"Talking"
"Thinking"
[Status Magic or other reference to a system or power]
...
All three fights were now underway and each looked like they were going to meet a terrible end, but interventions seem to have occurred. What has changed and who has arrived?
...
The [Cathedral] finished forming and now Naofumi and Raphtalia were trapped fighting the pope and his five archbishops. Naofumi could only see Raphtalia in his party menu and his thoughts went to a dark place, but he needed to believe in each of them. Raphtalia placed a hand on his shoulder, making him look up at her. She was just as worried as him, he knew that.
"Then we just need to kill these people. They are between us and the rest of the family." Raphtalia reasoned.
"This is now a holy place, shield devil. Your curses will do nothing and my followers are now safe from your cruel actions. This is the last place you will ever see." Balmus announced.
His archbishops moved behind the pope, forming a half circle. They were going to be playing support or supplemental damage, while Balmus held center stage.
"Raphtalia, remember what we were told about this thing." Naofumi reminded her as he switched to his [Soul Eater Shield].
She understood and pulled out her [Mana Blade]. They'd undermine its mana dependency. The pair began to run at their opponents, Naofumi in front of Raphtalia. Not another word was spared on their end.
"Hehe, look how they rush to their deaths. Our response, your holiness?" The anger official asked.
"Allow me to be a little self-indulgent. Killing the devil is a once in a lifetime honor." Balmus answered.
He stepped forth and switched to the sword form of the replica again. He raised it high and after a brief pause, brought it down, creating a beautiful flame that fanned out then took flight.
[Phoenix Blade]
The flames took the form of a bird and flew straight at Naofumi. Naofumi felt that his curse series was weaker in this holy ground, he could barely hold that last skill at bay, he had to use skill to dampen the power before it reached him.
[Air Strike Shield] [Second Shield] [Air Strike Shield]
Naofumi placed his two barriers between them, but it was a waste. The attack took more than just a phoenix's appearance, it flew as one as well. The skill avoided both barriers by flying low and slammed into Naofumi. He held his shield up, but didn't activate any other skills. His prophecy ability told him there was danger, but it usually did that even if a skill would block it. He did his best to block the attack, but he was overtaken by it and the pair were thrown back.
Even from such an attack, Naofumi lost only a little over 15% of his Hp. Raphtalia was worse off at 25% loss, even though it barely hit her. Naofumi thought it was best to use [Gamble] to give him the damage, then heal himself afterwards. He lost the coin flip as he assumed and drank a potion while casting [Fast Heal]. He was still hurt, but they both just stood and kept running.
Their enemies were in shock. The idea that they could recover this fast was simply unacceptable.
"I need a moment, keep them busy!" Balmus ordered loudly.
The five archbishops began to pepper them with light, earth, fire, and wind magic. It all slowed Naofumi and Raphtalia, but little else. They didn't have the power to hurt Naofumi in the slightest and Raphtalia was clung to Naofumi's back like his cloak.
"T-This is ridiculous! Balmus, the next attack has to be a lethal one!" The angry official demanded.
[Dash] [Dash] [Dash]
Naofumi saw his time was running out before the next attack hit. So he used one of the abilities he gained from Filo to close the distance, Raphtalia holding onto him as he shot forward. They were now within striking distance of their foe. Raphtalia went to strike Balmus, but-
[Light Shield]
Her attack was blocked for the moment. She used her [Mana Blade] to slice right though the shield. Balmus swung the replica at Raphtalia, which she refused to engage. She thought the weapon might break her own instantly. Seeing that attacking Balmus directly was going to be an issue, she moved to attack an archbishop instead.
[Light Shield]
Raphtalia already expected this and sliced the spell with her other weapon and followed it up with a series of strikes.
"Your holiness! How much longer!?" One of the officials yelled.
"Shut up and defend yourselves!" Balmus yelled back.
While they worried about Raphtalia, Naofumi looked at the furthest Archbishop and used [Chaos], a skill he obtained from Monti. It'd leave the man unable to use magic for a time. He then moved to Raphtalia's side with [Cover], blocking an incoming attack from another archbishop trying to save his colleague. Raphtalia finished the man she was attacking with a series of strikes that nearly tore the man in two with each swing, the power gap between them was more than evident.
"How dare you! You will suffer for that crime!" Balmus said while changing the replica into a bow and preparing a skill.
Naofumi and Raphtalia shared a look and seemed to know what the other was thinking. They split up, Raphtalia going at another archbishop, Naofumi gaining distance.
"You think me a fool!? You're nothing without your slave!" Balmus took aim at Raphtalia.
Raphtalia sliced another [Light Shield] and grabbed the next archbishop. She held him like a hostage, a blade to his throat.
"God's will shall not be staved by such tactics! Forgive me, my follower." Balmus wasn't going to hesitate in the face of a hostage.
Kalbur, the calm official, had figured something out and went to yell. "Wait, your holiness! It's a tri-" But he was too late.
[Grand Break]
A mighty white arrow nearly 10 feet in length shot out at the pair. Naofumi used [Knock Knock] to recall Raphtalia to his side, as Kalbur assumed. They saw Naofumi use that ability on Eclair and yet Balmus still attacked needlessly. The former hostage had his entire mid-section deleted, his limbs and head falling to the ground. They were down two archbishops already and more were to follow if they didn't change their tactics.
"Your holiness, the replica need not fire off its power alone." Kalbur suggested.
"...Yes... I must engage them physically, but I'll require further support to do so." Balmus tempered his anger and understood what needed to be done.
"Of course!" The remaining archbishops answered in unison.
While they were having their little talk, Naofumi and Raphtalia had a short discussion.
"We should focus on the shields." Raphtalia suggested.
"Why? Those backup dancers are a problem." Naofumi argued.
Raphtalia ignored his odd comment. "That skill, [Light Shield], it costs a lot of mana, but once dismissed by the caster, the mana returns to the user. It's both mana efficient and costly."
"But if broken..." Naofumi understood.
"Yes, if broken, they lose their mana investment. That spell becomes extremely costly. Combined with your current shield, my second sword and the weapon's own costs-"
"Right, let's move... Good thinking, Raphtalia." Naofumi made sure to complement her.
Raphtalia was right behind Naofumi, but they stood still while only the pope advanced towards them. Naofumi did this to also heal from [Ingrain], a skill he gained from one of Teal's shields. The three Archbishops went to protect themselves, but the one under the effects of [Chaos] was just now realizing his issue.
"Wha-What? I can't cast spells!?" The one realized.
"Likely the shield devil's doing. Just supply his holiness with mana and I'll protect you." Kalbur offered. The man complied.
"I must say, I thought less of you than this, shield devil. I should have known that you'd be worthy of that title." Balmus commented.
Once Naofumi felt he had healed enough, he and Raphtalia started moving as well. The two sides met somewhere in the middle and the battle began. Naofumi focused on blocking Balmus' attacks, triggering his [Soul Eat] ability to drain his mana. Raphtalia tried to bait the [Light Shields], but Kalbur quickly caught on and started to dismiss the spell if she tried breaking them with her [Mana Blade]. This allowed her to hit Balmus a few times, but he was quickly healed via the followers outside the [Cathedral]. Balmus was getting frustrated, but Naofumi was also worried. It'd take a single mistake to screw them over.
Both sides disengaged a moment. Balmus was reeling from such heavy mana loss in such a short time frame. He wanted to know how they did it and how they knew to do so.
"Why mana depletion? That won't win you anything. The replica is a font of mana." Balmus lied.
Naofumi and Raphtalia needed to catch their breath, they had to keep moving far too much. Balmus barely took a step the whole time and yet a strike from his weapon would nearly kill Raphtalia and a skill definitely would.
"Don't try bullshitting me, your shadow told us everything. We know how much of a glutton that thing is, we knew about it before we even showed up here." Naofumi explained.
"A shadow will never betray their master!" Kalbur was driven to anger by Naofumi's words.
Naofumi saw how angry this made Kalbur and he pushed further. "Too bad, dipshits. Chloe told us basically everything, that Malty wanted Melty dead, that you planned to kill her and the other three heroes after that, the assassination of those three lords. You're done."
Kalbur was beyond livid, Balmus saw where this was going and went to calm his ally, but something struck him.
"If you knew all this, then why did you come here? ...If you knew we'd have an army and the replica... Did you really think you could beat us yourself? ...That's absurd..." Balmus was well and truly lost.
"That would be absurd." Naofumi agreed.
Kalbur removed his barrier and began walking up to Balmus, the other two archbishops followed.
"What's the meaning of this, Kalbur?" Balmus thought it was best to keep them safe.
"If we die, then we die..., but the shield devil must die here and now. He knows things that indicate he isn't lying, which means we've been found out! We must finish him, then the three failures and two princesses. We must act now!" Kalbur was only half thinking straight.
Balmus tended to agree. "Then you three with me. We shall end this here!" Balmus switched back to a spear and readied a skill.
[Brionac]
[Shield Prison]
The skill acted as Balmus' opening move on the renewed battle. The skill slowly peeled away the [Shield Prison], but once it reached Naofumi, he realized something. It wasn't as strong. No, more accurately, it was doing less damage. The ability he gained from Leon was shaving 20% of the damage off since he already was hit by this skill a few minutes ago. This also meant that [Phoenix Blade] was also going to do less damage and with his fire resistance on top of it. He planned to shrug it off if it happened again.
Before the dust was settled, all three archbishops cast [Holy]. The third one still unable to cast spells and feeling useless. Naofumi simply blocked them too. Taking advantage of his abundance of mana, Naofumi used [Speed Up] on Raphtalia. Raphtalia looked to Kalbur a moment. She then cast [Hide Mirage] on her blade, then shuffled her weapons between her hands. It was her way of telling him that each of her attacks could either deal damage or destroy their barriers and he'd have to guess which each time.
Naofumi waited until Raphtalia grabbed firmly on his collar again, then used [Dash] once more. They were thrust into the fight again. The two archbishops that could use magic had to assume the worst of any of Raphtalia's sword swings and it left them purely on the defensive. Balmus felt the backward momentum and stared in disbelief. They were being pushed back by the shield devil with a single slave at his side.
Suddenly, the number of spells and barriers increased. The third archbishop was now free to cast spells again. Naofumi and Raphtalia understood that their advance would be slowed by this, but they had a plan themselves. They stopped being clung to one another and split up. Naofumi would focus Balmus, while Raphtalia dealt with these lesser threats. Normally, this idea had little merit, but with her ambiguous attacks thanks to her invisible blade and constant shuffling combined with her currently being faster, things were different.
Raphtalia rushed the three that bunched together to stave her off. Naofumi made a point to bully Balmus and put him in his place. He used his strength and at one point [Parry] to push Balmus into a corner. Naofumi also did one other thing to screw him over. He waited until Balmus switched back to sword form then he baited an attack. Once he blocked, he used [Form Lock], locking the weapon in sword form. If he was going to use a skill, he'd prefer it be [Phoenix Blade].
Raphtalia made it through the remaining defenses of the archbishops and their lack of physical ability basically doomed them. Kalbur alone pulled out a knife and a book. Raphtalia saw him as the only one who could defend himself and went for him first. She swung down on him, only for him to catch her blade in his book as he closed it and tried to twist the sword out of her hand with all his might. Raphtalia saw how strong of a hold he had on the blade and simply swung him around. She used him to strike the other two archbishops, then slam him into the ground twice. The second hit caused him to go limp.
"Damn you, devil!" Balmus was becoming more upset.
"All that talking and you people are going to lose. I wonder how many of your followers already fled." Naofumi taunted.
"My flock would never abandon me! Mine is the will of god, no. I am god! I wield the powers off all three heroes, that makes me god!" Balmus screamed.
"If that were true, then I know a giant chicken that'd tear god a new asshole..., but either way, you only have the sword now." Naofumi informed him.
"That absurd, Behold! ..." Balmus tried shifting its form into the bow, but nothing happened.
"I don't understand..." Balmus was losing it.
Balmus heard the dying gasps of another of his archbishops. He had one remaining and his options were dwindling.
"Command those outside to-"
"They can't, they're under attack!" The archbishop quickly answered.
"Who!?" Balmus sounded insane at this point.
"The quee-" He was cut off by Raphtalia driving her sword through his throat.
"The... queen..."
"Yeah, dipshit. We snitched." Naofumi said with way too big a grin.
...
With Monti
...
Monti had sent lord Averill flying, prompting the remaining lords to reconsider things. Specifically, lady Grimwald was going through their options.
"It's going to take Vera's blade to kill this thing, but we're on holy ground... A combination of Vera and Lang to be safe. I need to go heal Av. My men could also wear him down. Wait-" She was brought out of her thoughts by lord Langiva, who ignored Monti and went straight for Melty.
Eclair intercepted and the two exchanged attacks a few times before Monti was leaping at him. Langiva dodged away, which surprised Monti. Langiva was using [Anti-Lightning] constantly, so the moment Monti came close, his [Overdrive] was being cancelled. Monti would have still been fast enough, but the sudden loss of speed left Monti unable to adjust. Experience was again the only reason his enemy drew breath.
"Everyone, fall back!" Lady Grimwald ordered.
She threw a bottle of poison at Monti as she ushered the others to back off. Most of them didn't want to back off, especially Langiva, but they all feared her poison. Monti stopped using [Overdrive] and grabbed both Melty and Eclair. He took them to the ground below.
The monsters of the wave kept a fair number of the soldiers and clerics busy. One of the types of monsters were tadpole-like creatures with frontal claws and a mouth half the length of its body, the size of a large dog. Another was a collection of moving moss that came in various sizes, the larger the stronger it seemed. Lastly, there were alligators that seemed to be well armored, but they were ill-fit for the land, making an otherwise deadly enemy far more manageable.
Monti ordered all the monsters to leave Melty and Eclair alone.
...
Throughout the battlefield
...
Meanwhile, the lords regrouped on their side, issuing orders and tearing the enemies apart.
The soldiers were growing restless.
"First, all those fucking traps, now a damned wave?"
"We lost most of our mounts, the broken bridge screwed our supplies."
"Now lord Averill takes a hit like that? We are so fucked."
The men were panicking.
Grimwald went straight to Averill, who was up, but still wounded.
"Av, you all right? I'll heal you." Grimwald offered.
"Don't you even think about it, Grimy. Did you see the strength of that thing! I'm beyond impressed. No, I'm letting this scar, that beast earned it." Averill argued.
"Oh fine, I'll make sure it scars, but let me heal you." Grimwald gave up.
Langiva stayed near the [Cathedral], waiting for a better chance to kill Melty. Wagner and Eadwig took charge of the men and issued orders mainly. Veramir went to Wymarc's position, he was concerned.
"Oi, Al. Where are the young lords? You were their babysitter, yes?" Veramir asked, killing every enemy his weapon so much as touched.
Wymarc was going to need to lie, but the truth came soon enough.
"It's Briarhaven! They came to assist us!" A soldier announced.
Spirits immediately rose. This wave would be nothing before Briarhaven's might. 400 strong, an average level of 26. They won.
"Then who's that!?" Another soldier asked, pointing to the other side.
The queen's forces came from the border gate. She had entered a foreign country with permission and traveled here along the border as to not be tracked or seen. Everyone was trying to make sense of the situation. During this, several wire traps and smoke-bombs seemed to be erupting all around them. Communication was breaking down and soldiers were not staying in formation. Even as a much larger force, they were caught with their pants down.
Veramir turned to gaze at the situation. "Briarhaven isn't slowing down... they mean to attack us! Gak!"
Lord Wymarc poured some holy water on his blade and slid it up from beneath Veramir's chest plate, stabbing him in the back.
"To answer your earlier question, the two younger lords are safe from you monsters!" Wymarc pulled his weapon out and cast [Fast Light].
That was the signal for his men to turncoat their former allies. Wymarc thought he had done well, but Veramir simply turned around as if the wound in his back was a passing annoyance. Veramir's weapon was darker than ever. Wymarc turned and ran towards the nearby woods, Veramir right on his trail.
The moment the Queen's army was in sight, Eclair grabbed Melty and cast [Speed Up] on herself. She then held the [Ad Nauseam Orb] in her other hand and raced off, giving Monti a parting nod. Monti felt his wave needed to end now, before these monsters caused deaths on their side. He went to close it and reassert further control on the remaining monsters, but something happened. He closed the wave, but something slipped through. Something that outright resisted his [Royal Authority]. He decided to look for it, whatever it was.
Langiva shot off like a rocket at the sight of the queen. When he saw Eclair with Melty racing towards the same destination, he changed targets for the moment and went towards the pair instead. Eclair saw him approaching and prepared for their bout. Langiva was inferior to Eclair in skill, but edged her out in speed. As Eclair swatted away his glaive, she looked for an opening. She never overplayed or overstepped. When Langiva tried spinning his weapon to bait her, she nearly knocked the weapon from his hands by surprising him by half-swording. Langiva was not likely to win, but that wasn't his aim. He feinted and went to attack Melty, but Eclair reached her hand out to stop it.
"Heh." A small noise to indicate his victory.
He used Eclair's muscle memory against her. She always preformed perfectly and that let him bait her other hand. He shattered the [Ad Nauseam Orb]. With that, he disengaged and ran off towards the queen's army.
"Why would he...?" Eclair was confused.
"He wanted to keep you from reaching mother! He didn't want you to assist her!" Melty yelled.
The Briarhaven knights slammed into the side of the traitor's forces. Grimwald had barely begun to heal Averill and they looked like they were going to be overtaken.
[Seeking Skulls]
A few explosions separated the lords. Lady Grimwald landed safely and her elite men gathered to her side.
"Lady Olivia Grimwald. I'm glad I get the honor of killing you. I actually had a really great way planned out." Liviccic said, approaching her.
He motioned for his men to go elsewhere, even Silvius. He had nothing to fear from just one lord, regardless of her mounted men. He could tell the mounts had taken several hits already. He'd make this quick.
"The little Blackcrown? So, am I to assume you know?" Grimwald asked sarcastically while grabbing select potions and daggers.
"That you killed my father? Yes... For a man like him to die from someone he called his comrade..., he deserved a better death than that." Liviccic began approaching her slowly.
"On that we agree, but he was a higher level than Av and twice as disciplined. Had we met him in the field, it wouldn't have been pleasant. That's the problem with overt strength, it allows your opponent to gauge your power accurately." She said with a hiss.
Averill was thrown a bit by Liviccic's spell, but he landed on his feet. He turned to find Grimwald when a javelin came flying at him. He caught it with ease with his good arm and crushed it.
Kurtis and his group approached, Mia nervously staring at her old master.
"Do you even remember me?" Mia asked, Sigrid supporting her.
Averill looked at the whole group with a slow forming smile.
"Aye, I own you, right?" Averill asked, half remembering.
"No one owns me anymore!" Mia yelled, launching another crossbow bolt that shifted to a javelin.
Again, he caught and snapped it in two.
"Neat little weapon you got there, but if you're relying on a weapon to fight me, then run." Averill warned in a low growl.
"I'd prefer if it was Wagner myself, but to aid the shield hero, we will crush you." Kurtis proclaimed.
Everyone readied their weapons, they prepared to fight the strongest living lord of Melromarc.
Lastly, Wagner and his son were trying to give orders, but few were listening. After a moment, Eadwig turned to his father.
"Father, the queen is here." Eadwig announced.
"I have eyes, brat." Wagner responded in annoyance.
"You know what that means?" Eadwig sounded worried.
"That we kill her and we win." Wagner answered matter-of-factly.
"Think about it a moment. Those traps, the rigged bridges, the shield hero just walking up to us, this combined front from the queen and Briarhaven..." Eadwig alluded.
"Yeah, we are in a bad spot, get to the point!" Wagner's patience was low.
"The queen would not meet us in battle unless she knew she would win, not 'could', 'would'. We need to turncoat again or we're going to die." Eadwig advised.
"That's the last straw. I could deal with you not being a real warrior, but a coward? I won't suffer a coward for a son." Wagner disowned him on the spot.
"Think this through! They caused a damned wave down on our heads and sent lord Averill flying like a skipping stone across a pond. We will die!" Eadwig tried pleading.
"Then we die!" Wagner made himself clear.
"...You know how the queen is, after this failed coup, she will be ruthless to ensure it never happens again. She will reward anyone who turncoats in her favor and she will burn the houses of her enemies to send a message to everyone else. That if you betray her and lose, your family is dead!" Eagwig was pleading further.
"Of course, that's standard." Wagner was still dismissing him.
"What about Monica! You want me to die for a cause you decided for me!? Fine! But Monica! The three month old girl, my only daughter, is on the line here! The queen will kill her!" Eadwig was now screaming loud enough for everyone around them to hear, even over the fighting.
Wagner calmed a bit at that. "Ah, so it's because of Monica, not because you are a coward? That makes me feel better, but the answer is still the same." Wagner affirmed.
He went to look at his son, only to see three super-heated knives inches from his face. They exploded, shooting shrapnel of burning metal in his face, an eye blinded.
"Then I'll present the queen with your head! I gave you a chance!" Eadwig could not win this engagement. He lacked the power to tip the tide of this coup, but he would kill his father if it meant saving his daughter.
...
Inside the [Cathedral]
...
"If they've arrived, then it's about time we got out of here. Raphtalia." Naofumi announced.
Raphtalia ran to his side. The moment she abandoned her position, Kalbur revealed he was conscious and he scrambled to his feet. He ran to Balmus, just as Raphtalia did to Naofumi.
"E-Even still, you'll be slain here!" Balmus refused to acknowledge reality.
While he readied his [Phoenix Blade], Naofumi used [E̷̡͕̔̑v̴͚͊̂e̸͕̿̕n̷̘̰̾ṯ̷̐u̸̪̗̿͛a̸͖̮͝l̸̛̳̿ ̵̰͝V̶̤͂͘i̵̳̇c̷̠̦͐t̷̮̔͋o̴͉̼͒r̵̝͆̒ẏ̵͖́].
[Offering Menu]
[Please select which shield(s) to offer.]
[Menu Plus]
[Shields offered to [E̷̡͕̔̑v̴͚͊̂e̸͕̿̕n̷̘̰̾ṯ̷̐u̸̪̗̿͛a̸͖̮͝l̸̛̳̿ ̵̰͝V̶̤͂͘i̵̳̇c̷̠̦͐t̷̮̔͋o̴͉̼͒r̵̝͆̒ẏ̵͖́] grant [E̷̡͕̔̑v̴͚͊̂e̸͕̿̕n̷̘̰̾ṯ̷̐u̸̪̗̿͛a̸͖̮͝l̸̛̳̿ ̵̰͝V̶̤͂͘i̵̳̇c̷̠̦͐t̷̮̔͋o̴͉̼͒r̵̝͆̒ẏ̵͖́] more power. Offered shields are locked and their bonuses are temporarily removed until the skill dies.]
Naofumi offered two dozen shields that provided nothing other than stats and both his [Wrath Shields]. He could have offered far more, but this was enough.
[Offer Accepted]
[Spawning Guardian]
Naofumi's shield created a large shadow that barely fit within the [Cathedral]. It slowly took shape and once in that desired form, the darkness faded to reveal the monster.
The monster was a bound humanoid's upper-body attached to a huge section of wall. On the wall, each shield that was offered was displayed as if they were decorations. The head and hands of the bound creature were free and completely covered in ornate armor, the hands made into claws, the head made into jaws. Along the bottom of the odd creature were 50 or so large arms with kite shields or heater shields strapped to them. They used the shields to grab the ground and drag it along. It was enormous.
[Phoenix Blade]
The attack struck the Guardian and did around 13% of its life.
[Please choose a target]
"The asshole that just hit you" Naofumi ordered.
.
[Author's Notes]
Naofumi used one of the shield abilities he received from each of the kids in chapter 35. It was like they were still helping them fight.
Seems that last of the big fights are revealed:
Veramir vs Wymarc (I'm just going to spoil this, Wymarc is getting help)
Langiva vs The queen (If he reaches her)
Liviccic vs Grimwald (She's getting got)
Averill vs Kurtis' party (At least he's still hurt)
Wagner vs Eadwig (I bet no one saw this coming. They've been butting heads the whole time.)
I based [E̷̡͕̔̑v̴͚͊̂e̸͕̿̕n̷̘̰̾ṯ̷̐u̸̪̗̿͛a̸͖̮͝l̸̛̳̿ ̵̰͝V̶̤͂͘i̵̳̇c̷̠̦͐t̷̮̔͋o̴͉̼͒r̵̝͆̒ẏ̵͖́] on the demon wall from FF12.
I figured something like that was pretty shield appropriate. The whole thing shields what's behind it from what's in front of it, it pursues slowly, but will continue until it dies.
Also I have a few LN readers that are further than me telling me that Itsuki's ESPer power isn't that powerful in canon... Whoops. Well I guess in this fanfic it is now. Congrats on the upgrade Itsuki!
Please leave a review!