[On August 27, Year 843, at 10:00 AM]
[Just outside the village of Repan, a village close to what used to be the Eastern border between the Ruthobold Kingdom and the Vythguard Empire, an army appeared seemingly out of nowhere.]
[This army was said to be composed of monsters, and it numbered over 1000]
[And at it's head, was a human.]
[Her red hair was said to be the color of blood, and upon seeing the eyes of the woman, there was only one thing which the soldier who confronted her could say.]
[That thing isn't a human. It's a monster.]
----
Weeks had passed since the nightmare which rattled the mind of Mackayla, yet nothing had changed.
After pledging her loyalty to Kyle Ruthobold and his cause, everything had been stripped from Mackayla.
The hero who she looked up to died at the hands of the Indeterminant and the heroes who were fighting alongside him.
She had led a unit of knights into battle against the commander of the 4th legion, Larios, and lost dreadfully.
Her men slain, she was taken captive and tormented.
Her legs had been sliced off, and her ability to walk was taken from her.
And just as her own purity was about to be taken from her, a monster appeared.
This monster appeared within the mind of Mackayla, filling her with terror that far outweighed anything she had experienced up until this point.
She found herself faced with something even more terrifying than death itself.
The Queen of Evil.
The origin of all suffering.
However, this was not her only meeting with this existence of pure hatred.
First within her own mind, and then in the flesh, she met once more with the demonic woman as the people of Repan, the village which Mackayla found to be under attack, were offered a deal.
In exchange for their souls, the Determined offered to revive their loved ones and heal their wounds.
Mackayla too had her wounds healed, even though she accepted no deal.
Or had she?
By having her legs and her fingers which had been chopped off by Larios healed, did she accidentally form an agreement with that woman?
Mackayla did not know.
However she knew one thing- that under no circumstances was she to mention the name of the Determined to anyone, or tell of what happened within this village.
And under no circumstances could she ever disobey the orders of that monster.
Having been captured by the Indeterminant and then escaping through means which Mackayla did not understand, Mackayla was returned to Repan and given the order to remain here and protect the people.
Without a doubt, the circumstances behind her return were the work of the Determined.
Running was not an option.
Relying on the Indeterminant had proven to be impossible.
However, just why did the Determined order Mackayla to protect the people?
Why would an existence of terror wish to protect anyone in the first place?
'Could it be..... that even if she is an existence of evil, that she is bound by the pacts she makes? Or perhaps she is too prideful of a demon to go back on her word?'
These were the only two logical possibilities.
A pact with a demon was not something to be taken lightly, therefore it would make sense if the Determined was willing to follow through with her agreement to the end.
'Until the moment which she collects our souls for herself.... she will protect us. Is that what she is trying to do?'
As Mackayla thought this, shivers went down her spine.
The Determined was truly greedy.
She was a woman who viewed the entire world as her prey, and if another demon were to so much as invade on her territory, then she would likely destroy them in an instant.
In the weeks which had passed, Mackayla had watched firsthand as the people of Repan returned to their normal lives.
Despite the fact that the Indeterminant came to rule over this city along with the rest of the Kingdom, aside from a single census there were no major changes to the lives of the people.
'The Indeterminant.....'
Currently, Mackayla sat atop a watchtower, looking on into the distance from just outside the village.
The blue haired woman was dressed in the armor of a knight, and she wielded a sword at her hip.
Feeling the handle of the sword, the woman looked on into the distance.
"Sigh....."
With tired eyes, the woman looked over to the town, watching from above as the people worked diligently, happily chatting with one another as if nothing had even happened 3 weeks ago.
'They certainly have forgotten quickly..... how could they forget something like that so easily?'
Even to this date, Mackayla had not forgotten the mind numbing terror which overcame her as she was exposed to the Queen of Evil in her full form.
It was terror which kept Mackayla locked to this city.
She had not once stepped away from this city, making this small watchtower into her own home.
She had a small sleeping sack and enough rations to sustain her through the day, of which the villagers were happy to provide her in exchange for her services.
Once in a while she would go on rounds about the city, but most of her time was spent atop this watchtower.
The girl had bags under her eyes, and it was clear that she had been deprived of sleep, working hard to ensure that nothing happened to the village at all times.
'I wonder if the Indeterminant is even capable of doing anything against the Determined? He certainly wasn't accommodating when he captured me. Though he kept me alive I guess? And I suppose I was his enemy in that scenario..... but why was I his enemy in the first place? Because I was a knight of the Kingdom? But that was because he declared war on Kyle on his own. Well.... I suppose that doesn't matter now.'
Standing up, Mackayla begun to pace back and forth across the watchtower, looking around in all directions.
'What am I even supposed to do after being given those orders? The only thing I even can do..... is to stay put and watch. But why am I the only one who has been assigned to protect these people?'
It then hit Mackayla.
Why had she been assigned to protect these people?
What goal could the Determined possibly have had in assigning her to this place, protecting these people?
Mackayla was a single soldier.
While she was trained in the way of the sword, she was nothing more than one person. To defend an entire town from any form of attack would be ludicrous.
'Then..... she has been mocking me this entire time?'
Calmly, Mackayla came to this conclusion as a smile drew itself across her face.
"Heh..... hah.... hahaha....."
She quietly laughed to herself, mocking her own idiocy.
"What have I been doing this entire time?", she stated with a slightly mad smile.
It was at that moment that Mackayla's vision went black.
Before her was a shadow.
It was that evil, horrible shadow which spoke to her once before.
It took the form of a demon, with wings and horns, and it's smile was horrible beyond measure.
Mackayla felt once more as if her heart was being pulverized in a blender, too terrified to even utter a sound.
And then, the figure spoke with a soothing yet chilling voice.
[I wouldn't do something like that just to mock you. Well, actually I would, but that's not the point. Do you think I would leave someone powerless to defend those who I have sworn to protect?]
The woman then laughed, her high pitched voice tearing away at the mind of Mackayla.
'Evil.....'
'She is evil.....'
'She is far too evil.....'
Mackayla wished to hold her head as the laughter tore at her mind, yet she could not.
Hearing this woman laugh so violently, she knew one thing without question.
This woman was evil beyond imagination.
'How.... could someone be this evil?'
[Because those who were supposed to be good made me this way.]
Mackayla then snapped back to reality, looking around her frantically.
She could see once more.
The light of the sun entered her eyes, and the green fields around her were in view.
However, these were not the only things in view.
Covering these fields, standing before the town of Repan, was an army.
Lizardmen. Snakemen. Birdmen. Goblins. Fishmen.
Hundreds.
An army of monsters.
'Wha..... an.... entire..... army....'
Falling backwards, Mackayla grabbed the guardrail, holding onto it to prevent herself from collapsing in shock.
'How..... did they get here? So quickly.... and so many.... and..... is that....'
Mackayla's eyes drew themselves across the army of monsters, looking from one figure to another until she landed on the one standing at the head.
'That..... can't be..... can it?'
Gulping, Mackayla closed her eyes, opening them once more as she focused on the one at the head.
'No.... for that woman..... it is certainly possible. After all..... I am right here, am I not?'
Her limbs quivering, Mackayla walked over to the hatch, opening it and climbing down the ladder of the watchtower.
Standing at the head of the army was a human.
A woman with red hair, who stood beside three other human companions.
The Queen of Evil had convinced a group of humans to take part in this assault on humanity.
[Now then..... I suppose it is time to collect the souls of those who owe me their lives. But..... I will give you at least a chance, blue haired knight. I have granted you power far beyond that of a normal human. Therefore.... let us make a deal. If you are able to defeat the commander of my forces, then I will withdraw, and the people of the city will be freed from their debts.]
As Mackayla climbed down, the voice of the woman played in her head, speaking these words.
'Is that..... do you truly mean that?'
Mackayla was unsure about the situation, however she knew one thing.
This woman was evil beyond reason.
It was highly likely that she was doing the equivalent of playing with her food.
Yet even so, Mackayla could not merely walk away from this.
'Is it.... even possible for me to win this fight?'
Mackayla stepped forth, approaching the army by herself.
The woman with red hair stood forth, and looking into her eyes, Mackayla witnessed something which shook her to the very core.
The woman before her was absolutely and purely insane.
"Ah... so you are the leech who has been living off the kindness of her eminence? Heh..... heh....."
Stroking the back of her ear in demented manner, the woman smiled at Mackayla as she branded her weapon, a futuristic staff with a red orb at each end.
Shaken at the appearance of this woman, Mackayla came to realize one thing.
The woman before her was someone who had been broken to the point where she would serve the Queen of Evil, the very enemy of humanity.
Without doubt, she was a person who had lost everything.
Her mind.
Her morals.
And her soul.
Stepping forth, Mackayla understood that it was her duty to face this woman.
As someone who had been driven to madness as a result of the Determined, she understood exactly why this woman held such insanity in her eyes.
And because of this, Mackayla came to a conclusion.
She would fight this woman.
And she would win.
'I will..... free her of the chains of madness which the Determined has placed on her.'
Could she win?
It did not matter.
She had to fight either way.
[Heh..... you believe you can free her? I would encourage you to try. However even if you win, you may come to a truth which is far worse than you expected. Go on now. I will abide by my word, and I will not interfere. As of right now, nothing about this fight has been determined.]
----
Not a single member of the army made a movement as the two women approached one another.
Both had eyes filled with madness.
Both had seen sights which had driven themselves far beyond the limits of their own sanity.
"Heh...."
"Heh...."
Both women smiled, laughing lightly as they came to be only 10 feet away from one another.
"Will the Commander be alright on her own? We have the forces to easily-"
"No. Not a single person is to interfere here."
When Thomar, the snakemen dressed similar to a WWII commander, spoke up, he was met with an instant response by Pierre, who had not taken his eyes off the scarlet haired woman as she swung her batonlike wand about.
"These are the orders of her eminence. If she loses, we retreat and leave this city alone. If she wins..... we slay them all."
Nodding, Thomar looked forth as he watched closely.
"I see. So this is a battle which determines the fate of the village before us. But.... why would her eminence even consider sparing this village alone from the attacks?"
"Ah.... you are newer to the Dictatorship, so I suppose you don't exactly understand her eminence very well. But we know her quite well, so allow us to inform you."
Standing forth was Oraguth, the short in stature and weak looking goblin who wore a military outfit not all too different from Thomar, specialized for the Dictatorship.
"Her eminence is both benevolent and malicious. She is both good and evil. She wishes to create suffering and remove it from existence. She is a living contradiction. Let me ask you- could anyone here keep their own sanity with such things on their mind?"
Thomar, Ploritan, the three birdmen, and many who overheard the words of the goblin were left speechless, unable to answer.
"She is constantly under mental stress which we could never even hope to imagine. For her very existence is something which should not be. And she is always in a state of limbo, unaware of her own true desires. Yet even in all that..... she has managed to keep her own sanity. How?"
The goblin laughed to himself, chuckling as he spoke.
"Heh.... it is simple. Because she was already off the rocker to begin with."
[It hurts when you describe me as some sort of psychopath like that, Oraguth!]
[But you're not wrong in the least. Heh....]
[Well.... anyways! Why don't we all sit back, relax, and enjoy the show?]
[A battle between the mad..... hahaha... I suppose this serves as a nice appetizer to my own battle. I wonder if the people of the city will be saved or not?]
The corrupted and energetic voices of their leader played in the minds of the monsters as the battle was about to begin.
[But you know what I think? This is just a guess..... but I have a feeling that the winner will be the one who is able to draw out a greater amount of madness. Heh...]
The two wielded their weapons, standing across from one another as they prepared themselves, smiling in the face of their opponent.
"So? Have you seen her in that place as well? Have you seen the Determined in that world of nothing?", Mackayla asked.
"World of nothing? I am not exactly sure what you are speaking of.", Melody replied, smiling nonetheless.
"Ah.... so she was able to drive you to this point even without bringing you there. I see..... haha....."
Closing her eyes, Mackayla stepped forward.
"Then.... is it because she dislikes me more than you? Or perhaps it is the opposite? Haha..... I guess I am pretty unlucky.... but that's fine. So? Why do you serve her? Is it because you fear her as well?"
As Mackayla opened her eyes on asking this question, looking into the eyes of the woman before her, she realized something.
The woman before her was not similar to her.
Her unnatural smile was one of madness, yet it was a madness that was filled with fervor.
She was filled with dedication towards those she served.
"Fear her?", Melody asked with a demented grin.
"Well.... I suppose I can understand those who fear her. She is absolutely a being to be feared. Heh..... heh..... however, it is not out of fear that I serve her."
Turning back, Melody looked to one of the people in the army.
"Brot."
"Brot do!"
A monster which gave off the appearance of a blob of flesh lifted up a large purple flag, one which showed the twisted black hand of a demon as it squeezed the heart of the world, spraying the blood in all directions.
This flag waved in the wind, and with this flag behind her, the woman looked to Mackayla with terrible insanity.
"It is that I have embraced her as a host that is worthy to leech off of. I will spread her ideas.... her desires..... her everything..... to every corner of the world. And there will be none who can stop this wave of madness."
Faced with this statement, Mackayla was filled with shock, the terror making it's way into her stomach.
The flag which flew, the woman before her, and the ultimate madness she carried in her eyes.
It was enough to make any normal person want to run in terror.
"Heh..... heh... heh..... hahaha!!! AHAAHAHA!!!!!"
Breaking down in laughter, Mackayla lost her mind.
"I SEE!!!! HAHAHA!!!!! So that was it all along... how did I not see it!?!?! I'm such an idiot.... I thought I was about to fight a human this entire time..... but that wasn't it at all..... heh....."
Frothing with madness, Mackayla grabbed her sword, swinging it around like a toothpick.
"Very well, monster!!! Let's destroy each other!!!"
As if something had snapped in her mind, Mackayla let loose the emotions which she had bottled over the course of these weeks.
Her inability to do anything, her impeding death, the torment which she had endured as a result of the Determined, all of these things had chipped away at her mind.
The people behind her were in danger. And remaining sane would only lead to her defeat.
Therefore, she broke.
She allowed her mind which had been stitched together like patchwork to split apart, and she rushed forward with madness.
The redhaired woman merely grinned, twirling her wand once more as she prepared to block the blow.
And then, in the minds of all present, the Determined spoke one final statement.
[Let the fight begin.]