"Iacus." Iacus immediately knelt to Joshua who appeared by his side.

"Seems like there's been trouble here, Iacus."

"Lord. I apologize." Iacus spoke to Joshua who had Raizel by his side, readying his weapon to the oncoming Hounds.

"The tome said this was your home. Finish your introductions to your King." Joshua said as he raised his hand.

"Come my Familiars." Gunfire erupted to the Hounds that was present, where the soldiers stepped out from the shadows. Iacus was then hugged by Maximilian and Aurelia, whom he hugged back. Their tears fell to the ground despite the battle that waged on. Donovan joined Joshua's side. Where the people watched in awe as to the power that was from the mysterious masked man.

Though their attention was focused on the man who was hugged by the King and Lady Aurelia. The tears on the faces of the two to this man had only reminded them all of one thing. That this man was Iacus the Wise. The fight was soon over, as the masked leader walked back to Iacus.

"Lord... This is.."

"King Maximilian and Lady Aurelia. The tome showed a bit of the details when the spire opened. It's your home, Iacus. It's up to you how you want to deal with it. The ones who are free are Vizel, Crimson Reapers, Fireteam Skeller, Rogue Victor and Demon's Bane Viking squad. The others are going to go off on other missions soon. I still need to recuperate. Lately my body's been sluggish."

"I apologize, Lord. For the trouble."

"I lost my home, Iacus. I won't let you lose yours and the people you cared about." The counselor was lost for words,to hear this from Joshua. It was enough to stop him from saying much.

"Thank you, Lord." Those were all the words that could be uttered by Iacus to his Lord. Joshua vanished from sight along with the other familiars. Leaving behind the aforementioned Familiars.

"King Maximilian!" The Drakes returned by their King's side, only to see Iacus the Wise.

"It is Iacus the Wise! How can that be?! This must be a form of trickery!"

"I see you modeled the Drakes after my old armor. Right down to the mantle being at the sword hand." Iacus's words silenced the people around them, who were surprised.

"Aurelia... My daughter. You've grown into a fine swordsman, you're not weak. Just that when an enemy uses magic, always focus on disrupting them. It's why I carry throwing knives, my dear." Iacus said as he rubbed her head.

"So is it... Is it truly, Iacus the Wise?" One of the Drakes asked.

"Yes, it is Iacus the Wise. He's the only one who would understand why I made your armor to be similar to his... Iacus.. It's..."

"When I passed on, I was given an opportunity by a Goddess to serve a greater purpose. Which I accepted, I became a Servant to many Lords and Gardens of Thorns. I was asked to be the Counselor for them and many of them did not have people by their side. The others that are here, they are those who can help us, and I will vouch for their strength." Iacus said to them.

"What's the plan, Iacus?" Alice 051 asked as she loaded her bullpup rifle with armor piercing rounds.

"Skeller, Rogues, Demon's Bane. Make sure the city is clear. With how deceptive they are. We might be expecting a few kidnappings." The three teams went on ahead, as Iacus turned to Vizel and the Crimson Reapers.

"Vizel, Donovan. Check on the civilians. Crimson Reapers... You're on guard duty with me." The 5 Crimson Reapers nodded, shouldering their weapons, as they formed a pentagon formation around Iacus, Maximilian and Aurelia. Things were slowly calming down from all the heavy fighting.

They walked to the statue where people looked at Iacus, clearly they have just seen a hero returning to their lands.

"Why did you have a statue of me?"

"It was the only way I could make sure people know your name. Iacus the Wise. I wanted people to know that you were there for my family."

"It was made for me by a giant of fire. He told me it was meant to suit the Wise of Darkness. However, we cannot spend too much time doing nothing, Your Majesty. The Drusken Empire wishes to cripple our supply lines and also plan to attack the towns that are far away from us. It seems they have chosen to whittle us where they can. Forcing us into a battle of attrition."

"Then what do you propose, Iacus?"

"If you'll allow it. My team will be able to take down one of their nearby fortresses. The one known as Gaila."

"Gaila Fortress.. That was one of our own that had been taken over. Their magic bombardment is rightfully strong and it is guarded by the war hungry Forerunner, Gavern. Why there?"

"They must have said something that the Fortress was deemed to be impenetrable with their soldiers always on guard. Breaking their morale is always an option and besides. I believe we can have a chat with a few of them." Iacus said as Vizel threw a Hound at Iacus's feet.

"Kept one alive. Had to resist ripping his throat out with my bare hands."

"Thank you Vizel."

"You think you scare me!? Just because you killed one of the Forerunners?! You pathetic Lunarian dog!" Iacus took off his gloves.

"Vizel. Rip off his arms will you?" Vizel did as instructed, as the Hound kept screaming in agony.

"Now put it back there." Iacus said as Vizel placed it, where it was healed up instantly by Iacus's magic.

"I hope you understand. That if I were to torture you. I can also heal you back. So believe me when I say, that cutting you open and stitching you right back together is a fun hobby of mine. Do you know how I broke your so called 'Bear of Drusken' until he was terrified of being in the dark? Did you think I let him go without scratches?" The Hound realized what Iacus had said.

"How... How did you break him?"

"I cut him open so many times but I would never kill him. The Drusken Empire calls me Iacus the Demon because of how many of your high ranking officials had been turned into scared children by my two hands. I'm sure I can cut you open and turn you into them as well." The Hound cowered in fear.

"Okay! Okay! I'll talk I'll talk! Just get this psycho path away from me!"

Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

"Counselor, I am quite terrified of you." Vizel said.

"Don't be Vizel, I can train you how to break prideful demon lords if you wanted."

"Doesn't change that you're one terrifying Counselor. I still wonder why do you keep silent with the Lord." Donovan asked.

"Despite what you think, the Lord does not need me much." Iacus said as the Drakes took the Hound for questioning.

"Are you sure you can pull this fortress assault off?" Iacus looked at Ace.

"Tell us where to shoot, Counselor."

"We have the blueprints. So your work will be easier but we don't have much on the details of what modifications."

"It'll be fine. They've taken demons larger than that fortress. They can break it when needed but they do better in head on assault. I'll pair them with Fire Team Skeller, Rogues and Demon's Bane for it. Do you want the structure intact or do you want it to be broken?" Iacus needed to know.

"Just blow it. If they see that we're willing to blow our own bases, might make them think twice before doing anything else..That fortress was a pain in the ass to maintain anyway." King Maximilian responded where Iacus gave a nod to the Crimson Reapers.

"We'll level it. What do you want us to do with the Forerunner? Bring him here or just end his misery?" Another Crimson Reaper asked.

"End his misery. I'm sure you can handle it?"

"Don't waste time with having us with the other three. You can send the three teams elsewhere. We'll handle it." Ace said where they watched as a few dragons hover by their side.

"Take the dragons. Are you fine with heights?"

"Dive bombing into the enemy has always been our style, Your Majesty. We'll take care of it." Ace and his team hooked up to the dragon's that brought them away from the position.

"What about us, Counselor?" Skeller arrived with Demon's Bane and Rogues, throwing a few citizens to their path.

"Spies from Drusken, I assume? I'll take care of them. Your majesty, these three teams operate well in assassination and unconventional warfare. Do you need them anywhere?"

"I'll need them at the far eastern front. We're losing ground. Our last foothold is there and the dragons we dispatched haven't been able to get close because of the barrier."

"Drop them near the water, they can make it on foot. Skeller, take the lead. Guide Victor and Viking. Slow is smooth."

"Smooth is fast. Got it. How about our ingress?" Members of Skeller finished that sentence.

"We have dragons ready. They'll take you as close as they can." The dragons came where the teams hooked up to the sides of the dragons and flew up to the sky.

"I'm sure you will be headed to the battlefront, Your Majesty?"

"I was planning to. I just came back here to just give a speech about the Drusken Empire threatening the other countries, but it seems like now they want to assassinate me." Maximilian put his hand to his chin, thinking of something.

"Vizel, Donovan. We'll join His Majesty to battle." Iacus said where Vizel and Donovan nod to the Counselor, with their weapons at the ready. Maximilian looked at the pair, trying to wrap his head about them but there was the feeling of strength by the pair. Like they were hiding their strength. The blue mantle of Vizel was something that caught his eye but watching how his blade and shield would form itself from thin air was something to note. Yet, the one called Donovan who looked very much like a demon clad in armor? That was someone with a unique combat strategy.

"Shall we ride the dragons?" Iacus watched as Maximilian's crimson dragon made its way to him where he rode it. Donovan and Vizel hooked up to the sides of the dragon while Iacus watched Aurelia's dragon arrive. The snow dragon,she pulled Iacus to ride behind her.

"We'll be heading to the thick of the nearest battle. My soldiers tell me we're engaging an army of Drusken soldiers. They're armed with weapons that are similar to what your men used earlier. Albeit a more aged design." Maximilian said to the others.

"Swords still kill. Iacus, Vizel and myself will detach to disrupt their focus on us."

"That'll be good. It'll grant us time to reorganize. I'm sure they must be tired." The dragons flew up to the sky, heading to where the battle was heard. Gunfire aimed at a fortress, Vizel could hear the panicked voices from the people of the fortress. The mocking voice of the Drusken army soldiers wearing greatcoats. They looked similar to the people of Azteris but they did not have the valor that the Azterians had. They were making a mockery of their enemies.

"Counselor. May I deploy first?"

"Angry at the sight?" Vizel nodded, clenching his fists.

"Donovan, think you can hold them off your own?"

"I'll handle it." Donovan said as Vizel unhooked himself from the saddle. Landing on his feet in the middle of the enemy formation. Guns pointed at his direction, Vizel held a white rose in his hand. The petals spread all around the battlefield as the blade appeared to his hands. The Rose of Guilty drew Redemption Kai nodachi, the weapon of his Lord of Thorns of Azteris. The Drusken army took aim, as the trigger pulled. They noticed some of their men flying around from being shot. Seeing 7 rifles emerging from his back. Vizel went after the one who was wearing a beret. Driving the blade deep into the commanding officer's chest, followed by grabbing the pistol from the chest holster. Firing the entire magazine of 7 bullets into 7 heads to his right. Freeing his blade with a light tap, Vizel did not need a shield but he did receive something else from his Lord. A pistol that was known as Zduhac but he was going to use that for later.

Vizel took his stance as he used his other hand to wipe the blood off his nodachi.

"Kill him!" They fired their guns, but at this range? They were shooting each other. It gave Vizel the advantage to go after them. His blade carved through their bodies, their blood splashing over his helmet and armor. His indigo cape was slowly being stained but this was the beginning. As the guns kept on firing, a few rounds hit him but they did not pierce through his armor. Vizel's blood lust needed to be satiated. Going into it with a silent rage, Vizel continued to cut through as the white roses followed his path. Every slash, the white petals would fly up into the air. Stained by the blood of the Drusken soldiers.

"Damn! I thought they wouldn't have reinforcements!" Vizel threw his blade forward, where it impaled 10 Drusken Soldiers. A rifle flew into the air where Vizel grabbed it. Taking a moment to look at it, semi-automatic. Similar to what the Azteris Suicide Divsion had used but no energy canisters. Vizel broke the rifle with his knee, then shoving the barrel into a Drusken soldier's eyes. Now leaping over the heads of the soldiers, seeing the commander who was on top of a tank.

"Fire!" They fired their guns, this was where Vizel's digitized his shield to life. Taking the brunt of the attacks as he was using the heads of the Drusken Soldiers as footing to reach the commander on top of the tank. The other tanks had manned machine gunners that began firing at him. The 7 rifles of Vizel's back fired shots that stopped the orchestra of machine guns dead in their tracks. An abrupt end, where Vizel took one great leap as he pounced onto the tank where the commander was. Even the outfits were similar to the soldiers of Azteris and the commander's uniform was similar to Commander 151, but seeing how this man had a pistol pointed at him? Vizel could not help but feel shame for this man was shaking in his boots, whereas Commander 151 would even rip off his mask to kill an enemy when his limbs were gone.

Vizel grabbed the commander, throwing him aside. Where the commander was down for the ground as Vizel held his shield with both hands. Bashing the commander's head until it was nothing but mush. This was just the beginning path for the Rose of Guilty, as their morale had shattered. There was more that needs to be done, he was not going to let a single one of them escape. Now using the shield as a weapon, Vizel used both hands to bash the soldiers with his shield. Seeing daggers strike a group of soldiers on his right, Vizel steadied his shield as he watched everything explode. His sword was thrown back to him, Vizel caught it as his shield faded away. Seeing Donovan with his long sword and sword breaker in hand. Shield on his back, they both went on ahead to strike. Breaking the enemy formation. By the corner of his eye, Vizel could see Iacus ordering magic bommbardments on the enemies surrounding the two knights. Donovan fought with skill, going to slash the soldiers down while Vizel fought with his blood lust.

The soldiers were torn to target between the two. Unsure of who to take down first but their guns kept on firing. Yet they began to feel hesitation in their veins. No matter how many times the two were shot. They did not stop and the other question was 'did they hit them?' because their armors showed little damage. Denting and taking a few hits but they did not slow down.

The magic bombardment kept on going until the Drusken Empire's soldiers began their retreat. Where Iacus threw daggers into a selected number. Raising his right hand as a spear formed to his hand. A throw and the spear divided to pierce the Drusken Empire's soldiers, leaving only one survivor. A single survivor to tell the horrors of what had happened here.

"It makes me wonder if I need to be on the front lines if you're here."

"We're merely a temporary measure. The Forerunners are far too strong to be natural in this world. Something must have happened at Drusken. Even their weaponry.. It is too advanced. We are still in the age of crossbows and muskets. They've advanced to semi automatic weaponry... Something shifted here, Your Majesty." Iacus reported which something made Maximilian agree with Iacus's report.

Vizel leaped to Iacus, showing a document.

"What is that?" Aurelia asked, where Iacus let out a sigh.

"We've got outsiders in this world... I will need to inform the lord about this." Iacus said.