For those worried about another FFN outage, my work is mirrored on Ao3

Chapter 78

"Tell me how to kill it." I said to the guy in the mage robes.

"Ah, there..." His look told me all I needed to know.

So, I took Glass's prison and handed it to Usa. Then, I stepped out of the tent, held my face in my hands for a moment, took a couple of deep breaths, did a deep knee bend or two, and stepped back into the tent, a little calmer than twenty seconds ago. Usa handed Glass's Prison back, and I hung her around my neck again.

"Continue." I said.

"There are several old texts and references to the Spirit Tortoise. Upon its previous emergence, it was weakened, then had its heart sealed away." The wizard explained, "Sadly, while there are no maps or the like, there are several mentions of there being cracks in its shell that allow entrance into its body."

"Why does it even exist in the first place?" I asked, "Is it another one of this world's guardians?"

"Yes. But..." He paused, but the Queen gave him a look. "The texts say that it drains the life from the land, and once it has gained enough power, it closes the world off from the Waves of Disaster."

"Any idea how much?" Usa asked.

"Ah... Anywhere from half to four fifths of the souls in the world. The book isn't..."

I once again handed Glass to Usa, stepped out, and took another moment to calm down. This world was so screwed up... A monster that destroys the people, to save the world? What sort of sick, stupid, idiotic...

Breath in... Breath out...

I stepped back into the tent and collected Glass again. "Okay. So this explains the Bats." I said, "Now, Before I came back, we met Kuro and Rishia. I don't know about the Sword and Bow, but the Spear is still alive, though I am not hopeful about their parties."

The Queen nodded, "The Church of Four Heroes in Faubrey has a device that tells them if the four heroes are alive or not. At last check, a day ago, the other three are still alive."

"Oh good..." I sighed, "More questions... If its sending all these bats and yeti to eat souls, yet doesn't do that to the heroes..."

The three of them said nothing, so I waved it off for now.

"Okay, so we get onto its back, find a way into its body, probably fight stuff, because if its big enough to walk in, it will have monsters inside it, find its heart, and... You know, screw this."

"Kodori?" The Queen gave me a head tilt, "There is a clear-"

"No. You said it is supposed to be sealed away? Fine. But I'll do it my way, and you'll never have to deal with it again." I said, "I'm getting very sick of having to deal with every problem that heroes of the past didn't fix. Dragons, curses, and now a soul sucking 'guardian' who turns the world into a graveyard so the grass can flourish."

The Queen flicked the fan open to cover her mouth, "Our neighbours may protest to a giant tree suddenly growing in their lands."

"Good! They might actually survive a protest." I cracked my knuckles, "They have a choice, a giant tree that might be placed someplace a little awkward, or a vast graveyard where the world used to be." I said, feeling a tingle of amusement at the look the wizard had on his face. "What? I was summoned to save your world. Now that I'm here, you don't get to tell me how."

"Is there anything you require for this plan?" The Queen asked.

"You can't mean to do what you have done to me?" Glass sounded almost worried.

"Once I know a bit more about what I'm dealing with? Maybe. But if you have a large gemstone, flawless and uncut preferably. The gem itself doesn't matter, it just needs to be some kind of crystal."

"Very well." She nodded, then glanced over my shoulder. There was a little tingle from my tails, and one of Usa's ears twitched in that direction, and then nothing. "How long until we can start moving my soldiers through?"

I looked at the Portal Shield's cool down, "Half an hour. In the mean time, do we have a map of the area over there?"

The first batch of soldiers had just finished running through my portal, the time limit for it staying open, and a short motivational speech from the Queen making a 'quick march' into a 'fast run' to get as much through as possible. Usa had also followed them through, so he could relay some of the preliminary plans, but while he left, Raphtalia came back.

"As soon as you left, they sent runners and signal fires out to summon military leaders to the fort." She said as soon as the noise from the running troops had been swallowed by the closing portal. "They are expected to arrive soon, and they are eager to help you and the Queen plan."

She gripped my forearm, not giving in to the urge to hug me. She was clearly worried, and I was sure the look on my face wasn't helping. "We have some information, and of course, it's going to be super dangerous." I said, "The Queen is just over there, tell her what you told me, and we'll see how the next hour goes..."

"Message!" Someone, a young boy maybe, blurted as they stopped outside the Queen's tent where Raphtalia, myself, the Queen and a couple of her fanciest knights stood around a table. A moment later, the guard outside half stepped in and handed me a rolled up bit of paper.

I unrolled it, managed to smile a tiny bit, then looked to the Queen, "After we shovel as many of your troops through once I can use my portal again, I have to go to Erhard's. The crystal is there, and my order is done."

"Very well, I will follow my people through your portal, and organize with those soldiers who arrive. Please do not lose track of time while you work on a final solution to secure this world's future?" She asked, her perfect poise fooling everyone but me about how desperate she was.

"I said I will, so I will." I nodded, "Until then, let us continue trying to figure out a way to stop a turtle the size of your city."

The Queen and all but her folded up artillery and catapults were now on the other side. Once again, to my surprise, we had another exchange of people. Kuro came through as Raphtalia returned.

Without Motoyasu around, she had chosen me to cling to, kinda. I'll admit I was a little sad she didn't give me another hug, but as the portal closed I asked her, "Something up? You can't go back for an hour now."

I wondered where, or who, she had gotten the 'nervous poking fingertips together' expression from, but she did that a couple times, "Well... I had an idea, but I don't think I can convince her..."

"Her?" I asked, then realized, "Fitoria."

"Yes."

"I need to get to Erhard's, so come with me, and maybe we can talk there." I motioned with my hand, but instead of walking ahead she held it.

"The weirdest thing happened to me a little while ago." Erhard greeted as I entered the shop. "Here I am, doing some last touches on your armour, talking to HIDA-"

"Hey boss!" HIDA said from the Occulus resting on his sale's counter.

"And then I turn and see this lump of quartz and a little note resting on an empty workbench." He picked up a big double terminated spike of quartz almost as big as my forearm and hefted it like a dumbbell, "Anyhow, I hear there's something big happening? And... Why do you look so down Kuro?"

Kuro looked up to me, I nodded, but before she could tell him anything, Erhard had given her one of his patented 'fatherly headpats'. Only after he removed his hand did she speak, "The other three heroes have been captured. Motoyasu ordered me to leave him behind so I could help Kodori." She pouted, "Stupid master..."

"That's rough kiddo. But he was smart enough to send you to the right person." He looked at me, "Right?"

"I'm going to try. I have a little less than an hour before I have to step out, and maybe a day before I have to deal with..." I sighed.

"A giant turtle with a mountain on its back." Kuro said for me.

"That's what's causing this mess?" I was next for the headpat, and I nearly gave in and hugged him for it. "Let's get to work then. I think you'll like what we did."

"Yeah."

With HIDA helping him, Erhard had finished the initial, bare bones of my new armour. It was no surprise that he could! But all the same I was surprised he had gotten so much done in so little time. Like my two other suits, the Black Armour and White Armour, this suit (currently grey) looked almost alive even though it was laid out on the table. Underneath the interlocked metal plates, where it would be nearly impossible for more solid coverage, was a partial suit of dragon hide from the Tyrant Dragon Rex.

Now, if I were to wear JUST the under suit, I'd be a bit indecent, a lot indecent really... But it was made to be worn over my much loved 'indestructible' house robe.

"Now... I'm almost certain I got the basic enchantment down. And left all kinds of space for the extra stuff you want for later. Ahhhhh a project like this, I don't want to rush! But..." Erhard sighed as I ran my hands over the gun-metal grey.

As I had asked, he and HIDA had left all kinds of space for enchanting, as well as thin grooves and the like for 'extra bits' I planned to add later. Past that, the armour was ridged and fluted for extra strength against all kinds of impacts. The chest was 'effeminate' but still a 'uni-boob' curve. There were places I planned on putting spell crystals like the gloves I'd made. And the entire thing had an on/off Air Wake enchantment, for those times I wanted to jump with grace, or land like a meteor.

About the only thing it couldn't do, was fly.

Yet.

"Thank you, Erhard, HIDA, this is more than I could hope for in the time we have. Speaking of, HIDA? Is the return package ready?"

"It is, but..."

"But?"

"Without you here, I'm not very confident. The calculations are correct as far as I can tell, but the energy needed is unknown. Honestly, we have more information on sending out, than sending back."

"Hey, none of that talk." Erhard beat me to the 'comfort the AI' punch, though, I don't know if he knew she wasn't a flesh and blood person or not. "Do your best with what you have, learn, and do better next time."

"Yeah." I added, "I got all the assurances I needed from home, we just need to try our best to get back until it works."

"I'll do my best. And Rifana says she will too. I hope she's strong enough..."

"She was strong enough to stay pure through the worst situation." I said, "I trust her."

"I will too then!" HIDA sounded all confident again, "So... You're going to try and make another prison for some kind of giant spirit monster thing?"

"If it doesn't work, I have a good idea for a plan 'B'. And honestly, I might do that first anyhow." Something occurred to me, and I picked up the Occulus, "Can you remind me how the 'energy loop' calculation goes?"

"Sure. Lemme just... and... this one?" Her display changes to show one of my first 'trap' spells, one that fed from the person, to fuel the trap holding them. "You usually don't need reminders for this kinda stuff."

"Just making sure." I said, "Thank you."

"Neat." Pause, "So... what now?"

"Now, I get to cutting this bit of quartz here." I said, "You can nap for now, and collaborate with Erhard when ever you wish from now on."

"Much appreciated." Erhard grinned, "But I'm going to get a nap... And you should make sure to eat!"

Kuro's stomach chose that moment to grumble. "Guess I'll set up a stew pot while I chisel this."

With Erhard gone to nap, and the beginnings of a stew bubbling over the forge (something close to sacrilege, but Hestia approves of regular meal times), Kuro chose that moment to ask, "Ah... did you want to... talk to her?"

"Sure." I said, "What's involved?"

"Well..." That cute little feather of hair sticking up from her forehead wiggled a little, "I'm not going to be able to talk. She will be talking through me."

"Very well. I'll try and convince her then." I tapped quickly at the quartz, the design already in mind, the motions of my hammer and chisel tiny and sure.

Kuro nodded, closed her eyes, took a deep breath, then in a slightly different voice said, "Shield Hero. How good it is we can finally talk."

"Fitoria?" I asked.

"I am." She replied, "I am the current Filolial Queen."

"A shame we couldn't have met sooner, but I've been busy." I smiled tightly, "I did hear about you from the Spear Hero though."

"Yes, he and I talked about the state of the world, as well as my successor."

Successor? "You mean Kuro?" I guessed.

"Yes, she has the potential to one day take my place."

I glanced towards Kuro, the cute little feather twitching on her head. Was it a 'crown'? I couldn't remember if I'd seen any other filolial with a crest.

"Let's hope she survives with us. To that end, actually, would you be willing to help us? The Spirit Tortoise beat the other three heroes already, and I'm on my way to try and finish the job." Tap tap tap...

"If you fail, I suppose there will be no need to summon new heroes." Fitoria said with Kuro's voice.

I paused my tapping, sighed, then resumed, "So you don't care if we live or die?"

"So long as the world is saved? No. Had it not come to this, I was still considering killing the four of you, so that new heroes might be summoned. Now, if you fail here, the Spirit Tortoise will close the world off from the Waves, and there will be no need for your replacements."

"Even if nearly everyone is killed?"

"The world will survive."

"I understand. I will not count on you then." I finished one side of the four sided quartz spike, blew on it to clear the dust from my work, and nodded to myself.

"That is all?" She seemed surprised at how quickly I'd dismissed her.

"If one of the most powerful creatures of this world isn't willing to help me save the people on it when I ask the first time, then I will consider them useless to me. You call yourself a 'guardian', fine, if we fail, you can continue to guard the rocks and sticks left behind by whatever the Waves or this tortoise leaves behind."

"You dare to criticize me? When all the four of you has accomplished is-"

"I don't know about the other three, but so far, I've saved most of this kingdom from the messes the other three had left behind, I've stopped two waves of the three I've been present for, and killed a giant dragon that the four heroes of the past couldn't kill." I interrupted, "Meanwhile, all I have heard from you, is that you don't think we're doing a good enough job."

I stopped chiselling, and looked into Kuro's slightly vacant eyes, "I was asked to save this world, but if you aren't helping, you don't get a say how I do it, or get to rate how well I've been doing when I've had to learn everything about what's going on, on my own."

"Your arrogance-"

I put my hand over Kuro's mouth, "My arrogance is well earned. If you have a complaint, show me you can do better, or stay out of my way. Motoyasu said you were once like Kuro, a filolial from a previous hero. What would they think of you now? Threatening to kill people who are innocent? You make it sound like me and the other three had a choice coming here to fix the problems you are not willing to fix yourself."

Those slightly vacant eyes focused on me, and I stared into them, "I am trying, whereas you are just complaining." I took my hand away from Kuro's mouth, and gently put it over the feather on her head. "Kuro."

She shook herself like I'd just dumped cold water on her, and for a moment she looked at me with abject terror. "You just..."

"I did. And I meant every word. If she isn't going to help, if she isn't going to direct a little of her supposedly 'vast power' towards the problem, then I have no use for her." I took my hand off her head and put it on her shoulder, "If you do one day take her place, don't become like her."

"I hope she isn't angry..."

This time, when I went to open the portal back to the border fort, I had everyone's attention. Erhard, HIDA and myself put a lot of work into my armour, and it looked every bit the master craft of three professionals. And it wasn't even done.

Interlocked plates, segmented joints and an under layer of dragon scale, I actually looked like a hero. At least, until I put on my mask. With the near obsidian black, red striped and glowing gold eyed mask over my horned face...

I had everyone's attention, but no one wanted to be caught looking at me.

But that just wouldn't do. "By the order of your Queen!" I said, my mask making my voice vibrate with menace, "Be ready to push as hard as you can! I don't want to be here resting while my party and your Queen hold the line in another country!"

The knights and soldiers cheered, bracing themselves against the folded up siege engines, the wheels they were resting on rocking a little, but not moving forward just yet.

"You know your tasks! But I will give you just one more!" I shouted, "Live! Fight for your Queen, fight for your families, fight for your next hot meal! But Live! While I charge the main threat, protect everything you hold dear, and live to return to it!"

Another cheer.

"Start rolling! PUSH!"

The column of wheeled catapult and ballista started forward, their crews pushing them. Only when they were going at nearly a run, did I open the portal to the border fort. With that much effort, with the speed they were going, and because it was very useful and told me it would help, the absorbed soul energy from Lerno's assault, I was last through the portal, the field outside Melromarc empty.

"BOSS!"

The portal closed behind me, and I managed to turn just in time to catch Tetsu. Sadly, wearing my armour meant it was very fun for either of us when she hugged me.

"Tetsu." I said, "Sorry for the armour."

I endured sad dragon eyes, but she still tried to hug me tight, "We've been kinda bored while you were away, and the food is very boring."

I couldn't help myself and had a laugh at that, "Oh, sure, I'm only good for meal times, hmm?"

"well... not just meal times. Meal times especially though!"

"I forgive you." I applied a careful headpat so I didn't catch any of her hair in my armour, "Let's go find the Queen while the knights here get the artillery set up."

There was a noticeable shiver through my boots, and a few seconds later, the rumble of a giant foot hitting the ground.

The fort had changed a little in the few hours I'd been away. For one, there were archers everywhere. On the walls, on the rooftops of the various little buildings, the cliff roads... Any place where a few people and a barrel full of arrows could stand, there were archers.

For those few places where only one or two people could stand, there were mages. Magic staff in hand, they kept a keen watch on the skies. That cloud of bats was getting closer with every step the tortoise took, and I was sure everyone knew what they did to a person if they got bitten.

Raphtalia, Usa and even Clive all had their own little following of soldiers with them, and I was a little surprised to see 'extra colours' in the ranks. Then I recalled that the fort had signalled this to be a rally point. Other places had sent what they could?

Hopefully...

"You sound super funny when you sigh with your mask on." Tetsu said, and to my surprise, Kuro was nodding as she walked on the other side of me.

"A fight you win without actually fighting, is still a victory. Sometimes a scary voice will convince someone it just isn't worth it." I gave them both a pat on the shoulder with either hand. "Now where is the Queen?"

"Oh, we're almost there. All kinds of boring people are with her. And no one would give me a headpat... or any food..." Tetsu grumbled.

I entered the meeting room with Kuro and Tetsu both nibbling (one daintily, the other NOM NOM NOM'ing) on some fruit I had in the Shield. Of course, while they were eating and walking beside me, I was also giving them well deserved/catching up on headpats.

And the first thing I heard was a mumbled, "Shield Devil..."

All eyes went to a man in armour I didn't know, likely a general from the country we were in. A half second later, all eyes went to me. After all that had happened, I was sure they were wondering how I would react.

I took off my mask, the metal of my gauntlets 'ticking' quietly on the metal, "It's demon. Get it right, or use my actual name." I hung my mask on my belt, gave the two adorable monster girls a pat on the shoulder to keep them in place, then joined them at the table they were all standing around. "Kodori Haruhime."

There was a moment of uncomfortable silence around the table as I rested my palms on it and looked at what was on it. Far more important to me than the people around it to be sure, aside from the Queen of course.

"The reports we have gathered are... grim." The Queen said, the Fan in her hand folding up and pointing to a dozen different locations. Each had a name, but each of them had been crossed out. "Ever since its awakening, the Spirit Tortoise has destroyed everything in its path. Castles, forts, villages, gone."

One of the generals spoke up, "While we attempted to reorganize and rally to try and fight it, despite the failure of the heroes, we have been evacuating everyone we could out of its way." He was using a plain old stick to point at the map instead of a nice Fan. But he signified various lines of travel, some towards the coast, more towards Zeltobe.

"The best we have managed, is to keep the bats from spreading too far from the main body. But..." Another said, giving me a nervous look.

"But we halted that effort when the other heroes promised to take care of it. Now we are playing catch-up to save what is left of our people." Another said what the first did not, glaring at me.

I ignored him, and drew a line with my finger over the map. "It's heading towards cities... Places with the most people." The line wasn't straight, but more of a 'zigzag in one direction'. It knew where the people were, and it was just being as efficient as possible. "If the Tortoise is here, then..." I drew my finger off the map, imagining what I knew of the 'world', "I see..."

"I would help regardless, but yes. Its apparent path will run directly through Melromarc." Mirellia said with a nod.

"Not only there, but Mirso, Lerno, and onward to... Faubrey? Or was it Shieldfreeden?" I shook my head, "Not important." I looked at the topography of the map, trying to match the things on it with what I'd seen with my own eyes outside. "Say..." I tapped a couple of nameless circles. "These are some of those spires right?"

Another one of the stuffed armoured suits nodded, "Yes, our land is blessed with many of them. Shade, shelter, good ore, medicinal plants, they have stood-"

"Yes or no will do." I cut him off. "If that's so..." I looked over my shoulder to Kuro and Tetsu. "Okay..." I looked from one of these spires, then the estimated path of the tortoise, "Here..." I said, tapping the map, "My party and I will climb onto this spire here, and glide over onto its back." I tapped a spot near the spire, "What's this area like?"

"Quite flat, sometimes used for tournaments, poor for farming."

"Here?"

"Many spires have ridges around them, this is what made this swathe of land popular for spectacles."

"Ah, natural seating for the people." I nodded, "How soon can we get our forces there do you think?"

There was a table wide 'hmm'. While they didn't seem to like me much, and the situation even less, they were catching on that I knew what I was doing.

"If we broke camp now, we might be able to get Queen Mirellia's siege equipment there. But..."

As if on cue, Clive's bow sung its singular bass note someplace on the roof above us.

"Start breaking camp now then, I will be back in two hours." I looked to the Queen, "I need two things from you..."

"Ah, one of those is this, I suspect?" She took something from her belt, and put it on the map. "Locally sourced."

I nodded, and picked it up, the bag of seeds heavy and vibrant in my hand. "Perfect. And... I need a large sum of money. I can pay it back, but refurbishing Lurolona has brought my personal supply of coin to near nothing."

"Done." She said without hesitation, a second item appearing in her hand from her belt. There was then a second and third. Quill, paper, and her royal seal. A few quick scribbles later, a forth item (wax) and a candle later, I had a 'Loan from the Kingdom of Melromarc' good for one purchase of any amount. "While I am sure you will not mishandle this, please, spend wisely."

"Of course. When I return, I want everything, and everyone, ready to run."

I stood with Kuro and Tetsu on either side of me, both of them looking a little uncomfortable to have returned to their... place of origin as it were. But, like a true businessman, the Ringmaster had eyes only for me, the one who was going to (hopefully) be giving him money.

"Well well, I had almost thought you had forgotten about me!" The Ringmaster of Melromarc grinned up at me, "But I see you certainly have not been idle, and finally managed to make proper armour! Yes Ma'am! What can I help you with today? I have no more from the lovely girl's village, so it cannot be that! No Ma'am!"

"I need all your filolial and knight dragons." I said, "As a matter of fact... Every beast you have that can pull a cart, carry a man, or be harvested for product."

A beat.

"All of them?"

"Keep your Studs and Mares, but I have an army to move very fast, and a new village that I'm hoping to make self sufficient in a season or two."

"Eggs too?"

"Maybe later. But right now, there's... Well, it's potentially world ending and its walking slowly in this direction."

His smile faded for just a moment, then brightened up again, "And how will you be paying, good Hero?"

I held up the note and let it unfold in front of him. "You have just under an hour to get them all in a very neat line. And to write a proper bill of sale."

I didn't like the little man very much, but somehow, I still managed to get a little satisfaction as he sparkled at me. "Sold!" And with a snap of his fingers, his small army of Muscle Clowns materialized from the shadows.

"Erhard!" I barged into his shop, "I need your anvil!"

A surprised Erhard and his current customer looked at the shop door as I barged in, "You just replaced the door, go easy on it!" He chastised me, "What's the rush?"

"I need to make exactly one thing on your anvil."

"Sure."

What I made was super simple. A 'grape'. After going to the Ringmaster and basically buying everything he sold 'legitimately,' I went to the usual market and used most of my own coin, what little I had left, to buy metal. Just metal. Lead, iron, copper, whatever, it just had to be processed into ingots.

Once done, I went to Erhard's and made exactly one lead 'grape'. A ball bearing about the size of a marble (not the little ones, or the 'smashers', someplace in the middle). Then, I fed it to the Shield. This gave me the 'recipe' for 'grapeshot'.

And for the first time ever, I used the Shield's 'auto creation' function for something made of metal. As insulting as it was, this would be the one time I made an exception. I didn't have time to make thousands of metal grapes for the catapults, but the Shield was perfect for mindless garbage like this.

Next stop? Lurolona.

I left Kuro and Tetsu in charge of the animals while I headed up to my Tree.

"hi hello hi still no food hi hi hello"

Yes, once again, I was getting mobbed by friendly 'little' bees. The people were surprised, but incredibly happy I'd just dropped off a generation's supply of farm animals, both for work and slaughter, but for the moment, I needed a 'special asset'.

"Hey boss!" Rifana greeted me with a giggle, "Popular as ever I bee?"

"No, I bee. You see?" I replied, "Though if you could?"

"Sure. Okay you! Shoo!"

I got one last buzz, and they all left again. "Thank you. Tenno!"

"More problems?" Rifana hopped up into my arms, "Hmm, not as fun..."

"Sorry. When I'm not saving the world from a soul eating walking mountain, I'll be sure to hug you properly." I said with a little sigh, "Ah perfect."

Tenno dropped from the sky and landed in front of me with a sudden buzz of wings to slow down before impact. I set Rifana down, and the King of the tree and I gripped forearms. "Mother. I am here."

"Thank you, Tenno." I said, the two of us touching foreheads and horns/antenna. "I need your help."

"I serve."

"I must take you away from here for a little while. Are you able to do this?"

He let my forearms go, stepped back, then stepped into the 'room' at the base of the tree. He unfolded his wings a little, then started to buzz and hum, 'speaking' into the vast hollow inside. A moment later, distantly, I heard a short reply, and he stepped out.

"Yes."

"Thank you. Gather your weapons."

Thankfully, when I opened the portal through to the border fort, they had listened and kept that area clear for me. While I didn't need to give a speech to the mass of filolial and knight dragon's I'd bought with the Queen's money, I did have to herd them as fast as possible through the portal. But, with two 'leaders' of their respective species there, they kept their eyes forward and off each other as they mobbed through the portal as fast as possible, with Tenno and I walking through last just before the portal closed.

Now with a sea of curious/hungry/bored work animals in front of me, I called out, "Get them tied to something heavy or ride two to a beast! Move!"

While that happened, the Queen and my party were getting acquainted with Tenno. The first thing Tenno did, after I said 'He's going to help', is turn to the Queen and hold out his two middle arms. She blinked, maybe surprised, but held out her own arms. He gripped her arms and settled his antenna onto the simple circlet she wore as a 'public crown'.

"I am honoured." She said to him after a little buzzing, "No, I would never have thought of it myself." Another reply of little buzzes, "Then, as Queen, I welcome you formally as part of my country. You and all generations after."

She let got, but the rest of us were surprised when Tenno gave her one of those 'I am a suit of armour' hugs. Only for a second, but it was a very human gesture.

"So long as you do not call me that to anyone else." She smiled, "Now, to work? I see you have spent a rather large sum."

"It is imperative we get there before it does. I've also been making something..." I flicked the Shield on my back with a tail, "special for the bats. Tenno, when we get there, will help us climb one of the spires. The solders here will keep the tortoise distracted, I hope, and give us time to get on board."

"And after?" Raphtalia asked, pausing as a little shiver went through the ground, "They can't stand in front of it for long..."

"No. They can't. I don't need to have seen the thing to know that. But, we only need it to stop long enough to let us get on board. Then, honestly, they can all run away. The biggest problem is the monsters that it makes, not the beast itself." I replied.

"So... they're just here for show?" Fohl asked, looking up at Tenno.

"No, once we get on, they can stop bothering the tortoise and keep the bats and whatever else contained for a little while." I said.

"What of its abilities? It can heal from any wound. Reports from my agents, and those of the generals, said it made the other three heroes... ineffective." The Queen asked, "Will your measures be enough to stop it?"

"If we can get to its heart, yes." I said, sounding more confident, I hoped, than I felt.

"What about us?" Atla asked.

"What about you?" I replied, "Do you think you can stand with me?" It wasn't a challenge, but an honest question.

"Yes." The two of them replied, their slave crests keeping silent.

"Good enough for me." I nodded.

"I cannot tell if you are overconfident, or that you believe you can succeed." Glass said, "I suppose I'll find out, one way or another... Perhaps this little bauble you have contained me in will survive as a cautionary tail for the next generation of heroes?"

NOTES!

No notes here except the usual!

Thank you for reading! And if you want to see any full colour art, join the discord!

aKAQg4bnYu for the discord!

And my actual book, Were Too? is on Inkitt.

And! I'm looking into getting some story themed merchandise made. Join the Discord to find out more!