「Melas's Storage – Around 2 A.M」

Lapidoth tells me everything, about how I was saved, about how my teacher valiantly stayed behind and fought the enemy general, about how he sacrificed his own self to bring a stop to Origen's ambition, and about how he failed and died in vain without completing his last wish.

Lapidoth can only piece the story from bits thanks to the clues left at the scene, but he certainly doesn't lie about anything when he tells me the whole story. He tells me the truth, the bare, harsh truth. He doesn't use any grandeur terms like "He did his very best", it's just a simple "He failed, and Origen lived on.". Just the raw, untampered truth.

"So he died because he saved me…"

I mutter as I stay comfortably on the ground, living a life paid by the sacrifice of others.

"Don't be so conceited and make yourself important, brat."

Says Lapidoth. I really don't like this guy.

"Bjarni didn't die for you, he died as he tried to stop Origen, but he failed, and it costed him his life. Although by the time he decided to transform to his devil form, he's already finished either way."

Lapidoth continues and explains about how you can't let an ancient devil roam free. Even if Bjarni succeeded and killed Origen, he himself also has to be stopped. An ancient devil is insanity incarnate, it will continue to destroy and destroy until it takes its last breath. I'm sure someone like Bjarni must had known the cost for that forbidden power, but he chose to pay it nonetheless.

"Would you prefer if I died instead…and Bjarni never came to save me?"

I ask, though I think I already know the answer.

"Maybe."

Lapidoth bluntly replies. He certainly doesn't beat around the bush.

"Maybe…if you died without making a fuss, he wouldn't have come and get himself killed by Origen. But Origen would roam free uncontested, and probably would succeed in his objective, whatever that was. Yet, who knows, maybe us survivors would find a way to stop it somehow? It's a mystery how a single ripple in the past can affect so many thing."

Lapidoth pauses.

"But no one can change the past."

Coldy says the man in armor.

"You got saved instead of him, and he died instead of you. That's the consequence from everything that happened, all we can do is to accept that it did. You can cry, you can curse, but you can't change anything, no matter how strong you are. It's simply the rule of nature…Simply what people called 'fate'."

"…"

He sounds like a different person as he speaks. I don't really understand and it's hard to express with words, but it seems like he has a lot of experiences in the matter of life and death. He's a soldier, a senior active soldier who can brazenly look at death in the face. Yet, he's still here, alive like me, but more bitter. His presence here certainly doesn't come without a cost.

"Lapidoth…I'm sorry…"

I apologize to the guy in armor.

"About what?"

He coldly answers.

"About earlier, when I told you I don't care to throw my life away since you said I am blessed. That was stupid of me. You were right to hit me, I really deserved it…"

This life of mine is still here because someone gave Death his, and not just Bjarni, there were others who fought by my side yet didn't make it. I wasn't kept alive just to throw myself away once more. This life isn't mine alone anymore.

"So you admit you are stupid?"

Lapidoth asks.

"…Yes."

I know that is the truth, but seriously, he doesn't have to twist the knife further like that.

"Hmm, if you know at least that much, then maybe that old man didn't die in vain after all."

The man resumes his solemn yet cold voice, the normal Lapidoth that I hate.

"You seem to be rather well at this point. Shall we get to the main point, then?"

"The main point?"

What is he talking about? I can only tilt my head in confusion. I thought he's only here to deliver me the bad news, even if I just recover from a critical condition.

"I don't have time to babysit you all the time. Why do you think I keep you by my side up until now?"

"What…?"

I don't really know how to answer. I'm too confused to reply, especially after hearing the bad news of Bjarni's death.

"I'm here to make you spill out what happened during your brief capture by the humans."

"Oh…that…I thought you know about that already"

So he wants to interrogate me about what happened. I assume he knew already, since he never ask.

"I'm not omniscient, and I don't have time to ask when the humans infiltrated the castle. I was waiting for the right time to make you spill it out. Well, let's cut the chase and get to the point."

Using his intact left arm, Lapidoth searches through his body and brings out a piece of paper. A map, to be precise. It is stained with a bit of blood. I think I know where that map came from.

"What did you talk about when you were captured? Was it involve this map?"

The man starts straight to the point, and I don't intend to beat around the bush either. He's a jerk, but this jerk is probably on my side, or rather, the demons' side. I pledged my loyalty to them by surviving, so a better commitment is the least I can do with this borrowed life.

"This map was theirs. I was asked by the humans to be their guide, to lead them to some place in the Magic Arts Department, or else they would kill me. And you know the rest."

The onslaught created by Lapidoth that time is still a vivid memory inside my head, and I'm talking to that very same soldier who coldly killed without remorse. If Bjarni didn't save me, I would have second thought about commiting to the demons' cause, mostly because of this guy and what he can do.

The man gives a pause to think before answering.

"They have a point, if they didn't get detected, their mission would go on smoothly, and by the time we found out, it might have been too late to do anything."

But they didn't, they got found by me, and later Lapidoth. We knew they were coming, and that led us to our encounter with Origen, which led him to our fight, wounded him and had most of his men killed. But I doubt that would hinder him from completing whatever he wants in this sort of place. Even though it was a brief clash, but from fighting him I just know he is the type of man who will never give up, like my teacher Bjarni.

"Although…the Magic Arts Department? I already told you earlier, didn't I? A wounded Origen came for refuge in a classroom from that Department, leaving a blood trail behind before he disappeared? I throughoutly inspected the room, there's no secret places for him to hide, or anything important for him to take."

"Yes…I believe I heard that."

But that means what I know is meaningless, since my information doesn't help us discover anything new.

"However, let's just think of it from another perspective."

Says the man. He seems to be awfully calm.

"They specifically told you they wanted you to lead them to the Magic Arts Department, yes?"

I nod to confirm what Lapidoth said.

"Then it's pretty simple. Even if they trust you, I doubt they would trust you that much to tell you their whole plan in one sitting. Which means getting to the Magic Arts Department isn't their main objective."

"So…the place they wanted me to guide them to…is just a mediate point?"

It makes a lot of sense if that's the case.

"In a way, yes. The map also doesn't have any special markings to pin point a specific location. We can presume that it's simply a mediate point, and there was some sort of clue to lead them to the place of their true objective."

It's like a detective novel, with the criminal mastermind leaving clues behind for the detective protagonist to find and play his game, or something like that. But let's leave that aside, if what Lapidoth said is really the truth, then it leads to a whole new terrible perspective…

"Hmm…"

Suddenly, Lapidoth stands up and yells.

"Hey! Mister Shopkeeper! Can I have a moment of yours?"

He yells so loud it annoys the other patients. Since the one he called is rather far away, being loud is kinda justified, but that certainly doesn't make it acceptable in a place full of wounded soldiers.

"Before I listen to what you have to say, shall I remind you that for all intents and purposes, even a pathetic place as it is, this is still a hospital?"

The skeleton shop keeper arrives and scolds the soldier. Thankfully, his dreaded pet dog isn't here with him. He's having a bag of medicine on his hand, he probably took them from the drug supplies in this storage for use.

"Does this map ring you any bells?"

Without any regards to proper hospital etiquette, the man shows the shopkeeper the blood-stained map. The skeleton man picks it up and carefully inspects it.

"Hmm, it has some differences, probably because it was copied by hand, but this map…it's the same type of castle map that I sell in my shop."

"…That explains it…"

The man in armor coldly responses. He returns and sits on the ground, sighing as he rest his body. Seems like the skeleton man also gets hit by curiosity as he stays and waits for a proper reply from Lapidoth.

"What does this mean, mister Lapidoth?"

The shopkeeper asks.

"It means that there is a 'traitor' among us…"

A traitor…it's hard to believe, but there are hard evidences of that. It explains why the human has a map of our castle in possession, and why it was copied by hand because it wouldn't leave a trail behind to stab the traitor in the back.

"Are you the traitor?"

Suddenly, Lapidoth turns to my side and asks the unexpected question.

"No, of course not!"

"Traitors always deny their treachery."

The man replies.

"And do you think non-traitors don't? What's wrong with you?"

He shouldn't be bullshitting in this kind of time.

"Of course, you're not the traitor. You're too stupid to betray us."

Yeah, I really really hate this guy. He just make it official.

"In case you're doubting me, I'm not the traitor either."

The skeleton man speaks. Of course, if he's the traitor, he just has to deny the similarity between his maps and ours.

"You don't have to worry about that, I trust people from Annwn."

Lapidoth replies. Annwn is a strange name for a place, but I think I have heard of it before…my memory is still hazy from my wounds, so I don't know where did I hear of it.

"For a living person, you sure are trusting of the dead."

The skeleton man giggles, or rather, rattles….

"I have always find the dead more trustworthy than the living, they aren't driven by the vices that breed betrayal like the living does. But that doesn't matter right now."

Before he goes too off topic, Lapidoth himself resumes the conversation to the main point.

"Mr.Shopkeeper. Do you keep records of what your customers bought?"

Asks Lapidoth.

"Yes I have, but I already packed it with my own goods. It's a hassle to bring it out. Beside, I'm afraid it will be futile to trace the traitor this way. The map you have was copied by hand, that means it's impossible to accurately confirm the exact time the original map was bought. It could have been months, or years. I'm afraid I can't help you with that."

Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

The shopkeeper has a point. The traitor may have bought a map at one time and copied it at another. They might also didn't act alone and had accomplies helped them acquire the map. If they were careful enough not to leave a trail, then it's impossible to reveal their identity from a list of names alone.

"You're right. I'm sorry to trouble you."

Lapidoth seems to have the same thought as I am. Seeing his help is no longer required, the skeleton shopkeeper once again bids his farewell and resumes his work, leaving me behind with Lapidoth…again.

"Let's put the traitor aside. I think I have a rough idea of what the humans' true objective is."

For a demon soldier, Lapidoth sure has the makings of a good detective. I let the man speak without interfering.

"The humans withheld the information to prevent leaks probably because they were aiming for something big, big enough to turn the tide of battle. I guess that's why the traitor chose a mediate point to indirectly transfer the information to the humans. It's also why the owner of one of the Hundred Regalia like Origen participated in this mission himself, risking his life in the process. Now, it's all clear to me."

The demon soldier pauses before speaking the punchline. I'm eargerly waiting to know what is the meaning behind all these bloodshed.

"Origen's true objective…is the destruction of this castle's core, the source of the magic barrier protecting Melas."

---------------------------

「Melas's Chapel – Around 2 A.M」

-So it was hidden in this place, if what our informant left us is the truth.

Together with General Origen by his shoulder, the young soldier in armor approaches the castle's chapel. For some reason, this place is built with see-through glasses as the roof, allowing the moonlight to illuminate the place from darkness. As a paladin, Origen is no stranger to chapels across his homeland, yet for his first time at the chapel of demons, he still finds it strangely familiar. The same seats for believers to sit on, the same fancy altar for priests to begin their sermons, the same solemn atmosphere people can find in chapels everywhere. The only thing different is instead of the statue of an angel, there is a medium-size stone statue of a female devil instead, with dark wings and a blackened heart dripping with blood in her hands. Even if this is a chapel, it still belongs to another God, not the one people of the Heaven Realm worship, but the demons' instead. A chapel for Anul.

-According to the information written in the note, the barrier's core is hidden beneath the altar in the castle's chapel…There has to be some way to open the path without making a mess.

-Just smash them to bits.

As the young soldier reads the note written with the human's language on his hand, his general suddenly replies.

-But…it's still an altar, sir.

The young soldier answers. For a Paladin to suggest such a blasphemous action, it's certainly is a first for him.

-There's no use praying in a godless world.

Origen solemnly replies. Seeing as his general is serious with his intent to destroy the altar, the young soldier can do naught but to obey. By this point, Origen has already recovered enough to stand with his own legs, which allows the unwounded young soldier the freedom to complete the task bestowed upon him.

Using the strength of youth, the soldier pushes the altar away. It's not very big, merely the size of a medium wardrobe and poses no problem for a trained soldier. But by moving it away, everything placed on it start dropping like flies. The decorations, the talismans, and the statue of the dark devil. They fall to the ground and shatter to bits. Even if it's for worshipping a dark god, the young soldier can't shake the uneasiness off his mind from the act of desecrating a holy house.

But by this point, that is irrelevant. From beneath the previous altar, there is a secret pathway that leads to the underground. Beyond this point lies the barrier's core, the last protection this castle can afford to defend itself.

-We found it, General.

Says the soldier.

-Good work, soldier. Let us go.

The wounded general and the young soldier descend to the underground through the pathway. The road soon leads them to a large and round shaped room. No light from above can reach this place, but the first thing giving them a welcome isn't the darkness of the night. Lie between every walls are small crystals imbued with light to brighten the room. However, they are merely decorations for the biggest source of light which originates from the center of this room.

In the middle of this secret room is a huge floating white crystal. Its light is as bright as the moon. The humans can see there is some sort of object hidden inside the big crystal, but they can't make clear of what it is from their current location.

-This crystal is the barrier's core. By destroying it, the castle's barrier will vanish, and victory will be ours.

The black paladin speaks.

-We did it, General! Let us destroy it!

-No, wait!

The wounded man is too slow to stop the energetic young soldier from letting his enthusiasm control himself. By the time he sets his foot on to the inner side, a red light suddenly glows from the ground below. A magic circle starts forming itself, but by the time it is completed, the soldier is quick enough on his feet to return to his original position.

-That was lucky…However, I suddenly feel very weak, general Origen.

-Hmm…

Origen seems to have caught on to something. As a test, the black man holds his remaining arm toward the empty space in front of him, just above the red magic circle glowing inside the room. For a moment, nothing happens, until tiny trails of red light flow away from his arm like a pack of fireflies. At this point, Origen has already figured out what is it.

-It's an Image Magic that slowly drains the life force of every living being inside of it. On top of that…

The one armed man suddenly throws his shield like a boomerang, aiming at the huge crystal in the center of the room. But, before it can make contact with the crystal inside, its path is obstructed by another layer of invisible barrier protecting the core crystal. The shield bounces back to Origen's arm once again after failing to do its job.

-There's still the barrier protecting the core…which can only be forcibly broken through the physical force of a divine-class weapon.

Origen seems troubled, and so does his soldier.

-The informant did mention another protecting barrier, but there isn't anything about the life drain magic…Damn them!

-Seems like our informant weren't as good at erasing their trails as we thought. The life drain magic circle is something that was added just recently, a fail-safe mechanic to fend off intruders. We underestimated that witch Nilrem…

Even though he is rightfully pissed, there's still a smile of admiration on his lips for his adversary. It just proves that whatever he sacrificed to get here was worth it. The demons must not be allowed to grow strong, lest one day the Heaven Realm be consumed by their lust of power.

-Soldier…no…Ettore…Listen carefully…

The soldier named Ettore can hear the words of his general, but he doesn't reply. The way Origen speak makes him feel unease and anxious, like the words of a dead man preparing to part way with the world.

-It will take longer that what I planned, and I will be a bit vulnerable in the process, so…Ettore, this is my last order to you: Guard me with your life, don't let anyone interfere as I destroy the barrier's core!

-General Origen!

Without waiting for a proper reply, the black man brazenly walks forward to the land of death. Before long, the light of his life force starts to flow away from him. The beauty of these life force fireflies under the crystals' white light makes this a beautiful yet strangely eerie scenery. Before being a priest, Origen was a soldier. Among soldiers, there is a an old saying that goes in the line of: 'The definition of beauty lies in the border of death'. Only when approaching the end of his life can Origen understand what it truly means, rather than thinking it was a fancy saying made by romantic drunkards.

It's not about the beginning, it's about the end.

-You'll die, general! You won't make it!

Ettore desperately shouts.

-I am Origen! The Black Paladin of Luminis! Guardian of Mankind and Banisher of Demons! I wield the holy shield Evalach! As long as there is life in my breath, I will not yield to anything!

The black man repeatedly slams his shield at the outer barrier as he yells his battle cry. A small dent appears on the invisible barrier, but it automatically repairs itself if left unchecked long enough, which is denied by Origen's barrages of attack. This is a battle of endurance, whoever or whatever is exhausted first will lose. A battle between a half-dead man and an advanced barrier protecting the only thing that keeps the humans at bay.

-If you call yourself a soldier of Metallum, then fulfill your duty! As I will fulfill mine!

The soldier stands there looking stunned. He firmly holds his sword, not because he has his resolve in his grasp, but for his inability to do anything to save his general. The only thing he can do right now is to fulfill the order given to him. He knows it, but it's hard for him to accept this as his final order from Origen.

-I will…General! I will fulfill my duty, even if it cost me my life!

The soldier turns his back to the man inside and runs to the chapel above, leaving the man behind to fend for himself as his life slowly fades away. But he does not grief, there's a smile on his lips.

-Well, one thing left…to do!

The long night continues.

----------------------

「Forest Outskirt – Around 2 A.M」

Far away from the siege of Melas, but not far enough to be counted as away from the battlefield. In the center of the dead forest that populates this land, there is a group of men in robes, sitting outside of a glowing circle on the ground with their mouth chanting words of yore. There are a few fellow robed men outside standing near their wagons, and some armored soldiers tasked with the protection of these men, but the focus is ultimately at the big magic circle these men are maintaining.

-Aggh!

Suddenly, one of the men bursts out blood from his mouth in the middle of chanting. He seems to be alive, but not enough to cry out for help.

-Someone replace that guy! He's exhausted!

A robed man shouts. The light radiated by the large magic circle briefly fades until he resumes his part of the chant and the exhausted man gets carried away by two soldiers, his job replaced by another robed man.

-Chief Summoner! If this keeps going on, we will all die before the summoning ritual is completed!

-Shut your trap and keep chanting! General Origen is betting his life to destroy the barrier. We must do our part and finish the ritual by the time he's done!

The one summoner in charge shouts.

-If we can summon an 「Archtree Ent」 by the time the barrier is destroyed, victory will be ours! Our sacrifices will not be in vain! Keep going, fellow summoners! History will remember us and the deeds we'll accomplish! The demons shall know the might of the Heaven Realm!

The ritual keeps going on, waiting to be completed when the fated time arrives.