Here we are at Chapter 9. Okay, I changed my mind. Yuki will have four lovers, not three, but that's the max. Anyway, it's time to arm up and get ready for a fight. I do not own Code Vein. They belong to Bandai Namco. I only own my OCs. Here's chapter 9. Enjoy.
Chapter 9: Monster In, Monster Out
A short while prior to the alarm bells going off, Raul is seen sneaking out of the camp. He heads deep into the forest, making sure no one is following him. Once a good distance away, Raul pulls out a flute, but the instrument is black and has a small skull on one end.
"He said if I played this in the forest, then I could just watch and let the flute do the work. I'll make those commoner wenches pay for humiliating me!" Raul's eyes are full of rage and hatred.
He brings the dark-looking flute up and plays it. It produces an ominous sound. He plays for a few more moments and then runs and hides in the bushes. A few moments later, a low noise is heard in the forest, steadily getting louder... and closer.
...
"It's the alarm bell. We're under attack!" Sophia realizes.
"Attack? From what?" Hana wonder.
"I don't know, but we'd better move. Get ready to fight!" Sophia is the first out of the tent.
Yuki and her friends are right behind her and they come to a surprising scene. Students already have their swords and wands out as a horde of monsters appear from the forest and start attacking them. Captain Cruz commands the frontlines.
"Upperclassmen, form the front lines and keep those monsters back. Spellcasters, keep them at bay with your spells. However, limit the fire magic. We don't want to burn down the forest with us inside it. Healers, stay in the rear guard and tend to the wounded. Those of you skilled with a sword, with me!" Cruz yells out orders.
The monsters that appear come in different types. Yuki can spot goblins, orcs, and even a few basilisks. What's strange about it is that the orcs are few in this area and basilisks don't normally appear in this territory anyway.
"What's the plan?" Hiei asks.
"Hiei, help the others at the frontlines. I'll support you with my magic. Hana, can you hinder their movements with your silk?" Yuki looks to the arachne.
"Just leave it to me," Hana gives her a thumbs up while Hiei nods.
"Guess I'll act as support as well. I'm good with magic, but not with a sword sadly," Sophia joins in.
"Alright, let's go!" Yuki says and the group charge forth.
Captain Cruz makes a wide swing, cutting down two goblins who fall behind him. Just as he turns to face an orc coming at his left, Hiei jumps past him with a quick draw strike. She lands behind the orc and its body falls to the ground without its head. Hiei looks up as three goblins jump at her together.
"Spirits of fire, burn upon my blade..." Hiei closes her eyes. Flames appear and encircle her blade's sheathe. "...Honor Giri," she makes a quick drawing slash in flames.
The goblins fall to the ground, each split in two and coated in fire.
"Impressive. I have half a mind to recruit you to the knights of Anatolia," Cruz gives his praise.
"Flattering, but I only serve the imperial family of the Dragon Alliance," Hiei replies before going to cut off an orc's arm, followed by its head.
Cruz grunts before stabbing his sword through a goblin's skull. Meanwhile, Hana jumps around the monster horde and fires off her silk. Her webbing pins some of the monsters down, allowing the students with blades at the front to attack without fear of injury. Hana spots a basilisk approaching her rear. It swings its large tail at her, but she disappears as its swings around. The basilisk looks around for its prey, only to feel something puncture its scaly hide. It looks back, seeing Hana on its back, her spider legs stabbing through its skin.
"You know, some people debated on who has stronger venom, arachnes or basilisks. Me..." Hana jumps onto its head and sinks her fangs into its skull. The basilisk roars as its tries to shake her off, but Hana holds firm. The basilisk loses strength as her venom does its work and its body collapses to the ground. Hana pulls her fangs out and then finishes it off with a spider leg through its brain. "Call me biased, but I'd say arachne venom is more potent."
With the others, Yuki stands in front of the rest of the mages as they fire off spells at the monsters. However, the monsters' numbers, even after suffering losses, is still many. One basilisk rushes in past some of the sword fighters, aiming for the mages behind them. A few fire off wind and water spells, but the basilisk bats them aside.
"It's too strong!" one student cries out.
"Flow through me... Ice Blast!" Large chunks of ice slam into the basilisk, stunning it. The students look back as Yuki calmly walk past them. "You're just an overgrown lizard. Flow through me... Ice Shards!"
Several ice shards appear above the monster and fly down, impaling the basilisk. Several goblins run towards her, but Yuki is not threatened by them. "Flow through me... Frost!" she freezes them all solid and then snaps her fingers, causing the ice sculptures to collapse into tiny pieces.
"Whoa... she really is strong. That's the hero's daughter for ya," one student mutters in awe.
"Yeah, and also... she's super cute too!" another notes.
The frost particles in the air, combined with the light of the moon and Yuki's natural beauty and elegance truly give her a stunning image. Almost like a goddess of the moon.
"Stop daydreaming. There are more monsters nearby," Yuki says.
"R-Right! Yes, ma'am!" the students give her a salute before focusing back on the fight.
Sophia smirks at the display, "Heh-heh-heh, at least now they're changing their minds about her. She truly is amazing. Makes me want her even more. But first..." she turns to three orcs stalking towards her. Sophia raises her wand. "Spirits of water, drown my enemies and take their last breath... Aqua Prison!"
Balls of water form around the orcs' heads, cutting off their oxygen. They try to break and pull the water balls off, but the water simply moves around their fingers. Soon enough, they can't breathe anymore and collapse to the ground, having been drowned while standing.
Sophia stops her spell, "Sorry, but I can't let the first-years have all the fun," she giggles.
As the fighting continues, the tide turns in favor of the students. Hiei cuts down two more orcs while Yuki skewers a a basilisk with her ice shards. However, just when they believe things are looking up, an ominous roar is heard. Everyone turns their attention to the forest. Large shadows move in and they eventually get a better look at their new opponents. A pair of horns stick out from the heads. Bodies three to four times the size of full-grown men. Their bodies are humanoid, but cover in fur with some armor and have the heads of bulls rather than humans. A minotaur, and several of them in fact. Each one is carrying either a large sword or a hammer as their weapon of choice.
"Minotaurs?! Here?! How?!" Cruz doesn't believe his eyes. "All first-years, stay back. Mages, provide cover fire with magic. Don't hold back. Upperclassmen, with me. We need to hold them back while making a retreat out of the forest,"
"But, the carriages aren't going to be there waiting for us!" One student yells.
"That doesn't matter. We weren't expecting monsters of this magnitude. And you're not prepared to face them yet. We have to leave now!" Cruz commands.
The first-years do as he says, but seeing the monstrous minotaurs getting closer, hearing their roars; it made them lose their cohesion. A number of them simply panicked and ran for the hills. The mages couldn't focus on conjuring their magic, so they fled as well. Thus, the upperclassmen at the frontlines lost their support.
"Damn it! We just need a little time!" Cruz curses.
A minotaur raises its hammer and swings it down on him. Cruz jumps out of the way in time and gets back on his feet. However, a second minotaur swings a backhand strike at his side and sends him flying. Hitting the ground hard, Cruz coughs up blood.
"Damn... it all..." that blow did serious damage to his insides.
The minotaur looms over him, raising its hammer. Cruz watches, waiting for the end to come, only for a blast of fire to strike the minotaur's face. Cruz looks back just as Hiei jumps over him. She runs up the monster's left arm and makes a swing at its eyes. The minotaur roars in pain, blinded by the kitsune. Hiei jumps back, allowing Hana to come in and pin the monster's legs to the ground with her silk. Yuki follows it up with her magic.
"Flow through me... Ice Shards!" Yuki stabs the monster with several ice shards.
Hiei finishes it off by slicing its head off with her sword. Cruz watches in awe at their skill and teamwork. A second minotaur comes at them with a sword, only for water to impact its face.
"Leave some fun for me now, ladies. Spirits of water, plunge my enemies into the depths... Aqua surge!" Sophia conjures a massive surge of water towards the monster.
It carries the minotaur straight into a tree. As the water subsides and the minotaur tries to catch its breath, Hana jumps down from the tree and stabs a pair of daggers through its eyes and into its skull. The minotaur flails around, trying to knock her off, but the arachne hold tightly to its skull with all of her limbs. Eventually, the monster grows weaker and collapses to the ground, dead.
"Hmph. I've faced far worse than some overgrown cows," Hana scoffs.
"Nice job, Hana. Thanks for the assist, Sophia," Yuki says.
Sophia winks at her, "Well, if you ever want to pay me back, you can always go out with me on a date,"
"Now is not the time for that!" Hiei yells.
Just then, one minotaur appears from outside the woods and ambushes some of the fleeing students. It swings a massive club, sending several scared students flying.
"Where did that one come from?!" Cruz says as he gets onto one knee.
"Hiei!" Yuki says.
"On it!" Hiei runs forth to distract it.
Other minotaurs appear and start a new wave of attacks. Some students fight back, but it's not looking good. As one minotaur stalks towards a group of scared students, Yuki gets in between them.
"Flow through me... Ice wall!" Yuki conjures a massive wall of ice to block the monster's path. She turns back to the students. "You all need to leave, now,"
"Yuki, look out!" Hana shouts.
Yuki looks back, just as the minotaur smashes its club through the ice wall and sends Yuki flying from a hard hit.
"YUKI! Hiei screams.
"No!" Sophia is just was worried.
Yuki crashes onto the ground, unmoving. Blood flows down her head from the blow. The minotaur roars before stalking towards her to finish the job.
Hiei slices the arm off of the monster she was fighting before rushing to Yuki's aid.
"Yuki! Yuki! Wake up! Are you alright!?" Hiei frantically tries to wake Yuki up in her arms.
She looks up as the minotaur stands over them. Hiei gently puts Yuki down and draws her sword, ready to defend her.
"You will die in agony for that, vile beast!" Hiei seethes.
The monster raises its clubs to attack, but before either can move, a very cold breeze blows by. Hiei can feel a sudden change in the air. She looks back at Yuki and realizes that the cool breeze is emanating from her.
"Yuki..." Hiei mutters.
Yuki slowly gets up and her black hair suddenly turns white, matching her undertones. When she stands, Hiei notices her eyes are glowing blue. She calmly walks past Hiei, the ground freezing beneath her feet. Everyone, man and beast alike, stop to watch this strange spectacle. The minotaur roars before swinging its club towards her. However, Yuki calmly raises her hand and the monster suddenly stops before its club reaches her. It remains frozen in place. Ice then forms around its body, covering it from head to toe. Yuki looks around and aims her hand at the other minotaurs. They, too, stop in place as if they were frozen. They're bodies get covered in ice and the students are surrounded by ice sculptures of the beasts. Yuki then snaps her fingers and all the minotaurs shatter into pieces. Yuki turns her attention to the remaining monsters in the vicinity. Sweeping her hand across the area, the rest of the monster stop in their tracks, get covered in ice, and then shatter like glass.
Everyone looks on in shock at the tremendous display of power.
Hiei slowly approaches Yukitsuki, "Yuki... are you okay?"
Yuki's hair changes and goes back to its normal color and her eyes stop glowing. Yuki's body collapses, but Hiei catches her in her arms.
"Yuki? Yuki!" Hiei calls out, not noticing the faint blue glow from Yuki's chest as it dissipates.
Off to the side, Raul watched the scene unfold with shock.
"How? How is that commoner so strong? She shouldn't have survived that attack from the minotaur. She must be a monster or something. I... I have to get rid of the evidence. But, I swear I will make her pay," Raul seethes.
"And how exactly do you plan to do that?" a voice rings out.
Suddenly, ropes of water fly out and wrap around his limbs, ensnaring him.
"What the-release me at once!" Raul yells.
"I think not," Sophia comes out from the shadows. "I noticed that you weren't among those who were fighting or trying to evacuate. It made me wonder. I always knew you hated Yukitsuki, and that you were full of pride and arrogance. But, even I never thought you'd be this stupid," Sophia says, her expression one of anger.
"Let go of me. You'd actually take that commoner's side over a fellow noble? I guess I shouldn't be surprised, considering your family. Your father used your mother like a cheap whore and then threw her out when he was done with her. No wonder you like that-Argh!" a water tentacle wraps around his neck.
"Please, give me an excuse. I dare you," Sophia's expression is dark and menacing now.
She'd keep him alive to confess the truth, but not before she smacked him around for a few minutes.
...
Almost a day has gone by since the incident in the forest. Due to the dangerous and unknown circumstances of the incident, the trip was cancelled and the class returned to the academy. The headmaster was notified and immediately sent a messenger to the royal family to make them aware of the situation. The situation was that serious. In his office, King Mikhail reads over the report.
"To think such beasts would be in a forest outside the capital. How could this have happened?" He rubs his forehead.
"Apologies, Your Majesty, but we're stumped about this as well. We at least found the culprit responsible for the monster horde attack, thanks in part to Lady Sophia Ramona's efforts," his advisor, Lord Damon Alspyre, states.
"Yes, the son of Count Schwartz. Once it was revealed that his son had in his possession a monster-summoning flute, he was quick to deny any knowledge of it. What do you think?" the king asks.
"Statements in Raul Schwartz's testimony supports that idea. Raul said he received it from an unknown benefactor and never learned their identity. Whether this statement is actually true, or just a way for him to avoid blame, remains to be seen," Alspyre goes over another document.
"And what of the casualties?" King Mikhail asks.
"Several students were injured, and the injuries vary. Sadly, there were a few deaths due to the minotaurs attacking. Their families are in an uproar about this. Some are calling for Raul's head and his family to be disgraced. They want blood for the deaths of their children. Captain Cruz was also heavily injured in the melee. He should survive, but I'd advise he take some time off from instructing students to recuperate. Light mages healed his injuries, but not the worst of them. Those mages were students after all. We're finding a temporary replacement for him now," his advisor notes.
King Mikhail leans back in his seat and sighs, "Of course they would. We'll have to make sure the family is properly punished. Even if it was just his son's doing, Count Schwartz's lack of properly raising his heir is also to blame. This mess will take a bit of effort to clean up,"
"At least the princess was not with the class when they went on their trip. If anything happened to her, it would cause quite a stir," Lord Alspyre notes.
"Even so, the fact that one of the injured was Duchess Crystalglove's daughter is a serious concern," King Mikhail focuses on that serious note.
"Yes, accounts from the witnesses spoke of how she protected several of the students and fended off the monsters with her comrades. Public opinion towards her has grown more positive because of this, especially among the students from the academy. Princess Iris is letting her rest in her own room at the school, believing she'll be more comfortable there, and as a way of showing her gratitude for her courage," Alspyre explains.
"What of her family? What do they have to say about this?" Mikhail is concerned about the answer.
"Duchess Crystalglove was indeed upset that her daughter was injured. However, she is not blaming the royal family or the academy for these events. She, too, wishes to see the son of Count Schwartz punished, but prefers to handle this according to the law. She's just relieved that her daughter will survive. I surmise that, give her wife Ser Fuyumi's dangerous exploits in the past, she's more accustomed to events like this than others," Lord Alspyre shows his relief.
King Mikhail too is relieved, "I suppose that is a good thing. If anything happened to her daughter, I shudder to think how Ser Fuyumi would take it. When she returns from her mission, have her brought to the castle. I'll need to offer my apologies in person and fully explain the situation,"
Lord Alspyre bows his head, "As you wish, Your Majesty,"
...
Back at the academy, Yuki remains asleep in Princess' Iris's bed. Hiei sits next to her, holding her hand, while Carol stands off to the side. Bandages remain wrapped around Yuki's head from her injury.
"How long before she wakes up?" Carol wonders.
"I hope not long. She took a big hit though," Hiei laments.
Just then, the door opens as Princess Iris and Hana walk inside, "Any changes?" the princess asks.
"Nothing yet. Her injuries have gotten better, but she still hasn't woken up yet," Hiei says, her eyes staying on Yuki.
"Listen, I know you're worried, but you can't do much just sitting here worrying. Classes were canceled for tomorrow since they were supposed to be for us anyway. But, even though we got back, a number of students were hurt in that chaos, and a few are dead. The academy is still doing clean up. Listen, you need a break too. You've barely slept or ate anything since we got back. You want Yuki to wake up and see her girlfriend looking like a mess when she does?" Hana says.
Hiei sighs. Hana's always been good at that. Hiei doesn't need to look in a mirror to know she looks terrible.
"Come on, let Yuki rest. You need rest, food... and maybe a bath," Princess Iris notes, covering her nose on the last part.
Hiei groans, "I suppose... I don't want her to think I smell bad when she wakes up. Fine, you win. I'll be right out. Carol, will you look after her?"
Carol nods, "Don't worry, she's in good hands. I've looked after her ever since she was a child," the maid gives a firm salute.
Hiei nods before glancing back at Yuki. She leans in and gently kisses the sleeping beauty's cheek before leaving with the others. After they leave, Carol sits where Hiei was a moment ago. Watching over Yuki as she sleeps, she doesn't notice until a few moments later that one of the windows is cracked open.
"Huh? Did I leave a window open?" Carol wonders.
"...Sleep..." a female voice mutters and Carol's head suddenly collapses onto the side of the bed, sound asleep.
A figure in a dark cloak stands near the bed and walks around until they're close to Yuki.
"Ah, here you are, my lost little gem," the woman, sounding young, says. She removes her hood, revealing a head of long, pale blonde hair, pale skin, and eyes like rubies. A pair of black shorn stick out of the sides of her head, with a short red veil attached to them over her hair. "It took me quite a while to find you. Good thing I did before those fools did, though it seems they're making their own moves now. Hmm..." she gazes across Yuki's body beneath the sheets, focusing on her chest. "Those idiots didn't do it correctly. No wonder you're in this sorry state. Oh well, guess I'll help a little,"
The woman removes her cloak, revealing a black and red leotard outfit with a halter top. The bottom has frills that give it the appearance of a very short skirt that just barely covers her butt, along with a longer half skirt on the rear. The halter top of the leotard exposes some of her cleavage from her rather admittedly nice chest. She wears a par of detached sleeves that flair out a bit at her wrists. She has a pair of matching black stockings ending at her thighs and dark red high-heels. There are darkish purple jewels on her stockings, sleeves, her dress, and in her veil. Finally, a thin black tail with a tip like at arrowhead is sticking out of her but, along with a pair of black, dragon-like wings. The woman pulls out a vile with red liquid inside.
"This will help you wake up and fix some of the damage. As for the rest, that will be up to you, my little gem," the woman drinks the vial before leaning down to kiss Yuki on the lips, forcing the liquid down her throat. She pulls back afterwards and strokes a few strands of Yuki's hair. "I'll be seeing you soon, Yuki... my destiny," the girl says before vanishing in a black fog.
A few moments later, Yuki's eyes flutter open, "Huh? What... happened?"
And that's the chapter. The monster horde has been dealt with, but only after Yuki revealed there's more power in her than people first thought. What will happen to Yuki now? And who was the woman who visited her in her sleep? Until then, please Read and Review.