A steep hill with a huge crater and decimated ruins of a manor on top, was seen from a distance. A third of the hill disappeared creating a crescent crevice, exposing the underground labyrinth beneath the earth. Dark smokes ornate the empty night and the land have turned as black as coals.
In a clearing not far from the rim, surrounded by corpses, two balls of miasma accumulated and dissipated as two bodies emerged out of it.
"Nee, Lunate. Let us welcome Ulna and Malar," a slender young girl with grey skin, asked to another girl beside her the moment she sensed the winged female and a demon elf approaching them with wisps of black clouds still clinging on their bodies. Crouched on top of a headless body, she has a comely face. If not for bloody axe, too big for her size, perched behind her and the headless bodies piled alongside it, anyone would have readily assumed her to be harmless.
"Yes, let's. We should also tell them that we are already renegading our forces to the north-west to welcome our new 'guests'," The other girl replied, the heavy hammer she held was lowered on the ground, creating a dent where it rests, showing how heavy the weapon is. The dusty blonde girl went closer to the one that greeted them.
"Thank you, Capitate. That is good to hear." Malar replied, taking note of their surroundings. They were situated at the remnants of the west wing of the manor. Some splotches of land was still wet from the flood that leveled the garden, while the others were layered with burnt soils.
"I wonder how are the Lesser Masters, Capitate?" the blonde asked again to the girl beside her, tilting her head.
"Alive," Ulna replied furrowing her brows with her hand resting in her chin as if in deep thought. There were a total of six people at the clearing, and they were all [Undead Familiars] or more specifically--[Demised], with addition of the two newcomers, and all of them shared a perplexed expression.
"As expected of the Masters. But why is Ulna brooding? Shouldn't we rejoice? We have already received our orders. The humans were fleeing, and the dusk shall rise with us"
The two girls' similar features were uncanny. Capitate, the axe wielder, and the hammer wielder was named Lunate. They both have blonde straight hair that was cut into a bob that didn't stretched far from their jawlines. Only their weapons identify who was who. There should be a third one, since they were triplets, but the youngest was probably busy elsewhere.
Besides from the two of the triplets, there, standing resolutely at the farther side of the clearing was Coccyx. A silent figure cloaked in shadows with a twin black Katanas on his hilt. He had an androgynous face and built. His armor was pure black from neck to toes and the only skin that was shown was from his elegant face which was as pale as death. His white iris gleams against his black spiky hair which was pulled back mercilessly from his face.
And just a few stones infront of him was Radius, grinning with his oversize longsword on his shoulder. One of the Beastials like Ulna, but that was the only similarity they have. His fangs can be seen, and the rugged look he has coincides with his messy chestnut hair that turns red when hit with moonlight. He has a pair of canine ears that was always on alert, perking up at almost on its full height, making him looked a head taller than he is.
"There are three facts that made me uncomfortable." Malar replied, addressing everyone present.
Lunate cringed at hearing the number 'three' from Malar, and weakly remarked,"Hayts, why does Malar have the habit to categorize everything?" observing her companions.
"Agree, and into numbers not greater than Malar could count in one hand?" Capitate added with a sigh as she join her sister.
"Why else, but to make it easier for--"
"Piss on your list! Just f**king get on with it, already." Radius hissed, getting irritated at the constant ramblings of the girls. His ears twitched in annoyance.
It was already a blessing that the youngest was not with them but the demon elf just have to key in as substitute.
Malar's eyebrows raised quizzically, "Clearly a low vocab on verbal insults. Do you have nothing to say to me aside from the invariably sexual and scatological asterisks?"
"And you ask me why I want to beat you, you little sh**!?" Radius raged, fed up with their winded conversations. They were all here because of their Mistress, but that doesn't mean they were bound to like every single one of their newly-found companions.
"Silence," Ulna said and the two backed away while glaring at each other.
"Malar, please continue."
"Understood, as I was saying, on to the first issue. Our initial assessment with the Lesser Masters should be disregarded. They seem strong and do not require our security."
"Is Malar telling us, Capitate, that two newly-weaned younglings is stronger than us?"
"But that doesn't sound right, classless cannot be 'that' strong, Lunate."
No one chastised the girls for mouthing their other masters, since from the start, they have also felt the same.
When they have heard of the Lesser Masters, all of them were filled with doubt. Humans were the enemy. Their rage began to surface whenever they think of that race. It seems their grievances have not been quieted by their rebirth but was magnified with their soul gem demanding human blood at every turn. And now, if it all comes down to it, they would be task to babysit and protect two humans who haven't been passed their quarter-life, instead of protecting their Mistress and Her Highness.
Even with their utmost loyalty to their High Mistress, the Lesser Masters were both strangers to them. If not for the reality that the two Human younglings were both guardians to Her Highness Maou-chan (the same position of their Master), they would have have not even bothered with those insects (humans).
Malar ignored the girls, and continued.
"First is the explosion itself. You have to agree, humans whose level cap could not go beyond novice levels was capable of creating such destruction in a matter of hours is unheard of."
Thinking about it, the destruction that greeted their resurrection was earth shattering. If not for the fortified catacombs and the fact that they were at the lowest levels of that underground labyrinth, the destruction would have reached them. And just from the aftermaths, they have surmised the deaths of those children even with how stubborn Mistress Delica on their survival.
And the more the Mistress talks about the Lesser Masters--her living brother and a nobody, the more their image of them as nothing but burdens became cemented that they would not think twice to end them if they prove to be worse.
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It was a lost cause, they all thought. And they were proven wrong.
There was nothing 'less' about their Lesser Masters. They brought down the House that enslaved them, extinguished the cause of their living sufferings and even put an end to the ones who did them harm.
"Second, they have survived for almost minutes at that proximity when even Ilium had his left wing and right flank singed with blazen burns within seconds of contact."
"The dragon? That beast with the blood of vulcans? Are you certain of this?" Coccyx asked, his hand unconsciously feeling the hilt of his sword.
His dark gaze was with Ulna, and the undead winged beastwoman only nodded in ascent.
"To survive where a dragon could not? Are they really human?"
Ulna have been listening to their exchange, but something have been bothering her.
The moment she have finally glimpsed their other masters, she was just utterly confused.
They were so...normal. Aside from Master Simos' height which was already at a full-grown scale and Master Aiven's which seems to be a stone shorter to the Mistress' height, there was nothing particular about them. No strong mana oozing like their Mistress. No special attribute like the lowest of their kind. And no specific racial features, that they know of, that was advantageous to their quest.
They just look like any two ordinary human children.
"And third, one of them hardly received any critical injuries at all."
"No heavy damages? You're kidding, right?" Radius almost staggered on his speech, the after effects of the 'simple' infiltration mission still heavy on the surface. "Don't tell me...is it the Mistress' blood brother?" he added within a heartbeat, aware of the God-sent bloodline. The blood crossed with the God of Heavens. They have heard as much from the rumors in their time. Afterall, they do still have their living memories.
"No, it was...the other one."
A condescending silence echoed in all that was present.
Eeeh? The weakling?
Nothing makes sense. It was like logic itself do not suddenly apply to this reality. And suddenly realization came to them.
"Truly, even the Lesser Masters are worthy!" Capitate cheered, grasping both Lunate's hands and her eyes danced in excitement.
"Hear, hear! They must be truly amazing~" Lunate answered, sharing the same heated expression.
"Well, they were also Guardians of the Maou, it is a fault to underestimate them." Coccyx said coolly but his hand does not left his sword as if itching to try it to their Lesser Masters.
Even Radius have been gripping his weapon that his knuckles have turned bony white. "They are strong," he whispered, his blood thirsty grin have never left his face.
Then their thoughts were interrupted with Malar's coughing. "Ahem, then on to the next topic of course. The second one..."
The girls grimaced and Radius was starting to hate numbers the longer he put up with Malar.
"The second one...is about Her Highness."
The blondes looked exhilarated hearing about the Demon King that they were almost swooned. "It's the Lad~y." the hammer whispered, "The Que~en." the axe whimpered.
The fanatic response was also acceptable. The triplets really goes for the dramatic, which needed time to get accustomed to.
When they had been reborn, they had seen and felt Mistress Delica. They knew that she was part of the Banner that did them wrong, and like them, Mistress Delica suffered the same fate. That was why they have all reached out for her.
And long after that, the [Demised] suddenly realized something. The mana coursing through them was special. They could feel the thickness, the heat of miasma under their sentient body, and compared to the common undead, they knew they were stronger and not to mention that their miasma has a [Daemonic Attribute] that was rare for an Undead. The [Undead Grimoire] shared through them from their exchange of fealty have been clear on that. And so, they accepted that beyond their Master, was an entity formidable enough to warrant their Master's loyalty...and ultimately, theirs.
To be able to serve and share the mana of the Demon Lord of Legends. They knew they were serving someone greater than all of them and their shadows will be finally appeased.
"It would be best advised to limit our interaction with Her Highness Maou-chan."
"Eeiihhh??? B-but why!?" The two girls shouted in sync, while the others only waited for the demon elf to continue.
"Her Highness...is dangerous. If we make one wrong move, we might be annihilated."
"But the seal--"
"Her Highness...has the power to kill us all if she so ask on a whim. Do not question us, you will all know to what extent in due time." Malar said sternly but there was terror on his eyes.
Their misshapen group of Undead Generals and Aerial Combat and AoE specialists was not just a coincidence. When a massive holy light was seen on top of the undead dragon, the generals have thought that Ilium was under attack. At first, they were planning to send in a wave of assault but was put on hold when High Mistress Delica called upon the Ulna and Malar, they have thought of the worst, that was why they have assembled a reserve team, close enough to back them up if the hostiles prove to be too much for them to handle.
Who would have thought that it was from Her Highness! Just mere minutes in her presence and Ulna and Malar was threatened into fear and submission. An impossible aura compared to their first meeting. She must have hid her true powers. Malar shivered, he could still feel his knees soft from shaking.
Truly the pinnacle of the Demons, to make them submit while smiling so innocently.
"And the last one?" Radius asked, trying to hasten this unprecedented counsel. He was expecting battle, not words, and now that war is upon them, his miasma could not stay still. He also have to report the new information to his General.
"The third one...is this." the amber-eyed elf produced a single elongated metal the size of finger from his inventory, and everyone squinted their eyes to look closer. Even Ulna was not aware of this. Malar do live up to his title as the Observer.
"A needle? What is that for?"
"This--this is seen in the majority of the bodies found scattered in the area. All needles seem to be of same material, height and width, this could only be produced by single smith. Also the location where it was lodged was directly under the temple of the fallens. Accurately, with precision in every single one of them. Showing it was caused by a single person."
"Oh, I know of this." Lunate said. "Didn't Lacrimal said to us, that whenever he raised our forces using the serpent vent, the undead skeletons seems to be pricked."
"Ah, I thought Lacrimal was joking. Lacrimal also said the skeletons were pinholes."
"Well Lacrimal was insane...crazy do not know the concept of humor, Capitate."
"But crazy is humorous."
"Wait, Capitate, Lunate. Are you saying the undead was dealt by a needle as a final blow?" Ulna asked the girls who were busy conversing with each other.
"I think the answer is yes, Capitate."
"Oh, yes, I guess I could agree, Lunate."
"Malar, how many bodies were inflicted by needles." Ulna demanded to Malar who was a bit slow on coming up to why Ulna is getting agitated by this information.
"Most of the bodies were lost in the explosion, so--"
"Then give me a rough estimation!"
"U-uhn, 600-1000 heads? It was all that was in our existing undead army."
"And outside of it?"
"Hundreds more."
This made Ulna stop in stark contemplation, her companions looked at her with discerning eyes, not knowing what she was thinking, "Do you know what this means?" She finally asked, breaking the silence and continued, "it means an unknown is farming essences behind our back."
"Essences on humanoids? Is it also an undead?" Radius asked.
No one could gain mana essences for levelling from killing Humanoids (i.e. Humans, Elvens, Dwarvens, Beastials, Sea Folks, Orkans, and the Unknown Gigants). This was already the natural law of the Frear sanctified by the Gods to avoid mass killing. Not that it did help preventing the known races from killing each other, but at least it made one less reason to do so.
That was unless they were Monsters, part of the Mindless Undead or came from the accursed Demon Race. This actually made these races hunt the exceptions, which was also the basis why it was deemed acceptable for the Demons to be hunted, even how human they appear.
"If it is an undead, we should have sensed them and I do not recall any of our forces using that kind of assassin-type weapon." Malar said.
"Also monsters do not use inorganic tools, that is not part of their anatomy--or someone else's anatomy. And there shouldn't be Demon survivors except for Her Highness, unless the [Cataclysm] happened earlier than prophesized." Coccyx summarized for everyone.
"So then that leaves us one question. Who--or rather, why would anyone farm humans aside from us?" Radius said addressing the question to no one in particular.
Ulna meticulously assessed the needle from Malar, having bad premonition from this small weapon. But that is the problem. Ulna tried pressing the needle to her palm but curiously, the needle rusted then broke into tiny pieces. This is not a assassin-type weapon. Ulna concluded, seeing the threadhole at the blunt end of a needle.
This was a sewing a needle.
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