Chapter V: Beginning The Journey.

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After spending the remainder of the day eating and celebrating with the townspeople, the Hero Party departed from the town.

They stayed the night, and didn't bring a lot of stuff with them since the Goddess claimed that if they get injured or poisoned, she'll heal them, but neither did they bring too little. 

Instead, they bought just the right amount of healing potions, mana potions, provisions, whetstones, equipment repairs, and more, which were all going to be stored in the Goddess' room inside the God's realm, at least that was the plan. 

However, that didn't happen at all. Instead, they were left with two choices, and those were to either buy a horse, and have it be their pack mule and carry their stuff or to carry it themselves, for the Goddess wasn't going to let them store their gear and whatnot in her room. 

In the end, they chose the former over the latter, albeit, they had done so with great reluctance. 

"So, where exactly are we going again?" Evan asked as he and the others followed behind the Goddess who was leading them. He had a bit of drowsiness in his voice, but that was because he didn't get much sleep last night. 

 As for why he didn't get much sleep, it was because he was someone who wouldn't fall asleep until the middle of the night, so he was only able to get about five hours of sleep before being awoken by the Goddess. 

"We're going to the City of Haven," Shiva answered without looking back at him. "the wyvern came from its direction, so we're going to see if it attacked it or if it just flew by it."

"Right, and why exactly are we walking there when you can just teleport us there?" Angel asked upon hearing this information. 

"Because if I teleport us there, you'll miss out on tons of experience." She revealed in a serious but slightly annoyed tone. "Not to mention, there are two villages between the Town of Wintervale and the City of Haven, so we have to check them out as well." 

"I see." Was what Angel said in response, while Evan frowned.

"What's up with you, Angel?" Brendan questioned with curiosity in his voice. He was the one holding onto the reins of the horse, and leading it. "Are you still mad about having to buy the horse?"

"I'm mad about a lot of things, Brendan," Angel confessed in a tired like manner. 

"Like what?" Baun asked with curiosity in his voice.

"Oh, like how I had to buy the healing potions, the mana potions, and pretty much everything else, including the dumb horse." He listed off while hitting his left fingers with his right index finger. 

"Well, I mean," Brendan started in a slightly hesitant manner. "you did kind of sell the wyvern without anyone else's approval, so it's a little fitting you pay for the things we need."  

"He's not wrong." Simon agreed with his classic nervous chuckle. 

"Yeah, and unlike me, you didn't get punched in the face for doing that." Evan added in a curt/sarcastic tone. 

"Listen, listen, I was the one that dealt the final blow, so it's only fitting that I get to decide what to do with its body." Angel declared in a voice that was witty and prideful. 

"Bullshit, you didn't deal the final blow." Buan denied instantly, while Brendan asked him in a completely taken back manner. "What do you mean you were the one who did the final blow?" 

Meanwhile, as they started to argue about who was the one that did the killing blow, Shiva felt a chill go down her spine that made her avert her gaze to the Southwest.  

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Standing in the center of the ruins of a throne room that had human corpses littered everywhere, both armored and unarmored, were dozens of demons cladded in full suits of black bulky armor with crimson red capes. 

Behind and on the sides of the demons were several large monstrous creatures that had black plated gear on them, and in front of them was an elderly human that wore royal clothing and a female demon. 

The female demon, who was currently sitting in the half-destroyed throne, had a prideful smirk on her face as she looked down on the human male who was kneeling before her. 

The attire she wore was similar to the demons before her and consisted of black fitted body armor and a cape that was gold in color. She looked like she was in her mid-twenties, and had eyes that were slitted and fiery orange with hair that was black as the night. She didn't have any horns on the top of her head, but that didn't change who she was. 

She was, the Incarnation of Pride, and the Demon King's first-born, Venelana Lustfall.  

"You know, when I was a little girl, my father told me a tale about this kingdom." Venelana started in a neutral tone. "He told me that this was the vanguard of humanity, and that people who defend it are strong, very strong; in fact, he claimed that this kingdom of yours housed the strongest of humanity, but for some reason, I feel as if he lied to me."

The elderly man said nothing in response to this information, and just simply gritted his teeth.

"What about you?" She asked while maintaining her smirk. "What do you think? Do you think he spoke the truth, or do you think he was lying?" 

"... me." Was what the elderly man muttered in the lowest of voices. 

"What was that?" She asked him in a haughty tone. "I couldn't quite hear you, so you're gonna have to speak up a little, Your Majesty." 

"I said, kill me." He told her as he lifted his head and glared at her. 

"Kill you?" She repeated in a voice that was filled with shock and horror before clicking her tongue in disappointment and shaking her head vehemently. "Killing you is out of the question, for I have need of you."

At this, the old king said nothing, and continued to glare at her. 

"What?" She asked as her smirk got a little bit bigger and viler. "You're not gonna ask me what I have in store for you? That's a little rude don't you think?"

The elderly man remained silent.

Seeing as he wasn't going to say anything, Venelana let out a sigh, and said aloud in a disinterested manner. "Someone beat him until he can no longer look at me like that, I've grown tired of him staring at me like that." 

At this, one of her knights that was standing at the front and center of the formation stepped forward while unbuckling his sword from his waist.

He then began to hit the old king with his sword, which lasted for several minutes, before being told to stop by Venelana. 

"Now, ask me." Venelana ordered in a serious tone with a serious expression. 

"Wh-What...do you...have planned...for me?" He asked in between breaths while holding onto his right arm that had been broken. His voice was painfilled. 

With her lips curving a little upwards into that of a smile, Venelana spoke. "It's simple really, I'm going to have you be my messenger. You will notify all the other kingdoms what has happened here and that if they don't want their kingdom to be destroyed then to surrender, otherwise they will suffer the same fate as yours." 

"Do you," he started with a low chuckle while doing his best to ignore the pain he was feeling. "Do you really think that'll actually happen?"

"Honestly speaking? No, I don't think your fellow kingdoms will surrender." She answered truthfully. "However, I could care less if they do or don't,  for all they would be is cattle and slaves, nothing more, nothing less." 

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At this, the elderly man clenched his teeth once more before saying. "You're gonna pay for what you did here. When people learn what has happened here, you're gonna pay."

Venelana laughed at the man's words and said with amusement in her voice. "Oh, and who's going to make me pay? Your Goddess' heroes? I don't know if you know this, but my father sent my siblings, as well as some of his finest soldiers, to deal with them, so they're probably dead by now."

"I don't know who, but what I do know is that you'll pay for all of this, trust me." The elderly man told her which caused her smirk to vanish. 

"Escort, His Majesty, out of here, for I have no more business with him. He's tainting my good mood." She ordered after silently staring at him for several seconds. 

Not long after demanding the removal of the king did a demon cladded in a full suit of armor enter the room with someone she wasn't expecting to see at all.

The pauldrons the demon wore were reinforced with an extra plate with red straps lined underneath to the neck. His elbows had sharp edges, easy for poking someone's eyes out, and the fingertips of his gloves were also sharpened for clawing. The leggings also had thicker plating from the shins down, and a dagger sat on his waist, glowing an ominous purple with the scent of death reeking the air around him.

However, Venelana paid this man no attention, and instead said in a voice full of surprise. "Vanessa?" 

Indeed, the person who was accompanying her elite knight was none other than her younger sister, Vanessa Lustfall. 

"Hey, Venelana," Vanessa greeted in a somewhat meek manner. "I need to talk to you...in private." 

Venelana said nothing at first, and couldn't help the feeling that the news she had for her was bad. 

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"I see, so you lost Bagon, and were only able to escape because one of them let you go?" Venelana said aloud with a slightly bothered expression while having her back face her younger sister. 

"Yes," Vanessa affirmed in a voice filled with shame and embarrassment. "I had underestimated them, and was so enraged by Evan's deceit, I didn't pay any attention to Bagon until it was too late." 

At this, Venelana let loose a troubled sigh before turning around and saying. "You know father will be most displeased when he hears about this, right?"

"... I know." Vanessa confessed after several seconds of standing there and clenching her fists. 

"Well," Venelana started after staring at her sister for a few seconds. "I guess it won't be that bad now that I think about it, for while you did fail in killing them, you also notified us of their location."

"... He'll still be upset with me though." Vanessa declared in an annoyed/agitated tone. 

"Probably, but you shouldn't worry about that," Venelana told her with a small smile. "Father will forgive you once we bring him the heads of the heroes." 

With that said, Venelana turned around and began to walk away, but was stopped by Vanessa, who said to her. "Wait."

Curious about what else her younger sister had to say, Venelana turned back around and hummed inquisitively. 

"The hero who is known as Evan, I want him," Vanessa revealed, her cheeks a tinge of red as she said this. 

"What exactly do you mean by 'want him'?" Venelana questioned with a serious expression. 

"I mean I want him alive," Vanessa stated. "He was the one that humiliated me, and I promised him that I would make him pay for that humiliation. I want him as my slave so that he can see what happens to humanity and those that go against us.."

At this, Venelana hummed before saying, "Is that so?" 

"Yes," Vanessa confirmed.  

"... I will give you the chance to try capturing him, but understand that if I have to, I will kill him." Venelana told her in a grim tone. 

"I understand," Vanessa claimed with a small nod of her head. "All I was asking for was a chance to fulfill my promise." 

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After a day and a half of traveling, and fighting dozens upon dozens of creatures that were a lot more formidable than any of the heroes expected, the heroes arrived at the village known as Imperius. 

It was a small village that was about one-third the size of Wintervale. It had wooden walls surrounding it, and was home to about one hundred and thirty people with a small garrison to defend it. At least, that's what Shiva claimed.

"Well," Angel started as they approached the village's northern gate that had two armed men standing outside of it. "Unless I'm seeing an illusion or something, it appears this place is still intact."

"Yep," Simon agreed, "but if we're seeing an illusion, then that means someone is here and waiting for us, right?" He then added in what sounded like a serious tone. 

"Yes, but what are the chances of something like that actually happening?" Brendan questioned with curiosity in his voice. 

"I don't know," Simon answered with a shrug as one of the armed men yelled at them while holding out his right hand. "Stop!"

He wore what one would expect a guardsman of a village to wear, and wielded a pike. 

Upon them coming to a complete stop a few meters away from the gate, the two guards approached them. 

“Who are you, and what business do you have here?” The one wielding a pike asked as they closed what little distance there was between them. 

“I am the Goddess’ Brave Saint, Shiva, and the people you see behind me are the Goddess’ chosen, her heroes.” Shiva declared in a serious tone with only a tinge of pride in her voice. 

At this, the two guards gave each other inquisitive looks before looking back at her and saying. “Do you have any proof?” 

A little taken aback by their question, Shiva said to them with traces of shock in her voice. “Proof? Are you saying you don’t believe me?”

“Well, when you dress like a thot, can you really blame them?” Angel muttered in the lowest of tones that made those around him snicker. 

Meanwhile, Shiva’s expression became an annoyed one as she fended off the urge of glaring at him. She had no idea what a ‘thot’ was, but because those around her were doing their best not to laugh, and trying to stifle their snickers, she assumed it was bad. 

More curious about what was so funny, the other guardsman, a man who wielded a sword and shield, said to them. “Mind telling me what’s so funny?”

“It’s nothing,” Shiva assured before any of the heroes had a chance to utter a single word, which had caused him to shift his attention back towards her. “Now are you going to let us in or not?”

Glancing at his comrade, the pike wielding guardsman contemplated the question for several seconds before answering. “Well, even if you are the Goddess’ heroes, you have yet to answer my question of what brings you here.” 

Feeling like he was still doubting her, Shiva had her status window appear before her and in front of the guardsman. 

The guardsman said nothing at first, and simply looked at the status window.

“Huh, so you truly are the Goddess’ Brave Saint.” He thought aloud as he looked up at her. 

“Yes, and as I said before, the ones behind me are the Goddess’ heroes.” Shiva sternly declared. “So, may we enter now?” She then asked. 

“Of course,” The guard told her with a nod of his head. “However, I must warn you even if you all are the Goddess’ chosen, that does not mean you are above the law. Should we catch you breaking the law, you will be arrested.” 

“I understand.” Shiva replied with a small nod of her head. 

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Upon entering the village, Evan asked Shiva in a somewhat inquisitive manner. “So, now that we know this place was not burned to the ground by the wyvern, and it’s not an illusion, what’s the plan? Are we just gonna stay the night and move on, or are we going to stay a few days and try helping the people here out?”

“Do the people here even need help?” Angel questioned, traces of curiosity in his voice. “Because if we’re being honest here, I really doubt they do.” 

“Why’s that, Angel?” Brendan inquired with a curious expression. 

“Well, for one, this place doesn’t give off that feeling at all,” Angel claimed in a slightly serious tone. “If it was in need of help, then don’t you think the people here would be all depressed and shit?”

“Mmm, fair point.” Brendan agreed after a little thought. 

“We could just stay the night but…” Shiva told them before trailing off. 

“But?” They all asked almost simultaneously in an inquisitive manner.  

 “But, I think it would be best if we stayed a couple of days and tried to help the people here out.” She finished before adding. “I’m sure there is a monster of some sorts causing them problems.”

At this, two of the five heroes gave her a dubious look, specifically Angel and Evan. 

“What? Why are you all looking at me like that?” Shiva questioned, concern written in her voice. 

“No reason.” Evan and Angel answered in almost perfect synchronization as Evan rubbed his nose with his left palm. 

Not believing them for a second, Shiva said while crossing her arms underneath her bust. “Do you really expect me to believe that? Especially when you say it like that?”

The manner they had spoken in was too quick, which was she didn’t believe them in the slightest. 

However, to her shock, it seemed they truly believed that would sate her curiosity, for they had said almost immediately along with Simon, who for some reason, voiced his thoughts as well. “Yes.” 

Not wanting to, or even in the mood to argue with them, Shiva said in a slightly tired voice. “Can you two just tell me why you both were looking at me like that?

“Look, it honestly wasn’t a big deal, so can we just go speak with the guy that’s in charge of this village?” Evan asked her in a tone that was slightly annoyed. 

“Agreed, because if I’m being honest here, I think they were just doing that to get on your nerves,” Baun added in hopes she would drop the subject. 

“Yeah, I agree,” Brendan told her, with a hint of seriousness in his voice. “They’re probably just trying to get under your skin.” 

“Wow, okay guys, way to be cunts and make me sound like an asshole.” Angel declared in a sarcastic attitude.

“Wow, okay Angel, way to not include me and be a cunt yourself,” Evan claimed with a devilish smirk that gained Angel’s attention.

"Yeah, well. get good." Angel told him in an indifferent tone and with a shrug of his shoulders. 

"Yeah, well, fuck you." Was Evan's response which led to a battle of petty remarks to see who could out petty who. 

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To Be Continued...