Disclaimer: I don't own Gate or Nihon-koku Shoukan, as they belong to their rightful owners.

Arc 2: A City, A Diplomacy, A Dragon

Noble City XS: In Between Struggles

"When things are about to end the signs will now emerge and one of them is losing all hope."

- New World Journal

He needed the break badly.

Even though it was only less than 10 minutes.

Brian found himself in one of the lonely balconies of the guest palace.

A simple peace and quietness that he had been secretly looking for ever since he had unintentionally let himself get involved in the countless troubles that had transpired not long ago.

During that time he didn't even get a proper rest as the events continued to drag him non-stop.

It was only fortunate for him that things had gone by faster than he thought.

He couldn't believe that he was in a palace fighting for his life and also preventing innocent lives from being lost to individuals who had somehow become nightmares of their own.

Then in a blink of an eye, he was already in an unlikely place, inhaling the fresh air that passed by the wonderful untouched gardens.

Except for the fact that he had a responsibility that could be comparable to a commander or general...and he wasn't expecting that to be placed upon him. In addition, things might get even tougher for him if somehow the president was tuning in at the same time.

As he stood on the balcony of the guest mansion, gazing out towards the horizon, he was struck by the serene beauty of the sea stretching out before him. The sun, already a brilliant shade of yellow-gold, was accompanied by large, fluffy clouds that seemed to dance across the sky. However, when he turned his gaze to the other side, he couldn't help but shudder at the thought of the horrors that lurked there. It was a place he dared not even imagine.

"Why?"

He began to ask himself.

"Why all of this does have to exist?"

There was some remorse knowing that another world was now a confirmed possibility and it wasn't all sunshine and rainbows.

He had heard horror stories about facing the normal enemy, but he had not expected to face an entirely different one.

That could even destroy towns and villages with ease.

He began as a skeptic, but the events of the village had reduced that, and the current events in the city had caused him to understand the fabrics of reality itself or if he was still stuck in a dream.

He thought he was going insane but all the things he had witnessed..It was all true.

Now, what was he going to do about it?

"Hey, Bri! This is Al...I think you need to get back here... Got some big news I tell ya."

One call from his walkie had emerged to give him a hint.

"Good or bad?" he inquired, secretly hoping for the former.

There was a brief pause then the man spoke again with an unsure tone.

"I can't explain it well...but it's somewhere in between and it's heading for the worst."

Brian sighed in return.

"Okay, I'll be there soon."

His brief break was over as he exited the balcony and dashed across the hallway to the main area.

As soon as he arrived at the said place. He still found himself slightly catching up to his breath while his mind was still considering any outcomes.

His eyes moved around the crowded area and saw Al, waiting for him.

"Got here fast man." He remarked with a little smile, having no time to address his childhood friend formally.

The man wondered why the latter had to chuckle at this time.

"What's the story?" Brian asked, ignoring the laugh and concentrating on the current situation.

Al's face became worried and pensive as he led the man to the long table and a small crowd of officials gathered around two individuals.

The Prime Minister, the General, and the rest of the cabinet members were all ears on the two representatives, who revealed themselves to be in charge of surveying and monitoring the situation in the districts.

"It was a good decision to announce that everyone should leave the city as quickly as possible." The man explained before adding." Upon measuring the level of this unidentified corrupted magic that it may spread throughout the other districts in a few hours."

Brian's eyes widened as he assumed the man, dressed in a fancy high fantasy outfit, was a mage.

"So is it indeed true that the source of this magic hails from that beast in the Eastern District?" General Hanki had asked.

The mage representative nodded.

"Based on our findings...Yes, and even though the beast is currently battling the Guardian of the Northern Dragon communities...The energy will still find its way out of the district."

"Is there any similar magic that could be compared to this?" One of the officials asked." At least, we can have an idea of what we are dealing with."

A brief moment of silence occurred until the mage representative shook their heads.

"We still haven't identified it...though a dark energy this intense could be from the ancient era."

"B-But that's impossible." General Hanki remarked.

Brian had always been fascinated by the concept of magic. He had seen it work in the world around him, but he couldn't quite grasp how it all fit together. He knew that there must be many different forms and levels of magic, but he had never been able to learn much about how they worked. Despite his curiosity, Brian felt like he was just scratching the surface of the complex and mysterious system that governed the use of magic in his world.

And for this Magic...He still had no idea which level this belonged to.

Then Prime Minister Kanata nodded in understanding." I see...then that means we have to take action...at least prevent it from spreading in some way." He remarked turning towards the rest.

"Are you still in contact with the remaining active outposts in the other districts?" He inquired right after.

"Yes sir." One of the officials, monitoring the Manacom communications, replied.

"Correct me if I am wrong, but those outposts...They still have those scrolls that could cast the barriers?" He asked, hoping for a positive answer.

The mage representative nodded." We are certain...though it may take some time." He explained, not wanting to make any reckless mistakes.

"Good, as long as the beast and this dark energy remain in that district, we'll have enough time to keep it there and, at the very least, we'll be able to prevent any destruction from spreading," Prime Minister Kanata added to the conversation.

"Please get every mage available or people who could use those scrolls and cast the barrier."

"Yes sir!"

With that said, everyone went back into their respective positions as they worked to solve the major problem.

"To all outposts...gather all available mages and execute the barrier plan" General Hanki went to the Manacom tubes and announced the order.

Brian stood there bewildered but later came to his senses as he approached Al, remembering that they still had their bag of contributions.

"Any updates on the-"

"They are already on their way."

"What about Itami and Carl?" He then followed with another question." Have they marked the spot?"

Al remained silent, still unsure of how to explain the current situation with the drone.

"Uhhmm...They are doing their best."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The wind grew intense as the moment they passed the last of the several lines.

The silhouette of the Noble City had faded away revealing the chaotic yet mesmerizing mess that everyone could see at the moment.

It was breathtaking, especially for both of the two, who had not traveled far in a long time.

Cato had not lost his sight of the view as he observed and tried to comprehend what was transpiring.

"This energy...I've never sensed this type of essence this powerful and aggressive." He remarked, catching the attention of his fellow elf friend.

"Almost as if it belonged to the powers of the underworld itself...Not?" Hodor added his thoughts.

The old man slightly shook his head.

"It's far more different," he simply stated, recalling a memory. "Every archmage had to experience the true powers of Hardy and Emroy at least once in their lives," he explained, "and even the best alchemists had documented it in their books."

Hodor raised an eyebrow." Then what do you think it is?" He asked." This energy..."

Cato turned towards the man, looking directly at him in the eye." Believe it or not but it may hail from the Ancient Era."

The silence continued for a brief moment.

"Ancient Era?"

The old man sighed." Yes, and I hope you remembered what you have learned back at Rondel." He said, subtly reminding him of their old student days.

Hodor slightly looked away...Not wanting to recall those memories.

It was fun because he had friends there but it was forgettable since a lot of Denari was wasted in those several years of fine class education.

He sighed back." Yes, I remember that topic..." He replied." Though, I forgot how that event concluded"

"Or did it really happen?"

Cato simply nodded while making a small smirk.

How did this man even pass all his examinations?

He cleared up his throat." The event happened during the great conflict with the Demon Lord." The old man explained." It can be comparable to this."

The elf man raised an eyebrow." So you mean that something like this happened before?"

"Yes..." Cato nodded.

"The ending is still questionable...However."

"What do you mean?"

The old sage looked towards the sky.

"Time is the enemy here." He informed him.

He had seen what the Iron Dragons were capable of, but there was still uncertainty and doubt within him. That is if they can slay the colossal monster that is still terrorizing the Noble City.

Hodor was perplexed and he wanted to ask his friend that question until...

"I'm not saying I lack faith in the Men in Green and their ability to surprise everyone with their impressive arsenal," Cato continued, his heartbeat palpable as his lips shook slightly.

"I am worried if they can withstand the intensity of the dark essence." His voice showed uncertainty as he let the silence in for a while.

"They are too confident to go into this situation," He added, sharing what he believed was their flaw." And they haven't fully learned how our world works."

As the man made his unexpected statement, the driver of their horseless carriage couldn't help but feel a bit taken aback. He furrowed his brow in confusion, trying to process the meaning behind the man's words.

Of all that he had said, it only made Hodor chuckle in response, which surprised the old man.

He simply smiled back." Then what are guides for?" He said.

It took several moments for the old man to process it as the elf man continued.

"The Men in Green are still strangers to this world, and that's already given," Hodor explained as he adjusted his seat. "But they are eager to learn, and they will never give up on their goal of saving their people."

The old man stared at him a bit surprised by his words.

"That's why we are here as their "Guides". He said.

"I know these people possessed good hearts...Well most of them." He gestured.

A small smile crept upon the old man's lips as began to understand.

"If I were you...I'd still keep my faith up." Hodor added." I'm not aware of what's happening in that place but I still believe that my daughter and her friends are there...doing their best to fight to survive."

As minutes passed, the old man's motivation began to rise and he was practically convinced.

"Now I know why the high mages considered you as a Wildcard back then."

Hodor shrugged in response before giving a wink.

"It runs in the family." He remarked.

There was a little exchange of chuckles between the two for the first time.

Cato turned around and then asked the driver.

"Are we approaching soon sire?"

The driver simply nodded." Yes sir, apparently...we'll be moving on foot once we arrive at the walls."

The old mage nodded in response, before looking towards the front to see the entire landscape covering the city.

"Lelei...stay strong.."

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Quick men!"

With the long-awaited orders finally issued, a wave of encouragement rippled through the ranks of the remaining soldiers and constables stationed across the surviving districts. These brave men and women, stationed at various outposts throughout the city, now felt empowered to take decisive action against another impending disaster.

The surviving Northern, Southern, and Western districts.

In some of the specific streets groups of the Maihark's defenders rushed towards the important spots, bringing the respective scrolls along with their mage representatives.

This was a major objective for them.

A risky one.

Knowing that it would take time and require a huge amount of mana energy to bring the ritual alive.

Instead of one about five mages were brought into the scene in hopes that the ritual could be performed on a faster time.

The wind was already stronger as if a storm had approached as one group approached the spot that acted as a border from the Eastern District.

"Prepare the scrolls and get into your positions!" One of the soldiers exclaimed.

The mages went into a line formation and each of them had this scroll that they immediately opened revealing a lone symbol each scroll had different illustrations, though they were all connected.

Pieces to the whole puzzle.

They didn't waste their time and after exchanging glances...all of them proceeded to cast the magic through several enchanted phrases.

Gradually, a peculiar phenomenon occurred as the earth beneath us began to radiate a pale, bluish hue. A luminous essence emerged from the ground, spreading out to form a long, uninterrupted line that seemed to stretch indefinitely, eventually converging with other vital markers from neighboring districts.

Minutes passed and the magic was growing.

The individual in charge of the group watched with bated breath as they performed the ritual. He oversaw every element of the process, hoping that they could complete it before it was too late. With a sense of urgency, he scanned the area where the fierce battle was raging and drew a deep breath. The outcome of the ritual could very well determine the fate of their cause.

However, unbeknownst to him from a few distances away a group of knights was able to pass the line.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

She could already feel the intensity of the whole area.

Hamilton felt that heaviness once they passed by the last street and into the scene of ruined structures and abandoned establishments.

She looked around for a while and saw the state of her fellow knights.

As if they were all trying their best to adapt to the new surroundings, despite the uncertainty that they were all feeling.

"Don't let anything distract you!" She exclaimed as she attempted to erase any fears.

"Focus and stay strong!"

There was a silence that followed, though one by one, the rest of the girls heeded her call.

The group was united in their dedication to maintaining the utmost professionalism, which they had been taught from a young age. Despite their diverse backgrounds - some members were commoners, while others were nobility - they were all close friends of the princess. Each member had their debt to the young lady, having been touched by her kindness and generosity at some point in their lives. This shared history had forged a strong bond between them.

Hamilton continued to push forward leading the way as they traversed through one direction.

She thought it was a miracle that they hadn't faced any danger yet.

No signs of enemies or monsters that they had heard before.

The only thing that was visible in their eyes was two giant dragons fighting from the main area.

It looked so near yet in truth it was quite far from where they are.

Hamilton had never expected that this district would be this wide.

Though, the signs were there.

The closer they get...the atmosphere becomes even heavier.

For some reason...this was scarier than going into a deadly battlefield.

The young lady's thoughts were very hospitable in entertaining her. keeping her away from troubled thoughts, though it was only the loud voice from one of the Rose Knights that called her back to reality.

"Hamilton!"

Her eyes widened as she caught a glimpse of a huge object heading towards their path. It took no longer than a second as she recognized the massive debris.

In a nick of time, the page was able to command her horse and redirect it away from her spot, where the debris itself landed.

The ground shook a little and a crater was formed in that certain spot.

The girl looked behind once again to check if the rest of the knights were alright.

Thus she saw them again, in one piece, as they survived the dangerous encounter. All of them in opposite sides of the streets and were now moving on from the sidewalks.

Her world was showing no signs of slowing down.

It didn't stop from there as the ground began to shake and loud crashes were soon heard from different surroundings.

The Rose Knights were already taken aback when they witnessed the intense battle between the two colossal forces. But to their surprise, their shock was far from over. As they raised their heads, they were greeted with a hailstorm of hundreds of larger boulders and rocks, caused by the raging battle, descending upon the area where they stood. The ground shook beneath their feet as the projectiles hit the ground, sending debris flying in all directions. It was a terrifying sight to behold, and the Rose Knights could only hope to survive this cataclysmic event.

Hamilton, despite the odds that were stacked against her path, continued to move forward.

Her eyes kept focusing on the main battlegrounds between the two beasts

In somehow or in some way, she sensed that familiar presence from the skies.

She narrowed her eyes with determination, and as every second passed, her desire to save her friend grew to higher levels.

As a result, a surge of courage flooded through her veins, empowering her to raise her voice and scream with all her might. Her piercing cry echoed through the air, reaching the farthest corners of the sky.

"Pina!"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Voices echoed through the skies.

The clashes between the two individuals continued and their battle raged on alongside the others.

They flew at incredible speeds to great distances.

Not paying attention to the destruction that was currently surrounding them.

An aerial battle to the death that she won't forget anytime soon.

The first thing that she did was to observe her opponent. The look on her face as she was greeted by shock regarding the appearance of the man who used to be her friend and mentor.

His visage of humanity was fading away...replaced with a devilish grin and the eyes of slaughter.

"Pina..." He called her name in a playful banter.

The young lady had evaded another big strike of the man's arm blade as she proceeded to counter it.

The attack created a dark energy shockwave that directly hit a dark wyvern rider, splicing him and his wyvern into bits.

"Sir Erikus.." The young lady muttered as she understood that things have may been too late.

Both of them clashed in the skies, paying no heed to the happenings around them.

Pina found herself in a perilous situation, locked in a tight close combat with her monstrous opponent. Despite the battle not being particularly fast-paced, her opponent had relied heavily on sheer strength to overpower her. Adding to the danger was the grotesque appearance of her foe, whose inhuman muscular body loomed over her menacingly, instilling fear in Pina's heart.

Even though it was mostly made of flesh and bones, the arm blade was extremely difficult to break.

Pina was a skilled individual, with a weapon that was the envy of most aspiring elite fighters. However, she was facing a form that even her trusty blade could only handle to a limited extent. Undaunted, she swiftly inserted a new type of materia into the socket, causing her blade to emit a fierce blaze of fire magic. It was a sight to behold, and all eyes were on her as she prepared to face her formidable opponent.

"You're father was a traitor...Did you know that?" Erikus spoke again.

"He was the one that led his trusted soldiers to their deaths!"

Pina didn't say anything as she continued fighting.

"Soldiers...people who had pledged to protect the kingdom, despite most of them being from the lands outside the walls."

"They adored the king as their protector and leader!"

"We treated him as if he was our Father."

Pina was getting near to the point of denying every word he had said. There was just no possible way that her father was recklessly throwing everyone as a sacrifice.

"Leave as soon as you can!"

She remembered those words from the last time she saw him.

"Remember to never return to this land."

He kept encouraging not just her but the rest of her family.

Until this point in time, she had not understood what he had meant.

I will stay with the rest and fight off until there is time."

Pina knew the truth and she will stand by her own belief.

Erikus still had that grin.

"If you keep following that path you will end like the rest of them!"

He unleashed another wave of dark energy that headed toward the girl.

The redhead didn't flinch as she quickly and smoothly summoned that mysterious essence from within and was able to dispel the attack.

The dark essence disintegrated into the air.

The man continued to laugh.

"Oh my word, it seems that the curse has also blessed you." His voice had changed into something distorted and demonic.

As both of them prepared to clash their weapons, the man himself had executed his plan.

His eyes then glowed red as he brought forth his hand and commanded several wyvern riders around as they moved forward to attack the girl.

The dark powers had gifted the enemy some sort of quickness and the numbers increased fully distracting her.

They charged like murder hornets, relentlessly and wildly.

This time...they were attacking someone else.

To her surprise, when the first wyvern rider arrived, it went for Mera's head.

She wasted no time as she used her blade to slice the wyvern's head rendering the rider to merely helplessly falling towards the open air.

As the griffin kept her position through the sky, it was caught off guard as another creature suddenly appeared from below. It emerged from the thick, billowing clouds, revealing its razor-decaying teeth as it lunged forward to take a bite out of the griffin. The attack was swift and unexpected, leaving the griffin scrambling to defend itself against the vicious predator.

Mera made a noise as she reacted in time to evade the unexpected attack. Moreover, the wyvern persisted and it attempted to open its mouth and unleash flames.

This time, Mera made a quick move and used her claws to rip the throat of the Wyvern followed by Pina who used her weapon to strike the enemy rider at the same time.

By then...The distractions were enough for Erikus as he made his move to finally interfere with the young lady one more time.

Her heart raced as she locked eyes with the charging man. Without a moment's hesitation, she raised her weapon to defend herself against the heavy attack that threatened to knock her off balance. It was a split-second decision that saved her status once again.

"There's is no use princess! Give up!" He exclaimed once more.

Pina was able to stand toe to toe as the power struggle continued.

However, Her hands showed signs of trembling but she still forced all the strength that she had.

As time passed, the ominous energy emanating from Erikus grew stronger and stronger. He had gained the upper hand in the conflict, and now all he needed was to completely overpower the young girl who stood in his way. The dark essence that surrounded him was at its peak, crackling with malevolent energy and causing the air to grow thick with an almost tangible sense of dread. Despite her best efforts, the girl seemed to be losing her stance, and it was clear that unless something changed soon, Erikus would emerge victorious.

"After I'm done with you...We will destroy this city and the kingdoms that are allied with it."

It wasn't just a simple give-and-go.

"The will of His Excellency will spread throughout the continent and with him...everything will be under one banner and we will never suffer from traitors and ambitious lords who will try to destroy what he built."

"And with this second chance in life...We will use our new strength to further expand across the seas and even take the lands owned Holy Empire!"

This man wasn't the person that the girl knew back then.

This was an enemy made from hell.

There were no other options left or else she would be stuck in the same cycle.

The heat was still going.

As the battle raged on, Pina found herself in yet another intense close-quarter combat situation. The enemy was unrelenting in his attacks, launching a series of aggressive strikes aimed at finally killing her. However, Pina was determined to hold her ground and fight back with everything she had. She blocked the enemy's strikes, using whatever was left of her reflexes and agility to stay one step ahead. Though the battle was far from over, Pina's defensive tactics were proving to be effective, giving her this subtle chance to formulate a quick plan.

It was difficult for her part since she couldn't any opportunities to find an opening to strike him down.

She had to make a way.

Then something came into her mind.

Her expression changed...and she felt sadness instead.

As she looked on, she couldn't bear the thought of witnessing any more pain and suffering. Even her friend Mera, who was fiercely battling against the demonic Wyvern, was sustaining serious injuries and taking a significant amount of damage. The sight of it all was truly harrowing.

Thus she decided to take this upon herself.

Erikus was taken by surprise when the girl halted her struggle.

Something unusual was taking place.

Before he could even react, he felt a sudden and powerful tug on his weapon. In a matter of seconds, he found himself face to face with a young woman who had just performed an incredible feat that left him completely stunned. Despite his years of experience, he couldn't have predicted what had just happened, and he couldn't help but stare in disbelief at the woman before him.

As it turned out...Pina had let herself be pierced by the blade that sought to kill her.

Mera was also horrified by what had just happened.

It didn't stop from there as the girl kept her eyes on the man without any sign of pain, or suffering, but just mere coldness and neutrality.

Erikus trembled, his widened in shock as his insanity had been temporarily tamed.

By then...His mind began to react as the image of a certain smiling little girl flashed before his eyes.

"When I grow up, I'll beat you and be the queen of the skies!"

The same energetic little girl that he was fighting and had impaled.

While on the ground, a certain knight sensed the tragedy.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

In a similar plight, the flame dragon had to make her sacrifices.

The risk was there but the reward was crucial.

She did find herself in a quite tough spot.

Every type of attack that she made was often getting deflected or at times being countered by the dark dragon.

It was the only foe that gave her uneasiness. Since the beast itself was based on her overall character...and corrupted from whatever dark power it possessed.

It was like fighting herself.

Fighting what she viewed as her demon.

Being chosen as the guardian of the Northern region came as a surprise.

She even considered herself as just anybody from the normal classes and it came as a huge honor for her. However, her offspring was the only treasure that she loved and cared about that much.

The battlefield was engulfed in thick, dark smoke, making it difficult for her to discern her surroundings. Despite the obscurity, she could sense the presence of her beloved son nearby, but could only catch fleeting glimpses of him through the haze. Her attention was focused on the enemy directly in front of her, their figure partially obscured by the smokescreen.

The dark dragon had kept this evil grin like a certain someone, its claws had become its weapon, turning into a blade of its own as it attempted to finish the latter.

The strikes were slow but the aura surrounding it was enough to cause pain as cuts started appearing in different parts of the red dragon's body.

She did not react or even roar but only gritted her teeth as summoned more of her arcane fire magic to counter the effects of the dark power.

Both of them had not moved into a single spot.

With the Flame Dragon keeping close to the enemy.

Time will only tell when the opportunity for her to take advantage.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Throughout the years of its existence.

Its only desire was to search for something worthy to face.

The desire itself and its origins came from an unknown source yet, it became the very motivation that until now the victory had sided with it.

Because of that...it was still here.

The first time it woke up...It immediately felt the essence of the new era.

The battle from below took in a more fast-paced situation.

The sooner the trio stood together that they wasted no time in starting the fight.

The entity grinned with excitement as it was the first one to charge at them with booming confidence.

Its incredible speed which can't even be seen by the naked eye.

However, as soon as he made the move, there was a huge shake on the ground and a crack that suddenly stretched forward toward the entity.

The said crack would then turn into something more aggressive as most of the ground emerged like a tidal wave.

From the other side, Giselle had set the plan in motion.

With a confident grin, the Entity prepared to evade the simple attack that was coming its way. However, in a sudden twist of events, reality itself becomes distorted for a moment. And then, out of nowhere, Rory appeared with her halberd at the ready. With a swift strike that nearly vanquished it.

"What!?" The Entity was taken by shock.

It then took a leap, evading her in the nick of time, but the ground continued to erupt, and Luscious appeared moments later, slashing it with his blade.

For the first time...damage had been dealt against the entity as a huge slash mark appeared on its black mass body.

He felt pain for the first time.

"Clever," It remarked, as it finally had enough and decided to go toe on-toe with them.

As soon as it attempted to make a move, the earth beneath its feet violently disintegrated, propelling it upwards into the sky. The two young ladies were greeted by surprise especially, Giselle, though It was then revealed that Luscious had strategically executed a rare and powerful materia just in time for the upcoming phase, resulting in the unexpected eruption.

Rory gave the dragon girl a smirk and the latter immediately took off from the ground to pursue the enemy.

As a result of the magic, the Entity found itself hovering above the ground, weightless and suspended in the sky. It was accompanied by a massive chunk of soil that had been separated from the earth, which now served as its foundation in this unusual aerial realm.

A floating land in the middle of an already chaotic sky.

Although, there was silence for a brief moment...Soon it felt a presence just behind him and evaded the huge scythe that almost sliced it in half.

When the entity looked up, he saw the draconian apostle who took another speedy charge...finally catching him off guard for the first time.

Giselle went on the full offensive.

Unleashing a flurry of slashes on the entity, it took only seconds for the damage to be felt, and it almost ripped the entity's body apart if it hadn't been able to stop the attack by one block before taking a huge leap.

The entity had to re-gather his life force back amidst the girl's onslaught.

This was the first time it had experienced the strength of an Apostle and his doubts were quietly diminishing as they continued to showcase what they had. Especially, this one who had the most aggressive killer intent it had ever seen.

It was impressed.

This new era was something else.

Now, the question that only remained:

"Are they worthy?"

As the Enemy lifted its hands, a sudden tremor shook the ground beneath her feet. The previously dark aura began to intensify, and before her eyes, the entity underwent a startling transformation. It morphed into a much larger and more muscular form, towering over her with an imposing presence.

Its weapon...now a long staff-like blade which he then used to tamper with their surroundings.

The entity pulled enough dark magic that its lifespan had just become longer.

Giselle gripped her scythe as a small grin formed around her lips. This time she was prepared.

Both she and the entity charged at the same time.

The Draconian Apostle's world began to slow down.

No matter how many enemies she had to face, it didn't matter to her.

Not long after, a familiar presence materialized beside her as Rory was able to keep up with the events just in time.

Both Apostles charging towards an evil greater enemy could only invoke the dragon girl to recall long-forgotten memories.

She and the rest of her kind still had that sense of unity and protection from each other.

It was a rare occasion when two apostles would strike at an alliance.

The reason was often the simplest.

But this one had secret significance to it.

Thus duo of Giselle and Rory didn't hesitate as they went all out on the enemy.

The air surrounding the area had been almost taken over by their respective energies and auras.

With Giselle channeling the power of her own God and Rory matching the enemy with the ever-famous power of Emroy. The halberd and scythe did the majority of the work, unleashing a barrage of strikes and slashes aimed at reducing the entity's aura.

The two combatants utilized a variety of tactics including counters, evasions, and close combat maneuvers to overpower their opponent. Despite the entity's attempts to resist, the two were relentless in their efforts to keep the enemy off-balance and prevent any opportunities for counterattacks.

As the two apostles launched their attack, the enemy retaliated with a powerful shockwave that sent them flying backward. Undeterred, the apostles regrouped but were taken aback as the entity's body began to contort and twist. Its head elongated and suddenly two more identical heads emerged from each of its shoulders, leaving the apostles facing a three-headed monster.

The entity grinned devilishly as not more than a second it used its hands which morphed into a giant dark fist and punched the ground causing a chain reaction.

As a result, it was a tidal wave-like scenario that greeted the two. The ground of the floating land was destroyed, and the entity kept smashing more to prevent the two from establishing a full foothold and continuing their offense.

Meanwhile, Giselle had relayed on staying afloat thanks to her wings and she assisted her former rival, taking her away from destruction.

A huge pile of rocks and soil was breaking apart and erupting as the entity took the role of the pursuer once again.

The large floating land had been entirely crushing and leaving nothing but massive rocks spreading everywhere.

By this point in time, they had to switch to a new plan.

"Dammit, this bastard..." Giselle swore in frustration." He won't go down without a fight."

"He thinks he's going to win?"

Though Rory kept a smile.

"I know." As usual, the unfazed remark baffled the latter.

"And I suppose we are heading in the right direction," She added, while the dragon girl raised both eyebrows.

"What do you mean?" Giselle asked.

Rory smirked in return." Oh, you don't have to worry about this nincompoop" She said, while looking towards a certain direction." Like you said...He is trapped in his delusion of being superior to his opponents.

The dragon girl stared at her...loss for words.

"We got him where we wanted." Her friend added to her remarks.

By this time, Giselle had begun to wonder.

Where was Luscious in all of this?

How were they going to beat the enemy?

Suddenly, a series of humongous boulders started exploding with a deafening sound. As the dust settled, an ominous creature with three heads emerged from the ruins of the shattered floating land. Two of its heads unleashed a torrent of dark flames that set off the explosions, revealing the creature's true form. The heat emanating from the flames was intense, and the air was filled with the stench of burning debris and smoke.

Giselle gritted her teeth as due to the current circumstances she could only do right now, flee from the unexpected burst of onslaught.

When she was about to flee, the Oracle spoke.

"Giselle, Let me go from here."

She widened her eyes surprised.

"Rory, you can't be serious!?" She protested against an unusual decision.

To be dropped off 50 feet above the ground was an insane thing to do, and she was an apostle, who was now very worried for the latter.

And she knew that Apostle could even survive unexpected disasters such as this.

Perhaps her sense of humanity and mortality had evolved to a greater part.

Despite her warnings and the dangerous situation surrounding them, Rory simply gave a confident grin.

The grin itself brought another memory for the draconian woman.

Giselle found herself in a difficult situation, where she had no other option but to comply with the request made by her companion. As she released her fellow apostle into the vast open skies, she made a face that conveyed her frustration and disappointment. The act of letting go seemed to be a difficult one for Giselle, who was torn between two choices. However, she had to honor the request and let go, hoping that fate would be kind to her.

After she took that action, the enemy suddenly appeared right in front of her.

Giselle reacted in a nick of time as she immediately summoned her scythe once more to block the attack. Moreover, she found herself getting forcibly pushed backward by the strength of the enemy.

Now, that was one realization for her.

"You will never vanquish me!" The entity screamed in a unified distorted voice as he continued his onslaught.

A small smirk emerged from her and instead of trying to worry too much about having to shoulder responsibility, she chose to trust her former rival's words.

Then at that moment...She heard that familiar voice that spoke within her mind.

"I guess my decision to be let go was right all along."

There was a giggle and she recognized it quickly.

"Rory, what the hell are you planning this time!?"

"Like I said many times before...I won't go into the fire without being prepared."

Giselle slightly rolled her eyes and placed her frustrations aside.

Yes, her former rival was somehow alive.

"Now what's next?" She then asked bluntly.

"You see that particular land over there?"

As she gazed intently in a particular direction, her eyes caught sight of something extraordinary, another humongous floating land rising majestically above the dense, gray clouds.

"The previous one was just a test." The young lady's voice explained." Now that we got its recklessness then that's how we are going to strike back."

"So what's my role here?" Giselle asked again, this time a bit unsure of what she was going to do.

"Simple...Be a distraction like what you did with those guards at the circus."

Her cheeks reddened for a bit upon hearing those words and as she recalled that memory which was kind of embarrassing on her part.

"Be the mouse and let the cat have all the glory until it is blinded by it."

"I know you have that very long patience in you."

She had heard enough and did not hesitate to pull back and evade another big strike that almost wounded her, and right after that...She flew away following the particular path that the latter had informed her.

As much as there was a part of her that wanted to go toe-to-toe with the enemy, the thought of how long she could keep the fight going persisted.

Maybe that Sly Fox of an Apostle was right all along.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It was the laugh that continued to echo across the entire city.

Even though the Flame Dragon was in full force combatting the dark monster, inflicting heavy damage, it continued with that certain expression.

It was baffling to say especially for the red beast, who in turn had put so much effort into this, yet she would get the same response continuously.

Almost as if the enemy had not been taking this seriously and was resorting to taunting her as a response.

It had not been that long since it started targeting her mind and speaking to her.

"You think by winning this that things would change at all?"

The words surprised her.

"Do you think all those times you've destroyed the towns and villages.."

"Murdered countless innocents"

"Killing me won't bring them back!"

"Once you've been controlled by this power...Your own will ceases to exist!"

The enemy was pulling out all the regrets and guilt. It wanted the red dragon to be horrified by the actions she had done.

The Flame Dragon froze for a little bit as her mind was put into chaos by recalling the many deaths that happened throughout the time she was bound to the dark essence.

"I will continue what you started!"

By then, the dark dragon unleashed a burst of energy as the giant pieces of boulders and rocks flew in the air. Moreover, the monster breathed out flames, and those flames coated each of those rocks which flew across the city and headed towards the other districts.

The dark dragon laughed once again as he took the opportunity to grab the red dragon by the throat and slammed her down towards the ground.

At the same time, the powers of the dark crystal increased in power and the essence emitted from the monster had reached the already weakening barrier that still protected the entire walled city from the huge army of dark wyverns who were all awaiting to enter.

XXXXXXXXXX

The cracks were showing and they could all sense the barrier was already weakening into its final state.

The cheers began to grow louder and the rest of the army began to chant the word.

"Kill...Kill...Kill"

All at the same time.

They could feel that opportunity coming.

In less than a minute, they would be expecting their spreading destruction.

All thanks to this unexpected spectacle of a monster.

XXXXXXXXXX

They all thought that the seas were furious.

As the relentless waves rose and fell, a deafening crash echoed across the harbor. The sheer force of the water had overturned several fishing boats, leaving them bobbing helplessly in the churning sea. Meanwhile, a massive merchant ship, caught amid the tumultuous waves, swayed perilously on the edge of capsizing, threatening to drag its crew down into the unforgiving depths below.

Yet, fate was kinder to them, and despite the circumstances, the ship remained near the docks.

Nobody had noticed the massive flaming boulder that had fallen from the sky and landed directly in the bay's calm waters.

The crew was put into a slight state of panic yet, it was the captain himself who remained the calmest.

From the deck, he stood observing the ongoing situation as apparently, things had escalated to a much higher level. Moreover...that he didn't even care what could happen next.

"Captain, should we set up the projectors?" One of the crew members inquired.

It took no longer than a second for the man to smile back as gave a simple gesture.

Following the events that had transpired, a group of crew members entered the scene, bearing a lengthy table and a large, ominous-looking suitcase. Without delay, they opened the suitcase, revealing its contents to be three small, adorable creatures.

The creatures in question had a build similar to that of a fully grown feline cat, but they stood slightly taller. What set them apart from ordinary felines were their striking, colorful spiral shells, which caught the eye immediately. Additionally, their eyes were perched atop long, slender stalks, giving them a unique and rather intriguing appearance.

Captain Dalda was taken aback by the sheer ingenuity and brilliance of these inventions. From the moment he laid eyes on them, he knew they were going to alter the course of history someday. These remarkable but still unknown creations had already been used by some kingdoms and had become an essential part of their progress and development.

"Ahh yes, Transponder Snails are just wonderful things for this world." He remarked, giving a slight chuckle." How creative of them to use actual creatures as means for communication."

There were four that were brought to the table.

The first one was taken up to the air as one of the crew had a medium-sized gull that carried it to the thick dark clouds heading towards the main event inside the city.

The one in the middle came to life once a certain button was pressed as its eyes glowed and moments later a beam of light emerged from those very eyes as projected what appeared to be a new angle and perspective of the ongoing event.

A live-moving image showing the city on a broader view from the skies.

Moments later, the other two snails beside it opened their eyes and later took on the appearance of certain characters back home.

One had silver hair with an all-backed appearance and eyes that possessed a deeper look.

And other one remained in a normal general state giving a hint many were to speak from beyond the line.

Captain Dalda stood in front and gave a slight bow.

"Good day! Your Majesty!" He greeted and followed again." And to the rest of the governing body of our great empire."

"Can I confirm, if you are seeing the moving image?"

Not more than a minute, the snail from the left spoke.

"Yes, we can finally see it captain."

The man smiled again.

"Looks like I don't need to explain in detail...but from what we can observe...Sadera is determined to become part of the upper civilizations."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It would soon come in time that a rare occasion was going to be held at the onset of what was transpiring in the Noble City.

Though the place was much further away from the hellish city they were very much involved with the incident.

The majority of them had taken much of the responsibility of orchestrating the horrible act.

The important gathering was held in the grand meeting hall.

Everyone had to be there, no matter what.

Governing officials, members of the nobility, and even commanders of the imperial army, were all invited for this unexpected meeting.

That means...the servants and the palace staff had to work double time, leaving their main duties in favor of this one.

A certain young oriental woman was a part of that team, who were called upon by the palace supervisors.

Noriko had to step up her game once again, finding herself carrying trays of teas, the finest wines, and other drinks.

From what she had learned in this household that every gathering should be prestigious even how short it would be.

For her part, that was no problem.

The workload that she could handle and adapt to well.

However, it was the uncertainty that continued to plague her mind.

Almost Everyone was present and that included the ones that would occasionally harrass the servants like her. That's why she had to lay low though she was also eager to listen.

As she glanced around the almost packed meeting hall, her eyes were drawn to a certain individual in the crowd. Amidst the sea of faces, her attention was caught by a pair of tall, bunny-like ears, perched atop the person's head, which appeared relaxed. The familiarity of the sight sent a shiver of recognition down her spine.

The silverish long white hair of the person sitting amongst the crowd of officials.

The young lady wanted to call her out.

One of the few genuine true friends in this place.

The said person surprisingly slightly turned around and caught her eyes.

She flashed her a small smile before turning back.

Noriko was a bit taken aback by the little moment.

Nowadays, that certain person is tougher to talk to or at least have a normal and casual conversation with.

And that was due to her current position and the fame she had unexpectedly received in the Empire and its allies.

By then, the whispers from the crowd halted as the familiar man had stepped up towards the front of the meeting hall.

A little stage was set up.

A long table that carried three pieces of equipment that looked eerily similar to snails but bigger in size and more animated-looking.

Then in front was also a projector, and one of the palace staff operated the equipment, and the middle one quickly lit up and projected what was supposed to be a live broadcast footage of the current event happening in a kingdom called "Qua-Toyne."

Then the man known as "Adem" gave a grin and spoke.

"Thank you for coming all today!"

"I know you are all busy with your tasks but as of now...that we are approaching a victory and an accomplishment that no kingdom could ever achieve!"

Everyone was anticipating the announcement and there were whispers amongst the crowd once again.

The equipment in the middle soon activated as a beam of light was projected towards the fiber-made screen, that stood in front of them.

Not long after that, a moving image was presented to them.

A live broadcast of what appeared to be a city in shambles.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

It was the Noble City itself.

No doubt about it.

All eyes were widened in surprise.

Some were baffled, and some were mesmerized.

That a place that was considered difficult to conquer had just been invaded and put into a non-stop misery.

Adem was still grinning from ear to ear as he cleared his throat once again to continue his statement.

"Many of you are wondering but what were the things...the necessary steps that our men had taken for this to happen." He told them as he moved around looking for that certain someone.

"I won't dabble into more details since this is going to be a short meeting." He added, raising his hand as he pointed towards the screen." Thank you to our hard-working spies who risked their lives to capture this unforgettable event...and they still are."

"For that, the Principality of Qua-Toyne would soon be ours and we won't have to wait until we can finally reunite the continent under one banner!"

The rest of the crowd cheered loudly and now they began to express their support towards his excellency.

"Long live Sadera!" Voices echoed through the hall.

The current suffering of the city is all they need to see.

All their hard work and dedication was now paying off.

"Afterwards, we will be assembling more reinforcements to fully take control of the city and surrounding lands!" Adem spoke once again." Until we get to their garrison at Ejei."

"And from that then on... expect the other kingdoms of this continent to issue peace negotiations." He then added." That's where our beloved and trusted diplomats would step up and promote peace and harmony to all lands of Rodenius!"

"And you are all aware who that person is..."

The crowd cheered once again for a certain red-haired princess.

However, a certain bunny woman, remained silent while the rest worshipped and praised the man's words and the ongoing success that had now been presented to them.

She caught a glimpse of Adem giving her a brief stare of approval and she responded with a simple nod.

Apart from that, she had a different thought altogether.

She smiled...Not because she was pleased with what was happening but was more delighted to see the next scenarios in line and what their reactions would be.

It was all smooth sailing from here until they hit the big iceberg.

She had prior knowledge of it and what was happening right now besides this so-called "Successful Invasion".

All thanks to a friend of hers, who became her eyes and ears throughout this event.

The individual from that tribe was currently doing an excellent job.

And despite all these seemingly overwhelming revelations and announcements.

Tyuule realized that something was off.

A particular individual was missing for a short time, she looked around to find him and yet she couldn't sense his presence or even his smell.

The supposed heir to the throne was not even present at this significant meeting.

However, she had a strong suspicion that the man himself was in another place far more important than the one she was currently in.

X

It was the rustling sounds of leaves that was with him throughout this time.

A place where he could find peace of mind.

The wind had grown stronger and despite the coldness...He chose to remain beside a certain grave under a lone tree.

It was only he and his loneliness that were able to pay respects at this time of the hour.

Deep in his thoughts, he wondered about the current revelation of the Imperial Wyvern Army's surprise invasion of the Noble City of Maihark.

Such a feat that had never been achieved for many years.

Then there was the gathering at the prestigious meeting hall which he didn't even bother to attend since he knew that the man would be taking all the credit and spilling out absurd claims.

For his part, He'd rather be here than be present in that circus filled with clowns.

And yet in the midst of that, the young man suddenly felt a cold breeze that passed by and a chill down his spine. Soon an image of a certain person flashed before his mind.

There was no doubt that something bad had happened.

He looked towards the skies hailing from the southwest and he observed it as he tried to comprehend the mysterious feeling of dread.

However, he flashed a small smile knowing that things were all going in the right direction as he had hoped for.

CHAPTER END

AN: Hey there again! So this chapter is kind of short compared to the previous ones. There were about 25-26 scenes for this chapter since originally this would include the climax. However, I realized that my mental capacity could not keep up with that kind of ambitious length so in turn I had to splice the chapter and the scenes. So a little bit of tackling from the chapter, The fight with the Apostles and the entity, I did plan on making the scene a full-blown shounen fight though I realized that it would be too complex and chaotic so I decided to tone it down and made it more simpler and of course, the main characters would need to use their brains so they wouldn't have to waste time and energy. Of course, there is the last scene which involves the return of two important characters...Noriko and Tyuule.

They were supposed to appear at the end of the arc, but I realized that I needed to show what they were doing at the time, and of course, what is happening in Maihark is also affecting events in Sadera (for those who have orchestrated the invasion), and Captain Dalda finally contacts the Parpaldia Empire's superiors and of course, the Heir to the Saderan Throne.

Another thing is that I also paid homage to a certain famous long-running anime/manga series in this chapter (More Like an easter egg of some sort)

With that said, thank you very much for reading the chapter! Please forgive me for the occasional grammar mistakes, since English is not my main language.

I appreciate your time to give the story a chance :)