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-Empire army camp-
Her memories were still a little fuzzy about the events of secret pass city, which is what made it a little challenging to talk to her dwarf friend about the subject. “Sorry, I just can’t remember what happened after I passed out. What happened to the city?”
Bardic looked away guilt still haunted him about not being able to help her, but he wouldn’t have been much help in that fight. “Seems like the frogman tried to find information only to find them killed or useless. That demon killed everyone that knew anything about him before running off. the rest died fighting.”
They walked around the makeshift fort in silence before Bardic spoke up again. “It’s good to see you, ok, lass, I worried…” Her friend was unusually silent, unable to finish the thought. Not that she could blame him seems like everyone they knew for years was dying around them.
Rita gave him a bitter understanding smile, not sure what to say herself, looking at her right hand. Remembering that power, it still burned in her veins, asking to be called out. Clenching her fist, turning back to assure him she was fine though, none came to mind how to put it into words.
It was like she could understand why mistress Kathrin called most people sheep, this was only a fraction of what Kathrin could do. It was frightening, and at the same time, even this wasn’t enough. Pushing away the painful sting of loss against the monster Jaldabaoth, along with the failure to defend those poor souls. Even after going all out it for not-
Almost getting lost in thought about mistress Kathrin's and Kettor words of the danger of overusing it at least until it could be minimized by some kind of magic core. She would prove Brain wrong one way or another.
“I know...I missed a lot though everyone looks to be in good spirits. How did they get Demiurge from the sorcerer kingdom so fast?”
“hmm, powerful teleportation magic?”
Stopping near the training ground where some of the soldiers were training with their downtime. Word of lady Tearus tearing through the last safe havens of the beast-men, all that was left was the capital. “Speaking of the topic, why is everyone celebrating seems a little early?”
Her long time friend beamed at her. “Lass the war with these beasts is over unless more come over from there land. Which, according to our spies, is a wasteland, so that is doubtful.”
The royal knight's gaze wandered over to the determined and cheerful faces of those training struggling to get stronger. The gap in power between them was just as significant as those like Jaldabaoth or even mistress Kathrin to herself. She contemplated showing them her new abilities but pushed the idea away. It would be too hard to hold back and properly test her strength. She turned to the blood knights around the area.
“I see you will let me practice a little? Before we get something to eat.”
Bardic gave her a confused look as she walked right up to one of the blood knights asking for a spar. Something not even the dwarf did unless he wanted a hard challenge. Rita worried a little about showing off. She wonders what he would think before her mind was eased by her mistress words. ‘Don’t worry, he will understand just remember not to push yourself too hard.’
Activating all her Aspects of Lycancat and superior ability boost, the strain on her muscles stung a little though nothing more than a slight burning sensation. Though using martial arts and her racial skill as the mistress called it, did drain her stamina faster. Eyeing all five blood knights that had lined up, ready to fight.
Noticing the other soldiers stopping there matches to watch with surprise at the new power. Thankfully Bardic looked more worried about this change then fearful of her. Not drawing her swords for this spar, she wouldn’t need them for now.
Kicking off to rush the first blood knight far faster than it could keep up paring the weapon aside and striking with her clawed hand. The force of the attack was enough to send it sprawling on the ground. The chest plate dented in, struggling to get back up.
Rita felt a rush of adrenaline with a predatory smile; she rushed it with the other blood knights moving to attack. The sparring match only took a few minutes though she ended up killing all five blood knights by the end. While she might still have a long way to go, she scowled, remembering when they use to be so hard to fend off one. Now five weren't even a challenge to her.
‘Looks like I will have to ask mistress Kathrin for stronger opponents now.’
“Lass, when in the emperor’s name, did you learn to do that!” Her friend's voice drew their attention over to him before glancing back at the five piles of black sludge slowly evaporating.
Rita gave him a toothy smile before offering to tell him at the dining hall. Knowing she would have to be careful not to share too much of the true origins of these powers.
The dining hall, like most of the makeshift base, was nothing too fancy, though large enough to hold and feed all the soldiers. Though it oddly had a bar at the back with a familiar face, Photio was serving as the barkeep with much more energy and joy in his movements. He was far less tense than last time.
“We meet again, my lord's favorite champion, glad to see you doing well after what I heard happened.”
Bardic was already giving her a questioning glance as Rita waved back, taking a seat. “Hey, Photio been a while; I thought you were still in E-Rental. Oh yeah, this is my longtime friend Bardic.”
The barkeep gave an understanding smile back at the dwarf. Before bringing out welled cooked meat and corn along with drinks. It wasn’t much, and after taking a few bites, it lacked almost any spice or flavor that wasn’t meat and corn. Still, with the famine of the old dragon kingdom, food had to be rationed till farmlands and livestock could be regained.
“I was for a while till we got moved around since then, plus I heard Eight Fingers has all but vanished after the demon invasion of Re-Estize. Since then, lady Kathrin has moved us around as needed. For now, I am a barkeep and manager for the potion supply line. Been doing some real good here, not like before the boss lady found us.”
Rita couldn’t help but beam at the cheerful mood far less subdued than last time. Bardic was lost as to what they were talking about but chose not to question him on it. Rita was tempted to ask why he sounded guilty before dropping the notion. She could only imagine the horrors Eight fingers put him through.
Photio quickly changed the subject to something much lighter. “You must be pretty close friends. He came in here every day, whinging about being unable to help you. Wouldn’t stop pestering me about any news.” Annoying evident in the barkeep's voice
Bardic glared at the barkeep, avoiding Rita's gaze. “Not surprised he might seem like all he likes is battle, beer, and coin, but at heart, he's a rock I can depend on.”
“I don’t Whinge, and the only reason I asked was the empress told me to ask yo’ for any news about the Lass.”
She couldn’t help but giggle as her friend tried and failed to not bicker about whinging. It was just how she knew Bardic cared; he was always bad at waiting and sitting around doing nothing. She could only sigh, looking over to where Tarick should be resting. Still, the elf had finally lost it (like she knew the paranoid elf would.), and she never did see him again. Which was a little surprising considering how persistent he could be? Then again, if the demon emperor found him, he was probably dead by now.
Trying to put all the thoughts of those she wouldn’t see again out of mind forcing a smile reminding herself, ‘this wasn’t the time for that.’ Sharing pleasant company, a good meal, and safety for now, once she was done and the conversation died down, Rita turned to Bardic.
She tried to think of the best way to explain this without giving away the changes the mistress had made. Though after a few minutes, she finally organized her thoughts to start. “I suppose it started after Lady Kathrin started training me. Though I could never really tap into it before every time I tried to do what she showed me, I either passed out or just felt ill.”
The dwarf took a sip of his drink with a frown. Staring at the amber liquid of his drink before replying.
“Guess that explains a few things I always wondered. Moonlight cursed hum…he takes another sip before counting…only heard stories of them and survived one encounter, guess this makes the third.”
“Wait, you ran into a Lycan beast before, how do they change shape?”
Bardic gave a sad grin, his eyes warning not to ask though he sighed when she kept pleading with her eyes. True be told Ritan had never even heard of them till Lady Kathrin explained it. Despite the dread in her gut about whatever he was about to say to her, it might give some clue.
Bardic sets down his empty drink before starting. “First thing you should know is this might not apply to you two. Because you seem different from what I know. The moonlight cursed as my clan called them only changed at night sometimes and always under a full moon. How they got cursed varied on who told the tale, but they could never control it even if they could it changed them…not for the better I might add.”
Rita absorbed his words as he paused as if waiting for her reaction, but she just stared him down. It didn’t help that she could feel the mistress focus on listening closely through her. This was the first time ever hearing of others like them. Though the mistress assured her, they were nothing like them already even if Rita didn’t understand why from the description, they sounded very similar if less controlled.
“When they change, they are nightmares of teeth and claws to put down with resistance to normal weapons and heal most wounds in minutes. Even with magic, magic weapons, and silver coating, fighting one is never a guaranteed win. Once they change back sometimes, they remember others don’t. Even still, they aren't the same as they were before. The only reason I survived one is that I ran into Tarick that night after one destroyed my home, and the clan only managed to save my brother.”
He laughed bitterly with a grim smile. “Funny that only a few years later he went too now making me the last of me clan. Guess it’s a good thing I found Jinna going to need to reforge a new clan before I pass. Else my brother won’t stop bugging me in the great mine.”
The elite knight patted his shoulder as the mistress' focus left her mind. Rita couldn’t help but wonder why her friend seemed to be taking this so well after that. He just smiled at her as Photio brought another drink. Not a hint of anger, pain, or fear in his eyes while Rita could not help but feel the gnawing of grief and guilt. As she remembered the burned embers of the bar and blacksmith, nothing left to even identify who those bodies were.
“I know what you're’ thinking. How can I be so cheerful after so much disaster has befallen us? Well, Lass, that is easy.” Bardic leaned over with his short stature to push the drink to her with that kind smile he had the day they met.
Rita scrambled her brain to decipher how he couldn’t be devastated; she might be good at putting up a front. Without mistress Kathrin helping clear her mind and cheer up, she knew she would be a wreck right now. So much had changed, and so many lost while she wasn’t strong enough to stop the evils that killed them. Another burst of warm comfort and understanding washed those thoughts away.
“As my brother told me many times, 'We can sulk on a broken ax head or pick up another piece of metal and forge another one.”
The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
Rita had to resist standing up off the stool to shout what forging had to do with this. Was it to replace people just what even was that supposed to mean that was worse than Lord Kettor attempting to cheer her up.
Bardic laughed at her scowling face downing his drink. “I’ll be honest Lass took me a while to understand what he meant too. Point tiss lass nothing lasts forever, so enjoy it while you got it. I'm sure our emperor would have my head if you left to take your shift looking so forlorn. Now I need to see my wife while I got time. She gets grumpy if I am away too long and not working for the forgotten one.”
Before Rita could question her fellow warrior on what the sorcerer was doing here, let alone how that was approved in such a dangerous area. When had he gotten married and didn’t tell her! He was already walking away quite fast and with joyful energy in each step. Now that she thought about it, how was he walking so quickly, or was she just now noticing?
Hearing the barkeep come over to clean the mug. “I can see why your such close friends though I must ask how is his (cough) hum clan making (cough) with a sex demon as a wife is like?”
Rita glared at Photio, blushing what was with people asking such weird questions. Like she knew or even wanted to see that it was bad enough when she had to put-up with-it a from Demiurge asking about heirs. The barkeep hands up in surrender, taking three steps back.
“Just asking no need for the death glare. Not that I have much spare time, to begin with; you know how the lady can be.”
Rita could only sigh in agreement, not willing to voice or even think those thoughts. She knew the answer if she had enough time to complain, then she had time for more work. Which was always the answer, something she learned never to question even in thought.
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-Kettor and Kathrin-
Kettor did his best to not let his mind wander back to rushing to check on Shalltear. Demiurge had assured him that Momonga would keep watch to give him time to rest. He definitely wasn’t reaching to pull out a scroll to check on her, not that he didn’t trust his friend, but he would not break a promise. He was already so undeserving of their love and loyalty that if he broke his promises, what would he be left of a blood-covered soul.
“Darling, your lack of rest is letting your doubts creep in again.” Kathrin rubbed her naked breasts into his back as her sweet voice filled his ears.
Kettor gave a sheepish smile back though the smile didn’t reach his eyes. He felt the madness of his dark mind demanding he check on Shalltear straining his already waning sanity. He knew his dear friend had that trap ready as they prepared for his Revenge on Those scum he knew they had that cursed item they need to feel the cold, unforgiving chill crack the skin as the vermin iced over a slow death. He couldn’t even block out the dark whispers or look in any reflective mirrors without seeing that grinning shadow. Clenching his hands hard trying and failing to calm his breathing, he couldn’t sit by and do nothing mental exhaustion or not.
Letting out an unsteady breath as Kathrin rubbed his shoulders with those gentle hands gently smiling in the mirror. Naked after a few rounds of stress relief in their own private tent. Right, Shalltear is fine, Kettor relax your human mind.
‘Really but we are so close what if they attack and we are not awake to fight them. What if they gain control of Momonga hum. How human of you to fail again.’
Kettor’s muscles tensed right back up at the mocking shadow, glaring while Kathrin scrunched up her face with worry. He tried to focus on her words as his mind urged him to close his eyes for just a few minutes as if something would be lost if he didn’t. What could he lose his humanity, but if he could just stop needing to rest his mind, then he would be able to watch over his loyal servants and wives longer.
“Sorry, I was thinking of the dangers the report has.”
Kathrin scowled with disapproval, using the mirror to stare into his very soul. “Lord Kyuketsuki, your eyes have been staring at your own reflection for the last five minutes. Plus that is a scouting report I read personally an hour ago, they have reported no danger in that region.”
“Perhaps we should have some more pillow talks, my love?”
Kettor could not meet those worried eyes urging him silently to rest even if he silently boiled unseen. He promised to create a kingdom for them so he could be an emperor if he couldn’t handle his share of work for today. Brushing off the five blood knights connections vanishing if Kathrin was more worried about using his rea-avatar name, then things couldn’t be too bad. Even if Kettor couldn’t understand how she could command his undead as if he gave the order.
Maybe he should just go to rest and spoon with his empress if he was this bad.
‘We don’t need rest, that is the prey's weakness. What is more important! is it your humanity or our dear servants and our FAMILY.’
Once again, he glared at the shadow feeling his heartbreak as those words trying not to respond. As some part of him almost desperately urged him to rest. Kettor pushed that notion away no, he would not fail again if he lost a battle. Kettor could recover, but if he lost Shalltear or one of the others, could he ever forgive himself? Jade’s ghost haunts his memories, gritting his teeth.
Kathrin's mouth was moving, but his vision was getting blurry as fog filled his mind. Forcing his body to read through the reports so far it was all he could do to keep his mind on track. To not fall into the darkness edging at his vision.
Till he found himself standing in a void, reaching out to his feelings only to find emptiness like the void around him. This was not contentment but a lack of any feeling at all. Is this how Momonga felt all the time, just nothing without sharp bursts of emotion. “Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea to skip mental rest. Though I don’t feel tired now, this is a dream.”
A familiar giggle filtered into his ears at those words looking around he could not find the source. Realizing it was Jester, though, he remained neutral, while he couldn’t feel any emotions his mind knew to distrust them.
Finally, he heard footsteps approaching, reaching for his sabers only to find no weapons on him very odd. Was this a trap or a dream he couldn’t be sure for now Kettor settled for being on guard.
“No need to be so on edge I have been waiting for this moment since you arrived in this new world. Watching, waiting for when your soul called for action. Then finally activated my gifted spell.”
Finally, Jester came into view with colors; this was not a projection. It was her in the black and red with silver bells hanging off her outfit she reached up pulling off that smiling mask, her red eyes meeting his own. As long black and silver hair flowed down to her mid-back. She gave a fanged smile her vampire teeth showing.
Kettor exe has crashed…
As his mind quickly rebooted, cycling through what spell she was talking about. This was officially the oddest dream he had so far. Watching as she brought up a menu, the void became replaced with a nice diner, he visited a lot back in his world, just as almost perfectly clean as he remembered if you didn’t notice the odd stains or uncleaned corners. Customers walking around them as if they didn’t exist. The soft music hummed, covering most of the conversations around them.
“Much better, the endless void gets boring after a while. Now, why don’t we take a seat and discuss our deal in detail now.”
Kettor glanced at the booth before shrugging and taking the opposite seat. Definitely, a dream though not that he thought about it he hadn’t dreamt since arriving in the new world.
Jester sighed heavily at this, lightly glaring his way. “This is not a dream even if it was one the consequences here will have a very real effect in the waking world. Your reaction is not unexpected, undead feel the emotion suppressant here the strongest.”
Kettor had to ask if this was not a dream, then what was this place and what other races felt if this was true. It would explain the lack of even the tiniest emotion.
Jester chuckled at this softly grinning. “It depends on the race that I bring, and explaining would burn up our time. Suffice to say, the most basic core of the being is amplified greatly. As an example for humans is being so empathetic and emotional.”
Without thinking, he raised his hand over his heart. Did that mean he really had lost his humanity? What did it even mean to be human to him any more searching he found only a lack of an answer. Showing his confusion. “Your saying I completely lost my humanity?”
“let's not pretend to be what we are not. We can spend eternity getting caught up on small details. Or we can finalize our agreement, my Champion, unless you would risk disappointing me like so many others?”
Even as incomplete as he felt he could hear the warning edge scowling deeply, as much as he would have loved to test one of his plans, there were a few problems. The main problem was he had no weapons; he couldn’t access his inventory or even his spells. This left only one diplomatic approach, even if he couldn’t bring himself to fully trust them. No attacks were thrown, and Jester had not spoken a single lie here. Unsure how he knew that?
“What do you mean, the convent of crows?” Kettor crossed his arms in contemplation.
Jester gave a hollow laugh, or was that just her own lack of emotions. His fellow vampire gave an almost sad smile before above the back of her head, a floating screen showing many people and beings, all of which ended up dead or turning away from her before vanishing.
“Lacking a few senses may make me feel incomplete....but it also allows me to see the truth of people. You are one of only a few who I have offered this deal. A true partnership I will grant small favors in return for a service rendered to me. Sadly most didn’t work out (or even make it past the intermediate phase she grumbled), so I left them to their tragic fates.”
Jester gave a dark grin to him, promising the same kind of ruthlessness he promised enemies. Though he had no fear, he knew the danger of information alone, it could make or break all his plans. Clear of emotions, he could easily see that this would be horrible, and he would never trust or work with Carnival, not after what she did to Jade. Glad he couldn’t feel heartache, not noticing a single blood tear rolling down his face.
Huffing, he could only ask what this deal would entail listening carefully, as Jester explained in great detail. Her plan to break wild magic, which would not only take power away from the dragon lords, would allow her full access to at the very least this area of the new world. Even offering to create full copies of every member of Ainz Ooal Gown once she had the power and practice.
It would also make her far more dangerous; she could make edits that could affect the entire region they were in. Though Kettor turned down the offer to have copies of his friends that had not been on before the end of YGGDRASIL, if they showed up, it would only make him feel more hollow than he already did. If they would even be happy about it. As much as he was tempted, Momonga would love it, that would just be a lie that could ruin their friendship.
He would not look to the past again, thinking about it, his past outside of YGGDRASIL was distracting him. His mind clear of all distractions could see that the ghost of Nara no Kyuketsuki-ō would not stop hanging over him. That vampire of his old life would not die unless.
“You said I could ask more than one thing right.” Cautious, he could not afford to waste this, and he could not just trust it either so better that he risk something he wouldn’t miss.
“Yes, for each service, my Champion already getting greedy, or do you still not trust me? But knew even I have limits.” Jester was very sly even without her emotions; it was as if she could read his very thoughts. If not for the lack of any mental magic, he might believe it.
Even lacking emotion, he could feel something rebelling in his mind pleading him to stop. Looking at his hands, this was a bizarre sensation to him, but he thought back to Kathrin, Ritana, Velvet, Clem-chan, and Shalltear. Then Finally Jade his lost creation; the only way to bring her back was to lose both Clem-chan and Velvet and that wouldn’t be fair to either of them. It might not even work remembering the grief that caused him to create Nara no Kyuketsuki-ō. The same affliction that made him think he could just bring Jade back only to get stuck with Clem-chan. The part of him he had come to despites it might have led him to this world seeking to escape to die with some happy dream even if false.
Now it had only caused him to fail those who needed him; most worse, it blinds him to things he could have stopped if he had a clear head. How long before it cost him someone else glancing at Jester away from his blood-covered hands, the diner was not quite empty. Every customer was replaced by corpses of friends he lied to only to kill even if he didn’t want them dead. Not noticing more blood tears rolling down his face. Looking over to see a blood pool in the dark lifeless diner seeing the face of that killer making up his mind.
Jester was patient watching him unknown to him; she saw that past in the screen above his head. Smiling darkly yes, she had not told him, but he didn’t ask. She would never repeat the mistakes she made with the greed kings. With genuine deals, she would not be betrayed again.
Finally, he snapped out of thought, locking eyes with the administer with determination and suspicion of a trap.
“I want Nara no Kyuketsuki-ō to be forgotten forever, and second, I want the [downfall of kingdom and country] destroyed and brought to me.”
Jester seemed surprised by the first one but lost some of her false cheer. “You realize I would have to delete all memories outside of YGGDRASIL and before the new world, right? You will never be able to recall anything related to that name again.”
“Couldn’t you just undo it later or put in false ones?”
Jester looked disappointed before tapping the table. The three world gem shards appeared along with a keycard with freedom on it. “These are what I want right now. My champion false memories would be the third wish, and even if I did grant it, you would reject them, which could lead you to distrust me and breaking our deal.”
“So you wouldn’t grant that but why-
Jester held up her hand to stop him. Kathrin would be enraged to see this, but what would she think of this, he wondered. Holding up her other hand as a projection of a brain appeared.
“We may no longer be human, but our brains are similar enough. Point one being an undead, you reject false memories the same as mind control magic. Point two, my kind of amnesia doesn't work like that; it would be permanent to do this I would need to cut out all connections to the name and its meaning to you.”
Jester tapped her fingers on the table as he absorbed those words; even so, this might be the only chance to be rid of what was waiting when he woke up. Which would only pain Kathrin and the others more?
“Fine, but I want a promise that you will never destroy the souls of those close to me!”
Jester let a kind smile show not that she would when there were so many other ways to punish naughty champions. If it ever came to that. "I can promise that so long as you are my champion."
Jester snapped her fingers as pure black parchment burned into reality written in red ink, or was it blood? Jester's name on one side and a space for his on the other watching it fill out.
Kettor minx appeared in ink blood dripping down onto the table as he felt his eyes grow heavy, seeing the smiling joy-filled face of Jester standing.
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-Kettor’s command tent-
Kathrin jumped back as her lord thrashed about papers and nicknacks flying his tail flailing around, leaving deep cuts in the ground, desk, and ripping the tent. His slime wings dripped onto the ground, reaching out and dissolving and crushing anything that got close bone wings wide as her lord seemed to scream in rage and agony. Sending a message to Velvet to keep the area clear as the Assassin came in freezing in bewilderment at this turn of events.
Kathrin held up her hand, watching and using her spear to block and deflect the bat fang daggers. Trying to figure out, with growing worry what was going on. He was fine until he just snapped. Lucky, she was fast enough to react and move back as her love ravaged the room though not moving too far from where he stood.
“Lord Kyuketsuki, please calm down, explain or show me what I can do to help.” She pleaded while trying to spot the danger. Finally, some sanity if barely showed those blood-red pools glowed staring at her. As blood-red slime rushing up and entangling the useless Assassin though oddly not burning them like it should be to her disappointment.
While her lord rushed her with blinding speed lust and madness in his eyes. Kathrin had to cycle through ideas with inhuman speed, finding the right response, shifting to her beast form just in time to get tackled to the ground. Her own wild instinct took hold as she wrestled with her lord unable to keep the smile off her face despite the situation.
The area around them grew darker and darker till no light was visible; everything else fades away. Struggling for dominance, Kathrin noticed he lacked any killer intent or hate; if anything, she could see only the desire for something. Unable to place what it was he wanted. Most of his thoughts consumed by a fog of madness, making his mood unreadable.
She needed a way to snap him out of this state, quickly realizing the best way to do this by mirroring her lord's actions. Hoping pain as much as she hated it, would cease this frenzied state of mind. As he went to bite her metal covered neck. Breaking through her nanobot armor shell just enough to draw blood. As she bites into his own throat, tasting his blood yet, the pain seemed to be overridden by overflowing passion, so intense it hurts heart pounding and head aching for release. Realizing he was struggling to hold back this mad emotion, which was causing this.
Kathrin remembered Rita experiencing this before now realizing it was a spell charging up massive amounts of mana. The blast alone would destroy the whole army base they set up. Its effect was unknown, but it was causing him an untold amount of pain to hold back.
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-End of chapter-