Chapter 481: Her Companion’s Battle.

Chapter 481: Her Companion’s Battle.

Let us turn back time, just before Hestia’s battle with the Prince of Envy began.

“Vifi!”

“Yo, Jumi, let’s take this fight outside. My boss needs you out there!”

After learning from the Knight-Commander that the demonkins’ objective was to extradite the Prince of Envy, whether due to concern over his wellbeing or just to preserve their secrets, the possibility of an ambush right before reaching their goal was almost certain. Using the [Shadow Snake] hidden inside Hestia’s shadow, Saori successfully managed to intercept the assassin hiding in anticipation of Hestia meeting the Prince of Envy.

With their trump card engaging the Prince-turned-Pope, the rest of Aurora had only one goal, and that was to delay as long as possible. Two Princes of Sin and one Warbringer were their enemies. A daunting task, even with Aurora’s list of companions. Defeating the enemy was not the plan, it was merely to survive. Survive at all cost and no matter what while assuring none interrupted Hestia’s plan.

“Our survival is all that is important for our lady.”

That one sentence Tasianna said to Midirn was the only order he was upholding at this very moment. It did not matter if an army of thousand were to cross his path, this dragonewt was determined to uphold his superior’s orders. Honor and pride were important for upholding one’s dignity, but detrimental to one’s role as a leader and commander. A grand marshal of a country must think of what would benefit the nation, or in this case, what would benefit his princesses the most.

As the gates of the papal mansion were torn apart, a figure shot right of it, electrocuted by red lightning. Another figure shot right out immediately after, holding onto a bright red halberd in her mechanical arm.

“Vifi ...” The former figure—the pink-haired Prince of Lust, Jumi’Yal—stared at the her opponent with a mix of happiness and sadness. Tears began to well on the beautiful young woman’s face, even as flesh was forming around her arms, readying herself for a fight. “I knew you couldn’t be dead! I knew it ... Yet, why am I so sad to see you?”

The latter—Aurora’s resident demonkin of wrath and former Warbringer, Vifi’Yok—did not flinch at the sight of a friend. Her attitude as a soldier did not wane despite living in a “softer” environment. War was war, and to a Warbringer, that was all that mattered. Orders and hierarchy created stability within a military force, and to ensure it remained stable, emotions couldn’t influence their actions.

To all the wrath demonkin fighting in today’s raid, this was their mantra. Every single one had learned this one single rule within their career as soldiers.

“Because you expected it to be happier,” Vifi said. “Now, stop before ya cry and let’s get this over with. Act like a Prince of Sin, Jumi. Imagine us sparring!”

Once those words left her mouth, Vifi wound up her arm with the lightning halberd before throwing the [Voltaic Red: Thunderspeed Roar] at the young Prince of Sin. The latter dodged out of the way once her senses returned, only to notice the projectile’s actual aim was the person behind her—the second Warbringer, Sakrha.

Flustered by the quick bolt from behind, he almost lost his arm as he took a step to the side, only for the wyvern twins to strike at this opportune time, freezing the ground and mud around him. The Warbringer could only stare in silence as his main method of movement was sealed. Although it was easy enough to break through the ice, it would still delay him by a couple of precious seconds, seconds he couldn’t afford against the fastest Warbringer in the Bole’Tarian army.

Sakrha knew this. He had sparred with her often enough to understand her strengths.

Nonetheless, it wasn’t just his former companion’s speed he was worried about, but the combination of this speed with the pure power per strike in the person pursuing him right about now. Another woman he couldn’t keep his eyes away from. Someone hellbent on getting back at him for “embarrassing her ego.”

Shit! The Warbringer snapped his head around as a beam of compressed mana shot past his head, piercing right through the mud walls he had created to divide the battlefield inside the basilica in two. A clean hole, reminiscent of a waterjet cutter slicing through butter.

Startled by this, the demonkin immediately began casting mud spells to defend himself against the second princess of the Dragon Empire—Fargryneill. Neighing and roaring simultaneously in her kirin-dragon form, the black-purple dragonkin galloped through the sky with the help of her blue glowing dragon paths, before landing right in front of her prey.

In her [Battle Frenzy (Moderate)] phase, the dragon paths were being released through her legs, hardening the mud around her and binding it into the ice, making it harder for the Warbringer’s spells to fully mold the slimy ground. This forced him to rely on his earth spells, using both [Terra Wall] and [Bedrock Blades] to push his adversary back and creating options for him to create more mud.

However, before he could begin, a lightning arrow landed right on his head, denting his voldunna helmet. Before he could recover, a red lightning-clad figure dashed right behind him, forcing him to rely on his instinct and pull out a dagger to defend against Vifi’s rapier thrust.

“Missed me?” Vifi gloated before continuing with a flurry of strikes, not expecting any of them to land. Her goal was to allow Fargryneill to close the gap to perform a pincer move, while the wyvern twins above prevented him from escaping underground.

Speed combined with power while being supported by two magic casters; that was Fargryneill’s and Vifi’s strategy to defeat this Warbringer.

“Keep up if you can, slow poke!” Vifi shouted with a wide smile.

The princess growled, [“Stop speaking like an idiot and just get him into place!”]

Although not the friendliest interaction, these two young warriors trusted the other to fulfill their respective role. Their limits and potential were made clear to each other in their decisive battle a few months ago, and now that they were on the same side, they could rest easy by having a reliable partner by their side.

Yet, to the one watching all of this happening on the sideline, it was nothing more than pain. The Prince of Lust stared in horror as these two fought together, bantering with each other while trying to confuse the Warbringer.

Jumi’Yal once was close to Vifi, at least, that was how she envisioned it in her mind. Reality did not reflect this vision, yet it was still clear the two young women had a bond before everything happened. But when she saw her once-friend now fighting alongside somebody else, against her own homeland, Jumi could not figure out how to feel about this.

As a hedonist like many other lust demonkin, she wanted to cheer Vifi on for following what she wanted, yet at the same time couldn’t help but condemn her. To leave everything behind for people she hadn’t known just a couple of months ago. What sort of farce was this? How did this happen?

Although, most importantly, why was Vifi ignoring her friend to fight somebody else? It was her right to end Vifi’s life for what she did!

Rage boiled within her like a wrath demonkin, and these feelings only worsened as all the wrath demonkin across the battlefield began to roar. Their emotions surged as the intensity of this battle continued, causing all but Vifi to manifest their elemental arms and limbs. Seeing all of this, Jumi knew she had to intervene.

Bones and flesh began to form around her limbs, turning her left arm into a giant razor blade while the other was covered to the brim with muscles, bulking her right side to the point it looked like the arm of a bodybuilder. Bone wings sprouted from her back, forming a sheet of webbing around them to imitate a bat’s, while the rest of her unchanged body hardened up, covering her in a thick plate of scale armor.

“Attack!” Jumi shouted with all the power in her lungs, rallying the surviving lust and wrath demonkin soldiers to defend the Warbringer.

Two lust and three wrath—the last remaining demonkin soldiers—roared their warcry, unafraid despite being outnumbered at this point. They truly believed that their two Princes of Sin and the second seat Warbringer would triumph, as it was natural to do so as long as they weren’t fighting a Hand of Heaven.

Targeting the wyvern twins, the lust demonkin attempted to shoot them down, meanwhile the wrath targeted Fargryneill instead of Vifi, understanding they wouldn’t be able to catch her unless they stopped her movements. Sadly, as they didn’t have a Territory, it wasn’t possible for them. That said, as long as they could help relieve the Warbringer Sahrka, their efforts wouldn’t be in vain.

After all, they could leave Vifi to the Prince of Lust. As such, she waited for her time until she could pounce at Vif with her spells and claws ... Yet, in that very moment, black lightning shot out from her shadow before it burst out like a liquid, revealing a giant black-white fenrir.

Jumi managed to block the lightning with her bone blade, but was forced to dodge out of the way when the fenrir—Saori—slammed her front legs onto the ground, creating a massive electrical explosion that sundered the pavement. Without rest, two more individuals emerged from the surrounding shadow to keep the pressure on the Prince of Lust—Tasianna and Grimnir.

A combination of freezing wind and icicles appeared that slowed the demonkin down, supported the slow, but more impactful, hammer swings. Suited up in his hulking manatech armor, the dwarven smith activated his runes as he continued his assault, creating both mana shields and improved attacks that evenly protected his allies and pushed the demonkin back, all to grant his allies openings. Opportunities both Saori and Tasianna did not let pass.

[“Increase our numbers!”] Saori ordered as she disabled her Territory, in fear of retaliation. She knew if there were to be a Territory dispute, only Midirn, Muraina, Rudigan, and Kuornig should respond with theirs.

Saori cast [Shadow Clone] while Tasianan summoned multiple [Winter’s Golem] and [Slithering Frost Serpent] as support, bolstering their numbers. Seeing their prince under attack, the two lust demonkin broke away from attacking the wyvern twins and attempted to defend her, only for four fenrirs to ambush them. Saori’s shadow pack aimed to protect their alpha.

Seeing this, the wrath demonkin in turn were forced to disengage and protect their archers, relieving Fargryneill and allowing her to fully focus on the Warbringer. As it was four wolves against five demonkin, one of the lust demonkin managed to flee to a safe location, where her angered expression graced the three human knights cowering in the back.

“I thought you healed enough? We gave you some of our potions, guys,” she said. “If you’re so willing to betray your race and country, might as well put in the effort before we decide you aren’t of any use to us!”

Threatened by the demonkin’s bone sabers, Royce could only tremble. The wounds he received from fighting Ellaine were healed, but his will was crushed. Not only did he lose an arm in his battle against the Prince of Envy, but he knew deep down that his decision would ruin his soul. Did he regret it? Mostly, but only because he cajoled his two loyal companions to follow him into this insanity.

“I will, my lady!” Royce bowed his head, gritting his teeth.

“Then here!” The lust demonkin shoved three vials of imperfect “Demon’s Grace” in his hand. The variant that would mutate a human’s body. “If you cannot find the courage to fight, then drink. Drink and we will uphold our deal.”

The only who was disregarding this latter order was Muraina, as she engaged the Prince of Pride with flurries of dagger slashes and storms of arrows, rotating between these two options to keep him on his toes. She was edging the line in an effort to not only defeat him, but also to egg him into trying to kill her.

Muraina cackled like a madwoman. “So this is the current power level of Bole’Taria, it really seems like constant battle has hardened your species, demonkin!”

Muraina pulled on her bow as her owl trent nocked an enchanted wooden arrow on its strings. As she unleashed the arrow, it shot through the air, disrupting the demonkin’s wind barrage and tearing three trees right off the ground with the wind pressure alone, sending rock and frozen dirt free falling.

Muraina readied another arrow, but before she could shoot it, the Prince snapped his fingers, causing the air around the elf to compress. Before it could harm her, Rudigan slammed his greatshield into the ground, perfectly defending her just in time, before he charged out of the way and shouted [Taunt].

With his attention drawn away, Muraina shot her arrow, nearly destroying his lute. Midirn and Yorshka then followed up, diving down like missiles to kill him, only for the demonkin to retaliate with his spells, blowing the four warriors all away.

Before he could snap at Yorshka, a shining blade descended onto him, forcing him to use his lute to defend himself. Redirecting the blade of light away, the demonkin grimaced as he noticed a dent on his lute’s attached blade. He looked down, noticing the knight standing before him.

“It seems I have become rusty from staying here,” Kuornig stated.

The Prince of Pride, Kel’Sharr, smirked. “Apparently so, Knight-Commander. Yet, age hasn’t slowed you down too much. Come, human, let us make this night memorable to the both of us, as I sing a ballad in your name. For your defeat! I summon—”

Yet, before the demonkin could even begin his Original Sin chant, two bright magic circles brightened the darkened winter night. The one on the ground lit up and began healing the raiding members, while another began gathering power in the starry sky, glowing so iridescently as it began turning like a clock.

One was [Sacred Field] while the other was [Omnictus]; that much was clear to everybody in attendance, yet none of the people here could have cast these spells so quickly. Kuornig was a holy mage, but he wasn’t adept enough to prepare two high tier [Sacred Magic] spells while focusing on the demonkin. Was Hestia already done?

Horrified by this thought, the demonkin stared at Aurolis city, only to notice somebody standing on top of the out wall. A man in a priestly garb raised his staff into the air as he channeled his mana.

That damn Vicar betrayed us! The demonkin’s expression distorted before he prepared to snap at him, only to be stopped by a radiant blade.

“You face us!” Kuornig yelled as he swung his blade once again, this time rallying the others to join him. Yet, in his mind, the Knight-Commander couldn’t help but wonder why his old friend had turned sides, but was smart enough to not question the unexpected aid.

Thank you, Saintess Hestia. Let it be known that I owe you a debt! He cheered. Marius, a mage able to become an archmage at the mage’s guild had joined the battle.

“Omnictus!” Cardinal Vicar Marius shouted as a beam of heavenly light descended from the white magic circle, blasting the concentrated beam of holy mana onto the demonkin and the raiding members.

Although the spell could differentiate enemies from allies, it still did considerable damage to Kuornig and the others. Fortunately, the [Sacred Field] was healing them up in the meantime, preventing any from dropping in health. On the other hand, the demonkin felt the full brunt of this spell, to the point his knees failed him.

As the spell dissipated, Klei’Sharr breathed heavily as he drank a health potion. He stood back up, still wobbly on his feet, only to realize more spells were coming his way. Although the distance should have made it impossible for a normal mage to cast over ten spells so accurately, Marius was fully able to with his catalyst.

Understanding the situation had degraded to a battle of attrition, the Prince of Pride finally decided to throw his pride away. Although he felt these people were beneath him, he couldn’t underestimate their numbers any longer. He had to finish them all, and the moment he decided this, his demonic powers stopped affecting the raiding members.

He would deign them with the honor to die against his Territory, like he did to the Griffon King.

“Let me show you the horrors of the war! The depth of the abyss will claim us all!”

“Everybody, now!” Midirn shouted. “Put your Territory up!”

Holding his hands up high, staring at the moon in the blackened sky, the Prince of Pride smiled. “May your paradise know the end of times!”

...

What? The Prince of Pride stared at this one System message. Confusion stole his attention, just as the others around him were likewise confused, long enough for everybody to miss their [Foresight] warning them to escape.

N—!

Unfortunately, it was all too late. In a second, everybody around them had turned into ice. The demonkin and the raiding party were all trapped inside a giant unbreakable and unmeltable icicles, yet none of them felt it was particularly cold. It felt mild, almost like swimming during a summer night with a breeze cooling down your heads.

What happened? How could this have suddenly happened?

To answer this, one must look at this structure from the sky. Looking down like an eagle, the icicle structure wasn’t isolated around the Prince of Pride, but was a colossal structure similar to a country separating wall, large enough that even an army of rank A dragons wouldn’t be able to bring it down.

This ice stopped at Auroelis city, turning the Holy Capital into a Frozen Capital. Every living being behind the walls was trapped in an ice prison, suspending all battles.

While this was its ending, the ice wall could be followed even outside the country, passing two of the five countries within the Divide of the Five Princes, originating at the entrance of the capital of Yeos, Elyonda. Why? Well, the wall’s creator had only just woken up and her entry back into Peolynca was through the [Room] runes Hestia loaned to the royal family of Yeos.

Yes, a cataclysmic, nation-dooming force had awoken from their hibernation. One, two, even three countries? No, if this being willed it, even an empire would fall into an eternal ice age, forever doomed in a prison not even the Emperor of Dragons could easily melt. It was to the benefit of the world that this being was in a good mood.

No ... she hasn’t done anything in these last four months! She hasn’t appeared at all! Why is she here now! The Prince of Pride heart dropped as he stared in the sky as a humanoid suddenly appeared above Aureolis city, causing a supersonic blast that destroyed the sound barrier.

The sonic boom from her arrival shattered a portion of the frozen city, decimating walls and houses into unrecognizable debris. Her mere presence was enough to stop all Territory activation, causing the System to prioritize the safety of all the people around. Her aura alone was enough to make all kneel before her.

She then snapped her fingers, causing the ice imprisoning every living being to melt, releasing them. She did not need to speak. Her right as a supreme being demanded all to approach her, to show her fealty.

“Matriarch ...” Yorshka immediately fell onto her knees, bowing before this dragonewt. Tears began to drench her face.

“Sixth Empress!” Midirn did the same, yet his action was not out of filial loyalty, but purely out of respect.

No, no, no, no, no! Thals! The worst situation had happened. The Prince of Pride could do nothing but run towards the city.

Not every battle required the elimination of one’s enemies. A simple third party was enough to end even the worst wars, and in this case? All who dared to interfere in this moment would be deemed “executed.” Releasing them from their ice prison was her mercy. Gratitude was demanded.

“Empress Melloxtressa!” Tasianna kneeled.

[“My Empress!”] the twin wyverns, Shayatierus and Bethlieranha, shouted in unison, heralding their mistress with [Telepathy].

Looking at them, she smiled. [“I have awakened, children. Now, prepare yourself for your princess’s arrival. My daughter will need your care if she wishes to survive.”]

With those words, the earth started to quake close to the papal mansion, before it all vanished in an inferno. Music began to play as a young girl sang along it, before a giant flaming centipede and a dragon appeared from the fire.

This battle was over.