Lancelot pierced his sword deeper, making Gusion spit up more blood.
"You have no right," the knight bellowed. "To marry my sister without her consent!"
Guinevere jumped away once her brother threw Gusion across the marble flooring. Her ears are ringing and she couldn't hear what Lancelot was saying next.
As her vision blurs back and forth, she could make out another person appearing in front of her. She then feels the said other person embrace her tightly into a hug.
"Odette." Guinevere spoke at last. She regains her full consciousness as well. "Lancelot!" She cried, having him join their hug. Her heart beating loudly and fast, she began releasing joyful tears from her eyes.
"You're safe now, Gwen." Soothed Lancelot. "You're all right."
⚜️⚜️⚜️
"Jeez! I didn't take your Dad as a player." Harith smirked at Gwyneth who's sleeping heavenly in his arms. He sits on the edge of a calm fountain in the middle of a sacred inner garden, away from any rampant bother. "I go by the saying "'Don't judge a book by its cover' but for the love of God! I mean I thought Granger wasn't straight since he always hangs with Alucard, not that I'm jelly or what... Sigh. I know, I know. Alucard often forces the guy to hang with to help him socialize a little. It's just that I think your father has a crush on Silvanna. She is cute, gorgeous even. I'm crushing on her as well. But Granger already has you and your mommy so what was up with that 'steamy' moment earlier? I really wish you were older than you are now so you can scold your daddy about what he did and tell him on your mom!"
Standing at the door, Alucard leaned forward as he wheezed, turning Harith into an embarrassed tomato head. "Were you... Talking to a... Baby?? Pff... Hahaha!"
"Y-You know it's not nice to eavesdrop on private conversations!" Harith argued, his voice of a maddened kitten rather than a maddened tiger.
"Was it a private conversation? Then why did your voice sounded like it wanted to be heard by everyone in the freaking Sanctuary?!"
"Look, just leave us alone! Jerk."
Alucard raised his sword. "What was that?"
"Nothing." Harith groaned.
A whimper comes out of Gwyneth's mouth and Harith hears her stomach grumbling. The baby rolls to her side and being surprisingly strong, Harith almost lost his balance. He could have fell on his back and land on water. But something stuck out of Gwyneth's shirt. It was a small necklace, its pendant from a blue gemstone specially crafted to form into a lotus flower.
It was glowing. "Alucard, look! I-It's glowing."
"Whoa." Alucard blurted, staring at the magical glow.
Thankfully, Gwyneth's cry came into a permanent halt, making them both relieved.
"She's not hungry anymore." Harith observed, smiling.
"So it's somewhat like her food source? I must have one of these. Perhaps I can ask Guinevere for one once we reunite!"
Harith shushes him. "She's going back to sleep."
"Does that mean we're gonna have to leave you behind? We'll leave in ten minutes. Harith, our powers can not work unless the squad is complete! You know that."
"Who should I leave her to then?"
"My girlfriend is here. You remember Mia, right?"
"The Moon Elf Protector? Of course! She is a legend."
"She'll take care of Granger's daughter for the mean time so you can come with. Now let's go. I think she's waiting for me outside."
⚜️⚜️⚜️
"Princess Silvanna," Granger bowed out of respect.
Silvanna dismissed her military fellowmen, walking over to him. "Chevalier, didn't I tell you to never call me that, ever?"
"I didn't want to sound rude in their earshot." He stated, talking about the men who've just left.
Strangely, she hummed in understanding with the side of her lips perked into a smirk. "Walk with me."
They sauntered for a few meters, talked about their master plan and when they should schedule to take major action. They arrived at the town square, where there was not a mere civilians in sight. There were crates and carriages of artillery and explosions where there were once booths of colorful fruits and fresh meat. "Our signal will be the skies. When it'll become red, it'll be our cue to charge. But I was wondering, are you and the Miss Violet married?"
Judging by the awkward mellow tone of her voice and the way she turned to him, Granger chose to lie. "Yes, we are."
Much to Granger's apprehension, the Knightess chuckled lightly. "I hope it isn't too late for me to say congratulations."
"Lady Knightess!" A low-rank officer called, running. Unable to execute his run perfectly, he bumped against Granger, in which Granger was unable to avoid in time. "A-Apologies, my Liege!"
"What brings you to me?" Silvanna asked in monotone with her enlightening smile gone in an instant.
"The watchers in the front lines have reported the sky is turning red!" He answered, his sordid voice wavering in fear. "Prepare the chargers and ring the bells! Granger, you know what to do."
Granger nodded curtly, jogging off west to gather with the marksmen.
"Overrider, sir!" The shooters saluted at him as they get in linear formation, lowering down their rifles. The short-ranges stood at the first rows while the snipers stood behind them.
"Commanding officers, step forward." Granger ordered. Four of them did so, standing at ease in the front of the line. "All right. I want you to do what you're good at here. Sniper team leaders, get to your spots. Point blanks, step up front with the fighters and chargers. Protect them at all costs, especially the mages."
"Sorry, I'm late."
Granger turned to the latecomer. "You."
The pink-haired one-eyed woman lazily saluted. "I'm Lesley Vance, designated leader of the First Sniper Ops."
His mouth shut, Granger lolled his head to the side, urging her to get going with her troops. Her squad marched out first, and then the others until Granger was left alone.
Harith is breathing raggedly for the second he saw him, he broke out on a run. "Granger!" His high-pitched scream echoed through the street, grabbing a few soldiers' attention. Alucard was on the feline's tail and Granger smiled at the sight of his friends heading over. Friends. It feels strange to call them that. He thought.
"We will fight for the Empire together!" Alucard declared right as he was a few centimeters away.
"Ah, yes!" Harith cheered along.
"Is Gwyneth safe?"
"She's with Miya." Said Alucard.
Granger's eyes widened. "M-Miya? I thought I killed her..."
"You did, but never fear. She's said to be immortal."
"What if she'll get her revenge on Gwyneth?"
"Nonsense! I've been dating her longer enough to know she's never the kind to grudge and seek vengeance on a baby. Trust me on this one."
"You better be right."
"Had I really been not a man of patience, I would've brought your passive-agressiveness with your body to the grave already."
Granger was about to mock him back, but masculine screams erupted not far. Soldiers began pouring out of the northern entrance, jostling and making a stampede.
"What the..." Alucard trailed off. He could feel his bravery shattering to pieces and his soul jumping out of his body, cowering away with the soldiers.
A three-headed dragon flew above the village. Its wings as big as islets that it shadowed everything beneath them. It was fast but Granger was able to make out the passengers of the monster. The dragon's tail had smashed on the surrounding buildings, blasting rubbles on everyone in the square.
The three Chevaliers jumped out of the wreckage, but a mass amount of the soldiers could not, having themselves buried alive.
Harith's innocence popped right before his eyes, recoiling to Granger and Alucard's side when he saw the buried men's arms still moving from the piles.
"Harith." Alucard frowned, accepting the feline into an embrace.
The Leonin was somehow shuddering all over. "T-The trauma, the flashbacks, my p-parents... It's a-all coming back to me!"
Granger's shoulders weakened, feeling empathy for him. He knew about the death of his Harith's parents. They died during the previous war the Empire and the Abyss, when Granger lost everyone dear to him as well, people he wanted to grow up with, especially his parents. But their parents weren't the only casualties of the late war. There was many a huge loss the population took and it was never going to stay the same for the unfortunate as well. Lives were ruined and altered forever and Granger didn't want to receive the same fate.
He doesn't want to lose Guinevere and their daughter. If he does lose them, he can only fear for the worst.
⚜️⚜️⚜️
Gusion's corpse bursts into an acrid puff of black smoke. The smoke slowly returns to its original form, having been morphed back into the bloodstone.
Jane and Alice towered over the bloodstone, continuously sending each other lightning bolts of glares as they both reach for the stone and end up bumping against the other's head.
"How stupid of you!"
"Can't you see I was reaching for it first?!"
The two similar women flexed at each other, signalling the other to make a move.
At the end of the hall, Thamuz was shaking his head in shame. As for his son, Dyrroth rolled his eyes. "Let's just get this over with."