Arthur's Point of View

The Hollow Forest

"Tor, huh?" I asked back as I was very on guard. "I'd introduce myself, but it seems you already know me."

"We all know you." Tor hissed as he slunk about in front of me.

Taking a defensive stance in front of the Priestesses, I raised my sword. "Who is we?"

The mass of shadows paused as he seemed to look at the Priestesses. "Why do you protect them? All of you were fighting up until now." His guttural tone made everything he said seem threatening.

"Whether I like them or not, I still have a duty to protect them. Doesn't mean I won't smack them around a bit, though."

"So, the King still protects his students. Do they realize it is you?" Tor inquired as he gestured to them with a shadowy claw.

I shrugged. "I've no idea what you're referring to, but I would like to address your earlier comment. Who… Is we?" Pointing Defiance at him directly got his grin to go up past his eyes.

"Surely, you remember our Queen. She hasn't forgotten about you. In fact, she suspected that you might be behind our missing Ghouls." Tor stated.

To say I was lost would've been an understatement. "Well, your Ghouls stumbled upon me, and I warned them to leave me be." Tilting my head slightly towards the demonic creature, I continued. "They didn't."

Tor seemed to nod in agreement. "Truly, they should've listened."

Narrowing my eyes at him, we stood off against each other without moving. "Why're you here? Clearly, you want something else other than just to speak to me. What is it?"

His grin disappeared. "Our Queen was gravely injured by you all those years ago, and I have the perfect opportunity to take revenge for her."

A tingling sensation could be felt across my entire body as the hair on my neck stood on edge. The sheer amount of magical power this creature was channeling dwarfed that of both Priestesses combined. Gritting my teeth, I channeled Defiance's lessons through my body as I felt my form change once more. No longer was my armor present, but instead, a bluish arm took its place.

"By all means, feel free to try." I said in a low tone as I heard my altered voice.

At the sight of this form, Tor backed away slightly and seemed to quiver. "It would appear you're much stronger than you were in the past." The demon said as his body began stretching. "But is it enough? Unlike our Queen, I will not toy with you as she did."

Spikes of shadow shot down from the dome overhead. Bringing up Defiance and slashing through the attacks, I saw Tor disappear into some manner of black portal. On pure instinct, my sword moved to my back as the demon's claws tried to scratch at me. Jumping back, I slammed into the demon, and he tumbled onto the ground.

"You should've taken my advice like those Ghouls." I said darkly.

Brining Defiance up and switching my hands to a reverse grip, I brought it down as a wave of energy burst throughout the area. The ground exploded from my blow and disappeared almost entirely. Tor was gone, and I stood back up to turn around. The demon was back towards the center of his dome, and I walked over to the unconscious Priestesses.

Tor eyed me for a moment. "You're strong, Anomaly." He called me, and I was slightly confused at that. "However, it's not enough."

Most of this interaction was confusing to me, and there were many mysteries of this world that I needed to unravel. Unfortunately, this wasn't the time. As the mass of shadows before me shifted back and forth, I knew it was stronger than me and this form of mine. Its magical power was overflowing not just from its body but through the entire area.

My energy was also vast, but I still didn't know how to control it. "Maybe so, but you seem to be struggling somewhat."

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This was an enemy that posed a true threat. Possibly the first since I arrived in this world. A dark force that dwarfed everything else in the area. Tor even seemed to be getting stronger as I watched the magic get heavier. At least, that's how it seemed to me. My eye was still a mystery to me like the rest of this world.

"Struggling? No. Testing? Yes." The mass of shadows split into several different directions as the dome started closing.

Tendrils shot from all around, and I immediately gritted my teeth as I eyed the two Priestesses. With Defiance in hand and only instinct to go on, I raised it above my head with both hands. Right as the shadows were about to hit, I brought the sword down with as much concentrated energy as I could.

Several of the shadows pierced my body, and I hissed from the pain. However, I also heard a dark squealing as the dome seemed to collapse before Tor could injure me too greatly. The demon in question was writhing in a blob off to the side of a massive crevice that I had made on accident.

Falling to a knee as the shadows began to disperse from my body and turn into mere wisps, I dropped Defiance and clutched at the wounds. Hunching over from the pain, sweat poured down my body from how surreal the feeling was. My fingers flexed as I tried to ease the pain, but there wasn't a way to do so.

"Jesus… It's like poison!" Grunting through clenched teeth as one of my arms went limp.

Blood poured from some of the wounds, and while I felt them closing, it was taking far longer than any of the previous wounds I had received. "This isn't over!" Tor changed back into his previous shape, but he was also hurting. "No creature should be able to conjure such a power!" Slamming a claw into the ground, part of the new cliff collapsed into the crevice. "Mark my words, Arthur, Anomaly or not, you will pay for your actions against us!" A black portal formed, and Tor began to disappear.

My middle finger was the last thing he saw before he disappeared. "Anytime, bitch!"

With that, the demon known as Tor was gone, and I fell onto my back as I huffed in pain. My form reverted, and I struggled to remove my armor. My left hand was able to remove everything, which allowed me to look at the wounds. Hissing in pain for a moment, I held my breath as I examined the wounds.

"They're closing just like before, but much slower this time around." I mumbled to myself as I exhaled, but in that moment, Defiance called out to me. "Deep breaths… Deep… Breaths…" Breathing in deeply and exhaling slowly, I focused on my wounds and directing my energy to them.

My sword directed me in what to do and it was odd being able to do something like this. My energy felt like a new body part, but also something I've had my entire life. I knew it was there, and I had inklings of how it worked. However, when I am in danger, it practically screams from inside me. The wounds began to heal faster, and I grunted as they closed.

"That was certainly a new kind of magic or power that I had yet to see in this world…"

"Arthur…" A female voice said softly, and I turned to see Elincia mumbling in her sleep.

"The fuck do you want now?" No reply. "Of course." Putting on my armor after the few minutes it took the wounds to close, I looked down at them. "I hope the two of you can appreciate the lengths I went to, to keep you both safe." I rolled my right shoulder to loosen it up. "Cause I'm pretty sure everyone saw that."

Looking at the crevice again, it seemed almost endless. It went on through the horizon, and I could tell it was likely miles long. Not sure how I was able to do something like that, but what concerned me most was that Tor was able to survive and flee with little to no issues. If he serves a Queen, she was likely stronger than him, or controls him. Whatever the case, mystery upon mystery is stacking up and I was lost.

My gaze drifted back to the two Priestesses. "Can you believe he called me a king and said you two were my students?" My rhetorical question went unanswered, but I smirked as I continued. "Maybe he thought it was because both of you got owned?" Shrugging, I moved to them and picked up Arceana's scepter. "I doubt you'd be happy if I left this behind." Strapping it to my back next to Defiance, I unceremoniously lifted the two Priestesses, and draped on over each shoulder. "Comfy?"

"Guh." One of them groaned in a very unladylike manner.

"Good." I said as I adjusted them slightly and started walking out of the Hollow Forest.

"Ugh." Another grown was let out, but I couldn't tell who it was.

Walking for a bit, I knew we were getting closer to the Reed Farmstead. "Cassidy is going to love this." I mumbled as I stepped onto the outskirts of the farm.

Looking to the sky to see if any Zugal were patrolling the area after that fight, I was surprised to see that many were in the air, but mostly near the mountain. Probably some manner of protocol. Thankfully, there were none in the air by me, so I was able to make it to the house without being seen.

Kicking on the door with my foot, I shouted. "Grandpa Reed! You home!?"

"Arthu-" The door opened to reveal a surprised old man looking at me with wide eyes. "Are those-"

"The Priestesses? Yeah." I confirmed, and he stepped out of the way. "You think we could prop them up on the couch?"

"Do they need ta lie down?" Augustus asked as he followed behind me. "Or better yet, do they need medical attention!?"

I shrugged. "I don't think so. It's not like I wounded them. Just, you know, knocked them out." Plopping them down on the sofa, they collapsed onto each other. "They don't look very sisterly like that, do they?" I asked.

Of course, Grandpa Reed was more concerned for them than I was. "Ah really think we should get them ta a doctor." He tapped his cane on the floorboards almost nervously.

Waving a dismissive hand as I stepped back after adjusting them, I replied. "They're fine! Just look at them!" Both were now propped up with both having one arm around the other's shoulders. "See?" Unfortunately, I couldn't get their heads to stay up, so they were tilted back with their mouths hanging open. "Not very regal like this, are they?"

"Arthur… While ya are more than welcome here, and Ah'm glad ya brought the Priestesses here, Ah'm not sure they should stay here in this condition."

"Aren't they the 'Priestesses' that are the most powerful beings in this nation?" I asked back before I shrugged. "Trust me, they'll be fine. Honestly, I think they'd be mad if I took them to the doctor. Privacy and all that." Gesturing to him, I continued. "Figured it'd be best to bring them here."

The old man nodded in agreement after a moment of contemplating. "Ya might be right, but who can say." He glanced at the two Priestesses and sighed. "Ah guess we'll find out when they wake up." With a more nervous look directed at me, he continued. "They will wake up, right?"

I shrugged. "Probably." That got him to frown, and I gestured to them in an annoyed manner. "I don't know why they wouldn't! Just give them a bit. It hasn't been that long, so it might be a while before they wake up! I don't know how their magic works, so it could be any time!"

Shaking his head, he eventually pointed his cane at me. "Fine, but keep an eye on em and cover-up that eye! Ah doubt ya want any more questions coming yer way after this."

"I really don't. It's been a long day." I told him as I rewrapped my eye.

Gesturing to the other couch that I usually sit on, he spoke. "Feel free ta take a load off. Typhon came running in here earlier and got Cassidy all riled up. Both went to go get Ayda, Floyd, and Kine. Even some of the Town's Guard most likely." He sighed again. "So, ya should be able ta get some rest before they come in an see the two Priestesses unconscious on our living room sofa." Then he tapped me with his cane. "Have fun with that."

"Gee, thanks." Rolling my eyes got the old man to chuckle slightly.

"Ya got yerself into this mess, and yer gonna get yerself out. Hopefully."

"Thank you for the words of inspiration, Augustus. It means a lot."

He started making his way back to the kitchen. "Ah hope so, cause it's likely the only kind words yer gonna hear for the next few hours."