Vol. 3 CH. 19 — Last fight; The beginning and the next stage

PART #1

The sky turned red. Despite being it nighttime, the whole sky was died red. Especially the moon. With a grandoise gesture of Vlad openings his arms wide, he welcomes the flood of undead soldiers with open arms.

"Bloodwork skill – «Blood Moon»"

Just like a drop of water from the rain clouds, droplets of blood began to converged and form countless red swords in the sky. From a single one to a hundred, then to a thousand, until the whole sky was covered with glistening red swords.

Vlad's eyes glinted dangerously as he licked his lips, savoring the first fight he had in ages.

"Useless"

Was his words. At the same time, the swords descended slowly until gravity finally pulled them down from the sky. Like rain hitting down on modern Earth's roofs, the clashing sound violently resounded.

"Gh!?"

Taiga did his best, deflecting each and every sword that was coming down on him. A look of frustration and fear well up on his face. This was the first time he have ever saw Vlad personally. Although he had some knowledge who Vlad was but knowing what kind of being the 1st Demon Lord was different.

The power difference between him and the 1st Demon Lord was like a waterfall and a great ocean. No, to be more accurate, it was like he was an ant and Vlad was a nuclear bomb. A single burst from Vlad's power could easily annihilate thousands, if not, millions of lived and infrastructures.

*Tang! Kitang!*

Taiga desperately fend of the raining swords with only his dagger.

"Princess!!"

"Kyaaaaaa!!!"

Gaius covered Lucinda, Rea and Lea. His Great sword was enough to sheild them from the rain of swords but it wasn't strong enough to stop the rain from making dents and cracks on it. Gaius grits his teeth and endures the heavy impacts in his back.

"Damn you.....Vlad!!"

Vraheim's voice resounded under the rain of swords. Unlike everyone else, Vraheim wasn't doing anything to defend himself. His body was ethereal. The swords only went through his body. However, it was different for his army. Every single solder he had summoned was minced, broken and scattered apart into millions of pieces across the whole place.

The red swords that hit the ground turned into liquid, staining the whole land with a bloody color.

However, there was one being that was making a different approach. 

*Krrriiii!!*

Chains extended from her shadow, binding rocks and debris, then throwing them back at Vlad.

"Hmph"

The servant vampire shields Vlad with a barrier, scoffing at the young child daring to attack his king.

"Quite and audacious brat I might say"

"That child might be connected to that hero. Faintly, there's the power of a hero inside her as well"

Vlad was looking down at Vraheim but he was keeping special attention to the child that was retaliating against him. For Vlad, his senses were very accurate. He had fought against countless heroes as well against the other Demon Lords. That's why, Vlad knows the difference between a Hero's power and a Demon Lord's. 

But the power inside the child was different. It was a chaotic combination of both a Hero's and a Demon Lord. However, there were more he could sense. 

I maybe growing old if even that child confuses me– Demon Lord Vlad sighs and stops his skill. The sky returned to being a starry night with a silvery white moon.

"How boring. Having the title of a Demon Lord yet so weak"

"Shut up....!! I am... Demon Lord Vraheim!! The... Soul Eater!!"

Vraheim suddenly grows in size a large scythe forms into his bony hands. Swinging the scythe towards Vlad, Vraheim laughs hysterically. His swing caused the debris to be blown over, breaking the walls apart. However, it was thanks to this that the Magic Iron Knights flew out from under the rubble like a disturbed beehive.

They were buried because it was their doing that saved the lives of those were in the tower. The barrier that Kuro set up broke when the towers fell from the throne room's roof. Inside the hole made by the Magic Iron Knights, King Verdik, Queen Isabelle, Princess Aria, Leticia, Niya and the rest of the soldiers that was with them appeared safely.

Now, there was nothing more to hinder the Magic Iron Knights, set up to protect Kyoushiro's important people. 

"What are those things?!"

Taiga himself couldn't believe what he was seeing. Large bulky armored golems flying in the sky with thrusters firing from their legs.

*Zuuuuuu.....*

Light was converging at the barrel like fingers of Magic Iron Knights. A sharp mechanical sound as though something was being vacuumed inside the barrels. Then as the Magic Iron Knights finished charging their magic bullets, all 200 Magic Iron Knights fired all at the same time.

"!?"

Taiga immediately hid under the rubble. Vraheim, received the countless volleys of bullets raining one after the other. 

"Gaaaaah!!!!"

Riddled with holes, his shadowy body was torn apart with ease by the bullets shot by the Magic Iron Knights. A blood curling scream echoed out from the would be undead. His shadowy body, unable to withstand the pure magic bullets attacks was slowly dissipating. Not only that, a blood colored orb appeared inside his robe.

"Pesky..... bulks of....steel!!"

Vraheim swept his right hand, sending a violent and sharp wave of wind, cracking the near indestructible armor of the magic Iron Knights.

A few Magic Iron Knights fell from the sky, damaged from Vraheim's attack. Taking this as an opportunity, Vraheim once more launch another attack. However, this time, the Magic Iron Knights produced barriers to block Vraheim's attack.

*Ga–ping!* The attack hits and cracks the barriers. But as they were made sturdy, they weren't completely broken.

"....Grrrr....."

This time, desperation flickered in Vraheim's eyes, he did not know who made the blasted golems but they were on par with his power altogether. Golems were supposed to have a limited supply of magic power. That was because, their powers draws from their owners. Cores itself were available but with small capacity most golems wouldn't even fight like a human being much less fly and attack condensed magic bullets.

If made comparison between Vraheim's undead army, Kyoushiro's golem was a head step further. With no way out, being surrounded by Vlad, the golems and even the survivors of earlier's attacks, he was out numbered to one.

I won't survive this.... I need.... a new host!!– Vraheim's eyes scurry to look for an available host to possess. His whittling body was on the verge of disappearing. He had wasted too much magic power when he summoned his undead army earlier this afternoon and just now.

"!?"

All of sudden, his thoughts were interrupted. Up in the night sky, a bright flash of light burst off. Inside it, 6 large black metal ships emerged. A floral pattern can be seen sewn on the flag on top of each ship.

"Looks like we were a bit late!!"

Mikoto, riding on top of a pure white wyvern flies down from the sky, landing next to Lucinda and Gaius.

"Mikoto-sama....?"

"Sorry Lucinda-san, we got here a bit too late"

Looking around the place, almost half of the central castle was completely broken. Pillars cracked in half, the roof and walls mixed in the rubbles and even the throne was nowhere to be found. It was hard to say it was the same castle a few hours ago.

"What happened Mikoto-sama? You were nowhere to be found and–"

"Mmmm.... It's a bit hard to explain and we don't have much time. Looks like you found the culprit of the attack though?"

Mikoto's eyes laid on the mysterious grim reaper like being. Though the being looked as though he was about to be blown by the wind, the fire in it's eyes were still lit. Moving to the side Mikoto spots Taiga standing up around some rubble.

Her eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Lucinda-san, we'll take care of this. Gaius-san please take care of Lucinda-san"

"Haha.... looks like you've matured a bit after you left the castle, Aizawa-sama. Please don't worry, I'll keep the princess safe. Also, these two"

Gaius smiled as he pointed the sound asleep sisters next to Lucinda. Mikoto nods then walks forward.

"No use in trying to escape. Kurosawa-kun and that undead over there I've brought Ambrosia's army with me"

Menacing ships looked down on those below. The size of the shadows made the battleships we're enough to cover the entirety of the castle. Cold sweat ran down Taiga's sweat and Vraheim was trying to figure out just how did Mikoto even brought those magic ships with her to this place. It was obvious she had died when Vraheim sent the dead mage to blow up the tower where Mikoto was earlier.

Everything was going bad. No, it was getting worse. One after the other, enemy was popping out of the woodwork like termites. He had to find a host now or else he....

"Gaah!!"

"Kh!!"

Suddenly, two figures emerged from the rubble. One was a large black lion and the other was a Demi-human. Both bore the color black in both eyes and hair as well as their work out armors.

Kuro and Nero survived being buried alive.

"Gh..... Looks like I fainted after the ceiling fell down"

"Same.... but looks like we just came out right on time"

The two made their entrance. Those who saw them had surprised looks on their faces. King Verdik, Queen Isabelle, Aria, Leticia, Niya as well as the knights that survive looked at them like ghost who just came back from the land of the dead.

Kuro then noticed Vraheim as he turned his head around.

"You're....."

"It's the 13th Demon Lord.... Why is he here"

Nero immediately took arms and readied to fight against Vraheim. Kuro fixed his posture and extends his claws from his gauntlets.

"I don't know what's happening but it looks like you're about to die now Demon Lord. I'll take this chance and take your head. I'll get back at you for what you did to us in the past"

It seems that there was a connection between Kuro and Vraheim. However, ignoring arrivals of the extras, Vlad looks down on everyone with a smile. That was because, he didn't expected this much people being capable of pushing a Demon Lord to a corner. Moreover, there were two different race fighting alongside each other.

Dilims, those where bore black hair and eyes. Vlad recalled the first heroes having such colors before and the inhabitants of this world called them Dilims. It's not like they were an extraordinary race, they weren't even a special to begin with. They were just individuals that had the color of darkness part of their physical traits. As much as Vlad remembers, Dilims always have extraordinary strength and large amount of magic power inside them.

Today they were being called Demon Spawns.

"Well this is interesting"

Vlad muttered. The discriminated ones are helping those who discriminate them. Not only that, Heroes were on the same side as them while facing a Demon Lord.

A look of childish enjoyment was plastered all-over Vlad's face. He was having fun. For this scene was like the old days he once saw.

"Damn it"

Taiga looks around like a cornered rat.

"Someone like me being treated like this.... even though I'm the hero..."

Taiga gnashed his teeth. He was humiliated, imprisoned and even got defeated by a pair of animals. He had gotten power earlier yet it wasn't there now. Everything that Vraheim lend to Taiga has been completely exhausted. 

It was a temporary power but, it was something that made him stronger. If only.... he could use that power again.

"........"

Taiga glared at Vlad, then to Kuro and Nero. Next to Mikoto as well as everyone around him. He was being treated like an extra, no, they weren't even looking at him right now. A king.... Someone like him shouldn't be looked down on and treated like this!!

"Oi!!"

Taiga's voice rang out, everyone in the vicinity looked towards him. But Taiga's call wasn't for them. Turning his head to the side, he looks at Vraheim and stretched out his hand.

"Power... Give me power just like earlier!!"

He was demanding Vraheim to hand over the same power he gave to Taiga before all this started. Everyone doesn't know what was happening, they were just watching, waiting for Vraheim to act. It was a stupid move. However, they didn't realized until Vraheim started to laugh.....

"Haha....Hahaha....Hahahahahaha!!!!"

It was a diabolical laugh. Cold air struck everyone. They didn't know was going to happen next. They just wanted to see if the enemies will give up willingly. Most of them were exhausted, they have been fighting since this afternoon.

Their minds were drawing blanks.

"Power.....is it?"

It was then the change happened....

"I suppose..... a Hero's body....will be a perfect....new host"

Like a swarm of flies, Vraheim's body collapsed and flew towards Taiga. From his outstretched hand, Vraheim crawled into Taiga's body.

"!?"

Power instantly surged. Like a new battery inside a toy robot that was left on, a blast of cold, dark whirlwind burst from Taiga's feet.

"AAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!"

From his feet to his legs, his hands to his arms.... slowly a bony white Ivory armor formed on Taiga's body. His red hair slowly turned ghastly white, his pair of red eyes turned blue and his complexion turned pale. Rows of bones crawled from under the Earth up to the surface. A ghostly horse fromed next to Taiga and on his right hand a thick great sword rested.

"Ah..... a perfect fit"

Two voices spoke within a single mouth.

"A power fit for a king"

Yet two minds were separate. Vraheim had entered Taiga's body. He had not eaten it like what he did with Death, but it was something he didn't expected. His deathly powers was a match made in hell with Taiga's. Even as a Paladin, that should have been the opposite of Vraheim's power, it synchronized well with Vraheim's power.

The power of the eater of souls and the Knight of god, the fusion of the two shock everyone. But that only made Vlad applaud at Vraheim and Taiga's fusion.

"My, my.... I must say, that's quite a level up there"

"Vladimir.....!!"

"Hoh? Daring to speak my name? That's quite a brave tongue you have there. But I suppose this, endearing new power of yours is something to be proud of"

Vlad looks at the brave men and women standing before two Demon Lord's yet running away. It deserved a praise as it was only something that can only be seen in the old days. But that was something he wasn't concerned about...

It was the strange child with the strange power....

"But such power is but a miniscule to that child's"

*Krrriiii!!!*

Chains flew about. Like tails of a snake slither and a scorpion stinging and stabbing, the chains attacked Taiga and Vraheim relentlessly like rain.

"Raaaaaah!!"

Taiga swung the sword in his hand, a purple wave with faces of the dead howling in agony in hell broke off the chains coming down on him like waves. 

Next, the chains linked up together and created large wreaking ball.

"Naaaaa!!"

For the first time, the child spoke.

*Don! Don! Don!* The wreaking balls came down on Taiga, Chasing after him as he dodges away. Taiga smiled, he raised his sword up in the sky and then.....

"Die you pest"

*Gouuuuu!!!* Black and White flames burst out from the sword, stretching out to the sky and then finally coming down like a tower of light and dark on to the child.

"........."

As the tower of flames came down, the child pushed up her two small hands. 

"–Void"

A black hole suddenly formed before her, swallowing the attack that Taiga had just used. Everyone was speechless, the fight was something they did not anticipated. Not one tried to move, even the six battleships we're rendered useless as soon as they arrived.

Then as the last bits of ember was swallowed up by the Black hole, Taiga's figure was long gone.

"........."

The battle had ended. Anticlimacticly. 

Then just like that, the child's glow vanished and plopped on the ground....... This was an outcome no one had forseen.

PART #2

That night, the whole world was silent. After Taiga disappeared, there was nothing left to do but to clean up the place and tend to the injured. The whole knights were busy. Helping the citizens who were hurt during the whole ordeal as well as recovering the dead bodies that were spread across the city.

The six battleships landed outside the city. The black Army gave outside medical supplies as well as food and water. The worker golems helped cleared out the debris while the Magic Iron Knights we're sent outside the city in case another horde of monsters appeared.

Thankful, the night was peaceful.

"I see.... it seems that the main perpetrator of this time's attack was the Demon Lord Vraheim"

Kuro sighs deeply as he didn't see this coming. While he did noticed some traces of Necromancy and curses on the Magic Iron Knights, he didn't thought much of it as the Magic Iron Knights weren't really affected by those spells.

They were directed at the Queen less than Lucinda so Kuro felt like it wasn't needed to be cautious about.

"We'll try and help as much as possible on our side. I don't know how much supplies are on the ships but we'll lend a hand as much as we could"

"It is already enough Kuro-dono"

King Verdik answered honestly with his head lowered.

"For the meantime, we'll be in your Army's care. The authority of the Royal family can't function well in this kind of situation however, but I'll shall do my best to repay this aid once we gain back our footing"

Queen Isabelle too lowered her head.

It was inevitable. The whole city was a mess. Both civilian and noble casualties were large and would be hard to say if Travestin can still stand as nation. It had experienced many harsh times in just a few months, it wouldn't safe to say if they could come back up as they used to be.

"Don't mind it your majesty. I'm sure our Queen will happily lend a hand. She is a part of our king's wives"

Inside one of the battleships brought by Inomiri-sensei and Mikoto, King Verdik, Queen Isabelle, and Kuro were discussing what they will do during this trying times. The recovery of the city would easy with the help of the worker golems, they can be instructed through the devices inside the battleships so a there was no need to worry about who would order them around.

Both Kuro's unit and the entire remainder of the Travestin army was exhausted. The battle with the monsters were fierce but the results of the last battle were very confusion.

Kuro found out that Vraheim's target was Lucinda's unborn child, which was now a grown 4 year old girl resting in the room Lucinda was in. Next the monsters that destroyed Mordred as well as it's crew and the temporary base, a different Demon Lord seemed to have destroyed the immortal legion that Vraheim had previously summoned. Then, there was Taiga. Even though he was supposed to be in prison, waiting to be carried back to Ambrosia, he seemed to have joined hands with Vraheim and fused together inside one body.

The whole thing was confusing, the reasons didn't match the meaning of the battle and neither problems of the previously mentioned events even progressed in a good way. The 1st Demon Lord appeared in Travestin, a hero joined with a Demon Lord and the whole city was in shambles.

No one understood Vraheim's reason for attacking the Kingdom. It didn't make sense to go looking for a child that wasn't even born yet to take. In the end, he joined together with Taiga and escape. Was he satisfied with Taiga's body for now? Will he still come back, going after Lucinda's daughter again?

For what it's worth, the only thing Kuro understood from all of this is that there was a threat out there that Kyoushiro doesn't know about yet. Surely, Ambrosia could take care of a single Demon Lord but a combination of a hero and a Demon Lord? It was something that can't be understood by mortal minds.

In the end, this kind of ending was something to be thankful for– Kuro made such monologue in his mind as he leaned back on his chair feeling tired from all that's happened today.

Soon after their discussion was over, the royal couple decided to rest and left the meeting room while Kuro tends to the injured members of the Black army.

This was another long day after a tiring experience. Kuro sighed then stood up from his seat and left the room.....

–

"........."

Lucinda caressed the soft cheeks of the child that looks like her on the soft bed inside the quarters she was provided with. The room was different from the ones she was used to see. It was cool and refreshing inside, clean and very tidy. There was lighting on the ceiling that can be controlled by a switch on the wall as well as bathing room inside for a comfortable experience.

Lucinda had taken a long warm bath after the whole incident. Despite having a long tiring day, Lucinda wasn't reading to sleep yet.

That was because her child was sleeping next to her.

The child that was just insider her womb a couple of hours ago was now right next to her with a four year old body. Normally, this wasn't possible but it just happened right before her eyes.

Lucinda still remember being inside that place. That odd dream she had experienced. It was thanks to that she had knowledge of the things inside the room even though it was her first time seeing such things.

Lucinda had mixed feelings about her unusual experience but she couldn't hate it as that place she was inside once was the world Kyoushiro grew up in.

Although it was short, Lucinda had caught a glimpse of what kind of world the heroes lived in.

"..…..."

But that only made her more guilty about herself. The world she grew up in was in danger. To save it, she helped call upon people from a peaceful world to this world. After seeing that place, she felt bad about summoning the heroes.

Kyoushiro, who probably had a peaceful life in his world was dragged into this world just to be hated and treated horribly. He had experienced many things in just a short amount of time after being summoned into this world. Experiences that a person of Kyoushiro's age, shouldn't even be experiencing.

".....I'm...Sorry...."

With her muffled voice coming out, Lucinda's tears rolled out from her eyes. There were things she found out after coming in contact with that world. The peaceful atmosphere, the normal people doing normal things without fighting monsters, it was something that Lucinda wished for her people. Now, after Taiga had shown his true colors, her people suffered.

Was her decision right in summoning the heroes to begin with? Was it correct to let unknown individuals from a different world deal with the matters of this world? Even though this world the place Lucinda and her family were born in, she had entrusted it's safety to people she had know idea about.

Because of that, many have died. Many of the citizens she care about suffered horribly. Her decision for summoning the heroes, for letting her own emotions get to her and choosing to live as free woman next Kyoushiro's side had finally came back to haunt her.

The role of the next Queen was supposed to be Lucinda's yet she abandoned it for love. Now, before her was the child she wished for. But the price for that was the destruction of the kingdom itself.

Tears fell one after the other. Her heart ached because she failed to fulfill her duties as a member of this world and as the next Queen. She had betrayed her own country and her own world for that matter.

"......Mmm....."

The child moaned as she twisted to the side and held Lucinda's hand with a comfortable smile. The sort touch of the child's hand made Lucinda's tears stop for a moment. 

"........"

Slowly, Lucinda grasped her daughter's hand. The child smiles even more and snuggles up closer to her. It was such a precious thing. Her smile was enough to make Lucinda forget her troubles even for a moment.

Yet looking at her, there was a slight feeling of fear in Lucinda's chest she couldn't get rid off. Because the child before her was strong enough to chase away a Demon Lord and a Hero fused into one body.

Seeing her newborn child fight on the same level as a Demon Lord and a Hero was something Lucinda felt uneasy about.

"Kyoushiro-sama.....I wish you were here"

In the end, fatigue and mixed emotions made Lucinda sleepy. Her eyelids felt heavy, closing as a soft yawn came out from Lucinda's lips. As the comfort of the bed sent her away deep into her dreams, Lucinda fell asleep holding her child's hand.....