the resulting explosion. All the while letting out an angered growl as she seemed to know who it was. Landing safely, her attention went to the source, where along with a small group of guards was Kana, the King's right hand.
The female hobgoblin was slim, with pale green skin, hunched back, and wearing old rags, with several animal bone based accessories decorating her, including a deer based skull mask. In her right hand was a large wooden staff, decorated with two small human skulls. Next to Kana was one of the palace's strongest guards, Maka. A gorilla-based beastman, who was also of some age with dark yellow fur. He was known for using a chain with a spiked ball as a weapon, which he usually carried around his neck.
"You are ruining my garden." Kana growled with a tired and sickish tone.
"I'm here for Kaze." Liger declared, throwing the body of a guard at Kana, just for Maka to push it aside.
"Don't get cocky. Those just some small fry." Maka hissed, with a rather raspy sounding voice.
"Don't waste your time. I will put her down right here and now." Kana declared, raising her left hand towards Liger.
Then as Liger prepared herself for whatever spell was going to be thrown at her, the two massive doors that led into the building were pushed open, as an equally massive figure emerged from the shadows. His sudden appearance made everyone, even Liger, and excluding Kana, feel a sudden rush of fear go through them.
The new arrival towered over all. Even Tomo, who Liger had seen just a few moments ago. He was greenish in color, with glowing yellow eyes, two large teeth emerging from his lower jaw, and a row of black fur going from the top of his head down his back. This was Kaze, and taking into account he was only wearing clothing from the waist down, it seems the situation had just woken him up.
"My King…" Kana went to say, but Liger spoke over her.
"Kaze! I, Liger, daughter of Leo, have come for the throne and your life!" She declared.
The tired and soft look of the troll, quickly hardened as her intentions were made clear. His rather large tongue emerging from his mouth as he gave her a disgusting and mocking grin.
"Is that so?"
"I will end you." She replied with a hiss.
"Hah! Finally! All of you stand aside. I want to enjoy this." Kaze declared while licking his chops in his excitement.
"B-But my King, she is far too valuable to kill." Kana pointed out.
"I won't have it, Kana! I been bored for too long. If someone wants a deathmatch with the King, I'm generous enough to give it."
"V-Very well. A-At least could the body be kept intact."
"Perhaps." Kaze laughed, staring down Liger.
Liger let out a deep breath and took her stance, while eyeing the troll who remained stationary, further showing his confidence. She felt pretty certain of her chances of winning. Her opponent had just woken up, he was wearing no gear, and he was clearly underestimating her. This was perfect.
"What…" Kaze went to speak, when Liger vanished from sight in a blur.
Liger had spent a lot of time observing her parents, and had also openly been taught some of their [Martial Art] techniques. She had learned from her mother [Tiger Step], which allowed for an incredible boost of speed and agility. From her father she had seen and was aware of his [Lion Claws]. An attack that reduced an opponent to shreds.
As she grew and underwent her own training, she took on these techniques and made them her own, creating what she called [Liger Assault], which incorporated both of her parents' attacks. That was the wrath of what Kaze had just experienced, with Liger now standing not too far behind him, as shocked gasps went through the air when several cuts opened up on the troll's body, blood emerging freely from them.
"You're next." Liger declared, pointing at Kana.
"Don't get too overconfident." The Hobgoblin hissed.
Indeed, Kaze was now in the process of turning around to face Liger, and by doing so, showing that her attack had done nothing more than create several shallow cuts on the behemoth. His head had tilted to the side, as his expression turned less "friendly", his wounds quickly beginning to close up from a troll's natural regenerative abilities.
"Was that it?" He lazily asked.
Liger did not let this affect her, taking her stance once more she activated [Tiger Step], using it in order to move around Kaze and attack his head from behind. Successfully placing herself above the King, Liger raised her right hand going for a technique named [Liger Puncture], which should allow her to easily cut through his spine. However, as she was going in for the kill, Kaze turned, the back of his right hand making contact with her, resulting in Liger being sent crashing onto the floor.
Feeling more than a few broken ribs, Liger began to push herself up, counting on her opponents' slower movements to maintain some distance, even as she was now. As she placed herself on all fours, ready to jump away from the troll, Kaze's foot landed on her left leg, causing her to cry out in pain.
This was met with sadistic laughter from the King, who was once more presenting her with his twisted grin. His tongue dangled from his mouth, his eagerness so great she felt a few drops of drool fall on her smooth fur.
"You were going to use this arm, right?" He asked, using his right hand to grab on to lower half of her right arm.
"Y-You bastard!" She growled back in defiance.
At this he laughed, using his left hand to carefully grab on to the upper half of her right arm, and bent it in an unnatural angle, until eventually a snapping sound was heard, followed by more cries of pain. From his perspective, it was akin to snapping a twig.
"Pathetic. Even worse than your father."
Saying this, Kaze removed his foot from Liger's leg, grabbing onto it with his right hand as he began to pick her up from the ground. What he didn't notice was his prey grabbing a handful of dirt with her left hand, which she proceeded to throw at his face, stunning him long enough to have him drop her.
Finding herself back on the floor, Liger limped back to her feet, her right arm dangling from her body, yet her eyes looked unmoved and seemingly ready to go back on the offensive. Yet, in her desperate state she had failed to remember that a troll was more than just its eyes, as his open left hand rocketed towards her, landing a devastating palm strike which dropped her like a bag of potatoes.
"Get up!" Kaze roared, now openly angered.
Using her left arm, he lifted her back to her feet, just so that she was stable and he could follow this with a series of brutal palm strikes. The sound became nastier as it went on, until it finally was the sound of his hands hitting wet flesh. Only then did he stop and lift her by her arm. Eyeing her carefully, he could see she was alive, even if barely. That being said, he was bored and displeased with how things had turned out.
"Bah! Waste of time." He growled, as he threw Liger's body at Kana's feet.
"It's yours." Kaze declared, walking back into the palace.
"Should we finish her?" Maka asked.
"No. She's strong and resilient. The perfect characteristics our soldiers should have. She is to be healed and then taken to whatever establishment can fit her. I'm certain she will do a great job replacing those she killed." Kana replied with a somewhat amused tone and expression, as she looked on at the bodies around the garden.
"As you wish."
When Liger regained consciousness, she found herself bound and chained to the wall of a moderate sized cell. Her mind was a blur. She did not remember what had happened, outside of agonizing pain and that she had lost. Her anger almost came forth, but the humiliation and genuine fear that clouded her heart, stopped her anger from fully manifesting again.
Her eyes went to the figure standing in the cell with her. It was Kana, who was looking at her as if making sure she was still alive. This helped to put some fire back into Liger. She was not so weak or pitiful that others could so freely look down on her, and since she was bound, Liger decided to spit on Kana's chest.
"Screw you, and your king! I won't ever give up. Do as you wish with me. I won't break!" She hissed defiantly.
Liger was met with Kana dropping her cane, who took one large step towards her, and slapped her across the face with strength that made Liger doubt if Kana was in fact a magic caster. Before Liger could say anything, Kana's left hand went to her neck, with the hold tightening as much as possible without risking her death. Then her eyes met those of Kana's, which she could now see from behind the skull mask. In that moment, those were not the eyes of a hobgoblin. They were virtically slitted pupils.
"You dare spit on me!?" Kana hissed, with a distorted voice that sounded like an imposing male.
"You are alive because I will it! You could at least be grateful, beast." It growled, dropping the hold on Liger.
"W-What…" Liger tried to speak between coughs, when Kana spoke again, now in her normal voice.
"I was thinking of making things somewhat easy on you, but now I will let the beastmen do what they will. You said you won't break? I am sure they will show you otherwise." She said as she chuckled.
"B-Bastard…"
"No. I am simply your superior, and you were a fool to think yourself the better."
Nazz once more found himself in the Kingdom's capital. However, this time he did so under much less defined circumstances. Roos had come to meet him during the night, and said that upon a request from the Prime Minister, she was to take him to the royal palace.
They made their way to their destination using the most less traveled paths that Roos could find, until they ultimately arrived at a side-entrance of the palace. There they were greeted by Prime Minister Falko himself, who was wearing blander attire than before. He only motioned Nazz to follow, leaving Roos behind. They traveled the lengths of the palace, until the newly formed duo arrived at a small door, which Falko opened, showing Nazz several old and dusty stairs.
"These will take you to your destination." He plainly informed.
"Which is?" Nazz asked, looking down at Falko.
"I am certain that you have come to an answer yourself." Falko coldly remarked.
"I see. Very well."
With that Nazz passed through the door, making his way through the old passageway, that ended in an entrance to what must have once been a beautifully decorated room. However, as it was now, even if it still had a grand and royal presence to it, something felt lacking. Looking at the decorations, the several small tables, chairs, and sofas Nazz could see this room would normally be used for socializing. Still, his attention was drawn to the now familiar presence of the other Dragon Lord in the Kingdom.
Nazz's eyes had fallen on the woman sitting by one of the tables, with a glass of wine in her hand, next to a half-full bottle, and an already empty one. She looked like an adult version of the child he had seen before, seemingly in her early 40s by human standards, with a curvaceous body giving her the air of a mature beauty. All of this hidden by a complexly crafted nightgown, which left little to the imagination in terms of her curves or cleavage. Holding back a guttural grunt, brought upon him reacting to the sight of such a beauty, Nazz prepared himself as the Queen spoke.
"Want some?" She asked, lazily motioning to the bottle next to her.
"I appreciate the offer, but I must decline." Nazz replied with a cordial nod.
"Oh? Suit yourself." Draudillon mumbled, downing her glass and getting back to her feet.
The Queen seemed to briefly loose her balance as she did so. However, she managed to quickly regain control, recuperate her bearings, and present herself with a somewhat disheveled yet dignified look.
"I'm sure you are wondering why I called you here..." Draudillon calmly began.
"I can imagine why." Nazz remarked, with a somewhat teasing tone.
Almost immediately the Queen blushed, before letting out a low cough. Once again recomposing herself, she hardened her expression before speaking.
"Do not get too confident, Dragon Lord. I have… other priorities." Draudillon informed in a serious and regal manner.
"I'm listening." He said calmly, seemingly irking her in the process as her left eyebrow twitched.
"I talk, you listen." The Queen growled, as the alcohol gave her a boost in confidence.
"The moment you walked into the meeting, the moment you walked into this room, I have been feeling… strange…" She began.
"It is only natural. Dragons, and by extension Dragon Lords, tend to be loners by nature. When a male and a female meet, they tend to provoke a strong impression on each other. More so if they both have abilities in [Wild Magic]."
"T-That's not what I was getting at. No matter the case, I need to know who you are, and why you are here with the Espada." Draudillon managed to say, her face rather reddish in color.
She saw the armor seemingly tense, her senses picking up on the small shifts in the magical power flowing through the armor.
"I suppose that is only fair. My name is Naz'da'gar Cyddrunarth. Also known as the Catastrophe Dragon Lord." The Espada calmly, and matter-of-factly informed.
The reaction was immediate. The Queen went pale, stumbling slightly backwards until she bumped into the table and the half empty bottle fell on to the table, spilling its contents, before rolling onto the floor smashing into several pieces. This had drawn her attention, causing her to flinch, as her eyes went to the smashed bottle, she was almost in a state of panic. What could she do? She had read of him, and all of it told her that soon her Kingdom would be ash, even before the beastmen got to it.
Should she call for help? No. From what she could tell he would take her out before anything could happen. Should she stand up to him? No. She wasn't in any position to do so, and it would only serve for her to receive a quicker death. Still, how he was speaking, it didn't seem he wanted to kill her, or destroy her kingdom for that matter. This line of thought made her calm down, take in a deep breath, put up the best façade she could as Queen, and speak once again in a serious tone.
"Are you here to destroy us?"
"Is that what you think of me?" Nazz asked back in the same tone.
"It is what I have read of you." The Queen answered, causing him to chuckle in response.
"Makes sense. As they say, history is written by the victors."
This expression caught her interest, however Draudillon did not let this show. Even in her state she knew that she had to remain calm and sound as impartial as possible. She couldn't be influenced into taking his side, as she had her own concerns to consider.
"What do you mean?"
"Part of what you read is true. Indeed, I have destroyed villages, cities, and even entire kingdoms. I turned them into ash overnight. However, I doubt any of that mentioned my reasons for doing such things." Nazz replied, pausing so as to see her reaction.
"Explain."
"I destroyed them for the greater good…" He began, causing her to roll her eyes at him in her incredulity.
"That is the truth. Our race was at one time the strongest. We ruled this land. However, a time came and we lost that dominance, being driven into near extinction because of it. With that we became reclusive. Legends to many, and cowards to others. Of course, I understand that some threats we cannot fight against, but I would not accept that we would let manageable threats grow out of control! That is why I did what I did. I took it upon myself to do what others could not, and for doing so I was branded a monster. A menace that had to be eliminated. And to show you how far our kind had fallen, they even failed at finishing me off."
"T-Then h-how are you here? Why now? Why the Espada?" Draudillon spoke out, her curiosity getting the better of her after hearing his tale.
"Even if you are a hybrid, you should be able to use some and sense [Wild Magic]. That is how I began my recovery. Slowly, by absorbing the souls around me, until…" Here he stopped, understanding that in a moment of weakness, he was about to say too much.
"I had some help, and made a full recovery. Even better than ever. The Espada were part of that help. Since they share similar goals to mine, and I do have a debt to pay back to them, I decided to become a member."
The Queen was quite baffled. At first she was surprised that he could tell that she was a hybrid, but she guessed that before a pure Dragon Lord, the "imperfections" she had were obvious. Not only that, but what he said went against what she had read. He was supposed to be a prideful and stubborn monster, who had to be put down for the sake of the world. Not someone who wanted to help the world, but just so happened to go about that goal in an extreme manner.
If that was his goal, did that mean that the Espada, the people that came with him, also wanted to destroy those they saw as being a possible threat? Indeed that was good in the case of the beastmen, but surely they could turn on her if she was to make a bad decision. She had to make sure if that was their goal. She wouldn't feel comfortable using their services otherwise.
"T-Then do you plan on destroying the beastmen? Is that why the Espada took this job?"
"No." Nazz flatly replied.
"Wha..? Why not!?" Draudillon gasped, stunned by his reply.
"My goals are the same, yet the approach is different. We will not slaughter every single beastman, but we will stop them, and end this war."
"B-But if there is anyone that deserves to be slaughtered, it's them! Surely you can understand that." Draudillion argued, her tone almost sounding desperate.
"Perhaps, but what I understand is not what matters. Our job is to win this war for you, and that much you can be certain we will do."
Draudillon gritted her teeth, and clenched her fists at the reply. She did not understand why he would limit himself that much. Including why he was using this armor, when he could easily come down in his real body, and make quick work of the enemy. Even if he didn't want to make that big a spectacle, she was certain he could erase any witnesses as easily as the enemy. Yet he did not do so. She did not understand, but could see that pushing the issue would not change a thing. If she had to be honest, as much as she hated and was disgusted with them, she was much more concerned about ending the war than outright slaughtering the beastmen.
"And we... I, appreciate your assistance." She calmly, and gracefully said upon regaining her composure.
"That is what we are here to do."
"T-There is something else I want to discuss. H-However before that happens… I was wondering if I could meet you in the flesh." Draudillon informed, looking to the side slightly so as to not look straight at him.
"I see. I can teleport you there if you wish." Nazz plainly said.
"That will do."
Giving her a nod, the armor closed the distance between them, and placed a hand on her shoulder. This action caused her to flinch as she looked up at him, red faced.
"W-What are you doing!?"
No answer came however, as purple smoke began to emerge from the gaps in the armor, and soon the duo was covered by it. Draudillon had considered moving, but something compelled her not to.
Then, in what seemed to be the blink of an eye, she could tell that they were not in the same room anymore. Especially when her bare feet felt the cold and somewhat damp floor below her. The smoke began to clear, and the armor slowly collapsed to the floor lifeless. Yet she didn't spend much time on this, as her eyes began to quickly examine her surroundings.
She was in come kind of semi-circular chamber that was massive in size, with light coming through a hole in the ceiling. The walls were decorated with simple gray colored bricks, yet she could see several valuable artifacts glistening in the area, along with a pool of clear water to one of the sides. There was no clear entrance outside of the hole, yet that was far too small to work as a functional way in or out.
The Queen's gaze eventually went to the cleanest part of the chamber. There rested a sizable bed, also expensively decorated. Finally, she mustered the courage to face the thing she could feel was standing not too far behind her. When her eyes fell on him, she was shocked. He was massive, easily towering over her or anyone she had ever seen in person. Yet he was strangely humanoid in his form. She knew full-blooded Dragon Lords had the shape of a dragon. Not what seemed to be the bipedal Dragon Lord before her.
"Is something the matter?" He spoke, his booming voice bringing her back from her thoughts.
"I-I am simply surprised by how you look."
"Hm. A side effect of my recovery."
"I-I see…" She remarked in a low tone.
"With that out of the way. What do you wish to discuss with me?"
Once again she felt intimidated by his voice. Draudillion had imagined that there would be a difference between talking to him via armor and in the flesh, but this felt too much. His eyes seemed to judge her with a certain superiority, with seemingly no outward hints of the desire she clearly felt from him.
"W-Well… As you seem to have noticed I carry the blood of a Dragon Lord. I am the great-granddaughter of the Brightness Dragon Lord..." Draudillon began, when the Catastrophe Dragon Lord spoke over her.
"Aaaah. Him. I am not surprised. Only he would go out of his way to mix with humans."
"Well, only a small part of me is Dragon Lord. Maybe one-eighth of my blood at best. As a result I cannot use [Wild Magic] properly. I can transform and do a few other things, but in the end anything more would require too high a price…" Naz'da'gar the calmly interrupted her as she spoke.
"I was curious about that actually. Why transform into a child? Is this not your true form?"
"It is… But it is much easier to gain people's trust and help if I take the form of a child. And you can see, I need all the help I can get." She replied, sounding rather ashamed of the fact.
"You are disgracing your nature." Naz'da'gar growled in disapproval.
"I am doing what I can for my people!" Draudillon hissed back, getting an understanding grunt and nod in reply.
"Still, I know that I am weak, and my line will only continue to get weaker with time… You... You are not wrong. I am a disgrace. I am pathetic to be driven to this point. To have to offer my body…" She continued, but then quickly silencing herself before she said too much.
"Offer your body?" He asked with his head tilting to the side.
"F-Forget it! That is not important now… Not if you win the war for me." Draudillon replied, mumbling the last part.
"What matters is that I cannot allow my line to grow any weaker!" She declared, her face turning bright red.
Her heart felt like it was going to beat out of her chest, but she had to keep pushing on. She could not let something like this war happen in the future. Had she been stronger, she could have put an end to it, but she did not have that power. Yet her children could have it. She had felt the pull, the urge, when she first saw the Espada, and she knew he had felt the same. It was time for her to do something about it. She would put her body on the line, for her people.
"I-I want you… T-To help me strengthen my bloodline!" Draudillon shouted, making her intentions clear to Naz'da'gar.
For a moment there was silence. She had her head lowered so as not to look at him, but she could hear the sound of his tail moving lazily from side to side, along with his wings flapping slightly. A guttural grunt broke the silence. It had come from the male Dragon Lord. His tail then hit the ground with some force, as he let the same sound escape him again. Draudillon did not fully understand what was happening, but something in her seemed to tell her that whatever was going on was a good thing.
"Do you understand what you are asking?" Naz'da'gar asked in a composed manner.
"I do."
"Is this what you meant when you spoke of offering your body?"
"I told you to forget that."
"Very well."
At this Naz'da'gar lowered himself so his face was at the same level as hers. Once again he let out the same sound, almost blowing on her face as he did so. Surprisingly she didn't feel uncomfortable because of it. She actually felt warmth bathe her, causing her body to tingle all over. His tail continued to drag on the floor, along with his wings flapping slightly. It was as if he was waiting for something on her end.
Honestly, she was not sure of what she should do. Did he want her to touch him? To say something? Perhaps he wanted a clear indication of her willingness to go through with this. Perhaps as part of some dragon's mating ritual. All she knew is that she could feel as if her blood was boiling in her veins just by being in his presence. A sensation that grew as they breathed within each other's space.
Once more he blew on her, and she began to feel more and more uncomfortable, her legs rubbing together so as to try and scratch a growing itch. Her breath became ragged, and in an unexpected turn of events, out her lips escaped a sound not too different from the one he was making. This surprised both, but she could see it had a positive effect on him, as his eyes showed a growing eagerness.
"S-Shall we go to the pool? I-I feel like I'm burning…" Draudillon mumbled.
The Dragon Lord gave her a nod. Straightening his posture, he took her right hand and began to lead her towards the water. Knowing what was about to happen, one of the final things that went through her mind, was how would his size compared to his overall massive body...
Night came, and while fresh blood was regularly spilled on the battlefield, there was a small pass that was all too familiar with spilled blood. This allowed for a connection between the two warring nations. While the beastman side didn't seem to bother guarding this, since a large enemy force couldn't use it, the Kingdom had for some time sent out teams to fully explore and map this path. However, on all occasions no one ever came back. Meaning that more combat-oriented parties eventually were sent there, just to suffer the same fate.
What was behind these killings they did not know. However, what remained of the Worker team "Crow Horde", that being 3 of the 6 members, were now in the process of hiding and hopefully ambush the one behind these attacks. The other 3 had fallen victim to this individual, who from what they could tell was human in form.
The trio had decided to make their stand near a small and abandoned wooden cabin, with the [Warrior] of the group, Ramish standing in plane view. He was a well built individual, the showing of years of training. His hair was dark brown as were his eyes. Standing on a tree branch, readying his bow and arrow was Canyo. He was slim and extremely flexible, and while bald he wore a hood, and his keen eyes green in color.
Finally, hiding behind another tree, was a water based magic caster. Her name was Beth Ninhos. She displayed small features, with long blonde hair an olive colored eyes. Out of the three, she was the one having the hardest time remaining calm, with the sight of her dead comrades still clear in her mind. Only her hands could ever hope to stop the sobs that tried escape her lips.
After a long period of waiting, the forest began to come to life with the sound of heavy footprints making their way towards them. Beth was the first to see the figure come into sight. This causing her to curl up in her hiding spot with fear alone. As their attacker came closer and closer, in the same heavy and slow manner, his features becoming clearer as the distance grew smaller.
His lower half was covered by dirty, dark blue pants, with rusted and damaged armor covering the lower half of his legs. His upper body was covered by a simple torn up shirt, with chainmail over it, gloves on his hands. The head was covered by an old brownish bag, with two holes cut into it for the eyes, which with the distance were unseen. In his hand was a bayonet-like blade, which used to belong to one of their comrades. So much so that it still carried some of the owner's blood on it. However, what really got their attention once he got close enough, was the Orichalcum tag that dangled from his neck.
He stopped his advance before entering the small clearing where Ramish was waiting. While the warrior seemed more than eager to fight him, their attacker turned his upper body to the side as he looked in the direction Beth was hiding.
"Oi! Come on ya' bastard! It's me you want!" Ramish roared, straightening his stance.
The figure turned his attention to him, tilting his head to the side before continuing to walk towards Ramish. The young warrior however, was not in such a calm mood and charged swinging downwards at his foe. For someone who had been moving so slowly before, he easily dodged to the side, moving his blade upwards to slash at the worker. Ramish threw himself back to avoid the blow, doing so in order to save himself, and lead the hooded man further in.
While Ramish was still in the process of preparing for his next attack, his opponent continued moving forwards swinging his blade with wild and vigorous blows. Ramish ultimately found himself falling on his back, using his sword to block the blows as best he could. Even so, as things were moving along he wouldn't last long. Luckily for him, Canyo came to his rescue, firing two arrows into the fiend's back, managing only to redirect his target's attention to himself.
"Do it now!" Canyo shouted.
"[Water Stream]!"
Beth's spell command words got their attacker's attention as he turned to face her, just as a large stream of water forcibly bathed him. This gave Ramish more than enough time to distance himself from his opponent. He continued to be drenched by her spell, that even with the sheer amount of water he was able to keep his footing. A feat that in their eyes only added to his strength and resilience, which in Canyo's mind made his plan and next decision all the more justified. He drew and prepared to fire a metallic arrow, on which rested the [Lightning] spell. This was a family treasure having been passed down from generation to generation, and now he was going to use it.
Honestly, Canyo was disappointed that he would have to use it on this guy, but as things were, it seemed like there was no other choice. So when Beth's spell came to an end, he fired the arrow, hitting the hooded figure in the head, this being followed by electricity rampaging throughout his body.
What followed was a bright display of electricity and light, as the body violently convulsed, with the smell of burning flesh quickly filling the area. Smoke came out of the body, including the two holes on the bag that covered its head. When it seemed safe for them to drop their guard, he quickly showed them this wasn't true.
He swiftly turned around and threw his bayonet at Canyo, hitting him in the shoulder and sending him crashing onto the floor. In retaliation Ramish threw his sword as hard as he could into the man's back, and hitting him in the spine. This, along with the massive electric shock and burns, finally floored him.
"Gods! Tough bastard." Ramish hissed as he approached the motionless fiend.
While Ramish did this, Beth went to help Canyo who, outside of a few broken ribs, and a surprisingly shallow stab to his shoulder, seemed fine. He was already in the process of removing the blade and taking a potion when Beth got to him. Ramish removed his sword from the masked fiend's face, turning the body face up as he did so. An action that seemed to pique his attention when it came to unmasking the fiend.
"What are you doing?" Canyo asked, as he saw his comrade reach for the sack.
"I'm gonna to see what he looks like. Then, laugh in his face."
"D-Don't do that." Beth mumbled nervously.
"Aw, come on. He's dead. It's fine."
With that the duo was left to uncomfortably look as Ramish forcefully pulled the bag off the man's head, ripping through part of the sack because of the bolt that was still rammed into the head. Having removed the sack, the trio gasped both in surprise and disgust, when they saw what was obviously the visage of a undead. The head was covered with some grayish patches of skin, and some exposed skull portions, including the left eye socket where there was no eye. The left side was also covered in distinct claw marks, which seemed to have gone through the bone at points.
"Damn. That explains why he was so tough." Canyo remarked uncomfortably.
"Still, wasn't he a bit too smart for a random undead? Do ya' think he's worth some money?" Ramish asked, already eager to receive good pay.
"B-But aren't undead normally resilient to…" Beth began, when their attacker suddenly sat back up.
The sudden and unexpected action momentarily stunned them. Including Beth who let out a terrified cry, which allowed the undead attacker to get back to his feet and go for Ramish. Removing the metal bolt from its head, their attacker rammed it into Ramish's neck causing, him to go down almost immediately.
"Gahk!"
"Run!" Canyo shouted, pushing Beth away as he jumped at the fiend's back.
Beth was left speechless and frozen in place, as Canyo placed one arm around the undead's neck, and began to stab wildly at it with a small dagger. At first she wanted to try and help, but everything told her that it would be pointless. They weren't properly equipped or prepared to face a strong undead in this situation. Not when they should have been fighting living targets. Meaning that staying here she would die along with her friends. Not wanting to die, and to honor their wishes and report to the rest of the Kingdom what they faced, Beth turned and began to run away.
Canyo's attempt at heroism was short lived, as with a single hand his foe grabbed onto his hood and pulled him to the ground in front of him. Canyo tried to get away, but his attacker placed his left foot on his head, leaving the worker to struggle pointlessly as his head was stomped down and eventually crushed.
"You bastard!" Ramish roared out, as life still flowed through him.
With one hand on his neck, he used his other hand to weakly slash at the fiend with his sword. His efforts were naturally pointless, as he got weaker with each motion, until ultimately his sword fell, and his body also collapsed forwards, falling onto his attacker. What seemed to be a rather slow, painful death was quickly hastened when his attacker's arms went around his waist, painfully killing him with a crushing bearhug.
Dropping the body, the undead looked at his handy work, before walking towards his brown sack-mask. It looked briefly at the damaged portion before putting it back on, picking up the bayonet, and then continuing after the girl.
Having found one of their horses, Beth was now making her way down the path they had been hired to clear out. In her panicked state, she had practically lost track of anything else outside of escaping. So much so, she only seemed to become aware of her surroundings when in the path the object of her terror materialized. Before Beth was the same being that had killed her friends just a few moments ago.
With one swift throw, the bayonet was sent into the horse's skull, causing the animal to be sent crashing into the ground. Luckily for Beth, she had jumped to the side before the crash could injure her. Rolling several times as she fell, left her motionless for just enough time to let her attacker get close. As she was faced with death, Beth's mind became clear as a single word left her mouth.
"[Fly]!"
With that she floated out of its grasp, beginning to fly away as fast as she could, leaving the undead staring powerlessly as she did so. This irony caused her to laugh hysterically, with tears flowing down her face as she left the area.