Disclaimer: I don't own Gate or Nihon-koku Shoukan as it belongs to its rightful owners.

Arc 2: A City, A Diplomacy A Dragon

Noble City VIIS: A Worthy Sacrifice?

As
she made her way through the uneven terrain, she found herself
stumbling repeatedly. The cup she was carrying on her head threatened to
tip over with every misstep. Despite her difficulties, she felt a sense
of relief when she realized that the small drops of water that had
spilled had landed on her hand and not on the ground. It was a small
victory, but it gave her the encouragement she needed to keep moving
forward.

She didn't really get the real purpose of this task other than to make it to the end of the line and finish the whole thing.

"Oh my... I think she's really going to do it!"

"Come on Rory! Just a little more!"

The girl wasn't really alone either.

While
with her fellow trainee priestesses, Rory discovered newfound
motivation in the grand hallways of the illustrious Temple of Emroy. The
sight of her companions and the splendor of the temple surroundings
ignited a flame of inspiration within her.

She continued walking
and pushing towards the end, but slowly because she didn't want to
squander her one and only chance. Furthermore, as time passed, she grew
to enjoy it. She raised her eyes to the others and noticed her best
friend, Belle, who was still cheering for her, and a smile crept across
her lips.

The only thing she had to do was not to lose focus, The
line that she was walking along was surrounded by a blue ethereal
essence that stood up tall amongst the rest, and from the farthest from
her direction, their mentor carefully observed the task.

"You're almost there.." Her mentor remarked.

This
was a very rare occasion when everyone's support was poured on her like
a bucket of cold water. If she can pass this simple test, she should be
able to pass the next ones in line. The spirit of the world and Emroy
would then take notice and deem her worthy of a blessing. That, in turn,
would finally help her family and allow them to live comfortably.

Everything was going well until she looked up again, and saw him amongst the crowd.

Her body froze as she didn't know how to react when their eyes both met. She had not seen him for a long time, but was she indeed surprised that he was here and a part of them of the church as well?

This was the reason her focus was fading, and not long after, she lost control of her balance and fell to the ground.

The crowd of trainees halted their voices and some covered their mouths in shock., especially her blue-haired best friend.

From
the other side, her mentor sighed but in a good way." Well, not the
finest endings in recent times but congratulations Rory, you passed the
test."

When the young girl became distracted, she began walking
faster than usual, and by the time she reached the finish line, she had
tripped and taken an unintentional dive. Of course, there were
ramifications because the cup of water was poured on her clothing, but
it did not fall to the floor.

Following that, quietness took over the whole place.

Rory
was speechless, for a second, she thought that she was going to start
from the bottom again, yet in some way, she had to take the clumsiest
finishes that a priestess would endure.

Her fellow trainees didn't continue their cheers but some rushed towards the girl to assist her, with Belle, leading the way.

"Are you alright?" She asked." You did a great job!" The girl added, bringing out her support.

Soon the admiration returned and the rest began praising her for her accidental accomplishment.

The young girl returned the smile but said nothing as her attention returned to the person who had distracted her.

She looked at him, but not with a frown.

She was intrigued, which prompted her to learn more.

As to why he was here, in the first place.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Upon
completion of the task at hand, the day's lessons had come to a close.
While her fellow trainees departed for the comforts of home or to
explore the bustling city streets, the young girl opted to stay behind.
She found solace in the stillness that surrounded her as she settled
herself beside a towering pillar, her only companion the peaceful
silence that enveloped her.

"Come on Rory, you don't have to talk to him, He didn't even receive his master's approval for him to become a trainee."

She recalled her friend, trying to persuade her to let go of the past.

"Even though the other girls have the desire to win his heart, I'll never fall for the looks!"

"They only deceived but the actual character is much worse..."

She shook her head and smiled.

Belle
had become a dear friend to her, so much so that they regarded each
other as sisters. However, there was one crucial secret that she had
never divulged to Belle - the boy whom she had known since childhood.

The wind grew stronger as the young girl watched the sunset.

Something about this place was special.

The
panoramic view of the historic metropolis was truly awe-inspiring. She
couldn't help but ponder over the challenges that she had face and how
far she had come to get into this situation, since leaving their
hometown long ago.

"What a wonderful place to spend time isn't it?"

A familiar voice then caught her attention, and she realized that a certain time had finally come.

She turned to her right and met the dark brown-haired boy face to face.

"Rory..." The teen muttered her name with a smile.

The girl didn't say much, but she did smile briefly before returning her attention to the scenery.

"How
long have you been staying here at the temple, Luscious?" she asked
calmly, but she didn't hesitate to show her seriousness.

Luscious was taken aback by her words, but he understood what she was trying to say.

He eventually gave up and sighed "I can't even count...months or weeks maybe?" He tried to act innocently.

"B-But don't get me wrong, this is all but temporary.."

Rory
made a face, indicating she didn't believe the whole thing. The attire
that he was wearing wasn't that of a warrior nor an elite knight.

"You told me you were going to pursue your dream."

He
slightly looked away, feeling that small shame." I know." He muttered
as he looked up towards the sky." And I thought I was going to sail the
seas and reach the promised land or become a famous warrior or even a
pirate." He slightly chuckled, showing a hint of embarrassment in his
voice.

"I didn't expect to be left here while they all went on
their own adventure," he explained. "Now, I'm just trying to earn as
many silver coins as possible in order to return home."

He couldn't believe it, even to himself. His whole confidence was almost reduce to none.

It
was unfortunate that he did not receive the approval of his fellow
party members, who believed he was not good or strong enough. However,
the local priests were gracious enough to provide him with a home, and
something to do.

For a brief moment, silence took over. The girl made a solemn expression as she looked at her once-former "Protector" that repelled the local village bullies.

"When I come back, I'll see to it that the village will never be raided or attacked."

"I will protect everyone."

The
memory of those words echoed in her mind as she gazed upon the familiar
face of her childhood friend. He had departed years ago to join a band
of adventurers pursuing a common goal. Yet here he was, living an
unremarkable life as a temporary cleaner of floors and walls. The shock
of this unexpected encounter was palpable as she struggled to come to
terms with the reality of the situation. How had he ended up here, and
what had become of his once lofty aspirations? The questions lingered in
her mind as she tried to make sense of this unexpected reunion.

"Even if this is just once, promise me that when my life is at risk, you'll be there to save me."

As
Luscious stood there, memories of his childhood friend's promise
flooded his mind. He couldn't help but feel a tinge of shame creeping up
on him. Eventually, he gave in to his emotions and sat down, leaning on
a nearby pillar. His gaze drifted towards the breathtaking view of the
sea and city, lost in thought.

By then, he felt a place on his
shoulder, and he turned to see the girl herself who surprisingly
approached him and gave him a smile.

"I miss you," she
said simply, resting her head on his shoulder, a small tear falling from
her eye, indicating that she really did care for him all these years.

Despite
a slight blush, the young teenager understood and smiled for the first
time. It was something that reignited the fire within him, and from then
on, he vowed that he would never look back to his weak past and that he
would grow stronger until the time came when they would notice, and he
would finally make a significant impact across the land, if not the
world.

But, above all, he wanted to keep that simple promise.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

940 years later.

The ravages of time continued as the Noble City witnessed various battles taking place.

Those
between the defenders of the towers and the walls and the dark wyvern
army were spreading their reign of terror from above.

The streets
also had their own conflict, with Maihark's Constables defending the
various safe zones from the attacking dark corrupted dragon-like
creatures.

And, of course, a band of unlikely heroes from
different walks of life who continued the fight throughout the districts
using a combination of magic and non-magic.

Amongst all that, there was one battle that was ongoing and was much more complex compared to the others.

It
happened in many different parts of the city, the normal eye wouldn't
have the chance to see it but only catch a glimpse of two auras clashing
together creating powerful waves of energy around, causing structures
to instantly crumble into bits like breadcrumbs.

Rory had never
felt such a rush of adrenaline before, and for the first time in recent
years, she was actually involved in a life-threatening situation. She
had never faced an opponent who she thought was on the same level as
her.

She found herself clashing her weapon against him. The
infamous halberd of death, which had slain thousands of souls and
powerful entities, was attempting to inflict harm on the young man.

As
the situation unfolded, he displayed an impressive ability to hold his
own against a person with whom she shared a long history dating back to
their childhood days. Despite this, she remained emotionally detached
and devoid of any deep sentiments towards him. Instead, her primary
reaction was one of disappointment, as her initial suspicions were
proven to be correct.

She knew this was going to be a struggle to overcome.

When
it came to casting spells, it was an entirely different ball game for
her. She realized that using too much magic wouldn't be effective in the
current situation. Thus, taking the battle to the other endless realm
wouldn't give her the upper hand in making crucial decisions.

The
weapon that the young man had in his possession was truly a gift from
the divine forces. It was a lengthy blade that bore a striking
resemblance to the revered odachi from the Kingdom of Fenn. Despite
being able to wield the larger halberd, the young man found that the
blade lacked a bit of speed in comparison to the latter. Nonetheless,
there was another reason why he preferred the blade over the halberd.

At
this point in the battle, the Apostle of Emroy had to switch up her
tactics and take a more defensive approach. She opted to block and dodge
her opponent's attacks, rather than trying to strike back.

"Why are you holding back?" Luscious asked as he kept on attacking, trying to bring her into focus.

How many times they had sparred throughout the centuries?

Rory didn't respond and surprisingly, she kept a distance and eventually decided to flee this time.

The move caught him off guard, and he dashed to keep up with her.

He could tell something was wrong. He didn't believe in that particular emotion right now, but he wanted to be certain.

Then out of the blue, the girl spoke.

"You don't have to do this, Luscious."

She
was serious about this." There's nothing to gain, even if you acquired
all crystals." She added." You will only succumb to its influence, and
the sacrifices you made will be for nothing!"

"So please...tell me...who are you serving under?"

Despite, the statement she had said to make him realize, he gave a small chuckle.

"It
would be my pleasure to tell you my own story," he said. "However, you
haven't answered my question...and it's quite simple."

"Where are you keeping it?"

Rory remained silent.

"I know, it wasn't just Parna, Who are you working alongside."

"You don't have to lie, it's useless by this point."

The nerve of someone to actually use the crystal to summon the spirit of the world to defend a decaying city.

The
girl felt a growing sense of unease. Her opponent was actually
thinking. He had already figured out some important details about the
plan. He'd find out where he was sooner or later. She had to do
something to stop it.

In a flash, Rory vanished from sight and
reappeared above her opponent, who was caught off guard. Before making
the move, she whispered a phrase that triggered their weapons to clash
with an electrifying surge of magic. As they battled on, Rory's halberd
transformed into a sleeker and more agile version, allowing her to
unleash a devastating torrent of slashes that sliced through multiple
parts of her foe's body. Her swift and precise attacks left the young
man reeling, unable to keep up with her lightning-fast movements.

Luscious,
with remarkable foresight, was able to predict her next move and
skillfully sidestepped the potentially fatal attacks that could take
down an average person in a mere instant.

"All that long break from combat really made you slow." He teased her, in a familiar manner, letting out a smile.

Suddenly,
he sensed a looming danger behind him. Swiftly, he pivoted to defend
himself from an unexpected attacker. To his surprise, he faced yet
another assailant, this time from a different direction. Despite being
outnumbered, he managed to maintain his composure and skillfully dodged a
third attack. His agility was impressive as he leapt out of harm's way.

He widened his eyes in realization.

His doubts were cleared when he felt magic being cast, and thus he smirked.

"So you even dare to summon the twin warriors from beyond?"

Before
him, stood a pair of individuals, one being a man and the other a young
woman, both adorned in the attire of Emroy's esteemed warriors. The duo
was encircled by a mystical aura, signifying their arrival in this
realm was authorized by an apostle and sanctioned by the supreme spirit.

He didn't easily believe that it was them but rather fakes.

The two warriors soon charged at the young man to engage him in combat with the Oracle of Emroy observing.

The
girl's refusal to go all out on him surprised Luscious. Facing two
well-known warriors from history didn't make the situation any more
interesting to him.

He knew there was a plan behind that facade, and it was to distract his mind.

The young man slightly nodded in understanding as his hand balled into a fist and he cast his own magic.

"If
you want me to get distracted from my main purpose? So be it." He
remarked as a darkish essence manifested." I will take your focus away
from whatever goal you are pursuing." He then raised his hand and
commanded a number of structures to rise from the ground, including the
current area they were in.

Over time, multiple structures were split in half, creating numerous massive fragments that shot into the air.

The large debris became their only way to stay afloat.

The
girl and her two summoned warriors were caught off guard by a sudden
event. Chaos erupted as debris came hurtling towards them, threatening
to crush them. Meanwhile, the dark wyvern riders from the group were
completely oblivious to what was happening and ended up colliding with
the unforgiving concrete. It was a hectic and dangerous situation that
left everyone scrambling to stay alive.

When Rory heard the roar
of a wyvern from behind her, she turned around and slashed the beast in
half, its rider helplessly falling to his death.

By this point, more wyverns had taken notice and were flocking to the unusual battleground.

Luscious'
plan had worked, as he immediately leaped towards the two summoned
warriors, who were still avoiding the attacking debris as well as the
wyverns themselves. By the time he reached the first warrior, he had
drawn his sword and stabbed her through the chest.

The first
warrior's eyes widened in surprise, and her body quickly transformed
into a blueish stream that evaporated into thin air.

The second
warrior felt the sudden change, and by the time he turned to his right
and met the edges of the blade, his head had been separated from his
body, and all of him had become an essence and returned to the
lifestream.

He looked around for the girl, but his attention was
drawn to several towers with blue flames by the bells, now that his
opponents had vanished.

"So that's why you're trying to keep me distracted." He smirked.

"Do you think that by delaying time, those kingdoms will send help to save this old and dying city?" he asked confidently.

"It will be too late no matter wh-" He was suddenly cut off as the girl immediately charged at him.

This time she pushed the latter away from their battle site as both found themselves falling towards the ground.

"How were you able to capture and taint the Flame Dragon's heart?" She spoke once more, as their clashed of blades resumed.

"I
am not in the position to answer that." He replied back, trying to gain
the upper hand." I supposed, that Draconian Apostle would be the one to
clear your doubts." He added.

"How an incompetent and reckless caretaker she is!".

With
a surge of power, Luscious amplified his magical energy, causing the
sinister aura to intensify in its visibility. The young man wielded his
weapon with precision, slicing through the air with a fluid motion.
Suddenly, a massive burst of energy materialized in the atmosphere,
hurtling straight towards the unsuspecting girl.

In a split
second, Rory managed to dodge the attack. However, the impact was
colossal, hitting a long stretch of shophouses, and causing them to
crumble to the ground in an instant.

"If you can't be honest with
your words, then you leave me no choice but to force you to spill out
the truth," the young man smirked again, his gaze shifting to a specific
building.

There was a small evacuation site nearby, specifically a house for abandoned and parentless children.

Luscious
brandished a menacing dark crystal and with one swift strike, shattered
the walls of the fortified structure. The very foundations seemed to
crumble and turn to dust, revealing a group of women and children who
had sought refuge within. They appeared dazed and disoriented, clearly
shaken by the sudden and violent turn of events.

As the young man
snapped his fingers with a determined look on his face, a sudden barrier
materialized around them, blocking any escape route. The women quickly
sprang into action, shielding the frightened children from the unknown
danger lurking ahead. The little ones huddled together, seeking comfort
and safety in each other's embrace.

Rory paused, a tinge of frustration creeping in. It was a situation she never enjoyed.

She really wished that the "Chirithy"
was here to assist her, but considering, he was in the middle of
pursuing his own task, she had no choice but to face this all by
herself.

Luscious stared right through her eyes as he pointed his weapon toward the poor civilians.

"This would not have happened if you had simply told me where the crystal was," he explained, starting the countdown.

"At the end of the day, their lives are depended on your decision..Rory" He added, his weapon already summoning dark magic.

It
was apparent to him that this particular vulnerability had plagued her
for a considerable duration. Despite earning numerous titles such as "Angel of Death" and "Goddess of War,"
which supposedly indicated her lack of empathy towards those who begged
for mercy, he saw beyond the facade. To him, the supposed apostle he
was confronting was merely a young woman with a good heart.

The
sound of children's cries echoed throughout the orphanage as the women,
struggling with their own mental and emotional pain, tried to comfort
them.

However, something unexpected happened that caught the young man off guard.

Rory stood up straight, took a deep breath, and spoke.

"The Wyvern Headquarters of Maihark, that's where the crystal is kept."

Quietness reigned for a few moments.

Luscious
found himself at a loss for words. He had not anticipated how
effortlessly he would be able to coax the truth out of the girl. Her
truthful account was evident not just in her words, but also in the way
she spoke, moved, and held herself. Every aspect of her demeanor
conveyed an air of sincerity that was hard to ignore.

As he gazed
upon her countenance, he couldn't help but recognize the familiar
expression she wore. It was one of regret and guilt, a face she often
displayed when overwhelmed by those emotions. Despite any potential
resentment or anger he could have felt, he instead found himself feeling
a sense of pity towards her.

A faint smile crept up on his face
and before anyone could register, he released his weapon and in a split
second, he disappeared from the vicinity.

After the chaotic
commotion settled, Rory swiftly made his way toward the group of women
and children to ensure their safety and well-being.

"Thank you, Your Holiness!" One of the women cried out as tears were falling from their eyes.

The rest followed suit as they let out their emotions, with some of the children approaching and hugging her.

The
Oracle of Emroy sighed in relief. She gave a smile and said." Don't
worry, everything is going to be alright..." She assured them."

Not
long after, a group of constables arrived at the scene, and,
considering the attire and the symbol that was embedded in her clothing,
the men immediately recognized her.

"Your Holiness, what has happened here?" One of them asked.

Rory
simply gave a nod and a serious look." Gentlemen, please take them to
the western gates, it's the safest place to avoid destruction." She
simply instructed.

"As you wish madam..." The lead constable bowed
as he and the men finally escorted the rest of the women and children
out of the scene.

She looked up at the sky, all by herself, and
caught a glimpse of the massive figure of the dark fire dragon as it
maneuvered its way towards the specific location.

"Just as I suspected..." She thought to herself, having her doubts cleared as she made the right choice of deviating herself from the fight.

All that fiasco was just an illusion and the real one was actually controlling the dragon from the inside.

"Clever..." She confidently smirked, knowing that it was time to move on to the next plan.

For now, the tension had shifted towards the skies.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

The
emergence of the lifestream was surprising to many, especially for the
rest of the imperial wyvern army, who had expected to encounter a very
smooth and easy invasion.

Due to the sudden and unforeseen shift
of circumstances, most of them were left with no choice but to simply
bear witness as the events unfolded within the confines of the energy
barrier resembling a dome.

Captain Julius was in a frenzy trying
to piece together what he had just witnessed. His mind was racing with
the infinite possibilities of what could go wrong and how he could
possibly explain it to his superiors without coming across as a traitor
leading them into a deadly trap. It was a daunting task, but he knew he
had to find a way to make it work.

This wasn't the outcome that he had expected.

"Captain Julius, what in the heavens is going on?" The commander of the Wyvern army asked calmly.

Despite the man's gentle tone in asking the question, the individual felt a rush of cold sweat pouring down from his forehead.

"Commander,
I uh...I will see to it that there will be a way for us to destroy this
magic barrier!" He acted firmly as if he was true to his word.

Yet, in truth, he didn't know what to do.

Although, he went ahead and used his manacom in order to contact the first batch of the army, who were able to enter the city.

"Do you all hear me? This is Captain Julius!

He needed to know the current state of their objectives.

Not long after, the voices began to emerge, but it wasn't the response he was looking for.

"C-Captain! We are currently engaging in a fight with the unknown rider!"

"It had already taken down a huge number of the group."

The serious voice of a wyvern rider spoke, even alerting the rest of them.

The man made a puzzled face.

"What do you mean by a rider? All of them are gone as far as we know." He argued back, not believing the latter's statement.

Maihark's finest wyvern riders were all killed during the ambush.

"We have to confirm sir or else-"

The voice was going to respond when suddenly the man from behind the manacom was cut short and instead screamed.

"Do you read me? What happened!?" Captain Julius was trying to keep his own worry at bay.

Unbeknownst
to him, he was met with the expectant looks of the men. They were all
keen to hear any news or updates. However, unknown to him, there was
also a sense of unease among the group, including the commander.
Something was clearly bothering them all.

The onset of their
trembling hands was beyond their control, causing their entire bodies to
shake uncontrollably. Despite their efforts to resist the sensation,
they found themselves grasping their own shoulders in an attempt to
steady themselves. The wyvern commander, too, was struck with a rush of
anxiety upon witnessing this phenomenon.

"How long this will end?" He thought as he didn't want the situation to go that far.

How long could they contain that power that was given to them and the sole reason that brought them back?

At this point, a massive shadow could be seen joining the ongoing aerial battle.

The commander then caught a glimpse of someone he immediately recognized.

The red silhouette and an image of a young lady riding what appeared to be a griffin.

"Your Highness?"

XXXXXXXXXXXX

The battle was in full swing.

It
was the first time Maihark's own skies were filled with smoke,
explosions, flames, and even bodies of both humans and wyverns being
tossed around.

The towers which reached a specific height was
enough to witness the event unfold. The surviving knights of the defense
corps, used the available ballistic as they tried to reduce their
enemies' numbers once again.

Suddenly, a barrage of massive arrows
soared into the sky, aimed directly at the swarm of wyvern riders
hovering above. It seemed that the unknown rider's clever tactics had
created just enough chaos to allow the arrows to find their mark,
striking down several enemy wyverns and causing significant damage. The
battle was far from over, but this small victory gave the opposing army a
glimmer of hope.

Amidst the dark clouds and emerging sun, the
lone griffin continued its work, as she maneuvered her way through the
skies towards the nearby wyvern riders, who failed to notice its
presence. Resulting in them seeing this blur and then suddenly finding
either the rider or the wyvern itself receiving a big slash on their
necks and thus falling to their deaths.

"On your right!" Pina exclaimed upon seeing the next distracted wyvern rider.

Parna
simply nodded as she gripped her blade tightly, and by the time they
arrived at the rider, she had stabbed him in the back before he could
defend himself, quickly pulled the blade out, and then shoved him as he
fell from his wyvern.

She wiped the blood away from her forehead not noticing the unusual blackness of it.

Some of the wyvern riders fought back as they unleashed powerful flames.

Pina
took charge and instructed the griffin to swiftly change course. Parna
didn't waste any time and unleashed her magic, conjuring a powerful
water rune that extinguished the flames in a heartbeat. This opened up
an opportunity for Mera to speed up, allowing the bunny warrior to
unleash their deadly slash attack on the riders. The assailants were no
match for the bunny warrior's quick action and fell to their ultimate
demise.

As the two youthful ladies valiantly attempted to resist
the Saderan wyvern riders' onslaught, the looming specter of the flame
dragon continually plagued their thoughts. Their eyes roamed
frantically, taking stock of their surroundings in search of any
possible signs of the fiery beast. Despite their desperate search, no
trace of it could be found, leaving them plagued with uncertainty and
apprehension.

Despite the presence of the sun's illuminating rays, the heavens remained shrouded in a blanket of ominous darkness.

In that short time, the black-haired beauty had wondered how the possible heir
to the Saderan throne had the abilities or experience of aerial combat.
The young lady did make a number of good attacks against the riders who
even hailed from her own kingdom.

This person wasn't the one she
had expected for a long time. Contrary to popular belief princesses are
supposed to be damsels in distress.

"Milady, if I may inquire, how did you gain such experience in aerial voyage?" she queried, unable to contain her own curiosity.

The redhead gave a small smile.

"I
apologize for not being able to elaborate in detail, but a family
friend of ours invited me and my siblings to ride one of his eagles and
then I fell in love with the whole aspect of riding through the skies,"
she explained, gently patting her beloved pet." And as for Mera, she was
a gift when I was little and I've been riding the skies with her
whenever boredom returns."

Parna blinked a couple of times, giving
this amused look. Certainly, this was very different, despite the
lavish lifestyle and rich spoils, the princess herself preferred
something more akin to improving one's life.

Adventure was already a part of that.

However,
there was one aspect that she had been wanting to ask since witnessing
the latter's display of combat back at the main palace and even now. Of
course, she understood that the redhead had gone through military
training in her kingdom but the way she acted during the battle was
something different entirely.

"Almost as if she had been doing this for..."

"Miss Parna! They're approaching again!"

Her
thoughts were cut, and the bunny warrior returned to her senses, upon
seeing groups of dark wyvern knights heading toward them and this time,
they'd already figured it out.

"Your Highness! What in the world are you doing!?" Exclaimed by one of the wyvern knights.

Pina couldn't control her emotions as she answered back with a strong voice but in a calmer way.

"What does it look like?" She said." Of course, I'm preventing death and destruction caused by you people!"

The
wyvern riders were taken aback by what she had said." You don't
understand Milady! We were only ordered to spread out fear so they will
surrender and that peace will be achieved if one gives way for the
other."

Parna slightly cringed, knowing that the damage to the
city had been done and it was obvious that a lot of people had perished
by now.

"Who gave you the order!?"

"Adem?"

The men were in silence as they didn't know what to say.

"We had no choice milady, even if we wanted to object or resist, we don't have the power."

Pina
was deeply disturbed by the manner in which the men were handling the
situation. She couldn't help but wonder if they had lost their sense of
reason and integrity. Were they no longer capable of analyzing and
comprehending the gravity of their actions? It was a troubling thought
that lingered in her mind.

"You've all been tricked!" She argued."
That man gave us the responsibility of establishing peaceful
connections with Qua-Toyne through proper diplomatic means, have you not
been informed?"

The leader of the group sighed in return and seemed to ignore her statement, as soon an unknown force began to take influence.

"Milady, please join us in achieving victory for our homeland." He said, raising up his fist as his voice also began to change.

Parna had sensed a strong energy emerging from within them and it made her worry even more.

"If not then, you'll have to suffer the consequences.."

As
the group of wyvern riders approached, a deep crimson energy emanated
from them. The man leading them lifted his hand, which suddenly appeared
more demonic, with sharp claws stretching out towards his targets. His
hand grew in size, as if possessed by some dark force, as he attempted
to forcefully grab his prey.

"Look out!" Parna exclaimed,
luckily able to react in time as she used her blade to slash the man's
now monstrous arms, but still, it wasn't effective.

"Do you think, you could harm us with your simple blade!?"

The Saderan wyvern riders were now becoming unrecognizable.

Parna couldn't comprehend what had transpired, but the latter recalled a similar case during the palace incident not long ago.

Meanwhile,
the rest of the men attempted to charge at them once more, and this
time they moved faster than before with their own swords finally being
drawn.

"Kill those two!" One of them yelled out.

Upon
receiving this information, Pina took charge and ordered Mera to take
action. The griffin quickly swooped downward, expertly changing its
speed and maneuvering in such a way as to force its pursuers to follow.
In the meantime, Pina and Mera were able to strategize and formulate
their next plan of action. The bunny warrior then drew out a powerful
materia crystal and hurled it into the air, ready to unleash its full
potential.

The crystal itself glowed brighter until a flash of light occurred as the magic activated.

A circular essence was created and immediately, the griffin flew towards the energy itself, thus completely disappearing.

One of the wyvern riders was taken aback but retained his arrogance.

"We can sense you! Don't even try to-"

As
the portal appeared above them, he was cut off in his speech. Soon
after, the man felt something heavy land from behind him, and Parna
herself slashed his disgusting and twisted neck.

Black blood emerged like waterfalls and his body was then kicked off away from the wyvern by the young warrior bunny.

The rest of the enemy were taken by surprise. Because of that, they decided to charge at culprit all at the same time

With
swift precision, Parna extracted a second crystal from her pouch and
deftly positioned it atop the formidable dark wyvern. Instantly, the
creature's willpower was overpowered by the potent magic imbued within
the crystal, leaving it completely subservient to the woman's every
whim.

"Don't let them get away!" More voices were heard as both girls became instant targets.

Pina
gave the latter a look, gesturing to split up in order to divide the
pursuers into two groups, yet in the midst of that, a giant shadow
loomed.

A familiar roar was heard as everyone looked behind and
saw the flame dragon emerging from the dark clouds with its mouth wide
open.

Everyone froze with the exception of Parna, who looked up and yelled at the redhead.

"Pina! Get out of here as soon as possible!"

By then, the girl came to her senses as she directed Mera away from the scene.

As
the girls were preparing to depart, the dragon's latent power suddenly
erupted in a massive burst of flames from its gaping maw. The inferno
engulfed the entire group of wyverns, reducing them to blackened,
smoking husks in a matter of seconds.

It also created another strong shockwave that almost sent the girls flying down, yet they were able to keep their balance.

After
successfully neutralizing the wyvern threat, the two found themselves
confronted with a new enemy. This time, it took the form of a corrupted
flame dragon, which relentlessly pursued them. The creature's massive
wings beat forcefully, creating powerful shockwaves that reverberated
throughout the air. They knew they had to act fast to avoid being caught
by the dragon's fiery wrath.

The whole spectacle was witnessed by
a number of citizens from below, as many eyes were glued towards the
sky upon seeing a giant dragon flying in circles as if it was trying to
catch an annoying prey.

Some were amazed and some were terrified.

Those same people could only hope it didn't crash into the ground again.

As
for both young women, they were exerting their best effort to evade the
creature, which was impossible for them to beat. It might be a bit slow
but it was its determination that gave them problems which caused them
to not stop or else face the result.

That was until, the creature itself suddenly halted, before heading in a different direction.

"W-Where is it going?" Pina asked.

At
first, Parna didn't believe what she was seeing, but she couldn't look
away as the object moved steadily towards a specific structure in the
distance. As she watched, her eyes widened in shock, and she caught the
attention of her companion.

"Milady, this may be absurd, but we must follow the dragon now"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It
eventually came to the point where the tower and the headquarters
itself had been serenely clouded for hours. Any potential threat
appeared to have vanished into thin air. There was not a single dark
wyvern in the area, nor were there any signs of the city's dark
corrupted dragons.

The threat of the dark-influenced knights that
resided in the headquarters had been put to rest, something that
definitely surprised the trio.

The question that remained continued to bother them.

Should they leave or stay?

Yes,
they had the responsibility of guarding the crystal as it continued to
make its magic and protect the noble city but the paranoia of
anticipating an attack was there.

Following a tough deliberation,
the young captain made a decision and invited the chronicler to
accompany her on their way to the nearby wyvern stables. Their objective
was to investigate if there were any remaining winged creatures
available for their use as an escape plan in case of an emergency. The
captain held onto hope that at least one wyvern was still present, as it
was their only viable option for a safe and speedy getaway.

Are you sure Frankel-san will be okay?" He asked that question, and the young woman simply laughed.

"Don't
worry about that geezer." She brushed it off in a joking manner." He'd
faced a lot of adversity until this whole ordeal." She explained
further.

Yuji nodded, remarking, "And to think he'd been stuck
there forever doing that job for years...I don't think any normal person
would have accepted it or made it in less than a day." For some reason,
the task reminded him of one of the worst aspects of his culture back
home.

Ine simply smiled.", That's because...he made the pledge
that he would protect and serve his kingdom." She explained." It's a
matter of choice, Sir Frankel wanted to keep our home away from any path
to destruction or even darkness."

"The siren and the crystal is just a part of it."

He
was ready to risk his life regardless of the challenges. Even though,
Qua-Toyne's government had its own fair share of corruption.

"Do
you think If we save this city and prevent the crystal from being taken,
will that solve all problems?" Yuji followed up with another question.

Quietness took over for a brief moment as the young woman could only smile back.

"Even
if it didn't solve everything, I only hope that this would be the start
of something new and that would inspire a lot of people to unite."

Upon
opening the wyvern stable doors, the sight that greeted them was that
of an almost deserted area, with massive haystacks scattered around,
toppled barrels and empty buckets strewn carelessly. It wasn't the most
appealing smell, but what caught their attention was a lone wyvern that
had been left behind.

"I guess one got lucky," Yuji remarked.

When
the wyvern saw the two, it started making a noise, as if to let them
know it was still alive and well. The creature was overjoyed and
relieved to see them.

Ine was the one who approached the
domesticated dragon, smiling and motioning for the creature to remain
silent before gently patting its snout.

"Don't worry boy, you're safe." She said.

Yuji
smiled from behind, glad for the dragon that it wasn't alone to begin
with. But, in the midst of that small heartwarming moment, he became
conscious of something amiss.

It started in the form of a small rummaging sound that made their environment tremble.

Both
of them were jolted by the sudden occurrence, leaving them both
bewildered. Was it an earthquake? Yuji couldn't say for sure. Before
they could even process what had happened, a deafening roar reverberated
through the air, causing them to freeze in their tracks.

This time, the wyvern beside them reacted to an approaching presence and began to panic.

Ine glanced at the young man and vice versa.

The air was thick with dread, which could only mean one thing.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

In
the control room, Frankel could feel the tension that permeated the
air. As he gathered his remaining belongings, his mind raced with
thoughts of potential escape. He reached for the glowing crystal that
was still embedded in the stone tablet, his fingers closing around it
tightly. The only weapon he had left was the trusty crossbow that had
been his constant companion for so long. With a deep breath, he steeled
himself for whatever lay ahead.

Everything in the room was silent, yet despite that, he was now on high guard.

The open window to the right was still giving him a good view of what was happening outside.

The
scenery remained the same but his own paranoia was catching up to him.
He could hear his own heart beating faster because of that. The cold
sweat continued to fall non-stop.

Not until, an unfamiliar voice suddenly spoke in the middle of that silence.

"Isn't wonderful to finally see what a legendary crystal looks like?"

The voice startled him and the latter turned around to face a young man in dark robes smiling at him.

Frankel instinctively raised up his crossbow and pointed towards the newcomer, while slightly taking a few steps back.

"If I were you, sir, I wouldn't waste my arrows quickly." The young man remarked crossed his arms and gave the man advice.

The older man narrowed his eyes.

"So you're the one responsible for attacking the city?" He hissed.

"Partially,
and the rest was not really my responsibility, let alone other factions
with similar goals," he explained. "I am only here to retrieve an
artifact that could possibly help save this land."

Frankly let out
a small smirk." Do you think, I am going to fall for that? There is
more than one crystal, and some have not been discovered yet." He
replied, his confidence brewing.

"And I know that you aren't even mortal to begin with." He added." I don't care if you're Deity, a God, or Not."

"You're not taking any crystal here!"

"And if you're with those Saderan Bastards tell them to fuck off!" His own anger went off.

Quietness reigned for a few moments.

Luscious nodded slightly, accepting the man's words without being moved by them.

"Well,
that is a good guess except for the Saderan part." He replied, before
adding." No one would really work for a kingdom whose days are
numbered."

He then returned the conversation to him, saying, "And I
presume you are a man who also worships the Goddess who has been
forgotten or dead for years?" He made a sarcastic remark, which turned
out to be correct.

The older man gritted his teeth, he was furious
that a person like him could insult the beautiful figure that had been
an integral part of the kingdom's history.

His hand was trembling when the mysterious young man took a few steps forward.

He
could literally shoot him with the crossbow right now, but for some
reason, he couldn't. He began to deny that he was being intimidated, and
all he could do at this point was silently pray for protection.

Meanwhile, the young man gave a smirk." Pray all you want...No God would be able to protect you."

"It's just a matter of letting it go or facing the inevitable."

As he was about to reach for the crystal.

Another presence entered the scene as a familiar voice interrupted him.

"I don't think so..." Yuji had arrived, holding his handgun and aiming directly at him.

"Make
one stupid move and you're going to find out the hard way." The writer
tried to relay the threat in a professional manner, which amused the
man.

His confident smile continued.

"So what do we have here? Some fellow with a toy?" Luscious commented, as he could sense the man's intention was legitimate. Thereby, he decided to summon his weapon once more.

But just as he was about to do it, his eyes widened in surprise when he noticed a certain symbol embedded in his green attire.

"The Symbol of the Emissaries!" He muttered aloud enough for the man to hear, which caused him to wonder.

Though,
as he was about to follow up his words, Frankel from behind, managed to
overcome the intimidation as he finally fired his crossbow directly at
the young man, hitting him on the back.

He thought the young man
was a done deal when he halted his advance and stood there as if he was
going to succumb to the new wound on his chest but instead gave a
devious smile.

"A very risky but bad decision." He remarked before raising up his hand which balled into a fist.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It was the terrifying roar that signaled the arrival of the dragon.

The
huge shadow loomed over Maihark's wyvern headquarters, and not long
after, the creature decided to land near the tower, where a small event
was still taking place.

The dark flame dragon took no time in
using its massive claws to crush a huge chunk of the structure, causing
the headquarters to crumble.

The room where Yuji and Frankel stood was not spared.

The
interior immediately collapsed, and the walls turned into chunks of
debris, while huge cracks appeared and then fell on the ground.

It
happened so fast that the young man didn't have time to react, and half
of the ground he was standing on was split in half, and he was,
unfortunately, on the verge of falling into the dark abyss. Luckily, he
was able to react quickly and grab onto the remaining cobblestone
debris, which remained intact.

He tried to get a good view of what was currently happening around him.

Aside
from the fact that everything was collapsing around him, he couldn't
find any trace of the man, the intruder, or the crystal. He couldn't
hear any voices. In the back of his mind, he came to know they were
gone, and that was enough motivation for him to push himself upwards,
albeit with limited time.

That was how long the debris he had been clinging to would last.

"Not yet! Not yet!". He kept telling himself, believing that he would make it. He would survive.

Yet, sometimes, the odds were not always on his side.

It eventually broke free as a result of the destruction and damage caused by the unknown creature.

Yuji
found himself in mid-air, his world slowing down, and he didn't know
what to do next. He couldn't fly or float. As he was falling to his
death, this was the real deal. His mind went blank, and all he could do
was let the shock take over. There was some horror, but ultimately,
sadness took over.

Was this the end of the story?

As he
reached his hand to the heavens, a sense of calm washed over him, and
for some reason, he was prepared to meet his end. He couldn't fully
control what fate had in store for him for whatever reason.

However, something grabbed his hand in the midst of this, preventing him from falling completely downwards.

When
the writer looked up, he saw a young woman who had saved him. He was
able to get a good look at her and notice her overall appearance.

She was stunning and albeit glowing, especially the smile she gave him to reassure him that he was safe.

Moments
later, he was back on higher ground, and when he looked up, the woman
was gone. Unbeknownst to him, he had failed to notice a small blue
ethereal essence that remained and surrounded him.

He got up and wasted no time as his focus shifted towards finding them.

As
Yuji made his way through the desolate hallways and corridors, he
couldn't help but notice the devastation that surrounded him. The
windows were shattered, leaving nothing but open spaces that exposed the
sky above. He quickened his pace, his grip on his gun tightening as he
remained vigilant for any signs of danger. Every corner he turned held
the potential for an unforeseen attack, but he remained resolute in his
pursuit of any clues that might bring him closer to his goal.

And by the time he got to the end, he was in for another surprise.

As
he gazed upon the area where the control room once stood, he couldn't
help but notice the transformation that had taken place. What was once a
confined space had now opened up into a grand balcony, with no trace of
the roofs that once sheltered it from the elements. Instead, the sky
was dominated by ominous dark clouds, casting an eerie shadow over the
scene. And then, he saw it - a colossal dragon, its black scales
gleaming in the dim light. The creature had landed on a surface that was
now unrecognizable, and before it stood the very people who had sought
to control it.

With intense focus, Yuji grasped his weapon and
moved with stealth through the scattered wreckage, his resolve
unwavering as he sought to take down the mysterious perpetrator.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"This is your final chance..."

How many times does he have to convince this man that there is no chance of him surviving, even if he is going to fight him?

Luscious had given his ultimatum.

Frankel was on the ground, his wounds on his arm finally visible, and blood stains on his cheeks and clothing.

Despite
the difficult situation, he clenched the crystal tightly, tenacious in
his determination to safeguard it. His gaze drifted upward, fixing upon
the otherworldly aura hovering above the city, its radiant energy
shielding the people from the impending attack, even in its heightened
form.

Blood emerged from his lips at the same time, yet he was able to keep a confident smirk.

"Final chance my arse!" The older man exclaimed as he still had that fighting spirit.

"You
have to go through me first before you get your hands on the crystal."
He added back, as he drew out a small combat blade, with his crossbow
now destroyed.

Luscious was more amused instead of frustrated. He
had forgotten why people were this reckless and would risk everything
just to protect something that couldn't even save them.

With a
slight shake of his head, he offered a subtle, solemn smile. There was a
sense of recognition and to think that he had already provided the man
with numerous chances to persevere.

"So be it." He simply said before commanding the dark dragon to open its mouth in order to unleash the flames once again.

However, in the midst of that, a voice yelled out from above.

"Sir Frankel!"

From
the depths of the ruins, emerged a certain captain as she rode the lone
wyvern towards them. She held what seemed to be a bow loaded with an
arrow, and immediately fired it. The arrow in turn was successful in
hitting its target, but it only hit the man's right hand, which pierced
through it.

Luscious did not react but only smirked." How cute."
He remarked, even admiring the young woman's bravery altogether, yet a
single arrow meant nothing to him.

But at the same moment, another
attack was launched, this time by Yuji, who managed to sneak towards a
good spot where he got good aim and immediately fired the gun, hitting
him on the chest and then once on the head.

His intervention via
the Minebea P-9 startled the enemy, owing to the shock factor of being
shot by a unique weapon he had no full knowledge of. It also caused the
dark flame dragon to feel pain because their auras were linked. The man
knelt for the rest of the time, his head bowed.

The chances of
escaping had grown wider yet time was still limited. It's only a matter
of time before he would recover and regain his footing.

He
immediately rushed towards the injured man in order to help him get out
of this place, at the same time, Ine directed the wyvern near to them.

As
Yuji approached the man lying on the ground, he offered a helping hand.
Once the man was on his feet, Yuji led him towards the direction of the
wyvern. However, as they got closer, Yuji suddenly stopped in his
tracks and handed over a crystal and a tablet to the man. He then pushed
the man towards the escape point, ensuring his safety.

"What are you doing?" He asked, bewildered and surprised by his sudden actions.

Ine
saw it and protested." Frankel, this is not the time for heroics!" She
exclaimed." Get your arse towards here at this instant!"

The older
man could only reply with a chuckle, "You two should go on," before
returning his gaze to the enemy, who was on the verge of full recovery.

"We
can't completely escape this one's clutches, but I might be able to buy
you more time to fully escape and take the crystal somewhere safe," he
added as he drew a specific materia from his pouch.

"Don't you want to meet your family again?" Yuji spoke this time, confident that he could persuade the man to join them.

"Like you told us before right?"

Frankel gave the latter a pat on his shoulder and a sad smile at the captain.

"My Family is gone." He said, before adding." And I apologize for not telling you the truth." A sense of peace overtook him.

The
two were taken aback by his statement, and mixed emotions filled their
faces, especially for the young woman. They knew where this was going.

The
man was limping but he still had the strength left to make a move,
before that, he gave one more determined and confident smile and then
took a quick charge at the enemy.

As Luscious slowly regained his
senses, he was suddenly met with the booming voice of Frankel, who was
shouting at the top of his lungs while simultaneously unleashing his own
battle cry. In the midst of this chaos, the grey materia glowed
brilliantly as the magic was conjured to fulfill its objective. Despite
Luscious' attempt to summon his weapon and bring his foe down once and
for all, it was too late. In a swift motion, the old man grabbed him by
the shoulder and forcefully placed the crystal on his chest. Luscious
gave one last smile before the explosive magic was finally unleashed,
ending the supposed conflict.

That scene was also witnessed by a certain bunny warrior and a noble, who had just arrived.

Soon after, a powerful explosion occurred, and a bright light engulfed the entire area.

Yuji
and Ine managed to escape in time, via the lone wyvern that they had
discovered in the stables. With the captain herself, fighting her own
tears from coming out.

There was no time to mourn.

As the
explosion rocked the surroundings, the imposing figure of the dark
dragon emerged from the shambles. Despite being visibly shaken and
injured, it remained in a state of fury, taking to the air once again to
pursue its prey. The two figures it sought were still recovering from
the traumatic event, their senses reeling from the intense experience.

"You've got to be kidding me!"
Yuji exclaimed when he looked behind to see the creature determined for
revenge." Ine-san, can we go a little faster?" He followed up a
question, even though, he knew how ridiculous it was.

The captain
gritted her teeth in frustration since it was a literal dragon chasing a
mere wyvern, who could only reach up to a certain speed.

As the creature was about to near them, The cry of an eagle was heard.

Both of them looked to see a certain griffin, blocking the light of the sun which baffled them.

Yuji couldn't exactly identify its appearance but he recognized that sound and widened his eyes in realization.

Before
he could even speak, the griffin swerved down towards them at full
speed, and moments later, he was able to get a good look at the riders,
especially a certain red-haired lady whom he met back at the palace. In
the midst of that, the familiar black-haired bunny warrior pulled out a
material crystal.

His world slowed down and he got a chance to look at her in the eye.

"Pina?" He muttered under his breath.

At that very moment, they were all consumed by the bright light and vanished somewhere, leaving their pursuer behind.

Subsequently,
the dark dragon encountered an abrupt and excruciating sensation in its
chest, causing it to tremble uncontrollably from head to toe. The
discomfort persisted and intensified with every passing moment,
prompting the beast to unleash a deafening roar. It struggled to
maintain its altitude and was ultimately compelled to descend until it
landed on the ground once more.

The creature landed on the city's eastern outskirts, where the majority of the ruined districts could be found.

Following
its initial struggle, the entity persisted in its battle against an
unseen adversary from deep within. As it pressed forward, the ominous
beings that lurked along these very streets began to take notice, their
reactions echoing the creature's own as they shuddered and bellowed in
agony at its presence.

Shortly thereafter, the ominous aura of the
dragon gradually dissipated and the body started to disintegrate.
Before long, the recognizable form of the crimson fire-breather
materialized, as she slumped to the earth in a state of insensibility.

Despite
efforts to dispel it, the ominous presence persisted, coalescing into a
manifestation resembling its previous host, albeit with a more sinister
and demonic visage. This malevolent entity retained all of the
malicious intent of its predecessor, drawing the wayward shadows back
toward their point of origin.

The abomination then proceeded to head towards the center districts where most of the surviving population still resided.

It
let out a devilish laugh as it was now finally free to do whatever it
wanted, let alone, wanting more power from a certain crystal.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

It was a scene that continued to baffle and intimidate the man.

Captain Julius didn't know exactly what to do in the face of the strange event.

The
rest of the Wyvern army was plagued by an unknown force as they began
to convulse and make sounds that made him uncomfortable.

He
continued to observe rather than flee as he noticed a crimson-like aura
emitting from each man including the commander himself.

The former
wyvern captain felt compelled to draw out the magical flintlock barrel
provided by the illegal smugglers, in case anything bad happened.

His own fear was growing from within.

"C-Commander, what is happening?" He nervously asked only to get ignored.

Though, not until, the man himself looked straight towards him in the eye with an intense look.

Every moment passed, and he was convinced to flee as per his own conscious.

He
wondered if these men were even normal and trustworthy in the first
place, but having witnessed this scene unfold, his doubts were cleared.

As soon as he was about to take off, the commander finally spoke and called out to him.

"Captain Julius." He said calmly." Why are you leaving?"

The man's body tensed as he didn't know what to say. He watched the rest remain in silence for some strange reason.

Unbeknownst to him that escaping was already too late.

In the blink of an eye, he found himself getting grabbed in the face before being pulled to the unknown.

Afterward, a menacing laugh was heard from the commander himself followed by the rest.

What
became of the former captain was uncertain but his own wyvern was
reduced to bits and his own unique weapon fell to the ground.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Everybody thought that it was all over after dealing with all the pests that tried to kill them prior.

They
thought that they finally acquired the opportunity to go back to their
respective places, yet considering how far they have gotten, they don't
actually know where they were.

However, the main case that took over the entire situation was something else.

"Lelei, are really serious about this?"

"We can't just allow him to go on his own, we need to help him.

It
began with the blue-haired mage encouraging the others, especially the
men in green, to follow the young adventurer, and despite a minor
disagreement that transpired...

Everyone agreed with the decision.

Once
more, they were traversing the bustling streets, with Little Foot at
the helm, his keen sense of smell the sole means of tracking the
whereabouts of the boy.

Kurata and Higashi exchanged several
glances, each wondering silently if the decision they were about to make
was truly necessary. However, they both knew that the group couldn't
afford to risk another split, as doing so would only leave them
vulnerable to facing similar circumstances once more.

At least for now, staying together was the best scenario.

"Kweh! Kweh!"

The Chocobo exclaimed, sensing that they were nearing their destination.

As
for Lelei, the girl was determined to clear her doubts and she couldn't
really help herself to begin with, and had to take action. She didn't
want to tell everyone the truth.

That something worse was about to happen.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Oh, this is really a wonderful day!"

Those words came in the form of a tease and a cheer.

"So this is how it feels like to triumph against an apostle!"

The
young lady was filled with joy and excitement, as she swayed and
twirled gracefully with two mighty dragons at her command. A sweet
melody escaped her lips as she envisioned herself performing in front of
a vast audience, receiving thunderous applause for her remarkable
strength and cunning. Nonetheless, her true motives were concealed
behind the facade of her cheerful demeanor.

Giselle exactly knew what it was.

She
was in the worst position throughout her life yet, and things couldn't
get any better upon seeing her own companions joining the mocking parade
in front of her.

"Look at me! I am Giselle, the most incompetent
and cowardly apostle ever to exist!" Elrena continued her mocking."
Dancing with my own weak dragons while the whole city crumbles apart."

She gritted her teeth in annoyance.

"I
am the one responsible for failing to contain the flame dragon, which
probably already killed hundreds of people under my watch." Along the
way, she was giving her a playful stare, bent on really torturing her
mind.

"I deserve to suffer more shame and resentment rather than get excommunicated!"

Though,
the draconian apostle kept up with her own smirk." You think, by just
dancing there like a fool, that you finally accomplished your mission?"

The
blonde replied with a giggle." Of course not, I still have some
important things to do." She explained, raising her finger as if to
teach her small lesson." And that's the job of a fool, try to pass their
own foolishness to someone to the point, they couldn't handle it
anymore.

She laughed once again.

Giselle kept nodding while showing that she was not affected by any words." Wait till I recover from this, I will make sure you eat your words!" She thought to herself.

"Giselle, please bear with me..."

The voice of a certain Chirithy entered her mind.

"So this is your plan? Provide me with continuous moral support while that twerp dances like a clown?"

Terra had his own frustrations but he didn't choose to dwell into it.

"I know, but you have to trust me on this." He explained." I might not be an expert on battles but I learned something..."

"Keep your enemies closer and let them bask in glory until the time comes for you to strike back."

As
Giselle took in the advice, she knew that it was valuable and needed to
be implemented in her next move. However, she wasn't quite sure how to
put it into action just yet. Despite this uncertainty, she could feel a
sense of positivity and hope within her, as she looked to her right and
noticed her arm was finally starting to regenerate. It was a small
victory, but a victory nonetheless.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

Elrena was still in her celebrations as she continued to triumph and watch the city in ruins.

In
the midst of the chaos, Mowto's observant eye caught sight of the
distracted girl and gently pulled her attention back to the matter at
hand - the draconian apostle. The girl was taken aback by this
unexpected turn of events but was grateful to Mowto for redirecting her
focus.

Right there, the apostle still kneeled down but she was now in the process of losing her own sanity.

She was trembling and making sounds for no reason and the fact that her expression showed a hint of hopelessness.

It
was enough for the girl to deviously smile back, asserting that her
actions finally breaking her opponent's psyche. Although, she wasn't
quite finished with that.

"Aww, so you finally decided to give up?
How heartbreaking..." She taunted once again, picking up the latter's
weapon as she proceeded to approach once more.

With a final goal
in mind, she delved deeper into her own ideas. The theory was simple yet
intriguing - to kill an apostle with their own weapon would mean taking
their power for oneself. It was a risky move, but the potential payoff
was too great to ignore. And so, with determination in her heart, she
set out to put the theory to the test.

When the girl reached her, she used manipulation magic to hold her chin and force her to look up and meet her eyes.

Elrena smirked, expecting the defeated apostle to not say anything.

"Any last words?"

As she was about to raise the scythe in order to chop her head off, her opponent began to smile and gave a laugh.

"You're an idiot," Giselle muttered aloud, directly taunting the supposed victor.

Then
at that very moment, the young woman's right arm began to glow as it
fully regenerated back, though, it also transformed into something quite
monstrous as claws were visible and she used that to grab the blonde's
entire head and threw the girl to far way distance like how a frustrated
kid would do, and eventually crashing towards a pile of debris.

As a result of that, the small magical cage that had trapped the familiar was finally dispelled.

"Mowto, Towato!" Terra yelled again, warning the girl of the next attackers.

Giselle
didn't immediately recover her weapon as both of her mind-controlled
companions made the quick move to prevent that from happening.

She
found herself in a precarious situation where her only recourse was to
avoid the relentless onslaught of attacks. She was forced to assume the
role of a timid mouse, scurrying away from danger at every turn.
Unfortunately, the escalating conflict also drew the attention of the
nearby infested dark dragons, who swiftly descended upon the area to add
to the chaos.

Meanwhile, Elrena emerged from the debris with a
visible bruise on her cheek and an annoyed expression that covered the
rest of her face.

She wasn't going to allow that again, to ruin
her precious skin and overall aura, the fact that she got outsmarted and
to her own point of view, there wasn't anything wrong about a little
vengeance in return.

Terra, despite his desire to lend a hand in
the ongoing conflict, was relegated to the role of an observer for
several minutes due to the fact that the magical barrier also drained
most of his energy. and while he was still recovering his former
strength, he caught a glimpse of a carriage approaching the battlefield
from his peripheral vision. The carriage bore a certain teen who
appeared poised to perform a decisive action.

And as well as a familiar voice.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Giselle!"

The young woman raised her eyebrows in surprise as she immediately recognized the figure that had entered the scene.

Her
mind was swirling with numerous inquiries, all centered around the
whereabouts of her companion. It had been some time since she had laid
eyes on him, their paths diverging at the docks as they went about their
individual objectives.

Albrecht landed on the roofs and dashed
towards where the draconian apostle was currently at. He then used his
small broad-buster sword and began slashing the dark creatures that also
came with him.

With help almost there, Giselle tried to formulate
a plan of her own, as the only way she could beat her companions
without even hurting them was to actually take away what was making them
crazy.

Within moments, she tapped into her restored mana energy.
As the first dragon charged towards her, she seized the opportunity and
placed her hand on Mowto's head. Instantly, magic coursed through her
and the dragon collapsed, unconscious. Towato was next to feel her power
as she swiftly became the aggressor, placing her hand on his and
achieving the same results. Giselle's quick thinking and the taming
ability which she had been honing for so long, had saved much of her
time.

"Please go to sleep." A soft smile escaped her
lips, as the two dragons were freed from the enemy's control when the
dark essence came out from their bodies.

Meanwhile from behind, Elrena appeared once again with vengeance as her only goal.

This time she wasn't playing games anymore.

Once
more, she grasped the weapon of the fierce apostle and swiftly lunged
towards her unsuspecting opponent. With a sly grin, the blonde was
convinced that she would triumph effortlessly yet again, but fate had
other plans. Victory was not in her grasp this time.

As she
prepared for the attack, a sudden force halted her movements, causing
her entire body to freeze. Turning her head to the left, she saw
Chirithy, who had been released from captivity, casting a spell that
left her completely immobilized. However, even in this state, she
managed to hurl her weapon at her opponent with her free hand.

As
Giselle turned to assess the situation, the world seemed to slow down,
giving her a moment to take it all in. Suddenly, her focus was drawn to
her own weapon hurtling towards her at an alarming speed, causing her
expression to shift from one of curiosity to one of concern.

Then in that same moment, a certain someone was able to reach her in a nick of time, thus shielding her from a possible death.

The young woman widened her eyes in shock, recognizing the eyes she had met.

"Albrecht..." She was able to let out a word and mentioned his name for one more time.

The
teen knew it was coming and he had no choice but to make the risky move
or else it would take his friend away. He dropped his weapon on the
ground as he felt the pain that struck his back. His body started to
become numb and blood slowly emerged from his mouth.

He didn't have much time left, and he brought his eyes towards the person, whom he treated like a big sister for a long time.

By
then, he weakly smiled as he used the last of his strength and gently
placed his hand on her cheek. He was glad to have at least met her again
for one more time, before closing his eyes as his body gave away.

At
the same time, Lelei and the others had arrived at the scene and were
horrified to witness the whole thing unfold, realizing that it had
already happened.

Little Foot let out a sorrowful wail.

The merchant looked away in pain and sadness.

Giselle
found herself in a state of mixed emotions. Despite having taken the
weapon away from the teen, it was already too late. The weight of denial
settled heavily upon her, leaving her feeling overwhelmed.

This was just a dream...This was not real.

How many times does she have to experience and witness the death of a loved one?

How long will she endure this curse?

"You know when all of this is over...I guess I'll take a break from all of this adventuring and start a new life back home."

"Of course, you're forever welcome to stay if you want."

"You're actually the most genuine person I'd ever met."

"If this is our final mission together as a team, why not make the most of it?"

"I just want to thank you for being by my side for this long."

The young woman held the boy in her arms in silence, her head looking down as the good and old memories came back again.

Meanwhile,
beyond the battle zone, a huge menacing roar rang out across the city,
as a more demonic and twisted version of the flame dragon appeared,
causing even more chaos from the east. Furthermore, the dark creatures
increased in number, and the Saderan army's wyvern riders continued to
cause more casualties.

Silence had eventually taken over, but not until, the blonde culprit gave in to her own arrogance.

"Aww,
how bittersweet that this had to happen." She remarked, having no
sympathy altogether and letting her own snarky side take over

"Though, still it doesn't really make me cry about it."

How wrong she was.

Not long after, a powerful force suddenly burst out from the apostle as she finally looked up revealing ember-slitted eyes.

For the first time, the real rage emerged and the wrath that lay dormant for centuries had been awakened.

To
the factions that intentionally created the chaos, destruction, and
deaths throughout the city, they were in for the surprise of their life.

The Real Apostle of Hardy finally stood as a smirk escaped from her lips.

She wondered who was the first person who was ever going to experience what "Punishment" actually means.

Her eyes caught the now speechless blonde woman whose body froze in fear.

"Doesn't make you cry about it huh?"

CHAPTER END

AN:
Hello there again! this chapter originally was part of the previous
chapter, but since there were just too many scenes to write, I had to
make this a separate chapter altogether. Similar to the last one, it
includes more action in both air and land, with Pina and Parna engaging
in wyvern battles while the fights on land, are mostly from Rory and her
old friend from the past. Yeah, I still kind of put more mystery on his
background, and not really reveal it one go. I just thought it would be
nice to learn more about a certain character as time progresses. The
same goes for Elrena. While writing the chapter, there are various ideas
on how to expand the background of the apostles (all of them). The
recent idea a reader shared before was to make the Apostle in the New
World have this kind of organizational structure (Like Gotei 13,
Organization 13, or the Akatsuki) since the Gods cannot really and fully
interfere with the affairs of the world's inhabitants. That's just an
idea but I'll see if it really fits in the worldbuilding.

We
also have the intro flashback with Rory, a different person compared to
the current one we have. Past Rory is simply a normal girl wanting to
help her family out of the hardships of life, with her also having a
tough love relationship with her childhood friend. ( And regarding some
promises that didn't really got fulfilled). For Luscious, the thing
about his character is somewhat can be compared to Cloud Strife( From
Final Fantasy Series) but only got half of the good ending in the end,
basically a country boy with big dreams to get stronger and along the
way something happened that changed him.

Of course, he won't go down that easily.

Then
there are some characters, who made some risky but heroic sacrifices,
about Frankel lying to them, and that his actual family is already gone
for a long time, That scene was loosely inspired by the first Iron Man
Movie, when Tony was going to save the good scientist that helped him
but instead rejects his offer since he knew he was dying and has nowhere
to go. For Albrecht, I am not sure if he could survive by this point,
The scene where he shielded Giselle, was loosely based on the many times
Frodo Baggins got stabbed throughout the trilogy, I am not sure which
scene where he tried to shield a companion to protect him.

Just a little note that Albrecht is a pure adventurer, and doesn't belong to the isekai protagonist category.

Also,
in the scene where the wyvern army, including the commander himself, is
succumbing to a mysterious force (Not actually the work of a potion
this time but something else entirely), there was a small hint regarding
their past in the previous chapters, but I think it would be fit to
reveal more about their background in the special chapters next.

For Giselle, well...I guess those bad guys wouldn't like her if she's actually angry.

With
that said, thank you so much for giving your time to read the chapter I
really appreciate it. Also, please forgive me for some grammar
mistakes, since English is not my first language, and I have yet to find
an editor.