Drakengard: Demonic Flower

by VonLeporace

Summary:

The Old One has returned to its slumber, the Second Scourge has been stopped, the fog that threatened to consume the world has disappeared, taking the demon horde with it. The Slayer of Demons accomplished his mission and was freed from the Nexus.

Now he finds himself in an unknown land, ruled by living singing goddesses and with its own kinds of demons while old enemies moves in the shadows.

Chapter 1: Cover

Notes:

So, what did you think? I've been trying to create original covers for all my stories. I just wanted to remind you that all the images were made by AI, I just typed in the prompt, changed the settings to get the desired result and edited the image on the canvas.

I don't claim to have drawn the image.

Chapter 2: On the First Day There Was a Flower

"On the first day."

“Man was given the soul and with it, Clarity.”

" On the second day."

“Upon Earth was planted an Irrevocable Poison.”

“A Soul-devouring Demon.”

-Below the Nexus-

It is over! It is finally over! I thought as the Old One disappeared into the mist, taking the Maiden in Black with it, they would both sleep for eternity.

Now here I am, standing on a beach and watching the sea. White birds flew in the cloudless sky; a light breeze made small waves on the water, while the sun shone like a magnificent father, if only I could be so incandescent.

It was a wonderful day! It did not look as if a melancholic King who had lost faith in humanity nearly ended the world.

King Allant XII found the Nexus in his search for power, leaving it with knowledge of the Soul Arts and ushered in an age of prosperity in the kingdom of Boletaria.

Over time, he believed that ending the world was the only way to end the pain and suffering that enveloped it.

He took the Soulbrandt, the demonic blade that is in my possession, returned to the Nexus, and awakened the Old One to end all human existence, thus initiating the Second Scourge.

Turning around and looking ahead, I saw ruins and sand as far as the eye could see. How did I end up like this? Of all people, I ended the Scourge.

I was just a low-ranking knight from the southern region of Boletaria. I had to see it with my own eyes when I heard the news that one of the Twin Fangs brothers brought it.

The news that our beloved King was to blame for the fog and demon horde that threatened to consume the world.

I crossed the fog without thinking twice, only to hear a voice calling me, saying that it would guide me. I found the Vanguard Demon at the end of the path, and killed it after an arduous battle, only to die by the hands of the Dragon God.

I woke up in the Nexus, with the Maiden in Black reciting a spell, and a metal manacle on my left leg, keeping me bound to the Nexus and preventing me from dying completely.

Therefore, my journey began, Boletaria, Stonefang, Tower of Latria, Shrine of the Storm, and Defilement Valley. Now it is over, the real King Allant is dead. It is time to return to the Nexus. Looking up, I saw a black spot in the sky, the Nexus.

I went towards a rock with a sword stuck on it. Touching the sword, a blue light blinded me and I returned to the Nexus. I leaped back when I opened my eyes, only to almost fall into the giant hole at the center of the Nexus since the magic barrier was no longer there.

The entire population of the Nexus, which was not much, looked at me expectantly.

"It’s over?" Saint Urbain asked.

"Yes." I replied, regaining my balance.

"Thank God! Thank you for your efforts, noble knight! I will tell the whole church about your actions when I return! You are a saint sent by God! May God bless you, Umbasa!” Saint Urbain joined his followers and together they prayed on their part of the Nexus.

Thank God? No, there is no God! The god they worship is the same demon they accuse of being the source from which sorcerers draw their magic.

To think that I once believed in this god, even though, miracles are still useful. I may have lost my faith in God, but I still have faith in myself and in this world.

“Alright boy, you sent these demons to hell, all using the weapons I made for you! It reminds me of my younger days, if I were a few years younger I would have taken these demons out with my own hands!" Boldwin, the Blacksmith said, shaking my hand and making me smile under my helmet.

"I only got this far thanks to your weapons, so thank you!" I said, bowing politely.

“Stop it kid, I'm a Stonefang blacksmith, we don't have all that knightly pomp, so head up! You are a hero, you will return home victorious! I am returning to mine, I will be at Stonefang if you need me!" Boldwin went to his little workshop, packed up his things, and headed towards Archstone of Stonefang, disappearing in a blue light.

Thomas came up to me and shook my hand frantically “Thanks! Thanks! You have a heart of gold! You avenged my family, and from today on; I intend to stop being a coward! I will overcome my fears and live a life without regrets!”

"Well I guess that's it, I don't know what happened to me; something came over me when I heard the Old One's voice." Sage Frake said right after Thomas.

"What was I thinking? Let the Old One loose? Kill the Maiden in Black? Thank you for ignoring this madman's words!" Frake joined his apprentice and together they went to their part of the Nexus.

I do not blame him; the Old One's voice tempted me too. For a moment, I thought about killing the Maiden in Black and taking all that power for myself when I came face to face with the Old One's core

The Maiden in Black… I will never see her again… I enjoyed her presence, even though we did not talk much, and now I will miss her.

I realized that someone was not in the crowd surrounding me. Where was Yuria? I walked to the part of the Nexus where the sorcerers were and saw Yuria in her usual place with a lit candle beside her.

“Heavens, it's all over? Will the demons no longer torment us?” Yuria asked hopefully.

"Yes, they are gone now." I nodded, reassuring the witch, and making her sight relieved.

"Thanks! I'm glad my sorceries helped you, to think that you used my dark arts to save the world.” Yuria said, hugging me, but quickly pulled away with her face bright red.

“Yuria, are you feeling well?” I asked confused.

“Y-yes I am. Tell me; are you here to learn more witchcraft?” Yuria asked, recomposing herself before sitting back down.

"Yes. I have a new Demon Soul; I would like to know if you can do something with it.”

“Very well, I will help you in any way I can.” Yuria offered her hand to me and I accepted it.

I saw a slight shade of red on her face and felt the demon soul within me transforming into witchcraft. According to Yuria, emotions are the base for witchcraft as opposed to Frake's sorceries, which work on reason.

"It’s ready. Soulsucker is the witchcraft I taught you. You can absorb all the souls of a person with just one touch.” Yuria said seriously, slowly releasing my hand.

A powerful but terrible witchcraft, I hope I do not have to use it.

“Thank you Yuria, you helped me a lot, I'm grateful for everything you did.” I nodded.

"You are welcome. I hope my witchcraft can be of some help.” Yuria replied, returning the gesture while smiling.

I left Yuria and headed towards Stonefang's Archstone, touching it, disappearing in a blue light, and reappearing in the starting area of the mines.

Going up the stairs, I stepped into a revolving elevator and headed down, arriving at a forge upon reaching the bottom of the elevator shaft, where I saw Boldwin and his brother Ed.

“Bah, look who came back looking for the services of the great blacksmith Ed! What can my silly brother and I do for you?” Ed exclaimed, stopping his work and smiling upon seeing me.

"Hey!" Boldwin yelled from across the forge and threw a hammer at Ed, but crouched and the hammer flew over his head.

I laughed at this; the rivalry between these two is entertaining to watch.

“I have a new Demon Soul. Can you two do something with it?” I gave the soul of the False King Allant to the brothers, making the two widen their eyes.

"Give me that! This is a high-quality Demon Soul, but something is missing." Ed said, taking the Demon Soul from my hand.

“Yes I can see, two swords are missing, twin swords, opposite, but one complements the other.” Boldwin said right after, analyzing the soul too.

“Would these be the swords?” I said, taking Soulbrandt, the black sword, and Demonbrandt, the white sword, from my bottomless bag.

Soulbrandt is a blade that can cut the very soul. Since his coronation, the sword has never left King Allant's side. The closer the wielder's soul is to a demon, the more powerful this blade becomes, no wonder the King chose it.

Demonbrandt is a white blade made to slay demons, the less demonic the wielder's soul, the more powerful this blade becomes.

“That's right boy! Give us the swords; we will make you a wonderful weapon, one of the most powerful weapons this world has ever seen! Am I right, my dear brother?” Ed asked Boldwin mockingly.

“But of course, my dear and stubborn brother.” Boldwin replied in the same tone.

I handed the swords to the two of them and they started working on it.

-XXXXXX-

“Here it is, the Northern Regalia.” Ed said, handing me the sword.

It was a great sword, with the black and white of both weapons involved around the sword like a spiral, starting with the pommel, going up the hilt, and ending with the blade of the sword being black on one side and white on the other, but the blade itself was not a spiral.

“You two have my thanks, this sword is beautiful.” I replied, marveling at the weapon.

“But be careful boy, this sword not only cuts but also deals magic damage. Try not to cut yourself with it.” Boldwin said and I nodded, heading towards the elevator.

"One more thing!" Boldwin screamed, calling my attention.

“It may sound like the words of a superstitious old man, but I feel as if this sword stayed in the world to fulfill a malicious purpose.” The blacksmith said, frowning at the blade.

"Thank you for the warning, I'll be careful." I replied, waving to the brothers as I stepped on the elevator again, making my way up.

I did not want to worry the smiths, but I saw the Old One when I touched the Northern Regalia. It stared at me, and I saw the void inside it, a bottomless pit with an insatiable hunger for souls.

I was not afraid, I was inside of the Old One and I heard its voice. I will not let that frighten me.

I could not help but think. A malicious purpose? This sword gets stronger according to the soul of its wielder. This sword can destroy or save the world depending on who uses it. Perhaps I can use it for a beneficial purpose.

I headed towards the stone with the sword on top, and soon I had returned to the Nexus, hearing the infantile voice of the Monumental calling me.

"Slayer of Demons, come."

I climbed the stairs of the Nexus until I stood in front of a child-like statue with a lit candle in front of it.

“You did well, with the Old One slumbering again, the world and the fabric of reality are saved. So go, you are no longer a prisoner of the Nexus.”

The Monumental's eyes lit up and the Nexus shook, a light shone at the bottom of the temple, and the wall at the end of the corridor full of messages had disappeared, revealing a white light on the other side.

"Go, cross the light and be free, you will return to the south of Boletaria, the place from which you came.”

Freedom, finally!

“Thank you; I do not know what to say!” I bowed to the Monumental.

"I'm the one who should thank you now go!" The Monumental commanded, retuning the bow while smiling softly.

I ran down the stairs of the Nexus without thinking twice and stood in front of the wall of light. Looking back, I saw Thomas and Yuria.

“Here are your things; it was an honor to store them for you! I believe the other Nexus denizens will not leave just yet. We decided to let things calm down a bit before leaving." Thomas returned all of my weapons, items, armor, and equipment, so I put them in my bag.

“I may have said this several times, but still… Thank you for saving my life!” Yuria said, bowing to me, but I stepped forward and hugged her, making her face turn red.

“Goodbye everyone and thank you for everything!” I said my goodbyes to the people of the Nexus, and every one replied with their own before returning to their places.

I stood a few centimeters from the light. Suddenly, I felt someone kicking me in the back and pushing me towards the light. I looked back as I fell and saw Patches smiling from ear to ear.

“It was a pleasure meeting you my friend! Don't forget to visit my store later!” The rapscallion yelled as I fell.

That son of a…

-Unknown location-

I stood in a black void when I stopped falling, with water at my feet and surrounded by mist, just like when I entered Boletaria. I just need to move forward.

I saw a light after a few minutes of walking and ran towards it. The light shone brighter as I approached, then I crossed it.

-Midgard, Cathedral City-

Looking around, I realized that I stood in some kind of city when I stepped out of the light. I saw large tower-shaped buildings pointing toward the sky, and roads made of black and gray material divided in half by a yellow line.

"Hey, you there!" A knight called me, but I did not recognize his armor.

"What are you doing here? Intoner Zero is just ahead!” The knight said, approaching me.

“What is an Intoner? And who is Zero?” I asked, ready to draw my sword if he showed some aggression, but the knight looked at me as if I was an idiot instead.

“Listen, we need all men ready for combat! Moreover, what are you wearing? Where is your standard equipment? It doesn't matter, come with me!" The knight ran through streets and alleys and I followed him.

He did not give me much choice since a crowd of knights ran after me, also in the same direction. We arrived at a street with several battle-ready knights, I approached the man who had called me to ask some questions but.

“What is…”

"She's in there, take her down!"

"FIRE!"

BOOM!

Cannon fire interrupted me; they fired at one of the buildings in the city. Why were they doing that?

I had my answer when a white-haired girl with a flower in her eye, wearing a revealing white dress and carrying a sword, jumped out of the building and landed on top of one of the knights, piercing him with her weapon.

“For Lady One!” One of them screamed, only to have his throat slashed by the girl.

She danced among the knights, leaping on top of them and tearing them to pieces with cruelty. She cut them coldly and without remorse, as if flying among the men, in the end, a circle of blood and corpses surrounded her.

"FIRE!"

The knight beside me screamed but there was no time to fire the cannons again.

I heard wings flapping and saw a white dragon diving toward us. It seems that it is not because the Old One returned to its slumber that all the monsters will disappear, it was too good to be true.

The dragon opened its mouth and I saw fire forming. I jumped from the elevated area where I stood without thinking twice and landed in the courtyard below, where the girl also stood.

I heard the burning of the flames and felt their heat. All the knights behind me became ashes, poor bastards. The dragon then landed behind the girl. Was she controlling it? I could not hear what they talked about, but the dragon flew away and the girl noticed me.

“Hm… One left.” She said with disdain.

I had a familiar feeling when the girl approached me, a demon. She was a demon controlling a dragon! Some demons escaped the fog. I will have to kill her for the sake of the inhabitants of this city!

“Stop there demon! I will put an end to your wave of death and destruction for the sake of this world and the poor men you killed!” I screamed, raising my Adjudicator Shield with my left hand and drawing my Blue Blood Sword with my right one.

“Great, another one of those fanatics! Why don't you die like everyone else?” The demon drew her sword and ran towards me with great speed.

She tried to cut me diagonally, but I blocked the blow with my shield, sliding back a little. I pushed my shield forward, but the demon used it as a stepping stone and somersaulted backward, flying and landing away from me.

I did not give the demon time to recover and ran towards her. I raised my sword and lowered it toward her head, but the demon raised her weapon too, and blocked my attack with the flat of her sword, using her other hand to support it.

My blow released a shockwave, the ground beneath the demon cracked slightly, and I saw her eyes widen in surprise. The demon then punched me in the chest with her left hand, pushing me back, but not enough to knock me down.

Weaker punches are just a nuisance when punched by the Flamelurker and Dragon God

“Who the hell are you?!? How are you still alive?!?” The demon demanded.

“I am Edric, Slayer of Demons and Monumental. I am here to do my duty!” I placed the Adjudicator's shield on my back, its magic still taking effect, then drew my Silver Catalyst and aimed at the demon.

“What do you intend to do with this little toy?” The demon asked mockingly.

"That." I cast Soul Ray and a blue beam came out of my catalyst, piercing the demon’s shoulder and leaving by the other side, making the demon release a pained scream.

“AAAHHH! Motherfucker! Since when can you bastards use magic?” The demon grabbed her pierced shoulder and returned to the fray with a furious scream.

The demon swung her sword, trying to cut my head off, but I crouched down, dodging the blow, and thrust my sword towards the demon's neck when I stood up.

Seeing this, the demon leaned to the right, receiving a small cut on her cheek and losing a few strands of hair, and then we stood face to face again.

"Get out of my way! You are wasting my time!”

"I refuse; you will only pass over my dead body!"

"HAHAHA! If you insist." The demons laughed.

The demon ran towards me and I tried to cut her in the stomach horizontally, but the demon jumped, spinning in the air and lowering her sword towards my head.

I stepped to the right, dodging the blow, and tried to pierce her again with my sword while the demon stood in the air. Seeing this, the demon threw herself to the ground, using one of her hands as support, and trying to leg-sweep me.

I jumped over her leg and tried to pierce the demon when I landed, using the Blue Blood Sword as if it were a rapier.

I launched several thrusts, but the demon dodged them all, one towards the stomach, but the demon swerved to the left, one towards the heart, but the demon swerved to the right, one towards the neck, but the demon leaned back.

Unfortunately, I did not notice the demon's foot going towards my chin.

I received a strong kick to the chin, knocking me to the ground, but I did not feel anything broken, it was going to take a lot more than that to take me down. Fighting fairly will not get me anywhere, it is time to use some spells.

“AAAHHH!”

I heard a scream. Looking up, I saw the demon falling towards me with her sword aimed at my heart.

“Just die already!” The demon screamed as she fell.

Enough, time to take this seriously!

I cast Cloak, becoming invisible, and rolling away from the blow. The demon’s blow cracked the ground in my previous location, raising a dust cloud.

-XXXXXX-

The Intoner known as One used Cathedral City as her home. She, along with her sisters, Five, Four, Three, and Two, defeated the evil lords and brought peace to Midgard.

However, there was one more sister, considered a traitor among the Intoners. Nobody knows why, but she wants to kill her sisters, and she will slaughter anyone who gets in her way.

She was a demon in human skin, and right now, this demon faced a Slayer of Demons.

"Where are you? Can't you fight me without these magic tricks?” The demon demanded, analyzing her surroundings. Suddenly, the demon screamed in pain as a gash appeared on her left side.

The demon covered her wound, but soon a second gash appeared on her back, followed by another pained scream.

“Show up invisible bastard!” The demon screamed, swinging her sword wildly, hoping it would hit the Slayer of Demons.

"I am here." A voice spoke from behind the demon.

-XXXXXX-

"I am here." I said behind the demon while pointing my catalyst at the back of her head.

The demon turned around upon hearing my voice, only to receive the Ignite spell on her face. A flaming burst came out of my catalyst and enveloped the demon, sending her away due to the explosion.

The demon stood up with wounds and burns all over her body, with singed hair, bloody cuts, and a torn and burned dress.

“Your bastard, motherfucker, piece of shit!” The demon screamed, struggling to her feet.

“Insulting me won't lead you to anything demon, that's the end of you. I have magic on my side, and I can assure you I am proficient in its use.”

"HAHAHA! Let's see if your magic can save you from this!" The demon did something that confused me, she sang and magic circles formed around her.

Suddenly, magical energy covered her body, the demon assumed a hunched stance, putting away her sword, and rushing toward me with a furious roar.

"I'm going to rip your head off!"

I cast Homing Soul Arrow; five magic spheres appeared above me and fired toward the demon when she approached. The demon did not even bother to dodge, but when the arrows hit, nothing happened.

Does this magic leave her indestructible? I didn't have time to think as the demon disappeared in a blur and reappeared in front of me, punching me in the stomach, and making my feet leave the ground.

A kick to the chest followed the punch, throwing me away. It broke some of my bones, but I am glad I have invested many souls in my resistance. Even so, felt blood oozing out of my mouth, it was like fighting Flamelurker all over again.

"What do you think of that?!?" The demon asked, approaching me.

I stood up and cast Warding, a barrier formed around me, greatly reducing the physical damage I received.

Then I cast Cursed Weapon, draining my health and greatly increasing my weapon’s damage, but the Regenerator Ring and Adjudicator Shield counterbalanced the draining effects of the spell.

"Die!" The demon punched me in the chest, slightly pushing me back, and then punched me again, moving me a few inches.

"Why don’t you die?"

"Demon's Souls, demon! They strengthen my body and create some of the most powerful spells and miracles, you cannot hurt me!" I cut the demon in the chest with my cursed sword, wounding her.

"How?" The demon asked, stepping back in surprise.

"You speak as if deserving some kind of explanation." I said, raising my sword, ready to decapitate the demon, but she took a deep breath and released a deafening scream.

“AAAHHH!”

I put my hands on the sides of my helmet, trying to block the noise, but it was no use.

The demon's scream pushed me back, but I fought back, stepping forward with great effort, closing the distance one step at a time. I raised my sword again, but the demon screamed louder.

“AAAHHH!”

The scream made me fly away towards a wall, going through it, and only stopping when I collided with a bookcase inside a room. My vision darkened, but I heard something.

"Zero, are you okay?" A strong male voice spoke.

Therefore, the demon's name is Zero. It is good to know. I soon lost consciousness and darkness enveloped me.

-XXXXXX-

"Zero, are you okay?" Michael asked, landing beside me.

I looked at myself, horrible but my regeneration is already acting. The wounds closed quickly, except for the wound in my chest. Why was it taking so long, and who was that bastard?

"I'm fine Michael." I said, supporting myself against a wall.

"Are you sure?" He asked worriedly.

What a softie!

"Yeah, I'm regenerating, but the cut on my chest is taking a while."

Michael then started sniffing me.

“I smell a curse! Zero who did this to you? Curses are dangerous even to dragons!” Michael said worriedly.

Curses, as if the flower in my eye was not enough!

"He was one of One's henchmen; he knew how to use magic and was too strong to be a normal person." I said, pointing to the hole in the wall.

“You must be careful! You fought an unknown enemy and almost paid the price for your rash actions.”

“What the hell! He is dead now! Come on, I still have to kill my sisters!” I said, standing up.

A gate on the other side of the courtyard opened and more knights came towards me, nothing but cannon fodder.

"If you say so, but I offer you some advice, strong enemies do not fall easily, be careful.” Michael said, looking at the hole in the wall.

I will have a little chat with One about sending people with magic after me.

"Whatever, come on, we’ve wasted enough time!” I ran towards the knights. Just wait dear sisters, your end is near.

-XXXXXX-

What happened?

"She killed them all!"

Where am I?

"Hey, there's one more here!"

Now I remember! I fought a demon!

“Someone call a healer!”

However, I let the demon escape. More people will die! I need to get up!

"Don't worry! The healer is here!”

My eyes opened and I saw that I rested on a piece of cloth in the courtyard where I fought the demon. Soldiers and knights, dead and wounded surrounded me. The demon will pay for this!

"Can you hear me?"

I saw a man looking at me, wearing white clothes, carrying several potions in his belt, and a staff in his right hand, a healer or priest.

"Yes." I replied.

"Fine, allow me to heal you, I know healing magic." The man said, pointing his staff at me, but I could not waste time, the demon was still on the loose, so I stood up.

"What are you doing? Lie down, you are seriously wounded!”

"Don't worry; I'll take care of it myself." I cast Recovery with my God Talisman, greatly restoring my health and healing all my wounds, making the healer and the knights look at me in amazement.

The demon has powerful magic; luckily, I have the perfect equipment to face it. I equipped the Dark Silver Set, the set that Garl Vinland owned before I killed him, one of my greatest shame.

This set has the best defense against magic, together with its Dark Silver Shield, almost nullifying it.

I stored my Blue Blood Sword and equipped my Holy Sword of Moonlight, the blade of this sword is composed of light, making it impossible to block, and has an enchantment that increases the power of my faith and miracles.

Soon after, I equipped several magic rings in addition to the two I wore. The Master Ring increases the damage I deliver if I hit my enemy with my sword's blade, and reduces the damage I receive.

The Ring of Great Strength increases the amount of weight I can carry, making it easier for me to move around in Dark Silver Armor. The Ring of Sincere Prayer increased my miracle's power, but slightly reduced the speed at which I could cast them.

Finally, I equipped the Thief's Ring to hide from enemies. Well, I think I am ready now.

“Where did the demon go?” I asked the soldiers around me, but none of them answered.

“H-how…” The healer stuttered, looking at me in surprise.

“I'm just going to ask one more time! Where did the white-haired demon go?”

“She went that way!” One of the knights said, pointing towards a large gate.

"You have my thanks!" I replied, running towards the gate. This time you will not escape, demon!

-XXXXXX-

I saw the trail of death and destruction left by the demon and her dragon as I crossed the city.

Burned and cut corpses littered the streets, and barricades and destroyed cannons indicated where the demon had passed, amidst the screams of knights dying.

"Help!"

“Fear not, move forward!”

"She will kill us all!"

“Why is she doing this?”

“Fire the arrows, don't let her pass!”

I ran faster, seeing the white dragon taking flight, and stopped at a large open area with a closed gate, bodies of large creatures wearing armor and carrying swords rested next to it.

I saw a great locked gate on the right side and an entrance to the great towers that scraped the sky on the left side. I entered one of the towers and climbed the stairs, passing several corridors full of numbered doors until I reached the roof.

Looking around, I saw a tower on the other side of the gate, next to the one where I stood, but a gap stood between them.

I saw only one way to cross it. I took distance and ran at full speed toward the edge.

I would not have been capable of making the jump if I was still a normal human, but the souls strengthened me, so I landed on top of the other closest tower.

Approaching the edge of the tower, I took out my brass telescope and searched for the demon.

I saw her crossing a large bridge full of barricades and archers, but that was not enough to stop her. The demon crossed the bridge and passed through another large gate, this one also closing behind her.

I pointed my telescope at what stood behind that gate, a majestic cathedral, a beautiful building like the Boletaria castle.

Well, there is only one way to the cathedral. I thought, looking at the towers in front of me.

I jumped from tower to tower until I reached the walls surrounding the cathedral. Using my telescope, I saw five girls on top of the main building, and they seemed to talk to the demon.

Hm… The situation got more complicated.

I equipped my Cat Ring, which nullifies my fall damage and cast Cloak, becoming invisible. Then I jumped off the wall and hid behind one of the pillars in the square near the cathedral.

Let us hear what these people have to say.

-XXXXXX-

"It's been a long time, Zero." The girl with blonde hair and red eyes said seriously, fixing Zero.

"Do it? I didn't even notice.” Zero replied sarcastically.

"You haven't changed a thing, you're still insane." The red-eyed girl sighed.

"Stop it, you're embarrassing me." Zero mocked.

“That was not a compliment. You look awful; did my men give you that much trouble? You are losing your touch.” The red-eyed girl replied in the same tone.

“Don't talk to me like that! You are the one who had the great idea of teaching your men magic! Are you that desperate to stop me?”

"I don't teach magic to people, Zero." The red-eyed girl said confused.

“Don't play dumb, one of your lap dogs hurled magic and curses my way. His name was Bedric, or Redric, or something like that.”

“I have no knight by that name. Your insanity must be getting out of hand; you're seeing things that aren't there.”

“Hey, it's Zero! Hey Zeeerooooo!” The blue-haired girl on top of the cathedral yelled happily, as she waved at Zero.

Did she have a problem? I do not know if she noticed, but Zero wanted to kill her.

A purple-haired girl just laughed, breathing heavily and looking at Zero. I felt the madness emanating from her. It is as if I am looking at the Old Monk and his golden robes again.

“Zero, this fight is useless! You have to stop! We're sisters!" A brown-haired girl wearing a green coat screamed.

Sisters? Does that mean they all are related? If so, her situation is like Astrea's, Zero was not born a demon, but she became one.

"Oh, don't be so prudish, Four. A good fight gets my juices flowing." A blonde girl said seductively.

If Zero wore a revealing dress, this girl wore next to nothing. None of them wore armor. Are they going to fight with their whole body unprotected? If my instructor at the time saw this, he would have a fit of rage.

“Wow, I sure am popular…” Zero replied sarcastically.

“Enough talk Zero, this is the end.” The red-eyed girl replied and four of the girls jumped off the cathedral with their weapons ready for the fight.

“Oh, this is the end all right…” Zero readied her sword.

My eyes widened behind my helmet as the girls approached Zero. All these girls were demons!

I felt inside them the same dark power that I felt inside Zero, six demons fighting each other as if one was not enough. For everyone's sake, I will end this here and now!

Therefore, I approached the fight.

-XXXXXX-

It is time to kill my sisters. At least that is what I thought.

Suddenly Two flew away with a gash on the right side of her body, Five fell forward with a gash on her back, Four fell backwards with blood coming out of her nose, and Three flew away too with a cut on her left side.

“How… Wait a minute… Don't tell me he…” I pierced the ground with my sword and spun it in a circle, kicking up dirt and dust.

The dust flew away until it stopped upon hitting something in front of me, forming the outline of a human body. The dust settled and a man wearing silver armor with a weird helmet and carrying a glowing blue sword revealed himself.

“You again? You must enjoy being spanked to come here to get your ass kicked again!” I said annoyed.

“Your insults don't affect me, but I would like to apologize.” The knight said, bowing slightly.

"Can you explain it, please?" I asked, crossing my arms.

“I underestimated you in our previous fight. If you allow me, I intend to fight with everything I have.” The knight said, pointing his sword at me.

“Well, I will satisfy that death wish of yours.” I said, pointing my sword at him, but I saw my sisters getting up behind the suicidal men in front of me.

"Hey, that wasn't nice!" Two yelled annoyed.

“Are you a demon in human skin or a human in demon skin?” Three asked cryptically, clicking her scissors.

“You bastard I'm going to… I mean, why did you do that? We should be on the same side! Are you not one of the knights?” Four exclaimed, standing up and quickly hiding her slip.

"Oh, I've heard of tough love, but this... I want compensation from you, in my bed." Five said, licking her lips. Even stabbed in the back, she is still a bitch.

"Who are you? You are not one of my men, identify yourself!” One demanded from the cathedral roof.

“I'm Edric, Slayer of Demons, and I am here to rid the world of you and your reign of terror!” Edric said, readying his sword and shield, assuming a battle stance.

Well, what a shitty day!

END OF CHAPTER

Notes:

You know, I feel better now that I've written this chapter. The idea popped into my head one day and didn't go away. It started to bother me so I decided to write it at once.

The idea was to do a crossover between Drakengard and some Souls game, at first I thought about doing the crossover with some Dark Souls, but then I realized that Dark Souls games don't have a great villain other than Sulyvahn, and even if I did the crossover I feel like it wouldn't have been good. So I decided to do the crossover with Demon's Souls. I believe that this world matches Drakengard's, so I can write a good story.

Until the next chapter.

Chapter 3: To a Girl Was Granted the Power of Song

The Feudal Lords, using their magical knowledge, ruled Midgard a long time ago. However, one day, five Goddesses came from the sky, defeating the Lords with the power of the Song and bringing peace to Midgard, becoming the Intoners.

Nevertheless, there was one more Goddess, or demon, Zero, the oldest of the Intoners. For an unknown reason, Zero decided to kill her sisters and attacked Cathedral City; a land ruled by Intoner One, with her dragon, Michael.

One and her sisters prepared the city for the attack, and the clash between them took place in front of the city's great cathedral. At least it would, if it were not for the appearance of an unknown man, a Slayer of Demons named Edric.

-Midgard, Cathedral City-

Edric raised his shield, blocking Four’s punch, and rolling backward upon seeing something approaching, dodging Zero's sword that approached his head.

Seeing one of her targets nearby, Zero slashed Four in her chest but stopped her attack when Two's great sword nearly decapitated her.

“Son of… I mean… Zero! Please, stop, we are sisters, we shouldn't fight!"

"Seriously? So why don't you stop swerving and let me get this fight over with?” Zero replied, cutting Four’s right arm.

Shortly afterward, Zero blocked Two’s blow. The Intoners crossed their blades, each trying to overpower the other.

“Hey Zero! Who is the armor person? Is he a friend of yours? Gasp! Or would it be a boyfriend?”

"I have no idea who that bastard is, but he'll be next once I'm done with you!" Zero said, pushing Two back and cutting her right after.

Zero looked up upon seeing a shadow forming over her and saw Four descending with her armored fist raised, hitting Zero in the face and sending her backward.

Zero pierced the ground with her sword to stop her movement, then closed the distance and thrust her weapon forward, aiming at Four's heart. Four, having just landed, had no time to dodge. Luckily, Two stepped in front of her sister, using her large sword as a shield.

Zero placed both her feet on the flat of Two's sword, delivering a powerful double-kick, throwing the Intoner away and hitting Four in the process. Taking the chance, Zero slashed Two and Four repeatedly.

Recovering from the onslaught, Two tried to cut Zero in the stomach, but the Intoner jumped back, unintentionally allowing Four to approach and deliver a flurry of punches. Zero blocked some with her sword, but still suffered wounds across her body.

Taking advantage of an opening in Four's punches, Zero cut Four’s unarmored right fist since it had no gauntlet.

“AAAHHH!” Four screamed in pain, backing away while holding her injured wrist.

“Four!” Two yelled, running towards the hurt Intoner.

"That hurt? Sorry, I'll be more careful next time." Zero mocked, reading her sword to finish off Four and Two, but Five and Three came flying, hitting Four and Two respectively, interrupting Zero.

"What?" Zero asked confused. Looking aside, she saw Edric approaching while carrying a great hammer.

"You gotta be kidding me! Where did you get that thing?” Zero yelled.

"I don't have to give you any satisfaction, demon." Edric replied, raising his hammer.

-A few minutes ago-

After rolling backward, dodging Zero's blow, Edric raised his shield again, blocking a spear thrust aimed at his chest.

Edric raised his Holy Sword of Moonlight and swooped it down towards Five. The Intoner jumped away, giving Three room to step forward and try to cut Edric's neck.

Edric rolled backward, dodging the blow, and by doing so, ended inside a shallow water pool that decorated the left side of the cathedral’s courtyard.

Five charged towards Edric, raising her spear like a club and trying to hit him in the head, but the knight raised his shield, blocking the strike, staying open for Three to cut him in the chest with her scissors. Thankfully, the armor blocked most of the damage.

Applying more strength, Edric pushed Five's spear away, breaking her balance. Edric then raised his sword and tried to cut Five from top to bottom, but the Intoner regained her balance, turning her spear sideways and using her other hand as support for her weapon, trying to block the blow.

If Edric had used a normal sword, Five would have blocked the blow, but it went through Five's spear as if it was not there, due to the Holy Sword's magical properties, and delivered a large cut to the Intoner's left shoulder.

“AAAHHH!” Five screamed in pain.

Suddenly, Edric heard quickly approaching footsteps on the water behind him. The knight cast Warding, covering his body with a magical barrier as Three's scissors landed on the back of his neck harmlessly.

Edric then delivered a quick slash as he spun around, Three tried to block the blow with one of her scissors, but the sword passed through it and cut Three’s stomach.

Three then jumped over Edric, the knight raised his shield above his head, blocking the scissor swings from the Intoner before she landed beside Five.

“Didn't you know it's wrong to hit a lady? Where are your manners? You are a knight are you not? You should be protecting beautiful maidens like me.” Five said annoyed, reading her spear.

“Hm… You are not human. I feel something different about you, something old. Are you several people merged into one body? No, you are your being! You forced these people into your body! The experiments I will do to you will give a great result.” Three said in mad curiosity, clicking her scissors repeatedly.

“I don't see maidens, only demons, and you're wrong if you think I'll be part of your experiments.” Edric replied, assuming a defensive stance.

Five then ran towards Edric, raising her spear and trying to pierce the knight, but Edric blocked the blow with his shield.

“How about we stop fighting and spend some quality time together? I promise it will be worth it.” Five flirted.

"Thank you, but I refuse!" Edric replied, blocking Five’s thrusts.

"What is the problem? Are you shy around girls? Do you already have someone? Alternatively, are you not confident in your size? Don't worry, it's not size that matters, it's how you use it.” Five replied, licking her lips.

With an irritated grunt, Edric lifted his right foot and kicked Five’s knee, breaking her balance and punching her chin, sending the Intoner to the ground.

Edric then released a pained grunt when something cut his back. Turning around, Edric saw Three watching intently a few blood drops dripped from her scissors.

"Your blood smells and tastes strange.” Three said, licking the blood off her scissors.

Edric pointed his Silver Catalyst at Three without saying anything and cast Soul Ray, surprising Three and piercing the hand that held the bloody scissors.

“AAAHHH! Great magic power, you sure are a unique specimen! Increased strength, speed, and stamina, what else can you do?" Three asked, smiling madly with a disturbing glint in her eyes.

"Why don't you come here and discover demon!" Edric replied, casting Soul Ray after Soul Ray, but Three jumped and rolled around the knight, dodging the spells.

“But where does so much power come from? Of your muscles, heart, or brain? I wonder if I will find the answer by dissecting you.” Three said, jumping toward Edric.

That was her mistake as Edric pointed his Silver Catalyst towards Three and cast Ignite; a flaming blast erupted from the catalyst and hit the Intoner squarely, throwing her backward before falling beside Five.

Edric then stored his Holy Sword and removed a large hammer from his bag, Bramd, the hammer of Garl Vinland. Edric placed the Dark Silver Shield on his back and held Bramd with both hands as he approached Five and Three.

“How about we talk about it? I will let you stay on top if you come with me to my room!” Five said nervously, trying to stop Edric from hitting her with the giant hammer.

“Hm… The result of this experiment was quite enlightening, but I will need further analysis.” Three responded, so focused on her analysis that she did not realize the gravity of the situation.

“AAAHHH!” With a war cry, Edric hit both Intoners with Bramd, sending them flying and only stopping upon hitting Four and Two.

-XXXXXX-

“Get those mounds of fat off my face!” Four yelled angrily, slapping Five’s breasts while she stood on top of her.

“Men would kill to be in your position, you know?" Five replied annoyed, getting off Four.

“So much happiness, so strong on the outside but so fragile on the inside, I wonder what it takes for that happiness to break.” Three said cryptically, caressing Two’s cheeks as she got off her.

“I have no idea what you mean, but it was interesting.” Two replied happily, standing up and smiling at Three. Then Two, Three, Four, and Five stood side by side with their weapons ready.

“Who is this knight?” Four asked.

"I think he's Zero's boyfriend." Two replied.

"Seriously? I wonder if she's willing to let me borrow him for a while." Five said.

"Curious..." Three muttered, lost in thought.

The Intoners said as they watched Zero and Edric fight. The knight lifted Bramd with both hands, trying to crush Zero.

"Are you sure they are a couple?" Four asked.

“Relationships have their ups and downs. They will solve this themselves.” Five said.

Zero tried to cut off Edric's head, but the knight used Bramd's handle to block the blow.

“Perhaps we should interrupt?” Three asked.

“I don't think it's a good idea to get into a couple's fight. Maybe Cent and I can give them advice?” Two said.

Zero and Edric walked away, and everyone returned to their starting locations. The Intoners had their backs to the cathedral, Zero faced the Intoners and Edric stood between Zero and her sisters.

"This is enough; get out of my way, now! You wasted enough of my time! I am having a shitty day and my sisters are still alive! Could you please die now?!?” Zero yelled at Edric.

"If you want me out of your way then you have to kill me." Edric replied.

“So be it!” Zero sang, activating her Intoner Mode, magic covered her body and she ran towards Edric. Behind the knight, the other Intoners sang too, activating their Intoner Mode.

"Shit!" Edric yelled, seeing the approaching enemies.

Storing Bramd, Edric removed the Holy Sword of Moonlight and Blue Blood Sword from his bag, holding one sword in both hands. He cast a series of spells soon after, Cursed Weapon on the Blue Blood Sword, Homing Soul Arrow, and Warding.

Edric raised his Blue Blood Sword and tried to cut Zero, but knowing the effect the sword had on her body, blocked the blow. Unfortunately, she stood open for the second blow that Edric delivered with his Holy Sword, passing through the magical barrier that protected Zero's body.

“What the fuck?! How the hell did you hurt me in Intoner Mode?!”

"Let's just say I have a varied arsenal of magic artifacts. Besides, I've faced worse things than you, demon."

The fight continued, Edric kept Zero on the defensive, attacking with the cursed sword, forcing Zero to block, and striking with the Holy Sword, making Zero dodge, and when she dodged, Edric used the cursed sword again.

Suddenly, the Soul Arrows above Edric fired; hitting something behind him, but Edric still received a punch in the back of his head. There was not much damage thanks to Warding, but the knight lost his balance, leaving him unprepared for Zero's attack.

Taking her chance, Zero brutally slashed Edric in the stomach and chest. The knight tried to fight back, but scissors cutting his wrist stopped him. Edric then kicked Zero away and turned around in time to slash Three diagonally across her chest and stomach.

“Interesting, a spell capable of passing through the Intoner Mode, the mystery gets more and more complicated.” Three rambled through the pain.

Edric saw a spear approaching out of the corner of his eye. Leaning back, Edric allowed Five to pass beside him and then slashed her back with the Holy Sword.

Rolling to the left, Edric dodged Two's great sword, trying to split him in two. The knight then cut Two with the Blue Blood Sword, making her retreat.

Suddenly, Edric released a pained scream.

“AAAHHH!”

Looking down, Edric saw Zero's sword sticking out of his stomach, and looking back, the knight spotted Zero glaring at him.

“Surprise motherfucker!” Zero screamed, placing her right foot on Edric's back and kicking him to his hands and knees. Then, Zero ran towards Edric, kicking him in the right side of his helmet.

Edric stood up but received a punch from Four. The knight realized he left no damage upon slashing the Intoner, the sword’s curse had faded, but Four still stood in her Intoner Mode.

Edric then tried to slash Four with his Holy Sword, but the Intoner stepped out of the way, allowing Two to cut him in the chest.

Edric stood in a worrying situation; injured and between Zero and the Intoners. The Intoners focused on the biggest threat now, Edric.

The knight tried to defend himself with his Blue Blood Sword and attack with the Holy Sword, but the Intoners took turns attacking Edric.

When he found an opening to attack, the Intoners would move away, allowing another Intoner to attack, or the magical barrier of the Intoner Mode would stop the blow.

Edric grabbed his God Talisman during an opening between attacks and cast a miracle.

"ENOUGH!" Edric screamed, slamming the talisman on the ground and casting Anti-Magic Field, creating a blue magic circle around the Intoners and himself.

Suddenly, the Intoner Mode deactivated and blue magic rays covered Edric's body. The Intoners tried singing again, but each of them had a coughing fit.

“COUGH! What did you do?" Zero yelled.

"My song! COUGH! I can't feel the power of the song!” Five yelled worriedly.

"The situation has become worrisome..." Three said with an edge of nervousness in her voice.

"But what... how..." Four stuttered desperate, not accepting the situation while Two tried singing again, only to have the previous result.

Taking advantage of the Intoners' surprise Edric cast Recovery, restoring his health and healing all of his wounds as if the Intoners had never harmed him.

Soon after, Edric cast Regeneration, restoring his health over time. Edric then removed a flask of Aged Spice from his bag, drinking its contents and restoring his magic.

“Allow me to explain, I just disabled all magic in the surrounding area; none of us will be able to use magic for some time.” Edric said.

"If none of us can use magic then what did you just do?" Zero asked.

"Believe me, what I did was not magic, but enough wasting time, it is my turn to enter the offensive.” Edric replied, holding the Holy Sword with both hands and running towards Zero.

Zero tried to block the blow, but the sword passed through her block, cutting her. Edric continued on the offensive, attacking incessantly, and forcing Zero to dodge, but some of the cuts still tinged her.

Zero then cut Edric on his left side, but the wound closed with a golden glow due to Regeneration and Edric’s magic ring.

“What the fuck was that?!” Zero demanded surprised.

“Miracles!” Edric responded, slashing Zero, as he would not have to worry about blocking hits for a while.

Edric's instincts trained by the dangerous and cruel environments of Boletaria warned him that something approached.

Turning around quickly, Edric dodged Four's punch, grabbing her outstretched wrist and using his superhuman strength to pull Four off the ground, spinning her through the air and using her body like a club to strike Zero, throwing her away.

“AAAHHH!” Four screamed, spinning through the air.

Edric then slammed Four repeatedly into the ground, leaving a Four-shaped hole with each strike. Edric then raised his left foot, ready to crush Four's head.

“Four!” Two screamed, running to save her sister.

Edric, upon seeing this, threw Four towards Two, hitting her mid-run before both sisters rolled across the ground.

Five ran towards Edric with her spear raised, trying to pierce him in the heart, but the knight waited for Five’s approach, dodging at the last second and spinning his body, hitting Five’s nose with his elbow, drawing blood before cutting her repeatedly.

Three appeared on Edric's left side, trying to cut his neck, but Edric crouched and kneed Three's stomach upon getting up, followed by a cut to her chest before throwing her away.

Looking around, Edric saw that the Intoners surrounded him, approaching with weapons raised. The knight grabbed his talisman again and shouted.

"WRATH OF THE GODS!"

A huge shock wave shot out of Edric’s body, shaking the city and forming a huge crater in front of its cathedral.

All the Intoners hit by the shock wave flew away screaming in pain. What Edric did not know was that Wrath of the Gods, the miracle made with the Dragon God's soul, did more damage to the Intoners than it should.

Zero stood up, bleeding from the mouth and nose due to severe internal damage, and the other Intoners were in the same situation.

“Son of... You bastard! How did you get the power of a dragon?” Zero asked, trying to get up, her regeneration struggling to heal the damage done by the miracle.

"Simple, I killed one." Edric replied, but this answer seemed to upset Zero a little.

"This is enough." One said from the top of the cathedral and everyone turned towards her.

"Gabriel!" One said, raising her hand and snapping her fingers. Two, Three, Four, and Five ran towards the cathedral upon hearing this.

A magical portal opened in the sky above the cathedral and a large, dark-purple dragon wearing an iron mask and metal plates around its jaw fell out of it, roaring furiously.

“This day just keeps getting worse!” Edric sighed, storing the Holy Sword and Dark Silver Shield, before retreating until he stood beside Zero.

Zero, still trying to get up, widened her eye in surprise upon seeing a shadow forming over her face, something big, long, thick, and heavy.

Edric held his Dragon Bone Smasher, a thick, bladeless mass of iron enchanted with fire protection, a sword that insulted swordplay, made to crush the Dragon God's bones.

“Where did you get this thing?" Zero asked disbelieving.

“I removed it from my bag.” Edric replied, not seeing the problem.

Looking at Edric, Zero saw a small, brow bag that would fit in the palm of her hand hanging from his waist.

“Bullshit, as if this could fit in that bag.” Zero exclaimed annoyed, pointing at the gigantic sword.

"Believe what you want, demon, but we have bigger problems now." Edric replied, pointing at the dragon Gabriel.

“Hm… I still think you are compensating for something to carry a weapon this big.” Zero teased, standing up and receiving an irritated grunt from Edric, and then Gabriel ran towards them both.

The knight held the Dragon Bone Smasher with both hands and spun clockwise as Gabriel approached with its mouth open, ready to devour him.

Suddenly, Edric stopped spinning and at the moment of the spin went toward the sword, visibly dragging the air, and then hitting Gabriel’s jaw left side. A shock wave erupted from the blow, rumbling like thunder, and then...

CRACK!

“RRROOOAAARRR!” Gabriel let out a deafening pained roar, the bones of its jaw crushed as blood and dragon teeth flew away.

"Gabriel!" One yelled worriedly from the top of the cathedral.

"HAHAHA! I see this weapon is not just for show!” Zero laughed as she ran towards Gabriel, and together, Edric and Zero fought the dragon.

Zero cut Gabriel across its body with quick slashes as Gabriel tried to trample her, but the Intoner dodged the stomps, this gave an opening for Edric to raise his sword and descend it towards the dragon's right paw.

CRACK!

“RRROOOAAARRR!” Gabriel roared again, now limping with the bones of its right paw crushed.

“Look who decided to summon a daemon. That's no longer a dragon you have One, it's just a monster” Zero scoffed, dodging a tail swipe from Gabriel.

Edric then struck Gabriel in its metal mask, ripping off a piece of it and exposing Gabriel's right eye.

“Hm… I will need more strength if I want to crush the skull.” Edric said thoughtfully, rolling and dodging the spikes Gabriel shot with its tail.

“Silence, I will not accept your judgment, sister! We Intoners swear to keep the world in balance! Now you seek all our power for yourself, shameful!" One answered angrily from the top of the cathedral.

“And what do you understand about balance? How can this world be balanced with such a dark tendency?” Edric asked, glaring at One.

“More than you, we brought peace to Midgard! Why are you fighting us, knight?” One demanded, retuning the glare with the same intensity.

"What can I say? I cannot stand still when there are demons in front of me!” Edric replied.

“The only demon here is you!” One said, her calm demeanor slowly disappearing with each word.

"HAHAHA! Only if you knew the things I saw. It's no use pretending innocence; I felt the dark power inside all of you and I will do my duty as a Slayer of Demons!” Edric answered, getting One’s and Zero’s attention.

“What do you mean by dark power?” One asked seriously while frowning, but a tail swipe from Gabriel flung Edric away before he answered.

Edric then rolled upon landing and stood up quickly, hitting Gabriel's tail and breaking its bones before answering One’s question.

CRACK!

“There's darkness inside all of you, something dangerous and powerful. It's what gives you power and I cannot allow something like this to exist.”

“Hump! Looks like I'm not the only one who knows.” Zero commented, running her hand over the flower in her eye.

“You two are insane!” One screamed in denial from the top of the cathedral.

Suddenly, Gabriel jumped back, opening its mouth as a light shone inside it, and then the dragon fired a powerful magic beam, aiming at Edric and Zero.

Edric rolled out of the way, but Zero was not so quick and the magic beam ripped off her left arm, which flew away and landed in front of her. The Intoner tried to get up, but the pain and bleeding would not allow it.

"Finish them." One said, jumping from the cathedral and landing beside Gabriel, who complied and charged another magic beam.

"Zero!" Someone screamed.

Suddenly, Michael, the white dragon, entered the fight.

"Fire!" Zero yelled, and Michael fired his magic beam toward One without wasting time.

“One!” The Intoners screamed before singing and forming a magic barrier in front of One.

"How does she still have so much strength..." One asked, watching both beams collide while Zero stood to her feet.

“It pains me to say this, but the situation has gotten out of hand, this has become a fight I can’t win.” Edric said, casting Cloak, turning invisible, and disappearing from the fight.

The magic beam overwhelmed Michael's one then advanced towards Zero, but the white dragon moved faster and protected her with its wing. The magic attack threw them both out of the cathedral toward a deadly at the ruins below.

One and her sisters approached the edge of the courtyard, watching the Intoner and her dragon disappear amidst the crumbled buildings.

"She ran away, did you think about killing the Intoners? Silly girl." One said and laughed victoriously with all her might.

"HAHAHA... AAAHHH!" Suddenly, pained screams interrupted One’s laughter as something heavy crushed her against the ground.

“My bones!” One screamed with her face sunk into the courtyard as laughter echoed between her sisters’ worried screams.

“HAHAHAHA!”

-XXXXXX-

Well, there is no pleasant outcome to this fight, the demons are alive, there are two dragons on the loose, and I found myself in an unknown land.

Maybe I will find someone who can tell me where I am. Maybe I will find a village or a place to spend the night. However, one thing is certain; I cannot leave as long as the demons remain on this land.

I walked on the plains outside the city with the cathedral and changed into the equipment I wore when I arrived, but kept all the rings equipped.

Suddenly, I heard wings flapping. Looking up, I saw something that made me draw the Dragon Bone Smasher as a Black Dragon landed in front of me.

As I said before, this day only gets worse and worse. The dragon then looked at me and said

“Greetings, human.”

END OF CHAPTER

Chapter 4: Draconic Surprise

“Greetings human.” The dragon in front of me said.

Excellent, there are more talking dragons! Since when can dragons talk? Every dragon I have encountered has tried to burn me alive, or in the Dragon God's case, turn me into a stain on the ground with a punch.

"What do you want?" I replied, assuming a fighting stance.

"Why the lack of courtesy? I believe you humans greet each other before interacting.” The dragon mocked, circling me while I followed its steps, always keeping it in sight.

"Sorry, but I'm not used to talking dragons.” I said, making the dragon tilt its head confused.

“And why is that?” The dragon asked with amusement and curiosity in its voice. Was this conversation just a means of entertainment for it?

“All the dragons I encountered before were nothing but beasts; they burned and devoured everything they came across.”

"So you've never really met a dragon." The dragon responded irritated.

“Let's get straight to the point! Why are you here?" I demanded.

"Good question, why am I here? Maybe I am hungry and found an appetizer? Maybe I am bored and I am looking for something to entertain me? Or maybe…” The dragon paused.

"Maybe?" I asked hesitantly, fearing the answer.

"Maybe most of the magic-sensing beings in Midgard and I felt a great power source appear out of nowhere. Perhaps this power source exudes the scent of something ancient and powerful. Perhaps if I devour this power source I will reach a level that no dragon has ever reached."

The dragon said giving me an imitation of a smile as its physiology prevented it from performing such an expression correctly, displaying all of its razor-sharp teeth.

"My scent, what do you mean by that?"

Does this dragon want to devour me? I need more information, let us see if I can make it talk more.

“As I said before, you have the scent of something ancient and powerful, something demonic. Are you one of God's creations? I do not think so, your scent, the scent of the Watchers, and that flower are different, but similar in a way. Both are creations of a higher being, made to destroy the world, but somehow you got that power for yourself.” The dragon then stopped in front of me and approached.

“I've fought God's creations, did you know? You humans call them angels or demons, but we dragon's call them puppets. God also created us dragons, but we rebelled against it, as it wanted our total obedience. As if, we, members of the proud dragon race, would ever debase ourselves! The power you possess, I want it! Give it to me!” The dragon demanded.

“Don't think it will be easy. I don’t intend to give it up without a fight.” I said, placing the Adjudicator's Shield on my back, its enchantment still in effect.

"HAHAHA! I would not expect it to be otherwise, we black dragons are the greatest warriors of our race. I would be disappointed if you surrendered without challenging me!”

With a mighty roar, the black dragon charged towards me.

-XXXXXX-

The Intoner known as Zero had recently attacked Cathedral City. Fortunately, One and her sisters repelled Zero away, but the events were not over, as a fight happened near Cathedral City, a fight between a Black Dragon and a Slayer of Demons.

“RROOOAAARRR!” The Black Dragon roared, charging toward Edric while trying to bite his upper torso to split him in two.

The knight rolled to the right, dodging the bite, then swung his Dragon Bone Smasher towards the dragon's jaw. Upon seeing this, the dragon raised its head, allowing the blow to pass under its chin.

The dragon then raised its right wing and tried to crush Edric, but he rolled backward, the dragon's blow only hitting the earth, and swung at the dragon's wing, but the dragon leaped back with a flap of its wings, avoiding the attack.

“Interesting, this weapon is too big for a normal human to lift. The result of the power you acquired?” The black dragon asked curiously.

"Why don't you come here and find out?" Edric replied.

"HAHAHA, with pleasure!" The dragon ran toward Edric, its head low, aiming at the knight like a bull.

Edric cast Cloak with his Silver Catalyst and the dragon sniffed the air upon seeing that the knight had disappeared, and then swung its tail like a whip, hitting something that flew away and hit the ground, raising a dust cloud.

"How did you find me?" Edric asked surprised, standing up.

“It is impossible not to notice such a unique smell.” The dragon replied.

“Good to know, that serves as a lesson for me.”

The Black Dragon then took off and glided in the air, an orange light shone in its mouth, and then it spat a fire blast towards Edric, intending on turning him to ash.

Edric, seeing that there was no time to dodge, cast Water Veil, covering himself on water and reducing fire damage. Edric then raised his Dragon Bone Smasher as a shield and used it to protect himself from the flames, letting them envelop him.

Meanwhile, the dragon watched the sea of ​​flames that formed in the clearing.

"Looks like it's over. I expect more from someone with so much power... AAAHHH!" The dragon screamed in pain as a blue bolt that shot out of the flames pierced one of its wings.

Several blue bolts followed right after, piercing the dragon through its chest, and neck, but that was not enough to defeat the flying creature.

Focusing its vision, the dragon saw a figure amid the flames; Edric with his catalyst raised. The dragon could not help but smile; it had been a while since it had a good fight.

Edric removed a Full Moon Grass from his bag, eating it and healing most of his wounds, then stored his Dragon Bone Smasher and removed his Sticky Composite Longbow from his bag.

Edric then took a rotten arrow, a poisoned arrow, from the quiver on his back and aimed at the dragon, releasing the string and hitting the dragon’s chest, but it did not seem to bother it.

The dragon roared and launched itself towards Edric, trying to crush him with the weight of its body, but Edric aside, dodging the attack and firing two more arrows when the dragon landed.

The dragon then spun its body with its mouth open, trying to bite Edric, but he rolled away and cast Poison Cloud towards the dragon's head.

“COUGH! COUGH! What sorcery is this?” The dragon demanded while coughing.

"You speak as if I should tell you!" Edric replied.

“My interest in you only increases, human.” The dragon flapped its wings, dispelling the poisonous cloud and taking off.

The dragon flew across the clearing, spitting several fireballs toward Edric while he ran away, dodging the attacks and firing arrows in exchange, but a fireball collided with the ground next to Edric.

The blast threw the knight away; the dragon took its chance and flew towards Edric with its mouth open again, ready to devour him.

Edric took three poisoned kunai from his bag and threw them towards the dragon's face, piercing it and disorienting the monster; he then moved away, allowing the dragon to crash into the ground.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Edric fired more poison arrows towards the monster. He then drew his Silver Catalyst and aimed at the dragon, but the creature recovered from its fall and bit his arm.

“AAAHHH!” Edric screamed in pain as the dragon's fangs crushed his arm.

The dragon then lifted the knight off the ground and slammed him repeatedly against the clearing, denting his armor and drawing blood with each hit.

With the catalyst still in hand, Edric conjured Poison Cloud into the dragon's mouth; the beast's eyes widened as tears streamed down them and a green poisonous cloud came out of its nostrils.

Suddenly, the dragon sweated profusely and staggered, then vomited, freeing the knight.

"But... But... what is this?" The dragon asked disoriented.

“Looks like the poison took effect.” Edric responded, equipping his Dragon Bone Smasher.

"Poison? HAHAHA! You are full of tricks and fought well, for a human, but I believe it is time to end this.” The dragon responded struggling to its feet as flames formed in its mouth.

"I agree." Edric replied, resting the Dragon Bone Smasher on his shoulder and running at full speed towards his enemy. Simultaneously, the dragon opened its mouth, ready to spit a hellfire.

"FIRE!"

However, a rain of arrows interrupted them both. Edric used his Dragon Bone Smasher as a shield, blocking some of the arrows, while the dragon used one of its wings to protect itself.

Looking around, Edric and the dragon saw that the soldiers of Cathedral City surrounded them, as their fight on the city’s outskirts was not discreet.

The soldiers wore full plate armor, and held swords, shields, halberds, and spears, with archers ready to shoot further back together with mages casting their spells.

As if that was not enough, a roar echoed in the distance, the dragon Gabriel approached despite the wounds from its previous conflict as its madness forced it to fight no matter what.

"Well, that's an unpleasant surprise." Edric said monotonously, but the black dragon did not share the same sentiment.

"How dare you interrupt a duel between warriors?!? I will devour each one of you, you human pests!” The dragon screamed, staggering from side to side, the poison in its body still kicking in.

“This is not a good time to allow your anger to consume you. We are at a disadvantage and need to escape." Edric replied.

"SILENCE! As if, I would run away from a bunch of pathetic humans! My pride as a dragon, the greatest of all races, would not allow it!” The dragon responded angrily.

“Listen, we're in no condition to fight and one more dragon is coming. Do you think you can win this fight?” Edric asked, making the dragon ponder his words as it looked at the soldiers and Gabriel.

“GGGRRR! I will be a laughingstock for the rest of my life if the other dragons discover what happened here, especially that red dragon! Very well human, what do you suggest?”

Edric looked around as the soldiers surrounded him; a path leading to Cathedral City stood to his right while a forest in the distance stood to his left.

"Perhaps I can create an opening for us to flee towards the forest."

“Hm… I don’t like the idea of ​​running away.”

“You can stay here and die if you want, but I'm more worried about what might happen to me.”

"Well, so put your plan into action."

The knight stored his Dragon Bone Smasher without answering and held his God Talisman. Suddenly, he ran towards the soldiers that blocked the path toward the forest.

"He's approaching! Stop him!” The soldiers screamed, raising their spears, trying to pierce the knight, but he did not stop.

Edric cast Wrath of the Gods, creating a powerful shock wave that sent the soldiers flying away, breaking their formation.

"HAHAHA! I am impressed, human!” The black dragon exclaimed.

Then, with unnecessary cruelty, the dragon killed as many soldiers as possible as they fled, some torn apart and others thrown away when the dragon used its tail as a whip.

There were those unhappy enough to stay in the dragon's path and be trampled as it ran towards the forest.

Edric grabbed the dragon's tail with all his strength as it passed by him and let the creature carry him towards the forest.

“Release me human!”

"I don't like this as much as you do, but now is not the time."

Arrows and spells flew towards Edric and the dragon, the first cast Anti-Magic Field, dissipating the spells midair, but the arrows continued, piercing the dragon and knight, even so, they disappeared into the forest.

-XXXXXX-

I cannot hold on anymore, I am getting sick! I thought as the dragon’s tail shook me up and down.

We ran for a few minutes, losing the soldiers, but the dragon I faced in the city still followed us high in the sky.

Suddenly, the black dragon stopped running and fell, sliding thanks to its speed while I flew away due to the sudden stop, passing over its body and landing a few meters ahead.

I stood up with some difficulty and checked my condition burnt and bite marks, cuts, slightly melted dents, and arrows covered my armor. I surely have some broken bones and internal injuries, had better heal it now.

I cast Recovery with my talisman then pulled the arrows out of my armor, mainly on my shoulders and back.

Finally, I removed an Ed’s whetstone from my bag, repairing the damage to my armor and equipment. I am unsure how a whetstone can do that, but it is still useful.

“COUGH! COUGH! COUGH!” Suddenly, the black dragon coughed, catching my attention.

I held my Dragon Bone Smasher with both hands and approached the creature, stopping in front of its head, ready to deliver the final blow. The dragon's eyes opened and it stared at me, I could not help but notice its condition.

Arrows and wounds covered its body, green goo seeped along with its blood due to the poison, and its eyes were sickly red as blood ran from its mouth.

“Don't worry; I'll get you out of your misery.”

The dragon closed its eyes, accepting its fate, but I heard a flap of wings and saw a large shadow passing over me before I could kill it.

Looking up through the dense foliage, I saw the dragon from before, but it still had not noticed me. Searching my surroundings, I spotted a cave on my left and then looked at the dragon.

I will probably regret this. I pointed my catalyst at the dragon and cast Cloak, making it invisible, then ran into the cave and waited for Gabriel to leave.

-XXXXXX-

It has been a few hours and dark clouds formed in the sky, it will rain soon. As if reading my thoughts, a water drop fell from the sky, and then another, and another, and another.

It rained a heavy but pleasant rain, unlike the raging storms of the Shrine of the Storms. It is so strange; I am so used to the depressing surroundings of Boletaria that seeing the rain makes me uncomfortable.

I saw the outline of the invisible dragon in the rain; it rose and came towards the cave. I believe it did not realize its invisibility.

The effect of the spell ended when the dragon entered the cave, revealing its form. It looked better but still gave a sickly appearance.

The dragon passed by my side without looking at me, going deeper into the cave where there was more space, rotated its body, and then returned to the cave entrance, lying down beside me.

“I felt you casting a spell on me. What was that?" The dragon asked.

"I cast Cloak, turning you invisible and hiding you from the approaching dragon." I replied.

"That was more of a Daemon than a dragon. If that thing was once a dragon, then it must have forgotten a long time ago." The dragon replied.

Good, I have one more demon to kill.

“Why did you help me?” The dragon asked again.

"I don't know, maybe I'm not used to killing rational beings, or maybe I prefer to kill you when you're able to defend yourself." I shrugged.

“You are a warrior; you take pleasure in facing strong adversaries, beings that can give you a challenge, like me."

"I won't deny it, I like a good fight." I replied, smiling under my helmet.

The dragon laughed wearily, strangely reminding me of my father.

"Hahaha... I think I am getting old... A human challenging me ... Hahaha..."

"You're not the first dragon I've faced."

“Oh, and who would be the first dragon that had the pleasure?” The dragon asked amused.

“I faced a red dragon, a blue dragon, and the Dragon God."

“Did a dragon call itself God? I have met many proud dragons, but never one so arrogant, including the self-proclaimed strongest dragon in the world, that white-scaled brat; I have never bothered to learn its name. I'd like to face it for the title of strongest, but I'm getting off-topic, where are the dragons you fought now?" The dragon asked curiously.

“They were killed by my hand.” I replied and the dragon went silent for a few seconds.

“Tell me, did the red dragon speak to you?"

“No, the dragons I faced didn’t seem to be anything more than animals, they acted on instinct. The Dragon God was the only one who should have been able to speak, but it wasn’t interested in talking, but rather in crushing me with a punch."

"A punch, it was a dragon with hands?”

“Yes, a mountain-sized dragon with six glowing red eyes, two rows of teeth, humanoid muscular arms and legs, and two gigantic wings protruding from its back.”

"I you better stop talking human; I'm getting more excited at the thought of facing such a creature."

"Unfortunately, you missed your chance."

"Sadly. All the dragons in the world would bow to me if I achieved such a feat... What a wonderful dream..." The dragon replied tiredly, it looked like it would sleep soon.

"Here, eat it." I said, handing it something.

"What is this?" The dragon asked, studying the object with one of its eyes.

"A Nobleman's Lotus, it can heal poisoning."

The dragon stared at the red lotus in my hand, opened its mouth and I threw it inside, instantaneously healing the beast.

“Receiving charity…from a human… what have I become?” The dragon then fell asleep.

I watched the rainfall while the dragon slept. I did not feel tired since absorbed so many souls that it became hard to feel sleepy or hungry, and wounds that should kill a normal man are just an inconvenience to me.

I think I stopped being human a long time ago, but I will not let it hinder me, there are still demons to slay and I will find a way home when I am done.

-Cathedral City-

The Intoner known as One laid face down on her bed, suffering from severe back pain due to something unknown crushing her, while her sisters tried to comfort her.

“What is the status of Cathedral City?” One asked seriously, but her pillow muffed her voice.

"Not good, a lot of soldiers and knights died and the city's infrastructure suffered severe damage." Three replied coolly.

“And the unknown knight?” One asked again.

“He escaped. According to the reports, the knight faced a black dragon before your men surrounded him. I asked the survivors of Zero's attack if they knew who that knight was, but their response worried me. No one knew who he was as if he appeared out of nowhere.” Four replied worriedly.

“Hm… Let's leave things as they are for now, we need to rebuild our strength and repair the damage done, but I want you to stay alert for any new appearances of Zero or the knight." One answered.

"You can count on me, dear sister.” Four replied, smiling happily.

“Do you mind if I do some experiments on him first?” Three asked with disconcerting joy in her voice.

"Three..." One muttered, facing her sister.

Suddenly, Five and Two, who entered the room and almost knocked down the door, interrupted the ongoing conversation.

“Dear Sister One, I prepared your dinner!” Five said carrying a soup bowl filled with a bubbling purple liquid.

One smelled the soup from afar due to her heightened senses, her face contorted and turned green as she held back the urge to vomit.

"Thanks...Five..." One said hesitantly, trying not to throw up.

"And I will give you a back massage to ease your pain!" Two said, running towards One.

The eyes of all the Intoners but Two widened at this information. She was the physically strongest of all the Intoners and known for her lack of delicacy.

“TWO NO!” All the Intoners screamed but it was too late, Two's hands approached One's back and…

CRACK!

“AAAHHH!”

-XXXXXX-

In a forest in the middle of the rain, Intoner Zero carried something in her arms, a white-scaled baby dragon. Lightning fell from the sky, scaring the baby, but Zero held it closer to her chest.

"Don't worry Mikhail, we'll be home soon."

-UNKNOWN LOCATION-

Report Number 1: Today Intoner Zero attacked Cathedral City, everything occurred as it should, but something abnormal happened, a large power spike surged in the city.

I found a knight who identified himself as Edric while investigating the source of the power spike, and this knight faced Zero and her sisters, demonstrating great physical strength and unknown magical power.

Upon further investigation, it was not possible to identify the origin of the knight; he is not from this branch, but his branch of origin remains unknown. We need further investigation to determine whether Edric is a threat to the branch or not.

End of report.

END OF CHAPTER

Chapter 5: New Land, New Problems, New Adventures

The rain had stopped some time ago, and in a rare moment, I felt hungry. Therefore, I walked through the forest, searching for something to eat, and I found it.

I dragged the body of a bear with its neck cut, a quick and painless blow done by my Sharp Uchigatana, upgraded to the fullest with Blade Stone, and my Thief Ring. The bear did not even know what hit it.

I took the bear to the entrance of the cave and prepared the meat, using my Secret Dagger to skin it and my Uchigatana to cut the meat into pieces. I went toward a tree nearby and cut it in two with a blow from my Great Ax, then cut it into smaller pieces, turning it into firewood.

I made a stone circle, put the wood in it, then pointed my Silver Catalyst at it and cast Flame Throw. A flaming bolt flew out of my catalyst and hit the bonfire, lighting it up.

I sat in front of the fire with the meat beside me, removed a Rapier from my bag, skewered one of the meat pieces, and put it over the fire. I salivated with the smell and heard something big moving behind me. I was not the only one who liked it.

The Black Dragon did not say a word; it walked towards what remained of the bear and ate it.

“Are you going to eat it raw?” I asked.

The dragon removed its mouth from the bear's guts; its snout and mouth smeared with blood, and faced me.

"We dragons don't have weak stomachs like you humans; we don't have to cook our food." The dragon said as it ate again.

“That's not what I meant. I believe that roasted meat tastes better than raw meat.” I said, removing my Rapier from the fire and biting the roasted meat.

"How did you do it?" The dragon asked while frowning.

“Well, first I killed the bear, then…”

"That's not what I meant!" The dragon exclaimed, interrupting me.

“Then explain it to me.” I replied, biting the meat again.

“How are you eating this meat?”

"I am eating with my mouth." I shrugged.

The dragon then breathed deeply, the air entering its lungs audible to everyone.

"What I mean, you annoying human is how you are eating that meat without removing your helmet?!"

"Like this." I said, approaching the piece of meat towards my helmet's mouth area, pressing it against the helmet, and pulling it away, seeing the lack of a piece and a bite mark while I chewed.

"Forget it! You humans are strange, I will never understand you.”

"Pardon me! I also don't understand how anyone can eat raw meat, but if that's your preference then I suppose you won't want this delicious and succulent piece of roast beef.” I answered, skewing another piece of meat on the Rapier and roasting it.

“Hm... As if I needed the same perks as you humans.” The dragon said, biting the bear's body and dragging it away.

It does not matter, I could not eat it all anyway, besides, I cut enough meat for myself.

-XXXXXX-

"Is it ready?" The dragon asked behind me.

"Not yet, it's already the fifth time you've asked me." I replied frustrated, feeling the creature's bad breath attacking my nose.

"Why is it taking so long?"

“How many times do I have to tell you? Meat needs time to roast, in less time, the meat will be raw, for more time, and the meat will burn. It needs to be cooked for a certain amount of time.”

The dragon got tired of eating raw bear and couldn't resist the smell of roasting meat, now it pestered me for a piece.

"Fine, but I'll burn you to ashes if the meat does not taste good." The dragon said menacingly.

"Oh my, would you like to repeat the result of our previous fight? I assure you, I still have many poison arrows with me, a few hundred to be precise.” I mocked, patting my bag while the dragon grunted irritated, but soon fell silent.

"Is it ready?" The dragon asked again after a few minutes.

What did I do to deserve this? I thought in irritation.

"Yes, it's ready!"

I swung my Rapier towards the dragon, the roasted meat detached itself and flew towards the monster, who opened its mouth and bit the meat, chewing it right after.

"So, what do you think?" I asked.

“Hm... It is acceptable." The dragon said reluctantly.

Hump! I had all this trouble just to receive an acceptable!

Suddenly the dragon ran past me and headed towards the trees. It returned a few minutes later with a dead bear in its mouth, laying it at my feet.

"More!" The dragon ordered.

Acceptable my ass.

-XXXXXX-

With our wounds healed and bellies full, the dragon and I stared at each other awkwardly.

“What will you do now?” The dragon asked.

“I will search for some town, village, or someplace to acquire information. Or would you rather finish what we started yesterday?”

“As much as I would love to continue our fight, we would draw the attention of Cathedral City’s soldiers again, so I don't plan on fighting you, for now."

“The feeling is mutual.” I replied turning my back on the dragon and walking in a random direction; hopefully, I would arrive somewhere soon.

“You have no idea where to go, do you?” The dragon asked amused, but I did not answer and just stood in silence.

"HAHAHA! I imagined, but fear not, human! I, in all my generosity, will take you to the nearest human settlement!” The dragon boasted, approaching me.

Will it take me? So, that means…

Suddenly, something enveloped me and my feet left the ground. The dragon held me with one of its paws and took off right away. In a few seconds, we were high in the sky.

“You're silent, human. Do you fear of heights?" The dragon asked as we flew.

“N-no, I've just never flown before. Wouldn't it be easier to carry me on your back?"

Suddenly, the dragon swayed during its flight and I grabbed its paw to prevent falling to my death.

“As if, I would allow a pathetic human to climb on my back! That would be an insult!” The dragon said angrily.

Well, there is nothing to discuss. Try to enjoy the view Edric.

Looking around, I realized how much this place differed from Boletaria. There were no ruins and demons, but lush forests, bright sun, and the blue sea in the distance.

Ostrava, can you see what I am seeing?

-XXXXXX-

“Listen here you damn dragon, you better not… AAAHHH!” I did not finish as the dragon dived towards the city below.

I saw small dots moving through the streets, probably the population panicking upon seeing a dragon approaching.

A low close to the streets followed the dive. Suddenly, I felt the grip of the dragon's paw loose.

"Don't even think about it, you bastard!" I screamed, but it did not hear me or ignore me.

The dragon released me when I stood a few centimeters from the ground. I flew for a few seconds due to the great speed we moved, but hit the ground soon after and bounced down the street until…

CRASH!

Until I destroyed the wall of a building.

Standing up and out of the hole, I saw the dragon turning around in the air and flying higher.

"HAHAHA, until we meet again, human!” The dragon laughed and flew away.

“I will peel off all your scales the next time we meet!” I shouted back, making the dragon laugh harder.

Turning around, I entered the building through the hole I had made, and analyzing my surroundings, I found myself in a tavern. A door stood beside the hole, with circular tables with four chairs around them in both corners of the building, and a counter in front of me.

I noticed a woman on the other side of the counter, looking at me with an open mouth and wide eyes while pouring the drink into a mug held by a surprised man, sitting on a bench while his recipient overflowed.

The other customers did not move from their locations and stared at me without blinking, a group of men had stopped their card game, one of them with his hand outstretched in the air, about to place a new card on top of the pile.

Another man had stopped drinking, the mug out of his mouth and spilling its contents on his lap.

I sat on a wooden bench in front of the counter, creaking with the weight of my gear, clasped both hands on the counter with my thumbs on top of each other, and stared at the woman as she stared back.

She did not have any distinguishing features; brown hair tied in a ponytail, slightly tanned skin with freckles on her cheeks, and wore a typical commoner outfit, a white long-sleeved shirt, a brown skirt, and an apron on top.

"Hello!" I said breaking the silence.

“HELLO?!” The entire tavern screamed and I cringed at its volume.

“What the hell was that?!” The woman yelled pointing at me.

“It was a compliment. Isn't that normal in these lands?” I asked.

“That is not what I meant! A dragon threw you through my wall!” The woman screamed.

"Why did you ask me a question you already know the answer?"

I leaned aside, dodging the bottle thrown towards me, which hit a man trying to leave the tavern.

“Don't give me those funny answers! And you, you are not leaving without paying!” The woman screamed, pointing at the man hit.

“I believe we started with the wrong foot, miss. I am Edric, a knight of Boletaria, and you?”

“Well, at least you have good manners. I am Missa, now can you please explain what happened?” Missa replied, wiping the spilled drink on the counter.

"There is not much to say. I met a dragon, we disagreed, we understood each other, and then the dragon carried me here." I replied calmly.

“As if that were normal! Lady One, and that psychopath, Zero are the only ones in Midgard carried by Dragons” Missa said, serving a new drink to the man beside her.

"Could you tell me more about One and Zero, if is not a problem?" The names caught my attention.

"Do you not know about them?! The Intoners are known throughout all of Midgard! Where did you say you were from?"

“Boletaria.”

"Never heard of it, it must be a faraway place for the Intoner's name to mean nothing to you."

"What can I say? I'm lost, I arrived in Midgard by accident and I'm searching for a way to return home, but I need to solve some problems here first.”

As dealing with some demons. I thought.

"Well, I will give you some information, for the right price, of course." Missa said rubbing her index and thumb together.

"Very good! How many souls do you want for the information?” I asked preparing to gather some souls I had not used yet.

"HAHAHA! You have a sense of humor! It was a good joke! Seriously, how much do you have?” Missa asked leaning on the counter.

A joke, of course. I am so used to souls as a currency that I forgot that people outside of Boletaria use regular money.

"Unfortunately, I don't have anything at the moment."

"A pity, I cannot give you the information then." Missa replied crossing her arms.

“Do you know any manner someone like me could acquire money around here?”

“Hm... You could try to play some cards with those men.” Missa said pointing to a card game happening as piles of coins stood on top of the table.

“You have my thanks." I answered standing up and walking towards the table.

"You're welcome." Missa smiled.

The three men sitting at the table stared at me as I approached.

"What do you want?" One of them demanded rudely.

"You're not here to arrest us, are you?" A second said nervously.

"How can we help you, sir knight?" The last one smiled.

“I would like to play.”

The three men looked at each other and then at me.

“Do you have money to bet?” The first one asked.

"No, but I have this." I said removing my Regenerator Ring, an obsidian ring with a large emerald encrusted on it.

The men looked at me surprised.

“And I have more of those.” I showed all my ringed fingers.

"Please sit down!" The third one exclaimed happily.

“Here are your cards!” The second one handed me seven cards as I sat down.

“Do you know the rules?” The first asked as I collected my cards and spread them out in my hand.

"No, I've never played cards in my life." I replied looking at my cards while the three men grinned from ear to ear.

"Allow me to explain the rules, sir knight." The third man said.

-XXXXXX-

"How is this possible?!" The first man screamed.

“My wife will kill me!” The second man cried.

“Good game, good game!” The third man said sadly.

I picked up the mountain of coins in front of me and put them in my bag.

"How did you do it? You have not lost a single time! You must be cheating.” The first one shouted.

"I didn't cheat, I'm just lucky." I replied returning to the counter, sitting in front of Missa, and placing two silver coins on the counter

“A beer and information please.” I joked while Missa smiled and collected the coins.

“I will bring you beer right away!”

Missa returned with a mug of beer a few seconds later I held the mug and brought it closer to my helmet, then sipped it while Missa stared dumbfounded.

"What?" I asked.

"Nothing." She answered.

“And the information you promised?”

"The information, of course! What would you like to know?"

“Tell me about the history of Midgard, but mostly about the Intoners.”

“Of course, but first of all... Hey, play some music!” Missa shouted to a bard inside the tavern, who nodded and played his lute.

“Long ago, humans ruled Midgard, but one night, a great earthquake occurred, an earthquake so devastating that it became known as The Great Cataclysm, and with it, came a mysterious city known as Cathedral City.”

The city where I fought the demons.

“Several creatures that only existed in stories came with this city, elves, fairies, Minotaur, centaurs, golems, and dragons, but above all else, magic."

Therefore, magic came with this city and the people of Midgard did not have magic before the Great Cataclysm.

This is strange; magic has always existed in Boletaria and neighboring kingdoms, despite being frowned upon by the church. Latria serves as an example.

The trouble started when King Allant went to the Nexus for the soul arts.

“The world went into chaos, but luckily, Midgard was one of the first places to stabilize. Unfortunately, that stabilization came in the form of evil lords who ruled their lands with magic and extreme cruelty.”

I noticed that as the story progressed the admiration in Missa's voice grew louder.

“But one day, five goddesses came from the skies, and with the power of song, they defeated the lords and ended the conflicts of Midgard, finally bringing peace. These goddesses became known as the Intoners, but there was a sixth Intoner, the oldest of them all, Intoner Zero, who wishes to kill her sisters and rule Midgard alone.”

In other words, six demons somehow escaped the fog, possessed six girls giving them magical powers and superhuman strength, killed the Lords with their magic, and overtook Midgard.

Now these people see them as goddesses and saviors. Would not be the first demon I had met who manipulated his people, The Old Monk to be precise.

"Zero is a ruthless killer, slaughtering everyone in her path, men, women, children, and the elderly, all killed with extreme cruelty. As if that was not enough, she even has a dragon by her side. Recently, Zero attacked Cathedral City, but Lady One and her sisters repelled her.”

Unfortunately, the demons are still alive. I could have killed all the demons yesterday if those dragons had not appeared. Next time I will not fail!

“Tell me more about One and her sisters.” I asked while drinking again.

“You seem interested in our goddesses. Do you want to enlist in any of their forces?” Missa asked back looking me up and down.

"You can say so." I shrugged.

The only way I would join a demon's army would be to approach the demon and cut its head off when it's least expected.

“You look capable and you already have the equipment of a knight, I have no doubt that you will quickly rise through the ranks in the army. For starters, Midgard is divided into lands and Cathedral City, each Intoner rules a land. Lady One rules Cathedral City; she is the most reclusive of all the Intoners, only appearing when her people need her, she also has the dragon Gabriel by her side, and her army is the most self-sufficient and disciplined in Midgard, rarely needing orders from Lady One to act."

From what I saw during the fight in Cathedral City, One must be the leader of the demons.

"Lady Two rules the Land of Sands, the most inhospitable and difficult land to live in Midgard, where the strongest monsters live. Lady Two is the kindest of all the Intoners, constantly helping her people, whether killing monsters to prepare food for the needy, opening orphanages for children, or protecting merchants crossing the desert. Lady Two's army finds itself unable to keep up with her leader constantly, after all, due to being an Intoner; she reaches the problem and solves it before her men do.”

I wonder how true this kindness is. The demon must be earning the trust of its people to put some plan into practice.

"Lady Three rules the Land of Forests, the place where most of the non-human population lives. Lady Three lets the non-humans live in peace and even protects them occasionally. Recently, Lady Three has been seen less and less, most of the time she lets her army solve the problems of her land. There are rumors that several of her men disappeared shortly after being called to Lady Three's quarters."

Poor bastards, never to be seen again, the demon must have collected their souls.

"Lady Four rules the Land of the Mountains, she is a charismatic leader who is always on the front lines commanding her men, seeking justice, saving those downtrodden, and helping people in need, but sometimes she is a little extreme with that justice, as she once wiped out a group of sky pirates without leaving any survivors.” Missa smiled nervously.

I believe what you mean is that the demon commits atrocities with the justification that it is for the sake of justice.

“Finally we have Lady Five, one of the most beautiful Intoners and ruler of the Land of the Seas, the hub of Midgard's maritime commerce. Lady Five is also the focus of men and women, all of whom seek to fulfill her desires just to taste the pleasure she can bestow upon them. The men of Five's army are also happy to serve her; after all, they receive a pleasant reward for their services, if you know what I mean." Missa said, wiggling her eyebrows.

Unfortunately, I understood what she meant, and the thought haunted me. Having intercourse with a demon, madness must have consumed these men to perform such an act.

“I thank you for the information, Missa, but I believe I stayed here for long enough. Could you recommend me some inn? I would also like to know if there is any way to acquire money around here other than gambling.”

“There is an inn at the end of the street, they don't charge much. About the money, there is an adventurer’s guild in the central square of the city. You seem capable, so you can complete some quests for the guild and receive a reward for it.”

"Thank you, Missa." I said, bowing politely, but saw Missa outstretching her open hand to me when I got up, which confused me, as I already paid for the information and drink.

“Pay for my wall!” Missa shouted and I looked back, seeing the hole I had made.

"That's right; pardon me for the damage done." I gave Missa a gold coin and left the tavern, hearing Missa speak on the way.

“Thanks for everything and come back again!” Missa said waving at me from behind the counter.

-XXXXXX-

I noticed that several people looked at me curiously while stepping out of my way as I walked through the streets.

"Mom, look, he's so cool!" A boy yelled pointing at me as his mother pulled him away frightened.

I believe that a fully armed knight walking the streets is anything but ordinary. Then I explored the city a little before heading to the inn.

The buildings were made of stone or wood, sometimes a mixture of the two. A river ran through the middle of the city with stone bridges over it, and an occasional carriage passed through the tiled streets.

I entered the market street; wooden stalls with tarps on top were on both sides as merchants announced their products and prices and several people talked and haggled.

There were merchants selling clothes, jewelry, food, perfumes, spices, and more.

I heard some of the merchants as I passed by their stalls.

"Come one, everybody! Come check out my great collection of magic items, rings that grant you protection from disease, books containing ancient spells, potions that can heal any wound, and more!”

I realized that all the items were false with one look, as I did not feel any magic coming from them.

“Behold the strongest spear and strongest shield! All my weapons are of the best quality in the world!"

As if! The person who buys these weapons will be safer fighting empty-handed. I never saw a sword of such low quality.

“Alms, alms, please, any amount helps. Please, help this poor man.” A beggar in a corner of the street spoke. He wore a bandage over his eyes, probably blind, as he shook a metal bowl with some coins in it.

The beggar grabbed a well-dressed man's leg by accident; the man looked at the beggar with disgust and kicked him away.

"Don't touch me with those dirty hands!" The well-dressed man shouted.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" The beggar said, trying to stand up while a mob surrounded them, watching the situation.

I breathed deeply, no matter where I go, there are always those considered unwanted. At least it is not as bad as Defilement Valley. I walked towards the well-dressed man, pushing the mob away, and touched his shoulder.

"What do you want?!" The man demanded turning around.

I punched his face, breaking his nose as teeth flew out of his mouth, and sending him flying towards a wall while the mob around us ran away.

"What's happening?!" The beggar asked while I grabbed him by the shoulders and helped him up.

"Let me help." I held my God Talisman and cast Recovery, a powerful healing miracle.

“What… What are you doing?” The beggar asked as his wounds healed.

He looked less malnourished and his skin took on a healthier tone. Then I held his hand and put some silver coins in it.

"Here, you can have it, just be careful next time." I replied, leaving the markets soon after.

-XXXXXX-

Confusion overtook the beggar, a man helping him and giving him so much money seemed too good to be true, as society considered him a nuisance. However, the weight of the coins in his hand proved otherwise.

Nevertheless, there was something else, the beggar felt better, his weakness had diminished, his teeth that had fallen out were back in place, his wounds had healed, and his eyes bothered him a little.

Was that light passing through my blindfold? The beggar asked himself.

With trembling hands, he removed the bandage from his eyes, and for the first time in years, the beggar saw again.

He was not always blind, but his sight began to disappear one day. He lost his job and could not take care of his family due to this; bringing him to the current situation.

“Where did he go?” The beggar asked the people on the street, but no one answered due to the miracle happening before their eyes.

“Where did he go?!” The beggar asked louder but received no answer.

The knight was long gone, even so, the beggar smiled with tears streaming from his eyes.

“I can see!” The beggar screamed as he ran through the city streets with the coins in his pocket. He ran until he reached a ramshackle house, opening the door, and almost knocking it off its hinges, the beggar approached a woman.

“Honey, what happened?!” The woman asked surprised.

“I can see!” The beggar said, hugging his wife.

"What? This… This is…" She stammered disbelieving at what happened.

"This is a miracle!" The beggar completed.

"Daddy?" A little girl asked hesitantly as she approached her parents.

“I can see, honey!” The beggar replied to his daughter.

The little girl widened her eyes in surprise, then she ran towards her parents and hugged them, a miracle had happened to this family.

-XXXXXX-

I hope that man stays safe. Strangely, I had the feeling that my previous action would have consequences. It must be just a feeling.

I approached the city square, a circular area with a large statue in the center, of the five demons that rule these lands. I saw a metal plate with something written on it as I approached the statue.

“This statue was made in honor of our savior goddesses who brought peace and freed us from the tyranny of the Feudal Lords.”

I opened and closed my hand tightly; these demons will not manipulate these people for long, not if I can stop them.

A large wooden three-story building stood on the other side of the square. Upon entering the building, I found myself in a large luxurious hall with polished floors to the point where I saw my reflection, high-class tables, and chairs, and lit golden chandeliers hanging from the ceiling.

There was a wooden counter with women wearing uniforms behind it on the other side of the room. I heard the people sitting at the tables whispering something when I passed by them.

"Who is this guy?" A man wearing expensive armor, probably a nobleman's son who bought the best equipment money could buy, whispered with disdain.

“He is probably some newbie.” A muscular, poorly dressed woman with a large ax spoke.

"Poor fellow, he doesn't know what he's getting himself into." A man wearing brown robes and carrying a staff said.

Ignore them Edric, and focus on what you came here to do. I stopped in front of the counter, but the woman on the other side had not noticed me yet, as she focused on the documents in front of her.

There was a small metallic object with a button on top resting beside her. I pressed the button and a noise echoed through the room.

DING!

This caught the woman's attention; she looked up and smiled at me.

“Hello, welcome to the Midgard Adventurers Guild, my name is Reha. How can I help you?"

Why do I have the impression she repeated that phrase several times?

Reha was a woman with blond hair, fair skin, and green eyes, her uniform consisted of a white long-sleeved shirt with a black vest over it.

“Greetings Miss Reha, I am Edric. A friend told me that this is a good place to acquire money.”

“Hm… At least you came prepared. You need to fill in these documents first if you wish to join the guild.” Reha said looking me up and down and handing me a pile of documents.

When looked at one of the papers, I realized I could not understand what was on it, and Reha noticed my confusion.

"Is there a problem?" Reha asked.

“I can't read this, I'm outlander and my language differs from Midgard’s own. Can you read it to me?”

Reha breathed deeply and smiled forcefully before replying.

“Of course I can! This is part of my job as a guild employee, so let's begin!” Reha took a quill, dipped it in a pot of ink, and prepared one of the papers.

"Name?" Reha asked.

This will be a long day.

-XXXXXX-

Finally, I finished giving Reha the information and she handed me a metal plate at the end.

“Welcome to the guild, Edric! The guild works with an adventurer ranking and quests. The rankings are E, D, C, B, A, and S for both adventurers and quests. Adventurers can only perform quests equal to their rankings, each quest has a reward, and then, after a certain number of successful missions, your rank will increase. Is that clear?"

"Yes."

“Great, you can get the quests from the wall aside.” Reha pointed to a wooden mural with several papers stuck on it.

I approached the mural and picked up a random paper, but I could not understand anything written on it.

“I choose this quest.” I said showing her the paper.

“Edric, this is an S Rank quest.” Reha replied nervously.

"Seriously, what is written there?"

“Adventurer needed as a bodyguard at my party.”

• Signed Intoner Five

"So, you mean Intoners deliver quests to adventurers?"

“Yes, as strong as our goddesses are, they cannot be everywhere simultaneously, because of that, they send quests to the guild.”

"If I become S-ranked, can I do missions for the Intoners?"

"Yes."

“And when will this party happen?”

"The party will happen in a month."

Therefore, I have a month to become S Rank. When I reach this rank, I will approach the demons and kill them when they least expect it.

“Reha, I want all available E-rank missions now!”

"Edric I..."

I slammed both on the counter and glared at Reha.

"Here it is!" She handed me a stack of papers as she sweated nervously.

"Thank you very much!" I put the papers in my bag and left the guild. I will find a way to know what is on the papers.

-XXXXXX-

It was already night and I stayed at the inn Missa recommended. They did not charge much, but they were surprised to have a knight sleeping there.

I sat on a chair by the window with the moonlight illuminating the night. One month, I have a month to get an opportunity to kill one of the demons.

This time I will not fail. I thought as I sharpened my sword on a whetstone.

END OF CHAPTER

Chapter 6: Missions and Miracles

I left the town with a quest paper in my hand that I asked the innkeeper to read to me, according to him, this was a quest to eliminate a group of goblins settled in the forest near town.

What is a goblin anyway?

“Excuse me, sir knight." Someone called me.

I stood face to face with a woman holding a boy in her arms when I turned around.

“How may I help you, Miss?" I asked bowing politely.

"Is it true? Is it true that you healed a blind man?” The woman asked hesitantly with a hopeful glint in her eyes.

What does she mean by it? Yes, I healed an injured beggar, but I doubt I cured his blindness; my miracles do not possess such power.

"Miss, I merely healed that man's injuries; please don't believe the rumors that they tell you." I replied turning around, but the woman grabbed my wrist, stopping me.

“Please, my son is sick! I don't know how much longer he has to live! Please help him!” The woman begged with teary eyes.

I paid more attention to the boy the woman held after Hearing this. He was sickly pale, with dark circles under his eyes, discolored fingernails, and dangerously thin.

I once again remembered the Defilement Valley, so many sick, physically and mentally, abandoned by the world and left to rot.

"Fine, I will heal him." I held my Talisman in one hand and placed the other on the boy's head, then cast Recovery.

"It's done." I said walking away. I hope she doesn't blame me for anything that happens next.

-XXXXXX-

Suddenly, the boy's appearance changed; the color returned to his skin, the dark circles disappeared from his eyes, and his eyes opened.

"Mommy, what happened?" The boy asked his mother who looked at him with teary eyes, hugging her son tighter.

"Thank you! Thank you!" The mother praised the knight, but when she looked around, he was already gone.

-XXXXXX-

It looks like this is the place. I thought as I hid amid the bushes.

A small circular camp composed of wooden tents adorned with bones and fabrics stood in front of me, with a larger tent in its center and three smaller ones around it.

Small green-skinned creatures with pointed ears and noses inhabited the camp. Most wore pieces of worn leather armor while some wore bone pieces and covered themselves with rags, they also held daggers and bent rusty swords,

This shouldn't be difficult, but how will I prove to the guild that I killed the Goblins? Maybe if I take their heads? It should suffice.

I held the Guillotine Ax in my right hand and the Silver Catalyst in my left one. Then I pointed the catalyst at the camp and cast Flame Throw repeatedly.

Flaming projectiles rained down on the tents, the goblins panicked when they saw this and tried to extinguish the fire. Meanwhile, I cast Cloak, becoming invisible, and ran towards my objective.

-XXXXXX-

The goblins stood unprepared; flaming bolts came out of nowhere and set their camp on fire. They tried extinguishing the flames, but unfortunately, there was not enough water in their camp for that.

Two goblins were in front of a burning tent without knowing what to do. Suddenly, the head of one of them flew from its body until it hit the ground a few meters away.

The remaining goblins stared terrified at their comrade's body that fell to the ground, but there was something strange, part of the blood that spurted from the wound floated in the air.

Suddenly, the thing where the blood had splattered revealed itself, a knight named carrying a short-handled great ax.

The goblins quickly drew their daggers and swords and leaped towards their enemy, but they should have run instead, as Edric beheaded them with a swift blow, staining his armor with blood.

After decapitating the goblins, the knight stored their heads in his bag, but footsteps caught his attention.

Looking around, Edric realized a group of goblins surrounded him while a bigger goblin, probably the leader, stepped forward.

The leader stood tall enough to reach Edric's chest; and wore a wolf pelt cape, a human skull for a crown, and carried a rusted battleax.

The leader pointed its ax at Edric and all the goblins jumped towards the knight, but he cast Wrath of the Gods with his Talisman, releasing a shock wave that shook the camp and crushed all the creatures that jumped towards him, leaving only the leader alive.

The leader, upon seeing its underlings killed, roared and jumped towards Edric, who aimed his catalyst at the goblin and cast Ignite, releasing a flaming blast and throwing the monster away.

Edric ran toward the goblin and swung his ax at its neck, the monster ducked, dodging the blow, and tried to cut Edric's legs, but he rolled backward, avoiding the attack.

The leader then jumped with its ax raised above its head and descended it toward the knight upon falling, but Edric blocked the blow with his Adjudicator's Shield.

The goblin's blow bounced off the shield, throwing its arms back, and breaking its balance. Edric's ax approaching was the last thing the goblin saw before everything went dark.

Seeing that the fight ended, Edric cut off the goblins' heads and stored them in his bag.

-XXXXXX-

I returned to the guild to confirm the success of my mission, everyone stared at me upon entering, but I ignored them and approached the counter, ringing the chime.

DING!

“Yes, how can I help… Edric, are you well?!” Reha asked worriedly.

"Yes, I am, why the question?" I replied confused.

“You are covered in blood!”

“Don't worry, the blood isn't mine. I completed my mission and would like my reward, here is the proof.” I turned my bag upside down and several bloodied goblin heads landed on the counter.

“AAAHHH!” Reha screamed, bouncing back in her chair like a scared cat.

“Can I have my reward now?" I asked outstretching my hand.

Reha slowly handed me a small bag with some bronze coins with a trembling hand. It was not much, but I can't complain since this is my first mission.

"You have my thanks!" I said before walking away.

-XXXXXX-

“You will clean up this mess!” One of the guild staff said, approaching Reha and handing her a mop and bucket.

Crying and trying to clean the blood and goblin heads off the counter was all that Reha could do.

-XXXXXX-

It's been five days since I started doing missions and I finally rose to D-Rank after completing several E-Rank quests. A bronze plaque stood around my neck and now I headed toward my current objective.

A group of bandits had robbed a merchant caravan that traveled toward the city. It seems that they are a known group and hid themselves in a cave.

According to the mission description, the reward will be greater if they are captured alive.

"Hey, you!" Someone called me.

I saw an old man sitting in a wheelchair pushed by a younger woman; probably his granddaughter.

“Please heal my legs, I have lost movement in them due to an accident at my work!” The old man begged me with ashamed eyes.

Why are people searching for me to be healed? Are the priests of these lands refusing to use miracles? All church members knew basic healing miracles in Boletaria.

Never mind, my Fragrant Ring will regenerate my magic anyway. I cast Recovery on the old man and then left. Now let's take care of some bandits.

-XXXXXX-

the old man's eyes widened, he felt something he hadn't felt in a long time, his legs. The old man jumped out of his wheelchair and danced down the street, hugged his granddaughter with teary eyes in the end.

What Edric didn't know is that his miracle not only healed the old man's legs but also cured all the aches and pains in his body that came with old age.

-XXXXXX-

"You bastard!" A bandit screamed as he tried to slash Edric with his scimitar. He did not finish his blow as a punch to his mouth knocked out several of his teeth.

Edric wielded an Iron Knuckle in each hand, a flat piece of metal with a handle to hold with a closed fist.

The Stonefang miners used this weapon to dig tunnels and extract ores with punches, and now Edric used them to capture the bandits alive and acquire a greater bounty.

“AAAHHH!" With a war cry another bandit ran toward Edric with a raised scimitar.

Edric elbowed the bandit’s stomach, making him bow, hooked his chin, throwing him up, and grabbed his arm, hurling him over his shoulder toward the ground.

"Fire!" The bandit leader shouted with his back turned to the cave hideout. A line of kneeling crossbowmen stood in front of him, firing at his command.

Edric quickly removed the Adjudicator's Shield from his back, raising it and running towards the bandit group.

The crossbow darts were not strong enough to pierce the shield, and the leader ordered his men to fire again at the approaching knight, but they weren't quick enough.

Edric collided with the group, throwing them away while the leader tried to draw his scimitar, but his nose buried in his face was all he got, falling unconscious to the ground soon after.

“Hm… There must be a rope here somewhere.” Edric said, searching the hideout and finding the item in question amid the stolen goods.

He then tied all the unconscious bandits together and dragged them towards the guild.

-XXXXXX-

CRASH!

I kicked the guild door open as I had my hands full dragging the bandits and heard the comments from the other guild members around me as I approached the counter.

“Did he defeat this band of bandits by himself?” A pointy-eared person with a bow asked.

“Defeated? More like beat the shit! Look at them! Black eyes, swollen faces, removed teeth! It looks like a mob lynched them!” A short man with a long beard spoke.

“He had help from someone.” A man wearing dark leather and a hood commented.

I didn't care; the important thing was that I completed my mission, so I rang the bell on the counter.

DING!

“Hello, how can I help… Oh! It's you." Reha said emotionlessly.

“I came to receive my reward." I said, handing the rope to Reha, who accepted it and handed me a coin bag, a mix of bronze and silver coins, and a welcome raise.

I heard Reha call me as I left the guild.

“Hey, what is this rope for?!" Reha asked.

“To keep the bandits tied.” I replied and left shortly thereafter.

-XXXXXX-

“Bandits?”

Leaning over the counter, Reha saw a group of beaten men unconscious on the floor. She jumped back surprised and stared between the rope in her hands and the bandits.

"That idiot, why didn't he take those criminals to the guards?!” Reha screamed as she kicked one of the bandits to relieve her frustration while one of her coworkers shook her head in disappointment.

-XXXXXX-

A week has passed since I did D-Rank quests and now I've risen to C-Rank with a silver plate hanging around my neck. I feel as if I'm delaying to rank up, I won't be able to request Demon Five's mission at this rate.

My locomotion is another problem I face, as not all missions happen nearby. The mission I plan to complete is located in the Land of Sands.

A creature called Ankheg attacked the few villages in the land, the guards cannot stop it and the demon Two is unavailable, contrary to the information given to me about her.

Now I need to enter an airship station, whatever that is, to reach the Land of Sands.

I noticed a group of people in my path on the way to the station, a woman holding a baby, a man with crutches, and an old woman leaning on a boy.

Where are the clerics of these lands? Does the church charge absurd amounts to heal someone with miracles? I sighed, thinking to myself.

“Excuse me you are…”

I didn't let the woman with the baby finish, I just touched the child and cast Recovery. I did the same with the man and the old woman. I don't know why people come to me instead of a cleric, my miracles are not that powerful.

“Wait…” The old woman spoke, but I didn't stop to listen. I'm wasting time here, so walked faster toward my destiny.

"Thank you!" The group shouted behind me, and I couldn’t help but smile beneath my helmet.

-XXXXXX-

Why wasn't I told that an airship is a type of flying ship?! I thought as I gripped the guardrails on the side of the ship with all my might, slowly crushing them.

This type of transport was impressive, despite the height. The bottom part consists of a large wooden and metallic ship, without masts, and with shining green sigils on its hull.

There were two large metallic balloons covered with green symbols attached to the top of the ship, and rotating metallic objects below and behind it.

According to the captain, these objects are called propellers, speaking of him, here he comes.

"HAHAHA! Fear of heights?" The captain asked, slapping my back as the quick wind muffed his words.

“N-no, not at all.” I replied, trying to hide my fear.

“HAHAHA! Don’t worry boy, a few trips and your fear will soon disappear. You’ll realize how wonderful the sky is!”

“I hope, captain, I hope! Can you tell me how much time remains until we reach the Land of Sands?!”

“We have two days of travel ahead of us!”

Two days?! I won't rank up until the party happens at this rate. I need faster transport!

“I recommend you enjoy the view, kid!” The captain said as he returned to his crew.

He's right, maybe appreciating the view will help me enjoy the travel.

-XXXXXX-

He was wrong! I made the mistake of looking down and realized the height I stood!

Enough! I'll spend the rest of the travel in my cabin! I thought as I ran toward my accommodations on the airship, a small room with a bed, a desk, a trunk, and a window.

I lay down on the bed and slept for most of the journey.

-XXXXXX-

Finally, I arrived at the Land of Sands, a desert full of sand and ancient ruins as far as the eye can see. I passed through a small village and asked about the situation.

They said that Intoner Two would normally deal with the Ankheg, but she never appeared in public again upon her return from Cathedral City.

Now here I am, walking through the dunes in search of this creature. Fortunately, the sun and heat didn’t bother me.

Suddenly, the sand below me shook, there was something underground. I rolled backward but flew away due to the thing that came out from under the desert.

It was a giant ant with a carapace on its upper body, six legs, two on the back, two in the middle, two on the front, and two arms with pincers at the end. There were two large pincers on its mouth's sides and two antennae on its head.

That must be Ankheg.

-XXXXXX-

The Ankheg looked around until it noticed Edric. Letting out a mighty roar, the monster slid across the sand towards the knight, its armored head serving as a battering ram.

Edric rolled aside, dodging the blow, but the Ankheg turned around, still trying to crush him. The knight repeated his previous action and allowed the monster to pass him again.

The Ankheg stopped its attack, allowing Edric to slash it across the right side with the Blue Blood Sword, three powerful blows toward its legs and torso.

The Ankheg then pivoted its body, its left pincer open, ready to bisect its assailant. The knight rolled back, but the monster did not stop, its body sliding across the sand as it repeatedly attacked with both pincers.

Left, right, left, right, one blow after another, the Ankheg made Edric retreat, then threw its armored head back, opening and closing its mouth’s pincers, before throwing its head forward, trying to smash its enemy.

Edric rolled back one last time and the blow hit the ground, creating a great sand cloud. Jumping from the cloud, he pierced the Ankheg's right eye, making it screech and thrash in pain.

The knight lost his balance and the monster swung its left pincer in an arc as he stood up. Seeing the incoming attack, Edric raised his shield, but the crushing strength behind the blow threw him away.

The Ankheg then made regurgitating noises and spit a jet of liquid toward Edric. Upon seeing the jet approaching, he rolled across the dunes, grabbing his sword on the way, as the place where he stood previously hissed and steamed.

“Hm… That could be a problem.” He pointed his catalyst towards the monster and cast Soul Ray.

Three rays left the catalyst, two hitting the Ankheg’s armored head, leaving burn marks, but not piercing it, while the third hit one of the Ankheg's antennas ripping it off.

The Ankheg roared again and dove to the sands below, disappearing underground. Edric placed his shield on his back, stored the Blue Blood sword in his bag, and withdrew a Greatsword.

There was no sign of the Ankheg, it was quiet, very quiet. Suddenly, the sand shook in the distance and Edric saw something coming towards him, so he braced himself as the creature moved underground.

The monster leaped out of the sand, its body flying towards Edric with its mouth open, ready to devour him. But a great fireball came from the sky and hit the Ankheg's right side before it could devour its enemy.

A large shadow formed on the surface of the desert. Looking up, Edric saw a shape blocking the sun.

This shape dived towards the desert's surface and collided with the sand, raising a large sand cloud. When it dissipated, the knight saw a familiar black dragon.

“We met again, human.” The black dragon said amusedly.

“Quite a coincidence, isn’t it?” Edric answered sarcastically, turning towards the Ankheg.

"It's not a coincidence when I can smell you from across the desert."

"Seriously? Do I stench that bad?” Edric asked as the Ankheg rose.

“I wouldn't say stench, since as I said before, you smell of something old.”

The Ankheg snapped out of its confusion and roared toward the knight and dragon.

“I see you are in trouble. I wouldn't mind helping, for a price of course.” The dragon smiled.

Edric growled in irritation. He could defeat the Ankheg, but a dragon’s help would make the fight easier.

"What is your price?" Edric replied.

“When we kill this beast, I would like you to cook its meat for me.”

“You flew all the way here just to receive free food cooked by me?”

The black dragon looked around, trying to disguise that Edric guessed exactly why it had come to the Land of Sands.

“No, I searched for a strong opponent to entertain me; finding you was pure coincidence."

“Coincidence, of course...”

The Ankheg slid across the sand towards the dragon and Edric.

“Hm... I accept your help.”

“Well done human, you should be honored that I, a black dragon, one of the greatest warriors, if not the greatest of the proud dragon race, choose to help you!” The dragon boasted proudly, puffing out its chest.

“You like to hear yourself talk, don’t you?” Edric said, running towards the Ankheg.

“How daring.” The dragon replied, turning toward the knight and seeing him running towards the monster.

The dragon, not wanting to stay out of the fight, flapped its wings and took off.

The Ankheg leaped from the sand and dove towards Edric, but he rolled aside at the last second, dodging the monster.

Raising to his feet, Edric swung his greatsword and cut off the middle leg on Ankheg's left side.

Roaring, the monster spun around, trying to cut the knight with its pincers, but the black dragon collided with its body, pushing it back with a head-butt.

Taking this chance, the knight raised his Greatsword and swooped down towards the Ankheg's left hind leg, slicing it off as well.

It tried to use its pincers, but the black dragon bit its right pincer and ripped it off. Running out of options, the Ankheg spit acid on the black dragon, who didn't have time to dodge and used one of its wings to protect itself.

“AAAHHH!" The black dragon roared as the acid melted its scales and tore its flesh while the Ankheg approached, spitting more.

Seeing this, Edric ran towards the dragon, landed on its back with a great leap, and stepped on its head with the greatsword pointed downward toward the Ankheg's armored head.

The monster carapace offered no resistance as it struggled, trying to get Edric off of it. The knight planted his feet on the Ankheg's head and held the sword firmly. Eventually, the creature fell dead, its brain pierced by the sword.

Edric removed his sword from the Ankheg's head and turned towards the approaching black dragon. Suddenly, the dragon spun its body, hitting Edric with its tail and sending him away.

“What passed by your mind you bloody lizard?!" Edric asked as he stood up.

“Never climb on my back again! I will not allow a human to ride me!” The dragon said with bared fangs.

"Fine, I will allow the acid to melt you next time!”

-XXXXXX-

It was already night in the desert, the dragon and I sat by a fire beside some ruins. I roasted some meat pieces while the dragon licked its wounds.

"Is it ready?" The dragon asked.

"You know the answer." I replied and it went silent.

I couldn't help but think about the time remaining, it will be two more days of travel to return.

I won’t rank up at this rate, the quest locations are getting farther and farther. Travel by land is not an option and airships are not fast enough. I need something faster like a…

I breathed deeply about what I would do, I swung my Rapier towards the dragon, the piece of meat flew and the dragon ate it, then I asked a question while it chewed.

“Could you carry me for my future missions?”

"What do you mean by that?" The dragon asked with interest.

“The Intoner known as Five will have a party in a month, and she desires a bodyguard. I need to be an S-rank in the guild to request this mission, but I won't reach this ranking in time due to the distance of the missions. I would like to know if you are willing to carry me to the mission's location."

“Hm... And why do you seek out one of the Intoners?”

“To kill her.”

“And why do you want to kill her?”

“I do not wish to kill only Intoner Five, but all other Intoners. There is a dark power within them, I cannot allow that power to exist, for the sake of the world.”

“The Flower is the power that you felt.”

"The flower, what is it?"

“The flower is a creation of God, just like the dragons, but we are natural enemies. The flower aims to destroy the world, but I have no idea how those girls acquired its power, and they won't control it for long.”

Another monster created by God. First the Old One, and now this flower, what cruel God is this who wants to see the end of the world he created?

There is another thing that bothers me, the Intoners are human, but according to the dragon, they are not possessed by its power, yet.

Will I have to kill another rational human? Will the history of Astrea repeat itself? Will I have to kill a good person for possessing demonic power?

"Continue."

“The Intoners control their power for now, but The Flower will corrupt them slowly, twisting their minds and releasing calamities across the world. If a dragon devours The Flower, it will gain great power and its form will change, yet I refuse to devour such a disgusting creature.”

“Dragons can change form?”

“Yes, in two ways, by devouring a great power source or winning enough battles. I prefer the second way to devour the flower. Unless, of course, you're willing to let me devour you?"

“I will break all your teeth if you try.” I said, removing the Dragon Bone Smasher from my bag and placing it beside me.

"HAHAHA! I like your determination, it wouldn't be fun if it was that easy!"

“You still haven't answered my question. Will you carry me on missions?”

"What do I receive in return?"

“Roasted meat and the chance to face strong foes.”

“Hm... I accept it, but I will not carry you on my back.”

“Good enough for me.”

“I will not help you kill the Intoners; I have no interest in your human affairs.”

"I don't see a problem with that, I can fight for myself."

"I'd like to see you say that when facing The Intoner’s regeneration."

“Can Intoners regenerate?”

“Yes, from any wound, even if you cut off their heads, they will still live on and regenerate over time. You need the power of a dragon or something that counteracts their regeneration, and as I said before, I have no interest in fighting Intoners.”

I put my hand in my bag and removed a Katana. I felt the sword draining my health and unsheathed it, watching its blade reflect the moonlight.

The dragon became interested in the weapon as it approached the blade and smelled it.

“Smell of curse." The dragon grew.

“Yes, this is the Magic Sword Makoto, a sawed-edge katana. This sword has a curse that causes wounds that never heal, but in return, drains the health of its user. That should be enough to kill the Intoners.”

“You amaze me more and more, to possess such a terrible weapon.”

I didn't answer the dragon and stored the blade.

“We will return to the guild and acquire more quests tomorrow. I hope I can count on you.”

"I don't see any problem as long as I have enemies to fight and meat to eat."

"Perfect, let's rest for today, we'll travel early tomorrow."

I heard a snore, when I looked aside, I saw the dragon already sleeping. I think it's better to do the same, I leaned against one of the ruins and tried to sleep, but some thoughts wouldn't leave my head.

Are Intoners as bad as I believe? I thought they manipulated the people of these lands, but their happiness seems genuine, they talk about how terrible their lives were before the Intoners arrived.

Am I doing the right thing? It wouldn't be the first time I've killed an innocent for the sake of the world. Intoners, whatever happens, I want you to know that I don't do this out of hate, but because it's my duty as a Slayer of Demons.

-XXXXXX-

I finally rose to B-rank, a gold plaque hanging around my neck now, it only took three days thanks to the black dragon.

Now the dragon carried me on its paw towards the Land of Forests, a creature called Manticore terrorized the local population, last seen near the village of Oslebelle.

“Dragon, what is a Manticore?”

"A large creature with a human face, a lion's body, a scorpion's tail, and bat's wings."

It sounds like one of the Old Monk's monstrosities.

“Fly lower, let’s search for the Manticore!”

“If you insist.”

The dragon did as I said while I removed my telescope from my bag and observed the forest below. Eventually, I saw a village hidden among the trees, this must be Oslebelle.

“I found the village, I propose we land!” I said pointing to the location in question.

The dragon flew towards the village, circling it and descending slowly, reaching its center before gliding slightly above the ground, then opened its paw, releasing me, where I landed with the dragon beside me.

The village was quiet.

Looking around, I saw houses built among the trees or inside them, with doors and windows in the trunks and wooden bridges above me, the village also had small paths made of stone with grass around it.

Where were the people?

"Greetings, is there someone here?! I am Edric, a guild member, and came to slay the Manticore! There is no need to fear the dragon, it is accompanying me!" I said, showing the gold plate around my neck.

Something moved behind one of the windows and shadows walked on the bridges above me.

Suddenly, the doors opened and several people left their homes, men, women, and children, they were slender, fair-skinned, and had sharp facial features, their most distinguishing one being their pointed ears and youthful appearance.

“Who are these people?” I asked the dragon.

“These are the elves, have you ever seen elves before?” The dragon answered.

"No."

“Where did you come from exactly?”

I didn't have a chance to respond as one of the elves stepped out of the crowd and approached me, he looked older than the other ones but still had a youthful appearance.

He had shoulder-high white hair, and wore a white shirt with a brown coat over it, brown pants, gloves, and boots; he also carried a wooden cane that he used for support.

“They only sent you?” The elf asked me.

“Yes, but the dragon is with me too.” I replied, pointing at the being behind me.

The dragon noticed that the elves around it were afraid, so it released smoke from its nostrils as if ready to spit fire. All the elves cowered in fear while the dragon laughed.

“Well, a dragon's help is still better than no help at all. My name is Tiberius, Sir Edric.” The old elf sighed.

“Only Edric is good, could you explain what happened here?”

“A Manticore made this area of ​​the forest its territory a few days ago, the creature sees us as food and no one can leave without being devoured. Sometimes, the Manticore invades the village in search of food, that is, us, but we are not the only ones affected, our neighbors, the fairies, abandoned their home near the Great Tree where the Manticore made its nest.”

“Hm... Could you tell me the location of that Great Tree?”

“Yes, through that gate, follow the trail and you'll reach it." Tiberius pointed to a large wooden gate on the other side of the village.

“Thank you, Sir Tiberius. Now come, I can tell you are excited to face the Manticore.”

"HAHAHA! You read my thoughts." The dragon replied, following me. Tiberius ordered the elves to open the gate and we walked through it.

“I wish you luck Edric.” Tiberius said as the gate closed.

-XXXXXX-

The dragon and I walked along a path for some time, trees the size of towers surrounded us as the sun barely shone through the dense foliage. Strangely, I heard children's voices on the way to the nest.

“Who is this human?”

“He is different.”

“He is not human, he is something ancient!”

“A creature, a strange being!”

“A demon bathed in blood!”

"A slayer, a monster, a mighty beast!”

"He smells like magic."

“A strange magic.”

“Powerful magic.”

I searched for the source of the voices, but I couldn't find them.

“And who is that?”

“A dragon!”

“A cruel dragon!”

“A foolish old dragon!”

“A Stinky Dragon!”

“I don't stink, your annoying pests!” The dragon yelled upwards.

“You stink a little.” I replied dryly.

The dragon opened its mouth to say something, but small lights shone around us, red, blue, yellow, green, and more.

“What are those lights?" I asked curiously while trying to touch one, but it avoided my hand.

"Fairies, annoying and arrogant creatures, they think they are better and smarter than all other races of Midgard." The dragon said, swinging its tail and scaring some of the fairies.

I stared at the dragon upon hearing that statement.

"What?" The dragon frowned.

"Nothing."

I turned, walking away, but stood face to face with one of these fairies standing at the edge of my helmet.

It looked like a small human that would fit in the palm of my hand, she had small wings of blue light, pink hair that reached down to her back, green eyes, and fair skin.

It wore fabric clothes that would fit on a doll, a sleeveless white shirt, and a red skirt, but no boots or gloves.

The fairy looked at me with interest, cocking her head aside curiously, walked across my helmet towards my face with her arms behind her back, then stood inches from my face.

"You are weird." She said, leaning forward and touching my helmet with both hands as she tried to peek inside.

"It's not the first time I've heard that." I replied as the dragon and I walked down the path.

“You are between something human and non-human. Several people are inside the same body, but simultaneously, you are not a mixture of consciousness. I feel ancient magic and the power of great beings. Who are you human?" The faerie asked as she sat cross-legged on my helmet.

Suddenly, the number of lights around me increased, and fairies talking simultaneously surrounded me.

"Hey, you fool, tell me how you got like this!”

“Humans are always seeking more power, but will never be satisfied!”

“I wonder how he got that way. How many people did he kill? How many terrible things did he do to become so strong?”

“He smells of blood, steel, magic, death, and poison!"

“Dragon, can you tell me why the fairies are so interested in me?” I asked the angry dragon.

“Everyone in Midgard felt you when you appeared out of nowhere. It's hard to explain, but the power you carry is something from time immemorial, something similar but different from the creations of God I faced in my youth. You are like a beacon to those capable of sensing magic.” The dragon explained.

The dragon is talking about the souls and Demon's Souls in my body, souls of warriors, demons and their superiors, the Archdemons, absorbed and transformed into strength, spells, and weapons. I think that's why they referred to me as several people in one body.

The Old One and the demons were created by a God, but I'm not sure the God the dragon is talking about and the God who created the Old One is the same.

Meanwhile, the faerie on my helm was still waiting for my reply.

“I am Edric.”

“E-edric… Eeedric… Edric!” The fairy repeated my name.

“Hm... Strange, usually faeries insult your entire bloodline instead of trying to learn your name.”

“My name is Eupherbia.” The fairy said, pointing at herself.

“I… Eupher… Eupherbia!” I fought to pronounce her name.

“Yes, that is my name.” The fairy replied, flying around me.

“Tell me Edric, where are you from?”

“I originate from Boletaria.”

“I never heard of this place.”

“It seems as if no one has heard of it. Boletaria must be a distant land for the people of Midgard, probably across the ocean.”

"That explains why you are so ignorant of Midgard." The black dragon grunted.

“And what are you two doing here in the Land of Forests?” Eupherbia asked again.

“We came to kill the Manticore.” I replied, making Eupherbia go silent for a few seconds.

"This is dangerous, the Manticore is a terrible monster that drove us out of our home, the great tree, and made it its nest."

“Why do you worry so much? This is not normal for your species.” The black dragon glared at the fairy, who cowered in fear and hid behind me.

"Mind no attention; it is just a grumpy old dragon." I said as she stopped hiding and landed on my left shoulder while the other fairies talked again.

“They will die!”

“The monster will eat them alive!”

“The Manticore will tear them to pieces!"

“No one will hear their screams!”

“RRROOOAAARRR!” The black dragon roared, making the fairies fly away scared.

“HOW DARE YOU SAY THAT I WILL DIE?! I AM A BLACK DRAGON, THE GREATEST WARRIOR OF MY RACE! I WILL NOT FALL TO A PATHETIC MANTICORE!” The dragon screamed for everyone to hear.

Eventually, we saw a light up ahead, revealing a circular rocky clearing overlooked by the path we walked. Therefore, we jumped towards the ground below.

CRACK!

Suddenly, we stepped on a bone pile upon landing. Looking around, we saw an area covered in bones, probably the victims of the Manticore.

A great tree stood on the other side of the clearing, the biggest I've ever seen, with a hole in its trunk and two large rocks on each side, this must be the Manticore's nest.

“This is the place.” I said to the dragon.

“Yes, I can smell death.” The dragon answered.

“T-the M-manticore is just ahead.” Eupherbia stuttered scared, leaving my shoulder.

CRACK!

I heard bones cracking behind me and felt a familiar dark sensation. Turning around quickly, I pointed my sword directly at the face of someone I didn't expect to find so soon.

"Hello, we met again!” Intoner Three said, smiling at me.

“Lady Three!” A bizarre-looking old man shouted as he ran towards us.

He had slicked-back white hair, along with a mustache and beard, purple eyes, and wore gray clothes with a coat and scarf. The sandals that made him twenty centimeters taller were one of his most distinguishing features together with the large metallic rings he held.

Suddenly, the old man pulled Three behind him and pointed his rings at me with distrust shining in his eyes.

"Lady Three, step away from that man, there's something wrong with him!"

“I know Octa, and that's why he interests me!" Three replied, walking past the identified old man.

I readied myself to draw Makoto from my bag and end it here and now, but a roar interrupted us.

“RRROOOAAARRR!”

It came from the hole in the tree trunk; it seems that our discussion drew the Manticore's attention.

Heavy footsteps echoed through the clearing and a large creature left its nest, it had a human face surrounded by a lion's mane with a lion's body attached to the head, it also had a scorpion's tail and bat wings.

"I'll deal with you later; I have greater problems now." I said to Three, turning to Manticore.

"See you later!" Eupherbia said, flying away and hiding among the trees.

“Hump! Fairies, cowards who show their true colors when in danger.” The black dragon grunted in disgust.

“I hope you don't mind if I join the fight since I believe this is an opportune time to study you." Three replied, snapping her scissors anxiously.

“There is no other way. I hope we can have some fun later, Lady Three." Octa said, spinning his rings.

-XXXXXX-

The Manticore roared and flapped its wings, leaping towards us as the black dragon did the same, intercepting the creature mid-flight. The two rolled across the clearing, but the Manticore pushed the dragon away with its paws and they both stood up facing each other.

The monster reared up on its hind legs and tried to slash the dragon across its face, but Edric cast Soul Ray, hitting its face and interrupting the attack, leaving a scorched wound and making the monster retreat in pain, while Octa's Chakram cut its back's right side, drawing blood from a deep wound.

The dragon spun its body, hitting the Manticore with its tail and throwing it away. Edric used the opening to cast Homing Soul Arrow and run towards his enemy.

“You have some interesting magic, how does it work? Does it come from your body? Your mind? Did you have to study to learn this? Or were you born with it? Is it an inheritance from your lineage or the result of experiments? And the silver wand in your hand? Is it the source of your magic? Did you assemble it? Or did you buy it from someone else? Can you cast spells without it?” Three gleely asked question after question, trying to satiate her curiosity as she ran beside the knight.

“I wish Lady Three would show that much interest in me, it makes me a little jealous." Octa commented, looking down disappointed.

“Concentrate on the fight in front of you!” Edric exclaimed as he approached the Manticore.

The soul arrows fired and hit the creature's face, allowing him to slash the monster from left to right just above the nose. The Manticore roared in pain and tried to pierce Edric with its stinger, but he raised his, shield blocking the attack.

The creature applied more strength behind the attack and pushed the knight back, who planted his feet on the ground and entered into a battle of strength against his foe.

“How did you acquire such strength? Through training? Surgery? Magic enhancements?” Three asked as she stepped on Edric's shoulders, using him as a springboard, and landing on the Manticore's back, slicing it with her scissors.

The Manticore focused on its current assailant and struggled, throwing Three away. Fortunately, Octa caught her before she hit the ground.

“How about we go to my room after we're done? I have studied the art of pleasure lately; I can take you to heights with just my hands.” Octa asked sultrily, putting Three down, but she ignored his rants and ran towards the fight.

Blow after blow, the Manticore pressured Edric, trying to slash him to pieces, but he blocked the attacks with his shield. Eventually, one of the blows landed on the side of the shield, knocking it from Edric's hands and slashing the knight’s chest soon after.

“Hump!" Edric grunted in pain as he rolled away from the next attack, retrieving his shield on the way, and healing his wounds due to the regenerative enchantments of his equipment.

Suddenly, a fireball fell aimed at the Manticore, who took flight, dodging the flaming projectile, and soared high in the skies toward the black dragon.

Meanwhile, Three stopped beside Edric and pestered him with her questions, again.

“Can you regenerate? How do you do it? With magic? Magic items? Or is it something natural?”

Edric ignored the incessant questions and removed his White Bow from his bag, cocking a White Arrow and aiming at the Manticore fighting the dragon.

Unfortunately, Edric's actions piqued Intoner's curiosity, which led to even more questions.

"How did you do it? Is this bag enchanted? Is there a limit to the size and amount of items that you can store?” Three asked, reaching a hand toward Edric's bag.

SLAP !

"Ouch!" Three screamed in pain, rubbing the hand Edric had just slapped.

“Stay away from my equipment! Why don't you focus on the fight instead of wasting time asking questions?” Edric demanded, returning his sights to the Manticore.

"Fine, but I want you to answer my questions later!” Three replied, watching the Manticore fight the dragon.

The dragon and the Manticore collided several times, but neither gained the upper hand. Colliding once more, the black dragon bit the Manticore’s neck, who did the same to it, taking both towards the ground.

Edric followed the fall with his bow, firing the White Arrow spinning with an air spiral around it.

The dragon released the Manticore and kicked it away with its paws, allowing the arrow to pierce the monster's left wing, leaving a great hole, and taking its ability to keep itself in the air.

The Manticore collided with the ground, raising a large dust cloud. Edric didn't give the creature time to recover and ran towards it with his sword ready as Three and Octa acted in accord.

The knight slashed the Manticore’s head as it tried to pierce him with its stinger, but he blocked the blow with his shield.

Octa then threw one of his Chakrams toward the monster's tail, slicing it off as the Manticore roared, but soon fell silent when Three slit its throat with one of her scissors.

Finally, the black dragon dove with its mouth wide open, sinking its fangs into its prey's flesh with all its might, slamming the body repeatedly against the ground. This continued until the light disappeared from the Manticore's eyes, making the dragon roar victoryously.

"Did you have fun?" Edric asked, approaching the dragon.

“Surely human, today we will have a feast!” The black dragon boasted, looking at the large body at its feet.

“HOHOHO! That fight sure got my blood flowing, especially to my nether regions.” Octa laughed, thinking about Three’s reward in the future.

“My interest in you only increases, I would like you to stay overnight in my sanctuary if you don't mind. There we can talk properly and you can answer my questions.” Three said, trying to pull the knight by the arm, only to have Makoto pointed at her neck.

“Do not approach me, demon.” Edric said menacingly, moving the blade closer.

“Lady Three!” Octa yelled surprised, preparing his Chakrams.

Three smiled widely with a disturbing gleam in her eyes, the gravity of the situation not affecting her as every action Edric took became an opportunity to learn more about this mysterious person.

“It's okay Octa, today's experiment was a success. I hope to see you again Edric.” Three waved goodbye, walking past Octa, who looked at Edric and the black dragon one last time before following his Intoner.

“I expected you to cut off Intoner's head here and now." The black dragon said.

“It is not a fortunate time. I must fulfill, but I also need to be patient, since a better opportunity will arise. Now, let's prepare the Manticore, but leave the head whole, I need it to prove that I completed the quest."

Suddenly, Eupherbia flew from the trees before Edric and the dragon could carry off the Manticore's body.

-XXXXXX-

“You are alive, and killed the Manticore!” Eupherbia landed on the edge of my helmet again.

“Look, the little coward returned when the danger ended.” The black dragon mocked.

She would say something, but several fairies appeared around us, interrupting her, while a brighter fairy stood among them.

“What a surprise, the stupid human and the stinky dragon send the Manticore to hell! Now you can leave my kingdom and never return!” The fairy demanded arrogantly.

“And who are you exactly?” I asked, half-closing my eyes, trying to see beyond the light.

“I, you ignorant human, am the Fairy King, and you should be kneeling in my presence, but I am willing to overlook your transgression if you hand this traitor over to me.” The Fairy King pointed at Eupherbia, who hid behind me.

“Traitor, what did Eupherbia do to be considered one?”

“Do you think the Manticore chose our tree as its nest purely by coincidence? No, that accursed traitor had the bright idea to prank the Manticore, and she fled here when it raged and tried to kill her, bringing the monster together!"

"Is that true?" I asked Eupherbia.

"Yeah." Eupherbia replied ashamed.

“Now, I will prepare for her execution if you hand her over.”

“Are you going to execute her?”

"Of course, I will not let the damage done to my kingdom go unpunished!”

"Well, I wouldn't look for other ways to have fun like pranking a Manticore if you weren't all a bunch of motherfuckers!" Eupherbia screamed, pointing at all the fairies around her.

“GASPH!” They all sighed at what they heard.

"Yes, that's true! You are all sons of a bitches who only know how to talk shit about each other."

"Fuck you!" Eupherbia said, pointing to a fairy.

"Fuck you!" Eupherbia said, pointing to another faerie.

"You're cool!" Eupherbia said, raising her thumb to a fairy, who returned the gesture.

"And you!" Eupherbia said, pointing at the Fairy King.

“You are nothing but a fat, incompetent swine that ran the Faerie kingdom down since your father's death. You raise taxes, take most of the food for yourself, execute or exile all who defy your will, and you care little for the security of the kingdom. If you wanted to, you could have faced that Manticore the very day it arrived, but you're nothing but a coward who hides behind the bravado of courage. Then FUCK YOU!"

Eupherbia's face was bright red with anger while she breathed heavily from her speech, but the black dragon's laughter broke the silence that followed.

“HAHAHA! That's what I talked about, the true nature of fairies!”

HAHAHA!"

The laughter of the faeries accompanied the black dragon's laughter, adding to the Faerie King's shame and indignation.

"DO YOU DARE?! I AM THE KING OF THE FAIRIES! THE WISEST, THE STRONGEST! NO ONE COMPARES TO MY GREATNESS! I WILL ORDER YOU ALL TO BE EXECUTED! I… I… I…"

CHOMP!

The Fairy King never finished as the dragon's row of teeth approaching was his last vision before he died, meeting his end by becoming the black dragon’s next meal.

All the fairies went silent, paralyzed by fear and dread. Suddenly, they all fought each other.

"THE KING IS DEAD! I PROCLAIM MYSELF AS THE NEW KING!”

“NO, I AM THE KING!”

“YOU ARE WRONG, I AM THE NEW KING!”

“Will they kill each other to decide who becomes the new king?” I asked the black dragon.

“They are fairies, selfish beings who betray their fellows at the first opportunity. Let's go, I'm tired of wasting time with them." The black dragon replied, dragging the Manticore's body.

“Eupherbia what are you… Eupherbia?” I looked around, but she was not anywhere.

-XXXXXX-

Edric would have seen two small legs entering his bottomless bag if he had looked down at his waist. He then shrugged and accompanied the dragon off the clearing as there was no time to waste, the party day approached and he still hadn't risen to S rank.

-XXXXXX-

The Law of Causality dictates a link between event A and event B, provided that the second event is a consequence of the first. Some call this fate, causality, or the cause and effect principle, which holds that current circumstances are the result of past actions.

For example, the wind carries large golden robes that once belonged to a monk. Eventually, it takes the robes to a river where it is carried by the current, later, on in the same river, a fisherman catches the robes.

Seeing the quality of the clothes, the fisherman considers selling them for a great price, but first, he takes the robes to his wife to wash. After washing the robes and hanging them on a clothesline, a thief stoles them, selling them to a merchant.

The merchant travels to the Land of the Forests, but is unable to sell the robes, as all those capable of feeling magic say they have a bad feeling when they approach the item.

Frustrated, the merchant throws the robes away, which causes the wind to carry them again until they enter the shrine inside a large tree, landing at the feet of a purple-haired girl.

The girl approaches the robes with interest, only for them to leap like a snake and wrap around her body. The girl tried to fight, but soon stopped and laughed; she laughed at everything the robes showed her.

A monk dressed in yellow, a large tower, creatures created from unholy experiments, and everything she ever wanted to create the perfect doll. The robes also showed her the needed ingredients to create these dolls.

The girl heard a call, the call of something ancient, the call of an animal, the call of a starving child.

“Bring me more souls.”

END OF CHAPTER

Notes:

As you can see in this chapter I have included a new character, the fairy Eupherbia, first of all I would like to say that I don't plan on turning Eupherbia into a good fairy, she just won't be as bad as other fairies. One thing that worries me is that this story ends up looking like another Drakengard Fanfic, it's called Flower to the Dead, it's a Drakengard 3 crossover with Kingdom Hearts written by Preferably Bitter 52, and this fic can be found on the Fanfiction website. Net or on AO3 by Catch358, it's one of my favorite fanfics, if you're a fan of Drakengard and Kingdom Hearts I recommend you read it. Coming back to the subject, I'll do my best so that my story and Flower to the Dead don't look too similar.

Thanks so much for reading my story! I hope you enjoyed! If possible leave a kudo and tell me what you think of the chapter! Please don't feel obligated to do this! Constructive criticism and suggestions are welcome!

I would like to apologize for the grammar mistakes, as English is not my first language.

That's it for now! Have a nice day and until the next chapter!

Chapter 7: Missions and Miracles Part 2

The mission became quite profitable, I acquired much money for slaying the Manticore, mainly gold coins, which I added to my previous rewards. Let's say that money is no longer an issue.

I am currently A-ranked, and I have a platinum plaque hanging around my neck, but now there are no missions that could raise my Rank. Therefore, I completed B and C-rank missions. It was slow, but maybe I can achieve an S-rank.

“Why are you so serious?” Missa asked from across the counter.

“Nothing, just thinking." I replied, sipping my ale.

“Do you mind telling me what those thoughts are?” Missa leaned on the counter, smiling at me.

“I am just thinking about how beautiful your eyes are.”

“Oh, thank you!” Missa’s face turned red as she looked away.

“Thank you for what? I said nothing.” I replied confused.

“You dummy, don’t play with maidens’ hearts like that.” Missa joked, poking the tip of my helmet.

“Seriously? So why don't you tell me what you wish me to say? Do you want me to compliment your beautiful hair? Your wonderful smile? Or do you prefer something more physical?"

“Not here, I’m on my work schedule.” Missa’s face turned even redder as she looked around.

What does she mean by that? I said nothing.

“Could you bring me another drink?” I said, offering my mug.

“Of course, I will be right back!” Missa stammered as she left to refill my mug.

Weird…

“HAHAHA!”

-XXXXXX-

“HAHAHA!" Eupherbia chuckled from inside Edric's pouch.

“Humans, it’s so easy to mess with their feelings! Let’s see if I can find something to have fun.” Eupherbia said, poking her head out of Edric’s bag and looking around.

The tavern was in its usual condition, with people drinking, eating, talking, and gambling until Eupherbia saw something that had the potential to generate an interesting situation.

Two circular tables; one close to the other and with a man sitting at each table, their chairs back to back.

“Hm... Let’s see what I can do.”

Quickly, Eupherbia slipped out of Edric’s bag and flew upward before anyone saw her until she reached the rafter between the wooden beams that supported the tavern, landing and walking on it until she stood above the tables.

“It is time to start." Eupherbia said as she pointed a finger at one of the men's head's back. Magic formed on her fingertip, firing a small beam toward its target, being equivalent to a strong slap.

“OUCH!" The man at the table on the right screamed as his head flew forward, drawing the attention of the people around him.

“What the hell was that?!” The man demanded from the second one at the table beside him as he rubbed his sore head.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” The second man replied confused.

The first man, seeing the confusion on the second one’s face, returned to his seat as he mumbled.

“HAHAHA!” Eupherbia laughed and pointed her finger at the second man, firing another beam.

“DAMN IT!” The second man yelled, turning to the first man.

“What have I done to you?!” The second man demanded, confusing the first man.

“I’m sorry but are you talking to me?”

The second man grumbled and returned to his seat.

“HAHAHA!" Eupherbia laughed once more, pointed both indexes at both men's heads, and fired a magic beam simultaneously.

“SON OF A…!”

“YOU BASTARD!”

Both men stood up and glared at each other.

“You must find that funny, right?” The first man asked.

“Strange, I would ask the same.” The second man replied, balling his hand into a fist before punching the first man’s face, calling the attention of the entire tavern.

The first man fell against the table where he sat earlier, grabbing a plate full of food and throwing it towards his assailant.

“TAKE THIS!”

The plate flew away but failed to hit its target, hitting instead the face of an unrelated bystander who stood up, grabbed his chair, and threw it towards the two fighting men.

They stepped out of the way, but the chair hit another customer who stood up from the floor, grabbed a glass bottle, and ran towards the fight with a war cry.

Soon, a brawl broke loose in the tavern, and tables and chairs flew everywhere, hitting unsuspecting customers and increasing the number of individuals involved in the fight.

Meanwhile, a fairy laughed and watched.

-XXXXXX-

“Here is your drink.” Missa said, placing the mug on the counter

“Thank you! Tell me; shouldn’t you try to stop the fight?” I asked, drinking and pointing at the brawn behind me.

“Don’t worry, this is normal around here. I will allow this as long as they pay for the damages, otherwise we will have a problem.” Missa replied, closing her eyes while smiling and slamming her fist into her palm.

“If you’re fine with it.” I shrugged and tried to drink again, but spilled some due to a bottle breaking on the back of my helmet.

CRASH!

“Are you okay?” Missa asked worriedly.

“Yes, I’ve been hit by worse.” I replied.

“If you say so, I think working as an adventurer eventually gets you used to taking blows.”

“You can’t imagine.”

“Speaking of adventurers, you have become a famous adventurer, sir knight.”

“Seriously? I didn’t know.”

“You have to listen to the stories, a knight in shining armor accompanied by a black dragon has traveled across Midgard, slaying monsters, capturing bandits, and protecting the innocent. You look like a fairytale character; a beautiful princess to pledge your eternal love it is all you need now." Missa smiled teasingly, I couldn't help but laugh a little.

“HAHAHA! Me, a fairytale hero? I can’t imagine myself as one, don’t believe all the stories they tell you, and considering my luck, the princess I meet might be a disguised demon.”

“Do not say that, you are ruining the tales I heard as a child!" Missa crossed her arms annoyed.

“HAHAHA! I’m sorry about that; I’ll try to be more of a gentleman in the future.”

“I hope so.”

I tried to drink again, but a chair to the back interrupted me this time.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Missa asked again.

“Yes, I am.” I replied with annoyance in my voice.

“Changing the subject, I heard interesting rumors about you.” Missa said, looking around the tavern.

“What rumors, exactly?”

“That you possess some kind of miraculous power that can cure any illness or injury.”

I’m not surprised that rumors appeared due to what I did, probably one more exaggerated than the last. I’m not proficient with healing miracles, so these people should stop searching for me and search for a capable cleric.

“As I said before Missa, don’t believe all the stories they tell you, I only did small good deeds for these people, but I believe there are more capable healers for the task.”

“You may doubt yourself Edric, but the people you helped are grateful.” Missa smiled.

Hm... Does this make me a good person? I’ve questioned that since what happened in the Defilement Valley. I tried to drink once more, and once again I could not, this time due to a table beaking on my back.

CRACK!

I heard something breaking and felt something dripping through my hand, I had crushed the wooden mug.

“Don’t worry Missa, I’ll pay for it.” I said as I stood up.

“What will you do?” Missa asked me.

“I will end this quarrel.” I replied, removing my Iron Knuckles from my bag.

“Edric? What are you…” Missa didn’t finish as I jumped into the middle of the fight, generating pained screams from those involved.

“MY LEG!”

“MY ARM!”

CRACK!

“AAAHHH!”

I threw one of the customers out of the tavern’s windows while Missa ducked, allowing another to fly over her and hit the racks behind the counter.

-XXXXXX-

Unfortunately, due to the ongoing fight, nobody noticed the small fairy floating among the customers, using her magic to remove their coins from their pockets and bags and place them inside Edric’s bottomless one, all while laughing.

Then, Eupherbia dove into the bottomless bag and watched the fight with her head outside, nothing more than entertainment to her.

-XXXXXX-

“Here it is.” I said while handing some gold coins to Missa.

“At least you paid for the damages.” Missa replied, counting the coins.

“If everything is solved, I believe it is my time to leave.”

“I wish you a safe travel, and be careful with your coins!"

“What do you mean by that?”

“You do not know? There is a thief in town; small objects have disappeared for some time, coins, rings, bracelets, hand mirrors, and more, keep an eye on yours."

“I am grateful for the warning Missa, until we meet again.”

“You’re welcome! Rank up in the guild soon and we will have a celebration when you reach S-rank!” Missa waved goodbye, so I waved back and left the tavern.

A celebration? It doesn’t look that bad.

-XXXXXX-

A delicious smell entered my helmet as I walked through the streets. Looking aside, I saw a bakery with a gentleman inside, probably the confectioner, and several desserts on display, cakes, pies, cookies, and more.

“Hello, good morning! How can I help you, Sir Knight?" The confectioner asked.

I slammed my hand on the counter and dropped a handful of coins.

“A little bit of everything, please.”

The confectioner just smiled ear to ear.

-XXXXXX-

I stored the last dessert in my bag and now it is time to return to the inn. Maybe tomorrow I’ll find some new mission.

-Inside the Bottomless Bottom-

The bottomless bag is one of the greatest inventions of Sorcerer Geri, a friend of Sage Freke, and known throughout Boletaria as a craftsman of magic items.

The bag can store different objects in almost unlimited amounts, weapons, armor, and rings; it is the perfect item for those who seek to be prepared for all kinds of endeavors.

Some believe it is possible to live inside a bottomless bag, just bring food and water when you enter it, but nobody would do that, would they? Who would be foolish enough to live inside a magical object of infinite space?

Well, a fairy named Eupherbia currently lay on a pile of stolen goods hidden inside the bag.

“Eupherbia, you did the right thing following this human!” The fairy said to herself as she stood up.

“Look around, where, in the Land of the Forest, would you have found so many treasures?" Eupherbia said, placing a gold ring encrusted with ruby on her head like a crown.

“You changed your life, now you are far away from those simple-minded fairies!” She walked towards a silver-adorned hand mirror, grabbing a gold chain and wrapping it around her waist like a belt before posing as she spoke to her reflection

“Those stupid fairies only care about themselves. You saw what happened, everyone started killing each other for the crown the moment the dragon devoured that pathetic, incompetent king.”

“But you differ, don't you? You've always wanted to stay away from that boring forest, haven't you? What do humans say? You're a country girl wanting to go to the big city." Eupherbia then opened a noblewoman's ornate box beside the mirror.

“Remember what your mother said, Don’t end up like me, if you have a dream, fight for it.”

Mother… Likely the only decent faerie in all of Midgard, she gave up her dreams to pursue love.

And what did that bastard I call father do when he discovered my mother's pregnancy? He abandoned her! Fairies only care about themselves! I hope a frog eat that damn bastard!

Eupherbia then put on lipstick and powder and posed in front of the mirror again.

“Mother, can you see where I am right now? Don’t worry, I’m following my dream. I will accompany this strange human for a while, he is what humans call an adventurer, and they travel all over Midgard. Maybe I can finally see what lies beyond the forest where we lived. I won’t end up like other fairies, I won’t turn into a bitter old hag, and I won’t be squashed like a mosquito by someone tired of my teasing. Just watch, I’ll make you proud.” Eupherbia walked away from the mirror and returned to the pile of stolen goods.

Suddenly, a light shone above Eupherbia, forming a perfect circle around her.

“Mother?" Eupherbia asked, looking towards the light. A dark spot formed in the middle of it, increasing as a shadow formed where she stood.

“What is that?” The fairy asked until her eyes widened when she realized what happened, Edric had dropped something into the bag and toward her.

“AAAHHH!” Eupherbia screamed, running away and narrowly avoiding a crushing death.

The fallen object was a large package wrapped in fabric with a small string keeping it together; emanating the smell of something tasty.

“Hm... What is that?” Eupherbia asked as her mouth watered.

The fairy approached the package and pulled the string, opening it and revealing sweets of all kinds, cake, cookies, pies, everything the fairy could imagine.

“Thank you human!” Eupherbia screamed, throwing herself into the pile, after all, she would never get that kind of food in the Land of Forests.

Meanwhile, Edric stood oblivious to the crunching sounds and crumbs coming from his bag.

-XXXXXX-

“So, what creature will we face today?” The black dragon asked me.

“I’m unsure; the quest said that something crashed airships in the Land of Mountains.” I replied, analyzing my surroundings with my brass telescope.

“Facing an unknown enemy, foolish but a little exciting.” The dragon laughed.

“I’m more concerned with what can bring down an airship.”

“Several things can bring down an airship, like a dragon or a golem if it throws a rock high enough…"

“A big bird!”

“That is exaggerated, I've fought airships before, they're not that fragile."

“A big bird!”

“I already told you that they are not that fragile, human." The dragon said annoyed.

“A BIG BIRD!” I yelled, pointing to our right.

“What?!” The black dragon asked surprised, looking at the thing approaching us.

A large humanoid bird with blue feathers, arms and legs with three fingers and huge claws on the tip of each one, two large wings on its back, a long elongated tail and neck, and a slightly humanoid face with a large beak.

“A Vrock!” The dragon screamed.

“KKKYYYAAAHHH!” The Vrock screeched like an eagle before attacking us with its outstretched claws.

I quickly drew a crossbow from my bag, aimed it at the Vrock, and pulled the trigger; the dart broke harmlessly upon hitting the bird’s chest.

“It's useless! Vrocks have resistance to non-magical attacks!" The dragon flapped its wings, stopping its flight and allowing the Vrock to pass by us.

Resistance to non-magical attacks does not equal immunity.

“Dragon, let’s pursue it!”

“HAHAHA! No need to say it twice, human!” The dragon flapped its wings and chased the Vrock.

I equipped my Sticky Compound Longbow, cocked a sacred arrow capable of delivering magical damage, aimed at the Vrock, and released my arrow.

-XXXXXX-

The arrow left its bow and flew at great speeds towards the Vrock, hitting it in the back between its wings.

The monster roared in pain, not expecting its pursuer to possess something capable of causing damage, but it didn't have time to counterattack as a fireball spat by the black dragon almost hit its mark, exploding and scorching its body.

Arrow after arrow, fireball after fireball, the Vrock slowly took damage. Tired of fleeing, it opened its wings, stopping its flight temporarily, and allowing the black dragon and knight to approach.

Turning its body and flapping its wings, the Vrock soared towards its pursuers, who due to the speed, didn’t stop in time, with the dragon receiving a slash to its right side.

“Damn plague!” The black dragon roared in rage and chased the Vrock fervently.

“Wait!" Edric tried to warn the dragon, but it didn't listen to him. The Vrock flew faster and faster as the dragon did the same.

Suddenly, the monster opened its wings once more, stopping its flight and allowing the black dragon to approach. Preparing its claws, the bird slashed the dragon just above its left eye, the blood preventing it from opening.

“Listen to my words, that creature is toying with you! You will achieve nothing by allowing it to anger you!”

“Silence! I will not be lectured by you! I will crush this creature like a true dragon should!” The black dragon replied.

“Why do I waste my breath?" Edric asked himself, firing more arrows.

The dragon spits more fireballs at the Vrock, who narrowly dodges each one as the battle in the sky continues, reaching the clouds. The pain of one of Edric's arrows hitting its wings distracted the monster long enough for one of the fireballs to hit it directly, creating a smoke cloud.

BOOM!

“Finally!” The black dragon screamed in satisfaction and shot towards the smoke cloud.

“Wait for the smoke to clear!” Edric shouted, but the dragon ignored him.

The dragon pierced the smoke cloud like an arrow, but the Vrock wasn't there.

“Where did it go?!” The dragon demanded, keeping itself stationary in the air.

“Careful, it could be anywhere!" Edric replied, analyzing his surroundings and having difficulty differ left, right, up, or down, it was just a sea of white.

“KKKYYYAAAHHH!" A screech similar to an eagle echoed through the sky. Suddenly, something forced the black dragon down, the Vrock sinking its claws into the black dragon’s back.

“Release me, disgusting creature!" The black dragon demanded as the Vrock pulled its head back and threw it forward, thrusting its beak into the dragon's back.

“RRROOOAAARRR!”

“React or we will fall!” Edric screamed, but there was nothing the dragon could do, they crossed the clouds and saw the Land of Mountains again.

Edric grabbed the dragon’s paw and tried to release himself, but its grip was too strong. Sighing, Edric drew his catalyst and held the dragon’s paw firmly.

“You will have to forgive me for that.” Edric said, pointing his catalyst at the dragon’s paw and casting Soul Ray.

The pain opened the dragon's paw, Edric climbed the dragon's leg, hung onto its torso, aimed his silver catalyst at the Vrock, and cast Soul Ray again, piercing the monster's chest, right arm, and left-wing, releasing the dragon.

Finally free, the dragon spread its wings, slowing its fall, and flapped them to regain altitude, facing Edric hanging on its torso.

“I didn’t climb on your back, did I?” Edric teased amusedly.

The black dragon muttered something in irritation, realizing that he was technically right.

“This misshapen bird is giving us trouble.” The black dragon said.

“We wouldn’t have so much trouble if a certain dragon wasn’t so hard-headed.” Edric answered.

“Don’t you have anything better to say human?”

“Actually yes, a plan, to be specific.”

“Oh, would you mind sharing it with me?”

“With pleasure.” Edric then told his plan as they chased the Vrock.

The dragon spat a fireball just below the Vrock, forcing it to rise. The bird tried to fly to the right, but a Soul Ray prevented it as another fireball forced it upward once more.

Eventually, the Vrock reached the sea of clouds. Seeing its pursuers approaching quickly, it flapped its wings, flying aside and allowing the dragon to pass and disappear amidst the clouds.

Seconds passed in complete silence. Suddenly, a shadow formed in the clouds, forming the dragon’s silhouette.

The Vrock flew aside once more, allowing the dragon to pass again, but there was something wrong, the human wasn’t there. Confused, it didn’t notice the human silhouette in the clouds above.

“KKKYYYAAA!” The Vrock screeched in pain as Edric landed on its back and sank his Holy Sword of Moonlight into its flesh.

Edric grabbed the bird's wing and repeatedly pierced its back with his sword as the black dragon returned, sinking its claws into the Vrock and biting its neck.

It ended, the Vrock could do nothing, or at least that’s what they thought.

The Vrock breathed deeply and screamed a deafening noise, a stunning screech that hit its assailants, loosening their grip and initiating their deadly fall.

Shaking his head, Edric recovered from the screech, but now he went towards the approaching ground.

“Dragon!” Edric exclaimed, but it didn’t answer.

“What are you waiting for?! Flap your wings and stop our fall!” But the dragon’s eyes didn’t open, it stood unconscious.

“Son of a...” Edric joined his arms and legs to his body and fell faster towards the dragon, grabbing one of its horns and screaming on its face.

“Wake up, wake up or we will die!” Edric begged as he punched the dragon’s forehead. Looking down, he saw that the ground approaching.

“Is this how you wish to perish?! Falling from too high?! I’ve perished like this several times and believe me, it’s humiliating!” But he heard no response from the dragon.

“WAKE UP!” Edric yelled one last time, removing his Dragon Bone Smasher from his bag and slamming it on the dragon’s forehead.

CRACK!

“RRROOOAAARRR!” The dragon woke up roaring in pain, blood streaming from its new wound.

“What's happened?!" The dragon asked, looking around confused.

“Look!” Edric replied, pointing down.

The dragon’s eyes widened upon seeing the close ground, so it spread its wings, trying to slow its fall. The dragon prevented a direct impact, but it was not enough, as it flew a few meters from the ground for some seconds before hitting the soil.

Edric clung to the dragon’s horns as the two rolled along a mountain until they hit a large stone, throwing them up before falling into the abyss below.

“AAAHHH!” Screaming was all they could do.

-XXXXXX-

“Get off me!” Edric yelled, pushing the dragon’s wing off him.

“You should be grateful that my body softened the fall." The black dragon replied annoyed.

“I would appreciate it if you had done it willingly." The knight spoke sarcastically, standing on shaky legs and retrieving his equipment.

“But I am, is it so hard to believe that I saved us out of the goodness of my heart?” The dragon asked in the same tone.

“Listen here you...” Edric didn’t finish, as his bottomless bag moved.

Throwing herself from the bag and toward the ground, a green-faced Eupherbia vomited shortly thereafter.

“What the fuck was that?! One moment I'm eating my sweets and the next everything starts spinning! Throwing knives flying towards me! A giant hammer almost crushing me! A spinning ax almost cutting my head off! What the hell were you two doing?!" Eupherbia demanded, facing the surprised dragon and knight.

“Look, the cowardly fairy has returned.” The dragon answered.

“You resided in my bag all this time?" Edric asked disbelieving and the fairy looked around nervously, realizing her mistake.

“Look at the time, it’s late, I think I should go home for dinner!” Eupherbia tried to fly away, but Edric warped his hand around her, leaving her head free.

“AAAHHH!” The faerie screamed as the knight brought her closer to his helm.

“Listen to me, you will not go anywhere! We’ll have a long talk when we return, do you understand?!

Eupherbia nodded vigorously.

“Moreover, I’ll turn you into dragon meal if you try to flee!” Edric said, pointing to the black dragon who smiled, showing and licking all its fangs. The little fairy gulped, understanding her fate if she ran away.

“Perfect, now let’s discover our location.” Edric released Eupherbia and the fairy floated over his shoulder.

They were in an illuminated cave, light coming from the hole above, and further ahead, probably an exit.

“Well, there’s only one place to go.” Edric said, walking towards the light.

“What a brilliant observation.” The dragon said sarcastically.

“As if you could do better.” Eupherbia said to the dragon.

“What did you say?!”

“NOTHING!" Eupherbia screamed, hiding behind Edric.

“I imagined.” The dragon said with disdain.

“Behave, you two.” Edric reprimed them both.

They left the cave, entering a large crater inside a mountain with several destroyed airships.

“Well, we found the felled airships.” The dragon said.

“Can we go home now?” Eupherbia asked.

“Hello, is there anyone here?” A male voice called, interrupting them.

“Not yet.” Edric answered.

“Help!” The voice continued.

A crevice in the earth was on the left side of the crater, big enough for a person to fall into.

“Hello?” The voice spoke again.

“Shut up, Decadus! You should waste less time screaming for help and spend more time trying to get us out of here!” A female voice said.

“Being assaulted with such cruel words AAAHHH~~~” The male voice moaned loudly.

“Hello! Do you need help?” Edric stood at the edge of the crevice.

“Yes!” The female voice screamed.

“But Lady said…” The male voice couldn’t finish.

“Shut up!”

“AAAHHH~~~”

“Wait for my return, I’ll find a rope.” Edric searched the crumbling airships until he found a rope inside a wooden crate, tied it around a large boulder, and dropped the other end into the crevice.

“Here is the rope!”

“Thank you very much!” The male voice said as the rope moved.

“Let me help you." Edric replied, offering his hand to the person emerging from the crevice, a tall, middle-aged man with a well-built physique, brown hair, and green eyes.

“Thank you for your kindness, sir…" The man asked.

“Edric.”

“Thank you for your kindness Sir Edric, my name is Decadus.” The man bowed politely.

“Nice to meet you Decadus.” The knight replied, returning the gesture.

Suddenly, the rope moved again.

“It seems my lady is already climbing, better help her.” Decadus said, turning toward the crevice.

“Tell me Decadus, what are your lady and you doing here, and how did you both end inside the crevice?"

“Oh, that! We investigated the missing airships until the Vrock surprised us, taking us down into this crater, luckily we survived the crash. How we ended inside the crevice, well… We saw one of our men waving at us after we left the wreckage, saying that some of our men fell into the crevice, and he kicked us down when we stood close to the edge."

“Hm... This sounds familiar. By any chance was this man called…" Edric didn't have time to finish.

“Finally, freedom from that damn hole! I was tired of enduring that idiot’s moans!” A girl screamed relieved as she left the crevice.

“AAAHHH~~~!”

“Stop moaning!" She screamed annoyed at her companion's antics.

Looking at the girl, Edric saw Intoner Four fixing him with anger and distrust.

“You!” Four said raising her fists, ready to fight.

“Lady Four, what are you doing? This kind sir helped us.” Decadus asked confused, putting himself in her path.

“That knight attacked us during Zero’s invasion of Cathedral City!”

Decadus’ eyes widened and he stood beside his Intoner, assuming a fighting stance too.

“I’m sorry Sir Edric, but as a person who wronged my Lady, I must face you.”

“I see, you are loyal to her, which I can respect.” Edric replied, removing Makoto from his bag and casting Regeneration to overcome the health drain.

“Are you done rescuing these people?” The black dragon asked as it approached.

“Oh, it's that annoying brat, the Intoner Four! Finish her off!" Eupherbia smiled sadistically, landing on Edric's shoulder as Four and Decadus retreated upon noticing the dragon.

“Decadus, we will summon my angel!” Four shouted in fear.

“As you wish, Lady Four.” Decadus replied in the same tone.

Four sang, but she coughed profusely. Looking around, she saw a familiar blue magic circle surrounding her, making her sweat nervously as Edric approached.

“Listen, I think we started on the wrong foot! How about we stop and talk like civilized people?" The Intoner offered a handshake as she retreated.

“Don't believe anything she says, that girl's heart is rotten and full of holes!" Eupherbia replied, enjoying the fear on her face.

“That is not true; I am a fair maiden with a pure heart!”

“Are you sure? What about all the elves you slaughtered?”

“They were pirates, I just handed them justice!”

“Don’t believe her words Edric; she killed several elves while laughing with joy! She hates anyone who isn’t human!”

“LISTEN HERE YOU FLYING PLAGUE!" Four screamed, trying to grab Eupherbia, but Makoto's tip pointed at her face stopped her.

“Kill her, Edric! Cut her to pieces! Smash her with your giant hammer! Pierce her heart with a spear! Turn her to ashes with your spells! Do what you want, but don’t let this monster escape!”

“Decadus, do something!" Four yelled as she hid behind her disciple, who looked around nervously for something that could save them both.

“You said all the ways I can die… Now, I can’t help myself… AAAHHH~~~… Cut into pieces, crushed, burned… AAAHHH~~~.” Decadus groaned at all the painful ways he could die.

Amazingly, this worked as Edric backed away with utter disgust beneath his helmet.

“That’s it, Decadus! Use that weird fetish of yours for something useful for the first time in your life!”

“That human has issues.” The black dragon said disgusted.

“Pathetic!” Eupherbia spoke right after.

“AAAHHH~~~!” The insults only pleased Decadus while the groans drove Edric away.

“ENOUGH, I'VE WASTED ENOUGH TIME! STOP THESE NOISES AND FACE ME!" Edric approached, but a screech from the sky interrupted him.

“KKKYYYAAA!” The Vrock had returned, extremely injured, but ready to fight again.

“Well, looks who returned for more.” The black dragon smiled.

“I will leave that to you, Edric!” Eupherbia tried to fly away, but Edric wrapped his hand around her.

“You’re not going anywhere! Either you help me or I’ll hand you over to the Vrock.”

Seeing no other option, she nodded and floated beside Edric.

“That’s the thing that crashed my airships! You will pay for this, disgusting creature… I mean… I will not allow you to harm my people, so face justice!” Four turned to the Vrock.

“Well said, Lady Four, I’m right beside you! The thought of being torn apart by that thing’s claws… AAAHHH~~~!”

“Not now Decadus!”

Sighing, Edric readied himself for the fight.

The Vrock screeched and flapped its wings, generating large gales as spores came from its body, covering the crater.

“Careful, these spores are poisonous!” Edric said, his poison resistance activating the moment he breathed the spores. He equipped his Poison Resistance Ring and ran towards the monster.

“Don't steal all the fun for yourself, human!" The dragon advanced towards the Vrock.

“Don’t leave me here!” Eupherbia screamed, following Edric.

“Come on Decadus!” Four shouted to her disciple.

“Being poisoned and feeling my body die slowly… AAAHHH~~~!” Decadus moaned, running toward the battle.

The Vrock raised its right hand and tried to squash the approaching knight, who rolled forward, letting the blow hit the ground, and slashed the monster’s thigh while passing underneath it.

The bird tried to turn and attack Edric, but a head-butt to its chest, courtesy of the dragon, stopped it.

The Vrock then grabbed the black dragon's neck, sinking its claws into the being's scales, but the magic shot hit its face before it could continue. Eupherbia flew quickly around the monster, firing magic at its body.

“I am here!” Eupherbia screamed, dodging a blow.

“Here!” She fired at the Vrock’s back.

“Here!” She fired at the Vrock’s neck.

The Vrock turned toward the fairy and opened its beak, trying to devour her, but an absurd pain to its back called its attention. Edric had cut off its left wing with a clean cut from Makoto. Blood gushed from the wound like a river as the blade's curse possessed an insatiable bloodlust.

The Vrock didn't have time to recover as punches met its ribs on both sides of its body, Four on the left and Decadus on the right. Breathing deeply and letting out another stunning screech, the bird made everyone in the crater clutch their ears in pain.

“Not this time!” The dragon screamed, spewing fire towards the Vrock’s face.

The Vrock screeched again, receiving a hook to the chin and a punch to the side of the head by the Intoner and Disciple. This stunned it long enough for Edric to cut it from the neck to the crotch with Makoto.

Blood gushed from the wound, painting his armor red, Edric then shook Makoto, removing the liquid off the blade and gracefully sheathed it. Slowly, he returned to the dragon and Eupherbia.

“Looks like it’s over.” The dragon said, watching the Vrock fall.

“You don’t want me to cook the Vrock?”

“No, not enough meat on its bones.”

“And you Eupherbia? Eupherbia?” Edric asked worriedly.

The fairy stood pale-faced and flying with difficulty, the light surrounding her dimming as she fell. Quickly, Edric put his hand below the fairy, preventing her from falling to the ground.

“What a pity, it looks like the bird poisoned her. Unfortunately, we don’t have a healer nearby, and it will be too late until we reach one.” Four faked concern in her voice, trying to hide her smile.

Decadus, on the other hand, looked genuinely sad, adjusting his glasses as he looked away.

“Hm... I hope this works.” Edric held his Talisman of God above Eupherbia and cast Antidote. Color returned to Eupherbia’s face and her light shone brighter.

“I cured the poisoning; she will heal in time.”

“Damn it.” Four whispered while Decadus smiled relieved.

The moment of happiness ended as the Vrock rose, letting out a mighty screech, prepared to fight once more.

“KKKYYYAAA!”

BOOM!

The fight never continued since the Vrock blew to pieces due to several cannonballs hitting it as three airships approached the crater.

“Curses! How will I prove that I completed the quest?” Edric asked frustrated.

“Do not worry about it.” The black dragon scavenged the remains of the Vrock and emerged with the monster’s head dangling from its mouth.

“Fine, then let’s return.”

“Where do you think you’re going?!” Four screamed, stopping him.

“Away.”

“Don’t even think about it, you criminal! I won’t let you run away again now that my forces are here! Therefore, with the authority bestowed upon me as the ruler of the Land of Mountains, I, Intoner Four, command that… AAAHHH!”

Four never finished as Edric smashed her to the ground with his Dragon Bone Smasher.

“MY BONES!” Four screamed with her face buried in the ground.

Edric then faced Decadus, waiting for his next action, but Decadus did the unexpected, he dropped to his knees, opened his arms, and closed his eyes.

“What are you waiting for?!” Decadus shouted.

“Stay away from me, you are disgusting!” Edric replied, pointing at Decadus while backing away.

“Being assaulted with such words… AAAHHH~~~!” Decadus groaned in pleasure as Edric and the black dragon flew away.

-XXXXXX-

“Attention everyone! Congratulations to Edric, our newest S-Rank adventurer!” Missa cheered, raising a mug while placing one foot up on the tavern counter.

“EEEYYY!” All the occupants of the tavern shouted, doing the same.

Now I had a diamond plaque around my neck, proof that I reached the highest rank.

“Why so serious, Edic? It is time to celebrate.” Missa asked me.

“I’m not used to this kind of festivity." I am not; I can't imagine this type of celebration happening in Boletaria today.

“You will get used to it.” Missa asserted.

“I hope so.” I sipped my drink, watching the time pass.

“Have you heard the news? Someone returned all the stolen objects!”

“I wonder why?” I replied, looking at my bottomless bag moving a little.

“Perhaps the thief had a change of heart.” Missa shrugged.

“Maybe, Missa did you do what I asked?”

“Yes, just a minute!” Missa headed towards the tavern’s kitchen and returned carrying a large bag over her shoulder.

“You have my thanks.” I picked up the bag and draped it over my shoulder.

“I don’t know what you will do with so much roast beef, but since you paid for it, I won’t ask.”

“I appreciate it Missa, a good night to you.” I bowed slightly.

“Same to you Edric.” Missa said as I walked away.

I faced a crowd when I left the tavern and knew what they wanted. I cast a healing miracle on them and went on my way without listening to what they had to say.

I walked through the streets, the moonlight illuminating my path. Eventually, I left the gates and headed towards the forest, reaching a clearing where the dragon waited for me. I lit a bonfire in the center of the clearing and sat beside the dragon.

“Well, what do I owe your visit?” The dragon asked curiously.

“I brought you this since you didn't get your usual meal on our last mission." I placed the bag in front of the dragon and opened it, displaying the meat inside.

The dragon ate without saying another word. Suddenly, Eupherbia left my bag and landed on my shoulder, carrying one of the cookies I bought, and biting it vigorously.

“So, what will you do now?” I asked.

“I don’t know. I don’t want to return to the Land of Forests, the fairies there are a bunch of assholes.” Eupherbia said between bites.

“How about you stay with me for now?”

“Seriously?!”

“Yes.”

“Thanks!”

“BUT! You will have to promise not to cause any trouble.”

“I promise!” Eupherbia said, but I saw one of her hands hidden behind her back. I’ll pretend I didn’t see that.

“Does that mean the cowardly fairy will accompany us? Great, one more pest to endure.” The dragon growled.

“Hey! Listen here you…” Eupherbia then argued with the dragon as she hid behind me.

I couldn’t help but laugh a little at the scene. Meanwhile, I watched the moon, thinking about what awaits me.

-Unknown-

Report Number 2: The knight named Edric has proven to be a growing mystery, not only did he stand on good terms with the black dragon known for its destructive behavior in various branches, but he also won the friendship of a fairy. How relevant she will be to the future of this branch is still unknown.

The strange energy source within Edric, which has not been found in any previous branches, and the golden robes that the Intoner Three acquired are another cause of concern.

I have not determined the origins of these robes, but I have a bad feeling when approaching them as if they were alive.

Edric and these robes do not appear in any branches other than this one. Neither have I found them anywhere in this branch’s past or future nor in the place Edric claims he came from, Boletaria.

At no time did a place called Boletaria exist in this world.

Perhaps Edric came to this branch from an entirely different branch? But that wouldn’t be possible, would it?

No matter how different the branches are, there are always similarities: Midgard, Zero, Cain, Angerus, Watchers, Tokyo, Nier, Aliens, 2B, 9S. But Edric does not appear in any of these.

If there’s a completely different branch, then I need to find it, after all that’s part of my job.

End of report.

END OF CHAPTER

Chapter 8: The Big Party

Here we are! I thought as the Black Dragon landed in the Land of the Seas, Intoner’s Five territory. We landed on an empty beach, but I saw a coastal town with a harbor in the distance.

"Enjoy your little party human." The black dragon walked along the beach.

“Won't you stay?”

“No, I don't like parties, too much noise for my taste, I prefer silence. I also believe the humans in the city just ahead would not be happy with my appearance."

"Don’t worry Edric, it is just a grumpy old dragon, too old to party since its youth is long gone." Eupherbia mocked, landing on my shoulder.

"I want you to know that I'm not that old, I'm only twenty thousand years old!" The Black Dragon replied.

“Wow, he is old!” We both shouted surprised as the dragon grunted and walked away.

“Young people these days… They don't respect their elders.”

-XXXXXX-

Eupherbia and I headed towards the city, changing my armor set on the way. I equipped Yurt’s set since no one saw me wearing this one before.

It was a merchant city, with ships constantly arriving and departing, bringing and taking goods as the streets bustled with merchants and sailors working on their vessels.

People looked at me curiously, probably due to the armor, and the fairy accompanying me. Speaking of the fairy…

“What do you think of the city, Eupherbia?”

“It stinks of fish.” She grimaced, holding her nose.

"HA! You'll get used to it; there are worse smells after all."

"Serious? Like what?"

"Dead bodies."

“Where the hell did you come from, Edric?”

“Hm... Boletaria was not in a good situation.”

“I hope I never see a place like this.”

“I pray you never see one. But enough about bad places, why don't we explore a little before completing my quest?"

“Then what are we doing here? Come on!" She flew around me before darting through the streets.

Sighing, I ran after Eupherbia, thinking about a certain paper given to me before this mission.

-FLASHBACK-

“Listen here, Edric! You have no idea how important this quest is to the guild!” Reha said to me.

"I understand."

“Accomplishing a quest requested by an Intoner is one of the highest honors one can earn in Midgard!”

"I understand."

“Therefore I beg you! Act normally, please! No cutting off heads or covering yourself in the blood of your enemies!”

"I understand."

“Pay attention to what I am saying! This is a financing and satisfaction contract. If we can get Lady Five to sign this contract, not only will it be understood that she is satisfied with our work, but she will also finance us directly!" Reha handed me the contract.

“I beg you again, please behave yourself, do your best, and make sure Lady Five signs this contract." She said with teary eyes.

"Fine." I replied uncomfortably, I don't agree with that, but I'll do it for the good of the guild.

"Thanks!" Reha hugged me.

Maybe I can get Five to sign it before she has a terrible accident right after.

-END OF FLASHBACK-

“Listen here you flying pest, why don't you go bother someone else?!” A familiar voice spoke.

“As if you were anyone worth my attention, you bald idiot!” Eupherbia replied.

I accelerated my pace and saw Eupherbia arguing with a bald man I knew very well.

“Patches.”

“Oh! Hello, my friend, what a coincidence finding you here, no?” Patches smiled from his crouched position.

"Coincidence? I don't believe it, since you kicked me out of the Nexus.”

"That's in the past, it was just a slip, I swear on my mother's honor!” He placed a hand above his heart.

“Go straight to the point Patches! Why are you here?"

“Well, the Nexus stopped being interesting after you left, so I explored the outside a little, ending up in this city. I believe it is a good place to set my shop.”

“You mean your stolen goods store?”

“Who do you think I am? Stolen is a strong word, I prefer that they were acquired after their owners passed for the better.”

“There is no use arguing with you, just show me your wares.”

“With pleasure my friend.” Patches smiled.

-XXXXXX-

In the end, I bought some grass and spices, but Patches caught my attention before I left.

“Hey, did you hear? There will be a big party tonight at the mansion of a woman called Five; I'm told she's an Intoner, whatever that means. But that doesn't matter, what matters is that several nobles who have more money than what to do with it will be in the same place. I think this is a good opportunity to expand my store's material if you know what I mean."

“Hm... I won't stop you, but don't expect me to save you if you get caught."

“Don't worry, I know my way around. You're too serious, you should have some fun."

“I will enjoy myself when I finish my affairs in Midgard and return to Boletaria.”

"HAHAHA! You have no idea where you are, do you? You're further from home than you think, I wish you good luck. Show up again, maybe I will have something of interest next time."

I got tired of listening to Patches' litanies, so I headed towards Five's mansion.

"I don’t like him." Eupherbia said beside me.

“Neither do I, but he sells useful items, so I tolerate him.”

-XXXXXX-

We arrived at the mansion, a guarded three-story building surrounded by a stone wall and with a metal gate in front.

"Stop, identify yourself!” One of the guards said as I approached the gate.

“My name is Yurt; I'm here on a mission requested by Lady Five." I handed him the quest paper and showed him my plate as he gulped and sweated nervously.

"O-of course! You can enter, but what about the fairy?” The guard opened the gate.

"She is with me." I walked through the gate while Eupherbia showed her tongue out at the guard. We walked through the mansion’s courtyard until a butler appeared to escort us.

"Follow me, please. Lady Five awaits you.” The butler bowed.

I saw several employees running through the corridors upon entering the mansion. They carried decorations and food, scrubbed the floor, and removed the dust from the furniture.

Eventually, we stopped in front of a large double door.

“Lady Five; there is someone here who wishes to see you.” The butler knocked on the door.

“Let him in." A female voice answered and the butler opened the double doors, allowing us to pass, and closed them right after, leaving us alone.

I was in a large room with a large bed between two large windows, a table with a mirror, several bottles of perfume and makeup, and a large opened closet displaying several dresses and other clothing.

Intoner Five stood in front of this closet.

“What do we have here? You must be the adventurer who will serve as my bodyguard.” Five asked as she approached, smiling curiously.

“Yes, Lady Five. My name is Yurt.” I replied seriously, bowing politely.

"Oh, you don't have to be so formal; we will spend some time together after all." Five walked around me, looking me up and down while licking her lips.

"I believe it would be unprofessional to refer to you otherwise."

“A professional at his job, I like that. You are under my service, so I hope you accompany me at all times…”

Five then walked over to me, crossed her arms just below her breasts, making them look bigger, and pressed them into my chest plate as she looked up towards my helmet.

“… And I mean all times. I will reward you if you do a good job.” Five said with less than pure intentions in her voice. I shuddered in disgust inside my armor.

Step away from me, harlot!

"I understand."

“Fine, but how about you show me your face? I would like to know what my dear bodyguard looks like.” Five brought her hands closer to my helmet, but I stepped out of reach for her surprise.

“I don't believe this is a good idea, my appearance is not pleasing to the eye.”

That wasn't a lie, absorbing so many Demons’ souls caused serious changes in my appearance. The Edric who entered Boletaria and the one who left are completely different persons.

“Come on, it can't be that bad? I don't judge, after all, looks don't matter, but how good you are at pleasing me." Desire shone in her eyes and she tried to remove my helmet again, but once again, I stepped out of the way.

“I’m sorry Lady Five, but I have to decline.”

She looked at me with fake sadness, pouted, clasped her hands just below her chin, and rocked left and right.

“Don't be so mean! Couldn't you do this for me? I bet the face of a strong, handsome man is beneath your helmet. Don't you feel uncomfortable wearing armor all the time? Wouldn't you like to change into something more comfortable?"

“I feel comfortable when I am protected from most physical harm.”

She broke her pose and gave me a disappointed look.

“You're playing hard to get. I like that, I like a good challenge, it makes the reward more delicious, and I always get what I want. I'll see you out of that armor one way or another." She licked her lips again.

She then looked aside, specifically at the fairy floating above my shoulder.

“And who would you be?”

“My name is Eupherbia Miss Whor… AH!”

I flicked her head back before she finished. Eupherbia glared at me and I glared back.

“Behave yourself or no sweets for you.” I whispered and the faerie's eyes widened as she gave a more appropriate response.

"My name is Eupherbia, Lady Five." She bowed.

“How cute, you're adorable, you know? I think I have some doll dresses that will fit you." Five grabbed Eupherbia and carried her toward the closet as she gave me a desperate look, but I ignored it. Let us see if she behaves better after that.

“It must be here somewhere.” Five removed dresses from the closet and tossed them in a pile close by.

Suddenly, the pile moved and a boy came out from under it, looking around and noticing me.

"What's up?" The boy waved.

"Greetings." I replied.

“My name is Dito.”

“Yurt.”

Then we stared at each other silently as clothes landed on top of Dito.

“Are you the bodyguard?”

"It seems so."

The silence returned.

“Could you get me out of here? I'm kind of stuck.”

"Surely." I grabbed him by the back of his shirt and lifted him, removing him from the pile.

“Oh, Dito! So that's where you hid! This is Yurt, my bodyguard for today. You better get acquainted with each other, the four of us will have some fun after the party if all goes well.” Five paused momentarily her search.

"The four of us?!" Eupherbia screamed and Five brought her closer to her face before smiling widely.

“Yes, the four of us.” She then returned to her search.

“Can you put me down?” Ditto asked me.

“Oh, pardon me!" I put Ditto on the ground.

“Well, Yurt, I think you'd better sit down because we will stay here for a while." Ditto sat down on the floor.

"Why do you say that?"

“Five is looking for a dress; she wastes more time choosing an outfit than ruling her lands.”

“You seem to know her pretty well.”

“Of course, I am her disciple after all, unfortunately.” Dito grimaced with disgust.

“A disciple, so does that mean you're Five's apprentice?"

“More like a servant, I help control her power and fulfill her desires.”

“By desires you mean…”

"Yes, all the time. What I wouldn't give to switch from Intoner.” Ditto sighed tiredly.

“You have my condolences.”

“Thanks..."

Time passed and we talked. I can't say we became friends, but we reached a level of understanding between us.

-XXXXXX-

It was night and the party had started exactly as I imagined.

Golden chandeliers illuminated a large ballroom with a pleasant light, musicians played on top of a stage, and a large table full of food and drinks stood near the large sliding glass doors to balconies overlooking the mansion's gardens.

Five talked to some guests while she held a glass of wine. I couldn't hear the talk, but she said something and everyone laughed.

"I can't move in this clown outfit!" Ditto said beside me, wearing a yellow noble outfit with frills on the sleeves and neck, white pants that hugged his legs black shoes, combed back hair, and makeup.

“I understand you; I look like a spoiled noblewoman's doll." Eupherbia said as she sat on my shoulder, wearing a pink dress, curled hair, red lipstick, accentuated eyelashes, and slightly pink cheeks.

The three of us were in the farthest corner of the party, but with a full view of the entire hall. I know that a bodyguard must stay close to who he's supposed to protect, but according to Five, my armor scared the guests.

I still plan to do my job, a throwing knife to the neck should be enough if anyone tries anything. I thought, crossing my arms but secretly twirling a throwing knife through my fingers.

When the party's over and Five and I are alone, Makoto will do its work.

"Wine?" One of the butlers holding a tray offered.

“Yes please, I need to get drunk to survive through this party.” Ditto didn't wait, picked two glasses of wine, and drank.

“Hey, Edric, get me one.” Eupherbia said.

"Are you sure? That might be too much for someone your size.”

"HA! Who do you think I am? Of course, I can handle a little drink." Eupherbia puffed out her chest.

“If you insist.” I shrugged, took one of the glasses, and lifted it until it faced the fairy. She leaned forward and drank some, immediately coughing and pounding her chest soon after.

“COUGH! COUGH! This one is strong!”

"I warned you."

Suddenly, the party went silent, the doors of the hall opened and two people entered, Octa and Intoner Three.

The guests moved out of the way, looking admiringly at Three, who wore a beautiful golden dress and walked with confidence, stopping in front of Five, who greeted her with a hug and smile, while Octa remained serious and distant.

“Three, I'm so glad you came! I did not expect you to respond to my invitation!”

"Thank you Five, I'm not a party person, but I thought it would be nice to spend some time with my dear sister." Three returned the hug.

"You don't know how happy this makes me."

I noticed Three's gaze toward me, and then she smiled. She doesn't know, or does she? No one saw me wearing this armor before; I even introduced myself under a different name.

“There are so many things I'd like to talk with you about. You can leave Octa with Dito and Yurt over there.” Five pointed at us.

“I hope you don't mind if I spend some time with the Yurt afterward." Three stared at me with a gleam in her eyes.

“We will have some fun after the party ends, you can join if you want.”

“I considered spending some time alone with him; there are so many things I would like to experience with him.”

“It just makes me more excited. I hope you don't mind showing me later."

“Of course, it will be an experience you will feel in your soul.”

"I cannot wait."

Three then ordered Octa to stay with us, which he did without saying a single word, and watched the party in silence. The Intoners walked away, but I heard a snippet of their conversation.

“By the way, I love your dress.” Five said.

“Thank you. You could say fate brought it to me.” Three replied.

Great, why is Three so interested in me?

“HIC!” Someone sobbed beside me.

Looking over my shoulder, saw a red-faced Eupherbia still drinking from the glass I held.

“Eupherbia, feeling well?"

“I'm fine *HIC!* Why wouldn't I be? *HIC!*” Eupherbia smiled while I sighed.

“No more wine for you.” I moved the glass away as she stretched her arms, trying to hold it, which made her fall into the wine.

SPLASH!

Bubbles formed until Eupherbia emerged with a whoosh of air.

“I am in heaven!” Eupherbia leaned her back against the cup and rested her elbows on its rim, as if in a bathtub.

Forget it! I put the glass on a window sill, crossed my arms, and watched the party again.

“So Octa, how are you and your Intoner doing?” Ditto asked Octa, but he didn't answer and just stared straight ahead.

“Because it's hell for me. Why do I have to stay stuck with that bitch?” Ditto continued, but there was no response.

"She only thinks about sex. Sex this, sex that, it wouldn't be that bad if that was the only problem." He then rested one of his arms on Octa's shoulder, who looked at him, strangely making the sound of wood, and looked straight ahead again.

“Five treats me like a toy, always doing what she wants but never what I want. Not only that, I also hate this land, the sound of the waves when I try to sleep, and the salt sticking to my skin, annoy me. Why can't we switch Intoners? Yours doesn't seem like much, and knowing you, well, you and Five were made for each other. Not to mention, of course, that Five doesn't share my tastes, let's just say I can be a little rough, and the people I like are a little cold and tense…"

Dito couldn't finish as the music changed to a waltz, couples formed and danced in the middle of the hall. Suddenly, Five and Three came towards us.

“Dito, come dance with me!" Five grabbed Ditto’s arm and dragged him towards the middle of the hall as he grimaced.

"Would you like to dance?" Three asked, offering her hand to me.

“Unfortunately, I will have to decline. As Lady Five's bodyguard, I must stay alert for anything that might threaten her.”

"Are you sure? Because the guests are looking.” Three smiled.

I saw that everyone was watching us, waiting for my answer. I think that due to how loved the Intoners are. They asking someone to dance must be a big thing, and my armor doesn't help.

"Fine, I'll do it." I sighed, holding Three's hand, who grabbed my arm and led me toward the center of the ballroom where we danced.

“Funny meeting you here Edric.”

“So you knew?”

“Of course, it's impossible to forget those who captured my interest.”

“Would you mind telling me why you are so interested in me?”

"Of course not."

I lifted my arm, grabbed Three's hand, and spun her around in front of me.

“We Intoners are the strongest in Midgard, humans and monsters don't stand a chance against us, and that's boring, humans are smart but don't have power, monsters are powerful but don't have intelligence. I wondered if there was any way to combine the two, and I did, but I still didn't find what I looked for, that is, until you appeared out of nowhere, a person with unknown magic power and strong enough to rival an Intoner.”

I stopped spinning Three and she pressed her head against my chest plate.

“May I know what you are looking for?”

“I look for two things, a person who can answer my questions.”

“What questions would those be?”

“They vary, for example, I would like to know where your strength comes from and how your bag works. Other questions are more philosophical, where did we come from? Where do we go after death? Why do people live? Why do people die? But no one can give the answer I'm looking for, or they respond with 'What the hell are you talking about?’ My disciple doesn't help either, always thinking with his lower head."

"I won't lie, I've also had many questions in the past, but I regret finding the answer to some of them."

“Oh! Could you tell me what you discovered?”

“Did you know that God and the Devil are the same being?”

Three lifted her head and widened her eyes.

“I honestly didn't expect this, but it explains a lot. No wonder this world is the way it is.”

Then we danced with the other couples, like a sea of colorful clothes.

“Three?”

"Yes."

“What is the second thing you are looking for?”

Three went silent for a few seconds, stood on her tiptoes, and whispered in my ear.

“What I looking for, Edric, is how to create the perfect doll.”

I felt a tingle run through my body the moment Three finished speaking. Someone had invaded this world.

I looked around, searching for the invader. Several couples passed by us until I saw Five and Dito dancing.

A couple passed between them, blocking my view, and when they left, I saw a slightly transparent red being appear beside Five and Ditto, with a short sword raised, but they hadn't noticed him yet.

I pushed Three away, removed a throwing knife from my bag, pulled my arm back, and threw it forward, throwing the knife. The blade flew at great speed, passing between Five and Dito's faces and hitting the invader in the center of his forehead, taking him down.

“AAAHHH!”

The guests screamed when the invader hit the floor, they moved away; opening space in the hall.

“Yurt, what is that?” Five asked.

“An invader, a Black Phantom.”

The invader rose, his hand gripping the hilt of the knife and yanking it out, throwing it aside.

I felt more tingling in my body, several red circles appeared on the floor, and an invader appeared from each one. I equipped my Sharp Uchigatana in my right hand and my Fatal Secret Dagger in my left hand.

“You weren't invited, so remove yourself from my party, now!" Five screamed, tearing her dress apart, revealing her usual scandalous outfit, and pulled her spear from some mysterious place.

“This party sucked, killing something will improve my mood!” Dito pulled a spear out of nowhere and prepared to fight.

I saw that Three and Octa had disappeared, but Eupherbia stood in her wineglass.

Suddenly, the invaders raised their weapons and advanced towards us.

-A few minutes before the invasion-

Report Number 3: Edric is currently undercover at Five's mansion, determined to eliminate the Intoners. According to his conversations with the Black Dragon, he can sense the power of the flower within the Intoners and feel some kind of duty in finishing them off with a cursed sword that might kill them.

If this is true, then serious changes will happen to this branch, as if they haven't already been made. But I can't interfere, just record. The golden clothes Three wears remain a mystery, but it has something to do with Octa's strange behavior.

This branch would have remained normal if not for Edric's arrival, but I still can't determine where he comes from. Perhaps I should investigate where he spawned in Cathedral City.

A girl with a big suitcase wrote the report in a book full of drawings and lines representing different branches until it suddenly shook.

"What is that?!" The girl looked closer at the book.

Several red lines appeared, converging towards the line representing the current branch. The pages turned red and several messages appeared.

Black Phantom Killer Enrique has invaded this world.

Black Phantom Gerian Eagle Eyes have invaded this world.

Black Phantom Alissa the Ruthless has invaded this world.

Black Phantom xxBigDick42069xx has invaded this world.

Black Phantom…

Black Phantom…

Black Phantom…

Black Phantom…

“Black Phantom? What is that? I need to contact the other Recorders." She tried to run but found herself surrounded by transparent red beings.

"Hi, would you be the Black Phantom?” She smiled, adjusting her glasses, but all the phantoms drew their weapons.

“I see, I would love to stay and talk, but I have to report what happened here.” She then removed a large cell phone from her pocket and pressed a button, but nothing happened.

"What?" The girl screamed, pressing the button repeatedly as the invaders approached.

“Well, the hard way then.”She opened her bag and removed a sword, preparing to fight.

-XXXXXX-

The black dragon rested at a secluded beach, the sound of the waves calming its being, but its sleep ended with footsteps. Opening one of its eyes, the dragon saw several glowing red people approaching.

“Go away before you do something you will regret.” It said, but the red beings advanced while drawing their weapons.

"Well, then don't say I didn't warn you." The dragon rose and roared, echoing through the night.

-XXXXXX-

"ZERO! ZERO!" A young white dragon screamed in front of a dilapidated cabin.

“What?! I'm trying to sleep here!” A white-haired, one-armed, pink-eyed girl yelled, opening the cabin’s door.

“Ghosts are attacking us!”

“The fuck are you talking about?! Ghosts don't exist!"

Suddenly, red circles appeared on the ground and the invaders appeared.

“See, they are ghosts!”

"Holy shit!" She drew a sword with her remaining hand as the ghosts surrounded her home.

-Back to the mansion-

“Everyone, run, now!” Five shouted to the guests and they all fled through the hall doors.

Then the invaders attacked and the one bearing a short sword ran towards Edric, who blocked the blow with his blade and stabbed the invader’s stomach with his Secret Dagger, easily piercing the leather armor.

The invader retreated, allowing Edric to swing his Uchigatana toward his neck, despite the cut, no blood came from the wound. Even so, the invader fell while holding his neck and soon vanished into red particles.

But there was no time to rest as two more invaders appeared, one wearing plate armor, a large wooden shield, and a spear, and the other wearing shaman clothes, a scimitar, and a leather shield.

Edric blocked a swing from the one holding a scimitar, but that left him open to a strike from the one who held the spear. He jumped away from the weapon, receiving a wound to his hip's right side.

-XXXXXX-

A dart shot towards Five's head, who tilted it aside, losing a few strands of golden hair as the projectile passed. She stared at the invader who had fired with hatred in her eyes.

He wore black clothes, similar to a nobleman, a light crossbow in one hand and a rapier in the other.

The Intoner rushed toward him, spear pointed at his heart. Quickly, the invader reloaded his crossbow, but there was no time to shoot, he would die, or that's what would have happened.

An invader wearing heavy armor, a large iron shield, and a Zweihander stepped in the way and blocked the blow with his shield.

The impact created a metallic echo as the invader raised his Zweihander, bringing it down toward her head, trying to cleave her in two, but Five jumped back, allowing the sword to hit the ground.

The invader stepped aside, giving the other a clear view to fire at an unprotected Five. The dart approached her head, but Dito jumped in front of Five, begrudgingly protecting her with his spear.

The Intoner blew a kiss to her Disciple, who received it with a disgusted face, which she didn't notice.

“This fight is making something pump through my body, and it's not my blood.” Five rubbed her thighs together.

“Is that all you think about?” Ditto asked.

“You know me so well Dito.” She replied, not noticing the sarcasm in his voice.

The invader with the Zweihander swung his sword from right to left, trying to cut his enemies in half.

Dito ducked, letting the blow pass over his head while Five jumped, aiming her spear at the invader's head as she fell. He raised his shield, blocking the attack, but stood exposed to Dito, who pierced his stomach.

“So, what do you think of it?” Dito mocked and the invader responded by grabbing his spear, removing it from his stomach, and throwing the Disciple away.

Dito saw the invader standing with a hole in his stomach, but no blood came from it.

"No blood? I don't like this… AH!” He prepared to fight again, but a dart pierced his shoulder, surprising him. He grabbed it with a pained face, yanking it out.

"Dito!" Five screamed, giving the invader a murderous look.

She exchanged blows with the Zweihander bearing one, slowly inflicting minor injuries due to his heavy equipment.

Dito ran towards the invader with the crossbow while the one with the Zweihander tried to stop him, but Five didn't allow it, as he had to block a spear toward his head, almost sending him back to his world.

The invader with the crossbow fired another dart at Dito, who jumped aside, dodging it. Seeing that he didn't have time to reload, the invader drew his rapier and trusted it forward as the Disciple spun his spear, blocking the weapon.

He kicked the invader away and tried to pierce his heart, but the invader rolled away and tried to pierce Dito’s heart instead when standing up.

The Disciple jumped back, dodging the blow and advancing soon after, aiming at the invader's head, who waited for Dito's approach and parried the blow with his rapier.

Dito lost his balance, having his guard open while the invader reloaded his crossbow and aimed at the Disciple’s head.

His eyes widened and he threw himself to the ground, dodging the dart and tripping the invader's legs, knocking him to the ground.

Without giving him time to recover, Ditto plunged his spear into the invader's heart repeatedly while smiling sadistically. He tried to fight back, but it was in vain, and soon disappeared into red particles.

-XXXXXX-

Five and the Zweihander invader still exchanged blows, both breathing heavily from exhaustion. The Intoner is unable to pass her enemy's defense, and the invader trying to survive her barrage.

"It was fun while it lasted, but you ruined my party, so it's time to go." Five sang, activating her Intoner mode.

She dashed towards the invader, who raised his shield, but to his surprise, the equipment shattered, making his feet slide across the floor.

So, she charged again and he raised his Zweihander with both hands, bringing it down towards Five's head. A large dust cloud rose when the sword hit its target, revealing the weapon broken in two as Five's spear pierced his heart.

"Our time together was brief, I might have let you join me in bed if you hadn't caused trouble. Unfortunately, I don't like troublesome men." Five said as the invader disappeared.

-XXXXXX-

Edric's fight took him towards the windows, specifically the window where Eupherbia stood. He fell against the window frame, seeing red lights fighting knights and soldiers in the city streets, this attack was not just in the mansion.

The invader with the scimitar advanced, trying to cut his head, but Edric quickly ducked, dodging the blow.

“Hey Edric, who are these guys?” A drunken Eupherbia asked, swimming in her wine glass.

“They are invaders, Black Phantoms from other worlds.” He stood up and tried to slash his assailant, but the invader blocked the cut with his shield.

“I have no idea what you just said! What happened, is the party over?”

“You could say so, the invaders interrupted it.”

The invader with the scimitar focused on Eupherbia, trying to slash her, but Edric quickly grabbed the glass with his left hand and leaped away.

“Too bad, I liked the party, maybe we should send them away?”

“That's what I'm trying to do. How about you help me?”

“You can leave it to me!”

Edric faced the two invaders, the one with the scimitar to his right and the one with the spear to his left.

"Hey you, go away!" Eupherbia screamed, firing a magic projectile toward the spear invader, who blocked the attack.

“Keep him distracted!” Edric said, fighting the scimitar invader.

The fairy fired projectile after projectile, keeping the spear invader at bay, allowing Edric to fight, and blow after blow the invader retreated, his leather shield doing little to stop the knight’s blade.

The spear invader advanced towards Edric between an opening in the magic projectiles. Seeing this, he threw the glass with the fairy upward, freeing his hand.

“AAAHHH!” Eupherbia screamed as she rose.

The knight grabbed his Secret Dagger and parried the invader's spear strike, piercing his heart soon after, sending him back to his world as gravity affected Eupherbia.

“AAAHHH!”

Edric sheathed his dagger and extended his hand. The glass landed between his fingers, then the wine, and finally Eupherbia. Now, only the scimitar invader remained.

Both combatants prepared their final attacks, the invader swung his scimitar towards Edric's neck, who raised his Uchigatana, descending it towards the invader.

It was impossible to know who would win until a drunken Eupherbia interfered.

“*HIC!*” She accidentally fired a projectile toward the invader's face, blinding him, allowing Edric to finish his attack, slicing the invader from neck to groin. Then, the last invader had disappeared.

-XXXXXX-

I headed towards Dito and Five, looks like they finished their fights.

“Yurt, dear, could you tell me what were these things?” Five asked seriously.

“Invaders, Black Phantoms, call it what you will. Some are people, others are vengeful spirits. They invade other worlds to kill people, absorb their souls, and grow stronger."

“Spirits? That explains the lack of blood. And other worlds? What do you mean by that?" Ditto asked confused.

“I could explain, but we would stay here overnight.”

Suddenly, footsteps echoed through the corridors and we prepared to fight more invaders.

“Lady Five!” A group of knights screamed as they broke down the hall doors.

“Don't worry, I'm fine. What is the situation out there?” Five asked.

“Red beings suddenly appeared everywhere, catching us by surprise! We lost many men, but we resolved the situation!” One of the knights answered.

“Good job, remind me to reward you all later.” Five smiled at the knights who shuddered slightly, whether in anticipation or disgust, I couldn't tell.

Meanwhile, I realized that Ditto had been injured during the fight, so I handed him a piece of grass.

"What is that?".

“Healing grass, just eat it to heal your wounds.”

Ditto shrugged and ate it, immediately healing his wounds.

"Thanks, now if you'll excuse me, I'll see how things are out there, I hope to find a lot of corpses… I'll help bury them… Of course.” Ditto then left the hall while Five approached me.

“In the end, you did your job as a bodyguard, I can't imagine what would have happened if I didn't have a strong and brave man like you by my side. I hope you don't mind if I request your services again. Is there any way to reward you?” Five pressed herself into my chest and looked at me lustfully.

“Sign these papers, please.” I handed the papers Reha gave me.

"What?!" Five asked surprised.

“Sign your initials here, here, and your name here and here.” I showed her where to sign.

"What?!" Five asked again.

“Here is the quill.” I removed a quill and an ink pot from my bag.

"WHAT?!" Five screamed.

-XXXXXX-

I left the mansion and headed towards the city with a sleeping Eupherbia in my hands, hugging my thumb.

“Quite a party, isn’t it?”

Looking aside, down an alley, I saw Patches.

"You can say so."

“Well, at least it was a profitable night, for me, of course.” Patches smiled as several bags and wooden boxes full of jewelry, rings, necklaces, earrings, expensive dresses, and perfumes stood beside him.

“Where did you get these things?”

“AAAAAHHHH! SOMEONE ROBBED ME!" Five's screams echoed through the night.

“Forget it, I know now.”

“Well, my friend, I wish you a good night! It's getting late and I'd like to get my beauty sleep to welcome my clients with a smile tomorrow until we meet again!" Patches then walked further down the alley, but I heard him say something.

“A word of advice, you better be careful, today's invasion was not normal. Too many invaders in the same place, someone called them here.” So Patches disappeared into the back alleys with his stolen wares.

Were they called? This only complicates my objective, I need to investigate! I returned to the beach and found the black dragon.

“Hello human, I encountered peculiar creatures tonight. Do you know what these things are?”

"Yes, I'll explain to you on the way."

The dragon nodded, grabbed me with one of its paws, and flew away from the Land of Seas.

-XXXXXX-

"Today's experiment was extremely productive, the nature of these beings known as invaders interests me. Spirits of the dead seeking revenge, perhaps this will reveal more about the power of souls." Three walked through a clearing away from Five's mansion with Octa beside her.

Suddenly, she stopped.

"Yes?" Three asked as if someone had spoken to her, but there was no one there.

"I understand."

It might have been the wind, but it looked like the gold dress Three wore moved.

“Octa! I propose we return to the Land of Forests, we have much to do.”

Without saying a single word, Octa accompanied Three.

END OF CHAPTER

Notes:

Thanks so much for reading my story! I hope you enjoyed! If possible leave a kudo and tell me what you think of the chapter! Please don't feel obligated to do this! Constructive criticism and suggestions are welcome!

I would like to apologize for the grammar mistakes, as English is not my first language.

That's it for now! Have a nice day and until the next chapter!

Chapter 9: An Unexpected Invitation

“EDRIC!”

I woke up almost falling from my bed due to Eupherbia's scream. The fairy floated in front of my helmet, looking at me scared.

"What's the matter Eupherbia?"

"Look!" She pointed to our bedroom window where I heard muffled noises coming from outside.

Screams? What is happening out there? I pulled the curtain aside and opened it, only to have a screaming mob almost deafening me.

“THERE IS!” A man pointed at me.

“PLEASE HEAL MY SON!” A woman lifted her child over her head.

“HE IS A SAINT SENT BY THE INTONERS!” A man prayed.

I closed the window and curtain immediately.

“Eupherbia, what is that?” I pointed to the window.

“I'm the one asking you! What are these people doing here?! Why are they screaming your name?!”

“Well, I may have healed a blind man some time ago, word spread and more and more people came for healing."

“You healed a blind man! How strong are your spells?”

“Miracles and spells are one thing, and miracles are another."

"It does not matter! How much money did you make healing these people?”

"Nothing."

"NOTHING?! YOU HEALED EVERYONE, NOTHING CHARGED?!” Eupherbia demanded, stopping in front of my helmet and doing her best to sway me.

“And why should I charge? I can cast miracles easily and will never run out of magic as I have a ring that constantly regenerates it.”

“Oh, Edric! You still have a lot to learn in running a business, but don't worry, I'll teach you.”

*KNOC*

*KNOC*

*KNOC*

"Who is it?" I asked.

“It is me, Mister Edric!” A voice answered and I recognized it, the owner of the inn. I walked towards the door and opened it.

"Can I help you?"

“Mister Edric, I'm sorry if I seem rude, I respect you for being a loyal customer, not causing trouble, and always paying on time, but could you get rid of the crowd screaming your name in front of my inn?! This is bothering the other guests!"

“Give me a minute.”

I left the inn with Eupherbia, being surrounded by the crowd as soon as we walked through the door.

"PLEASE HELP ME!"

“HEAL ME!”

“HELP MY FAMILY!”

Eupherbia flew forward and spoke to the crowd.

“ATTENTION EVERYONE PLEASE CALM DOWN!" Eupherbia screamed and the crowd was silent.

“EDRIC WILL HEAL YOU ALL!”

The crowd cheered.

“FOR THE RIGHT PRICE, OF COURSE!”

The crowd looked down silently, doubt and hesitation in their eyes, so I flicked Eupherbia head’s back.

"Ignore what she said, I won't charge anything for the healing."

The crowd cheered, I pointed my catalyst upwards and cast Flame Toss, the fireball exploded harmlessly in the sky, silencing them with awe.

“Please calm down, I'll heal you all, but I can't do that with you screaming like lunatics. Line up and I will heal everyone.”

The crowd did just that, forming a large line, and one by one, I healed them with my miracles.

-XXXXXX-

“May the Intoners bless you.” An old woman said when I healed her back.

I muttered under my helmet, I'd rather not become a religious symbol, let alone one related to the Intoners.

“What a waste, you should have charged something.” Eupherbia sat on my shoulder with arms crossed.

“As I said before, there was no need.”

"Even so, don't you humans trade that way? You offer a service and interested people pay for it?”

“Yes, but there is also doing things out of goodwill, charity."

"Charity? Good will? That's something hard to find in Midgard, and it's something strange for us fairies.”

"Why do you say that?"

“Fairies are selfish, we only care about ourselves, and others when our lives are in danger. It did not give us a good reputation.”

“And why don't you try to change that?”

"ME? HA! I'm not that kind of fairy, I prefer to live my life the way I want instead of pleasing others.”

“It's not about pleasing others, it's about being a better person. Maybe people will like you more if you're kinder and friendlier.”

“Be a better person huh?”

"Think about it."

“Give me some time.”

“Take your time, you don't have to do what I say, but I'd like to hear your answer later.”

An approaching knight pulled me from my conversation, he didn't look like an adventurer.

"Can I help you?"

“Are you the adventurer known as Edric?” The knight asked.

"Yes, why the question?" I slowly brought my hand towards my bag but stopped when he handed me an envelope.

“Lady One invites you to Cathedral City.”

I accepted the envelope and broke the wax seal, reading its contents.

“Edric, I believe we started on the wrong foot, I would like to invite you to Cathedral City to talk, not as enemies, but as civilized people. I would like to discuss the information you revealed and about recent events. I pray you accept my invitation.”

— Intoner One

“Tell One I'm on my way.” I said to the knight.

"Don't keep our lady waiting!" The knight went on his way.

Hump! Your lady, not mine.

“I wonder what that uptight Intoner wants?” Eupherbia asked.

"I don't know, but there's only one way to discover."

-XXXXXX-

"I've met fools before, but you are exceeding my expectations!" The black dragon said as it carried me.

"It's not that bad."

“You invaded Cathedral City, fought all the Intoners, and broke the backs of two of them! Now, the same Intoner invited you to her city! Your enemy is inviting you to her territory, it's a trap, and you've accepted it!”

“She said she wanted to talk.”

“And you believe that?! Any rational being can lie, and Intoners are no exceptions!”

"We're almost there, there's no point in returning now."

"If it's a trap then don't wait for my help."

“If I waited for your help, I would already be dead.”

"HAHAHA! At least you know.” The dragon laughed.

We approached Cathedral City and flew over the buildings until we landed in front of the great cathedral, with hundreds of soldiers and the great dragon wearing the iron mask waiting for us in the courtyard.

“Don't try anything funny.” One of the knights said seriously.

“I think I should be the one to tell you that.” I replied in the same tone.

“We are hundreds and have a dragon.”

“Almost a fair fight, you'll need more if you want to kill me. Some demons maybe? Oh, pardon me! You have one, and it is waiting for me in the cathedral.”

“How dare you speak of our lady that way?!” The knight brought his hand toward his sword.

"Enough!" A serious feminine voice ordered.

“Lady One!”

Immediately, all the knights knelt in front of the Intoner who left the cathedral.

“Come, we have a lot to discuss.” One said to me.

"Don't cause any trouble." I said to the black dragon, who snarled at Gabriel.

"I won't cause trouble if that pathetic excuse of a dragon doesn't try anything."

“If you will fight, then do it outside the city.” I walked towards the cathedral.

"I don’t like this!" Eupherbia said, hiding behind my shoulder.

“Neither do I, but I am prepared to fight my way out of here.”

I went up the stairs of the cathedral as One led me. We walked through several corridors until we entered a room with a balcony, a table, two chairs, a tea set, and a chessboard with all the pieces in place.

"Please sit down." One sat down on a chair and extended her hand towards the other, so I did as she asked.

"Tea?" She poured herself a cup and offered me another, but I only stared at the cup.

“It is not poisoned, I repudiate this type of tactic.” One frowned.

“Then you wasted a useful resource.” I accepted the cup and brought it to my mouth.

"Aren't you going to remove your helmet?"

"No." I sipped the tea while One stared at me confused.

"I see you've made interesting allies since we last saw each other."

“More like they followed me.”

"Seriously? It's a sign that you're someone worth following."

“I wish it was true. The black dragon tried to devour me and Eupherbia hid inside my bag without my knowledge..”

“Eupherbia?”

"The fairy."

“Unusual circumstances, for sure.” One drank her tea.

“Can we move straight to the point? Why did you call me here?”

“I'm just being a good hostess, but I think I wasn't clear with my wishes, wasn't I?"

"You said you wanted to discuss the information I gave and recent events, but that's too vague."

“Would you mind if we discussed it while we played chess? It's been a while since I've had a good match."

"Can't you ask one of your knights to do this?"

“They would let me win and I pride myself on my chess skills, I prefer to play against someone who gives me a challenge.”

“And why do you think I would give you a challenge?”

“It's just a feeling I have.” One smiled softly.

"Fine, I'll play."

“Could you remove your helmet?”

“Why the request?”

“I like to look my opponent in the eye.” Her smile widened.

“I believe you enjoy showing your superiority to your opponents, and watching their desperate reactions as they face defeat.”

"Perhaps." One replied amused.

“But I will have to refuse, the helmet stays on.”

“You seem concerned about your appearance, I promise not to judge, I'm not that kind of person. For what it's worth, I've ordered us to be left alone, this section of the cathedral is empty."

“If I remove my helmet, can we start the game and our conversation right away?”

"Yes."

“Right, but you to swear not to tell anyone what you will see.”

“You have my word as ruler of Cathedral City.” One placed one hand over her heart and raised the other.

Sighing, I removed my helmet and placed it on the table, One's eyes widened and she flinched a little at the sight of my face.

“Can we start now?”

“Edric, are you sick?” One asked worriedly.

“No, this is the result of a little adventure I had before I arrived in Midgard.”

“Would you mind telling me?”

“Perhaps another time.”

“So, enough wasting time, let’s start.” One made the first move.

"What do you want to talk about?" I made my move.

“First I would like to talk about you, Edric.”

"Me?"

"Yes, you."

"Why?"

“You must know why, you appeared out of nowhere during Zero's attack, fought her and my sisters as equals, and showed the ability to prevent us from using our powers. So I ask you again, who are you, Edric?”

"I am not much, just a humble knight."

"You are modest at least, but that still doesn't answer my question, no humble knight could do what you did." One made another move.

“Fine, I think I can give you a little information. I am called Edric Wilheard Germund Ceolbeald, a knight of the Kingdom of Boletaria and Slayer of Demons.”

“Boletaria? I never heard of it.”

"I'd be surprised if you knew. No one in Midgard seems to know where Boletaria is."

“It must be a distant kingdom. Tell me, how is Boletaria?”

“It used to be a great prosperous and developed kingdom, with a wise king, and loyal and honorable knights.”

"Used to?" She raised an eyebrow.

“The Kingdom of Boletaria and neighboring kingdoms fell.”

"To what?"

"Demons."

"Demons? The kind quoted in religious books?”

"I don't know what demons the people of Midgard believe in, but demons are real and closer to humanity than you might think." I made my move.

“And how did these demons end in Boletaria?”

“By the king's hand, he was not as fair and wise as everyone thought. In search of more power, he meddled with forces that should remain alone. This brought the second scourge to Boletaria, a colorless fog overtook the kingdom, and with it, came a legion of demons that devoured the souls of the living to strengthen themselves.”

“Second scourge? Do you mean there was another?”

“Yes, and the world was almost destroyed during the first one.”

“And this second scourge is now occurring in Boletaria?” One made her move.

“No, I stopped it.”

“I believe this is how you received the title of Slayer of Demons?”

“Yes, I killed several demons, the king, and stopped the scourge.”

“And how did you arrive in Midgard?”

“Magic, I couldn't leave Boletaria by normal means, so a friend used magic to help me, but something happened and I arrived in Midgard."

“Interesting, speaking of magic, could you tell me more about yours? There are several books on magic in Cathedral City, but I have never seen anything like it.”

“Magic is part of the history of Boletaria and Latria, but the church doesn't l approve it. Spells are used via studies and a catalyst, whereas miracles are used through faith and a talisman.”

“Miracles? Faith? I find it difficult that having faith in something helps you use magic.”

“I know it's hard to believe, but it's true, clergy could use many healing miracles to help the sick. I learned spells from sorcerers and miracles from clerics, and it's thanks to my teachers that I can do what I did.” I moved again.

"But that doesn't explain how you're so strong." One made her move.

“Let's say there's a way to become stronger in Boletaria, all you need is to bring a specific material to a specific person.”

“And what material is that?”

"I cannot say." I made my move.

“I see, you already gave me a lot of information, you have the right to keep secrets, but there is something else I would like to discuss with you.”

"What exactly?"

“About what happened at Five’s party.”

"I do not know what you're talking about."

“You might have fooled Five, but not me; it was just a matter of connecting the dots.” One made her move.

“I have to work harder on my disguises.”

"I agree. First, I would like to thank you for being Five's bodyguard and helping her during the attack.” One smiled.

"Don't thank me yet, we'll be enemies in the future."

“We'll talk about that later. Second, what were those things? Those red beings? They suddenly appeared in the Land of Seas, surprising Five's forces.”

“Those were invaders, some of them are spirits of dead people who refuse to move on, and others are people who invade other worlds, wishing to kill the host so they can grow stronger.”

“Other worlds?”

“Imagine a world similar to ours but different, Midgard is the same but someone else rules Cathedral City, another example would be Boletaria, the kingdom is the same but someone else stopped the scourge. There are an unlimited number of worlds, similar but different to the world we live in. Worlds where we made different decisions and lived different lives. The invaders come from these different worlds.”

One looked down at the table and grabbed her head with both hands.

“This… This is a lot to think about.”

“I had the same reaction when I learned about the existence of other worlds, you'll probably wonder if your decisions matter, but don't worry, you'll find the answer eventually."

“Give me a minute.” One sipped her tea to calm down.

“Take as much time as you need.” I made my move.

A few minutes passed while One muttered to herself until she adjusted her posture and returned to the game.

"Better?" I asked.

"Yes, but now I will have to think about the implications of what you said."

“Be prepared for a long headache.”

"Back to the subject. Will these invaders be a problem in the future?”

"Hard to say, invaders don't come in abundance, what happened at the party was unexpected, something called them here."

“Do you know what that something is?”

“No, I once knew someone who could summon invaders in abundance, but that person is dead, I don't know what called invaders to the party.”

“I will warn my forces and my sisters, the ability that invaders have to appear out of nowhere is a dangerous thing, we need to find the summoner before it becomes a problem."

“I agree, but I believe it is now my turn to ask questions.”

“Fair enough, ask your questions.”

“Why would Zero want to kill your sisters and you?” I made my move.

“I don't know, Zero was a loving sister who cared for us, but she tried to kill us out of nowhere. I assumed she went mad.”

"Next question. Why are your sisters and you considered goddesses, you are not."

“The previous rulers oppressed Migard’s population, they assumed we were godlike beings when we defeated the lords.”

“And why didn't you try to correct this misunderstanding?”

“The faith that we were goddesses had already spread, even if we tried, the people would not accept the truth, so I allowed the worship to give the people hope, hope that there was a god who cared for them.” One made her move.

“God is not that merciful.”

“That is a pessimistic view.” One frowned.

“But it's the truth. Next question, why didn't you stop your sisters?"

"What do you mean by that?" One asked confused.

“Five doesn't rule her lands properly, Four commits massacres and justifies her actions with justice, Three causes the disappearance of several people, and Two hasn't appeared in months. Why do you allow this? Why don't you act against your sisters? I can see you're not a fool, you know what's happening.”

One looked away embarrassed, swallowing hard before replying.

“Because I love them and don't have the will to hurt them.”

"Love, that's the reason?"

"Yes."

"I understand." I made my move.

"You understand?"

“Yes, you love them very much, don't you? I understand why you don't act against them."

“Do you have any more questions?” One asked.

"No."

“Do you mind if I make one more?”

"Ask."

“You there was a dark power within us when we fought. What do you mean by that?” One made her move.

“I fought several demons in Boletaria, I learned to feel their power and felt something similar but different within you all. According to the black dragon, this is something called The Flower. I won't lie to you, this power that you call song is evil and is growing with the flower. As a Slayer of Demons, I must end it.”

One went silent as she thought.

"I'll tell you the truth, I had my doubts."

"Seriously?"

“Yes, there are no records of Intoners or the song in any books in Cathedral City, I also noticed small but noticeable changes in my sisters' personality and attitude. I ignored it at first, people change over time, don't they? But now that you mention this flower, this dark power, I believe there is more to it."

“And what will you do now?”

“I don't know, I need time.”

“Better make a decision soon, the more time passes the stronger the flower becomes.”

“I see what you mean, but could you fulfill my request?”

"Say it."

“Give my sisters a chance; let them show you that they are not as bad as you think.”

“If you had made that request a few months ago, I would have refused, but as I talk to you and the people of Midgard, about what this land was in the past and the prosperity you brought… I will give your sisters a chance.”

"Thank you."

“But I will act if I see they went too far.”

"I understand."

“By the way, checkmate!” I made my final move.

"HOW!" One screamed.

"Luck." I laughed.

"Let's play again!"

And for the rest of the day, One and I played chess, and I won every game. Who knew that increasing my luck to get pure Bladestone would have another use?

-Cathedral City-

One watched the black dragon fly away. Suddenly, the door of the room opened and her brother entered, but there was something strange, his eyes seemed empty, and misty wings came from his back.

"Brother, what are you doing here?" One asked, but Brother One shot toward her as his hand glowed, grabbing her head.

One tried to fight back, but her strength faded. The last thing she saw was her brother holding a black sword before her consciousness disappeared.

END OF CHAPTER

Notes:

Well, in today's chapter Edric managed to get on good terms with One, give her an existential crisis and beat her at chess, I'd say that's a good start.

Thanks so much for reading my story! I hope you enjoyed! If possible leave a kudo and tell me what you think of the chapter! Please don't feel obligated to do this! Constructive criticism and suggestions are welcome!

I would like to apologize for the grammar mistakes, as English is not my first language.

That's it for now! Have a nice day and until the next chapter!

Chapter 10: Civil War

-Midgard, Cathedral City-

“It's here somewhere." A girl carrying a large suitcase said as she walked through the city streets. Looking at the screen of her large cell phone, a BEEP left it with each step she took.

BEEP!

BEEP!

BEEP!

“I'm close.” The girl walked faster and entered an alley.

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

"Here!" The girl stored her cell phone and looked at the thing in front of her, a big crack floating in the middle of the alley.

“A rift in reality! And it seems stable! That must have been how Edric entered this branch, which means he comes from another timeline. But which one? None of the recorders found a knight named Edric in other branches.” The girl touched the crack only to wince in pain as it shocked her.

“You won't let me pass, will you? Fortunately, I am full of tricks.” The girl dialed a number on her cell phone.

"Hello?" A female voice answered.

“This is ARDG — 07865435790966432, requesting protocol FnA72.”

"Please wait."

A few minutes passed until the voice returned.

“Protocol authorized, have a nice day.” The voice ended the call.

The crack opened in a flash of light and lightning as a strong wind blew the girl's hair.

"We'll see where you came from, mystery knight." She entered the crack, disappearing into a bright light.

-XXXXXX-

She found herself in a dark void, water running down her shoes. A thin fog surrounded her, and white lights glowed among it, forming humanoid outlines.

"Where am I?" She moved forward, her steps splashing as it hit the water.

Suddenly, lightning split the void, creating a rift through which a strong light shone.

"Who are you?!" A booming young male voice came from the rift.

“I’m the one who asks! Who are you?!" She walked towards the rift.

“I am The Monumental, and you are not welcome here!”

"What place is this?!"

"You are in the mist that separates the worlds, now go!"

"I can't, a flaw, in reality, gives access to this place, and a man named Edric came from here! His presence caused a disturbance in the timeline!"

“The Slayer of Demons is free to do as he pleases, his services are no longer required, but he will always be welcome in the Nexus, as are all other Slayers! Now disappear invader!”

A strong wind left the rift and pushed the girl backward.

"Wait, I still have questions! Monumental? Demon Slayer? Nexus? What does that mean?!?" She shielded herself with her arms, trying to enter the rift.

“Disappear! Your interference does not extend to our world!”

The wind grew stronger and the girl flew toward the crack, returning to Cathedral City as it closed.

“This… This is worrying, I couldn't access the branch, this Monumental prevented me! What is the fog that separates worlds? What is The Nexus? I need to report this! I'll have to confront Edric personally if my investigation doesn't yield any more answers!"

The girl ran further into the alley and disappeared in a flash of light upon taking a turn.

-XXXXXX-

If she had stayed in the alley for a few more seconds, she would have seen the consequence of her actions, as forcing the crack open allowed something to enter Midgard, a black sword.

The sword flew like a cannonball, crossing Cathedral City’s skies until it entered through the window of the cathedral’s tower.

“AAAHHH!” A blond-haired, red-eyed boy screamed as the sword flew into his room, almost piercing him if he hadn't stepped aside.

The sword stuck in the wall of his room, piercing a drawing of a person with an X marking the area where the heart stood.

“What… What is this? How did this sword end up here?” He grabbed the hilt of the sword, but removing it from the wall was his biggest mistake, for he heard the call.

“Bring me more souls.”

The events that brought the sword into the boy's hands were improbable, almost impossible, but causality acted once more.

Who knew how much energy it took for the crack to launch the sword? Who calculated the wind speed and direction?

If the boy hadn't left his bedroom window open, he might never have found the sword. Now it was too late. Perhaps the variables made no difference, after all, causality always finds a way, one way or another.

With empty eyes and misty wings, the boy searched for his sister

-XXXXXX-

“My investigation led nowhere." I said to Eupherbia as we walked toward the guild.

“You worry too much. So what if nobody knows how those invaders got here? You beat them, didn't you?" Eupherbia asked, sitting on my shoulder.

“Not exactly, if the invader is already dead, killing him again will send him to the afterlife, but if the invader is someone alive, killing him will send him to his world, allowing him to invade a new world again.”

“Does that mean they can come back?”

"Yes, and who knows how many vengeful spirits roam other worlds? It's not just the living we should be afraid of."

“Please stop it, I want to sleep tonight, the thought of the dead coming back… I don't want to wake up and see my grandmother's spirit pulling my foot.” Eupherbia shuddered.

“Well, how did your grandmother die?”

“A spider ate her.”

"There's a chance she will appear to pull your foot."

“I told you to stop!” Eupherbia screamed in fright.

“HAHA! I am just jesting."

We arrived at the guild and opened the door, meeting a strange sight, dozens of adventurers in front of the quest board with attendants running everywhere, carrying, signing, and stamping papers.

Reha looked awful, with rumpled clothes, dark circles under her eyes, and messed hair.

“Reha, what happening here?”

“Edric, I am glad you're here! I need you to sign these documents, and put your initials here, here and here!" Reha handed me a paper and quill and pointed to the places where I should sign.

“Reha, calm yourself! What are these papers?!”

“Your enlistment papers!”

“Enlistment?!” Eupherbia and I asked simultaneously.

“Yes, to war!”

"War, what war?!”

"Intoner One and Intoner Three have declared war, they demanded the enlistment of all capable adventurers!"

“Declared war on whom?!” I grabbed Reha by the shoulders.

“On each other!”

I released Reha and approached the quest board, pushing the other adventurers aside, and grabbing one of the papers.

"Through this note, I, Intoner Three, declare war on Intoner One. All capable hands shall enlist in my forces, and together we will fight for the glory and prosperity of Midgard, overthrowing my sister's tyranny."

I grabbed another paper on the board.

"I, Intoner One, declare war on Intoner Three, I declare my sister mentally unstable and unable to rule. Join my forces, together we will free Midgard from Three's uncontrolled madness and repair all the damage caused by her."

Eupherbia and I glared at each other, realizing the seriousness of the situation, and then we left the guild.

We ran through the streets, seeing carriages leaving the blacksmiths' forges, carrying swords, spears, shields, and armor. Men were in front of houses, saying goodbye to their crying families.

We ran until we reached Missa’s tavern.

“Missa!” I opened the tavern door.

“Oh, Edric! I have not seen you in a while.” Missa said, her usual cheerfulness absent.

"Have you heard the news?"

“Yes, looks like I will lose a lot of customers.” Missa cleaned a glass with concern in her eyes.

“Missa, I need your help, your knowledge of rumors. What do you know about this war?”

“Considering the situation, I think I can do this for free. Three and One disappeared, and no one has heard from them, until today. They declared war on each other with the excuse that each could not rule. Four has allied with One while Two and Five remained neutral, but Three's forces are moving towards the Land of Seas."

“You have my thanks, but I have to go; I promise I will party here upon my return." I told as Eupherbia and I left.

“Edric, wait!” Missa screamed, but I didn't stop.

“Edric, where are we going?” Eupherbia asked.

“To the Land of Seas!”

“Will you join this war?!"

“Yes, the Invaders, the disappearance of Three and One, and this war must be connected!”

We left the town until we reached the forest, finding the black dragon sleeping in a clearing.

“Dragon, wake up!”

The dragon woke up with a grunt and stretched.

“What do you want human, another one of your missions?”

“No, we are going to war now!”

The dragon reacted unexpectedly; it stood up quickly and smiled widely.

“Fine! What are we waiting for?!"

The dragon took flight, turned, and flew towards me; Eupherbia clung to my shoulder as the dragon's paw closed around me, carrying us.

-Land of the Seas-

“Come on men, fight!”

“Archers!”

“Raise your shields!”

The Land of Seas was under attack, but not by humans. The enemies were thin, and tall, with clawed hands and feet, faces set in a permanent frown with glowing red eyes and skin gray as stone.

Gargoyles flew across the Land of Seas, forming great clouds that blocked out the sun as Five’s forces fought hard to finish their enemies.

Several soldiers fought gargoyles on a rocky beach, their battle cries echoing across a once beautiful landscape.

It consisted of a rocky beach with access to the sea, a large stone fortification with archers on top, and a metal gate facing the soldiers, while a similar construction stood behind them.

There were also pieces of ruins spread across the beach, with archers on top firing at the gargoyles.

“Come on, keep fighting!” A soldier slashed a gargoyle’s chest.

“Fire the arrows!" Another shouted from behind an archer's line who fired at gargoyles approaching the soldiers.

The soldiers appeared to win as the last gargoyle fell, but their celebration ended when something blocked the sunlight, a flock of gargoyles diving towards them.

They prepared to fight to the death, knowing that this would be the end, but before the gargoyles could land, fireballs destroyed them in a huge explosion.

Flapping echoed through the beach, and suddenly, a black dragon approached and hovered above the sand, dropping a knight and a fairy.

“We will deal with things around here and you will help the battleships!” The knight said to the dragon, pointing towards the sea.

The raging sea stood full of battleships, metallic vessels with chimneys belching smoke and firing their thunderous cannons at the clouds of gargoyles, but they were slowly overwhelmed.

“Since when do you give me orders? But I might consider complying with them, as I will fight a little.” The dragon flew towards the sea, protecting the ships on the way.

“Identify yourself!” One of the soldiers demanded, pointing his sword at the knight.

“I am Edric and the fairy is Eupherbia! We are adventurers and we came to help!” Edric showed his adventurer plate.

“Thanks to the Intoners, we were in dire need of help.” The soldier answered, offering his hand as Edric accepted the handshake.

“There are more approaching!” An archer shouted from the top of the rear fortification.

More gargoyles landed on the beach, carrying rapiers and crossbows.

"We'll save the greetings for later." Edric drew his Blue Blood Sword and Adjudicator's Shield.

“I agree, but think of the reward if we survive, Lady Five will reward us handsomely.” The soldier said with desire in his voice.

“Why do you always drag me into this kind of thing?” Eupherbia asked as magic covered her body.

Edric let out an irritated snort and advanced toward the gargoyles. One of them fired its crossbow, but the knight blocked the dart with his shield.

Seeing its approaching enemy, the gargoyle drew its rapier and thrust it forward, trying to pierce Edric, who parried the blow and cut the gargoyle's chest, ripping out stone fragments.

The gargoyle recovered and tried to pierce him again, but such a slow move would not take down an experienced warrior.

He stepped aside, allowing the blade to miss, and sliced off the gargoyle's arm, the sound of breaking stone was followed by the second strike, which decapitated the monster who fell with a heavy thud.

Small blue orbs left the gargoyle and flew away from Edric when it died.

“Souls? First the Tower of Latria’s gargoyles and now souls? What's happening here?"

Edric could ponder no longer, as three more gargoyles approached.

A gargoyle aimed its crossbow, but a magic blast destroyed its hand and weapon before it pulled the trigger. It saw a fairy with hands outstretched, so the gargoyle tried to skewer her with its rapier, but Eupherbia easily moved away.

"You're ugly!" She said into the gargoyle's face, firing magic and ripping off part of it. The gargoyle tried to hit Eupherbia once more but missed.

"And you couldn't hit a giant if he was in front of you!" Eupherbia hit the gargoyle's legs, knocking it to the ground.

“And one more thing, you are dead!” Eupherbia pointed her hands at the gargoyle's head and destroyed it.

She looked around, seeing Edric and the soldiers fighting the gargoyles, the latter having some difficulty against their enemies.

She hesitated for a few minutes, wanting to stay beside Edric's where the chances of survival were higher, but she remembered their previous conversation.

Maybe Edric was right?

Eupherbia flew across the beach, magic covering her body while she fired at the gargoyles fighting the soldiers, focusing on hitting their joints.

Suddenly, the gargoyles found themselves without their arms, legs, or sometimes heads, making it easier for the soldiers to finish them.

She noticed more arriving and attacking the archers on the fortifications, who defended themselves with their bows and daggers and flew above the fight, bombarding the gargoyles with magic and destroying their stone bodies.

"Thank you!" The archers waved at her.

“Hump!” She muttered, crossing her arms and looking away before returning to the fight.

-XXXXXX-

Meanwhile, Edric fought against the two remaining gargoyles, blocking a blow from the one to his left and simultaneously slashing the chest of the one to his right.

Applying more strength behind his shield, he pushed the left gargoyle away and repeatedly struck the remaining one, shattering its stone body.

Then, he thrust his sword into the last gargoyle’s chest, kicking it from his blade before swinging and decapitating the monster. Unfortunately, the fight was not over, as more gargoyles surrounded Edric.

The first tried to pierce Edric, who stepped back and slashed the gargoyle’s back. A second approached from the left, but he spun his sword, cutting the gargoyle’s face.

He saw a gargoyle’s rapier approaching out of the corner of his eye, so he rolled away, closing to another gargoyle without time to turn.

Edric then elbowed the monster’s chest, the sound of cracking stone echoing across the beach as the gargoyle that received the blow in the back returned, trying to pierce him.

Turning quickly; he grabbed the elbowed gargoyle and lifted it above his head before throwing it towards the approaching one.

Both fragmented upon colliding, creating a dust cloud where Edric advanced blindly, knocking down what remained of the gargoyles before raising his armored foot and stomping their heads, reducing them to dust.

Four gargoyles remained, forming a line of crossbows aimed at Edric, who raised his shield again and ran towards his enemies, slamming his shield into their faces.

Edric pierced the side of the closest gargoyle, pushing the sword aside and slicing it in half before spinning and driving his blade into another gargoyle's neck, who fell dead before he spun again, thrusting his weapon into another gargoyle's waist, bisecting it too.

Two gargoyles remained, one thrown to the ground rose and snarled at the knight, firing its crossbow at him, but he stepped aside, letting the dart pass as the gargoyle lunged with its rapier ready.

Edric answered by piercing the gargoyle’s forehead, sending it to the ground again.

The last gargoyle screeched shrilly and several screeches responded. The knight saw an irregular shadow covering him followed by various diving gargoyles.

They covered him with their bodies, the one that called joining its allies. Suddenly, a light flashed between them and they all turned to dust due to a powerful shock wave.

The beach’s sand receded, revealing a crater with Edric holding his talisman. Looking around, he saw that the last of the gargoyles fell to the soldiers and the fight ended, for now.

“Hey, Edric, Are you ok?!" Eupherbia asked, landing on Edric's shoulder.

"Yes, and you? Did they harm you?”

"No, they didn't stand a chance against the great Eupherbia!" The fairy put her hands on her hips while puffing her chest.

"HA! Of course, they didn't! Who could stand against the great Eupherbia?" Edric joked.

“Thank you so much for helping us!” The soldier who spoke with Edric earlier said.

"There is no need for that. What will you do now?”

“We will retreat to Lady Five's shrine, where we will rejoin the rest of our forces.”

“Would you mind if we join you?”

"Of course not! You two will be of great help!”

"Therefore, let's move!"

Edric, Eupherbia, and Five's forces walked toward the now-open metal gate across the beach, which led toward the Intoner's shrine. Suddenly, the knight stopped.

“This feeling… Invaders!”

Several red circles appeared on the beach, and from each one came a red, transparent being carrying different equipment.

“Those things again?!” The soldier screamed.

“Take your men and leave!” Edric replied.

"But what you?"

“Don't worry about me, I've faced Invaders before. Are you ready Eupherbia?”

"Y-yes." She answered nervously.

The soldier nodded and ran while the archers on the front fortification escaped towards the open gate while shouting.

"She is here!"

"She?" Edric asked himself.

CLANG!

The front fortification gate swayed.

CLANG!

Part of the gate dented inwards.

CLANG!

Another dent appeared.

CLANG!

CLANG!

CLANG!

Finally, the gate fell, raising a sand cloud, and when it dissipated, everyone saw the source of the archers' fear, Intoner Zero.

“What the fuck is happening to the Land of Seas?!” Zero demanded furiously.

“Well, we meet again; I can't say it's a pleasure.” Edric replied sarcastically.

"You." Zero growled, her face contorting into a hateful grimace.

The two enemies meet again in the middle of a meaningless war that will decide the fate of Midgard. Meanwhile, the Invaders attacked the Land of Seas.

END OF CHAPTER

Notes:

Thanks so much for reading my story! I hope you enjoyed! If possible leave a kudo and tell me what you think of the chapter! Please don't feel obligated to do this! Constructive criticism and suggestions are welcome!

I would like to apologize for the grammar mistakes, as English is not my first language.

That's it for now! Have a nice day and until the next chapter!

Chapter 11: Round Two

 

"Damn pests!” The black dragon screamed, incinerating a group of gargoyles as it closed to the battleships, allowing them to fire their cannons.

The dragon flapped its wings, throwing itself backwards, and dodging several crossbow darts.

It spotted various gargoyles reloading their crossbows, so it darted towards them before they could fire again, colliding and reducing them to pieces.

Another group approached with rapiers in hand, the dragon grabbed two in its paws and crushed them to dust, then spun its body, using its tail as a whip and tearing three more apart.

One last gargoyle flew toward its head, hoping to pierce its eye, but the dragon flew aside, dodging the blow and biting the monster, reducing it to dust.

"ISN'T THERE ANYONE HERE WHO CAN CHALLENGE ME?!" The dragon roared.

"Get out of the way!" A childish voice yelled.

The black dragon's eyes widened as it saw a mass of gargoyles clinging to something. Then, it moved away as it flapped its wings, creating a gale and blowing the creatures away, revealing a small white dragon.

The dragon reoriented itself midair and looked around, noticing the large black dragon staring at it.

“AAAHHH!” The white dragon screamed in fright.

"Why the surprise, never seen a dragon before?” The black dragon asked amused.

"No sir! Wait, I mean… Yes, sir!” The white dragon answered nervously.

“HAHA! What are you doing here young one? This is not a place for children like you.”

“I am not a child, I am Mikhail, a big and strong dragon!” Mikhail replied, puffing his chest.

"And why are you here, Mikhail?"

"I'm here to get stronger so my friend will finally call me by my name."

"Seriously?" The dragon asked doubtfully.

"Yes! She always calls me a dummy or Hey you! But never by my name. She will only do it if I become a real dragon and I need to get stronger for that! She said I should start by sinking these ships!”

“Well, that would be a problem as my… associate asked me to help those ships.” The black dragon responded, approaching Mikhail with bared fangs, making him recoil frightened.

“Hm... I-I d-don't want to fight you, but I need to do what my friend asked me to do!”

“A complicated situation, but I have a proposal for you.”

"A proposal?"

"Yes, you want to grow stronger, don't you? I propose you help me destroy these gargoyles bloating the skies.”

“Yes, I will do anything to get stronger!”

“Then follow me young dragon, I will show you how to be a real dragon! ROAR!"

"Yes sir! Roar!" Mikhail roared, sounding more like a child's scream. "Wait a minute, what about my friend?! She will be mad if she finds out I left!" Mikhail asked while the black dragon looked towards the beach.

"Don't worry, I think your friend just met with my associate, they seem busy."

“Oh! So it's better not to interrupt them.”

“I agree, so, without further ado, follow me!” The black dragon darted swiftly past Mikhail.

“Hey, wait for me!” Mikhail shouted, flapping his wings rapidly, trying to keep up with the black dragon.

-XXXXXX-

Zero's sword collided with Edric's shield, sending a shock wave across the beach.

“Why do you always stand in my way?!” Zero demanded with anger in her eye.

“I am not to blame, I just wished to visit the beach, swim a little, tan, and go to war. The gargoyles are a pleasant addition since they blend with the landscape.” Edric replied, stepping forward, trying to push Zero away.

She gripped her sword with both hands, applying more strength and keeping the knight in place.

"War?! What the hell are you talking about?!”

They backed away from each other, dodging an invader trying to slash them with his Zweihander.

“Didn't you hear the word? Three and One have declared war on each other." Edric bashed the invader's chest while Zero slashed his neck, reducing him to red particles.

"HA! Looks like they've finally lost it, not that they had it to begin with!" Zero kicked Edric, who shielded himself, the strength of the kick sending his feet skidding across the beach, leaving lines in the sand.

“Look around you, this is no laughing matter, people are dying! You talk as if Three and One madness was expected!” He removed several throwing knives from his bottomless bag and hurled them at Zero.

She dodged most of the knives, one cutting her cheek, and some of her hair, and hitting an invader holding a dagger behind her.

"Don't go where you don't belong, there are things here that have nothing to do with you!" Zero dragged her sword in the sand as she approached the knight, throwing a sand cloud and blinding him.

Edric swung his shield, dispersing the cloud, but too late as Zero slashed his chest.

“AAAHHH!” Edric screamed, but he endured the pain and thrust his sword forward, piercing Zero's shoulder, receiving a pained cry.

The two fighters backed away and faced each other again.

“Bastard, you are hard to kill!” She yelled as her wound healed.

"Equally, but I'm wearing armor, unlike you, if you did not acknowledge." He advanced and tried to pierce her heart.

Zero leaped, passing over Edric, who stomped the ground, stopping his advance and turning around in time to raise his shield, blocking Zero's sword.

"Armors are nothing to me, I can tear through steel like paper." She slashed Edric's shield repeatedly, putting him on the defensive.

"So you've never found armor made by a real blacksmith." He found an opening in one of Zero's strikes and tried to pierce her again, but she stepped away from the strike that hit another oncoming invader.

“Argh! What are those things?!" Zero watched the invader stand again with a hole in his chest.

The invader hit by Edric's throwing knives also stood to his feet as he removed the blades from his body.

“Vengeful spirits that returned to life and individuals that inhabit other worlds.” He dodged the invader's ax blow.

“What do you think I am? A five-year-old?!?” Zero dodged a dagger strike from the invader hit by the knives.

“You have the maturity of one.” Edric blocked an ax-wielding blow from the invader.

Simultaneously, Zero and Edric finished off their opponents, she cut off the hand that held the dagger and then the invader's head. The knight, on the other hand, deflected a blow from the invader's ax, then pierced his heart.

Zero and Edric faced each other again. Unfortunately, for Zero, she faced Edric's catalyst, who cast Ignite, unleashing a short-range fire blast at her face.

“AAAHHH!”

Taking advantage of the opening, the knight approached Zero and covered her body in cuts, one of them aimed at her neck, but she ducked at the last second and tripped Edric, knocking him backward.

She jumped and fell with her foot aimed at Edric's head, intending to crush it, but he rolled away, getting on his hands and knees as the blow created a small tremor followed by a sand cloud.

Suddenly, the Intoner left the cloud and landed a mighty kick to Edric's armored head, bringing him to his feet due to the strength of the attack, the resulting noise similar to a bell.

The blow left him disoriented and unprotected to Zero's sword piercing his heart.

“Can you finally die now?!” She screamed, covered in healing wounds and drying blood due to her regeneration.

The knight winced as the sword pierced his heart, he dropped his sword and shield, both falling with a heavy thud.

The answer to her question was unexpected, as instead of dropping dead, Edric grabbed her sword arm and pulled her closer, driving the blade deeper into his body, to the Intoner’s surprise and horror.

“I would shame all the hardships I've faced and friends I've lost if I died to this!” He grabbed Zero’s shoulders and delivered a head-butt, knocking her back with a bloody broken nose.

Grabbing his talisman, Edric cast Recovery, healing most of his wounds while the magic ring cared for the rest.

"What are you?" Zero asked as she stood up.

“A Slayer of Demons.”

“A Slayer of Demons? Is this what I am to you, a demon?"

"You haven't proven otherwise so far."

“Hump! Maybe I am one.” She ran her hand over the flower in her eye.

“Are you talking about the flower?”

“How… How do you know about it?” She asked surprised.

“A dragon told me.”

“Of course, who else would know? You didn't sit around doing nothing after what happened in the cathedral."

“I would be a fool if I had. Listen, this fight is pointless, there's an ongoing war, the Land of Seas is under attack and Invaders are everywhere. Let's stop this madness and discover the truth behind what's happening here.”

"HAHA! Don't give me that hero talk, you're just waiting for the right moment to kill me. What do you want, fame and glory for killing the terrible Intoner Zero? Money? Or do you want to hand me over to my sisters? Take one of them to your bed perhaps?” Zero mocked.

“No, I just can see the bigger picture, moreover, I made a promise.”

“Promise, what promise?”

“That I would give your sisters a chance, a chance to show that they are not a threat to Midgard.”

“What an idiot, you made an impossible promise because I will kill them all, no matter the cost."

"I won't allow that as I need the truth, I would despise to kill your sisters and discover my wrongdoings in the end, but I also promised that I would act if they revealed to be a danger."

“Meh! It looks like you put some thought into it.”

"Unlike you. Therefore, what is your answer? Can we stop and find the truth behind all this chaos?”

"It is an interesting proposition, but I'll have to refuse, you'll be in my way and I don’t like that. I'll kill my sisters, and nothing will change my mind." She pointed her sword at the knight.

“A shame, for a moment I thought you were reasonable.” He retrieved his sword and shield.

“You will find that I am anything but reasonable.”

"It's not the first time I've dealt with people like you."

“Seriously, who was the first?”

“Why don't you come over here and find out?”

Suddenly, several invaders appeared on the fortifications before they could fight, aiming their arrows at both fighters in the middle of the beach.

"Shit!" Zero screamed.

"Certainly." Edric completed.

Then, the invaders pulled their bowstrings.

“Mikhail/Dragon!” Zero and Edric screamed simultaneously.

Fireballs rained from the sky, hitting both fortification and burning the invaders to ashes.

“Hey Zero! I made a new friend!” Mikhail shouted, hovering above the beach.

“Are you done with your little fight, human?” The black dragon asked right after.

“Are you guys done killing each other yet?” Eupherbia asked startled, stepping from behind a rock.

“You bastard, do you have a dragon?” Zero demanded.

"Have, is a strong word, it only accompanies me as long as I feed it." The knight replied.

“Mikhail, get away from that dragon, he is our enemy!”

“But Zero, he's so cool, he helped me fight those stone things and get stronger.”

“Patience young one, this rush will kill you on the battlefield. And you, human, don't talk to me like I'm a pet.” The black dragon said.

"Yes sir!" Mikhail answered.

"Whatever, I've wasted enough time! You, tinhead! You can come with me, but get on my way and I will fucking kill you!”

"I'm glad you finally heard the voice of reason." Edric answered.

"Stay with me long enough and you'll see that reason is not my strong point." The Intoner headed toward a tent on the other side of the beach, which didn't match the war around her, and read a note resting on its counter.

“Dear customer, welcome to the Patches Wondrous Emporium, where you'll find all the items you need to venture into these perilous lands, all legally acquired of course! Unfortunately, I cannot stay to offer you the best service, I have to care for my dear sick mother, so place your order for the items listed below and leave the required souls at the counter, your item will be delivered immediately.”

-Signed Patches, The Hyena, The Trusty, The Spider, The Unbreakable, The Untethered.

-Item List-

“Half Moon Grass”

“Late Moon Grass”

“Full Moon Grass”

“Fresh Spices”

“Archstone Fragment”

“New Moon Grass”

“Dark Moon Grass”

“Sticky White Stuff”

“Stone of Ephemeral Eyes”

“Heavy Dart”

“Heavy Arrow”

“White Arrow”

“Cat Ring”

“Fragrant Ring”

“Barbarian Clothes”

“Barbarian Gauntlets”

“Barbarian Leggings”

“Souls? Is this some kind of joke? I've also never heard of anything this guy sells."

Edric read the letter over Zero's shoulder, approached the counter, and raised his hand.

Small blue particles gathered on his palm, forming a bright sphere that he placed on the counter before it disappeared, revealing pieces of grass of different colors and vials with strange liquids inside.

"What is that?"

“Grass to heal wounds and spice to restore magic.” Edric stuffed the items into his bag.

“Does it work?" The Intoner crossed her arms in doubt.

“Yes, I would be dead if it weren't for them. Here, eat this.” He offered her a piece of grass.

“Are you calling me a cow?” She frowned.

“You are fat like one.” Edric replied, only to receive a punch to the helm, sending him flying across the beach.

"HAHAHA! Worth it!" He screamed through the pain while Zero ate the grass with an angry grimace.

"It's not that bad after all, it tastes sweet." She swallowed the grass, noticing all her wounds healing. “Who knew, you were speaking the truth, I hope you don't mind if I need more.” She smiled sardonically.

“As long as you pay me later.” Edric stood to his feet.

"Dream about it. Tell me, what did you use to pay for these things?”

“Souls.”

"If you don't want to tell me, then just keep your mouth shut, but I can't judge, we're anything but normal."

“This is one of the few times I agree with you.”

The gate across the beach opened and a horde of invaders entered.

"Look who's back for more, hope you can keep up." She sang, activating her Intoner Mode.

“Don't underestimate me, I rarely feel tired.” Edric cast Cursed Weapon and Warding.

“I will put that to the test tonight.”

"What do you mean by that?"

"You'll find out, I just hope the thing underneath that armor is as big as the sword you used in Cathedral City."

Edric grunted irritated, understanding what Zero meant. Therefore, the two allies? Maybe yes, maybe no, advanced, destroying the horde of invaders on their way to Five's sanctuary.

-XXXXXX-

Report Number 4: Edric and Zero meet each other again, and the branch strays more and more from its original form. None of the other Recorders claim to know anything about the Nexus, the Monumental, or what the title of Slayer of Demons means. The option to confront Edric directly still stands, I wonder if I should do that. On another note… Who the hell is Patches and what is he doing overtaking my shop?!? When I find him I will...

Black Phantom… Bartholomew Steelfist has invaded this world.

Black Phantom… Slaughter Vyktoria has invaded this world.

Black Phantom… Shatterer Martron has invaded this world.

Continuing the report, beings known as invaders appeared in droves. From what I hear from Edric's conversation with One, they are spirits of the dead or people from different worlds/timelines/branches. They shouldn't appear in abundance, something is calling them here.

Black Phantom…

Black Phantom…

Black Phantom…

I will end my report here, the presence of invaders prevents me from leaving this branch, so I will have to eliminate them as before.

End of report.

END OF CHAPTER

Notes:

Thanks so much for reading my story! I hope you enjoyed! If possible leave a kudo and tell me what you think of the chapter! Please don't feel obligated to do this! Constructive criticism and suggestions are welcome!

I would like to apologize for the grammar mistakes, as English is not my first language.

That's it for now! Have a nice day and until the next chapter!

Chapter 12: Vicious Viper

“These guys keep showing up!” Zero screamed, slashing an invader’s chest, kicking him away; and swinging her sword into an inverted position before stabbing an invader approaching from behind.

“You made your discomfort clear the last five times you repeated that sentence.” Edric responded, parrying an invader's blow, breaking his balance, and piercing his heart.

“Sorry, but I'm tired, I've used too much magic for today!” Eupherbia screamed, the magic surrounding her body glowing dimmer with each invader defeated before she hid inside Edric's bag,

Then, the two partners grudgingly advanced across the Land of Seas towards the shrine, cutting down any invaders.

"I don't know if you noticed, but I'm in a hurry!" Zero deflected another invader's blow and slashed his throat, but he didn't care and still fought.

“Hurry is the enemy of perfection; you must act slowly and calmly." Edric slashed an invader's waist and chest shortly after that.

“Sorry, but that's not my style, I like it hard, rough, and fast!" Zero leaped over an invader's spear strike, landing behind him and slashing his back.

"You know damn well that's not what I meant!" Edric kicked an invader’s chest, knocking him down and piercing his heart.

“Hump! That's what everyone says! Knights talk about honor and duty, but a pretty face offering a little fun is all you need to drop it all. I wonder what you look like under the armor."

“You will have to remove my armor by force if you want to know what I look like.”

“I have no problem with that.”

Growling, Edric cast Soul Ray, blasting a hole through an invader's with a bow farther ahead.

They reached an overrun coastal village, with gargoyles invading the houses, taking the inhabitants by their members, and taking off shortly afterward, disappearing midst of the swarm.

Edric ran faster towards the village upon seeing this.

“Hey, tinhead, what are you doing?" Zero asked.

"What do you think? Helping these people!” Edric switched to his bow and fired arrows at the oncoming monsters.

“I'll move on if you waste our time! I have a sister to kill!”

“Then do it, but I doubt the gargoyles will allow it.” Edric’s arrow pierced a gargoyle’s head as it swooped down, shattering it upon falling.

More gargoyles landed and surrounded Zero. One tried to pierce her with its rapier, but the intoner stepped aside, dodging the blow, then severing the gargoyle's arm, and head with the following cut.

“These things are annoying, where did they come from?”

“They are gargoyles from the Tower of Latria, created by the Old Monk in his soul experiments.” Edric fell another gargoyle from the sky.

“Do you hear yourself talking? You sound like a crazy priest!" Zero kicked a cart toward a group of gargoyles and leaped in, tearing them apart with a flurry of blows.

“If I were a priest I would throw holy water on you.”

“Are you calling me a demon?”

“You're hardheaded as one! Dragon come!” Edric called the black dragon.

A large shadow passed over the village, raining fireballs, destroying part of the swarm, followed by the attacks of a smaller white dragon.

“Hey Zero! I am helping!" Mikhail screamed.

"Shut up! I'm in the middle of a conversation! What do you mean by that?" Zero demanded.

“You fight with rage and no technique, the slightest insult sends you into a fit, you swing your sword like a piece of metal and care little for what happens around you!” Edric equipped his sword and shield and ran through the village streets.

“Come here and say it to my face!”

“Your anger only proves my point.” Edric slashed the gargoyles in his path.

“I see you two are getting along well.” The black dragon amusedly, crushing a gargoyle between its fangs.

“Oh! Zero, are you making friends? Hello sir knight, my name is Mikhail!” The young dragon said.

“Hello Mikhail, I am Edric.” Edric responded with a completely different politeness than the one used with Zero.

“Hey, no befriending the tinhead here!" Zero sliced a gargoyle in two at the waist.

“Tin head?” Edric asked, blocking a crossbow dart.

“Yes, if I'm the hardhead then you're the tinhead.”

"Honestly, that's not the worst thing someone called me."

“Oh, I can be creative if you want! How about, virgin knight?” Zero teased.

"Seriously? Is that your maturity level?”

"Believe me, I'm more mature than you think, I can show you tonight."

“Is that all you think about?”

“Not usually, just when I spent a long time without fucking.”

“I feel sorry for the man who slept with you.”

“Me too, I still haven't found one that can satisfy me yet. Do you want to try?” Zero teased again, testing Edric's patience.

Unfortunately, or fortunately, for Edric, the arrival of more invaders interrupted the moment.

“They again?! I'm pretty sure I killed the same guy five times! What is their problem?!” Zero asked.

“I'm tired of repeating myself to everyone, but more invaders will appear as long as the summoner isn't killed. Killing them will only banish them temporarily.” Edric answered.

“And where is this summoner?”

"It is unknown to me."

"Perfect, then we’ll do it the hard way!” Zero ran toward her enemies.

Sighing, Edric ran after Zero, who parried a sword strike and cut the invade repeatedly while another group approached. Using her great speed, she danced among her enemies with quick, graceful leaps and acrobatics, delivering a flurry of blows.

Stepping aside, she dodged a spear and sliced the invader's arm and head off before leaping backward, avoiding a claymore that cracked the ground. Jumping again, she kneed the claymore invader's face and pierced his chest, pinning him to the ground.

Meanwhile, Edric faced his enemies, blocking an invader's rapier and shield bashing him before cutting his waist, chest, and neck. Then, he rolled away from a decapitating ax, but the invader kept attacking, forcing him to constantly dodge.

Edric ducked, slamming his shield into the invader's chin as he rose, knocking him away and piercing his chest right after.

Both combatants advanced, defeating the invaders in their path. Simultaneously, the dragons destroyed the gargoyles in the sky.

“Hey Zero! What kind of sister is Five?" Mikhail shoots a fireball at a group of gargoyles.

“The slutty one.” Zero dodged a crossbow dart and killed an invader.

"What does that mean?"

"It means she only thinks about dirty things."

“Oh! Like you?"

"No!"

"HAHAHA! I've met Five personally, and comparing both of you, I can see why he thinks so.” Edric slayed another invader.

“I bet she took you to bed.” Zero spoke.

“No, I prefer to avoid Five's presence as much as possible.”

“Wow! Virgin Knight was just a nickname, but I think I got it right!”

“Human, where do you find such interesting people? Watching you two argue is entertaining.” The black dragon laughed.

“Listen here you...”

However, Edric didn't finish as a line of bow and crossbowman invaders appeared, ready to fire, not allowing them to dodge.

He ran ahead of Zero, blocking the various projectiles with his shield while she jumped on his shoulder, using him as a springboard and passing over the invaders.

They did not react quickly enough and were slaughtered by the Intoner and knight's combined strength. Now, they reached a large beach, seeing another war scene.

Soldiers and knights fought against invaders and gargoyles as warships fired at the concentration of enemies.

“Where is Five's shrine?!” Zero demanded confused.

"You seemed to know where to go, so I just followed you." Edric stopped beside her.

“I think she got us this time. And you, one more comment and I'll rip your tongue out.”

“Not if I decapitate you first.”

“Hump! You would be surprised with what would happen next. But where do we go now?”

She had her answer when a large bipedal monster with gray skin and carrying a large club emerged from the sea. It stepped on the beach, roaring in pain while trying to touch the back of its neck, but it fell dead before it could.

An invader stood on its back, an uchigatana in each hand and wearing shaman clothes. Removing the swords from the monster's flesh, he raised them in an X-shape above his head.

Suddenly, a second invader appeared, equipped with a scimitar, a wooden catalyst, and casting a spell at the uchigatanas, enchanting them.

With his swords covered in magic, the invader advanced toward Zero, who jumped back, dodging his blows, but she kept attacking, dragging both blades across the sand, and throwing them at her face.

“Son of a… AAAHHH!" Zero screamed, slashed in the chest by the swords. Annoyed, she advanced towards the invader, he did the same.

Both exchanged a flurry of swift cuts, the enchanted Uchigatanas sparking as they collided with Zero's dragon fang sword.

The invader tried to pierce her heart, but she dodged the attack and kicked his chest, sending him rolling across the beach before he sank his swords into the ground, stopping his movement without time to recover, since Zero rushed forward.

Stepping away quickly, the invader received a slash to the chest rather than losing his head.

“You are pissing me off, just die already!” Zero shouted.

Giving her an impassive look, the invader stepped forward and the two exchanged blows again.

The invader swung his swords in an X-move, but Zero leaped over him while he spun around, blocking the incoming cut in time.

Holding her sword with both hands, Zero forced the invader back as his arms shook upon facing her enormous strength.

His feet slid across the sand while the Intoner screamed in rage, pulling her sword back and slamming it against his uchigatana, shattering it in a shower of metal.

The invader's eyes widened and he hurled what remained of the blade toward his enemy, but she easily deflected the projectile. Without of options, he held the remaining sword with both hands and raised it above his head.

The invader lowered his Uchigatana and Zero slashed with her sword. In a flash, both stood on opposite sides of the beach. Nothing happened for a moment until the invader fell to his knees without his arms.

He lowered his head, waiting for the final blow as Zero approached and slashed his neck’s back, separating his head from his body.

“Now that the bastard is dead, where is the tinhead?" She looked around and found the knight in question fighting the catalyst invader.

The invader kept the knight at bay by casting a barrage of Flame Toss and Soul Ray while Edric leaped and rolled away, each spell creating a sand cloud as it hit the ground.

Raising his shield, he endured the damage and advanced toward his enemy, but the invader disappeared before he could land an attack.

“AAAHHH!” Edric screamed, slashed across the waist and back.

Looking around, he saw steps forming in the sand, so he swung his sword towards it, forcing the invader to break his spell and block the attack.

They exchanged blows again, with the invader casting quick spells, forcing Edric to dodge clumsily and find a catalyst pointed at his face.

“Hey, idiot, look here!" Eupherbia left Edric's bag and fired a magic projectile at the invader's face, pushing him back.

“I thought you were tired.” Edric spoke.

“A little, but not enough to do nothing.”

The invader cast several spells, enchanting his scimitar, covering his body with a barrier, surrounding Edric with a poisonous mist, and turning invisible.

However, he cast Anti-Magic Field, creating a circle of blue energy across the beach, canceling the spells.

"I can't help you now, whatever you did stopped my magic." Eupherbia spoke.

"Don't worry, thank you for your help, now leave the rest to me." Edric placed his shield on his back and held his sword in both hands.

The invader tried to block Edric's blow, but the monstrous strength behind it threw him away while the knight advanced quickly. Without time to stand, the invader removed something from his belt and threw it at him.

Due to his speed, he did not have time to dodge the explosion and flames that covered his body. Unfortunately, for the invader, Edric kept advancing, his fire defense too great to fail to a simple bomb.

Raising his scimitar for the last time, the invader tried to fight back, but his movements weren't fast enough. Edric's sword pierced his throat, with the tip coming out the other side, his body went limp and he disappeared.

“Well, looks like it's all over here, see you later.” Eupherbia returned to the bag as Edric and Zero approached each other.

“So, where to now?” Edric asked.

“Shut up, let me think!” Zero replied.

"Zero, something is rising!” Mikhail shouted midst the fight.

“Certainly, ruins are rising from the bottom of the sea.” The black dragon completed.

A series of ancient ruins emerged, causing tremors and raising waves as a large coliseum appeared in the distance. The gargoyles covering the sky changed course and advanced towards the construction.

A yellow magic circle appeared above the coliseum and a large thing fell into the building. Magic rays came from inside and destroyed the swarm by the hundreds, but more gargoyles took their place.

Simultaneously, the battleships formed lines, pointing their guns toward the beach.

“Everyone, the shelling will begin, evacuate the beach! We will send these things to hell!” One of the soldiers shouted.

Immediately, the soldiers retreated, escaping their fights and retreating inland, out of cannon range. Zero and Edric stared at each other after hearing that information.

“Idiot!/Dragon!” They screamed simultaneously.

Both dragons dove and grabbed their respective partners, Zero sat on Mikhail's back while Edric held on to the black dragon's leg.

They escaped in time, as a rain of cannonballs hit the beach, covering it in smoke and explosions, killing all invaders present.

“Hump! At least those bastards are gone.” Zero growled.

“Yes, but for how long?” Edric asked himself.

With the conflict on land behind them, the dragons approached the coliseum where the gargoyles fervently attacked. They found Five, Ditto, and a large, golden crab-like creature fighting an almost endless swarm.

The Intoner and her Disciple pierced every enemy they encountered with their spears while the crab incinerated gargoyles with magic, but they were slowly overwhelmed.

"Darling, looks like we're not getting out of this." Five said to her disciple.

“Of all the places I could die, why does it have to be right next to you?!” Ditto screamed.

"Honey, this is not the time to pretend you don't like me, we're in an emergency right now." Five ignored her disciple's anger.

“AAAHHH!” Ditto yelled in frustration.

A cloud of gargoyles dove towards the two, Five tried to sing and activate her Intoner mode, but one of the gargoyles covered her mouth while the rest grabbed her arms and legs.

Ditto stood in a similar situation, but one of the gargoyles held a pale, spherical, and slightly glowing object, and placed it on his chest where it sank into his body.

Then, they released Ditto, who grabbed his chest with pain coursing through his body. He coughed and struggled, standing up and trying to escape, but the pain clouded his judgment and he fell from the coliseum towards the sea below.

Five let out a mighty scream, destroying the surrounding gargoyles and kneeling on the edge, extending her hand towards the water, but her actions were in vain as Ditto did not return.

Suddenly, the entire coliseum shook and a large shadow appeared on the water.

"Dito?"

A water jet drenched Five and a large shadow covered her body, with the sun shining behind the large shape of its owner. She fell to a sitting position upon seeing the thing, a gigantic golden viper with its yellow eyes focused on her.

“Dito, is that you?”

“RRROOOAAARRR!” The viper roared and tried to devour Five.

BOOM!

“RRROOOAAARRR!”

Fortunately, a shower of fireballs hit the viper, stopping its attack. Looking where it came from, the viper saw dragons approaching.

“What the fuck is that?!” Zero screamed.

"A demon!" Edric answered.

“Wow, this thing is huge! Does it taste good?” Mikhail asked.

“Finally, a powerful opponent, I was getting bored!” The black dragon exclaimed.

“Stop, he is my disciple!" Five screamed at the new arrivals.

“That thing is no longer your disciple! It would be best to put him out of his misery!” Edric replied.

"No! Dear, It's me, Five! Why don't we stop this and have a little chat? We can discover what your new body can do! I bet we can have fun! Just imagine, doesn't that turn you on?" Five tried to reason with her disciple, but this irritated the viper, as it opened its mouth and tried to devour her again.

“Dragon!” Edric shouted and the dragon dove towards Five. The knight grabbed the Intoner and pulled her away as the vipers tore a piece of the coliseum, throwing stones everywhere.

“What are you doing standing there?! Get rid of that thing!” Zero shouted at Mikhail.

“Yes, Zero!" Mikhail flapped his wings, diving towards the viper.

"Not like this!”

He collided with the viper head’s side, disorienting it, but the monster recovered and opened its mouth, spitting a green goo.

“AAAHHH! That was close!” Mikhail shouted, flying away from the goo that melted the coliseum’s stone.

“What were you thinking, hitting that thing?!” Zero demanded.

“I did what you said!”

“Yes, and we were almost melted by poison!”

However, the argument ended as the viper lunged at them again; Mikhail flew away while spitting several fireballs at it. Nevertheless, the viper attacked, chasing the dragon regardless of the damage done to its body.

“Stop, you are hurting him!” Five screamed, trying to escape Edric's grip.

“Can you please stop?! I'm trying to keep you safe!"

“Not while you try to kill my disciple! I said stop!”

Her scream drew the viper's attention, and the monster stopped attacking Mikhail and turned toward Edric.

Breathing deeply, the viper spits another jet of acidic venom while the black dragon moves away and lunges at the monster, slamming into its forehead.

“Face me!” The black dragon roared, spewing fireballs, each exploding and burning severely.

“See, he's trying to kill you!”

“He's confused! Ditto would never do that!” Five grabbed the black dragon's leg, trying to climb onto its back, but it struggled, forcing her down.

"Listen! If I solve this problem without killing your disciple, will you stop being a nuisance?!” Edric exclaimed.

"Yes!"

“Then let me think!”

Let's see, this transformation is the result of an uncontrolled Demon Soul. I need to remove the soul without killing its bearer. Well, I will need to thank Yuria when I return to Boletaria.

“Dragon, fly close to Zero!”

“I don't know what you're thinking, but you better not ruin my fight!” The black dragon exclaimed, flying towards Mikhail.

Both dragons dodged the viper's bites and venom, Edric grabbed Five by the arm and threw her at her sister, where she slammed into Zero on Mikhail's back.

“Hello, do you come here often?” Five asked, lying on Zero's lap, but she only tried to stab her.

With the Intoner relatively safe, Edric and the black dragon engaged the viper.

“Dragon hit that thing with all you might!”

“There is no need to repeat!”

The black dragon flapped its wings and shot towards the viper as the monster did the same. The two collided with a blast, with the dragon forcing the snake back.

Seizing the moment, Edric jumped onto the viper’s head, sinking his sword into its flesh and touching his catalyst on its head before casting a spell.

The viper's eyes widened while it tried to take Edric off as a strong light shone and luminous particles left its body. The light grew stronger and stronger, and with a final roar, a powerful blinding light covered the coliseum.

When it dissipated, Edric and an unconscious Dito fell towards the sea, but the black dragon caught both in its paws and dropped them on the coliseum. Mikhail, Zero, and Five followed, leaving the dragon and approaching them.

"Dito, talk to me!" Five held her disciple in her arms.

“Ugh! Are we alive?” The disciple asked, regaining consciousness.

"Yes!"

"Shit!"

“So, what do you have there?” Zero asked Edric.

“A Colorless Demon Soul, the soul of a demon that has absorbed enough souls to become a potential Archdemon. A blacksmith can use it to upgrade special weapons.” Edric stored the soul in his bag.

“I still think you're talking bullshit, but I'm willing to believe it after seeing what it did to the bitch's disciple.”

“That was amazing; you hit that thing like it was nothing!” Mikhail said to the black dragon.

“Keep fighting and someday you will reach my level, young dragon.” The black dragon replied.

Unfortunately, the moment of peace ended with the return of the gargoyles diving toward Five and the invaders appearing around Zero and Edric.

“Release me!” Five screamed as the gargoyles took her away, one of them gagging her, preventing her from singing.

"HAHAHA! Take her away from here!” Ditto waved at them.

“Dragon, get us out of here!” Edric blocked an invader's sword.

“You gave me too many orders today, I don’t like your boldness!” The dragon took flight and grabbed Edric and Ditto.

“Let’s get out of here too!” Zero mounted Mikhail.

“Yes, Zero!" Mikhail answered. Then, both dragons flew away from the Coliseum.

Five disappeared over the horizon, the Land of the Seas fell without their leader, the invaders spread like a plague, and the people could only flee as Five's forces tried to recover.

END OF CHAPTER

Notes:

Thanks so much for reading my story! I hope you enjoyed! If possible leave a kudo and tell me what you think of the chapter! Please don't feel obligated to do this! Constructive criticism and suggestions are welcome!

I would like to apologize for the grammar mistakes, as English is not my first language.

That's it for now! Have a nice day and until the next chapter!

Chapter 13: Camping with an Intoner

“Well, that was a waste of time!" Zero exclaimed, throwing her hands up and sitting on a rock beside the fire, her head resting on her hands and arms on her legs.

“Speak for yourself, I have never been happier in my entire life. I'm finally free from that bitch!" Ditto paced back and forth, citing everything he intended to do now that he was away from his Intoner.

“The shorty one is annoying. Can I eat him?” The black dragon asked, lying beside the trees, his form blending with the shadows.

“I am seriously considering allowing you to.” I muttered, cooking dinner for everyone. We're having sea serpents tonight, courtesy of Mikhail and the black dragon.

Speaking of Mikhail, the dragon sat beside the fire like a human being. A comical sight that made me smile under my helmet. Then, I placed my bottomless bag on top of a rock and prepared to remove my kitchen utensils .

“Hey, what will you do?" Mikhail asked curiously.

"Cook dinner." I removed a great ax from my bag while Zero, Dito, and Mikhail stared surprised with mouths open and wide eyes.

"Well, that's something you don't see every day." Ditto approached the bag.

“Wow, this is so cool! How did that ax fit in there? Is it a magic bag?” Mikhail eyed the bag closely.

“What the fuck?! “Zero quickly stood up and reached towards my bag…

SLAP!

...But she never touched it, as I slapped her hand away.

"Hey, what the hell were you thinking?!” She prepared to draw her sword.

“I'm the one asking, what were you thinking touching my property?”

"Wow, I will not steal your shit! I was just curious how this magical bundle worked!” She shook her stricken hand.

“Hump! Knowing your reputation, I wouldn't be surprised to find some weapons missing, and it is a bottomless bag."

“Hey, It's good that you know! Better keep an eye on this thing, you could miss it without realizing it. And bag, bundle, whatever! What matters is how this thing works! What else do you have there?" She shrugged and returned to her seat, watching expectantly.

“I believe I can give you a little demonstration while I prepare our food.” I sighed, withdrawing a small glowing creature instead of a weapon.

“Is the food ready?” The fairy asked, her head popping out of my closed fist.

"Almost, it will be ready soon.” I released Eupherbia, who settled on my shoulder.

The fairy noticed the new addition to the group. Her eyes widened and she whispered nervously in my ear.

“PSH! Are you sure it's a good idea to take this crazy bitch with us?"

“I wonder the same thing.” I replied, removing the Secret Dagger from my bag.

"I heard that!" Zero snarled, causing the faerie to hide behind me.

"Don't worry, I'll deal with her if she tries anything.” I removed several rapiers of different designs right after.

“Oh, and what makes you think that?” She crossed her arms, smiling amusedly.

"I've said this many times, but believe me, you're not the worst thing I've faced." I held the great ax with both hands and sliced the serpents.

"Is that so, and what could be worse than me? The terrible and cruel Intoner Zero.”

“A building-sized knight, a flaming demon that grows stronger as it receives damage, a colossal flying stingray... I almost forgot, a mountain-sized dragon!"

“Ooohhh! He must be scary!” Mikhail shook in fear.

"Certainly, a great dragon, a mass of muscle and orange scales, six glowing red eyes and two rows of sharp, sword-sized teeth, colossal hands, and feet capable of crushing any fortification."

"Bullshit!" Zero dismissed my assertions, either because she didn't believe, or to calm the young dragon.

"Yes... She is right... Teeth the size of swords... Red glowing eyes..." He muttered, covering his face with his wings.

“I'm truthful, after all, I possess the weapon specifically made to slay it." I stopped removing the scales from the sliced meat with my dagger and took the said weapon from my bag.

Everyone stared with their mouths agape as the huge piece of metal left the small bag, taking seconds to reveal itself fully. They probably wondered if it had no end.

I held the sword with one hand before slamming it into the ground, cracking the earth and causing a small tremor.

"Holy crap! Look at this thing! I bet you can turn a person into a paste with just one swipe! Just imagining the guts flying through the air! The crack of bones turning to dust! It makes me so…" Ditto screamed his fantasies as he analyzed the blade to the smallest detail.

He grabbed the hilt with both hands, but the piece of crude metal didn't even budge, he kept trying, his face turning red in the effort, sweat running down his forehead, and muscles flexing, but there was no result.

Then, he released the weapon, crossing his arms and looking away, kicking the ground in frustration.

Zero, on the other hand, was more restrained, even so, she looked at the weapon with surprise, admiration, and a touch of wildness in her gaze. Surely, she imagined herself using the sword.

“Where the fuck did you get that thing?" She ran her finger along the sword's edge, realizing it had no blade. A piece of raw, solid metal forged into the shape of a sword, a completely blunt weapon made to crush until nothing remained.

“This is the Dragon Bone Smasher, forged by ancient Stonefang burrowers to battle dragons. A thick, bladeless mass of iron enchanted to shield its wearer from flames, but due to its immense weight, blacksmiths joke that it can hardly be called a sword, rather an insult to anyone who considers himself a swordsman.”

“What the hell were they thinking? There are better ways to face a dragon.”

“They thought of killing the dragon I mentioned. They worshiped the dragon's enchanted bones, as they made ores sprout from the ground, but they feared it would someday return to life, so they forged two colossal harpoons and a Dragon Bone Smasher just in case.”

“And according to what you said, the dragon eventually returned to life.” Zero walked around the sword, analyzing the weapon.

"Not exactly, the original dragon remained dead, but a copy of it was created.” I skewered the slices onto the rapiers and roasted them.

"You gotta be kidding me! If what you're saying is true, then it would be impossible to recreate such a dragon. Even if it were possible, who would do that?” Zero gripped the hilt of the sword with both hands while smiling widely.

“Not a man, but a demon.”

“Hump! There you go talking crazy shit again. Demons this, Demons that, demons do not exist.” She raised the sword toward the skies and watched it midst the moonlight.

“Believe me, demons exist and that flower in your eye seems like one.”

Her smile gave way to a grimace, she frowned and pressed her lips together in a thin line.

“So, you know about the flower.”

“Only what the black dragon told me.”

She glared at said dragon, irritated, the dragon glared back while baring its fangs.

“Don't give me that look, brat, I do as I please. It just so happened that my partnership with the knight eventually led to the issue of the flower in your eye and your sisters. You handed this thing terribly.” The black dragon snarled.

"It would help if I wasn't interrupted by a bunch of idiots every five minutes!" Zero replied.

“HA! Or if you didn't spend every day fucking every guy that comes your way. Don't lie, I've heard the rumors of Intoner Zero, the pink-eyed, man-eating witch.” Eupherbia said from behind my shoulder with a cocky smile on her face.

She snarled in rage and charged toward the faerie, but she stopped when I placed a rapier with skewered meat in front of her face.

"Is ready," I said emotionlessly.

She growled in frustration, tossing the Dragon Bone Smasher aside, and accepted the rapier, biting the meat.

"Not bad." She returned to her previous spot with her mood lifted.

I handed one piece to Ditto and one to Eupherbia, in the faerie's case, the meat stood on a throwing knife. As for the dragons, they received several pieces, both voraciously eating their food.

“Delicious! Thank you for the food, Sir Edric!” Mikhail spoke.

"You're welcome." I picked a rapier with meat skewered on it while Zero and Ditto watched curiously.

Neither had seen me without my helm, so this would be a good time to discover what I looked like. Well, it is a shame. They both looked with disbelief as I brought the meat close to my mouth and bit off a piece without removing my helmet.

“What the fuck?!” Zero exclaimed.

“Meh! Weird, but not the weirdest thing I saw. The meat is good by the way, so hot and juicy. HEHEHE!" Ditto shrugged.

“You'll get used to it, but I don't think this is the last weird quirk this human has. Trust me, I followed him for a while." The black dragon spoke between bites.

“Is this a magic trick?” Mikhail asked.

“I give up, you're weird, you say weird things, act weird and carry a bunch of weird stuff. I will just eat and forget what I saw." Zero spoke with her mouth full, pointing the rapier at me.

"What can I say? I pride myself on appearing vaguely humanoid and resistant to physical harm.” I laughed, biting the meat again. A few minutes passed, chewing and the crackling fire being the only noises.

“The flower in your eye, where did it come from?” I asked, breaking the silence.

“I don't know and don't care.” Zero replied.

“What does it do exactly?”

“It turned me into an Intoner.” She answered again, slightly irritated by my questions.

“What is an Intoner, exactly?”

“Can you stop, please?! Come on, why are you asking so many questions?! You have nothing to do with that! You shouldn't have meddled where you weren't called! Midgard's affairs have nothing to do with you! Where do you come from anyway?!”

“Boletaria.” I answered with a note of sadness.

“Hump! Never heard of it!"

"Not surprising, the people of Midgard don't seem to know about Boletaria and its neighboring kingdoms."

"Nice, a little knight from nowhere minding other people's business!"

“I'm sorry, but your business became mine as soon as I felt that flower.” I pointed at Zero, who looked at me surprised.

“Can you feel it?”

"Yes, a being of pure malice, I can feel its magic from afar, on your sisters too.”

"HAHAHA! Who would know? Someone here knows the truth about the Intoners and the song.” She laughed in a mixture of amusement and anger.

"Yes, the Intoners are not goddesses and the song is not a divine power. Whatever you are, you exude the same aura as the demons I faced.”

“You can't judge the girl, human, after all, your scent isn't exactly pleasant.” The black dragon spoke amused.

“He's right, Edric, every magic being in Midgard can feel you.” Eupherbia responded, biting her food.

“Now I'm curious, tell me more about the tinhead over there." Zero smiled, crossing her legs.

“A powerful magic blast startled the magic sensible beings when the knight appeared in Cathedral City. It caught my attention too, and I felt a strange scent upon approaching the city, the scent of something ancient and powerful, something evil, but held in check. That scent came from the tinhead."

Hearing this, Mikhail sniffed the air and flinched.

"Scary." The young dragon spoke.

“Ooohhh! Looks like we have a hypocrite here, do you mind explaining?” Zero said haughtily.

“Let's just say it is related to the demons I've faced and let's end there.”

"Fine by me, each one has their secrets, but maybe I'll ask more questions later.”

"Last question." I said.

"Ask." She sighed frustrated.

“Does the flower speak to you?”

Zero went silent, a thoughtful look crossing her face, after a few seconds, she spoke.

"Yes, now I will ask some questions, why are you doing this? Accompanying me, trying to help Midgard, and giving my sisters a chance, what do you get from it?"

I went silent, my gaze shifting between the fire and the moon in the sky.

“I could give you an answer from the fairy tales. Say that it's the right thing to do, say that's what heroes do. But I'm hardly a hero, and I'm not a knight in shining armor, it lost its shine a long time ago... I think... I think I'm doing this because I saw the worst and the best of humanity, I saw both extremes. You may not believe my words, but I'm telling the truth, demons do exist and, I saw what they are capable of, I saw what they do to people. Boletaria and the neighboring kingdoms were left in ruins. I just want to prevent the same from happening to the world. I feel it is my responsibility to face anything that threatens our existence."

A tense silence overtook the camp, and the sarcasm of a certain disciple broke it.

"Congratulations, good way to ruin the mood!” Ditto clapped his hands.

“Nice speech, but you wasted your time, we are warriors, we exist to kill and destroy, not to save, the sooner you accept this, the better. Besides, humans are greedy and weak-hearted beings, no matter how hard you try, there will always be someone trying to rule the world.” The black dragon commented, laying back.

"Someone like you?" I asked, but it didn't answer, just stared at me before closing its eyes.

“You know, most people in Midgard are a bunch of assholes, fairies included, but in the time I've spent with you, I saw that not all of them are dumbasses wanting something from you. I enjoyed the praise for helping others. Maybe you were right about that talk of being someone better, I'd like to see where this goes and I can't do that with a war happening. I'll help you as long as you keep giving me candy.” Eupherbia spoke, patting my helm.

“Thank you, Eupherbia, and don't worry, I'll buy you all the candy you want.” I stroked her head.

"I can’t wait." She replied.

"This is rare, a fairy who doesn't act like a dipshit! Where did you get her? Is she your pet or you did do something to her?" Ditto smiled cockily.

That smile vanished when I threw a knife at him in one blinding motion, digging into the trunk behind him, leaving a thin bloody trail trickling down his cheek.

He gaped wide-eyed, dragging his thumb across the wound, watching the blood on his hand.

“Okay, I'm scared and a little horny, I will keep my mouth shut for now.”

Eupherbia, on the other hand, could not resist and salt the wound.

“Where is all your courage now that someone your size got in the way? You control that tongue, don't you? Come on, say what you think of me! Or are you scared? Is the little disciple too scared to speak now that he is without his Balloon Breasted Intoner to protect him?” Eupherbia hurled insult after insult while Ditto snarled and brought his hand toward his spear, but stopped when he saw me twirling another throwing knife between my fingers.

"And you, what's your opinion about me? Any sarcastic comments, jokes about my morals, or mockery about my goals?" I asked Zero, but she stood silent, staring at me with a distant gaze.

“Not this time. You reminded me of a certain girl I knew once, she had a strong sense of justice, you know?”

“And where is this girl?”

"Dead, her sense of justice killed her. Maybe she would still be alive if she had minded her own business instead of trying to help others, but..."

"But?"

“But in the end, I was jealous of her. Midgard needs people like you if you are being genuine, but this world tends to kill those who try to do the right thing.”

“You have no idea how true that is.”

“Don't be sad Sir Edric, you've just been nice to everyone here, and even though Zero is mean from time to time, she's also a good person, deep, deep, deep down. If we all work together, I know we can save Midgard. You may not believe it, but to me, you are like a hero from the stories.” Mikhail tried to cheer me up.

“Thank you, Mikhail, I wonder how such a polite dragon ended with someone like Zero."

"Hey!" The aforementioned Intoner screamed.

"You don't know how hard it is, Zero is mean and lazy all the time, she keeps calling me names and scaring people, that's why I'm her only friend."

"Hey! Shut up!"

“But I'm telling the truth! You would have more friends if you were nicer to others!”

“I don't need friends!”

"This is not true! I see how sad you are when alone! You should make new friends! How about Edric? You two could be friends! I don't think he would mind, would you?" The young dragon asked while Zero waited for my response.

"I... I think... I think it's fine?" I said hesitantly.

"See? He doesn't mind, you two can be friends!"

“Me and the tinhead? No, thanks! He's already insufferable when talking about demons, I don't want to spend time around him longer than necessary!" Zero exclaimed.

"Come on! It's not that bad!"

"No way!"

So, time passed and the discussion continued until everyone finished their dinner.

-XXXXXX-

“Where are Zero and Ditto? I saw the two leaving, but they haven't returned yet." I asked Mikhail while storing the equipment used for dinner.

“I think they went to do adult things.” He answered.

“Adult things?”

"Yes, Zero never tells me what she does, but sometimes she leaves with other guys and doesn't return until the next day. Mostly angry and muttering something like They can never keep up They tire too fast or They come too quickly.”

I went silent, processing what he said.

“That or I hear clapping, but the noise ends quickly and I hear Zero screaming in anger right after."

I cant… I cant… I cant…

“HAHAHAHAHA!” I laughed with all my might, falling to the ground while clutching my stomach and slamming my fist into the ground, cracking the earth and making a metallic clatter echo through the camp.

“Hey, what's so funny?”

“Nothing, Mikhail, nothing. I just don't know if I should be surprised or disgusted to hear about other people's sex lives." I tried to catch my while getting to my feet.

“Sex life, what is that?"

"Something you'll learn when you're older."

"Hey! I'm old enough to know! Zero always says the same thing to me!" Mikhail said irritated.

"We only say that because it's true, you're not ready yet."

“I…WWAAAHHH~~~ I'm ready.” He yawned.

“Rest Mikhail, we have a day of battles tomorrow, you better get all your strength back. I wish a good night's sleep to you.”

“WWWAAAHHH~~~ Good night, Sir Edric.” Mikhail closed his eyes, sinking into the world of dreams while I sat under a tree and watched the fire.

-XXXXXX-

It's been a while. Should I search for those two? Perhaps invaders ambushed them, or maybe they are still busy with their adult things ? I'd rather not catch them in the middle of their fun .

I can only wait. At least everything is peaceful, Eupherbia returned to my bag and the dragons were fast asleep.

“Meat… Delicious meat…” Mikhail muttered in his sleep.

I smiled under my helmet. Who knew dragons could be so adorable? Better than the ones I fought in the past… Well, I am bored. Maybe I should sharpen my weapons and practice some magic, or I should try to get some sleep. So much to do, so little time.

Tomorrow it will be the same, war and invaders, and I still don't understand what's happening, it was all so sudden, one day everything was fine, in the next one, Midgard fell into chaos. Three and One, why declare war on each other?

Enough! I won't get anywhere with a conflicted mind! Maybe I can discover the truth if I find an Intoner without Zero killing it. I leaned on a tree trunk, rested my hands on my lap, and watched the starry night sky. Yes, I think that's a valid plan.

Leaves moving interrupted my thoughts. I slowly brought my hand to my sword but stopped when I saw Zero and Dito approaching, so I returned to my original position, there's no reason to meddle with them.

"Seriously?! Is that the best you can do?” Zero asked Dito as she straightened her dress, glaring at him with her hands on her hips.

It seems they didn't notice me. Do they think I'm sleeping?

“Well… I'm sorry… But it's hard to get excited when it looks like you're trying to break my hip…” Ditto limped to a corner of the camp, groaning in pain as he went.

I think so. They are ignoring me and I honestly don't care, I'm having fun with the show.

"Whatever, you better not let me down next time!” She complained while Dito gave her the middle finger and laid down, crying in pain before snoring replaced his grumblings.

HEHEHE! Well done and well said!

“Son of a…” Zero exclaimed, but stopped immediately, looking around and noticing everyone asleep.

She scratched the back of her head until her eyes focused on me. A smile that made me uncomfortable appeared on her face as she approached me with careful steps. She knelt on the grass in front of me and stared with a hand on her chin. Nodding, she slowly extended her hand towards my helmet.

"Let's see what you look like, tinhead." She whispered.

"You wouldn't like it." I quickly grabbed her hand midway, making her hold back a surprised yelp and flinch slightly with a wide eye.

"Weren't you sleeping?"

“A fun fact about me that you may already know, I rarely get tired, and consequently, rarely sleep.”

Her expression immediately changed, a disturbing glint crept into her gaze and a big smile split her face as she licked her lips. For a moment, I felt in danger.

"Is that so? How about we put this to the test?” She placed her hand on the trunk beside my head.

I don't know when she escaped my grip, but her remaining hand stood on the underside of my helmet, lifting my head and making me look into her eye.

"I..." I didn't know what to say. I won't lie, I found Zero attractive, but her personality irritated me and that flower released that dark energy. It was uncomfortable to stay this close to both.

"Speechless? Where did that courage go, little knight? Won't you repeat that righteous talk from before? Will you not say that you should only do this with the right woman and only after marriage?”

“I…” Why don't I say anything? I've faced archdemons! Saying no to a woman's advances can't be that hard!

“Well, I don't mind if you don't say anything, it's work for me. But it would be nice if you helped me remove that armor. I did all sorts of things, but armor in the way of what I want is a turndown." She said softly and seductively.

My heart raced and I panicked. Slowly, Zero lifted one of my hands and removed my left gauntlet. The piece of armor almost came off and I glimpsed my skin underneath it.

As if lightning had struck me, I recalled the look One gave me when removed my helmet in Cathedral City. I immediately pushed Zero away, crying in surprise as she fell.

"What's your problem?!" 

I noticed that her gaze strayed to something beside me, following it, I realized that she looked at my hand, the gauntlet came loose and fell to the ground. I hid my hand behind my back and grabbed my silver catalyst.

“I apologize, but the problem is me, not you" I cast Cloak, becoming invisible.

"Wait!" She yelled, reaching her hand toward me, but I ignored her.

I ran from the camp, leaving everyone behind. I didn't return until morning, using a gauntlet from a different set.

END OF CHAPTER

Notes:

Thanks so much for reading my story! I hope you enjoyed! If possible leave a kudo and tell me what you think of the chapter! Please don't feel obligated to do this! Constructive criticism and suggestions are welcome!

I would like to apologize for the grammar mistakes, as English is not my first language.

That's it for now! Have a nice day and until the next chapter!

Chapter 14: Land of Mountains

We arrived in the Land of Mountains, the region ruled by the Intoner Four. Great ranges of grey, brown and rocky mountains covered the horizon, with white layers of snow on top.

Above us was a blue but overcast sky with dark gray clouds, probably on the verge of snow. Icy air hit me, making me shiver underneath my armor.

I'm used to the heat, I can walk barefoot in a river of lava, but a little bit of cold makes me want to cast Flame Throw on myself.

However, despite the exotic landscape around me, the situation was still one of war. Moreover, from what I could see, this place was doing better than the Land of Seas at fighting the gargoyles and invaders.

Dozens of airships crossed the skies in a V formation, firing their cannon arrays at the swarms of gargoyles that tried to surround them. The cannonballs let out a high-pitched sound as they ripped through the air, followed by a huge explosion and a cloud of smoke as they hit the gargoyles. The gargoyles destroyed, accompanied by the sound of rocks breaking.

Anyway, the stone creatures kept trying to outnumber the airships, but Four's soldiers worked in perfect unison, cannons firing in unison. Other gargoyles tried to use their crossbows to hit the soldiers reloading the cannons.

However, the soldiers protected their companions, either with the support of archers shooting arrows at the gargoyles, or soldiers using large shields to protect them.

I saw small blue orbs coming out of the creatures, souls, souls flying away at great speed. Where are they going? They aren’t absorbed by anyone here and they aren’t going to the other side.

Unfortunately, because I wasn’t connected to the Nexus, I lost my ability to automatically absorb souls. I would have put them to good use. I can do that with Soulsucker, but I'd rather not waste my magic unnecessarily.

I almost dropped my spyglass when Zero's face suddenly appeared in front of me; she and Ditto were flying on Mikhail's back, while I was in my usual place, in the black dragon's claws.

“Hey, about what happened last night…” Zero spoke.

"Forget it."

"But..."

“Dragon put me down! Help the airships!” I screamed.

“Since when are you in charge?” The black dragon demanded, swinging its paws.

If he was trying to scare me, it worked a little, but I didn't show a reaction, just gripped his paw tighter.

“Since the day I realized I'm the only one who knows what I’m doing here!”

“I just won't drop you, because you're the only source of fun I've found in a long time. I was bored to death.” The dragon responded as it flapped its wings, stopping its flight and then diving sharply, heading towards the mountains.

“Sure, sure. If boredom doesn't kill you, old age will.”

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?" The dragon screamed, dropping me to the ground and knocking me down violently.

“OUCH!” I groaned as I got up and looked around. I was on a stone trail. Made in the mountain, it looked artificial.

“I WANT YOU TO KNOW I AM AT THE HEIGHT OF MY AGE! I AM ONLY TWENTY THOUSAND YEARS!”

“What an old man!” Mikhail yelled, hovering close to the ground and letting Zero and Ditto down.

“No wonder you complain like an old man! You are one!" Ditto made one of his sarcastic remarks as he landed in a crouched position.

“You were made for each other.” Zero spoke, doing a somersault in the air and landing with more grace.

"What do you mean by that?" I asked.

“Both are grumpy and complain about everything.” Zero said, approaching me with an annoying smile.

"Just like you?" I responded with a small laugh. If she wants to play the insult game, so be it.

Zero grimaced at my answer, and opened her mouth to answer me, but Ditto interrupted her.

“He got you, Z.” Ditto teased, flashing his cocky grin.

"Shut up or I'll kill you." Zero said menacingly, pointing her sword at Ditto.

"I'm shutting my mouth... Now!" Ditto, startled, raised both hands in surrender and slowly walked away from Zero.

“Young people nowadays. They don't respect the elders. Come with me Mikhail, we will continue your training!” The black dragon spoke, flying away.

"Yes sir!" Mikhail replied, following the dragon.

Meanwhile, Eupherbia got out of my bag, I noticed that the fairy rubbed her arms because of the cold, her nose was also running. Slowly, she floated beside me. “Looks like we're here. ACHOO! It's cold! In addition, that place doesn't look any better than the Land of the Seas. ACHOO! What is the plan?”

Eupherbia said as she sniffed repeatedly.

“We're going after Four; she allied with One during the war. She must know what's going on; I want to question her about it. However, more importantly. Are you sure, you can fight in this cold? You can return it to my bag if you like.” I replied.

“Don't worry, it's not a little chill that's going to knock me down, I'm stronger than that. ACHOO! But I guess it wouldn't hurt to warm up a little." As soon as Eupherbia finished speaking, she closed her eyes and made an effort face, gradually her body glow intensified until it was difficult for me to look at the fairy.

"Much better." She said.

"That is if I don't cut her head off first." Zero retorted my earlier plan, going up the trail.

“And where is Four?” Eupherbia asked.

"Good question. Hey Zero, where is Four?” I asked the Intoner.

"The hell I know!" Zero shrugged, making us both jump in surprise.

"What?!?" Ditto exclaimed.

“Are we going to repeat what happened in the Land of Seas? Where we will follow you around until we find one of your sisters by sheer luck?”

"What? It worked so far.” Zero replied, walking past me and giving me a cocky sideways look.

I resisted the urge to slap myself across the face. This woman is impossible! I'm missing One, we've only talked once and she's already shown herself to be a tolerable person.

Well, we only have one way to go. Up. We climbed the mountain. Up through a rocky passage full of ruins made of light brown stone. Crumbling walls, collapsed pillars and the remains of stairs stood in our way.

And what we saw when we reached the top was an impressive sight, a great fortress in ruins built in the mountain range, made of the same stone as the ruins we passed and in the distance, we saw figures fighting and falling into the abyss below.

Sounds of metal clashing against metal, screams of pain and battle, cannon fire and arrows slicing through the air formed a cacophony that echoed through the mountains. I saw blurs of red and silver falling to their deaths, invaders and soldiers of Four. In addition, blue blurs going to the sky, souls of the dead in this war.

Fortunately, the airships were doing a good job of dealing with the gargoyles, as none had set foot in the mountains, which gave the soldiers freedom to defend their positions against their enemies.

“What are we doing standing here? Let's go!" Zero exclaimed, drawing her sword with a savage grin.

“You heard the boss. Time to go!" Ditto spoke as he drew his spear, smiling too, but with a glint of sadism.

“Can I go a day without wanting to strangle one of these two?” I asked myself as I readied my sword and shield.

"Welcome to my world." Eupherbia said beside me.

Wasting no time, we all charged towards the fight.

From what we could see, Four's soldiers had fortified the entire path in front of us to stop the invaders, rows of archers and cannons positioned on top of the ruins, and barricades resembling large metal shields blocked the way.

Looking up at the sky, I saw the black dragon and Mikhail spitting fireballs and destroying groups of gargoyles.

The invaders, on the other hand, tried to climb the mountain, the terrain was extremely irregular, and the invaders had to go up and down constantly amidst cannonballs and showers of arrows fired by the soldiers. Which was a problem for the invaders, as despite having the same goal, they weren't a cohesive force.

The invaders wore different equipment, fought in different styles, and had different strength levels. The more souls an invader absorbed, the stronger he became, allowing him to use better equipment, which was not the case here.

Invaders using shields of different sizes that left many openings tried to form a wall in front of their companions, behind them, there were rows of Invaders raising their different shields above their heads, trying to protect themselves from the arrows. A good plan, but poor execution.

Other invaders hid behind large rocks and parts of ruins, using bows, crossbows, spells or firebombs to hit soldiers operating cannons or archers, but the strategy used in airships repeated. Archers pressured the invaders and other soldiers protected their comrades with large shields.

Some invaders tried to advance madly towards the soldiers' fortifications, but were driven back by the soldiers' fire, arrows rained down from the sky and the cannons broke up crowds of invaders. It appears that Four is more competent than Five at leading her men.

Fortunately, this time we had the element of surprise, as we were behind the invaders. None of them had bothered to stay back and on guard for any ambush.

As soon as we got close, we made our attacks; I pierced an Invader in the back, hitting his heart.

Zero kicked an invader, knocking him down and consequently pushing other invaders away. In addition, stomping on his head right after, so she made a big jump and dove into the crowd of invaders.

She danced among her enemies, landing blow after blow. With grace and violence, she cut throats and heads.

Ditto ran towards the surprised invaders, his spear raised in front of himself, with a strong thrust, Ditto impaled a line of invaders on his weapon; three of the red wraiths trapped in it.

With a swing, Ditto hurled the three away towards the other invaders.

“No blood and guts? Fighting these guys is no fun!” Ditto exclaimed, piercing an invader in the stomach, lifting him into the air and hurling him off the mountain.

“And it wasn't meant to be. The invaders are murderers and madmen, you must kill them immediately.” I said as I slashed an invader in the stomach and neck right after.

“Exactly my kind of people.” Ditto replied with a smile.

We continued advancing, Eupherbia supporting us, flying above the invaders and bombarding them with magic, the invaders further ahead didn't notice us yet.

They raised their shields to block the soldiers' arrows, simultaneously; invading sorcerers prepared their spells to destroy the cannons.

I won't allow that, casting Soul Arrow, I pierced an Invader in the back of the head; the spell ripped a perfect hole and exited through the Invader's forehead. Eupherbia killed the other Invader with a hail of magic, tearing chunks from his body in a series of magical explosions.

The Invaders with the shields turned to see the source of the attacks, but Zero and Dito killed them quickly. Zero a kicked the invader's shield so hard that his arm bent in a strange direction, breaking his defense, and the Intoner sliced off the invader's head shortly thereafter.

Ditto didn't even bother with his opponent's shield, thrusting his spear forward with all his might, piercing the metal shield, piercing the Invader's arm and chest. With an amused laugh, Ditto forced the invader to the ground, driving the spear deeper into his enemy's body until he disappeared.

Crazy people surround me. What is wrong with this land? Slowly we managed to reach the soldiers' fortifications.

“So how are we going to get through this?” Ditto asked, banging his fist on the metal barricades.

"A heavy hit from a piercing weapon should do the trick." Zero replied, crossing her arms and looking the barricade up and down.

“Hm… I think I have the perfect weapon for that.” I replied, drawing their attention. I reached my hand into my bag and pulled out a long piercing sword, again getting surprised looks from both of them.

“Well, well. You are full of surprises. Mind saying the name of that weapon?” Zero asked with her hand on her hip and an amused smile.

I placed my shield on my back and held the sword with both hands in front of my face. So picking up speed, I advanced towards the barricade with my sword close to my body.

“That is my Penetrating Sword.” I replied as I hurled a powerful thrust forward, piercing the metal barricade, tearing a hole in its center and causing cracks to spread throughout the rest. Shattering it with a loud metallic crack.

When I finished my attack, the dust settled and the remains of the barricade fell to the ground in a hail of debris accompanied by loud thuds. I looked back, and saw Zero and Ditto with tears in their eyes, faces red and trying hard not to laugh.

"What?" I asked, cocking my head in confusion.

"HAHAHA!" Ditto fell to the ground laughing and pointing at me.

“Hehe! I didn't know your dick had a name. How about you show me if it lives up to the name?” Zero asked in a flirtatious tone, that lustful glint in her gaze and her eyebrows waggling suggestively.

"Forget it." I ignored them both and continued advancing through the fortress.

“Hey, come back here! I'm not finished yet!" Zero yelled, running after me.

"This was good. I haven't laughed so hard in a while!" Ditto exclaimed, following us.

We came to a stone staircase with high walls on the sides; in the center of the staircase was a metal barricade.

"It's Intoner Zero, fire the cannons!" A soldier ahead of us shouted. Then all the soldiers in the fortification prepared to fire, aiming in our direction.

Casting Flame Throw, I hit one of the cannons and caused it to explode in a shower of wood and metal, shooting flaming shards everywhere.

“About what happened yesterday…” Zero said beside me, dodging a cannonball that sliced through the air. She jumped right and I rolled left. A great explosion appeared in the place where we were. Leaving only a steaming crater.

“Nothing happened yesterday.” I responded, dodging another cannon's fire and casting a second Flame Throw, exploding the second cannon. Creating screams of surprise and pain from the soldiers as the explosion threw them away.

“Surely something happened! What is the problem?" Zero persisted in her questions, a teasing tone in her voice.

"Nothing! I have no problem." I replied, advancing towards the barricade in a run.

“And I'm a virgin! Tell me, what was that? Do you like guys? If that's it, you just needed to say it.” Zero said, walking up the stairs with me, more irritated this time.

"No. I am interested in women.” Trusting my sword forward, I destroyed the barricade. As we reached the top of the stairs, a group of soldiers advanced towards us. Swords and shields ready.

"Good to know! So let me try again. Are you not confident in your size?” Zero asked with a teasing smile, slashing through all the soldiers in front of her, the sound of metal and ripping flesh mixed with the soldiers' screams of pain and blood being sprayed.

"No. I'm confident in my… Size…” I answered hesitantly. I don't feel comfortable having these kinds of conversations. I was gentler in dealing with the soldiers, avoiding hitting vital parts and inflicting deep cuts. The Penetrating Sword easily passed through their shields and armor.

"I am happy to hear! At least you're not compensating for something with those weapons of yours." Zero smiled with satisfaction.

"Hey! What happened last night? I am lost here!” Ditto spoke, removing his spear from a soldier's back and dragging his hand through the blood.

“Last night the virgin knight here had the opportunity to spend some fun time with me, but he panicked and ran away.” Zero said with a laugh and pointing at me with her thumb.

I'm seriously considering casting Wrath of the Gods, throw everyone off this mountain, and go on my journey, alone.

"Hahaha! That's hilarious! But I don't blame you; I also wanted to run when the balloon tits decided to try a new fetish on me.” Ditto replied.

I'm missing Boletaria, at least I had moments of peace and quiet there.

“So if preference and size aren't the issue, I can only think of two things, you're a shy virgin or you're not confident in your appearance.” Zero said with a hand on her chin.

I tripped over what Zero said but managed to regain my balance, looking at Zero I noticed she was giving me a smug smile.

“Looks like I nailed it. If that's the problem, then you shouldn't worry. I don't care much about looks and I can't complain about that. Flower in the eye and everything.” She responded by pointing to said flower.

We passed a long, crumbling wall built into the mountains, a bottomless chasm on each side. At the end of the wall, I saw a large stone fortification with a large metal gate, but in our path, there were invaders and soldiers fighting.

Nevertheless, to my dismay, Zero kept talking.

"Let's go. Why don't you take off that armor for a minute? It can't be that bad. A bad scar? A broken tooth?” Zero asked question after question, hurling soldiers and invaders into the abyss with every swing of her sword.

“If you're ugly, you shouldn't worry. After all, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. But it's a shame you weren't born naturally beautiful, like me.” Ditto teased me, giving me a bright smile.

I removed a firebomb from my bag and threw it at Ditto's feet, creating an explosion and making him jump back in surprise, and this made him approach the edge of the wall and falling to his death.

The disciple screamed upon realizing his fate, but before he could fall, I grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, leaving him hanging. Ditto looked between me and the abyss below.

“I will keep my mouth shut for the rest of the trip!” Ditto said with a desperate look and sweat running down his face.

I pulled him back to the wall, where he dropped to his knees, breathing heavily.

"Hmm! You made him shut up I didn't know you had it in you. I liked what I saw." Zero made another one of her comments.

“You won't see much of me; after all I'm a much more controlled person. Unlike you."

"Whatever. But I'm yet to find out what's underneath that armor."

“Don't you get tired of pestering me?”

"No. After all, I have no idea where Four is, and climbing that mountain with these guys in our way is a pain in the ass. I need to have fun somehow.”

I let out an angry growl and continued forward with my two unwanted companions at my side.

In the distance on the wall, we saw rows of cannons pointed in our direction. They were preparing to bomb us.

“Mikhail!” Zero screamed.

"I'm coming, Zero!" Mikhail responded, throwing himself against a cloud of gargoyles, using his body as a battering ram and destroying everyone who stood in his way, as he approached the wall, Mikhail released a wave of fire, incinerating the guards and cannons.

“Did you see that, Zero? I'm getting better at this!” The young dragon said with joy in his voice.

“Less talking, more burning up people!” Zero exclaimed at the dragon, causing it to stagger in the air and return to the fight.

With the cannons gone, we reached a high part of the wall where we had a better view of our path, and what we saw were two armies facing each other, hundreds of soldiers and invaders fighting and falling to their deaths.

“I see you are in trouble, allow me to help.” The black dragon spoke as it dove towards the wall. Weirdly, I had a feeling of Deja vu.

He took a deep breath and rained a flaming inferno all the way in front of us, the soldiers and invaders didn't even have time to react when they were turned into ashes, the dragon kept its attack until the end of the wall, eliminating everyone in our path and leaving a trail of burnt ruins.

“Wow! That was amazing!” Mikhail told the black dragon.

"Yes! This is what we dragons are capable of; follow me if you wish to learn more!”

"Yes sir! I want to get stronger and become a great dragon!”

Then both dragons flew away, with our path clear, we advanced towards the fortification at the end of the wall.

"Hey! Answer me another question.” Zero spoke as we walked through the large metal gate.

I let out a long, heavy, sigh "Ask."

“I still have your gauntlet tucked away. Why didn't you take it back? Is your appearance so bad that you'd rather wear another one instead? On the other hand, are you embarrassed that you haven't cut your nails in a while? Because they were huge.”

I raised my left hand, the gauntlet didn't match my set, and I wore the Dark Silver gauntlet. Then she saw my hand.

Just as Zero asked her question, the gate behind us closed and a large creature leaped from the railing behind us and landed in front of us, a gigantic three-headed dog with purple skin and blue fur on its back. If the information the guild gave me is correct, this is a Cerberus.

“Great, a mutt decided to get in our way.” Zero growled, readying her sword.

“So boss. What is the plan?" Ditto asked, pointing his spear at the Cerberus.

“We kill this thing.” Zero growled.

“What a genius plan!” Ditto replied sarcastically.

“If you two are done acting like children, let's eliminate the monster in our path. Eupherbia! Aim for that thing’s eyes!” I yelled at the fairy, casting Cursed Weapon, covering the Penetrating Sword with a dark purple aura and Homing Soul Arrow, making five magic projectiles float above me.

“Leave it to me, Edric!” Eupherbia responded as she fired spells towards the monster, extending her hands, spells came out of the fairy and collided with the big dog, creating small explosions, making the creature growl in rage and burn some of its fur.

“Oh! I'm offended. You talk like you don't like both of us.” Zero said with a hand on her heart and fake sadness in her voice. Advancing against Cerberus shortly thereafter.

Cerberus tried to squash Zero with its front left paw, but with great speed, the Intoner threw herself to the ground, slipping under the blow before it hit the ground, delivering several slashes to Cerberus' belly in the process.

“You break my heart, Edric. I thought we were friends.” Ditto replied in a similar tone to Zero. Also advancing towards Cerberus. Seeing Dito approaching, Cerberus advanced and tried to bite the disciple, but he was faster.

Leaping back, Ditto stepped out of Cerberus' reach and as soon as his feet touched the ground, he lunged forward with his spear aiming at Cerberus' right head, piercing its left eye. With a wet sound of flesh being pierced and blood being spilled. The spear easily sank into the monster's skull.

The Cerberus roared in pain, rocked its body from side to side, trying to remove its enemy, this served to send Ditto flying, but the disciple reoriented himself midair and landed in a crouch on the ground.

"Seriously? Is this the best answer you can give? I feel like I'm the only adult here.” I replied, advancing towards the monster.

“If to be an adult is to be someone grumpy like you, then the world is lost.” Ditto provoked me.

Enough! To hell with it! I need to take my anger out on something! These two are getting on my nerves!

I ran towards the Cerberus with my sword raised, the creature was busy with Zero slicing off its back legs and Eupherbia bombarding its back with magic, but as soon as I approached, the Cerberus sniffed the air with its three heads until they all focused on me.

Then with a roar of fear or rage, the Cerberus took a deep breath and spit a wave of flames with its three heads towards me.

Son of a...

Was what I had time to think before the flames reached me.

It wasn't that bad after all, compared to being covered in lava spit out by a giant spider, the Cerberus fire was nice, at least it helped me get rid of the cold I was feeling.

"Holy crap! It got turned into a barbecue!” I heard Ditto squeal with what sounded like joy.

“Edric!” Eupherbia screamed.

“Hey, mutt! I was going to fuck him later!” I heard Zero scream a sound of slashing flesh followed by a roar of pain coming after. Suddenly Cerberus' attack stopped and when the flames subsided, I saw Cerberus without his right head and Zero covered in blood.

Wasting no time, I took advantage of the opening and advanced towards Cerberus, the soul arrows above me shot out piercing Cerberus' left and right head, leaving perfect circular holes in its flesh.

Upon getting close, I thrust my sword forward, but the Cerberus narrowly dodged, tilting its body to the side, I ended up piercing deeply into the neck of the left head. With ease, the cursed weapon pierced the creature's flesh, passing through skin and muscle, a jet of red liquid gushed from the wound, covering my sword and myself in blood.

The creature tried to throw me away, but I planted my feet on the ground, eventually the blood stopped coming out of the wound and the eyes on the Cerberus's left head lost their glow.  

Applying more strength, I thrust my sword up into Cerberus's neck and pulled back with all my might.

The Cerberus roared in agony as its flesh torn apart like a sheet of paper. The flesh sagged and Cerberus's head flew from its body in a shower of blood, and it trapped itself in my sword. With a swing, I sent Cerberus's head flying away.

The Cerberus retreated. Two of its three heads ripped off, blood spurting from the stumps where they once were, I took the shield off my back and rested my sword on my shoulder.

Looking back, I saw Zero, Dito and Eupherbia looking at me in surprise.

"He is alive! Damn it!" Ditto exclaimed, stomping the floor.

“Please don't do that again. Who would give you free food if you died?” Eupherbia said with her hand on her heart.

Zero smiled with satisfaction “You are tough. Cool. However, how are you alive?

"What I can say? My fire defense is extremely high.” I replied as I readied my sword in response to Cerberus's roar of rage.

“Fire defense?” Zero asked, confused.

"Yes. I just raised my Endurance a lot, raising my stamina, equipment load, fire defense, bleed and poison defense.” I replied as I ran towards Cerberus.

“What the hell are you talking about? You can't just become fire resistant!" Zero exclaimed at my side, Ditto following us soon after.

"You are right. Magic rings, spells and good armor help too. And I have them all.” I replied as I watched the magic projectiles fired by Eupherbia pass over me and hit Cerberus's eyes, blinding it.

“Armor does not make you more resistant to fire! Iron is iron, no matter the place!” Ditto responded, pushing past me and advancing towards the blinded Cerberus, then he thrust his spear, catching Cerberus's chin and forcing its head up.

"You don’t know what you say. If iron is iron no matter the place, then how come I have armor that increases my resistances against poison, plague, and bleed?” I replied as I used my shield to block a swipe, opening the way for Zero to pass.

Cerberus tried to slash at Zero with its other paw, but I threw my sword, pinning Cerberus's paw to the ground.

“I don't know and I don't care! I just know that after that, I realized that you suck at talking to girls!” Zero yelled, leaping towards Cerberus and swinging her sword, with a swift and powerful slash, Cerberus' last head flew from its body.

The creature's corpse fell to the ground with a crash, its head landing in a pool of blood. A moment later, I retrieved my sword and stepped away from Cerberus with Ditto.

When Zero landed, she turned to us with her sword resting on her shoulder, one hand on her hip and a cocky smile on her face. However, my attention was diverted to something behind Zero, Cerberus's head was moving.

Ditto seemed to realize the same thing. We both drew our weapons and ran towards Zero, she gave us a confused look at our reaction, but we didn't make it in time.

"Zero!" We both scream.

Too late! Cerberus's head opened its eyes and slid across the ground towards the Intoner, with a final thrust the head leapt up and bit Zero, devouring her left arm before falling to the ground without moving, finally dead.

“AAAHHH!” Zero screamed as she dropped to her knees, clutching her wound, I immediately ran towards the Intoner, my talisman in hand, ready to conjure a healing miracle, but I hesitated as the evil aura Zero was emanating grew stronger.

“AAAHHH!” With a second cry of pain, a huge white flower burst from the stump where Zero's arm used to be.

Zero kept screaming, until a bloody hand came out of the flower, this hand was attached to an arm. What I saw was a thing worthy of being in Boletaria, a second Zero, naked and covered in blood, was emerging from the flower.

Slowly she broke out of her prison as she screamed, the second Zero falling unconscious to the ground as the original disappeared in black smoke, leaving only her clothes and sword behind.

“Hump! So this is how an Intoner regenerates.” Ditto muttered in surprise.

Regenerate? No! This was something other than regeneration! She did something that I knew very well, as I had been through it several times! Zero had come back from the dead, just like me!

Unfortunately, I didn't have time to think, as the gate through which we entered opened and an army of soldiers came towards us.

"They killed Miss Four's Cerberus!"

“Kill them all!”

“Fight for our Intoner!”

“It's Intoner Zero! End her while we can!”

Wasting no time, I carried the bloodied Zero like a princess. “You grab her clothes! Eupherbia get back in the bag!” I yelled at everyone. Eupherbia doing as I asked.

"Hey! Why don't you grab the clothes and I'll carry Zero?!?" Ditto asked, disgusted.

“Do you really think I would leave an unconscious woman alone with you?”

Ditto opened and closed his mouth while pointing a finger at me “Good point!” Quickly Dito collected Zero's clothes and sword and together we ran out of there.

-XXXXXX-

On the battlefield that was now the Land of Mountains, the corpses of hundreds of soldiers littered the ground, some dead from battle wounds, others with broken bodies from falling to their deaths.

All was silent, the Invaders were repelled and the gargoyles driven away. The defense had been a success, for the time being. Suddenly, if there was anyone alive there to feel it, an evil pressure took over the place.

Then a scene from the horror books came true, suddenly the eyes of the dead opened and they began to rise. White, eyes stared at the scenery.

Slowly the fallen warriors recovered their weapons, swords, shields, spears, bows. It didn't matter if they were bent or broken, they could still be used.

It wasn't as injuries were a problem, either, with intestines hanging out of the body, open fractures, or missing limbs, the dead did their best to walk. Even if they had to crawl through the snow.

The dead looked around. Maybe they were confused? Who knows? Perhaps there is still something human inside them? Nevertheless, that didn't matter, because something caught the attention of the dead, there was smoke coming out in small wisps in the distance, and light shone through the blizzard that was forming.

Slowly the dead walked towards the light and smoke, with slow, staggering steps, limping and dragging themselves. They walked for hours, halfway through they passed a wooden sign that would serve to say where they were. However, it wasn't as if they cared, was it?

Nevertheless, for those who stopped to read it, the sign read as follows.

“Welcome to the village of Helheim! Intoner Four welcomes you to the Land of Mountains! We hope you have a good stay!”

END OF CHAPTER

Notes:

I know what you're thinking. Two chapters one right after the other?!?

The answer is yes! I felt like I neglected this story so I decided to do an extra chapter to make up for it. It may take a while for the next update, but I don't intend to stop.

Thanks so much for reading my story! I hope you enjoyed! If possible leave a kudo and tell me what you think of the chapter! Please don't feel obligated to do this! Constructive criticism and suggestions are welcome!

I would like to apologize for the grammar mistakes, as English is not my first language.

That's it for now! Have a nice day and until the next chapter!

Chapter 15: Unusual Introspection

-Land of Mountains, Four Fortress-

The Intoner Four was in her stronghold, a large gray and brown stone fortification built into the tallest mountain in the Land of Mountains. Inside a room, the Intoner received reports from her knights, reporting the results of the defense against the invaders and Zero's advance through the mountains.

“The skies are being cleared of gargoyles and the mysterious beings known as invaders have been successfully repelled. Any of them who attempt to return are eliminated efficiently and quickly, Miss Four.” A knight kneeling on one knee reported.

"Perfect! You people did a good job! The casualties we had were a tragedy, but at acceptable levels. The bravery of our companions will not be forgotten.” Four said with a gentle smile as she read some papers on her desk.

“We are not worthy of such words, Miss Four!” Another kneeling knight responded, with a hand over his heart and voice trembling with emotion.

“Your humility only proves how much you deserve these words. However, continuing the report. My sister, Zero? What is her situation?” Four asked in a tone worthy of a ruler, but if one looked closely, they would see a twitch at the corner of her mouth and eyes.

“Unfortunately, our men were not able to stop the advance of the traitorous Intoner, as if being accompanied by a dragon were not enough, the pink-eyed witch is accompanied by Miss Five's disciple and the knight who was present in the attack on the Cathedral City, who also has a dragon at his side. But on the other hand, Intoner Zero was seriously injured by the Cerberus, I believe this will give us enough time to regroup and prepare.” The first knight spoke.

Four maintained a calm face, but people that are more attentive would see the series of emotions passing through her eyes.

“This is worrisome, but we cannot despair. I believe Zero is forcing Five's disciple to accompany her on her path of destruction, gather our forces, tend to the wounded, and prepare our defenses. We will end Zero's reign of terror here and now! But before you go, do you have any news about my sister Five?” Four asked with concern, but there seemed to be a tone of happiness behind it.

“No, Miss Four. The last time Miss Five was seen was by some of her men as she was taken away by the gargoyles, we can only confirm that she was taken in the general direction of the Land of Forests.” The second knight responded.

Four made a thoughtful face as she clasped her hands on top of her desk, then with a sad look she said, “I understand, I am grateful for your efforts in discovering the whereabouts of my dear sister. I'm just worried, you know? Who knows what kind of horrendous things my sister is being subjected to?”

As if by divine intervention, a breeze came through Four's office window, blowing her hair, simultaneously, sun rays crossed the gray clouds of the Land of Mountains, illuminating Four's face and making her eyes shine, highlighting her face of sadness.

Such a sight caused the knights present to feel their hearts sink, making them sigh as they took a step forward.

“Miss Four, we swear we will find your sister’s whereabouts, even if it kills us!” The first knight spoke.

"Yes! We also swear that we will put an end to Zero, even if it costs us our lives!” The second knight responded.

"Thank you very much! You cannot imagine how happy I am to have such dedicated men serving me.” Four responded, clasping both hands over her heart and giving the knights her best smile.

Both knights were paralyzed and amazed at such a sight, but were brought out of their stupor by a cough from Four.

“As much as I enjoy talking to you, my loyal knights; I believe we all have work to do.” Four said, with a fist over her mouth.

“Y-yes, Miss Four!” Both knights responded before retreating from Four's office, closing the large wooden door with a loud thud.

Four remained in her place for a few seconds, after seeing that no one else would enter her office, Four's face contorted into a grimace that contradicted the humor she had shown previously.

“AAAHHH!” Four shouted, covering her face with both hands.

After a few seconds of screaming, Four raised her right hand and closing it into a fist, struck the table in front of her, breaking it in two with a crack that echoed throughout her office.

CRASH!

"Seriously?!? How useless can you people be?!? Miss Four this! Miss Four that! If you used half the time you waste praising me doing something useful, we wouldn't be in so much trouble! Two stinking dragons, a traitorous disciple, a freakishly strong knight, and my Sister Zero. Not to mention, of course, the damn war that's going on right now! Sister One is counting on me, I can't let her down! Two is missing! Moreover, Five, that useless bitch, was captured and her land was taken, at least I won't have to listen to her annoying voice! GGGRRR! None of that would have happened if it weren't for Three, that weirdo! I don't know how you got those gargoyles and those invaders, but I'm sure this is your entire fault somehow and...”

“AAAHHH~~~”

Unfortunately or fortunately, depending on how you interpret it, Four's exclamations were interrupted by someone's moans.

Looking down with a furious glare, Four stared at her "seat", in other words, her disciple, Decadus, who was on his hands and knees serving as Four's seat.

“AAAHHH ~~~ If Miss Four wishes, I could serve as a target to relieve you of your frustrations.” Decadus groaned, breathing heavily.

From his point of view, the disciple didn't see the furious look that Four was giving him, but Decadus didn't have to wait long, because in one fluid movement, Four stood up and kicked Decadus away, throwing the disciple against the wall.

This resulted in Decadus making an ecstatic face and letting out a loud moan.

Four raised her fist as she growled in anger, but stopping for a moment and thinking better about what she was doing, the Intoner took a deep breath, calming herself down.

“Decadus, come with me, we have more important things to do.” Four said seriously, as she walked towards her office door.

“Y-yes, Miss Four.” Decadus said between groans, as he dusted off his clothes and adjusted his glasses.

Leaving her office, accompanied by her disciple, Four's face immediately changed, going from her previous displeasure to the one of a calm and capable leader.

Greeting the servants on their way, Four and Decatus exited the halls of the fortress and arrived at a section full of tall stone towers, climbing the circular stairs and passing through the windows that gave views of the snowy mountains, Four and Five reached the top of the towers.

The location was made up of a series of large stone platforms and on these platforms; there were the correct places for Four's airships to stop. Right now, there was an airships sitting in the air, tied to the platform.

“Miss Four, if I may ask, what are we doing here?” Decadus asked his Intoner.

“We are here to receive the reinforcements I requested from my sister.” Four replied, watching a wooden ramp being placed out of the airship and onto the platform.

“Reinforcements? When did Miss Four called for reinforcements?”

“If you had paid more attention to your work instead of your weird fetishes, you would know.” Four spoke, scolding her disciple.

“AAAHHH~~~ To be insulted with such seriousness, I would like Miss Four to insult me more.”

“Not now, Decadus.” Four grunted, pinching the bridge of her nose.

Four didn't have to wait for long, as in a synchronous march, hundreds of knights wearing silver armor walked out of the airship and stopped in front of Four, forming perfect lines.

Each of the knights wore full, sparsely adorned armor, unusual for Cathedral City forces. They also carried swords and shields, and their helmets only revealed their empty eyes.

Four smiled at this display of discipline, giving a small jump and opening her arms, the Intoner greeted the knights.

“As ruler of the Land of Mountains, I would like to welcome you!”

However, to Four's confusion, none of the knights spoke, they just stared at Four.

“I think you must be tired from the trip, I hope everything went well.” Four said; disconcerted by the seriousness of the knights, but even so they did not respond.

“Perhaps Miss Four should order them to do something.” Decadus whispered into his Intoner's ear.

With a positive nod, Four did as her disciple suggested.

"Very good. All of you! Follow me!" Four ordered as she returned inside the tower.

In addition, like a Golem coming to life, the knights' heads snapped up as they marched in perfect synchrony.

"Ha! Finally someone who does what I say without wasting time, unlike a certain someone.” Four said as she stared at her disciple, not being discreet at all.

Decadus, on the other hand, just groaned, knowing very well whom his Intoner was referring to.

 

-In a cave in the mountains-

“Well, here is the firewood you asked for.” Dito said, throwing a series of sticks into the bonfire inside the cave.

“Hm... You have my thanks.” Edric muttered as he examined Zero.

The Intoner in question was still unconscious, lying inside the cave on a makeshift bed made of fabrics, her head on a pillow and a blanket protecting her naked body from the cold of the mountains.

“Hey, where did you get those things?” Dito asked Edric as he looked at Zero in confusion.

Edric responded by patting his bottomless bag.

“Heh! I imagined. Do you mind…” However, before Dito finished speaking, a flame throw passed in front of his face, making him jump in surprise, and hit the firewood, igniting it.

Looking to the side, Dito saw Edric with his catalyst pointed at the fire, but without taking his eyes off Zero.

Calming down and shrugging, Dito sat down by the fire, blowing on his hands, rubbing them and stretching them out next to the fire.

“BBBRRR! This place is getting colder and colder, but it’s still better than the salty air of the Land of the Seas, don’t you think?” Dito asked Edric, trying to start a conversation, but was disappointed when the knight responded with a grumble.

“Hey, what's the matter? I’m trying to be nice here, you should be grateful for that!” Dito complained, throwing his arms up, but Edric paid no attention.

Analyzing the situation better, Dito noticed that Edric was looking intensely at Zero.

“Meh! She's not so bad when she keeps her mouth shut, is she? There is a pretty girl behind that serious face, insults and constant death threats, not that I don't care, of course. Zero is still more tolerable than Five, that bitch, although she can be rough when we spend the night alone.”

Nevertheless, Edric continued to ignore Dito, the knight took out the talisman from his bag and conjured some healing miracles on the unconscious Intoner.

“So... Are you going to have fun with Zero until she wakes up? I will not judge; After all, the people who attract me are those who went to sleep and never woke up. I just wanted to say I'm surprised, it seems our knight in shining armor isn't as righteous as he claimed to be.” Dito spoke with an arrogant and disturbing smile as he approached Edric.

After making sure that the Intoner was not injured, Edric took his catalyst and touched its tip to Zero's forehead.

“Well, what happens after she wakes up is none of my business, I'll leave it all to you when she comes running in trying to kill us, that is if she can run after you are done with her. Just save some for me when you’re done…ARGH!”

Dito never finished his speech, because in one quick movement, Edric threw an armored punch directly at the disciple's chin, with a metallic click, Dito was sent flying, hitting his head on the ceiling of the cave and falling unconscious on the floor.

Edric let out a relieved sigh after the disciple shut up and returned to what he was doing. With the catalyst on Zero's forehead, the knight cast a spell.

“Let’s see what you’re hiding. Soulsucker.”

A bright light illuminated the cave as Edric let out a grunt of effort; he slowly pulled his arm back, as if he was removing something from inside Zero.

Suddenly, from that bright light, a series of roots covered in thorns came out of Zero's forehead and wrapped around Edric's arm, the knight grunted in pain as the roots squeezed his arm, making the armor creak, but not enough for the thorns to pierce the metal.

Edric pulled his catalyst harder, the light intensified, making the knight protect his eyes with his other hand and more roots came out of Zero's body, wrapping around the knight's shoulder, neck and head, with a blink of an eye, Edric found himself in a different place.

-???-

I covered my face to protect my eyes from the light, but suddenly the light disappeared and when I lowered my hand, I was confused about where I was.

I was inside a wooden building, the floor, wall and ceiling were all made of polished brown wood, luxurious carpets covered the floor and expensive curtains covered the glass windows where I could see the outline of people walking outside.

On my right, there was a wooden counter with stools in front and behind the counter was a shelf full of liquor bottles and beer kegs stacked to the side on the floor.

Music echoed around the room, but I didn't see anyone playing, a strong smell of perfume filled the air and lanterns illuminated the place, filling it with shadows.

I drew my sword and prepared my shield, looking around, I realized that there was no entrance or exit door, just a corridor that stretched in front of me, the moment I took a step forward, a shadowy figure appeared in front of me.

I quickly struck its neck, but my sword went through its body harmlessly, I tried to hit the thing again, but there was no result, suddenly the environment was filled with conversations and laughter.

Observing the surroundings, I realized that I was surrounded by these figures, but they ignored me, some were talking to each other, drinking near the counter, or going in and out of the corridor.

Without much of a choice, I approached the counter, where a shadowy figure was cleaning the glasses.

“So what will it be?” The figure asked.

"What place is this?" I asked, ignoring the figure's question.

"Ha! Are you drunk? What kind of person comes to a brothel without knowing?” The figure sneered.

Hm... If I remember correctly, some of Boletaria's soldiers frequented places like this, knights too, but in smaller numbers. I remember being called once, but I declined the invitation, going to a brothel would cause serious problems for my family's reputation, when you are noble, you have an image to maintain.

“Listen, if you're not going to ask for anything, then how about having some fun with one of the girls? Just go down the hallway and you'll find the rooms.” The figure said, pointing to the hallway with its thumb.

With a wave, I walked towards the only path I had, past more shadowy figures, and into a long wooden hallway filled with doors on both sides.

As I walked, the sound of laughter and moans echoed off the walls as light shone beneath each door. Out of curiosity, I opened a door next to me, only to see a room with a single bed against the wall.

The bed was surrounded by semi-transparent silk curtains, due to the repetitive movements of the two outlines behind the curtains; it wasn't difficult to tell what they were doing.

I slowly closed the door without making a sound and continued on my way, opening door after door and peeking inside, I saw the same view as before, so leaving the rooms aside, I continued walking until I reached the end of the corridor.

Strangely, there was no noise coming from behind this door, that wasn't the only strange thing, the plank floor ended just before the door, giving way to dirt with small white flowers growing.

I slowly reached my hand towards the doorknob, preparing myself for what was on the other side, but before I could, a voice interrupted me.

“Who are you and what are you doing here?” A young voice spoke.

Turning quickly, with my sword in hand, I prepared for combat, but stopped as soon as I saw the source of the voice.

A little girl with white hair and pink eyes, she wore a revealing white dress and was sitting on the floor, using her hands to protect herself.

I sheathed my sword, as I felt horrible for pointing a weapon at a child. Seeing that the blow never arrived; the girl lowered her hands and looked at me.

A look of admiration crossed her face, then surprise, then confusion.

“Tin head?” The girl asked.

"You know me?" I asked confused, helping the girl to her feet.

“Hm... Or would it be virgin knight?!?” The girl responded with a teasing smile as she pointed at me.

"Zero?"

“Rose! Call me Rose! Zero is that grumpy old woman’s name!” The girl now identified as Rose responded, still smiling and with her hands behind her head.

“Listen, this is too confusing for me. Could you explain to me what is happening?”

“You explain it to me! After all, you were the one who tried to take the flower from me and ended up here instead.”

"The flower? Yes, I remember that. What can you say about it?”

Rose let out a sigh as she looked away, she sat down on the floor and leaned against the wall, then she patted the floor next to her.

I sat next to her and waited for the explanation.

“Let's just say life was a bitch to me, for as long as I can remember, the world was against me, everyone wanted to fuck me or trick me in some way and because of that, I ended up becoming a really bad person, not that I changed; after all, you have been traveling with me for some time. But going to the point, I killed a lot of people, hundreds, but due to a plague I was captured and taken to my execution, but not before being made an example for all those who had any funny ideas about committing crimes, the Lords made a point of that.”

“The Lords? The people who ruled Midgard before the Intoners?” I asked.

"That's right. A bunch of cruel motherfuckers, if there's one thing my sisters did right, it was killing those bastards. Continuing, when I was about to die due to my injuries, the flower appeared in front of me, it was the most beautiful thing I had seen in my entire life, I was ready to accept my death, but when everything went dark, I woke up in the Cathedral City in ruins and people running in panic.”

"Do you know what happened?"

“According to rumors, an explosion followed by a flower-shaped cloud destroyed part of the city, but I knew what it was, the flower merging with my body. However, I didn't stay in the city to find out what happened, I fled amidst the chaos, happy that I was no longer sick and all my injuries were healed. I spent a few days of peace, discovering what happened to me, I was stronger, faster, more resilient, my senses were better and I could use magic, The Power of Song.”

“Not to mention, of course, your libido.”

"Hehehe! And this continues to be a problem to this day, I admit it is irritating, I want to focus on something, but there is that itch between my legs bothering me.” Rose responded with a laugh.

“A kid like you shouldn’t talk about that kind of thing.”

“Meh! To hell with it; my life is shit, I do what I want! Listen, why don't you accept one of Zero's invitations? Depending on your performance, maybe she will respect you a little, if not, at least you will make her shut up for a while, now how you shut her up is your choice.” Rose replied, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.

“Strange, despite looking like Zero, you don’t seem to like her that much.”

“Oh! I hate her! She gets on my nerves! Shut up this! Sex that! Stop wasting my time! Zero acts like she has a pebble in her shoe hurting her foot all the time.”

“I believe it is much more than that. But we’re getting off topic, aren’t we?”

“Oh! Well, after discovering my new abilities and magic, I lived hiding from the authorities, but as time went by, I felt something strange, it was as if something was infiltrating my mind, messing with my thoughts and trying to control me. ”

"The flower."

“Exactly, I don't know where the flower came from and I don't care, but for some reason it was trying to control me, and I wouldn't allow it. Then one day, I picked up a knife and decided to end it all.” Rose spoke in an irritated tone but with a sad smile on her face.

"That simple?"

Rose brought her knees to her chest and hugged them as she looked at the ground. “Why should I care? I had a horrible life and I had nothing to lose, in the end, death would be a relief.”

Unfortunately I don't share the sentiment, death is non-existent for me, but I can't say what will happen to me if I die, since I'm not tied to the Nexus.

“But that didn’t work, did it? After all, Zero is still here.”

"You're right. The flower revived me, just like you saw in the mountains, and as if that wasn't enough, the flower created my sisters. I wasted no time and tried to kill them too, but because I was weak due to being brought back to life, they ran away and wandered around Midgard and the rest you already know, my sisters dethroned the lords and took control of everything. ”

“But what's the point of all this? Of the flower and your sisters? What does this flower-shaped demon want?”

“Hump! There you go with that talk of demons, but you're not far from getting it right. The flower wants to destroy the world, that is its goal, slowly my sisters and I are corrupted, the flower trying to control us to destroy the world, when the flower blooms, it will be the end. This is why I seek to kill my sisters, to right the wrong I made.”

After this explanation, we remained silent for a few minutes, the only sound being the moans and laughter echoing through the hallway.

“You know, I believe I judged you too quickly. You deserve an apology.”

“Thank you, but I’m not the one you should apologize to. And I don't think it's a good idea to apologize to Zero, it will only inflate her ego.”

“No need to remind me, Zero acts like she can do whatever she wants thanks to her power.”

“A bit hypocritical, don’t you think? After all, you have your own demons inside of you.” Rose responded, staring at me intensely as she pointed toward my helmet, but slowly lowered her hand toward my chest.

"So you know?"

“I knew the moment you set foot here. Now how the hell you keep that crowd under control I have no idea.”

“Hm… Who are you and what is this place?”

“It’s about time you asked. You could say that this is Zero's inner world, the place that contains her memories, experiences, feelings, traumas and much more, I think this place could be called the soul, Zero's soul, as for me, well... I am the part of Zero she wants to forget.”

“Care to explain?”

“We all have a part that we hide from the world, the real us. I am the part of Zero that reminds her of how horrible she is, how low she has fallen, but I also remind her that she could be someone better, that it doesn't have to be this way. I am Zero's true feelings, the part she wants to let out, but that will never happen, she is too stubborn for that.”

"I... I honestly didn't expect that... Zero is so..."

“Come on, say it! Tell me how horrible I am, because in the end, you will be right.” Rose responded, burying her face in her knees.

Damn it! How do I solve this situation? Has killing demons become easier than comforting someone? Apparently, yes.

“Listen, I can’t say I understand what you’ve been through; Honestly, I led a life with few difficulties until certain recent events. My worldview has completely changed, it was like a slap in the face, and now I have my own set of problems, so I'm not the best judge of character, but from what I've seen so far, you're not a lost cause.”

"What do you mean?"

“You're part of Zero, aren't you? You recognize that you are not a good person and that you can change. This is already a start. How many people commit atrocities with the excuse that they are right about something? That they are more pure and fair, or that they know what is best for the world?”

Rose just stared at me, waiting for me to continue.

“What I'm trying to say is that there's still goodness inside you, all you need is someone to set you on the right path.”

"Someone like you?"

“No, I’m not the best for this. Someone who has experience as a mentor would be better.”

“Well, good luck finding one, Zero would either fuck him or kill him, probably both.”

“The only thing I worry about is in what order she would do it.”

Rose and I stared at each other for a few seconds before laughing.

"Hahaha! Who would say? The virgin knight knows how to make jokes!”

"Hahaha! Here on Midgard there are fewer things trying to kill me, so I guess I've had time to develop my sense of humor.”

“Haha! I haven't had this much fun in a while, but I have something to ask you. Why are you here?"

“I came after the flower. From the information I got from the black dragon and you, the flower is worse than I thought. After seeing you being revived, I realized that the flower is much more than a parasite, it is not something that can be ripped off with brute force, as it is linked to your body beyond the physical.”

“I’m impressed, you figured this out with very little but what do you intend to do now?”

"I will try to remove the flower from Zero's body, that is, if I find out where it is."

"Are you serious? You can do it?" Rose asked me hopefully.

“I can’t promise anything, but I won’t find out if I don’t try.”

“Okay, I’ll take you to the flower.” Rose said as she stood up and brushed the dust off her dress.

"Are you sure?"

“Of course, it’s nothing too difficult.”

“Then lead the way.” I said as I got up.

With a wave, Rose walked to the door at the end of the hall, I stood next to her and with a nod of confirmation, Rose opened the door. A bright light blinded us, but as quickly as it appeared, the light disappeared.

Only for me to come face to face with a dragon on the other side of the door. The dragon's heavy breathing pushed me back a little as smoke escaped its nostrils. I was ready to fight, but I stopped as soon as Rose ran towards the dragon.

“Michael!” Rose shouted with a big smile as she hugged the dragon's head.

“Hello Rose.” The dragon responded in a voice similar to that of an adult.

"I remember you. You are the dragon that was in Cathedral City.” I said to the dragon.

“And you are the foolish knight who has put up with Zero and kept her company, and for that I am grateful. Don’t get used to it, it’s not every day that a wonderful dragon like me shows gratitude” Michael replied in an arrogant tone.

“Michael be nice!” Rose scolded the dragon.

“Yes, Rose.” Michael responded with a tired sigh.

The dragon and the girl stepped aside, allowing me to pass, and what I found on the other side was completely different from the previous environment.

I was in a large clearing covered in white and pink flowers; they stretched as far as I could see, in an endless sea of petals.

A blue sky with few clouds was above me, with sunlight illuminating the place. However, what caught the most attention was the gigantic flower up front.

I slowly approached the flower, preparing for any sign of danger, but Michael stepped into my path.

"What do you intend to do?" The dragon asked.

“He will try to remove the flower from me.” Rose responded, running over and stopping next to Michael.

“Can you really do this?” The dragon asked doubtfully.

"I'm not sure."

“That’s not comforting.” Michael replied.

“Michael, let him try. If it doesn't work, Zero can go back to the plan from before.” Rose spoke.

With a wave, the dragon moved out of the way and I approached the flower. As I approached, the giant flower bloomed, revealing its interior. Moreover, what I saw was the Zero I knew, she was lying down, with her eyes closed and breathing lightly, she seemed to be sleeping.

Nevertheless, that wasn't the most worrying thing, but rather the large roots covered in thorns that wrapped around her body. I stopped for a minute to think more about the situation. How do I get her out of there? Should I use Soulsucker or try something less drastic?

Firstly, I tried to pull Zero away from the roots that wrapped around her, holding her by the shoulders, I tried to pull the Intoner out of there, but that wasn't a good idea, the roots wrapped around Zero's body tightly, sinking the thorns into her flesh and spilling blood.

I immediately released the Intoner as the flower field shook as if an earthquake was happening. Looking back, I saw Rose and Michael giving me nervous looks.

On my second attempt, I took a dagger out of my bag and tried to cut the roots, for a moment it seemed to work, as soon as they were cut, the roots crumbled into black mud, but soon they grew back, trapping Zero in place.

Then another earthquake occurred, stronger than the previous one.

I guess I have no choice; I put my catalyst on Zero's forehead and cast Soulsucker.

A bright light took over the flower field as the roots enveloped Zero even more, due to this, I intensified my spell, and slowly the roots crawled away from Zero.

Suddenly the sleeping Intoner's eyes opened and she let out a deafening scream.

“AAAHHH!”

I tried to resist the attack and continued using my spell, more roots crawled away, but this caused Zero to scream louder. It got to the point where the screaming was unbearable, I ended up losing my focus and interrupting the spell.

When that happened, the roots returned, surrounding Zero, then the petals of the large flower moved, my instincts screamed at me to get out of there and I did just that.

I rolled away before the petals closed around me, but now Zero was trapped inside the flower. An earthquake came soon after, this being the biggest of all.

“I knew this wasn’t a good idea!” Michael shouted, allowing Rose to climb onto his head and taking off shortly afterwards.

"What is happening?" I asked the dragon.

"The flower! It is here!" Rose screamed.

The earth opened and the great flower rose, being supported by its large roots, more roots came out of the ground, emerging from those that the flower used to stay upright.

The earth around me rose, spiraling across the field of flowers, and with a fierce movement, the flower revealed a serpentine body made of thorn-covered roots.

It was a worm-like monster, when its entire form came out of the ground, the worm stared at me with its flower-shaped head, and letting out a deafening roar, the flower opened, revealing Zero mummified in roots.

I took a few steps back, thinking about how to handle the situation. However, I realized, I'm going to need a bigger weapon. The worm let out another roar before charging at me, I quickly reached into my bottomless bag and pulled out a weapon, any weapon, I just wanted something capable of killing this thing.

When I felt the handle of the weapon in my hand, I pulled it out of the bag and pointed it at the worm; the monster stopped its advance abruptly, and letting out a screech of what sounded like fear, retreated away from me.

Finding the situation strange, I paid attention to the weapon I had drawn. The Northern Regalia; I took a few steps towards the worm, making it let out another squeal and back away.

Suddenly an absurd pressure took over the place, and I heard a voice, a voice that I knew too well, and this series of sensations was coming from behind me.

Slowly the worm's head rose, to the point that it seemed to face something bigger than itself.

Turning my head and looking back, I saw what the worm was seeing. The monster in front of me met an even bigger monster, as the Old One was right behind me.

However, one thing I was sure of, this wasn't the real Old One, no, he was sealed deep bellow the Nexus. This manifestation was just a fragment of its power, the power contained in the sword in my hands, the sword that grew stronger with how pure or demonic the user's soul was.

The Old One stood up; its form surpassing that of the worm by hundreds of meters, then letting out a hungry roar, the Old One extended a series of tentacles made of wood towards the worm.

You didn't need to be a scholar to know how the Old One saw the flower. Food, nothing more, nothing less.

With a frightened roar, the worm sank into the earth before the Old One could reach it.

I was about to chase the worm, but I stopped as soon as I heard Rose scream.

"STOP! GET THAT THING AWAY FROM HERE!” Rose screamed; from Michael's back.

Unfortunately, her scream caused the Old One to turn towards her, but before its tentacles reached her, I stored the Northern Regalia in my bag, causing the Old One's appearance to disappear.

"That thing?!? What was that thing?!?” Rose asked, as she got off Michael's back after the dragon landed.

“That was…”

"Know what! I don't care! I'd rather not know! Whatever that thing was, the flower was scared to death! Moreover, that was incredible! Seeing that bastard scared was one of the best moments of my life, but...” Rose said, interrupting me.

“But…” I asked.

“But I felt like that thing didn’t see me as anything more than food.” Rose said, shuddering.

I stopped to think, and almost punched myself in the face with the stupid thing I just did. This place is Zero's soul and I summoned a being with an insatiable hunger for souls, looking now, I realized how stupid my actions were.

Northern Regalia is a powerful weapon; I should only use it in emergencies.

“Listen, I'm sorry for what I did. My reckless actions almost caused a disaster.” I said as I bowed in front of Rose.

“Please, you don't have to do this, besides, you weren't lying, and you almost managed to free me from the flower, unfortunately the flower fought back. Thanks." Rose said with a sad smile.

“I can try again if you want.”

Suddenly, the field of flowers shook and the world turned gray, everything around me lost its color and began to disappear.

"What is happening?"

“Zero is waking up. I'm surprised it didn't happen sooner, you better get going before she thinks you're trying something.” Rose teased me.

"But you?"

“Don’t worry about me; I have Michael to keep me company. Know what? Give up on this business of taking the flower away from me. It was silly to think there was another way to solve this.”

"I..."

However, before I could do anything, the world disappeared, the last thing I saw was Rose smiling sadly as she waved me goodbye.

When my vision returned, I was in the cave, still using Soulsucker and with the roots wrapping around my body even more, I felt them trying to crush me.

I quickly stopped the spell, the roots retreated into Zero and the light disappeared.

I fell into a sitting position while breathing heavily, this experience wasn't a total disaster, I learned more about what I'm dealing with here, but still...

I looked at Zero, whose face was contorted in irritation, she was about to wake up. Still... I think we can't judge others just by what we see on the outside.

Zero's eyes opened, I quickly turned towards the fire and pretended to be warming myself.

“OUCH! What happened?” Zero asked.

“You were killed by the Cerberus, but that flower in your eye brought you back to life.” I said without taking my eyes off the fire.

"Damn it! It must have been quite a show, right?” Zero asked with what I thought was amusement.

“If you want to put it that way, it’s not every day that people come back to life.”

“You say it like it’s not that unusual.”

“If I may ask, how many times have you died?” I asked as I turned towards Zero.

Zero looked up at the ceiling of the cave as she thought about the answer.

“About two or three times.” Zero replied, as she stood up, not caring about the blanket sliding off her naked body.

“Hump! These are rookie numbers, you need to pump those up!” I replied while looking away.

“You speak as if you have died several times.” Zero replied, standing completely in front of me.

“You can’t imagine, I don’t even know where to begin the explanation without telling you centuries of history and magic.” I replied, walking towards Zero's dress that was drying on a rock next to the fire.

Nevertheless, before I could reach for the dress, I felt a pair of arms wrap around my neck and someone pressing themselves into my back.

"Seriously? Are you still trying to sleep lie me?” I asked irritated.

“You are one of the few people who said no to me and lived to tell the tale. I like the challenge.” Zero whispered in my ear.

Fortunately, before anything happened, Eupherbia entered the cave.

“Hey, is the girl awake yet? The crying dragon is panicking and I'm tired of hearing that giant baby's cries.” Eupherbia asked, but stopped as soon as she saw us.

“That’s not what you think!” I spoke quickly, trying to avoid any misunderstandings.

“Am I interrupting something?” Eupherbia asked.

"Yes." Zero spoke.

"No." I said.

"ZERO!"

As if waiting for the right moment, Mikhail decided to appear, the young dragon put its head inside the cave, trying to enter, but the rest of its body did not allow it.

"What; you idiot, can’t you see I’m busy?!?” Zero shouted at the dragon.

“Ooohhh! I'm so glad you're okay!” Mikhail shouted; Zero's insult being confirmation that she was, in fact, okay.

Letting out a sigh, I pulled out of Zero's grip and handed her dress to her.

"Here. I made sure to wash off all the blood.”

“Hm... Thanks. But where did you find water? We are in the middle of the mountains.” Zero asked as she put on her dress.

I pointed my catalyst to the side and cast a spell.

“Water veil!” Then a jet of water came out of my catalyst.

"Cool. At least we won’t die of thirst.” Zero said with an amused smile.

“Please don’t make me a walking canteen.”

“Too late for that.” Zero smiled as she walked past me and patted me on the shoulder.

Picking up her sword that was on the ground, Zero stood next to Dito who was still unconscious and woke him up with a kick to the ribs.

“Wake up you idiot! You’ve slept long enough!” Zero shouted at the disciple.

A smile appeared beneath my helmet, considering the disciple's previous attitude, the kick was deserved.

“Son of a…! Why did you do that!" Dito shouted, standing up as he grabbed the kicked area.

“You were being lazy.” Zero said, smiling arrogantly.

“That’s ironic coming from you.” Dito muttered as he walked towards the exit of the cave, using the wall as support.

Mikhail emerged from the cave entrance, freeing our passage, but as soon as Zero, Dito, Eupherbia and I set foot outside, we shivered as the freezing wind passed through us.

“A blizzard is coming.” I told everyone.

"Obviously." Dito said sarcastically, rubbing himself.

“Speak for yourself.” Eupherbia said, using her magic to warm herself.

“Wow, you guys are such softies, it’s not that cold! ACHOO!” Zero tried to look tough, but failed miserably.

“I see everyone here is feeling cold. Do you mind if I warm you all up?” The Black Dragon asked, opening its mouth as an orange glow formed in its chest.

We all drew our weapons and Eupherbia prepared her magic. Immediately the dragon stopped what it was doing.

"Hahaha! I was just kidding. Isn’t that what you humans do from time to time?” The Black Dragon laughed.

“Coming from you, it’s hard to say.” I muttered.

“Hump! Whatever! Mikhail and I will go ahead!” The Black Dragon responded, taking flight soon after.

“See you later Zero!” Mikhail spoke, flying right behind the black dragon.

“Well and there they go. I can’t say I’ll miss them.” Ditto shrugged.

“Whatever, let’s move on, I have a sister to kill.” Zero spoke, walking away immediately.

“I just hope you know where you’re going.” I replied as I followed my unwanted companions.

"Of course! When have I been wrong?” Zero asked.

“Do you want me to speak in alphabetical or chronological order?” I replied back.

“TISC! Whatever!" Zero muttered, walking faster.

I gave a small laugh as I sped up my run.

“Is it just me or does she seems to be in a good mood?” Eupherbia asked me.

“I don’t know, maybe she just had a good dream.” I said with a laugh.

Eupherbia looked at me confused, but shrugged. So with our little rest over, we continue our journey in search of Four, I just hope to find the Intoner before Zero cuts her head off.

END OF CHAPTER

Chapter 16: Towards the Fortress

"Well, that's a problem."

"Is that so? Can you believe I didn't notice?" Dito responded sarcastically.

"Hey! Virgin Knight, tear down the barricade!" Zero demanded, pointing forward with her sword.

"What makes you think I can do it?" I asked.

"I don’t know! Why don't you take another giant weapon out of that bag of yours or use your strange magic to clear the way?" Zero replied with her hands on her hips, tapping her foot impatiently.

I sighed irritably; apparently, Zero's good mood only lasts until the first inconvenience she encounters along the way.

We saw Four's fortress on top of a mountain in the distance, but to get there we would need to cross a long dark stone bridge suspended over an abyss.

The problem? The bridge was heavily fortified with barricades made up of wooden stakes, gigantic metal shields, and a large iron gate behind it.

How the hell does Zero expect me to deal with this? Looking to the side, I saw Zero and Dito staring at me impatiently. Sighing again, I approached the barricade with Eupherbia following me.

"Wow! Traveling with these two is a pain! They expect you to do all the heavy lifting!" Eupherbia exclaimed beside me.

"That's one disadvantage of having a wide variety of skills, people expect you to have the solution to every problem." I responded, pulling out my catalyst and conjuring a flame at its tip.

"I'm glad no one expects anything from me, being just one in the crowd has its advantages."

"I don't think a fairy would go unnoticed in a crowd." I laughed.

Concentrating. I dimmed the flame at the tip of my catalyst, accumulating all of its power in a single point, making the flame change to a blue hue.

"You know what I meant. Changing the subject, do you need help?" Eupherbia asked, looking curiously at what I was doing.

"Well, if melting the metal isn't too much for you, a little help would be appreciated."

"Hump! You can count on me! A little bit of rusty metal is nothing to the great Eupherbia!" The fairy responded, raising her nose, and placing a thumb on her puffed chest.

"Well then what is the great Eupherbia waiting for? Let's get to work!" I laughed, touching the first large shield with the flame on my catalyst, turning the metal orange and causing sparks to fly to the sides.

"Right!" Eupherbia spoke, concentrating her magic in her hands and firing a magic beam right after, melting the metal faster.

It was a peaceful few minutes, but that peace ended as soon as I heard a familiar set of footsteps.

"What do you want Zero?" I asked without taking my eyes off my work.

"How did you know it was me?" Zero asked.

"Who else besides our little group is around at the moment? Besides, I've gotten used to your step pattern; I know in advance when you're approaching."

"Creepy." Zero said disconcertedly.

"But useful. Careful, slow, and heavy steps usually belong to knights due to their training and equipment weight, hurried and out-of-rhythm steps belong to poorly trained soldiers, light and almost inaudible steps belong to merciless assassins, and so on…"

"How do you know that?"

"Let's say that some time ago; I had to choose which enemies I could fight directly, which ones I should ambush, and which ones I should avoid. Learning the noises your enemy makes is a good way to know what you're dealing with without seeing it."

"Well, that's…"

"Listen, I'm loving our little lesson on combat, but could you guys hurry up? It's getting colder and colder!" Dito complained, chattering his teeth audibly.

"Hm… The blizzard will arrive soon… I will see what I can do, but it will take some time."

"Oh! Let me help!"

A familiar childish voice shouted. Looking up, we saw Mikhail diving towards the bridge with flames coming out of his mouth.

"No!" The Black Dragon spoke, flying after Mikhail.

"Mikhail wait!" I screamed.

"Don't even think about it, you idiot!" Zero exclaimed.

"Son of…"

Dito didn't get to finish his insult, as Mikhail spat a gigantic fireball towards the barricade, and we were in the way.

With a cacophony of frightened screams, we ran away from the barricade, jumping as soon as we heard the explosion behind us.

I threw myself to the ground, holding Eupherbia in one hand, and using the other to hold up my shield, protecting both of us from the flaming debris.

I heard the cracks of the barricade's flaming fragments colliding against my shield, and then everything went silent, I waited a few seconds, preparing myself for something else, but when nothing happened, I stood up, placing my shield on my back and released Eupherbia.

"That stupid dragon! He almost burned us alive!" Eupherbia shouted, looking up for Mikhail.

"Cough! Cough! I'll rip his scales off when he lands!" Zero exclaimed, stepping out of the smoke cloud left by the explosion, waving her hand to dispel the smoke.

"You can count on me to help you!" Dito spoke soon after, crawling out of a pile of debris.

Looking at the two, I noticed that their clothes were slightly burned and torn; their hair and face were also covered in soot.

"If you are done complaining, I suggest we move on, despite his hasty action, Mikhail cleared our path." I spoke to the two, pointing to the path ahead.

"Tisk! Fuck it!" Zero muttered, walking with hurried steps.

"Hey! Can someone help me here?" Dito said face down on the ground.

Sighing, I approached the disciple and grabbed him by the back of his shirt, pulling him to his feet.

"Thanks." Ditto muttered painfully.

"Better hurry up, Zero is irritated." I spoke to the disciple, walking behind Zero soon after.

"And when she isn’t?" Ditto asked sarcastically.

I stopped for a moment, thinking about what he said. Good question.

"Seriously? The goofy dragon almost killed us and you guys are going to act as if nothing happened?" Eupherbia asked, flying next to me.

"Considering how much the situation has gotten out of control lately, I thought you would be used to the near-death experience." I answered.

"What kind of person gets used to almost dying all the time?"

"Me!" I responded, raising my hand.

"Me too!" Zero spoke, raising her hand without turning towards us.

"Put me out of this! The day has barely started and we've already been through a whirlwind of emotions! I just want to finish what we came here to do!" Ditto exclaimed.

"Hump! You complain too much, the worst is over. From now on it will be an easy trip to Four's fortress." Zero replied arrogantly.

However, as if fate heard those words, the bridge suddenly shook. We all stopped and stared at Zero with irritated looks.

"You had to open your mouth." Ditto spoke monotonously.

"Look what you did! You tempted fate and now we will all suffer for it." I scolded her.

Zero's response is to blush in embarrassment and look away.

Then everything that could go wrong did. The entire bridge shook with an audible noise, and cracks formed in the stone construction below our feet, starting where the barricade had previously been and spreading out to the sides.

Sections of the bridge were propelled upwards while others fell towards the river below us.

Wasting no time, we ran towards the other side of the bridge as everything collapsed behind us.

"This is your entire fault Z!" Ditto shouted.

"Shut up before I rip your tongue of!" Zero replied angrily.

"I swear to whatever God is listening, you two will be the end of me!" I shouted at both of them.

For a moment, it looked like we might make it, but suddenly the path in front of us disconnected from the bridge and with the rest collapsing behind us, the section we were on tilted back.

I stuck my sword into the ground to stop myself from falling, Dito and Zero did the same, but as the bridge fell, it swayed more and more.

"Zero!" Mikhail shouted, diving towards the bridge.

"Edric/Human!" Eupherbia and the Black Dragon shouted as well.

Eupherbia remained behind me, pushing my shoulders and trying to stop me from sliding backward, as the dragon approached, preparing to catch me.

Suddenly the bridge shook again. Dito, who was in front of me, was the first to fall; I removed one of my hands from my sword and caught him with my arm.

"Thanks, dude!" Dito shouted, smiling nervously.

I didn't have time to respond, as the bridge shook again and Zero was the next to fall. I leaned to the side, holding her in the same arm as Dito.

"You're getting bold." Zero flirted.

"Not now!"

Looking up, I saw the Black Dragon and Mikhail approaching, they would soon reach us, but there wouldn't be time.

"You two better get ready." I said to both of them.

"Ready for what?" Zero asked.

"To fly!" I screamed, throwing them both up, taking them off my arm, and holding them by the back of their clothes.

So I advanced with quick and heavy steps, repeatedly sticking my sword into the ground to prevent myself from falling, when I reached the end of the bridge, that is, the highest part, I pulled my arm back and threw Zero and Dito upwards.

"MIKHAIL CATCH!"

Then the bridge collapsed, and I glimpsed Mikhail picking up Zero and Dito on his back, the Black Dragon ignored them and came after me, with Eupherbia riding on his head.

Tilting my head to the side, I saw the water approaching, there wouldn't be time. Raising my hand in front of my face, I saw that I still wore my Cat Ring.

Well, the fall won't be that bad. The last thing I saw before I hit the water was Eupherbia screaming my name with a desperate face and the dragon... Well... I guess he cares a little since he took the time to try to catch me.

Then, I felt my body being carried away by the current as my consciousness disappeared.

-XXXXXX-

-Four Fortress-

"Miss Four, it seems that Zero and Dito are approaching the fortress." Decadus spoke, entering his Intoner's office after receiving a soldier's report.

"Hm... None of our forces is capable of stopping her. Fortunately, I have the knights my dear sister sent. I dispatched some of them to deal with Zero; this will give us time to evacuate." Four spoke, surveying the knights in silver armor who stood guard on either side of her office.

"Evacuate, Miss Four?" Decadus asked hesitantly.

"Yes, we will go to Cathedral City where we will meet with One and plan how to deal with Zero and Three." Four replied getting up from her chair and watching the snowy mountains through her office window.

"But what about our men, Miss Four?"

"They know what I plan to do; our soldiers will delay Zero to give us time to evacuate."

"I understand. If that's what you, wish. Then I will prepare your airship immediately." Decadus replied politely.

"Do this, and then…"

BOOM!

BOOM!

BOOM!

Four didn't finish, as she was interrupted by the fire of the cannons positioned on the walls of her fortress.

"Zero is here already?!?" Four exclaimed surprised.

"Miss Four!" A soldier exclaimed, barging into Four's office and kneeling shortly afterward.

"Speak!" Four ordered.

"We are being attacked!"

"Yes, I know that, but by whom?" Four demanded.

The soldier looked away, hesitant to respond, but slowly and in a low voice, he responded.

"By the dead, Miss Four."

-XXXXXX-

There was a legion of creatures outside the fortress. They stopped being human a long time ago. The beings were thin and pale-skinned, with glowing red eyes, they moved stiffly, letting out high-pitched, incomprehensible screams as they swung their weapons erratically.

If one looked closely, one would see that these beings should not be standing, as some of them were missing limbs, leaving only a stump with flesh and bone exposed.

Others were covered in wounds, stained with dried blood, and some had organs hanging out of their bodies, dragging them along the ground.

The beings didn’t appear to be a cohesive force, as some of them were dressed as soldiers, while others appeared to be normal people of various ages, ranging from children to old people.

This legion of undead threw themselves against the walls of the fortress, without any care for their lives, the soldiers on the walls stood firm, firing their cannons and volleys of arrows, and little by little, the legion was eliminated.

However, the abundance of bodies on the ground created a disadvantage, as slowly, a small ramp of corpses was built in front of the walls.

Suddenly, the red glow in an undead soldier's eyes intensified and with a furious scream, he charged towards the walls, running up the ramp, ignoring all the arrows that pierced his body.

Taking a final leap, the undead soldier grabbed the edge of the walls with one of his hands, but before he could pull himself up, one of the soldiers pierced his head through his left eye.

The undead lost his strength and fell off the wall, becoming another corpse on the ramp.

Unfortunately, that undead was only the first of many, as a cacophony of screams echoed across the mountains and the undead ran toward the walls.

-XXXXXX-

Leaving her office and running towards a balcony overlooking the fortress courtyard, Four analyzed the situation in front of her.

"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! Why is this happening to me?!? What did I do to deserve this?!? I didn't do anything wrong! I… I…" Four muttered to herself as she bit her nails.

"Miss Four, calm down, please. We need your leadership if we are to win the coming battle." Decadus spoke, placing a comforting hand on his Intoner's shoulder.

Four took a deep breath, trying to calm herself.

"You are right. As ruler of the Land of the Mountains, I must fulfill my role; I must act responsibly, as a leader. What would Sister One think of me, seeing me like this? Decadus come with me!" Four said with a determined face.

"Yes, Miss Four!" Decadus responded with a smile.

"But prepare my airship, if everything goes wrong we'll get out of here!"

"Yes, Miss Four!" Decadus responded again.

Then Four headed towards the walls of her fortress, with her disciple and her sister's knights accompanying her, and halfway there, Four saw the soldiers fighting the undead who were slowly managing to climb the walls.

-XXXXXX-

"Well, it looks like he died this time; I can't say I'll miss him." Dito spoke, watching the remains of the bridge sinking into the river below.

"Hump! How much do you want to bet that we'll find the bastard later?" I said to Dito, standing next to him and watching the river below.

"Oh! What makes you so sure?" Dito asked curiously, moving away from the edge of the remains of the bridge.

"I don't know. Something tells me this is the case, intuition perhaps?" I replied, staring at the river for a few seconds before moving on.

"WWWAAAHHH! Edric!" Mikhail cried, hovering above the bridge.

"Hey, stop crying! He didn’t die!" I shouted at the dragon.

"But Zero, the fall was huge!" The dummy replied.

"If a fall like that could kill the virgin knight then he would have died a long time ago, traveling with us!"

"For your sake, I hope you're right!" The dragon that accompanied Edric spoke, flying above us.

"Is this a threat?" I demanded, pointing my sword at him.

"No, it's a statement." The dragon responded, flapping his wings and flying away along with the annoying fairy.

"So, what's up with you and the Tinhead?" Dito asked, standing next to me with his hands behind his head and a teasing smile.

"Shut up!" I replied, running towards Four's fortress, with Dito following close behind.

We were at a mountain pass, but to get to the fortress, we would have to pass through an outpost. Nevertheless, before I could continue, Dito and I were stopped by the freezing wind that hit us.

"BBBRRR!" Dito gritted his teeth, rubbing his hands together to keep himself warm.

Extending my hand, I watched as a few snowflakes fell from the sky,

"Let's go! Unless you want to freeze in the coming blizzard." I said, returning to my run soon after.

"You don't have to say it twice!" Dito exclaimed, staying by my side.

Nevertheless, as we progressed, the weather got worse and worse, dark clouds covered the sky, blocking the sunlight, the wind got stronger and stronger, blowing snow into our eyes, and the cold, for the first time in my life I regretted the way I dress.

"Hey, you still haven't answered my question." Dito spoke next to me.

"If you have time to talk then you have time to run faster, Four is just ahead."

"Come on, since when do you care about someone that much? You never cared that much about me."

"You speak as if you are worthy of any care."

"OUCH! I was just curious!"

"Have you never heard the saying? Curiosity killed the cat."

"Yes, but cats are not magical disciples with superhuman strength. Are you going to answer my question or not?"

"Well, I admit he has my attention."

"And why is that?"

"He manages to fight me without dying in the first five seconds, he never takes off his armor for anything, which makes me curious, and he’s shredded under his armor. I can't wait to rub myself on those muscles."

You haven't escaped me yet Edric, I will have what I want, one way or another.

"And how the hell do you know that?" Ditto asked in disgust.

"Well, let's just say that the few times I've managed to get my hands on him, I've done my best to feel beneath the armor, and I'm not disappointed."

"Damn it!"

"What is that? Are you jealous?" I provoked.

"No, just wanting to vomit. If there's one thing I hate on the same level as Five, it's huge, well-defined muscles, those things can't be normal. Other than that, I couldn't care less with who you fuck."

"Well, you don't know what you're missing."

Fortunately, our conversation kept me entertained enough that the trip to the outpost was tolerable, but it did nothing to improve the worsening snowstorm.

I could barely see what was in front of me, but the little I saw made me feel like something was wrong. The outpost was empty, but there were signs of fighting.

Barricades and fortifications were scattered across the ground, next to the bodies of Four's soldiers, their blood staining the snow red.

Approaching the median stone fort that served as a post, we saw the remains of cannons hanging from the walls, with the bodies of soldiers hanging from the battlements.

The wooden gates were broken into the fort, their remains dangling precariously on their hinges.

I stopped in front of the fort, facing its entrance.

"Hey, why did we stop?!? We'll freeze out here!" Dito exclaimed, shivering from the cold.

"Don't you notice anything wrong?" I asked, drawing my sword and taking in the area around me, the snow hitting my eyes not helping much.

"Yes! Everyone here is dead! And?"

"Watch! There are two types of bodies here! Both from Four's soldiers but look how the bodies are lying around." I responded, swinging my sword around.

"Hm... They killed each other." Ditto spoke thoughtfully.

"Yes, but there is a problem, one group of corpses is fresh, while the other is rotting, as if it had died a long time ago."

"What are you suggesting? That the dead came back to life and attacked the living?" Dito responded sarcastically.

"Maybe I am." I replied, narrowing my eyes as I caught a glimpse of something moving through the blizzard.

"That knight put ideas in your head. Do you honestly believe the nonsense he says?"

"Strange things are happening, Midgard is crazier than usual. But that's not the point." I heard a different noise; there was someone there beside us.

"So what it is?!? I'm getting tired of this! My ass is freezing here! Just tell me what's the problem?!?" Dito shouted in my ear.

"Don't you think it's strange that everyone died? That no force was left behind to guard the fort. If Four's soldiers killed each other, which killed the remaining soldiers?"

I glimpsed realization dawning on Dito's face as his eyes widened.

"Shit! We're not alone, are we?" Dito asked, drawing his spear and looking around.

"Hump! It took you a while to realize."

A few tense seconds passed; the only noise being the wind blowing around us. Suddenly I heard a metallic noise approaching me; I saw a blue light shining through the snow.

Something jumped out of the blizzard, and that thing turned out to be a knight wearing silver armor, a longsword, and a shield. However, his most notable feature was the bright blue light coming out of every opening in his helmet.

The knight let out a war cry, swinging his sword towards me, I raised my sword, blocking the blow, but I was surprised to feel my arms and legs tremble for a moment due to the strength of the blow.

Okay, I didn't expect that! Who the hell are these guys?

"Holy crap!" Dito shouted after me.

Looking back, I saw Dito on one knee, using both hands to hold his spear to block another knight's blow. Dumbass, I told you something was wrong!

Focusing on the knight in front of me, I parried his sword to the side, shooting sparks into the snow, and quickly, I slashed towards his neck.

Nevertheless, the knight was quick and protected himself with his shield, a metallic crack echoed through the fort, but the impact of my attack created a small shockwave, blowing the snow around us and sending the knight backward with his feet sliding across the ground, creating lines in the snow.

"Who the fuck are you?!?" I demanded, pointing my sword at the knight.

However, he didn't respond, he assumed a fighting stance, with his shield protecting his torso and sword raised, advancing shortly afterward.

"Hump! So this is how it's going to be? Your funeral then!" I shrugged, preparing for the fight.

The knight threw a vertical blow, trying to cut me in two, I took a step to the side, dodging it, and tried to cut him in the neck, but the knight quickly adjusted his posture and blocked my attack with his shield.

However, I didn't stop, I unleashed a barrage of attacks, blow after blow, the knight did his best to block, but I was faster. Although it didn't hit anything vital, I left several cuts around his body.

Along with this, I wore down his shield, applying more strength to each blow, and pieces of metal were thrown away.

In an opening, the knight thrust his sword forward, trying to pierce my stomach, but I raised my sword and parried his downward swing, pinning his sword to the ground.

The knight, expecting my next attack, raised his shield to protect himself, but before he could do so, I delivered a spinning kick to his arm, knocking his shield away.

Nevertheless, before I could cut off the head of the bastard in front of me, I saw a blue light shining in the corner of my eyes, jumping back; I dodged a blow aimed at my neck.

Another knight came out of the blizzard, but as quickly as he appeared, he retreated, disappearing into the blizzard again, the knight I was fighting previously did the same.

Holding my sword in both hands, I looked around for the knights; I caught a glimpse of the blue light of their helmets shining in the snow, then another, and another, and another.

Suddenly, several blue lights surrounded us, hiding in the snow.

I felt Dito placing his back on mine.

"So, are you still alive?" I asked.

"Heh! That guy almost took my head off." Ditto replied.

"Too bad he didn't do it; I would finally have some peace."

"You would miss me. Who else would keep you busy at night?"

Before I could respond, I heard the noise of something approaching from my left, I quickly turned towards it and swung my sword, only to hit the air and let out a grunt of pain as I felt my arm being cut.

"Damn it!"

Looking back, I saw Dito holding a wound on his right side.

However, I had to ignore that for the moment because again, I heard the noise of the approaching knights. Nevertheless, where would they come from?

I swung my sword to the right, but it didn't hit anything and I received a cut on my shoulder. Grunting in frustration, I continued attacking; trying to hit the knights, but the process repeated itself. I missed and was cut back.

"OK! This isn't helping us at all! Any plan Z?" Dito asked, with some bloody cuts across his body.

Come on Zero! You've been through worse! Kill these bastards and move on! Hm… It's easy to say, but with all this snow, almost blinding me it's difficult to do it.

If I can't trust my eyes then maybe... Damn! Just look at me! Considering the lessons of others!

I tried to concentrate, raising my sword in front of my face, I tried to drown out all the other noises around me and focus on the knights. This was difficult, as I am an Intoner with better senses than everyone.

I heard the wind blowing in my ears, the snow falling around me, Dito's complaints, but there was something else. Something heavy touched the snow; it was a metallic sound, careful, slow, and heavy steps.

This noise approached from my right, I heard the sound of a sword cutting through the air, but as soon as it got closer, I took a step back, dodging the blow.

This surprised the knight, and before he raised his shield, I thrust my sword forward, piercing the front of his helmet with the tip of the sword emerging from the other side.

The knight let out a deafening scream accompanied by a bright flash of blue light, as the light disappeared, the knight's empty armor fell to the ground, I swung my sword, removing the helmet and preparing for the next attack.

"Well, you killed one, mind dealing with the rest?" Ditto asked sarcastically.

"Shut up! I'm doing all the hard work here! Stop trying to see the knights and focus on the noise!" I answered.

Leaving that aside, I went back to worrying about my own life, taking a deep breath, I sang, activating my Intoner mode. I heard a knight approaching again, this one coming in front of me.

As soon as the sword approached, I quickly parried the blow and decapitated the knight before he could react; there was a scream, a flash of light, and the sound of armor hitting the ground.

"Ha! Take that!" Ditto shouted.

The familiar scream of the knight came soon after.

"PPPSSSHHH! What an idiot, thinking you are the best because you managed to kill one. Watch and learn Dito." I said to the Disciple.

The knights got tired of being careful after three of them were killed, as their steps became more hurried and erratic, what came next was an all-out attack.

I jumped back; dodging a blow aimed at my stomach, and pierced the knight in the chest, through his shield and body.

I quickly ducked; dodging a blow aimed at my neck, and tripped the knight, knocking him to the ground. Standing up, I pierced his heart right away.

I heard two knights approaching, one from the left and one from the right, both tried to pierce me with their swords, but I leaned back, dodging the blow.

Throwing myself backward, I balanced myself on one hand as I threw a kick directed at the knights' swords, throwing them up. Standing up, I jumped and delivered a spinning cut, decapitating both knights.

I heard a set of hurried footsteps approaching, there was a loud noise and suddenly they stopped. Where would they come from?

I had my answer when I heard the metallic clicks of armor coming from above, I did a backflip, avoiding the three knights who landed where I was previously, planting their swords in the ground.

Before they got up, I rushed towards them and delivered three quick slashes, making all three disappear. I raised my sword, ready to continue, but the noise stopped.

Were they the last?

Looking back, I saw Dito covered in cuts, piercing the chest of a knight on the ground, making a disappointed face when the knight disappeared.

"And that was the last one." Dito smiled, resting his spear on his shoulder.

"Don’t brag about it. If it weren't for me, you would be swinging that spear like a child until you die." I spoke, walking towards the fort.

"Well, you didn't seem to mind the other times I swung my spear at you." Dito replied suggestively.

"Not now."

"And why not?" Dito asked, following me.

"These knights, they were too strong to be normal people. I'll ask the Virgin Knight if he knows these guys, he seems to have an idea of what's going on here."

"You still think he survived... MMMPPP!"

As soon as we entered the fort, I covered Dito's mouth, interrupting him. Suddenly, the dark interior of the fort was illuminated by an abundance of blue lights.

Ten, twenty, thirty, forty, I lost count after fifty, but I estimated over a hundred knights here with us. Soon they came out of their hiding place.

From inside the corridors, wooden walkways above us, and dark corners of the fort.

There was a small army between the exit on the other side of the room and us.

I only said one word to Dito.

"Run."

I removed my hand from his mouth and ran towards the metal door on the other side of the fort, Dito did the same a few seconds later, but the knights acted as soon as they saw us run.

They jumped from the top of the walkways, trying to pierce us with their swords; others ran towards us, swinging their weapons, trying to cut us off in the middle of our run, while others formed shield walls, ready to stop our advance.

A soldier jumped from the walkway towards me, I kicked a wooden crate towards him, sending him away, and another got in my way and swung his sword towards my neck.

I threw myself to the ground, leaning back and sliding with my knees, rising up quickly, escaping a blow aimed at my back.

Dito ducked, also dodging a blow aimed at his neck, he jumped onto a table, using it as a springboard to jump over a shields wall.

In addition, he threw his spear, killing a knight who was running towards him, retrieving his spear halfway.

With effort, we crossed the fort, unfortunately, a crowd of knights made a large shield wall in front of us.

"Dito! With me!" I shouted, activating my Intoner mode again, and readying my sword.

"Right!" Dito responded, pointing his spear toward the shield wall.

As soon as we got close, we both launched our attacks, destroying the shield wall and sending the knights flying.

With a kick, I opened the metal door in front of us, and with Dito's help, we quickly closed it behind us before the crowd of approaching knights arrived.

A few minutes passed before the door creaked and shook, with dents forming in the metal, suddenly, an armored hand passed through the door and I saw a knight staring at me through the hole.

"Let's get out of here!" I said to Dito, leaving the fort aside and running towards Four's fortress.

"No need to say it twice!" Dito replied scared, running after me.

-XXXXXX-

As we approached the fortress, we realized that the fort we passed was nothing more than a preview of what was to come. Four's fortress was in flames, forming large columns of smoke on all sides.

There was a sea of bodies in front of the fortress's main gate, with mountains of corpses in front of the walls, forming a ramp.

"Look at this! This place is a paradise! So many bodies rotting! I can see that guy's guts all over the floor!" Dito exclaimed happily, pointing to the deceased around him.

Why do I keep him around anyway?

"Because you're a bitch who needs someone to stroke your ego and give self-assurance at all times." A voice in the back of my mind responded.

I shook my head, ignoring the voice, and ran into the fort. I stopped for a moment and widened my eyes at the scene in front of me.

Complete chaos, in the fortress courtyard, on the walls, in the towers, everywhere, there were two groups of soldiers fighting, both belonging to Four, meanwhile, airships were bombarding the fortress.

There was an obvious difference in the soldiers.

One group was missing limbs, rotting, and with organs scattered on the ground, but even so, they were still standing and fighting.

The other group, on the other hand, was more lively and fighting desperately to stop the undead, but every time a living soldier was killed, he would immediately get up and attack his comrades.

"Hahaha! I will have so much fun today!" Dito exclaimed, running past me and heading towards the fortress courtyard.

Grumbling in frustration, I ran after him, slashing through the undead that stood in my way. Reaching Dito, I grabbed him by the shoulder, stopping his advance.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!?" I screamed in his face.

"Well... Looking for Four? You're here to kill her, aren't you?" Dito replied nervously, looking away.

I opened my mouth to respond, but before I could do so, something fell from the airship and hit the ground next to us, kicking up a large dust cloud.

Suddenly, a metallic noise echoed throughout the fort, accompanied by the sound of thunderous footsteps that made the ground shake, a large shape blocked the sunlight, creating a huge shadow that covered Dito and me.

We both pointed our weapons at the dust cloud, but I felt my mouth open as the thing came out of the cloud, revealing itself to everyone.

With deafening footsteps, the thing approached us, and Dito and I only had one thing to say.

"Holy shit!"

END OF CHAPTER

Chapter 17: Towards the Fortress PART 2

By God, what cursed place is this, the poisonous swamp, the deformed creatures, the dying sick begging for help?!? How does a place like this exist?!? How does God allow this?!?

These people, why were they abandoned here? Criminals, people afflicted with illnesses of the mind, those born with deformities, or simply those unwanted by society, maybe because these people have nowhere to go.

That does not matter now. I crossed the precarious ghettos built into the walls of this hellish crack in the earth, I killed the poor sick things that got in my way and crossed a sea of black, plague-infected rats.

In addition, all of that for what? Only to find myself in a cave filled with fetid water with a demon made of leeches flinging parts of its body toward me.

I thought things would get better when I turned the demon to ashes, but I was wrong, as a gigantic dark swamp stretched out in front of me.

All I could see was nauseating purple water and the dim lights of torches in the distance, so, without much of a choice, I jumped into the swamp.

SPLASH!

Oh, God, the smell, the smell, I think I am going to vomit! I quickly lifted the front of my helmet and dumped the contents of my stomach into the polluted water, although I doubt that would make any difference here.

I took a deep breath, trying to calm down. You need to move on, Edric, you need to move on. What would your parents think if they could see you now?

-XXXXXX-

My disgust for this place only grows with every minute I stay here. Did Maiden Astraea and Garl Vinland truly come here to aid the afflicted?

Well, I highly doubt that, as this place is full of suffering. Hm… I doubt the Maiden became an archdemon, but if what the old woman told me is true, the two of them are somewhere deep in this valley.

Alternatively, maybe they died and I stepped on their corpses without realizing it, after all, that is what I stepped on until now.

I had the unfortunate curiosity to stomp the ground hard enough to push away the water, only to come face to face with a mass of decomposing corpses. No wonder the floor was so soft and creaking with every step.

-XXXXXX-

Bloody hell, more of these monstrous animals, mosquitoes the size of dogs, jellyfish that looked like shields and now slugs big enough to devour a human!

The constant rain falling over my head did not help. Greenish, stinky water made it difficult for me to see. I am deep in the earth, how is it possible for it to rain here?

Hm… Something further ahead caught my attention, a figure sitting on a rock on an islet.

I prepared my sword, shield, and approached cautiously. Talking to crazy people wearing rags almost caused my end; I do not want to repeat the same mistake.

"Greetings, stranger, I didn't expect to meet another person here!" I spoke as I approached the figure.

The figure quickly stood up and pointed a strange sword with a transparent blade in my direction. I had difficulty identifying her face thanks to my helmet and the rain obstructing my vision, but I identified her as a woman thanks to her physical size.

"Why, you're one of the sane ones, aren't you? I am Selen of the West." The golden-armored person spoke with a mixture of surprise and relief as she lowered her sword.

"Nice to meet you, Selen, My name is Edric and well, let's just say I don't know how long I will be considered sane. This place tests the limits of my mind. Now, could you tell me why you are here? I didn't expect to meet another person here."

"I seek my brother Garl Vinland, the knight who accompanied Saint Astraea on her travels. I believe they settled here. If you happen to see my younger brother, please tell me. I must share with him our father's last words."

I went silent with this information; she relates to one of the people I would probably kill soon. As much as this hurts my honor, I will have to focus on my own goals.

"Unfortunately I didn't see your brother, but I'm heading deeper into the valley, I'll return immediately if I find him, although the stories I've heard about the Saint and him worry me." I replied politely.

"These are nothing more than unflattering rumors about Saint Astraea. Did you meet that woman selling herbs? She claims that Saint Astraea is herself a Demon. This woman has no reason to lie. Surely she must be mistaken."

"Humph! Yes, I have met her before, although I do not believe she is that honest, judging by the price she charged for the herbs, however, her rumors seemed to stem from envy. Still, it's bizarre how people can live here."

"I agree, but I find something strange about this place. It's full of dirt, but at the same time it feels strangely pure." Selen responded mysteriously, extending her hand and allowing the rain to pool in her palm.

Pure? I wondered as I looked up, seeing the infinite darkness staring back at me. Hm… I do not see purity in this place, just corruption and decay, not unlike all the places I have visited recently.

Maybe Selen sees something I do not.

-XXXXXX-

"It's beautiful." I whispered, raising the glowing sword in front of my face, its transparent blade shinning with luminous blue magic.

The Holy Sword of Moonlight, one of the church's relics, as well as the oak spear I found earlier. How many saints lost their lives trying to save the people of this valley?

I know that I cannot be one thanks to the bloody path I have paved to this point. What am I doing? Those people did not deserve this! I am the invader who entered their little refuge!

Is this what I trained for all my life? I remember growing up hearing stories of the honored knights of the Ceolbeald family and now I find myself doubting those stories.

After all, they brought prosperity to Boletaria through their victories on the battlefield, in other words, they conquered neighboring lands and brought hundreds of slaves to the kingdom, forcing them to work for their conquerors, and we achieved prosperity through the blood and suffering of others.

Now I understand why the servants in our manor looked so unhappy, they were not servants, I was just too young to realize it. In addition, look where it got us! A mad king has brought ruin to the world! What is the point of so much abundance if everything will fall apart in one day?

I wonder if my ancestors regretted what they did. I wonder if they even questioned the motive for their actions, as I am doing now.

Your parents must be disappointed, Edric, that is, if they are still alive. Who knows how far the mist spread?

-XXXXXX-

"You're not going back, are you? I will not allow any harm to come to dear Astraea. May you rot in the depths of this swamp." The silver knight spoke. His disdainful voice echoed off the cave walls.

My fears came true, for Astraea had become an archdemon and Garl Vinland her guardian.

All this to alleviate the suffering of the poor people in the valley, the sick worshiped the Saint as a goddess without knowing that she slowly sucked their souls from their bodies.

I am sorry, Selen, but your brother has become my enemy. I raised the Holy Sword of Moonlight with both hands and charged through the cave, ignoring the sick that screamed Astraea's name in a ceaseless frenzy, and came face to face with Garl who blocked a narrow passage with his shield.

"How dare you persist in invading our refuge? You abandoned us a long time ago, what right do you have? We live humble lives, leave us alone!" Garl exclaimed, standing firm in his position.

"I don't understand what you say! We've never met before!" I replied, preparing myself for combat.

"It's not just you, you ignorant fool! You, God, and the world, we have all been abandoned here, forgotten to rot!"

"I'm sorry for everything that happened, but the world is in danger, I need the Demon Soul to prevent the end of it. The being you worship is no different from the cruel God who abandoned you here!"

"Humph! At least the Old One answers our prayers!" Garl exclaimed before swinging his large hammer towards me.

It took me by surprise; I did not expect him to move so quickly. Was this his natural strength or something more? Absurd pain replaced these thoughts as my armor and flesh sunk in my body, and my bones turned to dust.

I felt my feet leave the ground as I fell toward the cursed swamp below.

"Dive to your death… And let the acid melt the flesh from your bones!" Garl Vinland spoke, standing at the edge of the passage and watching me fall.

Acid, what does he mean…

"AAAHHH!" I screamed and screamed as I felt the worst pain of my life.

It was indescribable, an agonizing pain, anything would be better than this. I struggled to stand and make the pain stop, but something grabbed my arms and legs, pinning me to the floor.

"AAAHHH! What?"

Amid the searing pain that coursed through my body, I saw what pinned me to the ground, a type of deformed fetus with a swollen face with bone spikes protruding from the stumps where its hands should be.

As if the pain of my slowly melting flesh was not enough, the fetuses stabbed me with their bones while letting out a deafening cry.

"AAAHHH! RELEASE ME, ACURSED CREATURES!" I screamed as I struggled, but more of those fetuses came out of the water and held me down as they stabbed me.

"Do you understand, now, the pain and suffering they endured?" Garl Vinland asked, watching me from the edge of the passage.

"PLEASE GET ME OUT OF HERE!" I begged with all my might, but all Garl did was turn his back on me.

"You covetous one, let this be known. We will defend our hearts and our homes until the death."

"NO, NO, NO, DON'T GO! I DO ANYTHING! PLEASE HELP ME! GET ME OUT OF HERE! I PROMISE I WILL NEVER COME BACK! I PROMISE I WILL LEAVE YOU ALONE! BUT DON'T ABANDON ME HERE, PLEASE!"

However, there was no response, all I could do was scream, my screams echoed through the cave amidst the clamor of the sick and the piercing of my flesh, turning into a sickening cacophony as I melted into nothingness.

"YOU BASTARD! YOU COWARD! COME HERE AND FACE ME! WHERE IS YOUR HONOR? THIS IS HOW YOU ACHIEVE YOUR VICTORIES!"

No response, I continued screaming, hoping for anything, begging for help, crying for mercy, throwing insult after insult, but it did nothing to lessen my pain or silence my screams.

Eventually, my armor turned into a molten paste that encountered my exposed flesh.

My mind went into shock as the acid turned my flesh into red goo and hit every nerve in my body. Nothing, I did not feel anything, it was a pain so great that the human body could not measure it.

I could not scream, the noises around me became muffled, and the only thing I could focus on was the hiss of my body melting as the vapor resulting from the process floated around me.

Oh, God, please help me!

I managed to free one of my hands and lift it toward the ceiling of the cave, I opened and closed it weakly and watched as it crumbled into nothing.

The pieces of armor turned into a silvery liquid that slowly dripped onto my chest. My skin burned like paper, turning charcoal black before falling off like leaves, exposing muscles, veins, and nerves that snapped like ropes soon after.

In the end, I felt nothing, as my hand was nothing more than bones that soon broke and fell into my chest.

Oh, God, please help me!

Speaking of my chest, I saw my ribs exposed to everyone. My legs melted and separated from my body, spreading my organs on the floor, slowly dissolving them, my heart, lungs, stomach, intestines and so much more.

Sometimes one of the fetuses that stabbed me would tear out pieces of my organs and fumble to remove them from their bones, removing even more pieces of organs from my body.

Oh, God, please help me!

Eventually, I melted enough for the acid to get to my face, it was hard to think, I could not speak, smell, or hear, and I think my eyes melted, as I could not see.

For the first time since I started this journey, I regretted using souls to strengthen myself. I would have died a long time ago if I was still a normal human being, but I would not have such mercy now.

Oh, God, please save me…

-XXXXXX-

"GASP!" I woke up suddenly with my lungs begging for air, but I struggled as soon as I felt water entering my nose and mouth.

I noticed the distorted environment around me as something dragged me away. Was I underwater? I got my answer when a fish swam close to my face.

Wasting no time, I tried to reorient myself while being swept away by the current.

My lungs burned as I tried to find a way out, I moved my arms and legs with what little energy I had left and swam towards one of the riverbanks, grabbing a rock and dragging myself to the surface.

"COUGH, COUGH, COUGH!" I coughed with all my might as the water gave way to air in my body.

I crawled on my hands and knees as I took in huge lungfuls of air, then rolled onto my side and lay on my back, hoping the pain I felt would go away.

By the Gods, Edric! However, what idea was that? You are not tied to the Nexus, who knows what will happen when you die?

"But you did the right thing, didn't you? You made sure Zero and Dito stayed on the right path to the fortress." A voice in the back of my mind spoke.

Yes, but Zero and Dito are not normal humans, they would be able to survive the fall.

"Are you sure of this, Zero was helpless when she came back to life. Who knows what would happen to her? In addition, Dito did not possess the toughness acquired on the battlefield and in hundreds of agonizing deaths; he did not have the determination to go to the end. You did the right thing."

"What is right and wrong depends on your point of view; you can do dozens of small good deeds, but nullify them all by committing an atrocity."

"You have a heart of gold, what happened in the valley was a tragedy, you lost control, but the knight and the saint made their choices, don't let that take your eyes off the good you did for the world."

What good have I done for the world? I raised my hand towards the cloudy sky with the sun's rays shining faintly through the clouds. I found myself inside a cave for a moment, surrounded by deformed fetuses as my body slowly turned to pulp.

Oh, god, please help me!

I am melting, I am melting, I am... Then everything went back to normal, the screams disappeared, the phantom pain went away, and all I felt was the bone-chilling cold.

I let my hand fall to my side as my teeth chattered frantically; it was cold, very cold. I stood up on shaky legs, grunting in pain with every small movement.

"Come on, Edric, you need to move forward, one step at a time." Then I retrieved my sword, shield from the riverbank, and conjured a miracle of healing with my talisman.

The wounds disappeared, but the mental fatigue remained. Leaving that aside, I analyzed my surroundings, looking for any landmarks.

I was on the bank of a partially frozen river, surrounded by snow-covered pine trees and with a cloudy sky above me.

I took my spyglass out of my bag and looked for anything of note; luckily, I spotted the walls of Four's fortress on top of the mountains amid the blizzard.

I also spotted smoke coming from somewhere in the general direction of the fortress. Hm... There must be a village nearby; maybe they can tell me how to get to the fortress. That is if the invaders and gargoyles have not gotten to them first.

I walked towards the smoke without much of a choice but stopped shortly when a freezing wind blew towards me, knocking snow from the trees onto me.

I rubbed my body, trying to warm myself, but I did not get satisfactory results, so I took out my catalyst and conjured a flame, driving away the cold and returning to my previous objective.

"So what will you do when this is all over?"

"I will return home."

"And then?"

"And then? Then I will take a long hot bath; eat the greatest feast of all... I will hug my father and mother, tell them how much I love them, and beg for forgiveness for having fled our home to risk myself in the mist that consumed Boletaria."

"And then?"

"I will ask forgiveness from the slaves who still live and free them, then I will end the persecution of witches, showing that they are not demons and I will destroy the Society of the Soul, putting an end to their conspiracies."

"And the church, will you not tell them that the God they worship and the Devil they hate are the same being?"

"No, I had my faith shaken and I couldn't use my miracles when I discovered this, I don't want this to happen to other people. Furthermore, that would be a futile effort, the church has cemented its power throughout the kingdom, and not even I can put an end to something this big without being hunted down as a heretic."

"He, you can defeat an army of demons and save the world, but you can't deal with a bunch of old, hard-headed men."

"Ironic, isn't it?"

My conversation with my conscience ended as soon as I saw the village. I walked down a small snow-covered road and stopped to read the sign next to me.

"Welcome to the Village of Helheim! Intoner Four welcomes you to the Land of Mountains! We hope you have a great stay!"

Hm... Looks like a nice place. Nevertheless, my relief disappeared as soon as I set foot in the village or its remains.

Ruined wooden houses surrounded me, some burned and others with their walls and roofs destroyed.

I prepared my sword and shield as I walked through the center of the village, engaging my senses and focusing on my surroundings.

A disturbing silence took over the village, there was no noise, not even from insects or larger animals like pigs and chickens. As if that was not enough, the red snow around me gave me a hint as to what happened here.

However, where were the bodies? I abandoned this line of thought when I glimpsed something moving behind a house, I also saw shadows moving behind the ruins, I estimated twenty individuals in total.

"So, will you come out of your hiding places or will I have to get you out of there?" I asked, stopping my walk.

"SSSCCCRRREEE!"

Something jumped from one of the rooftops and dove towards me; I turned my body to the left and thrust my sword upwards, piercing the mysterious figure.

I noticed that she was an extremely pale and thin woman, with empty eyes and half of her face missing. She wore new clothes reduced to rags and tried to scratch my helmet with the nails on her right hand, as she did not have her left arm.

I held her high in the air, with my sword piercing her chin and exiting the top of her head, eventually the woman stopped moving and went limp.

I lowered my sword, letting her body slide off the blade, and watched her carefully. Scratches and bite marks covered her body as muscle and bone protruded from the stump of her left arm.

I saw this before, people who had their souls drained and lost their sanity, having their bodies possessed similar to draglings.

A cacophony of grunts and growls echoed through the village as its reanimated inhabitants emerged from their houses. They were in a similar situation to the dead woman in front of me, covered in mortal wounds but still standing and walking.

The first of the draglings wasted no time in charging toward me, raising an ax above its head as it grunted incoherently.

He never finished his swing, as I separated the arm holding the ax from his body and chopped his head off with two swift blows, causing the decapitated body to fall to the ground as the head rolled away.

This agitated the remaining draglings who advanced like a bunch of lunatics, using anything as weapons, sticks and stones, kitchen knives, axes and pickaxes.

I could not call it a fight, because I killed my enemies with ease, I cut off their arms, legs, and heads before they reacted, I covered their bodies with deep cuts, painted the snow red, and pierced their hearts, knocking their lifeless bodies on the floor.

All the draglings I faced in Boletaria had some combat experience, as they were soldiers of the kingdom or slave warriors before losing their souls; they maintained their combat skills and thanks to that, they knew how to use swords, spears, and crossbows.

However, these people were normal people with no training, rushing forward without thinking while throwing sloppy, easy-to-dodge blows. I feel bad about how quickly I fought my way through them.

I blocked a stab with my shield as I watched the woman force the knife towards me.

Were you a loving mother? Taking care of the children and preparing dinner while your husband worked.

I pushed my shield to the side, causing the woman to lose her balance and creating an opening for me to pierce her heart.

I kicked the woman's body away and spun my body, blocking an ax from a tall, strong man, probably a lumberjack.

In addition, you, were you a father who went to work every day? I believe that his wife's smile and his children's laughter made the tiredness of work disappear.

The steel of our weapons meeting filled the air with sparks, but I overcame him and ripped his ax from his hands, chopping his head off shortly afterward.

Suddenly, small figures jumped out of the snow around me and grabbed my body, trying to get past my armor with their tiny nails and teeth.

Oh, the children were here all the time... I found it strange that only adults attacked me. I watched the small creatures as their futile attempts to take me down failed.

Finally, you, the little ones, you did not even get the chance to grow up and see the world. Did you all loved playing in the snow?

The remaining draglings approached. They probably believed I could not move, but they could not have been more wrong.

I believe it is time to end this. These people have suffered enough. I easily freed myself from the children's grip, grabbed my talisman, and cast Wrath of the Gods.

There was a blinding light and a deafening boom accompanied by a small earthquake, and then everything went silent.

I found myself in the center of a crater, surrounded by the broken corpses of my enemies as snow fell from the sky and what was left of the ruins crumbled around me.

"I'm sorry, I hope you find peace." I murmured bowing and clasping my hands in prayer.

With that done, I continued on my way, crossing the village until I reached the entrance to a mine, looking up, I saw that the mine was carved into the wall of the mountain where Four's fortress was located.

So this was a mining village, it reminds me of Stonefang. Maybe one of the tunnels will take me to the fortress, and if they do not, I will dig my way in.

I stored my sword, shield in my bag, and removed a pair of Iron Knuckles, equipping one in each hand, and a Pickaxe. Then I entered the mine, with the Augite of Souls on my waist lighting the way.

-XXXXXX-

"Get out of the way!" Zero shouted, pushing Dito aside and jumping in the opposite direction of the disciple, avoiding the gigantic foot that tried to crush her.

"So, do you have any idea what the hell this thing is?" Dito asked nervously, rushing to Zero's side and observing the giant in front of him.

"I don't know and I don't care, I'll kill him like everyone else and… AAAHHH!" Zero exclaimed, but stopped her speech and cried out in surprise when an armored hand shot out of the fortress floor and grabbed her leg tightly.

"Fuck, shit!" Zero shouted angrily, slashing the hand repeatedly with her sword as it pulled her down.

Suddenly, another hand shot out of the ground, this one holding a pickaxe, and stuck the tool against the fortress' courtyard, using it as a support to pull something up.

"AAAHHH!" With a cry of effort, Edric jumped out of a hole dug in the fortress's courtyard, throwing earth and stone everywhere as he created a cloud of dust.

"Holy shit, he turned into one of those things!" Dito shouted with strange happiness and a big smile on his face, running towards Edric and trying to pierce him with his spear.

However, he stopped in his tracks as Edric threw the pickaxe towards him, hitting the disciple in the forehead with the flat part of the tool.

Then Edric returned to Zero who still struck his arm and punched the Intoner in the foot with his Iron Knuckle, causing her to stop her attack.

"Fuck, what was that idea?" Zero demanded, jumping back as she grabbed her injured foot.

"I'm the one who should ask. What were you ignorant fools planning to do? Don't you know the difference between an enemy and an ally?" Edric asked, crawling out of the hole.

"Well, I'm sorry for thinking you were one of the undead when you burst out of the ground and grabbed my leg! What should I do, welcome you? Oh, the thing that grabbed my leg was the guy who fell off a bridge into the frozen river; it's good to know you're okay!" Zero replied sarcastically.

"At least I..."

"If the couple is done fighting, how about we focus on the bigger problems here?!?" Dito shouted, pointing at the approaching figure.

The trio turned around, only to come face to face with a gigantic being, whose shoulders and head towered above the fortress walls.

Black bandages made of a latex-like material covered the being from head to toe, highlighting its muscles while collars covered in metallic spikes adorned its wrists, shins, and neck.

The being had three muscular arms, similar to the rest of its body, two on the right side and one on the left side.

The upper right arm held a huge iron maiden by a chain, with the torture tool open, revealing an interior full of metallic spikes.

Strangely, the iron adornment on top of the maiden represented the face of a certain Intoner who ruled the mountains.

The lower right arm held the handle of a huge hot iron, with the number IV inside a ring of scalding red metal that distorted the air with its heat.

His left arm held a long whip that the giant dragged along the ground; the whip was larger than the giant by many meters. With its length covered in metallic hooks, perfect for tearing flesh.

Finally, the only part of the giant that the bandages did not cover was his eyes, forced open by a quartet of hooks in each socket, leaving them glassy, red, and watery, and his smiling mouth, gagged by an iron bar.

"What, in the name of whatever God you worship, did you get into while I was gone?" Edric demanded, drawing his Blueblood Sword and Adjudicator's Shield.

"Well, a lot has happened." Ditto muttered nervously, rubbing the back of his head.

"So, do you have any idea what this thing is?" Zero asked Edric, stopping next to the knight and pointing at the giant with his sword.

"Unfortunately no, I don't know of such a creature."

"Perfect, that was all I needed to hear to make my day better!" Zero responded with palpable sarcasm.

"RRROOOAAAARRR!" The giant roared, tired of waiting, and advanced toward the trio, making them assume a fighting stance.

END OF CHAPTER

Notes:

Well, it has been a while, hasn't it? However, I am glad I updated this story. Our unlikely trio continues their adventure and a new monster placed itself in their way.

You know, this chapter also served to delve deeper into Edric's mindset, as I did the same with Zero in previous chapters.

Unlike Alden, from my Elden Ring fic where the protagonist is an undead with no memories of his past, Edric was a normal human being before entering Boletaria, so I believe he would be much more shaken by the deaths and horrors that he suffered, in other words, Edric did not finish his adventure unscathed, at least not mentally.

Other than that, I do not have much to say, thank you for reading this far, constructive criticism and opinions are welcome, don't forget to leave a kudo and your comments.

Until the next chapter!

Chapter 18: Iron Lord

The giant swung his chain, spinning the iron maiden above his head into a dark blur as metallic clicks echoed across the courtyard, before sending it hurtling towards Zero like a harpoon.

The Intoner shouted an insult at the sight of the torture device's spiky interior approaching, but quickly jumped out of the way, dodging the attack, and watching as the device hit the ground with a thud, throwing up shrapnel and creating a cloud of dust.

The iron maiden slammed shut as it hit the ground, leaving a cracked crater behind, ripping out a chunk of the courtyard and smashing it inside soon after, before slamming open again, dumping the stone dust on the ground.

Dito and Edric advanced without wasting time, closing the distance quickly, but the giant thrust his hot iron and swung his whip simultaneously, sending powerful blows at his opponents.

Edric rolled out of the way, as he saw the orange, boiling piece of iron approaching, and heard the impact followed by the sizzle of the metal hitting the ground, while an absurd wave of heat touched his back, but it was nothing impossible to bear.

Dito used his spear as a jumping stick to fly over the lash that left a trail of destruction in the courtyard, and drove his spear into the giant's right foot as he landed, smiling sadistically as blood gushed from the wound, but tilting his head in confusion when the giant moaned.

Edric took advantage of this distraction to close the distance and slash the giant's shin with a heavy blow, snapping the bands that wrapped around the monster's leg, and painting the ground red with a spurt of blood.

He then went around the creature's leg and delivered a series of swift cuts, the steel of his sword tearing through flesh with ease as he tried to cut the giant's tendon and bring it to the ground.

The giant, understanding what Edric intended, raised his foot and tried to trample the knight, but Edric stopped his attack and rolled away as he saw a large shadow forming above him. The coming shockwave pushed the knight but he remained unharmed.

The giant then removed his foot from the footprint-shaped crater resulting from his attack, and focused on Dito, sending his hot iron towards the disciple.

Dito looked up, widened his eyes in surprise at the sight of the boiling metal accompanied by the approaching heat, removed his spear from the giant's foot with a wet noise, and jumped away, watching as the monster struck his foot.

A horrible smell of burning flesh overtook the courtyard, causing everyone present to contort their faces in disgust, while the giant laughed with delight as some of the bands on his foot burned in a fire.

Zero was the next to act, running quickly towards the giant as she leaped onto the monster's chest, letting out a war cry and plunging her sword into the monster's flesh, creating a huge bloody gash in the creature as she descended.

Zero, Dito, and Edric then gathered in front of the giant with weapons raised and ready to fight, watching as the creature staggered around in blind euphoria, holding the red waterfall in its chest.

"Well, this guy's tougher than the last ones we faced." Zero spoke angrily, frowning in frustration.

"It's not that bad, this fight's pretty easy!" Dito commented amusedly, jumping slightly in his place.

As if he had understood the disciple's words, the giant shook his head, clearing his clouded mind, and swung his iron maiden and whip wildly, turning the weapons into blurs and sending a flurry of blows toward his opponents.

"You had to open your mouth!" Edric exclaimed sarcastically, raising his shield and blocking a lash, only to fly away with his feet sliding across the ground.

"DUMBASS!" Zero shouted angrily, slapping Dito on the back of his head.

SLAP!

"OUCH!" Dito exclaimed in pain, stumbling forward with the strength of the blow and rubbing his sore head.

Soon the Intoner and the Disciple had to move because the giant did not stop his attack and sent the hot iron towards them.

Both combatants jumped in opposite directions. Zero to the left and Dito to the right and watched as the iron hit the ground, creating a cloud of scalding steam followed by a wave of molten stone.

However, the giant lashed out again the moment they both landed, dragging the whip in an arc and creating a series of cracks in the courtyard with the hooks of his weapon.

Dito and Zero jumped again, dodging the attack, but not before the giant spun his iron maiden around and swung it towards them, intending to hit them in midair.

Zero clicked her tongue in frustration and swung her sword, delivering a powerful blow and hitting the torture device in mid-air, deflecting its trajectory with a snap.

Then the Intoner and the Disciple repeated their previous strategy, running in opposite directions and approaching the giant. The monster seemed to have the same idea and swung his whip in an arc again, intending to make his enemies jump.

Or at least he tried to, for a luminous blue projectile hurtled forward at blinding speed and struck the side of his head, leaving a trail of burnt flesh as a few strips broke off and fell to the ground, revealing part of the giant's face.

The giant grunted in pain and pleasure, scanning his surroundings for the source of the projectile, but he found nothing of note, only corpses and ruins.

This moment of distraction was more than enough for Zero and Dito to approach the giant's legs, unleashing a series of swift cuts and piercing thrusts.

Both combatants smiled in a mixture of sadistic joy and anger as blood flew and stained their bodies and weapons, but the giant still stood, enjoying the sensation of his wounded flesh more than he should.

The giant raised his foot in the middle of an opening, intending to trample the Intoner and the Disciple, but three more projectiles came out of nowhere and hit the side of the giant's head, interrupting his attack.

The giant stumbled forward, a mixture of his injuries and a false step, and landed on one knee with a thud, cracking the courtyard of the fortress, but although he didn't remain at his full height, his head was still out of Zero and Dito's reach.

However, both did not ignore this opportunity and advanced towards the giant, their bloodied weapons glinting in the sun as their owners felt the adrenaline of battle coursing through their bodies.

The giant, still recovering from his fall, swung his iron maiden, trying to stop Zero and Dito's advance.

But a flaming shot erupted from a point in front of him, hitting the section of the chain just above his fist, snapping it with a crack, and sending the weapon flying away, where it landed in the distance.

The giant's once cheerful face contorted in anger and frustration, still unable to find the source of the attacks, but he soon had his answer when the knight from before appeared in front of him, pointing a strange metal stick toward his face.

The giant growled in anger, pointing his hot iron at the knight, but then coughed, choked, and teared up when a green cloud came out of the stick and enveloped his face.

"Where the hell have you been?!" Zero demanded angrily, running towards the knight.

"I was here the whole time; it's not my fault you didn't notice!" Edric replied in the same tone, raising his shield towards Zero and Dito.

"You need to teach me how to turn invisible!" Dito said shortly afterward, grinning from ear to ear as he thought about the possibilities of such spell.

"Hump! I'm no fool; I fear what you'd do with such power!" Edric grumbled, crouching down and covering himself with his shield.

"I'll kill you if I find out you're spying on me while I'm bathing! Or maybe I'll let you join me!" Zero exclaimed her attitude and angry face immediately changing to a flirtatious tone and lascivious smile.

"I'd never dream of it! I feel like I'm being invited into a lion's den." Edric replied, allowing Zero to step on his shield and propelling her upwards, hurling the Intoner towards the giant's head.

"You're boring, you know that?!" Zero shouted as she flew past the giant's head and slashed his right eye, blinding him, before landing on the monster's right shoulder as she drove her sword into his flesh.

Any pleasure the monster felt immediately disappeared. Finally, realizing the danger it was in, the monster bit the iron bar in its mouth with such strength, rage that the metal bent, and broke with a metallic cacophony.

The giant then roared in fury, his distorted voice echoing through the fortress as he stood up.

"Well, if you're not going to use the spell for fun, then I will! How about you teach me now?" Dito asked, preparing to fly as well.

"You speak as if I will teach you a way to spy on maidens unnoticed while they bathe!" Edric replied, assuming the same stance as before.

"I wasn't talking about maidens!" Dito shouted, flying towards the giant's head.

"Wait! What did you say?!?" Edric asked in a mixture of surprise and confusion, turning towards the disciple just in time to see him land on the giant's left shoulder.

Putting his confusion aside, Edric cast Cloak, becoming invisible again before circling the giant while bombarding him with spells.

Simultaneously, Zero and Dito unleashed a flurry of blows to both sides of the giant's head, turning his face into a bloody mess wrapped in loosely hanging bands.

In the end, the way the giant fought proved to be his greatest weakness, for keeping enemies at bay was the point of his weapons, but their wielder failed to fulfill that function.

The giant roared and shouted as the combatants on his shoulders attacked relentlessly. Their faces briefly appeared through his reddened vision, hampered by the blood dripping down his face.

The giant's rage reached its peak and the creature roared from the top of his lungs.

"RRROOOAAARRR!"

The roar shook the fortress, pushing the air and extinguishing the flaming ruins burning in the courtyard.

Those most affected by this noise were those close to the monster. Zero and Dito interrupted their attacks and grabbed their aching ears, letting out a string of insults, as the world around them temporarily became a blur.

Edric suffered from the same problem, only worse, his helmet serving to make the noise echoed in his head, so the knight ended up breaking his spell in the confusion, revealing himself to the giant.

The giant took this opportunity to advance towards Edric, knocking Zero and Dito off his shoulders with the sudden movement, and pulling his leg back, ready to kick the knight.

Edric, on the other hand, shook his head in confusion, trying to dispel the high-pitched ringing in his ear, which he eventually managed, just in time to see the giant's foot approaching.

"Shi..." Edric muttered raising his shield in an attempt to mitigate the severe damage the attack would surely cause.

"EDRIC/ZERO!" Two voices, one female and one childish, suddenly shouted, followed by a flaming explosion and wave of heat.

BOOM!

Two large fireballs hit the giant in his chest and face, interrupting his attack and causing the giant to fall onto his back.

Looking up, Edric, Zero, and Dito saw two dark spots in the sky, flying in the sunlight. These spots approached the fortress, revealing Mikhail, Eupherbia, and the Black Dragon.

"ZERO! ARE YOU ALL RIGHT?!" Mikhail asked in childlike concern, hovering over the fortress courtyard.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK? WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG TO GET HERE, YOU DUMMY?!?" Zero shouted angrily, glaring at the dragon as she stood up.

"I'M SO SORRY! WE LOST SIGHT OF YOU DURING THE BLIZZARD AND..." Mikhail tried to apologize, but he did not get the chance.

"SHUT UP! DO YOU SEE THAT GIANT? DO US A FAVOR AND TURN HIM INTO ASHES!" Zero interrupted the young dragon, tired of excuses, while pointing at the rising monster.

"WOW, THAT THING IS SCARY! BUT YOU CAN LEAVE IT TO ME ZERO; I'LL SHOW YOU HOW STRONG I'M GETTING!" Mikhail replied, taking on a determined face and spitting a fireball towards the giant.

The giant, seeing the fireball approaching, swung his whip, hitting the flaming projectile in mid-flight and destroying it in an explosion, but Mikhail did not stop his attack and flew around the giant, bombarding him with fireballs.

"Great, I'd forgotten how annoying that dragon's voice was." Dito commented sarcastically, watching Mikhail face the giant.

"If you have the energy to complain, then you have the energy to fight! Stop wasting time and let's get this over with!" Zero exclaimed impatiently, pushing the Disciple towards the giant, causing him to stumble halfway.

As the two advanced to finish the fight, a fairy and dragon approached a certain knight.

"Edric, are you all right? I thought you were dead!" Eupherbia said worriedly, flying around the knight looking for injuries.

"Forgive me for worrying you, but I'm unhurt. It takes a lot more than a long fall to kill me." Edric replied, stroking the fairy's head with his finger.

"I'm glad of that! Who will give me sweets if you die? Besides, all my stuff is in your weird bag." Eupherbia joked, landing on the knight's shoulder as she smiled.

"Hm... So that's what I am to you, a source of food and shelter?" Edric asked with false hurt.

"And you're supposed to be something more?" Eupherbia shrugged.

The knight and fairy stared at each other in silence until they both failed to contain their laughter, happy to be reunited.

"Well, you don't even look like you've fallen to your near-death. I'd be disappointed if you showed otherwise." The Black Dragon commented, watching Edric and Eupherbia with amusement in his eyes.

"If that's your way of saying you're happy to see me, then you've failed miserably." Edric replied, waving at the dragon, causing him to grumble angrily.

"Is that any way to talk to the one who tried to save your life?" The Black Dragon asked angrily.

"Excuse me; you have my thanks for trying to save me." Edric spoke politely, bowing slightly to the dragon, causing him to nod arrogantly in approval.

"Don't mind that grumpy dragon, he missed you too." Eupherbia smiled provocatively at the Black Dragon, changing his proud face to a threatening one, which forced the fairy to hide behind the knight.

"Now that the hugs and tears are over, how about you explain to me what's happening here?" The Black Dragon asked.

"I am unsure; the fortress was already like this when I arrived, with the dead coming back to life and all. Do you mind helping me now that you're here?" Edric asked.

"I will help as long as it's nothing unworthy of a being of my magnitude." The Black Dragon replied.

"That's a complicated way of saying, as long as it's nothing I don't like. I just need you to immobilize the giant, preferably by pinning him to the ground." Edric said, pointing at the monster in question.

The fairy, the knight, and the dragon watched as the giant whipped Mikhail's fireballs away while trying to trample or burn Zero and Dito with his hot iron, but failed miserably due to the pressure his enemies applied.

"I would prefer to face the giant alone, but I see that the lustful human, the annoying fool and you have already done most of the damage." The Black Dragon commented.

"Is that a yes?" Edric asked in confusion.

The knight got his answer when the dragon flapped his wings and shot towards the giant, flying high before diving towards the creature with his claws showing.

The giant raised his head as he saw something blocking the sunlight and forming a large shadow over his body, only to notice the Black Dragon when it was too late.

The Black Dragon plunged his claws into the giant's left arm, causing him to drop his whip and fall backward onto the ground with a thud that shook the fortress.

The giant tried to hit the Black Dragon with his hot iron, but Mikhail threw the weapon away with a fireball and dived toward the giant, trapping his remaining arms.

The giant roared and struggled, trying to free himself as the claws sank into his flesh, drawing blood.

"Good, hold that thing down while I finish it off." Zero spoke, readying her sword.

"Well, it was fun while it lasted." Dito shrugged, resting his spear on his shoulder and following the Intoner.

"Wait, let me try something first." Edric spoke, stopping them both in their tracks.

"And why should I?" Zero asked, raising a questioning eyebrow.

"Because I believe this giant suffers from the same condition as Dito when we met him in the Land of the Seas." Edric replied, pulling out his catalyst.

"Well, do your magic." Zero replied, nodding at the giant and watching Edric curiously.

Edric nodded back and approached the struggling giant's left side, touching his catalyst to the monster and casting a spell.

"Soul Sucker."

A blinding flash surged, causing everyone to exclaim and shield their eyes, except for Edric who watched the giant shrink, crumbling into particles to reveal a tall, muscular man with short blond hair, glasses, and brown clothes.

"Well, Four's disciple, I wasn't expecting that." Zero spoke in surprise, walking towards the unconscious Decadus.

"Oh, that guy's still alive; he was one of the less annoying disciples." Dito spoke soon after, poking Decadus with the tip of his spear, making him moan slightly.

"And he underwent this grotesque transformation thanks to that." Edric said, showing off a Colorless Demon Soul to everyone, receiving reactions that ranged from surprise to curiosity.

"The more I see, the more I believe your talk about demons." Zero said, leaning forward and examining the soul closely.

The Intoner reached out a hand to touch the source of her curiosity, but Edric quickly put the soul away in his bag, receiving an annoyed look from Zero, who then crossed her arms in disappointment.

"Leave the soul to those who know its workings. You saw what it did to the disciples, what's to say it won't do the same to you?"

"As much as it pains me to say it, you're right. You deal with this demons, souls, and magic bullshit while I simply kill whatever is in our way." Zero replied, clicking her tongue as if trying to get a bad taste out of her mouth.

"I'm glad we've come to an understanding."

"Hump! Don't get used to it!" Zero grumbled.

"Guys, he's waking up!" Mikhail exclaimed, attracting the attention of those present, except for the Black Dragon, who had no interest in such matters and walked around the courtyard in search of something to catch his attention.

Everyone watched as Decadus' face contorted into a grimace, and then the Disciple struggled as if he having a nightmare. Suddenly, his eyes opened and the Disciple sat up while rubbing his aching head.

"My head! Where am I? What happened?" Decadus muttered in confusion, but soon stopped wide-eyed at the sight of a sword pointed at his face.

"That's what I'd like to know. You'll answer some of my questions, the first being: Where is my sister?" Zero spoke menacingly, glaring at Decadus with disdain.

The Disciple gulped for a moment before his face turned red and flushed as he sweated profusely with a nervous smile on his face.

-XXXXXX-

A lone airship crossed the Land of Mountains, heading towards the Land of Forests.

Knights in silver armor with glowing blue eyes maneuvered the great machine in total silence, while four of them guarded a prisoner bound and gagged to the airship's main mast.

Intoner Four looked around with hatred in her eyes, struggling against her bonds and gag, doing everything she could to free herself, but the ropes that held her thwarted her attempts, shining golden light and draining her strength every time she struggled.

It seemed that this would be the end, the knights would take Four to her destination without interruption, until two large figures broke through the clouds surrounding the airship, surprising the knights and dropping four people and a fairy on the deck.

The knights drew their weapons, ready to fight, but the strangers overcame them in a shower of spells, cuts, punches, and pierces. The knights disappeared one by one in a series of bright flashes until only the strangers remained.

Four sighed with relief, feeling euphoric joy in her chest at the possibility of freedom until the group of strangers stopped in front of her and she realized who led them.

"Well, well, well, look at that, I don't remember it being my birthday today, but they've packed you up like a gift for me. They didn't have to bother." Zero sneered, pointing her sword at Four with one hand on her waist and a sadistic smile on her face.

Four could only intensify her efforts in the vain hope of escaping from the one in front of her.

END OF CHAPTER

Notes:

I AM BACK! I finally snapped out of an author block and finished this chapter, I stayed with it half-done on my PC for days until I had the inspiration to continue it. I am happy to be here again.

On today's chapter, the monster turned out to be Decadus, Zero got one more man to her reverse harem, and Edric got another colorless demon soul, priorities everyone. Fortunately, our protagonists managed to reach Four, unfortunately, she is in no position to say something about it.

Will they kill Four? Will Edric get is answers about what is happening? Will Zero convince Edric to show her his penetrating sword and stick white stuff? Stay tuned to the next chapter!

Jokes aside, thanks for reading the chapter! Leave um comments and opinions, constructive criticism is welcome, don't forget to kudo and until the next chapter!

Chapter 19: A Talk under the Moonlight

"Well, time to finish this while it's still easy. Close your eyes, it'll only hurt for a moment." Zero spoke, approaching Four while raising her sword.

The Intoner's eyes widened as she tried to escape her ropes, alternating between everyone present, especially her disciple who looked away ashamed.

However, the ropes shone a golden light, draining the Intoner's energy again. Zero closed the distance and raised her sword, ready to strike, but an armored hand grabbed her wrist, interrupting her attack.

"What do you want now?" Zero sighed frustrated, looking at the knight beside her.

"I won't allow you to kill her yet, I need answers." Edric replied, intensifying his grip.

Zero stared at the knight for a few seconds, clicking her tongue and slipping out of his grip as she grumbled angrily.

"You hate ruining my fun, don't you? Fine, ask whatever you want, but don't think I'll give up on cutting her head off."

"Hump! You act as if you have no interest in understanding what's happening to Midgard."

"A little, but I usually just kill what comes my way until I find the source of the problems, then I kill the source and let the others clean up the mess." Zero shrugged, scratching her head.

"You have a long history of causing chaos and destruction in Midgard." Edric replied, approaching Four.

"You have no idea, especially when I was younger, but I'm glad I didn't meet you back then." Zero laughed.

Edric extended a hand towards Four, making the Intoner flinch, as she remembered the knight, mostly from when he broke her back in the Land of the Mountains, and now he worked with Zero.

Any hope of salvation that Four felt immediately perished, replaced by hatred towards her sisters and traitorous disciple, as there was no way she could escape alive.

However, to the Intoner's confusion, Edric gently removed her gag. Four wasted no time in singing, but the knight raised his Talisman, conjuring Anti-Magic Field and temporarily deactivating all the magic in the area.

Four coughed immediately, feeling her power disappear. Eupherbia cried surprised as the magic that surrounded her and kept her in the air vanished, causing her to cling to Edric's shoulder to avoid falling to the ground.

Mikhail and the Black Dragon winced slightly, while Zero, Dito, and Decadus showed no reaction.

"I'd like you to answer some of my questions." Edric said to the bound Intoner.

"And why should I? You attacked my sisters and me, and now you are working with Zero! Do you have any idea of the crimes she has committed? The good and loyal people she has killed. And now you're destroying all the peace and stability we've built up with so much effort!" Four exclaimed angrily.

"You're no saint, you know that? Besides, it's easy to create peace and stability when you brainwash everyone around you." Zero teased.

"Just like you did with Five's disciple and mine?" Four replied in the same tone.

"No, I just showed them whose boss here and offered them something we both like in exchange for their help if you know what I mean." Zero spoke, dragging her hand across her hips as she smiled lustfully.

Four gritted her teeth, snarling as her face took on a bright red in a mixture of anger and shame. The Intoner opened her mouth to reply, but Edric stepped between the sisters before the situation got out of hand.

"If it means anything to you, I would like to apologize for my actions. I acted rashly because of a misunderstanding. My alliance with Zero is unstable and temporary, to say the least, I may not know much about her past, but what I saw during our travel painted a clear picture of the kind of person she is. Midgard's peace and stability perished the moment One and Three declared war on each other and you chose a side, but I'm willing to give you a chance because I made a promise to One." Edric spoke quickly, surprising Four.

"Did One and you speak at some point?" Four whispered.

"Yes, she invited me to the Cathedral City and asked me to give you a chance. I've only been disappointed so far, but I'd like to be proved wrong."

Four fell silent at the knight's words, shifting her gaze towards the ground as a thoughtful expression covered her face, and then the Intoner raised her head and sighed.

"Ask what you want to know."

"Thank you for your cooperation. Firstly, how did you end up in this situation? The defense of the Land of the Mountains seemed to work."

"Initially, yes, the airship formations kept the gargoyle swarms at bay while my men used the fortifications and rough terrain of the mountains to eliminate the red beings."

"Invaders." Edric corrected Four.

"Invaders, right, but it all went wrong when those who died in the fight came back to life. It is scary, you know. Encountering an enemy who will not stop advancing no matter how wounded, has no morale problems, and does not fear for their lives. There was no way to make them retreat or surrender, so we eliminated the first hordes easily, with Decadus, my soldiers, the knights One sent and I fighting together, but we began to tire from the incessant attacks, and my men joined the Undead, increasing their numbers."

"Thanks a lot for sending the knights after us, they were good exercise." Zero teased, making Four boil with rage again.

"The Blue-Eyed Knights, One gave them to you, right? Can you tell me how she got such warriors?" Edric asked, but Four shook her head.

"No, all I know is that they're a new type of elite warrior trained in Cathedral City and a bunch of traitors! I do not know why One sent them, but they were the ones who sabotaged the defenses of my fortress, letting the Undead in! As if that was not enough, they stabbed me in the back and turned Decadus into a monster with some kind of orb! When I woke up, they bound and gagged me in my airship, the rest you know!"

"Betrayal is always painful and comes from those you least expect, but you're wrong about one thing. The Blue-Eyed Knights are not trained, but possessed by demons, just like the Undead roaming the Land of the Mountains."

"Demons, do you think I'm an idiot? Five and Two might fall for that talk, but I'm not naive!" Four said offended.

"Believe me, I had the same reaction when he came to me with that weird talk, but I'm willing to believe it, considering what I saw so far." Zero spoke, interrupting the conversation and receiving a glare from the knight, although she did not notice due to his helmet.

"Believe it or not, that doesn't change the fact that she planned this. One wanted the knights to betray you." Edric replied, shocking the Intoner.

"But that's... She would never..." Four stammered, but then bit her tongue, interrupting her speech, remaining in silence and deep thought.

"Four, is there something you'd like to tell me?" Edric asked worriedly.

"Now that you mention it, One acted strangely recently. She disappeared and stopped contacting us for a while, only to suddenly return, declaring war on Three because of the cruel experiments she carried out on people. But One showed less emotion than usual, she seemed..." Four muttered, struggling to find the right word.

"What did she seem like?" Edric insisted as everyone listened intently.

"She seemed distant, never looking me in the eye, as if nothing existed around her. Even so, the sweet words she used, she said how proud she was of me, that I was an example of a proper leader for our sisters. She asked for my help in this war against Three, One never asked for my help!"

"And you were happy to help, weren't you? You wasted no time in kissing One's boots as soon as she whispered a few compliments in your ear." Zero teased, causing Four to lower her ashamed.

"Ignore Zero's words, she only wishes to annoy you, but I have one last question. Could you update me on this war and your sisters?" Edric asked.

"As far as I know, some of my airships spotted the gargoyles taking Five to the Land of the Forests, but there's something strange going on there. A fog prevents anyone from approaching Three's sanctuary by land and air. Simultaneously, Three has ordered the extraction of resources from hers land and the surrounding ones. I do not doubt that the fog serves to hide what she is building. The Land of the Seas has fallen, with armies of Invaders eliminating the population that failed to flee, with a few pockets of resistance here and there, Cathedral City is silent, while Two and hers disciple have returned unexpectedly, appearing to the public recently after days of disappearance, and they have announced their alliance with Three in this war, and that's all I know."

"Thank you for your collaboration, you've cleared up some of my doubts, but you gave me a lot to think about." Edric replied, placing a comforting hand on the Intoner's shoulder, receiving a grateful nod in return.

"Well, you already have your answers! Can I get on with what I was about to do before you interrupted me?" Zero asked, breaking the tense silence and stepping forward.

"Hey, I did what you asked! Let me go, please!" Four begged frightened, her gaze sweeping over everyone present in search of help.

"Nobody ever promised you anything; you said it because you wanted to!" Zero replied, smiling sadistically.

"Zero, she's your sister and she's scared! You should not be mean like that! Four said a lot of important things!" Mikhail exclaimed surprised, trying to stop his friend.

"Hump! Do what you want, because I do not care about the girl and her family’s problems. I'm just searching for a good fight and some food." The Black Dragon commented angrily, turning his back on everyone and walking across the deck of the airship.

"Hey, Z, do you mind if I help? I'd like to know how much her regeneration can take." Dito commented, following Zero with a cruel glint in his eyes.

"If I may suggest, I'm against harming Miss Four and I think we should release her." Decadus spoke politely, raising a hesitant finger.

"SHUT UP, YOU BASTARD! HUMAN TRASH! YOU SON OF A BITCH! PIECE OF SHIT! TRAITOR! I'LL RIP YOUR HEART OUT WITH MY BARE HANDS!" Four exclaimed with all her might, trying to escape from her bonds with eyes red in fury.

"Oh, yes, please, keep insulting me~~~ To be attacked by such cruel words, it leaves me~~ AAAHHH~~" Decadus moaned, putting his legs together with his face red in masochistic pleasure.

"Zero, I'll be frank with you. I do not approve any of your actions; you are cruel, sadistic, lazy, impatient, violent, walks with bad company, and more. However, if what Four said is true, there are forces beyond our control and understanding at work in Midgard. I need her alive to offer me more answers, so I will face you if I have to. Don't force my hand, please, because, despite everything, I have a certain appreciation for Dito and you, no matter how annoying you are." Edric spoke, moving his hand towards his sword as he stared intensely at the Intoner.

Zero and Dito stopped in their tracks and stared back with the same intensity, their weapons raised and ready for combat.

A heavy silence gripped the deck, while everyone who remained outside the conflict watched in nervous anticipation. Except for the Black Dragon, who watched curiously.

Zero frowned and grimaced, frustrated by the complexity of the situation, especially as she could not see the expression of the knight in front of her.

Then the Intoner looked around, pondering her chances. Taking a deep breath, Zero let out a long, irritated sigh as if the words she was about to utter caused her physical pain.

"Okay, you win; I'll stop trying to kill Four for now. Consider it payment for the favor you did me in the Land of the Mountains. However, you will keep an eye on her from now on and deal with any bullshit she tries! I want that virgin away from me and I'll cut her head off if she gets too close or tries anything funny, do you understand?" Zero demanded seriously, to the dismay of Dito who stared at her revolted.

"Yes, thank you for your cooperation." Edric replied, removing his hand from his sword.

"Hump! You'll regret saying that!" Zero replied, walking towards a door that led inside the airship.

-XXXXXX-

"Your dinner is ready." Edric said to Four as he removed her gag and brought a spoonful of steaming stew to her mouth.

"You know, it would be easier if you untied me. I promise I won't cause any trouble, after all, I'm outnumbered here." Four replied, smiling sympathetically.

"Don't mistake my goodwill for naivety. I may not know the whole truth, but the stories of the non-humans I've heard during my travels have painted a different picture of you." Edric replied as Four frowned angrily.

"That's all they are, stories. You shouldn't believe rumors told by non-humans." Four said, trying to dispel the anger she felt, although her tone and forced smile did not help.

"Tell that to the elves. In addition, do you realize that I travel with a fairy and a dragon? I've had more than enough time to form my opinion of races other than humans." Edric replied, receiving a grimace in return.

As if by fate, Eupherbia chose that moment to leave Edric's bag while chewing on a fragment of a cookie, and stare at Four with a mixture of curiosity and amusement.

"Well, well, well, so this is the dreaded Intoner Four, Ruler of the Land of the Mountains and slayer of innocent elves." Eupherbia teased with a broad smile forming on her face.

"They were pirates!" Four exclaimed, her façade slowly disappearing.

"Of course, of course they were, hundreds of pirates traveling with women, children, and old people. I bet they did a great job of looting everything in sight." Eupherbia shrugged.

"I gave them the chance to surrender, but they refused!" Four replied, her face turning bright red.

"Really? That is not what I heard. You chased the retreating airships, bringing them to the ground while laughing wildly on the back of a dragon. It is not so funny when it happens to you, is it? Tied up and helpless, with no chance of fighting or escaping alive, the great Four transformed into a mere prisoner of her psychopathic sister!" Eupherbia laughed between bites, stuffing her cheeks with food.

"LISTEN HERE, YOU DAMNED PEST, I'LL TEAR YOUR WINGS OFF IF YOU SAY ANOTHER WORD!" Four exclaimed in fury, kicking and screaming as sweat poured down her face.

"HAHAHA!" Eupherbia, on the other hand, laughed with all her might, pointing at the Intoner as she ate.

"WHAT'S SO FUNNY, HUH? I WOULD LIKE TO SEE YOU LAUGH WHEN I BREAK YOUR ARMS AND LEG... AAAHHH!" Four shouted, interrupting her speech when she received a poke directly in her left eye, courtesy of Eupherbia.

Then the fairy and the Intoner got into an argument, with Eupherbia poking Four's eyes repeatedly while the Intoner tried, and failed, to bite the fairy.

"HAHAHA! Oh, no!" Eupherbia laughed again, only to take on a frightened face when an armored hand wrapped around her body, pinning her head with its thumb.

"You, get back in the bag, now." Edric spoke seriously, bringing Eupherbia towards his face as he placed a piece of cookie in her mouth, silencing the fairy.

Eupherbia nodded quickly with the little space she had left in Edric's grip, then the knight released the fairy and she quickly returned to the bag. Edric then retrieved the bowl of stew resting next to him on the floor and tried to feed Four again.

"You, eat." Edric said, repeating his previous attempt.

Four swallowed at the knight's irritated tone and opened her mouth, consuming the food straight away. The Intoner's eyes widened as she savored the delicious stew.

"This is great!" Four exclaimed surprised.

"I'm glad you liked my cooking. It's something I've worked hard to learn." Edric replied softly.

"Aren't you going to eat too?" Four asked confusedly, noticing the lack of a bowl for the knight.

"No, I don't need food or constant sleep like a normal person." The knight replied, confusing the Intoner even more.

"You talk as if you're not a normal person."

"I faced your sisters and you repeatedly and survived, I believe a normal person would be incapable of such a feat." Edric replied, making Four assume a thoughtful face for a few seconds before nodding in agreement.

"Tell me Edric, where are you from? You suddenly appeared in Cathedral City, and my sisters and I couldn't find any information about you, no matter how hard we searched." Four asked curiously but stopped as soon as she noticed the knight's silence.

"Sorry about that, you don't have to tell me if..." Four spoke nervously, thinking she had touched on a sensitive subject, but Edric spoke up, interrupting her.

"I'm a knight of the Kingdom of Boletaria, or used to be, since there's a possibility that the kingdom fell. Born to a minor noble family in the southern, more developed region, I traversed the fog surrounding the kingdom's capital after hearing stories that our king, Allant XII, had initiated something known as the Second Scourge, the awakening of a powerful demon and its army to devour all human souls and bring about the end of the world."

Four remained silent at this sudden explanation, pondering whether the knight told the truth, or whether he was just an extremely powerful lunatic.

"I'm sorry, but I find that hard to believe, my sisters and I would have noticed if something like that had happened. Especially One, she wouldn't have stood by and watched."

"Hm... You may not believe me now, but in time, you will realize that I speak the truth, because I have faced these beings before, the invaders, the gargoyles, the blue-eyed knights. Someone has brought my enemies back to life, especially the pieces of golden cloth that make up your bindings."

"What do you mean?" Four asked, staring at the object in question.

"I faced an Archdemon known as the Old Monk in the kingdom neighboring Boletaria, Latria. The monk wore long, majestic golden robes that granted him magical power to kill the kingdom's queen, but drained his strength to the point where he turned into dust and an invader soon after."

"WHAT? THEN WHY I STILL TIED UP? I DON'T WANT TO TURN TO DUST!" Four shouted desperately, trying to free herself.

"Don't worry, these are just fragments weakening you so you can't escape, but I wouldn't say the same about your sister, Three." Edric replied, hearing the Intoner sigh relieved.

"Explain, please."

"I didn't realize it at first, but Three wore a beautiful golden dress during Five's party. I believe that dress to be the robes of the Old Monk who had returned, further affecting your sister's troubled mind."

"So you mean Three did all this because the robes are controlling her?"

"I can't say, my job is to kill demons, not to understand them, but if it continues like this, Three will suffer the same fate as the Old Monk, discarded by the robes after losing her usefulness. I cannot say the same about One, because I do not know what happened to her. But in the end, if you have no dreams for the future, you might want to put your trust in the power of the golden garb."

The knight and the Intoner stared at each other in an uncomfortable silence after Edric finished his explanation, but that silence disappeared the moment Four laughed, a low laugh that soon turned into a loud, sarcastic one.

"HAHAHA! Congratulations, Three, you fucking weirdo, you had to mess with things beyond your understanding, and look where we ended up! In a bloody war with supposed demonic monsters and ghosts appearing everywhere, as if your disgusting experiments were not enough! This is your entire fault! You have ruined what we worked so hard to build! I'll tear your eyes out of that pretty face of yours when we meet again, that's if Zero doesn't kill me first!"

Four exclaimed, going into a long speech about how much she hated Three and how her unfortunate situation was Three’s fault, describing the disgust and envy she felt about each of her features.

She made a point of using every creative insult she knew but stopped as soon as another spoonful of stew entered her mouth.

"Thanks, I needed that." Four mumbled between bites as she took a deep breath.

"Why do you do that? Hide your anger and frustrations behind an image of honor, kindness, and generosity while discounting your feelings on those unable to defend themselves?" Edric asked, watching Four cringe in shame at how right he was.

"I don't know. Why do you wear that armor all the time?!? I bet you must stink in there!" Four replied.

"I'm not confident in my appearance. I have certain characteristics that I prefer to hide." Edric said, silencing the Intoner.

"Well, I understand your pain." Four whispered, wiggling the fingers of her hands, and then Edric noticed her long, sharp nails.

"They're not that bad." Edric replied innocently, making Four blush as she stared at him in surprise.

"Could you repeat what you said, please?" Four stammered, doubting the knight's words.

"I said your nails aren't that bad. I am not a judge of beauty, but they do little to spoil your appearance, you are still a beautiful maiden, no matter how much you think otherwise, although your personality needs improvement. Besides, they're just nails, you can cut them, I, on the other hand, have a more permanent problem." Edric replied, oblivious to the effects of his words, as Four turned redder and redder with every sentence he uttered.

"Listen, it's not that I'm not enjoying our conversation, but why are you telling me all this? Aren't you supposed to be pleasuring Zero in bed or something?" Four asked, controlling the redness on her face.

"Zero and I don't have that kind of relationship, no matter how hard she tries. This may sound strange, but you are the first person I have met recently with whom I have been able to talk normally, without constant insults, teasing, or sexual double meanings. Therefore, you could say that I enjoy talking to you. Eupherbia and the Dragon have problems that are incomprehensible to a human. Besides, Zero has her disciples to keep her company."

Edric and Four fell silent shortly, exchanging an unspoken message after such heartfelt words, but that beautiful moment disappeared as soon as the sound of flesh hitting flesh echoed through the airship.

PLAP!

PLAP!

PLAP!

"YOU THREE BETTER NOT BE DOING IT IN MY BED!" Four shouted towards the floor, only for redness to return to her face when she heard a trio of moans.

"Tell me; is the room behind the extremely adorned double doors your bedroom?" Edric asked without emotion.

"Yes." Four replied, dreading the answer.

"Then they're using your room." The knight spoke apologetically, receiving a downcast look in return.

"Can we change the subject, please?" The Intoner asked, her voice cracking with sadness.

"Certainly, what would you like to talk about?"

"Hm... How about you tell me more about the kingdom of Boletaria before the scourge happened? It must have been a wonderful place!" Four suggested.

"Yes, superficially, but I won't ruin the story with the details."

"Good, but I have one last question." Four said hesitantly.

"Then ask away."

"Are you single?"

"Yes, why the curiosity?" Edric asked, tilting his head in confusion.

"Nothing, nothing! So, the kingdom of Boletaria..." The Intoner spoke quickly, looking away with a nervous smile on her face.

"Right, I believe we can start with the history of the kingdom's founding and..."

The airship flew smoothly through the clouds, with the majestic full moon shining in the background, illuminating everyone present with moonlight similar to a certain sword.

Then the knight and the Intoner chatted animatedly through the beautiful starry night, talking about fallen kingdoms, ancient spells, marvelous miracles, and powerful weapons until dawn.

-XXXXXX-

"Well, this place is worse than I thought." Zero spoke, observing what the Land of the Forests had become.

The verdant trees had turned black, rotten, twisted, and leafless, with their spiky branches stretching towards the gray, cloudy sky, hiding most of the sunlight.

Dry, cracked soil stretched between the trees, with purple, bubbling rivers releasing toxic fumes and the bones of people and animals resting on their banks.

Despite this terrifying landscape, the airship still headed towards Three’s shrine, in the center of the Land of the Forests, but the wall of fog just ahead obscured its location.

"This place is becoming like the swamps of Latria. By the gods, why did this damned place have to return?" Edric exclaimed in a mixture of disgust and surprise, observing the landscape from the edge of the deck.

"What is happening?" Four asked while still tied up, yawning audibly and looking around in confusion after waking up from her sleep, dropping the pillow and blanket given to her by Edric.

"Nothing that interests you, we will move on." Zero replied, pointing at the mist.

"Zero, I'm not sure about that. There's something wrong with this fog." Mikhail spoke hesitantly.

"I agree with the crybaby dragon, Z. We'd better turn around." Dito spoke, sharing Mikhail's feelings, as the fog in front of him looked more like a gigantic, smooth, and immobile wall.

"Miss Zero, it would be best if we land and analyze the situation carefully." Decadus spoke, adjusting his glasses as he tried to hide his concern.

"Hm… It would be foolish to enter unknown territory unprepared. We should wait and plan." The Black Dragon suggested suspiciously, analyzing the fog with partially closed eyes.

"Hey, virgin knight, what do you think about this?" Zero asked Edric.

"Hm… If I am right, this wall of fog separates Three's sanctuary from the rest of the world. Not just physically, but within its dimension, to the point where it would take something powerful to tear it apart and create a path for us to cross."

"TSK! We don't have time for that!"

Then the airship remained on its course, despite the protests of most of those present, and entered the fog. Everyone let out surprised exclamations when they found themselves in a gray and dark void, but they soon stopped when they saw a light up ahead.

The light intensified to the point of becoming blinding, and when the airship passed through it, everyone found himself or herself in the same place they were before entering the fog.

Zero ordered Decadus to handle the helm and turn around. Unfortunately, the process repeated itself and everyone found themselves in their previous location.

It did not matter how hard they tried, the airship could not pass through the great gray wall in front of it, so everyone contented to circle the wall and watch as they discussed ways to cross it.

However, everyone caught something shining in the corner of his or her eyes. A bright spot appeared amidst the fog, and that spot intensified like a lighthouse.

An irritating high-pitched buzz echoed through the region, accompanying the increase in temperature. Everyone on the airship had a bad feeling and prepared to move away from the fog.

However, a gigantic blue and bright magical beam broke through the gray wall, shooting towards the airship and hitting its center, splitting the large flying machine in two.

The resulting explosion threw the crew in opposite directions, with Zero the disciples, and Mikhail landing in the bow, while Edric, Four, Eupherbia, and the Black Dragon landed in the stern.

Flaming debris flew everywhere, as wood and metal creaked, and the airship's two halves fell toward the wastelands below.

Zero and the disciples wasted no time in climbing onto Mikhail's back and flying away. Edric and Eupherbia did the same to the Black Dragon, despite his protests, but not before freeing Four who screamed for help before it were too late.

Soon both parties left the ruined wreckage of the airship behind and flew side by side, watching where the magic beam came from.

"What the fuck was that?!?" Zero exclaimed, observing the fog.

"Unfortunately I don't have an answer, as I never saw anything like that!" Edric responded, sharing the sentiment.

"And to think that we were almost shot down in mid-flight~~~ I wonder what a fall from that height would do to me~~~" Decadus spoke suggestively, receiving a series of insults and complaints, as this was not the right time, however, this only pleased the disciple even more.

Any further discussion immediately died down when the bright spot appeared in the fog again and the magic beam returned. Both dragons flew in opposite directions, dodging the shot, but soon found themselves bombarded by subsequent magical firing.

Deafening explosions filled the sky as different spells joined the magical beams, piercing rays, chasing orbs, flaming shots, and more.

Both dragons found themselves pressed to the point that there was no more room to dodge or retreat. The Black Dragon fell first, receiving a magical beam directly into his chest, generating a painful roar followed by a smoke cloud.

His dark form fell from the smoke towards the forest soon after, with his passengers on his back.

Mikhail became second, diving towards the Black Dragon, but remaining open to the magical orbs that struck his side, sending him crashing towards the ground as well.

Soon the bright spot disappeared into the fog again and silence fell over the Land of the Forests as those who dared attempt to invade Three's sanctuary met their end.

END OF CHAPTER

Notes:

Well, we finally have a new chapter! Sorry for the wait, but I got sick and that delayed my writing, but I'm getting better. Also, I am starting the process of correcting the grammar of the previous chapters, and to my surprise, is not as bad as I thought.

Our protagonists finally found Four and got some answers. Unfortunately, our dear Intoner's situation only gets worse with each passing moment, but perhaps a certain knight will change that by stealling her heart, or not, I promise nothing.

At least Edric and Four found someone to sympathize with and talk to without problems, but Zero remains the only one with an active sex life in this group so far.

Other than that, I'll soon reveal what happened to One, Two and heir disciple, but the next chapter will certainly reveal the fate of our protagonists.

That's it for now! Leave your comments and opinions! Suggestions are welcome! Don't forget to leave a kudo and I see you in the next chapter!

Chapter 20: Land of Forests

"AAAHHH!" We all screamed as we fell to our deaths, the air buzzing past our ears as the ground drew near, closing the distance rapidly toward the dead land below.

Why? Why do I always find myself falling? Is this some kind of punishment or a cruel joke from fate? My heart raced and my soul screamed in terror, my fears overtaking me as the ground distorted, doubled, and blurred.

Eupherbia clung desperately to my shoulder, tears streaming down her frightened face as the wind inflated her eyelids and mouth. Four remained in a fairy-like state, screaming something I couldn't hear over the high-pitched noise in my ears.

Her mouth opened and closed, releasing muffled words as time slowed down. I felt my grip on the dragon's back loosen as my consciousness slowly faded. The corners of my vision darkened until…

CLANG!

"ARGH!"

A slap on the side of my helmet snapped me out of my stupor. Confusion filled my being as I looked around, wondering where I was as the world returned to normal.

CLANG!

The second slap jolted me awake like a lightning bolt. I shook my head quickly, reorienting myself and understanding what Four shouted with her face contorted in fury.

"You damned imbecile! Do something or I will! I don't want to die because of your stupidity!"

I felt as if our previous conversation had meant nothing, but I dismissed those thoughts due to the seriousness of the situation. I raised my catalyst and cast Protect, followed by its enhanced version, Warding, enveloping us in damage-reducing barriers.

My Cat Ring will only work for me, but I don't believe that will be enough to save our lives.

"Is that all?!" Four exclaimed disbelieved.

"Forgive me, but this is all I can do now!" I replied rudely, thinking of more possibilities for salvation.

"I could use my song if you allow me!"

"And what guarantees that you won't attack us?!"

"Seriously? This is not the time, we will die! Trust me, please!"

"Edric, let her sing!" Eupherbia shouted in the middle of our argument.

This is our only chance, as much as I hate it. The dragon is unconscious and the ground approached. It's time to put your stubbornness aside and fulfill the promise you made to One, Edric.

"Fine, sing, but don't make me regret the trust I placed in you!"

"Leave it to me!" Four smiled slightly, raising her thumb before singing.

The air vibrated with greenish magic, mysterious symbols, and sigils flowing as the melody echoed midst our fall.

Suddenly, a semi-transparent green bubble surrounded us a few meters from the ground, we hugged the dragon and prepared for the impact, hearing the noise followed by the sudden stop.

-XXXXXX-

Oh, by the gods, the further I delve into this dark place, the more I wonder if there is any salvation to obtain.

The once-grand Tower of Latria reduced to a center of torture and torment, screaming souls fed to a twisted womb below and other experiments born of a traitorous madman.

Colossal towers rose toward the dark, cloudy night sky, blocking out the moonlight and its stars.

Toxic fumes covered the air in a greenish haze while the corrosive swamp bubbling at the base of the buildings teemed with terrifying creatures beyond my imagination, their monstrous tentacles wrapping around and threatening to topple the towers.

The ringing chimes mingled with the pounding of my footsteps on the stairs leading to the top of the main tower, climbing an absurd height with nothing to protect me from a deadly fall and return to the Nexus.

The screams of the desperate prisoners grew louder as they realized the presence of their Mind Flayer jailers. I raised my shield and did my best to block the spells cast at my direction, bracing my feet against the ground as each impact risked knocking me to my death.

I hurled a knife at my enemy above, striking the center of his swollen head and sending him plummeting into the fall he had hoped to bestow upon me. His form disappeared into the darkness and I cleared the passage to the top, only to be met with a fog gate.

I cast a few healing miracles and ingested some spice, restoring my magic before steeling my will and crossing the gate with my Blessed Winged Spear and Adjudicator's Shield.

I found myself on a long bridge suspended above a chasm between two towers, with a raised circular section at its center leading the way to the other side.

I walked with cautious steps, analyzing my surroundings carefully, for it was quiet, very quiet. Suddenly, a flapping of wings broke the tense silence that surrounded me.

Looking for the source of the noise, I saw a large creature landing on the bridge with a crash. It looked similar to a chimera, with a beast's body, bat wings, a snake for a tail, and a vaguely human head with luminous green eyes.

The beast roared, visibly distorting the air with a sonic wave before advancing with fangs and claws bared.

-XXXXXX-

It was a fierce battle, with a second beast joining the fray in the middle of our fight, but I prevailed, keeping the two apart thanks to the large brazier in the center of the bridge, dodging their advances, spells, brutal attacks, and learning their patterns.

I remained on the defensive, attacking when appropriate, and pierced the first beast's neck with a final thrust of my spear, earning a wet gurgle and blood staining my armor.

I kicked the creature away from my weapon, watching as it disappeared into souls, but relishing this small victory proved to be my greatest mistake.

The second creature's snake bit the head of the main body, channeling and empowering both with magic. The beast clutched its head, screaming in agony as the vile glow of its eyes intensified.

Then, with a final roar, it unleashed a thunderous sonic wave, destroying everything in its path, and covering the entire width of the bridge.

I desperately searched for an escape, but jumping off the bridge seemed like the only option, so I quickly raised my shield and prepared for the worst.

I screamed in pain, but I couldn't hear my voice, I couldn't hear anything, I felt the sound wave hitting me, my blood boiling, bones vibrating and breaking, and my organs almost exploding.

The world became a blur and my feet left the ground. I felt my weapons slipping from my grip, wondering why I still fell. Looking down, I saw the swamp at the base of the tower approaching.

The expectation of a quick death as I fell headfirst was the only relief I felt before I hit the ground and everything went dark, only to awaken in soul form in the center of the Nexus again.

"AAAHHH!" I screamed in fury as I punched the ground, drawing the attention of the clerics and mages present.

I quickly stood up, retrieving my equipment on the way, ignoring the worried words of the Maiden in Black, and returning to Latria.

I eliminated all the creatures in my path, hiding in corners and attacking from behind when given the opportunity until I reached the main tower's staircase, but I noticed something wrong when I looked down.

The tower seemed to stretch on forever, adding meters and meters every second. My legs trembled and my breathing quickened, I moved a hand towards my agitated heart, wondering what was wrong with me, as I never felt this way before.

Suddenly, I heard the ringing of a chime and realized my mistake when I saw a magical projectile approaching. A slip while trying to dodge it in my unusual state was the minimum necessary to lead me to another shameful fall.

The ground approached as I screamed, feeling my consciousness leaving me until…

-XXXXXX-

"GASP!" I woke up gasping for air, feeling my lungs burn as my head spun.

I couldn't understand my dark surroundings through my blurry vision, but I immediately noticed the restriction of my movements as I tried to stand up and move my head.

I heard a metallic noise reverberating through the walls and felt something cold touching my skin, the same thing that prevented me from moving.

Wait?! Something touching my skin?! Where was my armor?! What happened after we fell?! Where are the others?! Where am I?! These questions ran through my mind as I regained my senses.

Unfortunately, a blinding light attacked my eyes, followed by the familiar metallic creak of an opening door. As if that wasn't enough, I heard a voice I didn't want to hear again.

"Oh, I see you're awake! Well, there's much I want to do with you!" A female voice spoke with disturbing glee.

A purple and gold shape stopped in front of me, and when my vision stabilized, I stood face to face with Three smiling sickeningly at me.

I struggled violently, trying to escape my prison, but the more I tried, the more I realized how futile it was. I found myself hanging upside down, mummified in chains that stretched across the walls, floor, and ceiling, similar to a spider web.

The golden glow they emanated indicated magic in their construction, reinforcing their durability and hindering my freedom.

"Grumpy, as usual, aren't you? Forgive me, but your current accommodations are for our good. I would like to speak to you civilly, but I feel that you would hurt me if that were the case."

"What do you want?!"

"I want many things, Edric…"

"Don't give me that talk, answer my questions! Why?! Why start a useless war?! Why condemn the souls of so many innocents?! Why summon the invaders?! Why continue the Monk's experiments?! Why listen to the whispers of the golden robes?!"

Three's smile disappeared, giving way to silence and a frustrated expression. She lifted both hands and brought them to the sides of my head, holding it in place despite my efforts.

Then she placed her face inches from mine, our noses almost touching as we stared into the depths of each other's eyes.

It was then that I noticed Three's precarious appearance, sunken, dull eyes with dark circles under them, skin-hugging the bones of her arms and face, dry, messy, discolored purple hair, and dry, cracked lips.

I knew the reason behind it.

"The robes are…"

"SSSHHH!"

I didn't finish my speech, since she put a finger on my lips, silencing me, and spoke immediately after, with a crazed glint in her eyes and disturbing emotions in her tone that intensified with each word.

"I'm tired, Edric... I'm tired of close-minded fools worshiping me like the goddess I'm not or lusting after my body like animals. They praise my beauty, and my intellect, and shower me with gifts and sweet words, but these actions are all empty because they have proven themselves incapable of doing something simple, answering my questions. Where do we come from? Where do we go? Why do people live? Why do people die? What is the meaning of life? I don't expect a concrete answer, because everything depends on the point of view and experiences lived, but I would like someone to at least make an effort to answer, but these people are nothing more than dolls, yes, dolls, pathetic and lifeless dolls that are not worth fixing, and I'm tired of being ignored or called weird by them. I seek knowledge, things that capture my interest and bring fun to this boring life, and the robes showed me everything I wanted. The Tower of Latria was a realm of knowledge, a marvel of architecture, magic, and engineering, and the robes showed me everything their former wearer learned there. The aforementioned subjects, literature, philosophy, mathematics, theology, alchemy, astrology, astronomy, and more, but that wasn't enough, I wanted more, so the robes showed me more, the history of the world, the creation of everything, the rise of humanity and its soul power, the ancient demon made to destroy it, the coven of power-hungry witches that awakened it, the scourge that nearly consumed the world and the great heroes who stopped it, the fall and rise of once glorious kingdoms, only to fall again with the actions of an unfortunate king, and the one who stopped that king and saved the world."

"You have no idea what…"

"I'M NOT DONE YET!"

SLAP!

A slap to my face silenced me again, leaving a burning pain in my left cheek. Strangely, I expected more from the superhuman strength of an Intoner.

"But that wasn't the end, I also learned about the many worlds that exist beyond the veil of reality. Infinite universes with infinite possibilities, infinite knowledge, and infinite dolls to play with. So many interesting things beyond my reach, so many experiments I wish to perform on peculiar specimens, and with that, I will create the perfect doll, a perfect being of absolute obedience, invincible and indestructible. Summoning the invaders was just the beginning, but they have a limited presence, and summoning other Demon Slayers would only bring unnecessary problems, I can only see their specters occasionally. Fortunately, there is a way to access other worlds permanently, through a fog that weakens the fabric of reality, a fog generated by the greatest of all demons. I heard its call, and I know the king and you did too. I will create the third scourge, Edric, an endless feast for two insatiable beings, and thus I will see what is on the other side of the invisible barrier that traps us in this world, and you will help me."

My eyes widened and my heart threatened to leap out of my chest at this revelation. I struggled with everything I had, trying to escape the chains, feeling my muscles protest.

"ARE YOU INSANE?! I HAVE NEVER HEARD SUCH LUNACY! YOU WILL DOOM US ALL! DON'T YOU CARE HOW MANY LIVES WILL BE LOST?! I WILL NEVER HELP YOU WITH YOUR PLAN!"

"Oh, but you will, Edric because no matter how many souls I sacrifice, it's nothing more than an appetizer for the Old One! I need something stronger, the one who thirsts for souls, the one who has absorbed the souls of all the arch-demons and gained unimaginable power! You are the perfect sacrifice!"

"That's why One and you are working together? To create the greatest soul sacrifice in history?"

"We are not working together, I have no idea why One declared war on me, but I admit it has been fun to play with her and advance my plans. The more deaths, the more souls, right?"

"You are the most pathetic being I have ever met in my life, Three. You see everyone as a doll, but you do not realize that you are nothing more than one for the robes. They are loyal to the Old One and will discard you when you are no longer useful, just like its former master. Look in the mirror and see how much you have withered. I can only feel sorry for the one I will defeat."

"HA! You speak as if you will escape!"

"Because I will, one way or another, I will. There are consequences to damaging the fabric of reality. I will not allow people to suffer again due to the actions of an incapable ruler, be it in this world or another."

Three stared at me silently again, her smile widening as her face blushed deeply. Then the unexpected happened, she leaned forward and sealed her lips with mine. The kiss was long and unpleasant. I struggled constantly, trying to escape as my lungs burned. It would be a humiliating death, surviving a fatal fall but dying from suffocation like this.

Eventually, she pulled away from me and the air returned to my body. We stared at each other again, her breathing heavily, and me grimacing in disgust.

"I will miss you Edric, there were so many things I would like to do with you. I recommend that you take advantage of the remaining time to make peace with the god you believe in."

Then she left my cell, turning the corner as the robes too large for her body dragged across the floor for a good few seconds before the metal door closed and darkness enveloped me again.

And there I remained, solemnly meditating on what my next action would be. The cold creak of the chains was the only proof that this was not a dream.

-XXXXXX-

Eupherbia stuck her head out of the bottomless bag, carefully analyzing her surroundings, and realizing that she stood in a kind of dark laboratory, with stone walls, floor, and ceiling.

Shelves full of colorful vials decorated the walls, along with chains with handcuffs on the ends. Bloodied metal tables stood lined up side by side, with trays full of red-stained tools on top.

However, the various magical-looking weapons and artifacts were what caught her attention the most. All of them removed from the bag where the fairy had hidden in an attempt to understand its unlimited storage.

Seeing that she was alone, she left the bag and used her magic to return the artifacts to their rightful place. Making the object float beside her and follow her as she passed through the bars of the room's metal door.

Outside, she found herself on a long stone walkway that stretched horizontally, with dozens of lined doors. Looking down, the fairy saw floors similar to the one she stood stretching out infinitely, and the same result occurred when she looked up.

DING!

Suddenly, the ringing of a chime echoed through the walls and a cacophony of agonized screams accompanied it.

The rooms revealed themselves as cells, and their prisoners screamed as they learned the fate that awaited them.

Eupherbia hid in the corner of the walkway ceiling above, just behind a stone arch, and watched as metal gates opened at the end of each floor, allowing hybrid creatures to enter.

The creatures wore long red robes and carried a signet, had a humanoid appearance, and a head that seemed to be a cross between an elf and an octopus.

Each of them entered a cell and the prisoners' screams intensified, stopping only when a luminous blue sphere left the room and flew towards the upper floors.

Leaving her hiding place, the fairy followed the spheres, climbing the identical floors in search of an exit.

Minutes passed with no destination in sight, no matter how high she climbed, nothing changed. She wondered if she should keep going, or if she should look for an alternative exit.

How long would it be before they noticed the bag was missing? How long until she became exhausted? Hungry? Thirsty? Where were Edric and the dragon? The rest of the group could go to hell.

Her face twisted into a grimace as her thoughts grew darker and darker, despair taking over her being while her small heart felt like a rock.

Suddenly, Eupherbia glimpsed something golden in the corner of her vision. Hiding on the side of the walkway that divided the floors, she spotted a group of octopus elves struggling to remove something from a cell.

All three of them pulled at long lengths of golden fabric, hurling insults and exclamations as something struggled to remain inside the enclosure, but with a final tug, the prisoner was revealed.

Intoner Four, bound and gagged again by scraps of her golden robes. She wore prison rags that covered the bare minimum and threw herself backward with her wrists tied together, releasing muffled screams as she glared at the jailers with hatred.

However, her struggle was in vain, the force of their numerical superiority threw her to the ground and the elves dragged her kicking and screaming to the gate at the end of the walkway.

The fairy's eyes widened at the sight and she pondered whether she should follow them or fend for herself. She couldn't care less about the damned Intoner, but Edric would be disappointed if he knew she did nothing to help.

Shaking her head to clear her doubts, she mentally berated herself for letting the talk of being a better person change her mind and followed the Intoner through the gate.

She stayed close to the ceiling and out of everyone's field of vision, descending a seemingly eternal dark staircase until she reached a metal door opened by one of the jailers.

There, the fairy was horrified by the complexity of the place. She found herself in a mix of fortresses and towers of stone fused to the thick trees of the Land of Forests, with enormous bridges suspended over dark chasms shrouded in mist.

She could see neither the top nor the bottom, only the immensity of passages, doors, arches, and labyrinthine corridors, with monstrosities leading hundreds of prisoners.

The jailers led Four to a collapsed bridge in the middle.

For a moment the fairy wondered if they would jump, but a series of metallic clicks caught her attention. A large elevator resembling a cubic cage descended from the mist above and stopped at the edge of the bridge, allowing the group to enter.

The fairy wasted no time in landing on top of the elevator's roof and grabbing the chain that supported it, tightening her grip as it began to rise. There she heard the conversation of the occupants.

"What is the status of the gargoyles and creatures production ?"

"We have reached an acceptable pace with the new batch of prisoners of war and stone from the Land of Sands. Intoner Two's alliance with our master has brought unexpected benefits."

"And our special specimens?"

"Intoner Five is at the top, powering the new device. The knight's sacrifice will take place soon, and the dragon has already been modified to our master's specifications."

"Perfect! Eternal knowledge awaits you, sirs, and our master will lead the way."

Eupherbia listened intently, taking in every detail as she ascended. She spotted swarms of gargoyles shrieking or adorning the floors, decrepit prisoners building bridges and fortifications, carving stone and wood, expanding the labyrinth.

Sometimes she would hear the screams of unknown beings in the distance, shuddering at the images her imagination created, or she would see someone breaking through the mist, falling to their death, which would be considered a relief.

The more time passed, the more she noticed the details around her, noticing the magical glow that seemed to surround all the buildings, and the metal pipes and strange devices that gradually appeared.

Eventually, the elevator stopped at another collapsed bridge, this one more preserved in appearance and adorned with statues of the Intoner who reigned over this place.

The bridge led to a large circular building partially constructed with an adorned metal dome on its top.

She followed the jailers into the building, passing through a pair of golden metal doors that opened automatically, and hiding behind a strange piece of metal on the ceiling. Inside the dome, a figure dressed in gold greeted the jailers with open arms.

"Four, it pleases me to see you again despite the circumstances. I hope you do not hold a grudge for what I did to your lands."

However, the Intoner in question could only glare at her sister with fulminating hatred, as fighting back proved futile.

"I see you haven't changed at all, always the good one. You may leave now, I'll take care of the rest!" Three said to her servants, who bowed before leaving the room.

Four wasted no time in running towards her sister but stopped when the pieces of fabric wrapped and tightened her body, completely restraining her.

"Forgive me, but I can't have you running around, that would be troublesome." Three then pulled a lever in the center of the dome, and Eupherbia realized the extent of the engineering in this place.

Deafening metallic clicks and mechanisms in motion reverberated through the walls. The floor and ceiling of the dome opened, revealing a multitude of brass wheels and gears flowing with steam and magic in a constant beat.

At that moment she realized she hid behind one of the wheels on the ceiling and had to fly backward to avoid being crushed against the mechanism.

A colossal metal cylinder rose from the ground in the center of the dome, surrounded by what appeared to be five metal sarcophagi with a small glass window, and a tangle of pulsating pipes connecting them to the cylinder.

A strange sphere made of wheels that shrank in size until its center where an intense blue light glowed connected with the top of the cylinder, releasing a hiss followed by a wave of scalding steam and a flash of light.

"This is Opanim, a marvel of engineering and magic bestowed upon me. You cannot imagine the work I went through to build it. Unfortunately, an acceptable power source proved to be a problem, that is until I had Five and you in my hands."

Squinting her eyes, Euphervia spotted something golden inside one of the sarcophagi, likely the fate of the captured Intoner and Four if she did not act.

"Would you like a demonstration? For our dear sister, One has graciously sent us practice targets."

Three pulled a second lever next to the first, causing several wheels with lenses in the center to descend from the ceiling and stop one in front of the other, creating a telescope that looked beyond the fog that surrounded the dome.

Everyone saw a fleet of airships with the Roman numeral I approaching Three's sanctuary, but the Intoner was unconcerned and snapped her fingers, manifesting a staff in her hands as her golden robes pulsed with power.

Opanim's wheels spun rapidly and the glow in its center intensified, the air boiling with magic as pistons and gears accelerated their movement.

Five struggled in her prison, her screams muffled by the metallic confinement, then Three swung her staff and the world disappeared for a second before a gigantic magical bolt left Opanim and struck one of the airships, reducing it to flaming wreckage.

The same happened with the second and third, with each swing of her staff, Three sent her enemies crashing to the ground. The eyes of the fairy and the imprisoned Intoner widened at the display, but no words left their mouths.

"That was fun, but I believe I should focus on something more important. My forces will take care of the rest."

The lenses moved again, pointing downwards and revealing a group of people fighting outside the sanctuary. Zero, Ditto, Decadus, and a small force of elves faced a tall, thin creature wearing a long purple cloak and a white mask with horns.

Three raised her arm again, but Eupherbia acted faster, removing several weapons from the bottomless bag and hurling them toward the mechanisms like cannonballs.

"What?!" The golden Intoner screamed in surprise, but it was too late.

A barrage of metal struck the various sensitive equipment scattered throughout the dome, crushing and bending wheels, jamming gears, and displacing pistons. Sparks and steam gushed out as the various parts struggled against their obstacles, trying to fulfill their function, but this only damaged them further.

"You fool, what have you done?!"

However, it was too late. The pieces jumped out of their sockets in a deafening cacophony, Opanim's wheels spun rapidly, turning into a blur raining sparks while the light in its center shone like a small sun.

Eupherbia enveloped herself in a magical bubble and Four rolled to the ground, turning her back to the great machine, then…

BOOM!

…The world became white and silent, returning with a muffled high-pitched hum and incomprehensible blurs. When the fairy came to, she found herself pinned to the metal dome, her head throbbing and ears aching, disorientation taking over her being.

Slowly, everything became clearer and she found herself amid absolute chaos, a sea of ​​blue magical flames and twisted metal, with pieces of the ceiling crashing down on the people below.

Shaking her head to dispel her confusion, Eupherbia flew towards Four who was thrown against the wall, and cut her bonds without wasting time with one of the swords from the bag, slapping her face with a magic attack to wake her up.

"OUCH! BASTARD!" The Intoner screamed as she woke up and saw the fairy staring at her with a frustrated face.

"SHUT UP! FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, JUST SHUT THE FUCK UP, GET YOUR SISTER AND LET'S GET OUT OF HERE! THIS IS NOT THE TIME FOR THIS!"

Four opened her mouth to respond but soon fell silent when the dome shook and creaked with cracks spreading across the floor.

Soon, the building slowly tilted with worrying creaks. Small objects slid across the floor towards the opening on the other side of the room, falling into the abyss below, followed by larger objects as the foundation gave out, including an unconscious Three, her robes the last to disappear.

The Intoner scrambled to her feet, her heart threatening to leap from her chest, and ran towards Five's prison, its lid now blown off by the explosion and held her rag-clad sister in her arms before running towards the exit.

It was a difficult climb as the floor slowly took on a ninety-degree angle, to the point where she had to dig in her heels to keep from falling backward, sweating profusely and hurling every insult she knew as the fairy retrieved the surviving weapons and stored them in the bag.

The group soon left the dome and ran towards the elevator, crossing the bridge that cracked and collapsed in their path as the main building disappeared into the mist.

The elevator door closed and it began to lurch downwards, throwing Four and her sister against the walls as the fairy flew out of the way. Pieces of complex machinery rained down along with rocks and other debris, to the point that during a violent lurch, the chains supporting the elevator snapped.

Everyone present screamed as they fell at a complex angle, hitting one of the long bridges where the elevator bounced like a ball, crushing everyone in its path until it crashed through a large metal door, raising a cloud of dust.

The surviving gargoyles and octopus elves approached with weapons and spells ready. Suddenly, the crushed elevator door flew out of the cloud, landing with a heavy thud, and something flashed at its point of origin.

"AAAHHH!" Eupherbia screamed with all her might, raising her arms and bombarding her enemies with magic.

Simultaneously, a barrage of weapons flew out of the bottomless bag, slashing, crushing, and piercing everyone in their path. She advanced across the bridge, eliminating everyone she encountered while Four followed close behind, still carrying her sister.

"Any ideas on how we will get out of here?!" Four asked, kicking a gargoyle, reducing it to dust.

"First we'll find Edric and the dragon, and then we'll get out of here!"

"Of course, you say it like it's easy!"

"Why don't you stop complaining and do something then?! I haven't seen you do anything useful yet! A thank you for the help would be a good start!"

"Hump! As if I would be grateful to a fairy!"

"Wow, is that how I acted before I met Edric?!"

"What did you say?!"

Then they both advanced through the labyrinthine passages of the complex, passing through torture cells, laboratories full of twisted experiments, ancient libraries, and more. However, there didn't seem to be a way out, until something caught their attention.

"The prisoner escaped!" One of the octopus elves shouted.

BOOM!

"By Lady Three, he's naked! AAAHHH!" A second one spoke, only for a scream of pain to interrupt his speech.

CRASH!

"Release the dragon!"

"RRROOOAAARRR!"

"No, no… ARGH!"

The fairy and Intoner stared at each other before following the sounds of fighting, turning a corner to the right, and entering another long bridge. Looking up, they saw a commotion on the upper floors of the building the bridge connected to.

A cloud of debris and dust spewed from the stone windows, followed by a crash and another wave of destruction on the lower floor. This process repeated itself quickly, from floor to floor until they reached the bridge, where something struck the metal doors on the other side, knocking them down.

A being stepped out of the cloud of dust, a tall figure with well-defined muscles, but those could be considered his only attractive features, for the rest of his appearance, was inhuman.

Extremely pale skin, almost gray like stone, covered in deep scars from cuts and punctures of varying sizes, large, poorly healed, and scarred burns, discolored sections from violent impacts, and dark veins pulsing through its flesh.

The fingers of its hands and feet ended in claws, and its face had sharp features, almost like those of a gargoyle, with a medium but pointed nose, sharp teeth but far from being fangs.

Deep-set eyes of a piercing blue that seemed to stare into your soul with dark circles just below, a pair of small horns protruding from its forehead, and short, disheveled silver hair.

The being breathed heavily, with handcuffs with remains of chains attached to its wrists and shins while it carried half a pillar as a weapon in its crushing grip.

"Hey, Edric!" Eupherbia waved casually, grinning from ear to ear as Four stared at her with wide eyes in a mix of surprise and disbelief.

"Eupherbia." Edric waved back, stepping closer as he caught his breath.

Four's gaze slowly drifted downward, taking in every detail of the knight's peculiar appearance, and her face grew redder and redder the lower she went until…

"Eyes up! You can fuck him after we get out of here!" Eupherbia scoffed, grinning from ear to ear as she pushed the Intoner's chin up.

Four swallowed hard, shaking her head quickly, dispelling certain thoughts as her face returned to normal. However, it was Edric's turn to look away in embarrassment as he took in the Intoner's poorly dressed form.

"Oh, forgive me! Eupherbia, could you hand me my bag? I believe I have some clothes that would fit Four." He said, covering the corner of his eyes with his hand.

"No, no! You should get dressed first! I at least have something to cover myself with!" Four replied, the redness returning to her face as she glared again, steaming like a kettle.

"Why do you turn into a saint every time you're near him?" Eupherbia asked sarcastically but got no answer as Edric and Four still argued over who should get dressed first while trying to avoid staring too much.

However, footsteps coming from both sides of the bridge and a heavy flapping of wings from above interrupted them both. Octopus elves, gargoyles, and crazed prisoners quickly approached, including a large shape in the mist.

"We need to leave, now!" Edric shouted, running to the side of the bridge and spotting another one in the mist below.

"Please, we can handle this cannon fodder." Four replied confidently.

"I'm not worried about them, but that!" Edric said, pointing to the large shape in the mist, revealing the black dragon swooping down with flames streaming from its mouth.

"Fuck!" the Intoner screamed, leaping down to the bridge below without a second thought.

Edric and Eupherbia did the same, avoiding the dragon's flames, feeling the scorching heat touch their backs as they fell, and hearing the resulting crash and death screams.

Soon the knight, the fairy, and the two Intoners resumed their flight, with their former ally chasing them in blind fury.

Meanwhile, several questions ran through their minds: What happened to the dragon? Was there a way out? Were Zero and her group still alive? What happened to One and Two? Was there any way to end this war?

Unfortunately, only one thing was certain: the demons feasted on this bloodbath.

END OF CHAPTER

Notes:

Well, after so long we finally have Edric's appearance revealed. I know it may seem strange, but throughout Demon's Souls, we see the changes that one of them causes to the people who possess them in the form of most of the bosses, so I imagined how the protagonist would appear after completing his journey and absorbing all the souls, but keeping them under control.

Apart from that, I would like to announce that I have corrected the grammar of the previous chapters, from chapter 1 to 12.

The story progresses, Three has fallen to his apparent death, the dragon is out of control while Edric's group tries to escape and Zero's group faces a new monster.

That's it for now, leave your comments and opinions, don't forget to kudo and see you in the next chapter!

Chapter 21: Land of Forests Part 2

"RRROOOAAARRR!”

The Black Dragon roared in blind fury, shaking the air. The beating of its great wings reverberated through the solid buildings around it as it pursued its former companions.

Edric, Eupherbia, Four, and the unconscious Five in his arms fled across another of the long stone bridges connecting the buildings of the Tower of Latria under construction, trying to enter a narrow passage where the out-of-control beast could not reach them.

However, the Dragon would not allow its prey to escape. Breathing deeply, an orange glow glowed in its stomach as smoke escaped from the corners of its mouth, preparing to spit a fiery tide.

The fugitives realized its plan and intensified their efforts, accelerating their run and closing the distance quickly.

Unfortunately, there was not enough time.  The Dragon opened its colossal mouth, adorned with sword-sharp fangs, and spat a scorching inferno toward her.

"Here, hold this dead weight!" Four threw the half-naked woman in her arms toward Edric, who fumbled to catch her due to the unexpected action, but kept running, carrying her on his shoulder.

The Intoner then stopped and turned to face the approaching flames.

"Four, what are you—"

"Keep running!"

She didn't allow the knight to finish and took a deep breath, mimicking her enemy's actions and summoning her own power now that she was free of the golden bonds.

Green magic coursed through her body, magical circles filled with luminous sigils surrounded her, and with the opening of her mouth, the air vibrated with the Power of Song.

An emerald barrier placed itself in front of the fire, blocking its advance.  It quickly became a power struggle, with both combatants maintaining their respective techniques, fighting for dominance.

Suddenly, cracks appeared in the barrier, and the victor became obvious, as the Intoner fought her natural enemy. However, she refused to give up, raising her barrier and giving her partners as much time as possible to escape.

Sweat poured down her face, her heart pounding. Deep down, amidst the fear and anger she felt, she wondered what the hell she was doing.

Eventually, both combatants had to breathe, ending their actions. The fire ceased, engulfing the bridge in smoke, and the barrier disappeared, allowing Four to turn and follow her companions, who now disappeared on the other side of the bridge.

She chanted again, activating her Intoner Mode, not to continue the fight, but to escape. Each of her steps cracked the ground, moving at inhuman speed.

Simultaneously, the Dragon flapped its wings, scattering the smoke with a gale, spotting its target reaching the entrance to the building ahead.

Roaring again, its animalistic instincts wouldn't allow its prey to escape its grasp, so it closed its wings and dove like a cannonball, spreading them close to the ground, breaking its fall as it soared above the bridge.

Four's face contorted in despair as the beast's gaping maw approached, hurling every insult it knew, cursing every being it considered responsible for its current predicament.

Looking ahead, the Intoner barely had time to lower her head and dodge the gleaming magical projectiles that flew toward her, striking and slowing her pursuer.

Edric and Eupherbia cast spell after spell, standing in the archway ahead, shouting at her to hurry.

There was no need to repeat it; the Intoner screamed in exertion, pushing her body to its limit as a spell struck the Dragon's eye, causing it to lose control of its flight and skid across the floor.

Gathered together, the fugitives moved deeper into the corridor, hearing the crash and feeling the earth-shattering tremor of the great creature colliding with the entrance.

A wave of dust obscured their vision, and when it cleared, they saw the Dragon's head wedged in the entrance, struggling, trying to escape.

At that moment, everyone had time to analyze the new appearance of their pursuer, not unlike the Dragon Gabriel.

Unlike One's Dragon, the Black Dragon possessed an armored form, with a metal helmet and jaw guard protecting its head and chin, with openings for its horns, eyes, and snout.

Metal plates protected its neck and back, along with a seat for a rider.

A golden glow shone between the plates, emanating a disturbing yet familiar magical power.

Soon everyone present realized the source of the dragon's madness, for they had witnessed Three's origins.

"What did she do to you?" Edric took hesitant steps toward the winged being, pondering how to help him.

He didn't get far; Four grabbed his free wrist and Eupherbia grabbed his shoulder, pulling him in the opposite direction.

"That thing tried to kill us! We need to get out of here before that damned lizard escapes!"

"We can help the grumpy Dragon later, Edric!"

The knight protested, hating the idea of abandoning a companion, even if their partnership was based on pure and apparent convenience.

The imprisoned beast didn't share his feelings, blinded by insanity; their exploits and adventures, moments of joy and sorrow, bonds and connection no longer made sense.

It thrashed wildly, violently slamming its head against the walls, sending reverberating booms and damaging the structure, which was now slowly cracking.

They pulled harder, dragging the Demon Slayer's feet across the floor.

Edric stopped struggling and watched, the world blurring and sounds muffled, time slowing, and the Dragon coming into focus.

"I will return to you! I swear on my honor that I will! I will not lose another companion again!"

Then, he made his choice. Clucking his tongue, he turned his back on the Black Dragon, fleeing with a sinking heart, shame and revolt coursing through him.

Blinding light and scorching heat followed the fleeing group, and they didn't need to turn to discover what was approaching.

Abandoning the main passage, Four knocked a side door off its hinges with a punch, revealing a long stone staircase leading downward.

They walked along the dark, narrow path, catching glimpses of the outside through several small windows, flocks of screeching gargoyles, and patrols of octopus-elves with weapons and torches in hand, all amidst the mist that seemed to consume their bodies.

The sounds of the Dragon became muffled, fading into the distance, and the path led them to a dimly lit corridor.

Footsteps caused the group to back up and press against the wall, allowing a patrol of octopus-elves to pass right by, disappearing around a distant corner.

Waiting for someone else, Edric, Four, Eupherbia, and the unconscious Five continued their advance, heading in the opposite direction of the patrol, uneasy at the silence that followed.

It was impossible to pinpoint their exact location; the labyrinthine interior of the building seemed to stretch on forever.

Turn after turn, passage after passage, they created distance from their enemies, erasing their tracks until their bodies protested the relentless effort.

Searching for a safe place, they carefully opened the wooden doors they found, stopping when they came across what appeared to be an abandoned kitchen, locking the door behind them and choosing their moment to rest.

"Damn it..." Edric growled through clenched teeth, gently laying Five down on a dusty old table.

"Ha, I'd say much more than that! I'm already regretting not running away when I had the chance!" Eupherbia sat on his shoulder.

The fairy offered a playful smile, expecting an equivalent response from her partner as usual, but frowned in concern at his reaction.

He looked at the ground, clenching his fists, whitening his already pale skin, his sharp nails sinking into his flesh, drawing blood.

The grinding of his teeth was audible, and although his hair hid the upper part of his face, it wasn't hard to guess what he was feeling.

"Hey, I'm also pissed about what happened to the Dragon. That bitch Three managed to get a collar on him, but you can fix that, can't you? You always can. We're going to beat the shit out of Three, and you're going to pull some magic thing out of your weird bag and fix the giant lizard's head, then we'll all fly out of here. What do you think?"

She smiled again, offering a hopeful look, but her expression faltered at the lack of response.

"Hey, answer! Please, say something! Where's the fearless knight in shining armor? I swear I'll leave if you don't! Don't tell me you've given up?"

Poking her friend's left cheek, concern filled her small voice.

As if struck by lightning, he jerked his head up, knocking the fairy off his shoulder, who immediately took flight, landing in front of his face.

"Me? Give up? Those words don't belong in the same sentence. None of my deaths, no matter how cruel, made me give up, none of my defeats and failures made me give up, no demon or monster did. They made me stronger, every challenge overcome strengthened my resolve. I wouldn't be here now if I had given up, none of us, not even the world. Three's biggest mistake was not killing me when she had the chance. Unfortunately, we are outnumbered, in the middle of enemy territory. We need to regain our strength and escape. We must reunite with Zero and the Disciples and report everything we saw, then we will decide our next move."

The fairy nodded, her face glowing with joy, though there was a pang of fear burning in her chest thanks to his cold, serious tone.

The inhuman features on his face only accentuated his barely contained rage. His eyes glowed a piercing blue, his sharp teeth bared like a beast's, and the dark veins in his skin pulsed with boiling blood.

The knight asked for his bottomless bag, which the fairy handed over. Then he equipped his armor, sword, shield, magic rings, and other familiar items and surveyed his surroundings, focusing on Intoner Four, who remained seated in a corner, muttering to herself.

"Here, put this on. A lady shouldn't walk around in rags."

Crouching down in front of the woman, he offered her a set of armor.

"W-what is this?" She lifted her head, snapping out of her stupor.

"The plate set, typically found on Boletarian soldiers. It's simple, but reasonably sturdy."

"T-thank you..." She accepted the garments with trembling hands, and he turned away, giving her privacy to dress.

"You can look now."

With Four's permission, Edric turned, seeing her wearing brown leather armor held together by belts, with long sleeves of thick fabric ending in gloves, and metal plates protecting her shoulders, waist, and legs.

"How do I look?"

"Hm... You look more prepared for combat than in your normal clothes."

Her expression fell; it wasn't the answer she wanted, but the corners of her mouth lifted slightly, finding a certain humor in the comment. It certainly helped lighten the situation.

"Just don't ask me to wear the helmet; it's ridiculous."

"I would protest against it, but you seem to have a lot on your mind right now, so I won't bother you with something so minor."

"Yes, please..."

Then silence returned, and she sat down in a chair, dragging her hands through her hair.

The sound of a chair being placed in front of her caught her attention, and she found Edric staring at her casually.

"You want to talk about it?"

"Talk about what?"

"What's bothering you."

She looked away, choosing to focus on anything but the armored man, licking her lips as she considered what to say.

A variety of feelings coursed through her, and countless thoughts raced through her mind.

Anger, revolt, confusion, sadness, questions about when everything began to unravel. What happened to her land? Her sisters? What were these monsters? Where did they come from? How could she be deceived?

Her behavior became erratic, tremors racking her body, her legs clenching tightly as her face contorted with uncontrolled emotions.

She opened her mouth, ready to release everything she felt, but only a muffled sound escaped her lips.

“MUNPH!”

“SSSHHH!” Edric covered her mouth as he placed a finger in front of his helmet, making her narrow her eyes in anger, but never getting the chance to continue.

He pointed to the door, and everyone watched tensely as the footsteps grew louder, passed in front of the door, and disappeared.

"Forgive me, try again, but control yourself. We can't be discovered."

Removing his hand from Four's mouth, he allowed her to take a deep breath, calming her racing heart before speaking in an exasperated tone.

“What’s going on here? These monsters? This place? Three? This doesn’t make sense! One day everything was fine, and the next there was a war! Five, that stupid, empty-headed bitch, lost her land in the first few days, and we had to drag her along like a helpless maiden. Apparently, her cow breasts didn’t seduce her enemies, unlike her men. I have no doubt they’ve abandoned their posts now that she’s no longer there to suck their cocks! If it were up to me, I’d feed her to the dragon! I allied myself with One, the sister I trust most. It was my chance to prove myself to her, to become her right-hand woman, to finally be recognized and praised, and perhaps achieve something more personal… But I was an idiot, an imbecile, a fool. I was betrayed by her men at a crucial moment! Do you know how it feels to see everything crumbling around you, everything you worked so hard to build turning to dust? I know. I’ve seen the dead come back to life, devouring the living, and…  Increasing their numbers, an endless horde that stops at nothing, destroying my land. And as if that weren't enough, my disciple turned into a monster, betrayed me at the first opportunity, and now I'm here, hostage to my psychopathic sister and her boy toy!

"I'm not your sister's boy toy! Whatever this means! She irritates me to no end!"

"Of course, I bet you think that when she rides you like a dragon!!"

The knight sighed wearily, shaking his head as he held the front of his helmet. Simultaneously, the fairy on his shoulder laughed, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively at him.

"I have no idea what happened to Two and the Prince Charming she calls her boyfriend! They're both soft-hearted idiots, helping everyone without a second thought and getting stabbed in the back because of it! I hope they're rotting in a ditch in the hellish desert they call home! And One... One! If I ever find her again, I'll wrap my hands around her perfectly soft neck, gradually squeezing it, watching the air leave her lungs and her eyes pop out of her head. And when it's all said and done, I'll go after Zero and the traitorous disciples, and in the end, I'll leave this cursed land called Midgard and live in a place far from everything and everyone!"

Siience returned to the kitchen, the only sound being the enraged Intoner catching her breath. Meanwhile, Edic and Eupherbia watched with wide eyes as the insults and invectives were hurled, wondering how one person could bottle up so many problems.

Minutes later, clarity returned to Four's mind, and she realized what she had done, blushing a deep red as she fiddled with her fingers nervously.

"I-I mean... Don't get me wrong... Actually..."

"Do you feel better now?"

"Yes, thanks for listening to me... I don't know what came over me, but this happens sometimes until I can't hold it in anymore and explode, for lack of a better word."

"Good, it's not healthy to hide your feelings like this. You need to let them out occasionally, and while I don't agree with everything you said, I understand some of your points. Do you remember the conversation we had on the airship? About The Second Scourge and the demons? Well, that's happening here."

"No, that's not possible! So what you said is true? Forget it, of course it's true! I saw Three wearing the golden robes, the Old Monk's, right?"

"Exactly. Three's robes are an archdemon, and he taught her the magical arts and knowledge of Latria. Now, your sister plans to cause a third Scourge and awaken the Old One. This will weaken the fabric of reality, allowing her to travel to other worlds in search of creating the perfect doll."

"This... This is a lot to process... Other worlds? Old One? You speak of many things I know nothing about. Start from the beginning, please."

"Hm... Normally, I wouldn't share my knowledge so easily. It's the kind of subject that shouldn't be treated lightly, but considering old enemies are returning, it's best that everyone knows what to expect. Eupherbia, this also applies to you. Listen carefully, for this will be a long story. On the first day, man was granted a soul, and with it, clarity. On the second day, an irrevocable poison was planted upon the earth, a soul-devouring demon.”

-XXXXXX-

Edric murmured an ancient song from his homeland, stirring a stew in a wood-burning stove lit by his spell.

Tasting the food, he frowned; it was acceptable despite the old and scarce ingredients, but far from his quality standards.

He filled three bowls with the stew, placing a spoon in each, and placed two on a table near where Five rested, where Eupherbia and Four stood like statues with wide eyes and open mouths, faces filled with horror.

The knight pulled out a chair, blowing on his food before savoring it, oblivious to the glazed eyes that followed his every move.

"What the fuck was that?!" Four slammed her fists on the table, nearly knocking everything to the floor.

"Be careful with the food, I worked hard with what little I had!"

"Did you die?!"  The fairy pointed her small, trembling finger at the man.

"Yes, stabbed, crushed, impaled, burned, devoured, and more, but don't worry, I'm used to it, though I fear my next death will be permanent, considering I'm no longer trapped in the Nexus." He shrugged.

"How can you talk about this so easily?! I've been afraid of dying ever since we embarked on this suicidal journey, and here you are treating death as if it were an inconvenience!"

"Eupherbia, I understand your outrage, but there's nothing you can do about it. I've become desensitized to my death, though I've been worried about how close I've come to my end recently."

"Just... Just promise me you'll be careful."

"I promise, but fate constantly conspires to make me break my promises."

She lowered her head, sighing in resignation, knowing it was true.  Then she used her magic to control a spoon and scoop up the stew, eating it with a downcast posture and face.

Edric, meanwhile, tapped the table rhythmically, wondering how he should comfort the fairy, but nothing came to mind. It was impossible to change the past; what was done was done; you could only accept it and move on.

"You're a fairytale hero, aren't you? A knight in shining armor. I wonder what book you came from."

Despite the kind words, a sarcastic tone consumed the Intoner's voice, her head resting on her hand and a mocking smile.

"I'm far from that. Fairy tales have happy endings. Mine was bittersweet, to say the least. And my armor lost its shine long ago."

"But you saved the world, didn't you? A lone warrior faced hordes of demons and treacherous lands while my sisters and I barely managed to keep Midgard intact. How did all this chaos go unnoticed by us? One wouldn't have thought twice about helping if she had known."

"Hm... I didn't act alone. I lost many friends and allies, and I couldn't save the devoured souls. You Intoners have your own challenges to overcome. Ruling kingdoms involves much more than swinging a sword and slaying monsters. I desire distance from politics and administration. Regarding Boletaria, no one in Midgard seems to know about the kingdom, despite its size and influence. However, I can't say if I did a good job saving it, as the demons have returned."

"That's something I'd like to know. You killed them! How are they here now?"

"I don't know. I killed all the archdemons and absorbed their souls! My appearance proves it!"

"So you weren't always like this?"

"No, I'm human, or at least I was. You can't comprehend how powerful a Demon Soul is. The Colorless versions are those of growing demons and are capable of transforming people into monsters; those of archdemons grant even greater power to their user, and consequently, a greater transformation. I turned them into weapons, miracles, and spells, but their power still passed through my body, touching my soul, transforming it into something more... powerful. Do you know how many I have in my control?"

He leaned toward Intoner, his voice taking on a low tone, almost a whisper, carrying a long, painful history behind it.

Four leaned closer, her heart pounding, a mixture of curiosity and dread to know more.

"How many?"

"Twenty-five."

Her mouth formed a thin line, and a shiver ran through her.  She slowly returned to her seat, nodding softly at the words spoken.

"I was so close to becoming a monster, or maybe I am, considering all the souls I've absorbed."

He looked down at the floor, pressing his hand against the table until the wood cracked, trembling gently as he applied more pressure.

"You're not a monster," Four whispered, but whether the knight heard or not, he didn't show it.

-XXXXXX-

Moments later, everyone had finished their meals, resting with full stomachs but low spirits. The recent revelations weighed heavily on everyone's minds.

Eupherbia had returned to her bottomless bag, asking to be called if they needed help.

Edric remained sitting on the floor, holding a large sword with a spiral-forged blade in front of his face.

And Four was clipping her nails with a dagger given to her by the knight.

"So, what's the plan?"

"I'm working on it, but I don't know if it will work. Have I told you how I entered Boletaria? I passed through a rift made in the Old One's colorless fog by a powerful attack from the warriors known as the Twin Fangs. I believe we can do the same here, but we would have to descend to the ground. I don't know how high we are, but we can't risk parting the mist that binds us only to find ourselves hundreds of meters above the ground."

"And this sword of yours can do that?"

"Perhaps so. The Storm Ruler is a sword capable of cutting the sky, but much of its power has been lost. We would need a great source of magic to empower it. I would like your help with this. I need you to wield the sword and sing, pouring your magic into it and opening a way out with a devastating swing."

"I've never used a sword before, but I can try. Do you have a backup plan if this doesn't work?"

"Other than killing Three and demolishing this damned prison brick by brick, then no."

"I figured, then, what are we waiting for?" She brushed the dust off her armor and tossed the dagger to Edric, who caught it and put it in his bag, then stood up.

"Forgive my words, but you're being strangely cooperative. I thought you'd protest more."

"I have nowhere to go. I have a crazy sister waiting for me inside and outside the fog, so I'd rather stay with the only one who doesn't want to kill me."

"Do I look like a living shield?"

"Well, you protected me from Zero on my airship. I guess I can count on you to protect me again." The Intoner clasped her hands behind her back and tilted her head playfully.

The knight tried to rub his forehead in frustration, briefly forgetting he was wearing a helmet, and clicked his tongue in resignation.

"I'll speak to your sister about your cooperation when we get out of here."

"Thank you, but what are we going to do with Five? She's not awake yet."

Both their heads turned to the blonde sleeping on the table, oblivious to what was going on around her.

"Eupherbia?" Edric called, and the fairy left bag.

"Yes?"

"Wake Five, but don't overdo it."

"I'll take care of it!" The small being approached the Intoner with a devilish smile.

Magic pooled in her hands, and a magical bolt struck the young woman's side, causing her to wake up immediately from the shock, sitting up on the table with wide eyes and a frightened face.

Confusion replaced her current feelings, and she let out a pained groan, clutching her head as she looked around with blurred vision, licking her lips as she realized how incredibly thirsty she felt.

"Here."  Edric offered her a full mug of water, courtesy of his Water Veil spell.

She accepted without a second thought, drinking as if her life depended on it, spilling and choking on half the water, only to ask for more when she finished.

After long minutes of drinking and recovering, some of the clouds in her mind lifted, and she wondered what was happening.

"Wait, I know you both. You're the knight of Cathedral City, and you're the fairy of Yurt. And you're..." She spoke weakly, struggling with each word as she pointed at the knight and the fairy, but having trouble identifying the latter.

"It's me, Five, your sister, Four.”

"Four, is that really you?" A hopeful tone crept into her voice.

"Yes."

"Am I dreaming?"

"No, I rescued you from Three. You're safe now." Four puffed out her chest proudly, not daring to look at the disbelieving fairy and knight.

"And I thought she could change."

"Adapting to the situation is an admirable skill, but I can't say the same about lying to others' faces."

Of all the reactions Five could have had, the one she chose was the least expected, throwing herself toward her sister, trapping her in a crushing hug that, due to the height difference, left Four trapped between two mountains as she screamed in agony.

-XXXXXX-

"So, *MUNCH!* That magic sword of yours *MUNCH!* can create an exit for us, but you need Four to sing for it? The food is delicious, by the way."  Five devoured the stew, emptying the cauldron with colossal voracity, much to the chagrin of those present due to her lack of table manners.

"Thank you very much, I'm glad you liked my work, and yes, that's the plan, and your help would be welcome, unless you wish to remain here."

She set her spoon aside and assumed a thoughtful expression, causing the people in front of her to glance at each other, exchanging an unspoken question.

What happened to Five?

Everyone knew her attitude, her flirtations, her lust and confidence, but the person in front of them was anything but. That glow that had captured everyone's admiration was fading.

"Can you tell me what happened to the Land of the Seas?"

"I didn't stay to find out, but I believe the same thing happened in the Land of Mountains, overrun by the Invaders and Monsters of Three and the populace... If they didn't become undead, then they were imprisoned and subjected to unspeakable experiments and torture."

The Intoner flinched at the mention of those words, hugging herself tightly as she bit her lower lip.

"Sister..."

"Not now, Four."

The young woman's outstretched hand quickly retreated, and she just watched, wondering what had happened.

Five, meanwhile, stood up, wiping her mouth and glaring at the group with scorching fire and fury partially obscured by a cascade of gold, giving her an appearance of uncontrolled savagery.

"You can't imagine how much I'm holding back from breaking down this door and destroying everything in front of me until I find Three and rip her head off. I know that would be stupid, I know this isn't the time, I want this so badly, but I know it's useless now. You want my help? Then I will, but I want something in return. I want to be part of your group and fight this war, avenge my land and my subjects who suffered for my mistakes. I didn't take this conflict seriously, and innocent people paid for it. I refuse to make the same mistake again."

"The more hands helping us, the better. We lost an ally to the enemy; we need powerful individuals to fill the void left."

"Sister, I never imagined something like this would come from you."

"What can I say, Four? It's time to be a competent ruler. I only had to lose almost everything to realize I should change. Now, could someone give me some clothes and a weapon? I'm tired of wearing these rags, unless you're enjoying the view?" 

She smiled seductively and leaned forward, giving everyone a glimpse of her cleavage nearly spilling out of what little she was wearing.

However, the audience only let out a mixture of complaints, grumbles, and sighs as they glimpsed the Five they knew.

Edric rummaged through his bottomless bag and removed a set of clothes and a spear, handing them to the blonde, who thanked him and began to dress.

Everyone turned their backs, giving the woman privacy despite her protests.

"Haha! You can watch, I don't mind. Treat the show as a reward for rescuing me."

"A true knight shouldn't stare at a lady while she dresses."

"I'm not you, Five, I have basic dignity."

"Seriously, can I?!"

"Eupherbia, come here!"

"Damn it!”

"There, you can look now."

It was like looking at a painting of a holy woman. Five wore long white robes embroidered in red and gold, with long sleeves, gloves, and pearl-colored boots.

The clothes extended to her calves except for the front, where there was room for the legs, revealing a pair of black pants that hugged it, with a piece of white fabric ending in a red symbol covering her crotch.

Despite her holy appearance, the Intoner was anything but. The fabric hugged her body, accentuating all her curves, highlighting her breasts, waist, hips, and thighs.

"So, ready to go?" She swung her spear above her head, slamming its butt against the ground as she posed with her hand on her hip.

Four and Eupherbia stared with glazed eyes and mouths set in thin lines, either in admiration or frustration.

A whisper snapped them out of their stupor, and to their confusion, the knight murmured something, the few words they caught sounding like a prayer.

"Yes, we must leave as soon as possible, but there's something you need to know. I've lent you my Blessed Winged Spear, blessed with a regenerative miracle that heals your wounds and restores your health. It's a slow process, so don't fight as if you're invincible."

The Intoner's eyes widened, her expression taking on a surprised expression as she held the weapon in front of her face, running her gloved fingers down the length of the spear, noticing the faint golden glow that enveloped its metal. Otherwise, it looked like any other spear.

"Oh, I didn't expect anything like this. Thank you for the wonderful gift. I didn't know you cared so much about me. I'll make sure to put it to good use."

Approaching with long strides and a sway of her hips, she placed herself in front of the knight, whose gaze refused to look down, remaining focused on the wall ahead.

"It's not a gift. I expect all my gear to be returned when this is all over."

His words earned a pout and an adorable flutter of her eyelashes as she closed the distance, almost pressing her curvaceous body against the cold armor.

"That's a shame. I liked the clothes too. They're a little tight, but nothing a few adjustments can't fix. Is there any chance I could keep them?"

"Show me what you're capable of, and I'll think about it."

Edric stepped aside, escaping the uncomfortable proximity many would kill for, clearing the way toward the door, politely gesturing for Five to move forward.

"I didn't think you'd be so bold. I can't wait."

Passing the knight, she offered a seductive smile, blowing him a kiss before continuing on her way, failing to hear his next words.

"Gods, protect me from temptation before I do something I regret."

"Cough! Cough!"

Looking toward the source of the noise, Edric found a fairy and the remaining Intoner watching him. The former with a smile that touched her nearly closed eyes, and the latter with her arms crossed and a frown as she stomped the ground repeatedly.

"Are you going to give me a weapon now that you're done flirting with my sister?"

"I wasn't... Forget it. These are the Iron Knuckles, they have a short range, but they're light enough to deliver successive blows."

"Okay, and what else?"

"And nothing else, they're just compatible with your fighting style."

"So Five gets a blessed spear and I don't?"

"I didn't give you a blessed weapon because I trust in your abilities to avoid finding yourself in a situation where you need one."

"Oh!"

Her posture changed immediately, equipping the weapon with a slight blush on her face, avoiding looking at the knight's helmet.

Swiping a few blows in the air, she tested its weight and speed, and with that done, the group checked outside the kitchen, seeing an empty hallway.

Edric cast Cloack, rendering the group invisible, and together they set off in search of an exit.

They descended and descended, traversing long, claustrophobic corridors lit by green torches, dusty spiral staircases, and massive bridges shrouded in suffocating fumes.

The creaking of the chains and mechanisms of the cage elevators sent shivers through their nerves, all having experienced the crushing anxiety of not knowing their fate.

Swarms of gargoyles patrolled the skies, screeching and screaming in distorted voices, the beating of their rocky wings causing the fugitives to tighten their grip on their weapons, anticipating the worst.

Strange figures crawled along the walls of the buildings, increasing in number as they descended.

Their forms remained hidden, but the clicking of their many legs stirred everyone's imagination with disturbing images.

Time passed, and they continued on, wondering if there was an end to this labyrinth, stopping occasionally to rest, catch their breath, and quench their thirst before Edric cast the spell again.

A shadow larger than all the others loomed over them as they crossed another bridge, and a flapping of wings greater than all others shook the heavens, followed by a deafening, guttural roar.

It wasn't hard to guess who it was, and they wasted no time moving before they were discovered.

Eventually, they reached the depths, their footsteps the only sound. The silence made the constant noises of the upper levels desirable, but there was no turning back now.

The passages gave way to walkways divided into levels, each with dark, damp, and musty prison cells locked with rusty bars.

Moans and cries came from their prisoners, figures large and small, male and female, dressed in rags, but now unrecognizable.

With sunken eyes, skeletal, hairless bodies, brown, wounded, and withered skin hugging their bones, this was the fate of those captured by the gargoyles, soldiers and civilians alike, all would suffer the same fate, thrown onto spikes, irons, chains, and pliers.

And the smell, by the gods, the smell, a mixture of blood and dried waste, turned the stomachs of those present who were still sane enough to care.

Four, Five, and Eupherbia watched in horror, fighting the urge to vomit.

The first two suffered the worst for being rulers, consumed by a feeling of failure and defeat against everything and everyone. They fought to protect these people, and here they were, slowly wasting away.

The knight was the least responsive; after all, what could they do? There was no way to save them.

Their souls were shattered just like their bodies; even if healed, would their minds be able to withstand the horrors they had witnessed?

How many times had he emptied his stomach onto the ground, whether in Latria or in the other lands? The sight of suffering was routine now.

How many corpses had he witnessed? Countless, after all, he'd walked through mountains of them.

How many times had he felt useless for not being able to save them all? Impossible to know; in the end, death was a mercy. Companions, innocent and sinners alike, all perished on the great journey, except for him. The Nexus was not so merciful to its prisoners.

A particularly narrow staircase led them to a wide rocky road, and the dead grass poking through the cobblestones on the ground indicated they had reached the ground.

Progress, finally.

To the left, they spotted a large, dark stone church, adorned with lifeless gargoyles and stained-glass windows depicting the ruler of this place in her demonic robes.

Muffled sounds emanated from the building, agitated voices full of faith and clamor, offering praise and prayers to their Goddess.

A fervent male voice, likely the religious preacher leading the mass, stood out from the rest, stirring the congregation into a frenzy.

The fugitives exchanged glances, turning right without a second thought, away from the voices that faded into the distance, and arriving at a long bridge suspended over a dark abyss.

A majestic, or disturbing, depending on your perspective, statue stood at the bridge's entrance. Three, arms outstretched, welcomed all the poor souls coming in the opposite direction, heading to their unfortunate fates.

"Wait!"

Edric raised his hand, stopping the group and approaching the base of the statue, melting it with a flaming spell.

Several creaks and creaks came from the artwork, and the statue opened sideways, revealing rows of now-defunct repeating crossbows.

The group gave the knight a questioning look.

"I"ve encountered a similar trap in the past."

Continuing, they crossed the bridge without interruption, hearing disturbing sounds coming from the abyss below, a wet, slimy slurp, and glimpsed massive forms lurking in the depths.

Finally, they reached a large, open courtyard, and before them, a wall of mist awaited them.

"It's time." Edric removed the Storm Ruler from his bag, handing it to Four.

"I just need to put my power into the sword and swing it, okay?"

"Correct, but your song will surely attract our enemies. We will protect you, but please hurry."

"Of course, of course, no pressure."

She stopped in front of the immobile barrier, watching it as if it might attack at any moment. Taking a deep breath, the Intoner held the sword in front of her face, summoning her power of song.

At first, nothing happened; her soft voice reverberated through the air, breaking the stifling silence. However, a light breeze swept through the courtyard, converging toward the singer.

Five's golden curls swayed, Eupherbia flapped her wings to stay in place, and Edric looked up, sheathing his sword and shield and removing his Composite Long Bow and a quiver of arrows from his bag.

"Here they come."

"SCREEE!"

Dark outlines appeared in the clouds above, and a swarm of gargoyles descended from the sky, rapiers and crossbows in hand.

Immediately, an arrow ripped through the air like a bolt of lightning, destroying the head of the swarm leader and burying itself in the chest of the one following behind, sending it plummeting to the ground.

As soon as the first arrow struck its mark, the third left the bow, accompanied by several shimmering magical projectiles, courtesy of the little fairy.

The magic of the attacks exploded as they collided with their enemies, obscuring them in a cloud of smoke followed by a hail of stone.

However, the gargoyles were numerous, breaking through the smoke only to be met by deafening sound waves, a wall of sound that pulverized their bodies.

"How are things going there, sister?!"

"It's almost ready, I need more time!"

"Better hurry, we won't hold them off forever!"

Five shielded her eyes as a gale blew a cloud of dust into her face, the winds singing, becoming visible to the naked eye.

The defense continued, arrows, magic, and sound sending piles of gargoyles crashing to the ground, but their numbers only increased, and their screams mingled with the sudden thunder.

Edric shouted for Five and Eupherbia to back away, sheathing his bow and raising his talisman, casting Wrath of the Gods as his enemies closed in around him.

A powerful shockwave created a crater with Edric at its center, surrounded by shattered statues, but it wasn't enough to stop the monsters' advance.

Before he could draw his sword, a gargoyle charged enraged, attempting to pierce him with its rapier, but a golden blur passed by, thrusting a spear toward the monster's mouth, decapitating it.

Five fought with unwavering determination, rage burning in her chest as she brought an end to those who dared invade her land and slaughter her people.

The second gargoyle lost its legs with a low swing and had its head trampled upon hitting the ground.

The third received a side kick and a thrust to the chest, lifting it and throwing it toward its companions.

The Intoner had disappeared amidst the monstrosities, her hair flashing through the flying fragments of rock.

Eupherbia enveloped herself in magic, transforming into a luminous sphere and hurling herself at the rocky crowd, passing through their bodies as if they were made of paper, leaving a luminous trail in her wake.

When her run ended, she released all her accumulated energy, creating a dome that expanded like a solid wall, crushing everyone nearby.

Blinding flashes illuminated the gloomy landscape, creating shadows that danced in terror, revealing the last moments of their owners.

Suddenly, to everyone's horror, a heavy flapping of wings reverberated through the surroundings, and a large figure dove from above, creating a small earthquake followed by a wave of dust.

Five and Eupherbia retreated and huddled together, watching the crash site with tense faces. Sweat dripped down their faces as the armored form of the Black Dragon revealed itself, with Three riding on its back.

"Hello, dear sister." Three smiled broadly, her skin hugging the bones of her face, giving her a cadaverous appearance, intensified by the light of the lightning that split the sky.

"You have no right to refer to me that way, Three," She replied, pointing her spear at the woman dressed in gold.

Ribbons of rain fell timidly, crackling as they hit the cold, dead ground of the courtyard.  Gradually, the splashing grew louder, heralding the arrival of something greater.

"You hurt me. I thought we'd grown closer."

Gargoyles landed near the dragon, slowly spreading out to surround the combatants. Simultaneously, the winds surrounded Four and the sword, lifting her hair and clothes into a miniaturized tornado.

The fairy and the Intoner analyzed their situation, switching from target to target, preparing to attack whenever one of the monsters threatened to advance.

"Your plan will not work. I know what this sword is capable of, and I will not allow you to leave. I have longed to do so much to you all, so many experiments..."

A flash illuminated the dark land, and the storm came like divine wrath, a heavy downpour that bathed the entire complex of bridges and towers, creating endless waterfalls and rivers, drowning out the screams of beasts and prisoners.

The Black Dragon thrashed and fought, growling and roaring, nearly knocking its master over.

"Quiet!"

However, her commands were in vain; the monster shook its head, sniffing, searching for something.

The gargoyles whose bodies formed a wall of grim statues amidst the rain? No! The Intoners and the faerie, soaked with hair and clothes clinging to their bodies? No! Someone was missing, and Three seemed to realize.

"Where is Edric?!"

This was something the knight's companions were also wondering. Had he abandoned them, or was he planning something?

It didn't matter now; they swallowed the burning doubt in their hearts and focused on their survival.

As if by fate, their opportunity came in the form of a powerful bolt of lightning striking Three's statue like the hammer of the Gods, turning the world into a white flash.

The Black Dragon reared up on its hind legs, roaring to the heavens, and the Intoner clung to its back with all her strength.

As the light faded, Three saw a spear approaching her heart. Time slowed, and her eyes widened in fear and surprise, quickly throwing herself to the side, dodging the weapon, losing pieces of her robe in the process.

Arrogance replaced her feelings as she escaped certain death. Yes, she would regenerate anyway, but it would take time, enough for her prisoners to try something new.

With a posture that exuded confidence, she turned to the unarmed Five and pointed her staff in her direction, casting a spell.

"Hahaha! You misse... AAAHHH!"

She never finished her words, as the thrown spear came in the opposite direction, piercing her heart from behind, exiting the other side with a bloody gush.

A red stain spread across her clothes as she opened and closed her mouth repeatedly, hands outstretched, mind racing, trying to process what had happened.

"Cough! H-how?!"

Blood trickled from her mouth, bloody coughs staining the ground. With pained cries, she turned her head in disbelief as a voice whispered in her ear.

"Did you miss me?"

The rain behind Three touched something before hitting the ground, creating a humanoid outline. The air rippled, and the spell faded, revealing the armored form of a knight.

She could only let out a wet gurgle as she saw Edric lift an old, serrated katana with both hands and swing it toward the back of her neck.

A red and silver thread sliced through the air, and she tumbled forward, consumed by the cold embrace of death.

That brief moment of surprise didn't last; the Dragon leaped like a maddened bull, further agitated by the gargoyles trying to climb him to save their master.

Edric used the spear stuck in Three for support and yanked it free, leaping from the dragon and crossing the courtyard, reuniting with his companions.

"FOUR, ARE YOU FINISHED?!"

He screamed at the top of his lungs, barely audible over the deafening rain.

"YES, GET READY!"

"NO, STOP THEM!"

Three rose again, her wounds healed by her regeneration. The gargoyles screeched and surged forward. The Dragon pulled air and fire flared in his chest, but his master, her rage lost to the ensuing confusion.

She felt a pain in the back of her neck and saw blood stain her hand as she touched it.

"HOW?!"

Her regeneration closed the wound, only for it to violently reopen and close again in an endless cycle.

Opening and closing, the cut constantly healed and returned, bathing her body in life-giving fluid. With each repetition, she felt the grip of death, saw darkness, and awakened in the world of the living.

"FOUR, NOW!"

The Intoner waved and swung the Storm Ruler with a war cry. The wind rushing around her flowed into the blade and expanded in a circle.

Five and Edric planted their weapons in the ground and shielded their eyes. Eupherbia screamed as she flew away, clinging for dear life to the knight's left shoulder pad.

The gargoyles had a similar result, scattering like knocked-down mosquitoes.  Not even the dragon's fire could advance, halted by the wall of wind in its path.

A sound like an erupting volcano assaulted everyone's ears, an earthquake shook the earth, and the smoke and mist covering the towers dissipated, revealing sunlight that had not shone for so long.

When the event worthy of heroic epics ended, the wall of fog that had blocked everyone's escape was split by a great rift tearing from the sky to the ground.

"LET'S GO!"

Four called, and her companions wasted no time. Their hurried steps approached the exit, and they finally gained freedom, their outlines disappearing into the distance.

-XXXXXX-

Report Number 5: Edric and his group escaped, bringing two Intoners with them, but losing a powerful ally in the process. I wonder if this was a fair trade.

Unfortunately, this is not the end of the war.  I've seen many bad endings before, but if Three's plan comes to fruition, I fear no branch will be safe. All our work will be for naught if that happens.

I contacted the other recoders, and the existence of Edric and Boletaria remains a mystery. However, they reported a worrying development: reality is rippling, weakened by the number of invaders from other branches, and something powerful is growing stronger.

I believe I've put off our meeting long enough. If I can't get answers on my own, then I'll acquire them from the source. And those swords... How did one person possess such powerful weapons? Should I add them to my collection?

End of report.

END OF CHAPTER

Hi everyone, there is something I would like to share with you all. I have been learning how to draw for some time and wanted to show the drawings. Some are quite old and may look strange, but I got better with time. Also,.I could habe draw anything, but I chose these cursed images instead.

1 - Supreme One 

2 - Four chilling after dealing with some pirate elves.

3 - Zero during her first raid at Catedral City.

Now being serious, I drew Edric without a helmet, based on the description on the previous chapter and Eupherbia.

I wanted him to look more scary, like an gargoyle, but I got a oni instead. Still pretty good. Other than that, I gave him the look of a veteran warrior who struggled and finished his journey.

Now, Eupherbia has a more inhuman look since I don't like the idea of magic beings looking like humans with one defining characteristic. I also made evil looking since fairyes in Drakengard aren't exactly your friend.

That is it for now. Tell me what you think of the drawings.

Notes:

Hello everyone, it's been a while, hasn't it? I apologize for the months I haven't posted a new chapter, but a lot has happened.

I'm employed now, so I don't have much time to write.

Also, my laptop decided to die, so I'm currently writing on my phone until I get a new one. You might notice grammar mistakes and words in places where they shouldn't be due to autocorrect.

I'd also like to say that I'm trying something new. Due to the time it takes me to update, I decided to focus on each story one at a time.

By that, I mean I'll post three chapters of each story before moving on to the next, so expect two more chapters after this one soon.

That's it for now. Thanks for reading this far, leave your comments and opinions, and see you in the next chapter!

Chapter 22: Land of Forests PART 3

-Past, Unknown Amount of Time-

The sound of the explosion faded into the distance along with the flaming wreckage of the airship.

One thing crossed my mind as I listened to the wind roaring in my ears and the ground looming closer.

"HOLY SHIT!"

The damn knight, the annoying fairy, my saintly sister, and the old Dragon fell to their deaths, and Mikhail, ever the softie, dove after them, and look where that got us!

My heart sank, I heard his pained roar as he was struck by the magic orbs, all because the idiot couldn't be more selfish and pay attention to his surroundings.

I lost sight of the rest of the group towards the end, so I focused on surviving.

Mikhail lost control of his flight and spiraled downward, the useless Disciples doing nothing but screaming like frightened little girls, clinging to the dragon's body.

I felt my grip loosen and my stomach churn. I'll let it all out if it keeps up like this.

I couldn't think straight; the world was spinning around me, as was my head. I saw double, and my vision went black.

I knew what would happen when I hit the ground. I would come back to life, but the others…

Dito and Decadus can go fuck themselves, but Mikhail, I can't lose him again.

"MIKHAIL, STOP SPINNING BEFORE YOU THROW US AWAY! I SWEAR I'LL VOMIT ON YOU IF YOU DON'T STOP!"

The Dragon let out a high-pitched, irritating scream that assaulted my ears, probably one of its many apologies, and flapped its wings, trying to reorient itself.

I don't know how much time passed, but we gradually stopped spinning, and a sharp jolt nearly knocked me away.

I breathed heavily, fighting the urge to faint, but it did little to improve my situation. I still felt awful, but at least I could understand what was happening.

"COME ON, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! FLAP YOUR WINGS AND GET US OUT OF HERE! OR DO YOU WANT TO BECOME A STAIN ON THE GROUND?!"

"I CAN'T, ZERO! WE'RE FALLING TOO FAST!"

And to prove his point, he flapped his wings uselessly, continuing his freefall. Then I turned to the Disciples clinging to the Dragon's back.

"SHIT! AND YOU TWO, ANY IDEAS?!"

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU WANT ME TO DO, Z?! FLAP MY ARMS?!"

"HM~~~ IF YOU WISH, I CAN USE MY BODY AS A SHIELD AND CUSHION YOUR FALL. I WONDER IF I'LL FEEL ANYTHING~~~"

"SERIOUSLY?! AT A TIME LIKE THIS?!"

"THEN WHY DON'T YOU DO SOMETHING, Z?!"

"JUST WATCH, YOU IMBECILE!"

I focused on the approaching ground, taking in the gray earth and dead forest. I swallowed hard, having no idea what to do, but I certainly wasn't going to admit I was wrong to that wretched dwarf.

Sweat beaded on my forehead, and the deafening screams around me didn't help, but one way or another, I had to solve this.

"FUCK IT!"

I took a deep breath and summoned my song power, screaming with all my might, sending a magical attack toward the ground.

The air vibrated, and a boom echoed across the devastated land, followed by a cloud of dust. My chest ached and my throat burned, but our fall slowed.

KEEP IT UP, Z!”

Hmph! It's easy for you to say, isn't it, you son of a bitch?!

The moment came when I couldn't keep up my song, and I had to leave the rest to the Dragon.

“MIKHAIL, *COUGH* FLY OR WE'RE GOING TO DIE! *COUGH*”

I didn't pay attention to what he had to say amid my coughing fit, but I sighed in relief when we stopped falling like rocks and Mikhail hovered above the trees, but to my dismay, they were getting closer and closer.

“AAAHHH!”

Our screams mingled as we slammed into a wall of twisted branches, feeling the wood crack and crack as it covered our bodies in cuts and scrapes.

A heavy impact threw us upward as we hit the ground. I felt my hand pull away from the Dragon and my body roll across the cold, dirty earth, screaming in pain with each collision, which only ended when I slammed into something large, covering the world in darkness.

-XXXXXX-

"GASP!"

I woke with a gasp, standing up immediately and regretting it immediately thanks to the splitting headache I felt.

I tried to look around and figure out where I was, but the dizziness kept me from focusing. I saw only blurry images and heard muffled, distant noises.

I took slow, deep breaths, trying to calm my racing heart and organize my thoughts.

What happened after we fell?

The softness beneath me indicated I was in a bed, and the noises indicated there were people out there, but who the hell would care for someone like me? It would be better to kill me or turn myself in for a reward.

Hm… I can think of one person. Idiot, making me owe him favors. At least he survived the fall, but Four… It would be too good to be true if she had died.

I don't know how much time passed, the ringing in my ears disappeared, my heart calmed down, and when everything stopped spinning, I realized I was in a small wooden house, next to a window with closed curtains.

I struggled to my feet, grunting as the pain shot through my body.

"SHIT!"

The strength in my legs vanished, and I braced myself against a table to keep from falling, nearly bringing everything to the floor.

I gritted my teeth, growling in frustration and looked around.

Great, no one saw it.

The heat in my cheeks faded, but the shame remained.

Imagine, the great and feared Intoner Zero barely able to stand. My reputation would go to hell. It's sad that a bad fall was the only thing that managed to make my legs wobbly so far.

I walked slowly, shaking off the numbness. I found my shoes near the front door, put them on, and readjusted my dress and the bow in my hair.

I opened and closed my artificial hand repeatedly, missing my sword.

Of course, it wouldn't be that easy.

There were no windows in the front of the house, so I couldn't see outside, and pressing my ear to the door revealed no familiar voices.

For a moment, I wondered if I should feign sleep and wait for someone to arrive, but I gave up on the idea; curiosity was killing me, not to mention, of course, hunger and lust.

Well, I'm alive, none of my sisters are here, and no one has tried to kill me yet.

It's best that the Disciples and Mikhail haven't gotten into trouble; I don't have the patience to face another crisis after what happened.

So I opened the door, prepared to fight whatever was on the other side. However, I frowned in confusion at what I saw.

I knew the Land of Forests was home to most non-humans, but I hadn't expected to see so many in one place.

Elves, Trolls, Gnomes, Fairies, Elementals, and more walked or flew everywhere, arguing or performing duties.

I left the house, receiving glances, which I quickly returned, but I was never confronted.

It seemed everyone had bigger problems, judging by their somber looks and downcast expressions.

I heard the hammering of steel as weapons were forged, the hum of spellcasters' magic, and whispers filled with fear and anxiety.

I passed tents filled with wounded people moaning in pain or silently dying, rows of elves and other beings training with weapons and magic against targets and mannequins, and crowds waiting to get their food.

Strangely, the local nature was alive: green grass and trees, colorful flowers, brown earth, and chirping animals—the opposite of what I'd seen before I fell.

Speaking of falling, where were the others? It's better they didn't die.

I kept walking, getting to know the place and not knowing whether I liked or missed seeing people running for their lives at the sight of me.

Is it strange that I miss it a little? Being feared has its advantages.

"Miss Zero, here!"

I turned toward the noise and saw Decadus waving at me with a smile that barely fit his face, sitting on a crate and eating a piece of bread.

Dito sat beside him with his arms crossed and a look like he'd eaten something sour, which wasn't much different from his usual expression.

"Miss Zero, I'm glad to see you up and… Hey, this is mine!"

I didn't pay attention to what he said; I was too hungry to care.

I took the bread from his hand and sat on a rock, eating it all in one bite, ignoring his sad mumbles.

"Wow, I missed you too, Z."

The shorty rolled his eyes, speaking in a very familiar tone that made my blood boil. I didn't respond in kind because I didn't have the energy.

"What happened after we crashed?"

"Well, according to the village chief, the locals spotted the airship being shot down and us falling, so scouts were sent to investigate, finding the injured dragon carrying us on its back, begging for help."

My eyes widened at his words, and I jumped to my feet, feeling my body tremble and my stomach sink.

"Where's Mikhail?!"

Dito pointed to the side with his thumb, and I saw a narrow trail through the trees.

I raised a questioning eyebrow, and Dito smiled arrogantly.

"Don't worry, it's a safe path."

I clicked my tongue and turned to Decadus, waiting for his answer.

"He speaks the truth, Miss Zero, the path is safe. I can accompany you if you wish."

I nodded for him to do so, and together we followed the trail in silence, and at its end, there was Mikhail, lying in a grassy clearing.

"Mikhail!"

It didn't matter that I wasn't alone; I lost my composure when I saw the wounds covering his body.

His soft breathing stopped, and he jumped slightly, looking around in confusion.

I mentally kicked myself for waking him, but I couldn't help but feel relieved to see him alive.

"Zero!"

He struggled to his feet, shaking like a leaf with every movement, which made me feel worse and worse.

"What are you doing, you idiot?! Look at yourself! Get your scaly ass down on the ground before you hurt yourself even more!"

Mikhail let out a childish squeal and complained about how scary and evil I was.

I resisted the urge to laugh, choosing instead to drag my hands over his body, checking his injuries.

Scales were missing in several spots, revealing red cuts and bruises, some of his claws and fangs were broken, holes had opened in the leather of his wings, and his right eye remained closed.

Shit! Fuck! Damn!

The more I saw, the more I despaired; that was close, too close.

I've already lost Michael, I don't know what I would do if the same thing happened to Mikhail. I can't go through that again.

Would I still have the strength to carry on?

"It's not that bad, Zero. I'm big and strong; a fall like that is nothing for a powerful dragon like me."

"Was that grumpy dragon who put those ideas in your head?"

"Yes! He's so cool, but so scary!"

Hmm... I was always tough on Mikhail, telling him he should be strong and stop crying, but now that he's like this, I feel like I should have gone easier.

"I'll kick his scaly ass when I see him again, and you, go back to sleep, I'll stay by your side until you wake up."

"Are you sure, Zero? Won't you get bored?"

"No, I need some time alone to think."

"Okay, good night, Zero."

"It's still daytime, you dummy."

I rested my forehead against the side of his face and closed my eyes, focusing on his slowing breathing.

I pulled away when I heard his soft snore and leaned against his torso, sliding my back against him until I sat on the floor.

"Hey, go get my sword."

Decadus's footsteps hurried away.

I didn't bother lifting my head, now gripped in my hands. I focused only on the guilt. It was my fault, and I didn't know what to do.

-XXXXXX-

The disciple returned with my sword minutes later. I accepted it with a nod, but I raised an eyebrow when I saw him staring at me.

"What?"

"Are you okay, miss?"

"Do I look okay to you?"

"No, but there's no harm in asking."

"Just... Just leave me alone."

His face became impassive, his mouth a thin line. He readjusted his glasses and nodded slowly, saying goodbye politely before turning his back and leaving.

Then I returned to my spiral of despair.

Where did it all go so wrong? When I attacked Cathedral City? When the knight and the monsters appeared? When this war began?

Five was taken, and the Land of the Seas fell. We reached Four only to lose her again, all the fault of that knight in shining armor!

Hmm! He had to butt in where he wasn't wanted! Demons this, honor that—there would be one less Intoner if he hadn't decided to protect the virgin princess! What a softhearted dumbass! He'll end up dead like this, or maybe not. I've seen him survive everything Midgard threw at him!

And worst of all, I agreed with his words! Since when do I stop to listen to others? I don't listen and understand, I advance and demand! Men, money, I take what I want and kill anyone who gets in the way!

Since when do I wonder if this is the best option?! Since when do I doubt what I'm doing?!

Looking back, I haven't realized how stupid and stubborn I was. Everyone tried to warn me that something was wrong, but I ignored them, closed my ears, and moved forward, demanding and threatening, as always.

There was something wrong with the fog, we all saw it, so why? Why did I persist? Because I am stronger? Because I am smarter? Because I think I'm better?

I don't know, or maybe I do. Because I want to be in control.

-XXXXXX-

"Here you go, Miss Zero."

Decadus brought me a bowl of steaming food. The smell made my mouth water, and the rumbling in my stomach revealed how long it had been since I'd eaten anything.

He turned to leave, but I felt like I should say something.

"Hey, thanks."

The words tumbled out of my mouth like venom, as if I were trying to spit out bad food.

I was surprised at how difficult it was to say something so simple, and Decadus seemed to feel the same way.

"You're welcome, Miss Zero."

His surprised face softened, and he left with a slight smile, leaving me alone again.

The food looked better than it tasted, but I could only complain to myself now, so I ate slowly, ruminating in my thoughts.

What to do? What to do? What to do?

-XXXXXX-

Night fell, and the animals returned to their homes, leaving the forest silent. Unfortunately, this made the small, nagging voice in the back of my mind speak louder. Was it the flower or my conscience? I couldn't tell.

"Look at you! Pathetic! The great Intoner Zero reduced to a pitiful mess! What would everyone think if they saw you like this? They would surely mock the much-feared pink-eyed witch!"

"Shut up..."

"Oh, is that the best you can do? Where are the insults? The threats? Aren't you going to swing your sword and stain the ground with my blood like you did with everyone else?"

 “Shut up…”

“You can’t, and you know it! There’s nothing to cut! Blood to spill! Flesh to tear or bones to break!”

“Shut up…”

“Then why don’t you silence me like you always have? By drinking yourself into oblivion or dragging the first man you see into your bed? The itch between your legs is burning, isn’t it? Drag the disciples into a corner and use them as toys; after all, isn’t that what they are to you? At least your sisters took the time to bond with them, or at least tried. But if you’re bored, why not choose an elf? Their nimble hands should work wonders. Or how about a monster if you’re brave enough? An Intoner’s body should be able to handle it.”

“Shut up…”

"Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! Is that all you can say? You're like a bird repeating what it hears, but I can't blame you; after all, that's what she always told you, right?"

"..."

"Mommy, where's the food? Shut up! Mommy, where did Daddy go? Shut up! Mommy, I had a nightmare! Mommy… Mommy… Mommy… Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!"

"..."

"Do you remember the burning slaps to your cheeks? The punches that made your eyes swell and the world spin? The crushing kicks to the ribs? It's amazing how a starving child, thin as bone, can recover after crossing the room like a thrown stone! It's also amazing how a spiteful woman abandoned by the one who brought money into the house had the strength to do so, considering she was completely useless at providing for herself!"

"..."

"How many times have you been left outside in the cold night?" How many times have you cried yourself to sleep in your rock-hard bed? How many times have you prayed to any God who would listen for everything to get better?

“...”

“Suddenly, everything got better one day, didn’t it? You remember, don’t you? She woke you up with kisses and hugs, told you she loved you and that you would have a special day. She made the best breakfast, but where did all the food come from? She bought you the best dress and perfume, but where did she get the money? She took you to the festival in town, but where did such kindness come from? You hoped your prayers were answered, that your mother had changed and loved you now. A mother’s love, wasn’t that what you always wanted?”

“...”

“You should have known something was wrong. Didn’t it ever cross your mind that it was too good to be true? You didn’t return to your house with its cracked walls and holey ceiling that night, but to a strange building in the dark corners of the city. Do you remember the smell of alcohol and cheap perfume? The colorful lights and drunken voices? The disgusting men and women smiling at you? How your mother told you everything would be okay? That this was your new home now? That these kind people would take care of you? But that never happened. You heard the sound of the coin purse being placed in her hands and the door closing behind you.

“...”

“What did you feel at that moment? Fear? Anger? Sadness? Confusion? Did you scream her name? Do you still remember her name? Her face? Do you still hate her? You tried to run, but they held your arms and legs. You tried to scream, to ask what was wrong, to beg her to come back, for someone to help you, to save you, but no one heard your voice.”

“...”

“Your mother said you looked like a princess that day. Your dream was to be one, wasn’t it?” Being whisked away by a knight in shining armor on a white steed where you lived happily ever after in a castle, but he never came. Instead, you experienced hell, used and betrayed by everyone you met.”

“...”

“You’re nothing but a broken doll. A piece of trash. A weight taking up space. Who would miss you if you died? Your sisters? They’d be relieved, after all, you tried to kill them. The people of Midgard? They would celebrate the death of a monster. The Disciples? They’d leave you behind just like they did with their Intoners. Mikhail? He’s nothing but a crybaby. You’re a sad being. You’ve achieved nothing. Nothing to be proud of.”

“...”

“But that can change. Yes, that’s right. I just need you to do one thing and everything will be fine. Just one little thing…”

“...”

 

B̸̳̘͈͎͍͔͎͖̗̎̍͐r̷̤̻͈̺̈́̋́͂͑̂͂̿̇̾̈́î̶̡̘̺͕͒̓̀̍̓͠n̷̡͍̲͔͔̪̉̐͊͒̽̂͋̓͘͝͝g̴̛̦̘̃̑͗͌͑͂͘͘ ̷̻͇͈͇̻͎̘̯̬̠̈́̏̐̒̂͋͑̌ͅm̶̹̹̬̼͔͙͒͒͌̌͛̓͜͠͠e̶̢͔̠̮̲͍̲͉̳̞̽̆̌̒͗̉̓͋̾͘ ̸̨͖̻͚̗͈̹͎̥̓̽́̽̄̑́̀̂͊m̶̮̩̺̣̺̍͆̌̿̾o̸̡̡̭̙̠̪͚̤͓̜̿̍̌r̶̦̪͕̠͙͎̲͙̻̞̊́̈̓̊̅̕͝ȩ̷͓͖̑̋͝ ̸͉̟̯̫̪͐̀̀ş̵̟̩̭̣̬̻̺̹͂́̍̈̑̓͂̈̋̚͠ͅọ̸͍͔͛̄͒̔̿̈̈́̍u̷͔̟̱̱̯͙͓͉̠͂̄͛̉͜l̸̹̗̮̻͈̪̋͆͊̈̔̄͗̉̂̈́͜s̸̨̨̖̗̹̣̦̟̭̞̃̏̋̚.̸̦͓͈̻͉̹̜̖̙̘̉̃͊̆”̴̯͈̱̞̂̆̓̓

 

I gasped in fright, breaking my stupor and jumping to my feet with my sword ready.

I scanned the dark forest, spotting the village lights in the distance, but found nothing amiss. That didn't stop a shiver from running through me, however.

What the hell was that?!

I turned quickly when I heard something moving behind me, stopping the swing of my weapon when I saw Mikhail waking up.

"Zero, are you okay?"

I lowered my sword, which felt like it weighed a ton, and considered what to say. Anything but the truth.

"Yes, I am."

I thought he would drop the subject, but instead, I was pulled toward him by his wing, pressed against his body.

"You're lying."

"..."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No."

I buried my face in his torso, doing my best to hold him close while enjoying his warmth.

 Damn… I'm getting soft…

-XXXXXX-

I woke up the next day with birdsong assaulting my ears and the sun burning my face.

I clicked my tongue and frowned, trying to shield my eyes from the damned light.

It took me a while to realize where I was, but the breathing beside me and the large wing above me brought back what had happened the night before.

Sleeping on the hard, cold ground had wrecked my back, but at least I didn't have nightmares this time. It's rare for the voice to shut up in my sleep.

I crawled out of the wing and stood up, stretching, cracking my joints, and brushing the dirt off my dress, which, to my frustration, was stained now.

Mikhail still slept with his tongue hanging out, mumbling in his sleep as he kicked the air and swished his tail.

A smile crept onto my face, and I stifled a laugh.

Hump! A giant baby, no matter the time or place. No one would be afraid of him if they saw him like this.

"And that same baby will die by your han…"

I took a deep breath, closing my eyes tightly and exhaling slowly, pushing the voice to the back of my mind.

I heard it scream until it faded, then I returned to the village, looking for the disciples to decide our next step.

It didn't take me long to find them; they were both in the center of the village, talking to an old elf and a fairy brighter than usual.

"Well, well, well, look who decided to join us! Have you had enough of wasting time with that giant lizard?" The thing spoke in a high-pitched, arrogant male voice, striving to assert authority.

The glowing insect barely opened its mouth and I already found myself missing the fairy following the knight.

What was her name again? Meh! That doesn't matter now.

I nearly swatted him like a mosquito as I approached, which did nothing to stop him from shouting all sorts of insults at being ignored.

To my surprise, the old elf was the one who silenced him, slamming his staff on the ground and sending a wave of magic through the air.

I widened my eyes and stepped back. The disciples shared the same surprised and disbelieving reaction, and with the frustrating creature silenced, the old elf spoke.

"I apologize for my... Associate's words. I would like to give you more time to rest, as I believe that being dropped from the sky was quite a shock to your group, but the seriousness of the situation leaves us no choice. First, I would like to introduce myself. My name is Tiberius, the chief of this village, and you must be the Intoner known as Zero."

"Well, I'm surprised you're talking to me despite knowing who I am."

"Hm... Your reputation precedes you, but you've never done anything against the Land of Forests specifically. Human problems don't concern us, that is, until recently."

"I believe you're talking about my sister and what she did to Midgard and the Land of Forests."

"Exactly, we don't know when it started. Three was never a bad ruler, but neither was she exceptional. She was content to leave us alone as long as we didn't cause trouble, but everything has been falling apart since the day she returned with those golden robes. First came the red beings, then the flying gargoyles kidnapping people, then the land began to die at the same time that construction on that damned tower began. The fog prevents scouts from discovering what's happening on the other side, and the ones we sent before that never returned. Not to mention, of course, the open war raging throughout Midgard thanks to your sisters."

"Okay, nothing new, but where are you going with all this?"

The old elf took a deep breath, but I couldn't tell if it was from irritation or an attempt to catch his breath, but he quickly continued.

"You see, there's an illusion around the village, preventing Three's forces from finding it, and the elementals and fairies keep the forest alive with their magic. But this won't last forever. The decay is slowly progressing, and soon we'll have no way to acquire food or water. We planned to pack our things and flee far from here, try our luck in the Land of Deserts or Cathedral City, but something's stopping us... Well... How should I explain this?"

"The old man wants our help killing a monster stalking the land in search of the village in exchange for sheltering us here." Dito interrupted the conversation, crossing his arms and frowning angrily.

Of course, free food and shelter would be too good to be true.

"And why should we do that?"

"Well, considering your power, I believe it's a fair trade for you to remain hidden here. Three will certainly seek you out and try to bring you down again if you approach the fog."

 "And what's stopping us from taking what we want and leaving?"

"Miss Zero, I…" Decadus exclaimed, stepping forward, but I held up my hand to stop him and waited for the old man's answer.

"You can try, but everyone here has little to lose but their lives, and they will fight tooth and nail to the end. It won't be impossible, but you will suffer to kill all the magical beings present. Also, the illusion will be dispelled, revealing our location to Three and her forces, who will swarm in, killing and capturing the weary survivors, including the wounded dragon."

I froze like a statue at those words, and he seemed to notice, as a glint appeared in his sharp eyes.

"Yes, it would be a shame if something happened to young Mikhail. He's a good boy, he protected you with his own body and wandered wounded through enemy territory in search of help, carrying you on his back. I admit I hesitated to help, for a dragon, no matter how kind, is a big mouth to feed, but he spoke so highly of his friend Zero that I was moved. I imagine how he would react if he found out his friend had hurt those who offered her care."

Son of a bitch! Bastard! Damn you! Piece of shit! I'll wipe that arrogant smile off your face and…

I abandoned these thoughts as I realized I was making the same mistake again. I was letting my anger control me.

"Is that a threat?"

"It's a possibility. No one here will harm your friend, but I can't say the same about those who want us dead. We won't be able to guarantee his safety if we're discovered, so will you help us?"

"Yeah, it's not like we have much choice. We can't fly away from here with Mikhail injured."

"Great, I'll send some of my best warriors to assist you. They know the areas the creature usually prowls. I recommend your group use the rest of the day to rest; you'll leave early tomorrow morning."

Tiberius turned to leave, but I called after him, remembering something important.

"Before you go, did you see a black dragon, a knight, a fairy, and a brown-haired girl? They were traveling with us on the airship before we were shot down."

"I don't think so. If they survived the crash, then I fear they were taken by Three's forces."

Great, another problem to deal with! One thing at a time, Zero, one thing at a time. Kill the monster, take care of Mikhail, then find out what happened to the others.

I turned away from the elf and decided to explore the village with the disciples accompanying me.

"Hey, Z, are we really going to do what the old man asked?"

"Do you have a better idea?"

"Yes, but I don't think you'll like it." Dito laughed sadistically, making his point clear.

"Then keep your mouth shut and don't get us into any more trouble."

"I believe Miss Zero made the right choice. We'll all benefit in the end, but I admit you accepting surprised me. That's kind of you." Decadus smiled sweetly, making me feel sick.

"Of course, I can be kind when I want to!" I smiled back, ignoring Dito's laughter, but inside I was thinking of something else.

Righ... Kind... I wonder what's changed and how long it will last.

END OF CHAPTER

Chapter 23: Demon of the Wastes

I can't say anything significant happened after we spoke with Tiberius.

I saw what there was to see in the village and spoke to those willing to talk, hearing stories similar to the one told by the old elf.

Aside from the disgusting little fairies, the only thing worth noting was the method all the flightless people plan to use to leave the Land of Forests: enormous wagons pulled by equally sized centaurs, who looked more like living marble statues.

A large caravan in the end. I have no doubt they'll ask Mikhail to escort them, and knowing the dragon, he'll accept without hesitation, as it's the right thing to do.

Considering we'll eventually head to the Land of Sands and Cathedral City, perhaps I'll agree with him, as long as we don't take too long.

With that done, I found myself doing something I never would have imagined: planning.

I don't know if I'd gone crazy or if I'd finally decided to follow the others' advice, but I sat next to Mikhail with the disciples in front of me, discussing how we would deal with the thing Tiberius wanted dead.

The lack of information was disappointing; we didn't know what the creature looked like or fought.

In the end, we decided to ask the scouts for more information tomorrow morning and let them lead the search; after all, they'd had more encounters with our target.

I won't make the same mistake; we'll take it slow this time.

Time passed, and Dito and Decadus went their separate ways, while I remained by Mikhail's side.

Boredom eventually set in; there was nothing interesting to do. The sex drive was still bearable, and the dragon was sleeping.

Damn! I should get a hobby. Normal people have one, but which one? Reading books? Knitting? Drawing? Hm… That's the kind of thing One would do—boring, just like her. I'll ask someone later.

 An idea flashed through my mind; it was something ridiculous I hadn't done in ages.

I stood up, walked away from Mikhail, and drew my sword, holding it in front of my face, observing my serious reflection in the cold steel, staring with disgust at the flower in my eye.

I didn't like reflections, because I felt the thing in my eye returning my gaze, laughing, mocking me.

I assumed a fighting stance before the voice had a chance to return and struck several blows against an invisible enemy.

Honestly, I felt ashamed of fighting against nothingness. I don't know if I would kill the person who saw me, or myself if I were discovered.

How long has it been since I practiced my fencing? Although swinging a piece of metal like a cleaver doesn't count. I'm self-taught, after all.

I felt something was missing. From what I'd heard, you should concentrate, create the image of your opponent in front of you.

It was difficult; concentration wasn't my strong point.  I kept trying, my enemy's image becoming clearer with each blow.

A step forward and a horizontal slash, and the smoky form became humanoid. A step back, dodging the blow aimed at my heart, and a sword and shield appeared in his hands.

My feet slid across the ground, my blade in a swift thrust, and the steel of his armor crackled with the blow.

Quickly raising my prosthesis, I blocked the slash that threatened to rip my neck, and as I parried the sword to the side, I saw a pair of bright blue eyes staring at me from behind his helmet.

Hm… I remember you. I left many of you alive in the Land of Mountains.

His form multiplied, and soon I was surrounded by several blue-eyed knights. They all drew their weapons and advanced, and I, I danced amid their blades.

Each step was light, each movement of my legs soft as feathers.  I counted the seconds in my mind as I approached my target.

One, two, three.

The first knight fell with the swing of my sword, so I spun on my toes with my arms hugging my chest, feeling the wind blow my hair and dress, creating a white blanket.

The next knight advanced with his sword raised, but he never reached me. I spread my arms, leaning forward as I swung my weapon in an arc, dodging the blow and bringing him to the ground.

I slid my right foot along the ground in the fraction of a circle until it was next to my left foot, rising to my full height.

So the fight continued. I leaped and spun through the grass, watching its fragments blow away in the wind. My sword flew like a silver thread, and my clothes followed my movements like a dancing partner.

At some point, I closed my eyes and felt the world with my body. There was nothing to bother me, no anger, no fear, no sadness, no ugliness of the world, no ugliness of my own.

I felt all my problems disappear; I was overcome by an overwhelming freedom, as if I could do anything.

Was I dancing or fighting?

I think I was still cutting down the knights, but I could almost hear the music playing. A heat burned in my chest, and my breathing quickened. A small smile appeared on my face as everything changed.

A floor of the finest quality wood appeared beneath my feet, so clean and polished that I could see my feet.

The walls of the same material were adorned with stained-glass windows, whose passing light created rainbows around me.

On the ceiling, golden chandeliers burned with an incessant fire, glittering like stars.

The music grew louder, new instruments played, and now a band was playing in the corner of the room, their clothes comically puffy and their faces hidden by masks.

People in similar attire passed me by, locked in a waltz with their partners, but I didn't mind being alone.

I enjoyed my freedom, dancing and dancing, laughing and smiling. Soon the music reached its peak and ceased, leaving only the applause.

I opened my eyes, returning to reality, trying to catch my breath. The joy I felt was unimaginable, but it quickly turned to surprise and anger when a figure stared at me, inches away.

"Who the hell are you?!"

My sword stopped at her neck, but she didn't react, no emotion or movement. I used this time to analyze her appearance, and unusual for the current location would be a good description.

It was a woman, judging by her clothes and figure, the tallest woman I'd ever seen, probably six feet tall.

Her clothes looked like a cross between a white queen's dress and golden armor, with shoulder pads, a neck guard, a breastplate, and a metal corset.

Even the large, circular skirt and sleeves of her garment were studded with metal.

A white porcelain mask, flat as a mirror, hid her face, with a dark material concealing her eyes.

Her armored gloves held two large, jeweled scepters, the heads of which resembled a morning star and a spear.

I was about to repeat my question, but to my confusion, the woman gradually disappeared, like a ghost, until there was nothing left.

I lowered my sword and looked at the ground, seeing that the grass where her feet had trod remained untouched.

I wondered what had happened, and that only worsened the uneasy feeling I had. First the strange voice, and now this.  Something bad will happen, I'm sure of it.

-XXXXXX-

The disciples and I stood at the village entrance the next morning, sleepy and complaining, even though we knew we'd be leaving early.

Nothing strange happened yesterday beyond what I'd already experienced, and the rest of the day passed tediously.

At least Mikhail kept me company, asking all sorts of inane questions a curious child might ask, which I couldn't answer, much to my frustration.

This was while he couldn't stop worrying about the rest of the group, whether they were okay, and where they'd gone.

I had an idea, but I didn't say anything, otherwise he'd get up to help and hurt himself even more, and I won't allow that.

 I asked him if he wanted to play a game to distract him from his troubles, and I ended up participating in all sorts of ridiculous games, like charades, I see with my little eyes, mimics, and as much as I hate to admit it, I had some fun, that is, until he started singing, and as an Intoner with the Power of Song, I hated his damn singing with a passion.

Now he must be sleeping, unaware that I'm about to do something dangerous, which is good for all of us; he won't leave me alone otherwise.

I snapped out of my reverie when I saw Tiberius approaching with a group of six elves, four men and two women, and I couldn't help but notice their peculiar appearance—in other words, how hot they were.

Taller than a normal human, with hair of varying colors, lean but athletic bodies for both sexes, and their famous pointy ears and sharp facial features.

Their leather armor allowed for mobility, judging by the bows, full quivers, and daggers they carried. Probably fighting with agility rather than brute strength.

I put a hand to my chin as I nodded, looking them up and down. I wouldn't mind spending time with some of them after the mission and…

I shook my head, ridding myself of these thoughts. I couldn't get distracted now, I don't want to repeat the same disaster.

Focus, Zero, focus.

"These are my best scouts. They will guide you to the creature and aid you in your endeavor."

The old elf spoke, and the scouts' stern faces softened as they introduced themselves.

I didn't bother memorizing their names; they weren't interesting enough for me to remember beyond a night of sex, but I returned the gesture detachedly, with Decadus and Dito showing more emotion.

"I wish you good luck on your mission, and may the Gods be with you."

Hm... Luck, something I never believed in and have been needing recently. If there is a God, let's see if he's on my side or not.

Finally, we departed the village after exchanging introductions. The air rippled like the surface of a lake in front of us as we passed through the illusion.

Looking back, I saw an image of the devastated land in place of the village, camouflaging it with the destruction around us.

"So, where to now?" I asked the elf leading the group.

"We'll follow the routes where the beast has been frequently sighted, and if we're lucky, we'll ambush it before it notices us."

I nodded, but I didn't like the lack of information, so I took the opportunity to learn more about our enemy as we walked through what remained of the forest.

"So, what can you tell me about this monster? What does it look like? How does it fight? Is there anything we should know?"

"Purple."

"Purple?"

"Yes, purple, it won't be hard to spot him, as the beast doesn't bother hiding. He's a tall, thin being, wearing a long purple cloak and a white mask with horns—or maybe it's his face, it's hard to tell. And his fighting style, well, he relies mostly on his speed, despite his size, but if the survivors of his encounters are to be believed, the creature has a combat style that's difficult to predict."

"Then we'll be fighting someone difficult to predict."

"Exactly."

It wasn't the worst news I'd ever heard, but it was still worrying.

"That's a terrible idea, Z. We should go back and tell the old man to fend for himself," Dito commented irritably, resting his spear on his shoulder.

"I'll ask again, do you have a better idea? And don't give me the thing I know you want to do!"

We exchanged a glare, our faces furious and our brows furrowed.  Tense silence fell over the group, the elves watching us anxiously.

Sighing, Dito gave up the confrontation, kicking a rock and looking away with a flushed face.

"Damn! You make my heart skip a beat when you show your tough side."

A mischievous smile appeared on his face, and I grumbled in frustration.

Annoying dwarf!

"Keep that up, and I'll make your heart leap out of your chest."

"Ha, I can't wait."

He skipped past me, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively before flirting with an elf who caught his eye.

With each passing day, I wonder why I keep him around. Actually, I know why, but I don't want to admit it.

"Miss Zero, ignore Dito's words. You're doing the right thing here. For Mikhail, the village, and us."

It's amazing how Decadus can be the voice of reason when the knight isn't around.

Honestly, Four's disciple isn't that bad, if it weren't for his fetish. It's tiring to hear someone moan at every opportunity to get hurt.

I just wish he had more attitude, and not just in bed. It's a pain having to order someone around all the time.

"I know, I just... I'm just not used to helping someone, even when I have something to gain from it." I looked down at the floor, rubbing the back of my neck.

"But that's a good thing, isn't it? I haven't known you long, but you always seemed like the kind of person who wouldn't have time for that kind of thing." He gave me a hesitant look.

"I've had time to rethink my actions and realized the mistakes I made, and now we're here, in someone else's hands." 

"It's better to admit you made a mistake and learn from it than to never learn and regret it later, right?"

I stopped walking and thought about his words. It was so simple, something children learned from a young age, but something I had trouble understanding.

Learn from my mistakes? The only thing I learned was how to please men and women and steal and kill without leaving any evidence. What lesson can I learn from that? Not to trust anyone? I learned that years ago.

"And how would you do that, Decadus? Suppose you made a huge mistake, how would you learn from it?"

The disciple was silent for a few seconds, assuming a look of deep thought before answering.

"I'm not the best person to answer that question, but I believe I would review all my actions and try to find what I did wrong, avoiding repeating it. Learning new ways to deal with a problem would also help, as would asking someone else's opinion."

Sure, sure, delve back into my memories. I bet the voice would love that.

"Well, since you offered to help me, then I hope you don't mind giving me some advice."

"Miss Zero, I don't…"

"SSSHHH! Let's go before they leave us behind."

I pulled Decadus by the shoulder before we lost sight of the rest of the group. On the way, I asked him what he would do if he were in my place, starting from the Land of Mountains until our fall into the Land of Forests.

I told him my side of the story, and he told his, about when he was in Four's fortress and the dead came back to life.

I can't say I agreed with everything he said, as risking my life to help others was very involved.

I lost count of the number of times I had to hold back my anger when my mistakes were thrown in my face. Not that Decadus would mind getting punched; he would end up enjoying it.

In the end, I didn't agree with everything; my way of acting wouldn't change overnight.

I didn't like helping others, I didn't like stopping to think, I didn't like asking others' opinions, I didn't like wasting time on nonsense, I didn't like anything that didn't benefit me, but this had to change, I had to change, for Mikhail.

One step at a time, Zero, one step at a time.

"You will fail…"

-XXXXXX-

I pressed my back against a dead tree, hiding behind its trunk. The elves and the Disciples did the same, for the one we were looking for was just ahead.

It wasn't hard to find him; we followed his tracks and spotted his purple cloak, which stood out against the surroundings; he didn't even try to hide.

The thing was standing over one of the corrupted rivers that gave off a disgusting smell, but it didn't care and drank the clearly deadly liquid, sighing with relief with each sip. 

We scattered, hiding behind what little vegetation remained. The elves readied their bows while Dito, Decadus, and I drew our weapons.

Exchanging a nod, we began our attack. The arrows left their bows, and we were already halfway there before they even hit their targets.

We aimed for the thing's back, but never pierced its body. The monster's head rose without turning, and it leaped at us with incredible speed.

The arrows sank into the river, hissing and melting as we dug our heels into the ground, spinning on our heels, and spotted the monster in mid-somersault.

We scattered as its mask aligned with our position, and the creature spat out the black water it had been drinking, melting a hole where we had been standing.

More arrows came as its snow-white, clawed feet touched the ground, but they all missed.

The thing leaned back, its head nearly touching the ground, and rose as if nothing had happened, stomping the ground as it showed us its open palm and shook its head.

"Dito, Decadus, this thing is fast! Attack from different sides!"

"No need to tell me twice, Z!" Dito advanced with his spear raised, aiming for the beast's chest.

"You can count on me, Miss Zero. I'll use my body as a shield if necessary!" Decadus closed the distance from the right. 

I, however, went left, sword ready to slice the monster.

The thing seemed to laugh and flicked its wrists, claws sprouting from its white fingers, dragging the ones on its right hand across the underside of Dito's spear in a shower of sparks, parrying the weapon upward.

Its remaining claws nearly pierced the Disciple's stomach, but he was forced to raise his wrist and block a punch from Decadus.

There was a sickening crack, and the beast was sent sliding across the ground, stopping with its wrist dangling, clearly broken.

It let out a pained growl, but to my surprise and a bit of disgust, it twisted the broken limb like a rope until it snapped back into place.

I didn't allow it to recover any further and ran toward it, arrows and the Disciples following close behind.

Strangely, the monster didn't try to fight, sliding its healed hand over its mask, which transformed as the gesture ended, taking on a feminine appearance, made up with lipstick, powder, and eyeliner.

Its movements became light and fluid, almost like a dance, and as the arrows approached, it moved its hand like a leaf, capturing each projectile between its fingers and returning them to us.

I cut the first arrow, and the Disciples managed to dodge the others.

My sword was inches from the beast's heart, but the creature leaned to the side, almost sliding across the steel, and grabbed my wrist.

Its knee came into my stomach seconds later, but I blocked the blow with my prosthetic.

I grunted at the force behind the blow and the pain in my ears from the resulting metallic crack, and without wasting time, I closed my fingers around the monster's joint, sinking my fingers into its flesh.

Blood leaked from the wounds, staining its clothes red, and the creature tried futilely to free itself.

Its grunts became desperate, replaced by a howl as a hail of arrows pierced its back.

I lost my grip only when I received a headbutt. I staggered, disoriented but free, seeing Dito and Decadus facing off against the thing when everything stopped spinning.

The monster hopped on one leg, trying to get away from the Disciples, but failed miserably, receiving a punch to the ribs and a puncture wound to its left side.

However, its leg healed with its final leap, and as the next blows approached, it deflected each attack toward its opponent in the opposite direction.

Decadus's punch hit Dito's cheek, and Dito's spear pierced Decadus's shoulder.

Its claws closed in on each of their necks, but I was already on top of it, blocking the attack.

"SERIOUSLY?! YOU GUYS HIT EACH OTHER?!"

"HEY, THIS THING IS GOOD IN A FIGHT!"

"I HATE TO ADMIT IT, MISS ZERO, BUT OUR OPPONENT HAS AN AWESOME TECHNIQUE. AAAHHH~"

I growled at their actions, but quickly focused on the thing in front of me. I gritted my teeth and applied more force behind the blow, throwing its arms up and breaking its balance.

The monster tried to retreat, failing when Ditto plunged his spear into its right foot, holding it in place.

The Disciple laughed cruelly at his enemy's screams, which were silenced by a punch to the lower part of his mask.

Vomiting sounds forced us to flee, knowing what was coming, and another jet of fetid water melted the ground.

The whizz of arrows ripping through the air served as a reminder that we weren't the only ones here, and the first arrow that pierced the creature's arm forced it to leap like an acrobat, dodging the ones that followed.

We faced each other again when it was over, and I don't think the fight would last long, considering how heavily the creature was breathing.

It seemed its healing was nothing more than patching up its body.

Suddenly, the sound of engines echoed through the Land of Forests, and looking toward the source of the noise, we spotted a fleet of airships approaching the fog we had failed to penetrate.

They never got far, as what was expected happened: powerful magical bolts turned the wall gray, striking the airships head-on, transforming them into balls of fire and metal.

Hump! Idiots!

I clicked my tongue. The others were shocked by what had happened, while the monster laughed like a child at the sight of the destruction.

However, their laughter gave way to screams of despair as a deafening explosion shook the Land of Forests.

I shouted insult after insult in the resulting tremor, trying to maintain my balance. However, it was over as quickly as it began, but the monster continued screaming.

Well, if the thing had given up fighting, then so be it. I ran toward it, ready to end it all, but I stopped as soon as a large shadow formed in my path.

My feet slid across the ground at the sudden stop, and I don't know what face I made, but I prayed no one saw my reaction as a giant gear fell from the sky, sinking where I would have been had I not stopped.

Staring wide-eyed at the sky, I spotted a trail of smoke amid the clouds, a shower of debris bombarding the forest surrounding us.

"WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON HERE?!"

The Disciples didn't know how to respond, and looking past the monster, I saw the Elves shrugging before firing more arrows at our adversary.

The pain served to snap him out of his panic, giving way to rage, a roar like an uncontrolled beast.

Sliding his hand over his mask again, the white color changed to red, its flat surface to a grimace with exposed fangs and long horns.

I won't wait to see what happens. I used my Power of Song, activating my Intoner mode, and closed the distance quickly as lightning.

The monster roared again, raising its foot above its head and stomping the ground. There was a loud bang followed by a shockwave, and I suddenly found myself seeing the world upside down.

I soon realized I was falling, and the creature's red mask was approaching my face. I acted quickly and took a deep breath, sucking in a breath and letting out a shrill scream.

The sound wave sent the thing crashing to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust that dissipated as soon as I landed, revealing the advancing monster again.

Dito and Decadus scattered and approached from behind the ignorant beast in its blind rage, but they couldn't do much to it in this state.

I decided to give them time and ran, accepting their challenge.

My sword collided with its clenched fist, my feet recoiled slightly, and my arms trembled, but I stood my ground, removing a hilt from my weapon and punching it in the stomach.

The monster gasped, but swallowed the pain and stomped forward, swinging its gleaming claws toward my neck, only to find my prosthetic in its path.

Sparks flew from the metal, which creaked and crumpled.

I thrust my sword forward before I lost my arm again, and the creature's hand got in the way of parrying the attack, its palm pierced in a gush of blood.

We stood face to face, vying for dominance. The red mask jerked away, and I did the same with my head.

"You bastard!"

CRASH!

Our foreheads met with a heavy impact, strong enough to crush anyone's skull to dust.

"Don't you have anything better to do?!"

CRASH!

The world spun with each blow.

"I'll rip your head off and use it as a wall decoration!"

CRASH!

We groaned in pain, overcome with exhaustion.

"You're nothing but a piece of shit in my way!"

CRASH!

I looked past him and saw two pairs of arms quickly closing around his neck.

"And you've already lost!"

The monster realized something was wrong too late. The disciples had him in a headlock, and he immediately tried to break free.

I wouldn't allow it; it was time to end this fight. I gripped my sword with both hands and slashed at his chest, tearing his robe and flesh.

A streak of red sliced through the air, followed by another and another. Blow after blow, I heard the monster roar in pain, dyed red with each new wound.

His form staggered and he stopped struggling, his arms reaching out toward me one last time until the weight on his back became too much and he toppled forward, landing on his face.

The Disciples got off the monster, and I approached, holding my sword above his head, ready to kill them, then stopping when I realized something.

There was a pattern here. If Dito was the serpent and Decadus was the giant, then this creature was…

“What are you waiting for, Z?! Kill this thing before it rises!”

I sheathed my sword, considering what to do. Ropes and chains wouldn’t be enough. I hated acting like my sisters, but there was no other option.

“No, I have a better idea.”

I admit, I laughed at the looks of disbelief I received from everyone.

 -XXXXXX-

“ARE YOU CRAZY?! I ASKED YOU TO KILL THE CREATURE AND YOU BROUGHT IT HERE?!”

Tiberius screamed in our faces, raising his magical power in his fury.

“HEY, GET ME OUT OF THIS! THIS WAS HER IDEA!”

Dito pointed at me with both hands, sharing the elf's sentiments. Decadus, however, backed away, looking away and whistling innocently.

I glanced at the monster, bound and chained to a large rock near the clearing where Mikhail rested. However, it made no attempt to escape, remaining with its head down and slumped.

You know, the power of the song is quite versatile: summoning angels, creating disciples, and, of course, mind control. Something my sisters did without realizing it. Let's just say it won't cause us any trouble for a while.

"Don't worry, he won't cause us any trouble, I made sure of that."

"SERIOUSLY?! AND WHAT ARE YOU PLANNING WITH THIS THING?!"

"Let's just say he's not what he seems. I know someone who can turn him back into a human."

"HUMAN?! THIS ABOMINATION?! SO BE IT, THIS MONSTER IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY. YOU WILL MAKE SURE HE DOESN'T ESCAPE, BUT IF THAT HAPPENS, YOU AND YOUR GANG WILL BE EXPELLED FROM THE VILLAGE, EVEN IF I HAVE TO DO IT MYSELF!"

The old elf then left, fuming and grumbling as he walked.

The Disciples asked if I needed anything, but I told them they could go to the village if they wanted, which they wasted no time in doing. 

"And now, what am I going to do with you?"

The monster didn't react to my question, not even when I crouched in front of it and poked its mask.

Hmm... The knight can fix you, but Three probably captured him. How am I supposed to get through the fog? By digging a tunnel? Or maybe you can guide me? You're Three's monster, aren't you?

I sighed wearily, thinking too much for my own liking, to the point where I felt a headache coming on.

"Zero?"

A childish voice called out to me, and as I turned toward the source, I saw Mikhail poking his head through the trees.

"What?"

"Why didn't you tell me you were going to do something dangerous? I could help."

This was the kind of conversation I wanted to avoid.

"You're still hurt, you fool. Don't worry about what I do in the meantime. I'm strong, just focus on recovering."

"Hm... I don't like this! We should fight together!"

I stood up, walking toward him at a hurried pace. His wide eyes broke my heart; he must have thought I was about to yell at him.

Instead, I reached out and stroked his nose, then hugged his head.

"I know, and we'll do it when you're better. I have no reason to leave for now, so I'll stay with you until you're better."

I laughed at the awed noise he made and felt his warm breath fanning my body. We remained like that for a while, enjoying each other's company.

CRASH!

However, the moment ended when lightning split the night sky, bringing with it a crash and flash.

"AAAHHH!"

Mikhail screamed like a frightened child, trembling and approaching me, nearly knocking me to the ground.

Dark clouds covered the sky, obscuring the moonlight. Gradually, thin streams of water fell, rapidly intensifying.

A cold wind blew through the forest, making me shiver and curse the clothes I was wearing.

"You b-better get back to the v-village, Z-zero! A storm is c-coming!"

"And leave a coward like you alone? Besides, I have to keep an eye on the monster."

I left no room for argument. I would stay here with him, the main excuse being the monster, but really, I didn't want to leave Mikhail scared and alone.

So we sat among the trees, Mikhail shielding me from the rain with his wing while his fire burned within him, igniting an orange glow on his chest, warming us like a great fireplace.

-XXXXXX-

I returned to the village the next day as soon as I woke up, leaving Mikhail to keep watch when I noticed something wrong.

The feeling only worsened when I saw the empty houses. I called out for Tiberius and the Disciples, but there was no answer.

My search led me to the village entrance, and breaking through the illusion, I came across a murmuring crowd watching something.

"Hey, what's going on here?!"

Dito and Decadus appeared in the crowd and responded by pointing upward with impossible faces. 

I followed his fingers and had a similar reaction on the outside, but inside it was a different story.

HOLY SHIT!

The sky was split in two, a massive tear splitting the black clouds until they disappeared into the horizon.

Not to mention, of course, the destruction wrought in the Land of Forests just below the tear, a gigantic crack in the earth, so deep I couldn't see the bottom.

What the hell happened here?! Who or what did this? Three?!

In the distance, I spotted the elven scouts approaching, and as their shapes became clearer, I realized other people were following them.

And there he was, alive and well, wearing his shining armor and carrying his sword and shield, accompanied by the glowing ball that was the fairy.

I knew he wouldn't die!

I approached with my arms crossed, smiling broadly. Wondering in the back of my mind why I was so happy to see him.

However, the other two people in the group ruined my mood: Four, and surprisingly, Five.

So they survived? Great… Should I try to finish what I started? Or should I try something different…

I put those thoughts aside when the knight stopped in front of me and raised his head, staring at me silently.

I raised an eyebrow at his lack of reaction, even more so when I noticed the dragon missing from his wake.

"Zero." He nodded.

Okay, something was wrong here. The defeat in his voice was palpable.

"Edric." I returned the nod.

"We have a lot to talk about."

Then he walked past me as if I didn't exist. I gave a questioning look to the fairy on his shoulder, who shook her head before walking away.

That left Four and Tive. The former glanced at me with fear and nervousness, hurrying to the knight's side and giving me occasional glances.

The last one couldn't have been more different. Five stopped and stared at me with unimaginable coldness for someone like her, a gesture I returned. But instead of being intimidated, she just scoffed and continued on her way.

Damn!

Decadus, Dito, and I followed the group, trying to understand what had happened, but we had no way of imagining what had happened on the other side of the mist.

END OF CHAPTER